Connecting Columbia Union Seventh-day Adventists

December 2021

Randy Fishell

The first clue that something wasn’t quite right in my brain happened one Saturday night when I was in third grade. While my family was downstairs watching TV, I was in agony trying to read a few pages of a book, Nyla and the White Crocodile. My third-grade teacher had made it clear that reporting honestly about my reading was essential. If I cheated on my report— even if nobody else knew—God would know!

image from iStock

This passage tells me that at Jesus’ second coming, our Lord will awake the righteous dead, and, together with the righteous living, take them up to heaven with Him. This culminating moment will not be a quiet one. It will be extremely loud, with angels shouting and blasting their trumpets. All in heaven and on earth will hear and know that Jesus reigns on high!

image from iStock

Have you witnessed a butterfly leaving its chrysalis? The cycle goes from a tiny egg to a caterpillar moving around and eating leaves, followed by the chrysalis phase, where other changes take place. Finally, the adult butterfly emerges from its cocoon. Scientists call this process metamorphosis, meaning transformation—a significant change in looks and character.