It’s been a year since my dear friend Noey took his life. Noey was one of the most interesting and unforgettable people I’ve ever met. His smile was infectious, and his personality was both charming and brilliant. He was gifted in so many ways—especially as a master mechanic. There was nothing he couldn’t fix. And if he didn’t know how, he could always figure it out. His knowledge spanned countless topics, too many to mention.
Read More“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pain. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” C.S. Lewis
For the past several years, and especially the past several weeks, I’ve been suffering in silence. I’ve never experience debilitating pain like this in my whole life. What’s worse is when the physical pain creeps into your mind with dark thoughts of depression and despair. But precious are the lessons we learn in pain. Please consider a few of those lessons with me in my latest blog, “The Power of Pain”. Thanks for taking time to read and share.
Thank you to all those who reached out with encouragement and support!! Details below!
Read More2023 has been the most difficult year of our life. But there’s still so much to be thankful for! Here are a few thoughts as we wrap up 2023 and look forward to 2024. Thanks for reading and sharing!
Read MoreJohn’s phone vibrated with another notification from Turo, the ride-sharing app his business uses for reservations.
“Cancellation,” the notification read.
Read MoreIn the jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula, there is a dark underworld, hidden from sight. It’s a place of intrigue, fascination, and mystery. Hidden below the surface, this underworld lies beneath the veil of the limestone ground we walk upon. In order to see it, you must be willing to move out of your comfort zone. You must venture beyond your fears and boldly confront the uncertainties of the unknown. You must penetrate into rocky portals and plunge into liquid darkness. But it is in this deep mysterious darkness that the light is more distinctly seen!
Read MoreAs Diana* stood in the restaurant line, a familiar face caught her eye. She knew that man from somewhere—but where? Oh, yes! That was Taj Pacleb, the speaker with nature videos on Facebook. During the difficult years of her marriage, they’d kept her afloat. She waited for each new episode, treasuring the reminders of the God who loved her. She could hardly believe Taj was now standing in the same restaurant line!
Read MoreIt seems that all around us there are troubling things happening. Whether it’s what’s happening around the world or in your own life, today we’ll discover how to get through the fury of these storms by looking at the example of a man who weathered literal and figurative storms.
Read MoreOn the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii is a small town that is known for a lot of amazing things. Kailua-Kona is a land of black lava fields, rugged rocky coastlines, crystal clear waters, historical Hawaiian heiau’s, fruitful fishponds, and ancient petroglyphs. It is the home of the iconic Kona coffee bean, the annual Iron Man triathlon, the international billfish deep water fishing tournament, and so much more. But of all the things that Kona is famous for, none is more awe-inspiring than what you’re able to see after sunset, just below the surface of the ocean.
Read MoreMy name is Joseph and my brother is called Samuel. We hail from the beautiful country of Kenya. I am a land valuer by profession while my brother serves as a court clerk. We thank God for the privilege of being husbands and fathers in our families.
I grew up in an Adventist Christian family and raised up on a strong Christian background. I thank God for my parents who taught us the beauty of the Christian life. They raised us up while serving God in the colporteur ministry. We were born three in our family but God gave my parents another burden of raising up five more children of our late auntie.
Read MoreIn the great North Atlantic Ocean, there is a British island paradise that is like heaven on earth. It’s known for its beautiful pink-sand beaches, rugged rock formations, and captivatingly clear turquoise waters. Everything is easy on the eyes, relaxing to the senses, and calming to the nerves. With a land mass of just 20 square miles and a population of only 65,000, it’s a small piece of paradise enjoyed by a relative few. But did you know that this piece of heaven on earth was once called the “Isle of Devils”? Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?
Read MoreWithin every human heart there is a desire to love and be loved. A desire for companionship, fellowship, and relationship. Being made in the image of the triune God, we were made for connection and communion. Someone to share experiences with. A significant other to make lasting memories with. Someone to walk with us in the journey of life.
Read MoreAfter the release of my second solo music album in 2015, I found myself in a rather deep pit of despair .… That night, I struggled to sleep being kept up by doubts, fears, and a voice that spoke clearly to me saying, “No one would notice if you were gone. You’re nothing.” The next morning, I made the decision that I would take my life and end the failures, the depression, the guilt, and shame of existing. Before leaving, I prayed my last desperate prayer, “God, if you can hear me, save me.” As I made my way out ...
Read MoreAmerican Samoa is a beautiful place to visit. Located off the beaten path, it is rich in nature and spiritual lessons. Take a look at the five palm trees growing on this little mountain. Here are the lessons I learned from them!
Read More“HELP ME, GOD, I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE. TAKE THIS PAIN AWAY!”
I was alone, broken, empty, and angry. My mind was racing with past memories of my ex-girlfriend; I felt the tears streaming down my face. A pain I never knew existed filled my whole being.
Read MoreSomeone once said: “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
Never have I really seen the reality of this truth until I had the chance to visit a place that’s far off the beaten path. It’s a region of our world that’s hard to get to and even harder to leave, an inspiring land that has gripped the imagination of thousands ever since its first visitor set foot on shore. It’s a world of wonder, an island of intrigue—the Galapagos Islands.
Read MoreI had a sick feeling inside. It was Friday. I had just finished taking some people to explore the ocean on the west side of Oahu when I walked back to my truck and saw that someone shattered my window. I looked inside. My professional camera was gone.
Read MoreWhen he walked into his first Revelation of Hope seminar in the summer of 2013, Jon Baker told himself, “Don’t get convicted.”
Up until that point, Jon and his wife Karissa weren't the least bit interested in God. They would much rather be throwing back a few cold ones with friends over a football game than sitting silent and stiff in a wooden church pew.
But that night, as the couple listened to their old high school friend preach the gospel, something shifted in their hearts. They couldn’t tell you later what the topic had been. They may not have remembered any of the verses. But they knew one thing -- God had grabbed hold of them, and they needed to make “a lot of changes.”
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