By Guest Writer Lydia Rule Collins

There I was, praying to God about the day. “Dear God…” Ok, I thought, I sound under control. “Please help me to manage my temper and give me wisdom so I can handle myself better…”

I suddenly stopped praying. I was trying so hard to keep it all together, when what I really needed to do was let go. It was time to be real. I broke down, cried, and told God how I really felt: I was angry, hurt, and upset. (more…)

By RTF Staff Writer Shannon Meiers

When Jesus says, “Trust Me,”

What will my response be?

Will I give up willingly

All that I wanted to be? (more…)

By Staff Writer Jennifer Grimes

I could feel my eyes widen and my face heat up.  My thumb lingered over the television remote’s “go back” button, but I didn’t press it. My eyes were glued to the screen. I was now a victim of the movie’s creators and my own curiosity. I was trapped. (more…)

By RTF Administrative Editor Ethan Hamrick

Tonight I saw I’ve been Peter

Afraid of the wind and the waves

Striving to know

The tide’s ebb and flow (more…)

By Guest Writer A.E. Zander

The night sky was dim in the park my brothers and sister and I walked in. Laying abandoned on the ground sat a plastic beach ball, proving to be irresistible to my brother, who instantly whacked it high up in the air- and straight against my eye. I don’t think I’ll ever forget his horrified look at the black ring around my eye. (more…)

RTF Staff Writer Derek Hanisch

God has a sense of humor. I’m convinced of it. When most people read the Bible, they do it in dry monotone voices. They read the words and don’t visualize them. Here’s how I visualize one of my favorite stories. Read it and tell me that Jesus doesn’t have a sense of humor! (more…)

By RTF Guest Writer J.M. Schiele

Recently, my younger sister was watching her daily dose of fairy tale movies. It seems that every time I see one, I can’t help but say, “Why didn’t they do it this way?” Or, “If they only did it that way, then nothing bad would have happened.” However, in the end it always turned out perfectly. Just the way the writer had scripted it. If they had done it my way, perhaps it wouldn’t have turned out right. Maybe the princess wouldn’t have married the prince, and the evil villain might have won. (more…)

by Mary Ann Frazier

I was hanging out with some friends recently. It was just after we had seen a movie, and we stopped by a store on the way home. 

Old feelings rose up in me. Feelings of worthlessness, rejection, and ugliness. At first they succeeded in bringing me down, but why was I was looking at what the world thinks of me instead of remembering what God thinks of me?

So I asked God to help me. A moment later, I snuck a peek at a randomly chosen verse in a little Bible booklet I had.

 At least I thought it was random.

The first words I saw were, “Christ in you, the hope of glory”. It was exactly what I needed to hear!  (more…)