Faith – Page 4 – Signora Sheila

Flip-Flops in the Snow

Snowy downtown city street at dusk, pedestrians cross a quiet intersection beneath glowing streetlights, creating a cold, cinematic mood.

We watched as he trudged along with a tattered sack of belongings slung over his shoulder, trying in vain to keep his bare feet out of the snow. He was miserable and destitute, and in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the huge city, he went almost unnoticed. Unaccustomed to such sights, weContinueContinue reading “Flip-Flops in the Snow”

Thanksgiving for the Future

Bright orange pumpkin beside a patterned coffee cup and scattered beans on a rustic wooden table, creating a cozy autumn mood.

Happy Thanksgiving from Italy!! Even though it always amazes me how many people don’t know that Italy doesn’t celebrate this holiday. It saddens me too, because it means that many people, even in North America, don’t seem to know the history of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a distinctly North American holiday, inspired by celebrations of theContinueContinue reading “Thanksgiving for the Future”

Lessons on Surrender from Mount Moriah

Silhouetted woman stands in a calm lake at sunset, arms outstretched, with a dark pine forest and pink clouds reflected in the water.

Moriah means “chosen by God” and it was a special place to Him. It was precisely there that God commanded His temple to be built. Furthermore, after David had sinned by conducting a census (1 Chronicles 21), God sent the king to offer sacrifices at that very spot. Counting the people might have seemed likeContinueContinue reading “Lessons on Surrender from Mount Moriah”

Always Successful

Moss-covered tree trunk and roots frame a quiet forest beside a misty lake, with golden autumn leaves creating a peaceful mood.

Psalm 1 is imbued with greatness. It calls us to a higher life, and urges us to live in such a way that we become like the person it describes. The man of this psalm chooses to remain close to God’s stream of living water. He meditates on God’s Word day and night, and whateverContinueContinue reading “Always Successful”

Don’t Leave Fellow Soldiers to Die

Rows of gray white crosses fill a sunlit cemetery lawn, receding into the distance beneath dark trees, creating a solemn, reflective mood.

We human beings are weak and fragile. Our bodies get sick, our emotions become deeply wounded and our minds troubled and confused. Isaiah 35 speaks of this and instructs God’s people to strengthen those who are weak and calm those who are troubled. It speaks of the Lord’s liberating help, but also reminds us thatContinueContinue reading “Don’t Leave Fellow Soldiers to Die”

All Things End

Close-up of a glass hourglass with golden sand on a reflective table, beside a reed diffuser, creating a thoughtful, contemplative mood.

Most of us do not like endings. Beginnings are fun and exciting, with new things on the horizon. But endings mark the conclusion of something, with words like cessation, separation, mourning, goodbye, and farewell. They often carry with them a sense of loss. We experienced this sense of loss during our recent stay in Hubby’sContinueContinue reading “All Things End”