As the world marked the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on 4 June 1989, police would not allow in-person vigils in Hong Kong for the first time since 1990. In June 1989, Chinese army troops brutally supressed peaceful protests for freedom and democracy, killing and wounding thousands of people in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.Continue reading “Vigils Continue for Tiananmen Dead”
Category Archives: hope
What Do the Scriptures Say About Peace?
Peace is something everyone wants, yet few seem to find. What is peace? It can be defined as “tranquility, harmony, or security.” Depending on the situation, it could mean “prosperity” or “well-being.” Various forms of the word peace are found 429 times in the King James Version of the Bible. There are different types ofContinue reading “What Do the Scriptures Say About Peace?”
People Are Out There Surviving
Not long ago a reader shared a profound comment in reply to a post on my Facebook page. This is one of the most powerful stories we’ve received from readers of the Heaven book: We—very suddenly and unexpectedly—lost our 16-year-old son on 10/6. He was the fourth of our five children. I have struggled mightilyContinue reading “People Are Out There Surviving”
Fire Cannot Warm a Cold Heart
It happened in a large, seventy-five-year-old stone house on the west side of Houston. A massive stairway led up to several bedrooms. The den down below was done in rough-hewn boards with soft leather chairs and a couple of matching sofas. The wet bar had been converted into a small library, including a shelf ofContinue reading “Fire Cannot Warm a Cold Heart”
Only One Empty Tomb?
The first year after my husband died, I wasn’t prepared for how hard Easter would be. We’d always lived in colder climates, so I didn’t grieve a soggy egg hunt or bemoan wearing a winter coat over my dress that year. It didn’t even bother me much that church had shifted online because of theContinue reading “Only One Empty Tomb?”
Desperately Sad Day
A single mother has lost the latest round in her legal challenge to stop life support treatment for her brain-damaged daughter being ended. In a judgment on Friday, the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier High Court ruling that said 5-year-old Pippa Knight should be allowed to die. Pippa suffers from acute necrotising encephalopathy and hasContinue reading “Desperately Sad Day”
When Flesh and Heart Fail
“My flesh and my heart may fail,but God is the strength of my heart,my portion forever” (Ps 73:26). This is what I like to call a “Psalmist classic.” It’s the kind of verse you find written on a coffee mug or t-shirt, maybe even tattooed on someone’s arm. It’s a verse that, apart from anyContinue reading “When Flesh and Heart Fail”
A Healthy Loneliness
Nearly half of Americans always or sometimes feel alone. Nearly half of Britons over 65 consider the television or a pet their main source of company. Scientists have long known that loneliness is emotionally painful and can lead to psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. But recently they’ve also discovered how bad it is for the body.Continue reading “A Healthy Loneliness”
20 Quotes from Tim Keller on Resurrection Hope
I recently read Tim Keller’s stirring new book Hope in Times of Fear: The Resurrection and the Meaning of Easter (Viking, 2021) [interview]. Here are 20 quotes that caught my attention. The greatest threat to our hope for a better world is not the natural environment but the various evils that continually spring from the human heart.Continue reading “20 Quotes from Tim Keller on Resurrection Hope”
Christians Cannot Be Pessimists
Years ago I heard a saying that I thought was profound. It was, “Live simply that others may simply live.” I assumed that it meant that we should live off the land rather than be materialistic. As an unkempt hippy, that appealed to me. But one day I learned about real life, and how anContinue reading “Christians Cannot Be Pessimists”
