Contents

Cover stories

News and views

 8 Your letters - on what’s inspired and challenged you

30 Our next conference - Come and see us in Guildford in June

48 Book club - Recommended reads and an interview with Old Testament scholar Graeme Goldsworthy

51 Next month - Looking ahead to our July issue

Reflections

7 A prayer to boost confidence - Lucy Mills writes our prayer of the month

25 Joni Eareckson Tada reflects on the goodness of God

26 Confident in God’s goodness - What Mary teaches us about God’s love

31 Where do you find comfort? For Penelope Wilcock, it’s a rainbow of colours that encourages her when life gets tough

45 Good leadership - Veronica Zundel suggests we should all play our part rather than having one person to lead us

50 Man Alive - What fatherhood has taught Adrian Plass about the love of God

Real lives

10 Former CIA counterterrorism officer Michele Rigby Assad on understanding God’s plan for her life and encouraging women to fulfil their potential

17 Singled out - Hopeful Girl finds love with a feisty feline in need of a good home

22 The widows’ plight - We report on the difficulties facing many women around the world

35 Confident in my calling - One woman’s testimony of how God reassured her she was in the right place

36 An unexpected journey - The heartache and challenge of coping with ageing parents

38 ‘I had never seen snow’ - The young missionary from Africa seeking to make a difference in a deprived area of Edinburgh

Ideas and inspiration

18 Summer festivals - Organisers and visitors tell us why they love the big Christian events

40 Weekend - Things to do and see this month

46 My working holiday - One woman’s experience as a volunteer with the National Trust

Good advice

14 How to understand your dreams - A beginner’s guide to listening to what God is saying to you as you sleep

28 What I’ve learned about helping children find a faith that lasts - Care for the Family’s Katharine Hill shares her tips

32 How to grow old gracefully - Debbie Thrower explains why we need to lay a good foundation whilst we’re young!

34 Natural wellbeing - How to keep your teeth and gums healthy