Monthly Archives: December 2015

There’s nothing to fear

Posted on December 23, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

There’s a story about a man from Canada who left the frozen north for a holiday in the Florida Sun. His wife was due to follow him next day. When he got to his hotel he sent her an email. … Continue reading →

Posted in Assurance, Eternity, Faith, Fear, Heaven, Hope | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Those who look for beauty will see it everywhere,

Posted on December 23, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

A man walking through Times Square, where the sounds of the city are almost deafening, told his friend he could to hear a cricket. His friend said he didn’t believe him until the man walked to a small shrubbery and, … Continue reading →

Posted in Abundant life, Beauty, Spiritual blindness, Spiritual discernment, Spiritual Insight | Leave a comment

Priceless gifts

Posted on December 23, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Oseola McCarty was an African-American woman who earned a living by washing and ironing other people’s clothes. She never married and had to leave school early to help support her family. She never owned a car and worked every day … Continue reading →

Posted in Giving, God's pleasure, Good deeds, Goodness, Sacrifice | Tagged | Leave a comment

Image of the Cross

Posted on December 23, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

A friend told me about a remarkable incident that took place at the Perth Commonwealth Games years ago. A member of the high diving team decided to practice one night. He climbed to the very highest diving board, stood on … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross, Faith, Salvation | Leave a comment

God, who sees in secret

Posted on December 23, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Donald Trump often gets a lot of bad press, but one story tells of how he was driving home from a weekend trip and his luxury car broke down on a very busy freeway. An unemployed mechanic stopped to help, … Continue reading →

Posted in God, Good deeds, Reward | Tagged | Leave a comment

Surrounded by the miraculous

Posted on December 20, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

The poet Walt Whitman once said that we are surrounded by the miraculous but don’t recognise it. Science has increased our sense of awe, as it unfolds the marvels of the Universe; but many assume that because we know how … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Faith, humility, Spiritual blindness, Spiritual Insight | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Seeing things in their true perspective

Posted on December 20, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

In the wake of the Global Economic Crisis, USA Today ran an article entitled Bubble burst: Views on sour economy. It reported that nearly half of the people surveyed believed the recession was a payback for society’s overindulging, and that … Continue reading →

Posted in Abundant life, Materialism, Meaninglessness, Treasure in Heaven | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Reflect on the ‘Maggies’

Posted on December 20, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Hidden away in a Dublin park is a bench with a plaque that says: ‘To the women who worked in the Magdalen laundry institutions — reflect here upon their lives.’ The Magdalen laundries, named after Mary Magdalene, belonged to an … Continue reading →

Posted in Compassion, Forgiveness, Judgementalism, New Life | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Only God knows the effects of our good deeds

Posted on December 20, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

A Scottish farmer named Fleming once pulled a terrified boy out of a bog. The next day the boy’s aristocrat father arrived at Fleming’s humble cottage to reward him. But Fleming wouldn’t accept any payment except the offer of help … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Faithfulness, Good deeds, Reward | Tagged | Leave a comment

Hope is more than wishful thinking

Posted on December 20, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

The end of the Cold War saw the emergence of some amazing figures in Eastern Europe. One of them was Vaclav Havel, a Czech poet and former political prisoner who went on to become the leader of the Czech republic. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hope, Perseverance, Persistence | Tagged | Leave a comment