Stories & Commentaries

I sometimes wonder how my dad would have turned out if he had not been recruited by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Would he have succumbed to a life of crime? If not for those life experiences and lessons, would he have raised a family that now includes ministers, teachers, medical professionals, decorated war veterans and yes, the director of the Office of Volunteer Ministries?

“I thought God was done using me after teaching for 34 years,” says Belinda Ennes, “but instead He’s given me the greatest adventure of my life!” Ennes, one of a number of retirees in the mission field, is serving as principal at the Adventist school on the tropical island of Yap in the Pacific Ocean.

As Rich was sitting in the hospital, he saw a small GLOW tract called "What Makes Canada Great." As Rich read the tract, he thought about his great need. He broke down and wept. All his money, power, and reputation could not save his grandson. Although Rich was not a believer before this, he made a life-changing decision to turn to God that very day. Whether his grandson lived or died, Rich knew that he needed Jesus.

In today’s hustle and bustle, it is easy to take for granted the things that are most common to us: our cars, our houses, our jobs. But, imagine being laid off unexpectedly, and the rainy day fund rapidly drying up. For those who are not fortunate to get assistance, the result could inevitably mean a radical life change — homelessness.

Pulse Cafe and is a place that draws 600 to 800 patrons for Sunday brunch alone, each hungry soul coming to dine on vegan “chicken” and waffles, or breakfast burritos, or sweet corn tamales, and more, all made from as organic and as locally sourced produce as possible. This is evidence of a forward-thinking and sophisticated business plan, but Pulse’s real mission is to use its service, menu, and other offerings to benefit the community. A restaurant as an institution to benefit the community? While this altruistic motivation may astound the general public, it should be a well-known method and standard operating procedure for any well-informed member of the Seventh-day Adventist community of believers. It certainly is for Lance Wilbur and his wife, Evita, managers of Pulse, and the owners, Ted Crooker and Keith Rehbein.

Although we’ve been told in quite a few places in Scripture "about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32, NIV), that hasn’t stopped us from trying to figure out when "people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (verse 26). As evidenced by history, this is an exercise in futility.

Daniel R. Jackson, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, shares a Christian greeting during the 2019 holiday season.

November 8, 2019. One year after the Camp Fire ripped through his community, Allen Plowman is back on his property. Or what was left of it. As fall slips into winter around the residents of Paradise, it’s not the haunting, happy sounds of Canada geese flying south that greets them every morning; it’s the visceral roar of a chainsaw. Or three.

The presence of Jesus in the flesh is an absolute gift to the human family. And it’s not just a gift to Seventh-day Adventists or Christians, but to the entire world and all who live in it. If God is for us, who can be against us?

The program challenges students and employees to focus on improving their physical and mental health through challenges to drink more water, manage stress, prioritize rest, and more.