Contributed by Mark Haines on Dec 8, 2000
based on 151 ratings
| 12,038 views
In 1864, one of America’s great poets, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, wrote the poem which became the well-known carol, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.
When I first heard this song, I wondered, “Why does he suddenly shift from joy at hearing the Christmas bells into such deep despair?” It starts
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Wesleyan
Contributed by Tim Hbc on Apr 9, 2008
Christian psychologist Dr Gary Collins writes that depression may be as mild as a “passing period of sadness that follows a personal disappointment" and in its severer forms can be overwhelming “feelings of despair, fear, exhaustion, immobilizing apathy,
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Baptist
Contributed by John Weeks on Dec 9, 2006
I have visited Japan three times in the past several years. It is a fascinating place of great contrasts – primarily – great beauty contrasted with great sadness. You see from my observation, the Japanese culture is one of materialism, self-satisfaction, rigid order and sexism – all of this
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Evangelical/Non-Denominational
Contributed by N A on Nov 30, 2009
"Living in the twenty-first century offers tremendous opportunities to those who have--but for the three billion people of the world living on less than two dollars a day, it’s a crushing existence of grinding poverty, despair, and unremitting daily
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*other
Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007
based on 3 ratings
| 2,052 views
"Men of strong minds and who think for themselves, should not be discouraged on finding occasionally that some of their best ideas have been anticipated by former writers; they will neither anathematize others nor despair themselves. They will rather go on discovering things before discovered,
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Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Feb 24, 2007
“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair and hoplessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a little love. The poverty in
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Denomination:
Salvation Army
Contributed by Jason Patrick on Nov 24, 2001
based on 7 ratings
| 2,091 views
One of England’s finest preachers was C.H. Spurgeon (1834-1892). Frequently during his ministry he was plunged into severe depression, due in part to gout but also for other reasons. In a biography of the "prince of preachers", Arnold Dallimore wrote, "What he suffered in those times of darkness we
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Baptist
Contributed by John Gullick on May 18, 2004
based on 2 ratings
| 4,102 views
A philosopher of last century, Bertrand Russell was an outspoken atheist. He even wrote a book called Why I Am Not A Christian. When Russell was 81 years old, he was interviewed on a British Broadcasting Corporation radio talk show. The interviewer asked him what he had to hang onto when death
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Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Andrew Chan on May 23, 2001
based on 65 ratings
| 1,960 views
"Asking ourselves “What would Jesus do?” when suddenly in the face of an important situation is not adequate discipline or preparation to enable one to live as he lived. It no doubt will do some good and is certainly better than nothing at all, but that act alone is not sufficient to see us boldly
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Evangelical Free
Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 23, 2010
ETERNAL BLESSINGS IN GOD
Imagine George Vanderbilt has forgotten to pick up enough spending money on a given day. Imagine him sitting down and despairing! No! Is it a minor, temporary inconvenience? Yes! But he knows that he has far more resources that what will fit in his pocket!
You may find
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Baptist
Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Oct 29, 2000
based on 110 ratings
| 2,509 views
But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed - and that’s the heart of man. C S Lewis put it rather well in an ironic parody of the hymn "Lead us Heavenly Father." His version reads, "Lead us evolution, lead us up the future’s endless stair; / Chop us, change us, prod us, weed
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Baptist