Valda Goudie

When the mob sentenced the accused man to death by crucifixion, Pontius Pilate washed his hands of the whole Jesus Christ trial. As a centurion, it was my responsibility to oversee the entire affair. My soldiers were ruthless, as they were prone to be in treason/blasphemy cases. After they flogged Him with a lead-tip whip, they dressed Christ in a purple robe and completed the outfit with a crown of thorns to mock and humiliate Him. "Hail! King of the Jews!" they taunted, bowing before Him as they laughed a[...]

When she hugged her father for the last time before he died, it was the first hug she had ever experienced with him. As she felt the warmth of his chest and his long arms surrounding her, she felt the pang of regret. Why had she never been held by this man--her father? He awkwardly patted her back and pulled away, averting his eyes to look out the window. He muttered a superficial goodbye and shuffled away, signalling that it was time for her to leave. She swallowed the lump in her throat and swiped ang[...]

Young Mary was going about her day with excited distraction. Newly engaged, she looked forward to becoming Joseph's wife. What would it be like to be married? Would Joseph like her cooking? Would he be a tidy housemate? What would their future look like? Would they have children? With her mind full of hearts and rainbows, Mary was startled when an angel appeared before her. "Greetings, favoured woman! The Lord is with you!" Mary's mouth opened in confusion. Who let this being into her room? Why was she fav[...]

The staff meeting was virtual (and optional), so I decided to listen in my car rather than rush to work earlier. When I plugged the cord into my phone, connecting it to my Apple CarPlay, a message popped on the screen, assuring me that the app would automatically turn off my camera and microphone. Perfect. No one needed to watch me drive, put on my lipstick or check my teeth at the stoplight. The drive wasn’t long, but it took close to fifteen minutes with the morning traffic. Usually, I’d head-bob and t[...]

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2 (ESV). Have you ever stood in a strong wind and, despite your best efforts, had to take a step to maintain your balance? I've come to recognize HEARTstrong as that step as the winds of change blow against God's church. Such gale-force winds do remind me of my roots… When I went to elementary school in Newfoundlan[...]

The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? (Psalm 27:1(NLT). While we sat in our car as we travelled, the vehicle’s engine slept; the forward motion accredited to the marine vessel it rested on. But, unlike other weekly sea voyages home from the mainland, the motion was less ‘forward’ this time than up and down and side to side. The forward progress was more difficult to measure with the estimated time[...]

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love. Psalm 33:18 (ESV). Hagar Narrowed eyes, an aggressive stance, and ugly words spit in rage; I may have deserved it, but the hostility in Sarai’s high-pitched voice shocked me. Everyone in the vicinity knew her threats were no joke. Lately this was the norm: my mistress’s anger raining down on me, not only in her words, but in her treatment too. I ran to my tent and threw my meagre belongings into a blanket rol[...]

It's January, and I have no desire to put away my Christmas decorations. However, my tree seems to have different ideas. The strands of lights on this 5-year-old, pre-lit beauty have been blowing one by one (beginning on Christmas Eve!) like candles on a birthday cake. There's only one working set left—the set I bought on the day I pieced together the tree in early December. It looks ridiculous. Yet, I turn on the remaining lights every morning when I get up and every afternoon when I return from work. Fro[...]

"Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?"  Psalm 71:19(NIV). I hum a merry, seasonal tune while decorating the house. Friends and family will come for dinner tomorrow, and I want things to look festive. I make sure there are candles dispersed throughout. There's something magical about candlelight, how it brings light and life to the room, in addition to the little twinkling lights already strung about. I've been planning and preparing the meal[...]

When treading cautiously in dark, unfamiliar places, we appreciate a flashlight's beam. Whether the brilliant light is on our cellphones or through dedicated handheld torches, shining a light on the path AHEAD gives us more confidence in the journey. We are more likely to see obstructions or uneven ground, enabling us to adjust our steps. And we can confirm that the reflections we see are not wild beasts waiting to eat us for dinner. While sitting at my makeup table, I appreciate having a light shine ON my f[...]