Every four years the nations unite watching in awe the extraordinary ability of athletes around the world. People like Nadia Comaneci, Usain Bolt, and Michael Phelps cause us to look past the flag on their uniforms and respect the mind-blowing capability of the human body. The Summer Olympics never fails to deliver eye-popping athletic performances, but in 1976, one gymnast’s performance showcased a lot more than the athleticism crowds crave.
Almost everyone owns them. You can find them at just about any store, and they are practically a necessity for office workers and students. Yet the Post-It note almost never was.
Imagine being alive when Jesus Christ walked the Earth. Imagine knowing Him, talking with Him, relaxing with Him. The Bible indicates that He had an attractive personality; He was a positive and friendly man. Though He spent a lot of time with 12 men in particular, He would have been friends with nearly everyone. He was a “man’s man,” but He also had several female friends and disciples. One of these female disciples did something that made Christ say, “Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for...
Read MoreIn 1893, Chicago hosted a World’s Fair. It was a monumental event. At a time when the population of the United States was 65 million, over 27 million people visited the fair. And this was before airplanes, when the fastest transportation was a steam-engine train. The designers of the fair had one problem, however, and it came up early in planning. The previous World’s Fair had been in Paris in 1889. At that fair, engineers had built the most remarkable tower of its time; perhaps you’ve heard of it. It was named after its French designer, Gustave Eiffel. Chicago needed something to...
Read MoreAn inspiring lesson in faith and the miracle of salvation. From a physical perspective they were closed in—trapped. In front of them was the sea. On the two sides were mountain ranges. Behind was an army rolling toward them. The massive but unarmed group of people trapped between all this feared the worst. Waves of fear and doubt rippled through the millions of people standing there. Mothers, fathers and children would be massacred. Survivors would be enslaved. The physical circumstances provided no way of escape. The situation looked hopeless. Some cried out to God for deliverance. Others blamed the leadership. This intense history...
Read MoreKing David of Israel did a lot of spectacular deeds in his life. But did you realize that a lot of what many people know about him, he did as a teenager? Some commentaries say David’s example is just a popular legend. I certainly take exception to that. You can easily prove that the Bible is God’s Word and that David served God. He was, indeed, a real person and a very faithful young man. And because of his deeds, very soon David is going to be resurrected to rule over all Israel forever. What does David’s example mean to you young...
Read MoreI have some significant flaws. I have weaknesses, insecurities and problems to overcome. I don’t feel too bad about admitting it because I know you have problems, too. We all do. We all have fears we want to conquer and weaknesses we want to overcome. But sometimes our flaws can be discouraging. Sometimes, we really want to change something about ourselves, but, try as we might, it seems like we never can. We lapse back into bad habits. We fail to reach our lofty goals. There once was a young man just like this who...
Read MoreIn 2006, a book called The Dangerous Book for Boys caught my eye. Aimed at encouraging boys to go out and live an active life and to get excited about acts of bravery and heroism, the book shot to the top of bestseller lists in the UK and Australia after just one week. We love hearing about heroes—great men and women who performed mighty acts, who were virtuous and showed courage and bravery. Deep down, we want to be like those people. I’d like to tell you about another “Dangerous Book.” Hebrews 11 describes some very impressive personalities. This chapter gives a good...
Read MoreMrs. Loma Armstrong once said in reference to her husband: "They say a wife either makes or breaks her husband. Well, you just watch me make mine!" And that is exactly what she did. She supported her husband through nearly 30 years of poverty; never wavering. There are few such remarkable women in history. There is one, however, who stood by her husband’s side, even when separated by an ocean. This woman truly “made” her husband. Without her at his side, her husband wouldn’t have been half the success he was. Without her he wouldn’t have been the second...
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