Northern Spain produced a beautiful way of expressing communion and friendship With the countryside full of handmade caves after each harvest some farmers would sit in a room built above a cave and inventory their various foods As time passed the room became known as the ldquo telling room rdquo mdash a place of communion where friends and families would gather to share their stories secrets and dreams If you needed the intimate company of safe friends you would head for the telling room Had they lived in northern Spain the deep friendship shared by Jonathan and David might have [... more]

It seems my mother can sense trouble from a mile away Once after a rough day at school I tried to mask my frustration hoping that no one would notice ldquo What rsquo s the matter rdquo she asked Then she added ldquo Before you tell me it rsquo s nothing remember I rsquo m your mother I gave birth to you and I know you better than you know yourself rdquo My mom has consistently reminded me that her deep awareness of who I am helps her be there for me in the moments I need her most As [... more]

After eight-year-old Gabriel underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his brain it left a noticeable scar on the side of his head When the boy said he felt like a monster his dad Josh had an idea demonstrate how much he loved his son by getting a tattoo on the side of his head with the same shape as Gabriel rsquo s scar According to the psalmist this is the kind of empathic and compassionate love God has for ldquo his children rdquo Psalms Using a metaphor drawn from human life David illustrated God rsquo s love He said [... more]

Gripped by the gravity of the promises he was making to LaShonne Jonathan found himself stumbling as he repeated his wedding vows He thought How can I make these promises and not believe they rsquo re possible to keep He made it through the ceremony but the weight of his commitments remained After the reception Jonathan led his wife to the chapel where he prayed mdash for more than two hours mdash that God would help him keep his promise to love and care for LaShonne Jonathan rsquo s wedding-day fears were based on the recognition of his human frailties [... more]