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The book of Psalms in the Bible is a collection of sacred poems of praise and prayer to God. Many were once set to music; and today, musicians around the world are drawn to the psalms for inspiration. So, in a sense, the book of Psalms is like an ancient hymnbook, filled with worshipful devotion to the Most High.
Music has been called the timeless and universal language—a language of peace, of love, of hope. No matter where we live, regardless of our age and stage of life, music can lift and inspire us, it can soften and console us, it can instruct and entertain us. Such music becomes like a lifelong friend. We can recall lyrics and tunes we haven’t heard for decades, because they seem almost to be burned into our soul.
We each have a backstory—the experiences, events, and choices that helped shape us into the people we’ve become. One of the best ways to understand a person, even someone we might disagree with, is to learn his or her story. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow put it this way: “If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.”[1] Though most of us don’t see each other as enemies, the sentiment is clear. It’s much harder to dislike a person whose story you understand.
Thousands of years ago, the psalmist wrote these comforting words: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). That message of faith and hope is just as needed today, because nights of weeping haven’t gone away. Every time darkness descends in our lives, we can’t help but wonder if the light will ever return. But it always does come, and with it the chance for improvement and renewal.
A university student recently had a life-changing insight. But unlike most things he was learning as a student, this insight didn’t come from a lecture or a textbook. In fact, it was sparked when he forgot something from his textbook.
Most of the time, life is pretty wonderful. The world around us is filled with beauty. We are surrounded by people who care about us. And we wonder how life could be any better.
Life was not meant to be an unending sequence of beautiful days. But beautiful things can happen even on gloomy days, and often those beautiful things happen when we find a way to make someone smile.
In Proverbs, we read the admonition “Ponder the path of thy feet” (Proverbs 4:26). Often our feet move so quickly from one important task to another that thoughtfully pondering our path can seem unrealistic—or even like a waste of time.
It’s been said that “life does not determine winners. Winners determine life.”2 Most true winners have “lost” at some point in life. They have been hurt and disappointed; they have experienced setbacks and sorrow, but they do not let these difficulties determine their destiny or define their lives. Instead, they strive to rise above their challenges and keep moving forward one day at a time. In fact, it is very often the defeats, just as much as the victories, that bring out the greatness in a true champion.
It’s been said that the little things are the big things. This applies to many aspects of life, but especially to the small courtesies, the little acts of kindness that end up making a big difference. Truly, from the small and simple comes that which is great. It happens when a seedling is nurtured and grows into a strong tree, and it happens when little kindnesses help people blossom and grow. It’s one of the most important ways we make a difference in the world.
There’s something about being on a mountain that helps us feel closer to God. That’s been true since ancient times. It was on a mountaintop that Moses heard the Lord calling to him from a burning bush.[1] And when Jesus had a special spiritual experience to share with Peter, James, and John, He led them up a mountain.[2]
More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ called His apostles to share the glad tidings of His gospel. Their ministry brought joy to people’s hearts. Their teaching instilled hope and fostered peace.
We all experience change—at times refreshing, often challenging, and sometimes overwhelming. In time, we can look back and see God’s sustaining hand in our life. Gratefully, with that perspective we are able to look forward with the peaceful confidence that He will “guide the future as he has the past.”[i]
John the Baptist caused quite a stir with his preaching in the wilderness. Not only did he attract a large following of humble disciples, but he also drew the attention of powerful figures of the day.[i] Multitudes came to be baptized by him. Soldiers and tax collectors sought his guidance. Religious leaders demanded, “Who art thou?” (John 1:22). Not bad for someone who wore clothes of camel hair and lived on wild honey and locusts.[ii]
These beautiful gardens are more than a collection of vibrant plants and peaceful footpaths. What you see here in the heart of Manila, Philippines, is an emblem of peace. This is the Japanese Garden at Rizal Park, which was created to promote peace between the Philippines and Japan. These two countries were once at war. But more than five decades ago, the Japanese government made a donation, and officials from both countries worked together to make this garden a symbol of friendship and forgiveness. Today it is a beloved landmark here in Manila. It celebrates not just the beauty and wonder of nature but also the beauty and wonder of forgiveness, friendship, and peace.
Nearly everywhere you go in the Philippines, you see the name José Rizal. His image is found on coins and postage stamps, in living rooms and classrooms. His name lives on in countless city streets, monuments, and plazas, including this large urban park on the eastern shore of Manila Bay. It was in this part of the city in 1896 that José was executed at the age of 35 for his involvement in the Philippine Revolution. We are in the park that bears his name.
The oldest existing university in all of Asia was established more than 400 years ago here in Manila, Philippines. The University of Santo Tomas is named for the renowned Dominican priest Thomas Aquinas, a revered theologian and philosopher. This university is the largest Catholic university in the world in a single campus, and it stands as a beautiful monument to a long-standing devotion to education.
So much of everything here in the Philippines seems to center around the family. You see tight-knit family relationships—not just among parents, children, and siblings, but across multiple generations. A grandparent, a nephew, a sister-in-law, a second cousin—they’re all simply family, and that means they love you, care for you, and, quite often, live nearby. It’s part of the Philippine culture of family love and strength, so it’s no wonder people in the Philippines are known to put family first.
Here at the heart of the Mexican capital stands the Monumento a la Revolución, or the Monument to the Revolution. Among the most iconic symbols of Mexico, this landmark commemorates the Mexican Revolution of more than a century ago. Similar monuments are found all over the world. Very often, they are visual reminders of the quest for freedom.
The world is a fascinating place filled with fascinating people. Every time we visit a new place or meet a new person, the world opens a bit wider for us. Every new perspective, every new insight from a new friend has the potential to enrich our lives and unify the human family just a little more.
The oldest church building in Mexico, commonly known as La Iglesia de la Conchita, was built nearly 500 years ago in 1525 in what is today the Coyoacán neighborhood of Mexico City. This important building is part of Mexico’s cultural and artistic heritage. But it’s more than a historic landmark. Houses of faith like this one stand as a reminder of our basic human desire to connect with God.
In our modern world, it’s so easy to indulge in pleasure. Our great-grandparents had to spend most waking moments with countless backbreaking chores just to survive, but today many of those tasks don’t burden us anymore. We are more free than ever before to seek entertainment, to do what we want to do, go where we want to go, and eat what we want to eat, all without a lot of effort.
“Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two [brothers], … Peter, and Andrew … , casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
After the death of Jesus Christ, one of His disciples, a man named Joseph of Arimathea, asked for permission to take the body of Jesus. With help from other disciples, Joseph tenderly, lovingly wrapped the Savior’s body in a clean linen cloth, laid the Lord in a tomb, and rolled a great stone in front of the opening.
Have you ever had a feeling that you needed to do some act of goodness? Maybe a name came to your mind along with the thought, “She needs a friend; you should reach out.” Or maybe a decision had been weighing on you, when you received a sudden spark of clarity and somehow you knew—beyond your own reasoning—what you should do. You may have felt a nudge to apologize to someone. Or perhaps a message came to your heart that helped you see someone with more patience and compassion.
This unique and wonderful land of the Philippines is a crossroads of world cultures and races, a unique mix of East and West. Comprising over 7,000 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, this nation is known for its fertile soil, tropical climate, and rich natural resources, earning it the nickname “the Pearl of the Orient.” The Philippines is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.
We all wish we could make the world a better place. It’s just that we assume big problems require big solutions, and our efforts seem so small. But what if, instead of being paralyzed thinking of what we can’t do, we each picked something simple we can do?
In 1978, Nobel Prize winner Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn spoke at Harvard’s commencement ceremony. The students in the audience had reason to be proud of their accomplishments. They were graduating from one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Future success, at least by worldly standards, probably seemed assured.
At first, September 19, 1985, seemed like a normal day here in Mexico City, as millions of good, hardworking people busily began their morning. Then, around 7:19, a powerful 8.1-magnitude earthquake jolted the city, and life changed in an instant. Thousands of people lost their lives. Thousands more were injured. Large sections of the city were cut off from electricity and water. Hundreds of buildings collapsed, trapping people under piles of rubble.
The story is told of a man who was looking through his wife’s belongings shortly after she passed away. In her dresser, he found a very nice piece of clothing that she had bought on a trip many years earlier. He realized that she had never worn it; she was saving it for a special occasion. And now it was too late.