More times than not, people with disabilities are the recipients of care from parents, siblings, loved ones, and medical practitioners. This fact of life has led many to view them only as care receivers and never as caregivers. And this means that oftentimes, the disability is seen rather than the person. But many people living with disabilities have been given a special sensitivity to the needs of others, making them especially suited to provide help in situations where dedicated care is lacking. Take, for example, the life of Don Schmidt… Don was born on February 14, 1950 and was soon diag ..read more

“Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more…It is God’s will that you should be sanctified…” 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 3 As they would say in King James’s times, “Be ye sanctified.” We are to stomp on that natural love of sin and set apart ourselves unto God. Whether it’s willful rebellion or the tiny transgressions you sweep under the carpet of your conscience, from these things…separate yourself. No doubt about it; it’s a tall order. But a doable one. That’s because y ..read more

“Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.” Romans 5:18 Someone once said that Jesus, when he hung on the cross, bore the weight of the sins of more than 40 billion people in the space of nine hours. We haven’t a clue to that horror, let alone the love. We can only drop to our grateful knees that Jesus justifies. Amazing love! How can it be that “he forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that sto ..read more

We are grateful to meet again with Dr. Daniel Kyungu, a social scientist and a bishop with the Church of Christ in the Democratic Republic of Congo (the DRC). For this Q&A, we begin with his God-given vision of the Bethany Theological Center for both disabled and nondisabled pastoral students. It’s beautiful. Then, we ask him to share about how he journeys through physical disability and even warring conflict with a spirit full of joy. It’s a powerful testimony. May we all be encouraged and challenged by his faithful example. I certainly have been. In case it was missed last year, the fi ..read more

“Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs?” Job 38:31-32 For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night, Hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light. Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise. I was thinking about this hymn recently when I showed up early at church for a prayer meeting. The front door was locked, so I sat outside and enjoyed the stars. Within a minute or two Chris, a college student, drove up. As we wai ..read more

“Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll—are they not in your record?” Psalm 56:8 Think of all the tears you’ve ever cried. That time at recess when you weren’t picked for dodgeball. The Saturday night of the prom when you sat home alone. The job interview that went sour. The time your neighbor down the street told you to “quit talking about religion.” The day your father died. The day your spouse left. You may have thought no one noticed your red eyes. Not so. God saw. What’s more, he has every intention of rewarding your endurance through that pain. Why else would he meticulously c ..read more

“Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.” Psalm 147:7 My favorite classical guitar piece is called “Recuerdos del Alhambra.” And nobody plays it like Christopher Parkening, probably the greatest classical guitarist in the world. My husband, Ken, is friends with Christopher. They both like to fish, so whenever we’re together, the subject is trout and tuna. Recently the three of us were at our home, and Ken left the room to get a fishing rod to show Christopher. I said, “Chris, I’m sorry to sound like such a fan, but one day I would love it if you would play for ..read more

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” Proverbs 3:7 These days, we’ve been conditioned to offer our opinions on just about everything. With social networking sites flickering at us from our phones, survey invitations coming over email and at the end of every customer service call, we are told our voice matters. Many of us rate the service we receive at the restaurants we visit and the quality of the products we buy online. In doing so, it’s like we’re holding a pair of scales in our hands that weigh every aspect of our lives. Until recently, I didn’t realize just ho ..read more

https://youtu.be/KrG6KW-bhYA Let’s say you are going through a tough, confusing trial and you’re having a hard time understanding the good that God intends in it. Man, I’ve been there, and it’s why Ephesians 3:18-19 is so helpful. It says that we need “strength to comprehend… The love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.” Some hard things simply “surpass our knowledge.” There’s a lot about suffering you will ‘never’ understand or know… but what you DO know is the love of Christ. You know that he died for you. He’s proved his love to you at the cross. And because of the cross, he provides you g ..read more

“I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father.” Jeremiah 31:9 The Patapsco River runs white water between Marriottsville and Woodstock, Maryland. I ought to know, because as a child I rode horses there. Over the course of a half mile, the river drops several meters, tumbling over jagged rocks. A sharp ledge of granite and slate rises up on the left bank. On the right bank lies a flat, grassy meadow. Now, you could travel either riverbank, for the trail splits there. One path leads up the dangerous, slippery slope; the oth ..read more