During a trip to Brazil with a short-term missions team, we helped construct a church building in the Amazon jungle. The foundation had already been laid. We needed to assemble the church like a giant LEGO set, which included putting in the supporting columns, sliding in the concrete walls and windows, raising the steel beams for the roof, placing all the tiles on the roof, and painting the walls.

Some people were concerned because we were traveling to such a remote area during the monsoon season. They wondered if we could build the church in time. But by God’s grace the intense rain didn’t fall while we worked. We felt His strength and our workforce increased when a few locals helped us build. Despite various obstacles, we got the job done in record time.

When Nehemiah and the Israelites rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, they faced many obstacles. When their enemies found out they were repairing the wall, they were furious and insulted them (Nehemiah 4:1-3). But Nehemiah prayed and the people persevered together. “We rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart” (v. 6). When their foes threatened to attack, the Israelites prayed and kept guard as they worked (vv. 7-23). They rebuilt the wall in fifty-two days.

Sometimes we’re faced with a daunting task. Obstacles appear in our way, and we and our brothers and sisters in Christ can lose hope. But times like this can be a triumphant moment, with the help of God. Trust Him to hold off the rainstorms and look to Him to overcome.

During a trip to Brazil with a short-term missions team, we helped construct a church building in the Amazon jungle. The foundation had already been laid. We needed to assemble the church like a giant LEGO set, which included putting in the supporting columns, sliding in the concrete walls and windows, raising the steel beams for the roof, placing all the tiles on the roof, and painting the walls.

Some people were concerned because we were traveling to such a remote area during the monsoon season. They wondered if we could build the church in time. But by God’s grace the intense rain didn’t fall while we worked. We felt His strength and our workforce increased when a few locals helped us build. Despite various obstacles, we got the job done in record time.

When Nehemiah and the Israelites rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, they faced many obstacles. When their enemies found out they were repairing the wall, they were furious and insulted them (Nehemiah 4:1-3). But Nehemiah prayed and the people persevered together. “We rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart” (v. 6). When their foes threatened to attack, the Israelites prayed and kept guard as they worked (vv. 7-23). They rebuilt the wall in fifty-two days.

Sometimes we’re faced with a daunting task. Obstacles appear in our way, and we and our brothers and sisters in Christ can lose hope. But times like this can be a triumphant moment, with the help of God. Trust Him to hold off the rainstorms and look to Him to overcome.

As a teen, I was enthralled with the sport of figure skating. I loved the blend of artistry and athleticism on ice, with the fast spins, high jumps, and perfect poses. After watching many professional skaters perform, I finally got the opportunity to go ice skating and be part of a group lesson. Along with learning how to glide and stop, we learned some of the most important skills for a skater at any level—how to fall and get back up quickly. Later, I took private skating lessons from a coach for three years. I learned many spins and jumps, but always had to rely on the basics like knowing how to get up after a fall.

We don’t have to be athletes to know that “falling” is part of life. Perhaps we fall because we’ve sinned, we stumble due to a mistake, or we get knocked down by an overwhelming circumstance. Maybe we find ourselves being attacked by the devil one way or another. “We are persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9). No matter the reason, we all fall and experience failure in life.

But we’re not meant to live in defeat, shame, or regret. When the enemy is lurking nearby and trying to plunder from us (Proverbs 24:15), we need to remember that God is fighting for us and will help us get back up, “for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again” (v. 16).

When we fall, let’s quickly turn to God and fix our eyes on Him who gives us the strength to get back up.

During my years as a journalist, I enjoyed telling other people’s stories, but I was trained to not share my own opinions. So years after I had felt God call me out of my journalism career, when I increasingly felt God directing me to write a blog and speak about Him, I was a little nervous about sharing my thoughts, especially about my faith. As I started blogging, I was afraid I’d run out of things to say. But week after week, I found encouraging words and insights to share. The more I wrote, the more ideas flowed. The same is still true now.

I have witnessed in my own life how God has filled me with more joy and inspiration when I’ve poured out my gifts and talents to serve others.

In 2 Kings, we read about a poor widow who went to the prophet Elisha for help. Her late husband’s creditor wanted to seize her two sons. All she had at home was a small jar of olive oil. The prophet instructed her to collect empty jars from her neighbors and to keep pouring oil into the containers. “They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring” (4:5). She kept pouring until all the jars were miraculously filled. She could pay her family’s debts with the extra oil.

God is faithful and always provides. He has blessed us with gifts and talents and resources to be a blessing to others. Let’s not hide or dismiss our gifts. Let’s use whatever gifts God has given us for His glory.

While I was on an outreach during a short-term mission trip to Peru, a young man asked me for money. For security reasons, my team had been instructed not to give out money, so how could I help him? Then I recalled the response of the apostles Peter and John to the lame man in Acts 3. I explained to him that I couldn’t give him money, but I could share the good news of God’s love with him. When he said that he was an orphan, I told him that God wants to be his Father. That brought him to tears. I connected him with a member of our host church for follow up.

Sometimes our words can feel so insufficient, but the Holy Spirit can empower us as we share Jesus with others.

When Peter and John came across the man by the temple courts, they knew that sharing Jesus was the greatest gift ever. “Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk’ ” (v. 6). The man received salvation and healing that day. God continues to use us to draw the lost to Him.

As we search for the perfect gifts to give this Christmas, let’s remember the true gift is knowing Christ and the gift of eternal salvation He offers. Let’s continue to seek to be used by God to lead people to the Savior.

I’ve been following and praying for a fellow writer who’s been posting online about her cancer journey. She alternates between sharing updates about her physical pain and challenges and sharing prayer requests with Scripture and praises to God. It’s beautiful to see her courageous smile whether she’s in the hospital awaiting treatments or at home wearing a bandana because her hair is falling out. With each challenge, she never fails to encourage others to trust God during trials.

When we’re going through difficulties, it may be challenging to find reasons to be grateful and to praise God. However, Psalm 100 gives us reasons to rejoice and give God praise despite our circumstances. The psalmist speaks of God’s goodness and how much He loves us: “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (v. 3). He adds, “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (v. 5).

Whatever our trial, we can take comfort knowing that God is near to the brokenhearted and comforts those who are crushed in spirit (34:18). The more time we spend with God in prayer and reading the Bible, the more we’ll be able to “enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; giv[ing] thanks to him and prais[ing] his name” (v. 4). We can “shout for joy to the Lord” (v. 1) even and perhaps especially when we’re in a difficult season because our God is faithful.  

As the daughter of two loving and hard-working parents from Central and South America, I’m grateful they had the courage to be the first in their families to immigrate to the United States for better opportunities. They met as young adults in New York City, married, had my sister and me, and went on to run their respective businesses.

As a native New Yorker, I’ve grown up embracing my Hispanic heritage and have been fascinated with people of diverse backgrounds. It’s still wonderful to recall that October day when a group of believers in Christ who worked at the United Nations invited me to their weekly meeting to speak about my first book. A week later I shared my brief testimony at an evening service at a multicultural church that meets in a former Broadway theater. Speaking to multicultural groups about God’s love is only a glimpse of what heaven will be like when we see people from different nations come together as the body of Christ.

In Revelation, the apostle John gives us this amazing picture of heaven, “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9).

Now we only have a glimpse of what heaven will be like. But one day, we who believe in Jesus, will be united with Him and with people from different countries, cultures, and languages. Since God loves the nations, let’s also love our global family in Jesus.

A meteorologist in Mississippi went viral for uttering six simple yet profound words during his weather forecast on March 24, 2023. Matt Laubhan was tracking a severe storm when he realized a catastrophic tornado was about to bear down on the town of Amory. That’s when Laubhan paused on live TV to say this prayer heard worldwide: “Dear Jesus, please help them. Amen.” Some viewers later said that prayer prompted them to take cover. His spontaneous and heartfelt prayer may have helped save countless lives.

Our prayers can make a difference too. They don’t have to be long-winded. They can be short and sweet and can be said at any time of the day. Whether we’re at work, running errands, or on vacation, we can “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

God loves to hear us pray throughout the day. The apostle Paul reminds us that we don’t have to be prisoners of worry or fear but can take all our cares and concerns to God: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Whether we’re enjoying a sunny day or being hit by the literal or figurative storms of life, let’s remember to pause and pray throughout the day.

The world was amazed when four siblings ages one to thirteen were found alive in Colombia’s Amazon jungle in June 2023. The siblings had survived forty days in the jungle after a plane crash, which killed their mother. The children, who were familiar with the jungle’s harsh terrain, hid from wild animals in tree trunks, collected water from streams and rain in bottles, and ate food such as cassava flour from the wreckage. They also knew which wild fruits and seeds were safe to eat.

God sustained the siblings.

Their incredible story reminds me of how God miraculously sustained the Israelites in the desert for forty years, which is recorded in Exodus and Numbers and mentioned throughout the Bible.

God turned bitter spring water into drinkable water, provided water from a rock twice, and guided His people in a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. He also provided manna for them. “Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: Everyone is to gather as much as they need’ ” (Exodus 16:15-16).

The same God provides us with “our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). We can trust God to provide for our needs “according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). What a mighty God we serve!

During a visit with my father to his beloved Ecuador a few years ago, we visited the family farm where he grew up. I noticed a group of strange trees. My dad explained that when he was feeling mischievous as a boy, he would take a discarded branch from one fruit tree, make slits in a different kind of fruit tree, and tie the loose branch to the trunk like he saw the grownups do. His pranks went unnoticed until those trees started bearing different fruit than expected.

As my dad described the process of engrafting, I got a picture of what it means for us to be grafted into God’s family. I know my late father is in heaven because he was grafted into God’s family through faith in Jesus.

 We can have the assurance of eventually being in heaven as well. The apostle Paul explained to the believers in Rome that God made a way for gentiles, or non-Jews, to be reconciled with Himself. “You, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root” (Romans 11:17). When we put our faith in Christ, we’re grafted in with Him and become part of God’s family. “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” (John 15:5).

Similar to engrafted trees, when we place our trust in Christ, we become a new creation and can bear much fruit.