Accepted by God

Karen Huang — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

He was the doctor who never turned away a patient—even if some couldn’t pay him and even though he himself had experienced rejection from society. In spite of Harold’s outstanding record in his medical studies, no hospital in London hired him because of the color of his skin. So in 1913 he opened his own practice in his home, often treating the poor for free.

Pray for Them

Mike Wittmer — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The movie Sully depicts the heroic landing of a stalled passenger plane on New York’s Hudson River. As Captain “Sully” strode off the rescue ferry, he told an official, “I need to know who’s hurt and how badly and I need a count.

Gifts Repurposed by God

Tom Felten — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Captain Tim Mullane diligently worked at sinking the SS United States—a massive ocean liner. In fact, he was paid to send it down to the depths. Mullane repurposes ships from sailing the seven seas to serving as instant artificial reefs on the ocean floor.

Acts of Devotion

Tim Gustafson — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Like all early departures from this life, Joe’s death shocked those who knew him. Just before he died, he’d begun making poor decisions. Now this husband, father, coach, and youth leader would no longer be there for those who’d relied on him.

Words from Friends

Katara Patton — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

As I sat in a Bible class at the age of twenty-six, I was baffled. Some of my classmates’ comments were discouraging. They seemed to have so many problems.

Comfort Amidst Tears

Sheridan Voysey — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The call from my mother came around 9 p.m. “It’s about your dad,” she said.

The Warmhearted Church

Alyson Kieda — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

When I was a child, I gladly accompanied my family to church every Sunday morning and evening. Our pastor exuded joy and always included the children in the service—and even encouraged my writing. My Sunday school teachers and pastor instilled in me a love for Scripture.

The Heart of the Matter

Bill Crowder — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On a teaching trip to Moscow, I decided to take the subway to get lunch. Standing in the subway car, I started whistling simply because I felt good after an enjoyable morning teaching and the day was pleasant. The passengers stared at me like I was insane.

Children of God

Lisa M. Samra — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

One of my favorite books of optical illusions always astounds me as the pictures deceive my eyes—like one with two lines of the same length appearing to be different sizes, or the famous “impossible staircase” in which four flights of stairs seem to link in a continuous loop. It can also be a little disconcerting to realize we don’t always see things as they truly are.

God’s Rescue Plan

Nancy Gavilanes — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

When a father learned his five-year-old daughter had fallen overboard from the fourth deck of the cruise ship they were on, he plunged into the ocean forty feet below to rescue her. He held on to his daughter while treading water for more than ten minutes before the ship’s rescue team brought them safely back on board. As soon as the father heard his daughter was in trouble, he risked everything to save her.

Seeking God’s Kingdom

Elisa Morgan — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

My young grandson was spending the night in our new home, in a bed unfamiliar to him. He giggled with excitement as we read books under the dinosaur tent I’d pitched atop his cozy comforter, but when it was time to sleep, his eyes widened with worry. “How will I find you if I need you?”

Look to God

Leslie Koh — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Elise felt the panic rising. The book layout was due the next day, but the printer had rejected the photos. It could take days to sort it out.

Eternity with God

Amy Boucher Pye — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On England’s south coast, two women who are both named Kate run the Coffin Club. They created this place for people to prepare for their eventual death through selecting and decorating their coffins. Kate’s dad died when she was thirteen, and she said, “It was horrendous.

Be Patient

John Blase — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Shiro Oguni once visited a group home for adults with dementia. Heartbroken at their isolation from the hum of society, he felt there ought to be a better way. Oguni’s creative genius led to what is known as the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders, an actual restaurant with this added twist—all the wait staff struggle with memory loss.

The God Who Helps

Anne Cetas — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

While driving her nine-year-old son to camp, a mother got lost after taking a wrong turn and getting the car stuck on a rural forest road in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Her GPS and phone quit working because of the remote area, so they were unable to retrace their way back. In desperation after being stranded for more than twenty-four hours and sleeping in their car overnight, they began to walk.

Deadly Confusion

Winn Collier — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A loud thump came from a window in the classroom where I was teaching and startled the students. Then another thump! A bird had flown headlong into the glass and bounced off, only to make another run for yet another crash.

Persevering into Joy

James Banks — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Nestled in a corner of the brick steps leading up to our front door is a hardy little scarlet begonia. We didn’t plant it—it must have grown there from a seed that fell out of a hanging basket. But we’ve let it remain.

Divine Comfort

Nancy Gavilanes — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The sound of the cascading water confirmed that I’d arrived at the 9/11 Memorial Pools in New York City, a place I’d avoided visiting for fear of being overwhelmed by sadness and grief from what took place there that tragic day in 2001. I walked around the two large reflection pools located where the Twin Towers once stood. It was deeply moving to see all the names of those who died etched on the walls—some with roses placed on them by loved ones.

Legacy of Generosity

Kirsten Holmberg — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Though we didn’t live in the same state as my maternal grandparents, I’m grateful to have known them as well as I did. They traveled regularly to Colorado to see us, and we enjoyed visits with them in California. As my sister and I became adults, our conversations with our grandparents expanded from playful childhood topics to include more serious discussion of finances.

God’s Open Invitation

Karen Pimpo — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Before my close friend’s wedding, we meticulously set the table for two hundred guests at the reception. With joyful anticipation we spent hours folding napkins, aligning cutlery, straightening tablecloths, and arranging flowers. After putting in all that work, we couldn’t wait for guests to arrive and enjoy it!

What a Fellowship

Patricia Raybon — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Rachel “church hopped” for three years before finding a Bible study group that provided what she couldn’t find in a traditional church—community. Rachel is Deaf.

God’s Loving Eye

Dave Branon — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

My wife, Sue, and I had just finished walking five miles across the Mackinac Bridge, which links Michigan’s two peninsulas. This annual Labor Day event in the United States is a tradition in our state dating back to 1958. We grabbed a seat on a park bench to rest.

Contending for the Faith

Marvin Williams — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A twenty-seven-year-old student studying in Japan had to be rescued from Mount Fuji twice in one week! After being airlifted during his first climb due to dangerous conditions, he realized he’d left his phone and other belongings behind. Four days later, ignoring warnings, he returned to the mountain, only to need to be rescued again—this time suffering from altitude sickness.

When God Opens Our Eyes

Monica La Rose — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In thirteenth-century France, legend has it that a knight left his baby boy at home guarded by his greyhound dog Guinefort. The knight returned to find chaos—the crib overturned, his son nowhere to be seen, and his hound’s mouth covered in blood. Assuming the dog had harmed his son, he killed it.

Junk Files

Adam R. Holz — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

My smartphone occasionally reminds me I’m not good at digital housekeeping. “Junk files are taking up space,” the message reads.

Reverent Fear of God

Karen Huang — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

“I killed people in the past,” Tanitan said, “but ever since I chose to believe in Jesus Christ, He will not allow me to commit such practices anymore.” Tanitan, a member of the Ilongot tribe from the Sierra Madre mountains in the Philippines, came from a culture of head-hunting—the practice of hunting humans and severing their heads.

The Ultimate Snapshot

Kenneth Petersen — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Before our trip to Switzerland, my mental snapshot was of snowy Alps, goats grazing, and mountain farmers blowing alpine horns. However, as we drove south from Zurich, the landscape was the same drab tangle of highways we saw in any city. When we got close to our lodging, we had to drive up a precarious one-lane dirt road.

Gathering to Grow in Christ

Xochitl Dixon — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In Monterey Bay, California, a boat captain saw fifteen Pacific white-sided dolphins join a super pod of more than two thousand dolphins. Various types and ages of dolphins gather in pods to fend off predators, feed, and socialize. Still, the size and diversity of this super pod was a rare sight to behold.

Christ in Me

Jennifer Benson Schuldt — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer became famous for his talent at age twenty. The art critics of his day called him “the greatest mind that ever expressed itself in line.” As his fame spread, influential people tried to hire him with promises of luxury and ease. Even other acclaimed artists such as Giovanni Bellini and Raphael revered his work.

In what experts consider to be his best self-portrait, Dürer mingled his physical characteristics with what he thought Jesus might have looked like. He painted himself with long wavy hair, a beard, and eyes that seemed to convey a sense of divine purpose. Many assumed this piece was a prideful statement about the artist’s opinion of himself. Others who were familiar with his virtuous character believed the painting wasn’t blasphemous or big-headed but aspirational. They believed Dürer wanted to live a life that would allow people to see Jesus in him.

If we truly know Christ, this is our desire as well. Believing in Him and accepting His death and resurrection as the basis for our relationship with God means we should now live for Jesus—not for ourselves (Galatians 2:19). We live for Him and He lives in us and works through us. The apostle Paul said this about his spiritual transformation: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (v. 20). May the glory of Christ shine through our lives today so that the world sees Him in us.

God’s Rich Provision

Patricia Raybon — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

After Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters nearly destroyed his small North Carolina town in 2024, a pastor noticed an inspiring pattern. As he struggled to answer the persistent question, “What do you need?” donations kept showing up exactly when he needed them. Phone chargers? Out of the blue, a man drove up with a generator, creating a charging station at the church. Drinking water? Suddenly, pallets of water bottles arrived.

Coincidence? The Bible points us to God, not mere happenstance. “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). The promise might seem empty to a town nearly demolished by a thirty-foot wall of raging water. But Paul, who was in prison when he offered this encouragement, was no stranger to hardship.

Paul was writing to the church in Philippi to thank them for badly needed financial gifts. Except for them, he’d been neglected (v. 15). But God used them to meet his needs. So, His words shined a bright light on God who provided the “riches of His glory” found in Christ Jesus our Savior, in whom we have “every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). Joy, peace, truth, salvation are among the needs He richly provides. In kindness as well, He’ll provide a drink of water too, if that’s what we need. What a loving, generous God.