In 2 Timothy 1:6-7 we read, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
More than 40 years ago, a wise Haitian man gave me advice on how to have good relations with the Haitian people. He said that when a Haitian asks for something, always give hope with an answer of “not yet” or “let’s wait to see what God gives me to give you. [...]
Driving on the dirt roads in Haiti requires four-wheel drive. Many times, growing up in Haiti, I found myself jumping out of our Toyota pickup truck and unlocking the tires so we could switch the vehicle into 4x4 mode and drive out of the mud.
I lost my father 16 years ago after a nine-year battle with cancer. Then, my mother remarried Dennis O’Conner from Minnesota. […]
One of my best memories as a teenager was sailing with my father on his 28-foot sailboat called Mia Carita. Mia Carita means my love in Italian. […]
To know God is to love Him and to serve Him. When we live for Jesus, and do those little tasks that He prompts us to do, we find peace and contentment.
There’s an old story about a family on vacation traveling through the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. One morning, they stopped at a country restaurant for breakfast. […]
I remember the anticipation of going to summer camp! Hiking, swimming, and meeting new friends made summer camp a special place. […]
Recently, I listened to a song by Kari Jobe which I like. It is called You Are for Me. Kari Jobe came to our mission in Haiti years ago and she met with our pastors and sang. […]
I was 20 years old during my first year in Haiti. On Saturdays, I would go off exploring by myself. While walking the beach through Ti-Riviere heading toward Léogâne, I came across an old fisherman in a boat. […]
The phrase “you can do more” has come before me twice recently. My son was at a pastors’ conference and privately, the speaker inspired George with the words, “You can do more.” […]
There is a story in the Bible about King Jehoshaphat when he ruled over Judah. A great army had formed to attack Judah and the king was gripped with fear. He prayed these words: “Our God, will you not judge them? […]
On June 26, 2023, I began a 40-day fast from social media. I intended the fast to help me focus on some spiritual areas where I sensed I was lacking. First, I felt I was reading posts on social media more than I was reading pages of my Bible. […]
In 2010, at the age of 16, Jessica Watson from Australia sailed solo around the globe unassisted. She was not allowed to moor the boat in any harbors. […]
Many of the newspapers from 50 years ago have now gone defunct due to the internet and social media. I have a memory of men carrying around stacks of newspapers, walking the streets and shouting, “Extra! Extra! Read all about it! […]
My great-grandmother Antonina was born in Salemi, Sicily, on July 9, 1894. Her parents died young, and she was raised by an older sister, Catherine. She married Natale Genna, a boy from the village. […]
Have you ever loved someone with your whole heart but the same love was not returned? Perhaps the person portrayed a measure of love but didn’t love you fully. Maybe there was even some betrayal. How can you love someone when there is a question of trust and commitment? […]
As I started the car to run errands, I clicked the media button on the car dashboard and the song, It Pays to Pray, came on. The song is sung by Greater Vision, a southern gospel quartet.[…]
My grandfather, Michel DeTellis, was an immigrant from Italy. In the 1950s he sold produce off the back of his horse-drawn wagon. He would ride up and down the side streets in the neighborhoods of South Boston selling to families living in tenement houses.[…]
