Your wonderful book For Better, For Worse focuses on couples who yearn for the Better. It highlights the four key marriage tenets: rediscovering strengths, celebrating differences, valuing conflict, and balancing closeness and personal space. It flows as your practical thought-provoking experience and your out-standing research from your own ministry. The book is highly helpful and strengthens marriages There is good guidance along with a frame of positive rules for better living and better delight in marriages by studying this wonderful book. It is the one of the best books which shows all married people how to lead peaceful life I thank you both for your excellency and eminent writing from your pen, involving both your mind and heart
Thanks to your family for your superb work both for the current generation and generations to come. Your book is a mirror to set right their lives in a right path and live in a jovial way
In Christ,
Joseph Stanley
East Godavarai, India
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy of any of our books within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
My wife Janice and I spoke for the final time in Rwanda at Bugesera , south-east Kigali, near the border of the country of Burundi, just 30 minutes from Kigali. We taught on marriage, based on our new book For Better, For Worse), along with Rev Dr Tim Smith (men’s discipleship) and Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini (restoring the family).
Two archdeaconries came together. We were at the Maranyundo Anglican parish. The first martyrs were thrown in the river there in the 1960s. The Anglican Rector Jonas first prayed for forgiveness before being killed. It was a place of snakes, Tsetse flies and malaria where people were sent in exile . Canon John Paul who is the associate at St. Peter’s with Dr Antoine was our interpreter.
The local Archdeacons Stephen and Jean-Pierre, both genocide survivors, were our hosts.
Click to see photos of the Bugesera marriage seminar.
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy of any of our books within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Our next adventure, after a short break in Kigali, was up in Northern Rwanda at the Byumba Retreat Centre with Bishop Emmanuel Ngendahayo where we taught on marriage (based on our new book For Better, For Worse), along with Rev Dr Tim Smith (men’s discipleship) and Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini (restoring the family). In May, we had previously taught a three-day marriage workshop from our new book.
Click on the Rev Dr Tim Smith teaching on men and marriage at the Byumba Family Comference.
Click to view the Rev Dr Tim Smith speaking at the Byumba Conference Centre in Northern Rwandan on the priority of discipling men.
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy of any of our books within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
“Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.” Click to read my article on CSLewis’ view of the beauty of nature inspiring humble gratitude and thankful joy. #MereChristianity #CSLewis
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy of any of our books within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Click to check out Janice’s and my sermon “Revolutionary Love on Trinity Sunday” (John 3:16), where we told stories about their recent three week trip to Uganda and Rwanda, teaching on marriage.
Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy of any of our books within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Audrey Mabley spoke on Saturday at a healing service at 1pm and on Sunday in North Vancouver. Pastor Audrey has an amazing anointing for healing the sick in Jesus’ name.
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Few of us like getting the ‘silent treatment’ from those that we care for. Silence can sometimes be a painful expression of relational tension and even cutoff. The flip side of silence and solitude is that it can be an important key to personal and spiritual growth. We live in a noisy cluttered hi-tech world where silence is often hard to find. Choosing silence can increase our ability to hear the still small voice that is trying to get our attention. Jesus was often going off into the silence of the wilderness to be alone.
Recently my wife and I watched Martin Scorsese’s gripping new movie Silence. It was based on Japan’s leading novelist’s book which tells the story of a seventeenth-century Portuguese priest in Japan at the height of intense persecution. The recipient of the 1966 Tanizaki Prize, it has been called ” Shusaku Endo’s supreme achievement” and “one of the twentieth century’s finest novels”. Endo tells how the Japanese Christians once numbered 400,000 and had enjoyed great favour even in the Japanese inner circle. Then Christianity was outlawed, resulting in drownings, burnings, and other atrocities. The priests were under great pressure to publicly give up their faith, in order to end the persecution of the Japanese Christians. The symbol of this persecution was being forced to tread with one’s foot upon the crucified face of Jesus. In a review by the New Yorker, John Updike described the book Silence as “a remarkable work, a sombre, delicate, and startlingly empathetic study…”
The author explores the image of silence where the priests had been painfully silenced. The most painful silence seemed to be the silence of God in the midst of the great suffering. The priest Rodrigues prayed: “Lord, why are you silent? Why are you always silent?” As the persecution intensified, Rodrigues prayed again: “Lord, it is time that you should break the silence. You must not remain silent.” Near the end of the novel, Rodrigues confesses to Jesus: “Lord, I resented your silence”, to which Jesus replied: “I was not silent. I suffered along with you.” The crucified Jesus whispered to Rodrigues: “I am with you. You have nothing to fear.” Another time, the suffering Jesus said: “I will not abandon you.” Rodrigues could not take his eyes off what he called the beautiful face of the suffering Christ. As Rodrigues ended upon trampling upon the face of Jesus, he heard Jesus say: “You may trample. You may trample… It was to be trampled on by men that I was born into this world. It was to share men’s pain that I carried my cross.” Rodrigues learned that Jesus’ silence was not absence, but rather expressed the mystery of his suffering love for all humanity. Could God’s sometimes mysterious silence be a sign of how much he cares?
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
One of the enjoyable places to visit in the Seymour/Deep Cove community is the Deep Cove Heritage Society Office on Gallant Avenue. With their new office Co-ordinator Jim Slight, there are hundreds of Deep Cove photos available to help one reminisce and explore. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Over the thirty years that I have served in the community, I have taken many photos of the remarkable beauty of our Deep Cove trees, mountains, and water. Since the invention of the cellphone, my photo collection, probably like yours, has increased astronomically. Only a small percentage of my photos ever get printed off.
When I take time to view photos stored on my computer or photo albums, memories flood back with a vengeance. Sometimes these photos fill me with joy and laughter. Sometimes I feel sad because a person in a photo is no longer around. Life is so incredibly short.
When my mother passed away, I felt drawn to photos that I have of her life. When I posted some photos of my mom on social media, I received hundreds of condolences. One friend wrote: “Condolences and the comfort of Jesus as you mourn her transition into a better place. May his peace be with you and your family in these days and weeks.” Another person wrote: “You and your family continue to be very much in my thoughts and prayers. May the Lord surround you and your family with his love.” Yet another said on Facebook: “I’m sorry for your loss. Lorna was a wonderful woman with a beautiful soul and a gentle spirit. She will be missed. My prayers and sympathy are with you and your family.”
I miss my mother deeply. She was and still is an amazing lady. Over the past twenty-nine years, I wrote many Deep Cove Crier Mother’s Day articles about my dear mom. I am grateful that Mom has gone to heaven to be with Jesus. My mother had a deep faith and was ready to go at almost 90 years old. We all have different ways of grieving. Some people shed many tears. I tend to be more private in that area. I grieve through song, photos, and words. Many people have given me hugs in the past few weeks, letting me know that they care. People who have already lost loved ones tend to be the most in touch with the reality of grieving.
At Mom’s funeral/celebration of life, like with many families, we had a slideshow of my mom’s life. It can be one of the most touching times of these services. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Jesus said: ‘Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.’ Perhaps you might take time this July to review photos on your computer and albums, giving thanks for loved ones who have gone before you.
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Note: my dear mother passed away in June 2018. This is my last article written about my mom while she was still living.
Every May, for the past 29 years, I have written an article about Mother’s Day, usually focusing on my own dear mom. For the first 18 years of my life, I basically took my mother for granted. I loved her, but I had no idea how hard she was working in taking care of us.
I am so grateful that my mom was with us on planet earth for so many years. Many of my friends have not had that blessing of being able to pick up the phone and hear their mother’s voice, or go out to the White Spot with her for dinner. The resilience of my mom when facing many challenges was remarkable.
My mother, with her very strong faith, preserved through thick and thin, for better or worse, in sickness and in health. Mom was an example to the rest of our large family.
We loved Mom very much.
As I wrote for the May 2003 Deep Cove Crier, “Where would we be without our mothers? Mothers keep the world on track. Mothers never stop caring. Mothers never stop giving.”
Mom modelled so much good through her caring for and serving others. I became a Social Worker because of the anointing that I received from Mom to stand up for the oppressed and disadvantaged. When I was going through teenage angst, she always deeply listened and stood with me, even though I was oblivious to her deep faith in Christ.
I know that there were times when I was a teenager when Mom stayed up late waiting for me to come in. I probably helped deepen her prayer life during those times.
When our three boys were young, Mom was so willing to help us out, looking after them so that we could have a night off, or attend a conference. The thousands of meals that Mom cooked for us over the years have always been delicious, a sign of her great love and care for our family. Food indeed is love.
Whenever birthdays came along, Mom always invested so much of herself in getting us just the right present. Being an artist, Mom had that great sense of colour co-ordination when she gave us new Christmas sweaters.
Mom, like her own mother, was a true worshipper. Her faith has been a great inspiration to me. Thank God for my mother inviting me to supper with Jesus, when I was wandering in the wilderness, lost and hungry. I am a better person today because of that unfailing love she showed me in season and out of season.
Her worth as a Mother is beyond measure. Mom is loved, appreciated and valued not only by her son, but also by Almighty God. He loved Mom enough to give his only Son for her. Words cannot express what Mom means to me and to your loving family. Happy Mother’s Day.
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
As a teenager, I golfed and skied religiously on Sunday mornings. But I would never skip Easter Sunday. For some reason, I always had a soft spot towards Easter. Perhaps it was all that delicious chocolate. Maybe it was because my father would attend at Easter, giving up his golfing for one Sunday. I will never forget when my then agnostic father switched from golfing every Sunday to golfing every other Sunday in order to attend church. Since taking the Alpha Course four times, my dad has developed a strong personal faith.
My teenage memories of Easter Sunday are connected with a sense of joy. Unlike my atheist best friend, I never doubted the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. But I was emotionally disconnected from its reality. It was almost as if I did not believe in Easter. As a teenager, I became convinced that there was no life after death, and that nothing awaited me but extinction and returning to dust. I began to fear the power of death and the meaninglessness and emptiness of life. I even began to secretly wonder if life itself was worth living. When I came to personal faith at age 17, it was almost as if I had never heard of Jesus’ resurrection. I remember being astounded over the realization that by faith in Christ, I would live forever. I started wearing a button ‘Have a nice eternity’, something that would have made no sense to me just a few months earlier.
At the Greater Vancouver Festival of Hope, almost 2,000 people gave their lives to Christ after hearing a clear message of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Easter is at the very core of what it means to be a Christian, even more than Christmas, our other favorite festival. Even in our very complicated Canadian culture, Easter and Christmas are still deeply rooted in our self-identity and history as Canadians. I will never forget a Capilano University Philosophy professor who, though an atheist, invited me to speak in his class about evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. While initially skeptical, he became appalled by the religious and historical ignorance of some of his students. He commented that without reading the bible and literature like Paradise Lost, you could not really understand Canadian culture. The Easter story is deeply woven into our 150 years of Canadian history, something that we will be celebrating with Voices Together at the Pacific Coliseum on Canada Day.
In the past almost 37 years of ordained ministry, I have been privileged to take many funerals, now often called celebrations of life. Many people nowadays don’t have any services when they die. I find that rather sad, as it leaves people with limited ways to grieve. Others no longer use clergy as in the past. At most funerals that I take, there are many people sharing their memories of the deceased. No matter how well I know the deceased, I always learn much at the service and wish that I knew them better. My main contribution at funerals is to remind people of how Jesus conquered death and offered us rising life that would go on forever. I am totally convinced that life and love are stronger than death, and that Easter is more than just chocolate. God has given us in Jesus rising faith, hope, love and Life.
Rev. Dr. Ed Hird,BSW, MDiv, DMin
-an article previously published in the Light Magazine and the Deep Cove Crier/North Shore News
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
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Few of us like getting the ‘silent treatment’ from those that we care for. Silence can sometimes be a painful expression of relational tension and even cutoff. The flip side of silence and solitude is that it can be an important key to personal and spiritual growth. We live in a noisy cluttered hi-tech world where silence is often hard to find. Choosing silence can increase our ability to hear the still small voice that is trying to get our attention. Jesus was often going off into the silence of the wilderness to be alone.
One of the enjoyable places to visit in the Seymour/Deep Cove community is the Deep Cove Heritage Society Office on Gallant Avenue. With their new office Co-ordinator Jim Slight, there are hundreds of Deep Cove photos available to help one reminisce and explore. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Over the thirty years that I have served in the community, I have taken many photos of the remarkable beauty of our Deep Cove trees, mountains, and water. Since the invention of the cellphone, my photo collection, probably like yours, has increased astronomically. Only a small percentage of my photos ever get printed off.
When my mother passed away, I felt drawn to photos that I have of her life. When I posted some photos of my mom on social media, I received hundreds of condolences. One friend wrote: “Condolences and the comfort of Jesus as you mourn her transition into a better place. May his peace be with you and your family in these days and weeks.” Another person wrote: “You and your family continue to be very much in my thoughts and prayers. May the Lord surround you and your family with his love.” Yet another said on Facebook: “I’m sorry for your loss. Lorna was a wonderful woman with a beautiful soul and a gentle spirit. She will be missed. My prayers and sympathy are with you and your family.”
families, we had a slideshow of my mom’s life. It can be one of the most touching times of these services. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Jesus said: ‘Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.’ Perhaps you might take time this July to review photos on your computer and albums, giving thanks for loved ones who have gone before you.
Every May, for the past 29 years, I have written an article about Mother’s Day, usually focusing on my own dear mom. For the first 18 years of my life, I basically took my mother for granted. I loved her, but I had no idea how hard she was working in taking care of us.
her caring for and serving others. I became a Social Worker because of the anointing that I received from Mom to stand up for the oppressed and disadvantaged. When I was going through teenage angst, she always deeply listened and stood with me, even though I was oblivious to her deep faith in Christ.
Her worth as a Mother is beyond measure. Mom is loved, appreciated and valued not only by her son, but also by Almighty God. He loved Mom enough to give his only Son for her. Words cannot express what Mom means to me and to your loving family. Happy Mother’s Day.
As a teenager, I golfed and skied religiously on Sunday mornings. But I would never skip Easter Sunday. For some reason, I always had a soft spot towards Easter. Perhaps it was all that delicious chocolate. Maybe it was because my father would attend at Easter, giving up his golfing for one Sunday. I will never forget when my then agnostic father switched from golfing every Sunday to golfing every other Sunday in order to attend church. Since taking the Alpha Course four times, my dad has developed a strong personal faith.
At the 
them better. My main contribution at funerals is to remind people of how Jesus conquered death and offered us rising life that would go on forever. I am totally convinced that life and love are stronger than death, and that Easter is more than just chocolate. God has given us in Jesus rising faith, hope, love and Life.
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