The tide was coming in that morning as I strolled the Cabo San Jose beach. I followed a popular path along the water’s edge, the dry, rumpled sand cool to my feet. Suddenly a large wave surged ashore. When it receded, I stood still and marveled at the transformation. An unspoiled, pristine beach now stretched before me, as if I’d...

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vine, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my...

My parents met in Switzerland on a blind date. Six weeks later they got engaged, and my father returned to America. As a German refugee, my mother had lost everything. The thought of leaving her new life and starting over again was overwhelming, but she navigated the one-year immigration process and then traveled alone to the United States. She trusted...

What does your name mean? Do you like your name? On the simplest level, names are labels to distinguish one person from another. But names mean so much more than that; they also connect to identity. Essence In Judaism, your given name is considered prophetic to some extent, defining your essence; it’s seen as the key to your soul. Thus,...