Over seven hundred years before the Savior’s birth, Isaiah foretold: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders” (NIV, Isaiah 9:6).

Here is a simple, non-clinical answer:

When something traumatic happens in our lives, we react strongly in our body, mind and spirit. This is normal. The reaction is strong because it is a normal reaction to an abnormal event.

At the end of the book of Acts, Luke recounts how God made use of hurricane winds that blew Paul’s ship some 600 miles off course and shipwrecked him off the tiny, isolated island of Malta in order to spread the message of the gospel (Acts 27:14-28:10).

After 34 years as a chaplain with Institutional Ministries, it can be tempting to think I’ve seen it all and done it all. But no. God has an endless bag of surprises, and he loves to pull new stuff out.

Clarice had been in jail for more than a year. She had pretty much resigned herself to the possibility that she would soon be sent to prison. Her situation seemed dire.

Recently at a women’s prison, Maggie shared with our Bible study group how Satan tries to prevent her from actively participating in recovery meetings like Narcotics Anonymous (NA).