Stories

Image by Jaime Wiebel from Pixabay This is a bit late for a Fathers Day post, but it’s what is on my heart this week. My dad, John Martin Pence, passed away 5 and a half years ago, on December 17th, 2013. It wasn’t sudden or unexpected; he’d been on hospice care for some time. Nevertheless, it’s not easy to let go, especially when letting go involves watching a long slow decline. But he was 87 years old, and his was a life well lived. When I think of him, I’m reminded of how the Bible speaks of some people …

Recently, through some friends’ gracious gift, Laurel and I got to take a dream trip to Hawaii (Kaua’i). Most of the time, we just chilled; but we did do a little sightseeing. One of our favorite side trips was to the Kiluea Lighthouse. There were quite a few interesting things to see there, but one little boy found something so captivating, that the rest of the surroundings faded into insignificance. His find? A roly-poly (or doodlebug, if you prefer). To that little boy, the tiny bug he held in his hands was the most fascinating, wondrous thing he’d ever seen. …

Am I Making a Difference? Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Gal. 6:9, NIV). Have you ever wondered if you’re making a difference? Whether it’s as parents or in ministry, we often wonder whether our words and actions make any lasting impact on someone else’s life. Most of the time, I tell people that we have to wait ‘till we get to heaven to find out how God used us. But sometimes, He gives us a tiny …

Laurel and I lost our first child, Michelle Lynn, when she was only a week old. The following article, one of my first published pieces, tells our daughter’s story. A ROAD NOT CHOSEN(Originally published in “Kindred Spirit Magazine”) by James H. Pence Unlike most expectant fathers, I did not look forward to the sonogram. I dreaded it. From the moment Laurel and I walked through the door of the specialist’s office, an uneasy feeling crept through my stomach. The two-hour wait did not ease my fears. Now the doctor’s apparent unwillingness to explain his findings only intensified my anguish. I …