By Mark Eaton Down at 388 East Marigold StreetWhere grief of earthly loves shall meetWhere tears in somber eyes repleteOf charry, wounded, wandering feet Down at 388 East Marigold StreetWhere monolithic chimneys featTo stand amid berating heatDisposed to rise from blackened seat Down at 388 East Marigold StreetWhere pool sits black from ashy peatThe home … Continue reading No 388 E. Marigold St.
As she sat at her desk, the thought of her husband’s death stole the air from her lungs. She wanted to carry her weight, but gravity had multiplied seven times. She might as well have been physically ill, for the bodily fatigue was overwhelming. She barely had the strength to lift her arms to the … Continue reading In the Shadows of Grief: A Short Story
Standing at my window one day, while the cholera was raging in London, I saw two corpses carried by, followed by one little child, walking alone next to the coffins, with a few neighbors behind. That child was now an orphan. Both parents had been carried off by the pestilence. The sight of that child … Continue reading Spiritual Orphans: Forgetting our Heavenly Father
They were gaining on me. Every breath I took was weighed down by the awareness that they were close behind. I had entered at the narrow gate, but somehow, they had managed to follow me onto the path. I could hear their taunts. Every one of their footsteps was like the sound of a war … Continue reading Enemies on the Narrow Road
How do we live with discouragement? When people look at you, they see courage, but you know it is nothing but a stiff upper lip. The last thing you want to do is burden your loved ones more than necessary, so you keep your disappointment as hidden as possible. The problem is that every setback … Continue reading Discouragement is not Always our Enemy
We can often find ourselves in spiritually desolate places. What makes a time or place desolate? Sometimes, it is the sin of those around us. People can sin against us, and the pain they cause can be deep and personal. Other times, rulers and authorities grieve our hearts by calling evil good and good evil. … Continue reading God’s Provision in Desolate Places
The perennial frog in the kettle does not know he is being heated until it is too late. Tepid water feels just fine as it is heated, degree by degree, but a boil begins to roll at some point. In America, at least, if not the Western world, we are beginning to succumb to a new phenomenon—relational fragility. In isolation, manifestations of this trend are not all that interesting—cancel culture, “ghosting,” the divorce rate, family estrangement, and political witch-hunts. On the other hand, combined, we can discern a cultural shift that is quite literally tearing at the fabric of American society. We are now in a time when people are trying harder than ever to be connected but are, ironically, sprinting away from one another at breakneck speed. - CLICK TO READ MORE
If you are feeling the weight of the world, please take a moment to read the following timeless encouragement written in 1856 by James Smith. If you are a sincere believer in Jesus, whatever may be your present difficult circumstances, however trying, however perplexing: it will all end in mercy! You may not think so … Continue reading Hope for the Heavy Heart
If fall were a person, she’d be an introverted poet and artist. She steps out of summer shyly, unsure if the world is ready for her. As she paints the leaves red and strips down the trees, and as the carved jack o’ lantern sitting out on the neighbor’s front porch grows mold and curls in on itself, she reminds us there is death, but for those who know, there is more than that.
When a man or woman of God invites you in as they process their grief of losing a loved one, they are giving you a spiritual gift to strengthen you. Throughout church history, many faithful Christians have suffered the loss of children and encouraged others through their experiences. Samuel Rutherford, John Flavel, John Bunyan, and George Whitfield … Continue reading Seasons of Sorrow
The Fight of Faith 