Martin Wiles

Amazing is the word that describes what grandchildren can teach us, and my seven rambunctious grandboys have taught me much about the word. But they have taught me much more. Over the years, and still now, they have taught me much about God's grace. I hope you will enjoy the journey with me as we walk through the years and learn more about God's mercy and grace through the eyes of grandchildren. I am sure, if you are a grandparent, you will find similarities. And if you are not there yet, these stories will make you anticipate the day when a small one will call you Meme or Pop.

Some have enjoyed the best of times; others have experienced the worst. I have seen both. People who have walked through the doors and joined up and in with smiles on their faces, only later to be devoured … sucked up … and then spit out like a warm glass of salt water. My grandmother called the fish that annoyed her trash. Little fish that would not grab the hook. They would only suck the worm off. After a few times of this happening, she would say to me, “That’s nothing but trash. Throw your line in a different place.” She didn’t want to waste the worms she had spent time cultivating or digging. I can’t remember all the names, but I can see their faces. The ones—for this or...

Life is filled with trials, which often bring deep hurt to our lives. But no matter how deep the hurt or long the trial, God's Word gives us guidelines that, when followed, can move us through the hurt and to healing. With his knack for storytelling, Wiles takes us through 52 periods of hurts, most from his own personal experience, and moves us to ways we can discover healing. At the end of each devotion are questions for reflection and a journaling section. These can be read in 52 days or enjoyed weekly for a year's worth of healing. So, if life has you down--or when it gets you down--take a journey to your healing where hope will once again rise like an imposing mountain peak.