Jesus illustrated His teachings with common stories (parables) that His listeners could relate to and apply to their lives. He knew that a picture, even a word picture, was worth a thousand words. In the same way, Pastor Jim Richards uses common, everyday experiences to convey spiritual truths. Dr. Joe Aldrich, past president of Multnomah University, where Jim attended Bible college, often said, Get'em laughing, and while their mouths are open, shove the truth down their throats! In much the same way, Pastor Richards uses everyday experiences, sometimes humorous, sometimes sad, to interest people with the spiritual truths he shares in each article. His sincerest hope is that these articles will help the reader desire to know Jesus Christ more intimately, to recognize the work God is doing in their lives, and give them a testimony to share with others for the glory of God.