“Living the Light” (Day 33)

Verse of the Day
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16
 
I grew up in Port Vue, Pennsylvania, in a close-knit community where neighbors cared for one another. I remember walking two miles to school with other kids, and sometimes stopping at a little store if we had a few pennies. Life was simple, but it shaped me.
 
Faith was part of my life from the beginning. I went to Sunday school at a small Methodist church on a hill. My father played piano, and my mother served in the kitchen. At home, I learned that faith is not just spoken—it is lived through service.
 
As I grew older, the world changed. I remember the Korean War, and the tragic losses of leaders like President Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert Kennedy, and the students at Kent State. In those moments, my faith deepened. I began to see that faith is not only belief—it is action. It is standing for what is right and being a light in the darkness.
 
One of the greatest blessings of my life was marrying Mary. Our life together has been rooted in love, faith, and partnership through both joys and challenges. Her support carried me when I returned to school while working full-time. That season taught me perseverance and trust in God.
 
There were also difficult and personal moments when I had to lean on God in deeper ways. In those times, I felt His presence—sometimes through a kind word, sometimes through a simple reminder that I was not alone.
 
My faith also called me to serve. When our church was asked to welcome Vietnamese refugees, we said yes. That moment confirmed what I had come to believe: faith calls us to act and to love others in real ways.
 
Through every season, my faith has been my anchor. And I hold on to this truth: Christ lives, and He lives in me. – Chuck Taylor
 
Thought for the Day
How can I let my faith be seen today through one concrete act of love or service?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“Learning to Love like Christ” (Day 1)

Verse of the Day And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. - 2 Corinthians 3:18 My journey of transformation did not happen all at once. It unfolded through moments of joy, sorrow, calling, and surrender. I was born the youngest of eight children in a devout Christian family. My grandfather died in a tragic accident while installing a bell in our church—a final act of devotion. His life and death taught me that faith is not theory. It is offering oneself fully to God. Music shaped my early years. Singing drew me close to the Lord. Later, serving as a chaplain assistant in the military in Korea opened my heart to ministry. Through the encouragement of an American chaplain, God led me to the United States for theological study. Then came a devastating car accident in college that nearly took my life. Injured and w...
Read more

"Becoming" (Day 3)

Day 3: “Becoming” “So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.” - 2 Corinthians 4:16 I grew up in a small town where life centered on hard work and family. Some of my earliest memories are of picking potatoes with my siblings. The mornings were cold, and as a child I sometimes cried from the chill, but we worked together. As the oldest, I felt the weight of responsibility. Those early hardships shaped a resilience that later helped me raise my children and grandchildren with guidance and love. Childhood also brought moments of freedom and growth. Summers with my grandparents and long days exploring outdoors taught me independence. Yet school was difficult. I was not bullied, but I was afraid to speak or be noticed. I kept to myself for many years. Then, after I married Bonnie, something changed. It was as if a switch flipped. With her beside me, I found the courage to stand on my own. Marriage and family b...
Read more

"Transformation Through Every Season" (Day 2)

Verse of the Day "I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure." - Psalm 40:1-2 (NRSV) When I look back, my life was not marked by big dramatic moments, but by steady steps through many seasons. I grew up in a simple home in the country without running water or many comforts. We worked hard, but we had what we needed, and we had each other. Those early years taught me contentment and gratitude. Faith came to me through relationships. As a teenager, friends invited me to the Methodist church in Mars Hill. There, my faith began to take root. I did not come because of pressure. I came because I felt welcomed and loved. Bob and I married young and built our life slowly. We lived in a small trailer and worked hard to provide for our three children. Over time, God blessed our efforts. I worked in the school system for thirty years and loved serving ...
Read more