Dear Friends, Most of us love a good story. I am one who especially loves stories that are true. In fact, those who know me, know I prefer reality to fiction! That's why the following story spoke so loudly to me -- a story that is true, sad, and encouraging, all at the same time. It is found in "The One Year Book of Christian History" by Michael and Sharon Rusten and is the story of Doug Herman, his wife Evon, and their two children Ashli and Joshua. Though heart-wrenching in one way, it shows how the Lord can comfort and teach us through experiences we were never looking to learn a lesson from. Enjoy. Tragedy and Strength on the Other Side "Those best qualified to teach us about suffering and hope are those who have walked through the shadows of tragedy and emerged stronger on the other side. Doug Herman is one such person. This is his story. "In a two-month period my life and faith came to a crashing climax. Evon, my wife,
Dear Friends, As today is “Shrove Tuesday” and Lent begins tomorrow, I thought I would pass along some interesting facts about the history of Lent. Sometimes we know about it, but don’t really know about it! So, for today, I have put together some background information about Lent. Information varies depending on the source, but I tried to weave together an accurate, historically reliable, and generally accepted summary of the basic facts! Enjoy. Lent is the approximate 40-day season between Ash Wednesday and Easter, during which Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant believers prepare themselves spiritually for Easter through prayer, Bible reading, and a focus on spiritual disciplines like fasting, self-denial, and a commitment to acts of generosity. The word “lent” comes from the Old English word “lencten” meaning “length” and was used to refer to the springtime season in the Northern Hemisphere when the days were lengthening as the sun rose earlier and set later. Lent is