Forgotten

It was a Christmas memory, of all things, rich with history and spiritual stirring, that first breathed life into “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” A memory that has since become a treasured part of countless Christmas celebrations, including ours in that little mountain church on the side of the road so many years ago.

The music for this episode is “O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and was adapte...

Down through the annals of recorded history, tucked away within its dusty pages, are hidden gems; breathtaking accounts that put on display happenings so astonishing that their only explanation is the intervention of the Divine. In his book, “Church History in Plain Language”, author and historian Bruce Shelly states that “Christianity is a historical religion, and its history is the story of GodR...

Escaping the horrendous North Atlantic storm that nearly took his life, John emerged with a newfound faith in Christ. But the days ahead were far from smooth sailing. As with many new believers, those early first steps of following Christ are filled with faltering stumbles of spiritual immaturity and well laid snares by an unseen enemy. But them all, God is able to recover John again and again and by astounding providences bring hi...

Over 250 years ago, wooden boats powered by canvas sails tried the seas with no assurances that they would ever set foot on solid ground again. On the high seas, sailors at the mercy of rolling waves and raging storms, do what have done since the days of Jonah, they cry out to God. Such was the case with a blasphemous deckhand named John. At first, he hesitated, considering how he had forsaken God so long ago for a life abandoned t...

If there was ever an individual who fit the description of being a wretch, it was John. From the age of eleven he sailed the high seas, picking up every depraved behavior that an 18th century deckhand was willing to share. He was an insubordinate and disrespected member of the English Navy, twice charged with desertion. His active participation in the African slave trade and his horrific treatment of...

The Mad Queen of Madagascar’s first draught of martyr’s blood, which without doubt brought upon her a continuous thirst for more, was from of a young woman named Rasalama; a peasant girl in the poor village of Manjakaray in Madagascar. The queen’s intent was to either cause the girl to beg for her life, casting aside her Christian faith. Or the empress would use her gruesome execution to send a chill of fear upon all that mig...

Burrage Lane made sure his hunting rifle was loaded with dry shot, then he slid the weapon into his saddle. Anger boiled within him, as he looked at the gun. The man he was there to find had to be stopped at all costs because what he was spouting from behind that pulpit was poison, as far as he was concerned. But he did promise his wife that he would go and hear what he had to say one time.

The post Episode 42 – Dutton Lane a...

The series of personal tragedy and suffering that Elizabeth Payson Prentiss encountered is hard to fathom. Stories of lesser personal loss that caused individuals to completely shut out even the idea of a loving, personal almighty God are numerous and easy to find. So what would become of Elizabeth, this heart-broken mother, wife of a respected Presbyterian pastor, and daughter of arguably the most beloved and powerful pastor’s of ...

John quickly kissed the forehead of his daughter and handed her to the crewman, who then handed her to Jesse. When Nana saw that her daddy was not following, she began to cry and scream, “Daddy! Daddy! No! Don’t leave me!” Through the blur of tears in her eyes, she saw her daddy, turn and disappear into the crowd. As the life boat lurched down toward the cold waters of the North Atlantic, Nana could hear her fathe...

With his heart filled by the joy of the Christmas story, and the gift of a Saviour, Jim Elliot (as well as his four friends) had no idea that a few days hence they would pay the ultimate price for their desperate attempt to make the good news known to all people.

Sound track list:
The Owl – Moon Saturday
The Owl – Rainy Sun
The Owl – Winter Smoke

The post Episode 39 – Jim Elliot’s Last Christmas appear...

There are some for whom the Christmas season only magnifies more their sorrow than their joy. The stringing of lights, the gifts under the tree, and the arrangement of the Christmas dinner table are only stinging reminders that someone who was once there is gone. The great evangelist D.L. Moody was no stranger to such heartache. But in his last moments, God gave him the most astounding gift that anyone could ever receive: The Gift ...

Even though David Marks was not much more than a child, he knew that what was to be prized above all, was not to be found in this life but in the life to come. So on January 1, 1821, with a single one dollar bill in his pocket and the promise of God to meet all of his needs, 15 year-old David left his father and mother behind to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to all that would hear.

The post Episode 36 – David Marks app...

Sickness and suffering, pain and plague seem to be question that many default to: If there is a God, then why is there so much suffering in the world? But we can be assured that our wounds are not wasted; that our suffering is never senseless. And as in the case of Charlotte Elliott, we can take all the questions and the resentments that our pain may distill from deep within the heart and bring them to God. Despite my inner conflic...

Not much is known about James Abbes. He is described as young man, with a zeal to share to the story that the monarchy desperately longed to stamp out: the plain teaching of salvation by grace through faith alone. This teaching was considered heresy and punishable by death and in 1555 the list was long with those who were paying the ultimate price for their faith in Jesus alone.

The post Episode 34 – James Abbes appeared firs...