3238) “Somebody Has to Do the Work”

From The Exile, by Pearl S. Buck, 1936; as quoted in Stories of Faith, by Ruth Tucker, 1989. ——————————- Pearl Buck at home in Zhenxiang, China as a child (on left):      Spending time in prayer each day is a discipline that is often difficult to maintain, and missionaries sometimes struggle more with time […]

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3237) Still Interested in Jesus

By Dr. Jeremiah J. Johnston, May 3, 2026, at:  http://www.foxnews.com .  Johnston is an associate pastor for apologetics and cultural engagement at Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas.  His book The Jesus Discoveries (Bethany House, 2026) is a New York Times bestseller. ———————————-      Here is what you are supposed to believe about America in 2026:

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3236) A Message in a Bottle (3/3)

     (…continued)  We live our whole lives in a life and death situation, every minute of every day we live in what the Bible calls ‘the valley of the shadow of death.’  That should change our perspective on the value of everything: what we spend our money on, what we pay attention to, and

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3235) A Message in a Bottle (2/3)

     (…continued)  This story is a parable on modern life.  Like the many messages floating in from the sea, we have on our radios, TVs, smart phones, and computers, an endless flow of information and entertainment, and the opportunity to read or watch or hear whatever we want all day long.  But the problem

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3234) A Message in a Bottle (1/3)

      In an essay entitled “Message in a Bottle,” Walker Percy asks the reader to imagine a group of people stranded on an island in the middle of the ocean (this simple meditation is loosely based on that scholarly essay).  The island is beautiful, the weather is great, and there is plenty of food

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3233) Called Back

     American poet Emily Dickinson (pictured above) died on May 15, 1886 at the age of 55.  She wrote over 1800 poems in her lifetime, but she published none of them.  Seven were published anonymously before her death, probably without her permission.  After Emily died, her sister Lavinia discovered dozens of handmade notebooks in

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3232) “In Jesus’ Name”

     A few days ago, Emailmeditation #3228 told the story of William and Wilhemina Kruse, South Dakota pioneers, who lost nine children to diphtheria in 1894.  Upon reading it, my friend Tim emailed to tell me that the story was very personal for him.  He sent me a brief account of his family faith history. 

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3231) Ecclesiastes? Who Need It? (2/2)

     (…continued) Not everyone is fond of Ecclesiastes.  It is strange.  It is depressing.  It even gives ungodly and bad advice.  In the parable of Jesus, it is the fool who says, “Eat, drink, and be merry.”  But in Ecclesiastes that very advice is given by the teacher as the best way to live. 

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3230) Ecclesiastes? Who Needs It? (1/2)

     I read one time the true story of a college senior who sat alone in her room late one Saturday night, contemplating suicide.  At just 22 years old, Patti was tired of life.  She had already felt like she had tried everything, and was still sad and hopeless.  She could not find happiness.  She

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3229) An Ecclesiastes Sampler

     One of the most familiar, best loved, and most often quoted books in the Bible is the Psalms.  Right after that in the Old Testament Table of Contents you will find the book of Proverbs, also familiar to many and often quoted.  And right after Proverbs is Ecclesiastes, a book not as familiar

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