Stories & Commentaries

About Stories & Commentaries

From time to time, the North American Division shares commentaries on issues and/or events important to Adventists in this division. We also publish stories, which sometimes include interviews and features, to inspire our leaders and members.

Alex Ulrich, Union College student

Union College Student Finds Calling as Occupational Therapy Assistant

Alex Ulrich began college as a kinesiology major. She intended to practice physical therapy with her degree, but when a physical therapist visited her class to help the students understand more about what is involved in the position, Ulrich found herself disappointed. ... While doing research on different colleges and their programs, Ulrich came across the Union College Occupational Therapy Assistant program.

stock photo of couple holding hands at sunset

Two Little, Yet Powerful Words Can Make a Difference

The third Saturday in April is often annually observed as National Husband Appreciation Day in the United States. Do we really need a day to remind us to show our husbands that we appreciate them? The busyness of our day-to-day routine lends itself to taking the people closest to us for granted and a failure to express appreciation to them.

Gina Lockhart and son Daniel

The Most Precious Gift

A life with kidney issues brought Gina Lockhart closer to God. After a lifesaving transplant, she lives out her faith by sharing her miraculous testimony and giving back to her community. Read this special feature during April, National Donate Life Month in the U.S.

Maasai Development project Jan Latsha

Changing Girls’ Lives in Kenya

In 2010, about two decades after beginning her work with the Maasai in Kenya, Jan Latsha started the Maasai Development Project, a refuge/home for girls escaping female genital mutilation and early marriage. She also organized a corps of lay pastors who have led many Maasai to come to know Jesus and join the Adventist Church.

Scribner WWU and Hope Channel video series

Walla Walla University Graduate Student Partners with Hope Channel and WWU School of Theology on Video Series About Jesus

Rachel Scribner, a 2019 graduate of the Walla Walla University cinema, religion, and worldview master’s program, has collaborated with Hope Channel and Carl Cosaert, dean of the WWU School of Theology, to create a television series about Jesus that is based on the gospel of Mark. In this interview, Scribner talks about what went into creating the series.

YG give nurses gifts

Gratitude for Healthcare Front-line Workers

It started with gratitude: A simple idea to acknowledge and appreciate the dedication of healthcare workers who serve all of us. Faith Rivera, a young adult at Younger Generation Church (YG) in Arlington, Texas, pitched the idea of offering Valentine’s appreciation gifts to all the frontliners at Texas Health Mansfield.

GCA

A Bold Vision for an Adventist Academy

In the midst of a pandemic, by God’s grace, Georgia-Cumberland Academy (GCA) began the 2020-2021 school year with an opening enrollment of 261, an increase of 11 students over the past year. And with prayer and bold vision, and acts of generosity, the school is in the process of upgrading its campus facilities to continue its service to Adventist families.

Coopwood Family

Aiding Hospitality, Service Workers Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

When the Shelby County, Tennessee, Health Department placed significant restrictions on area restaurants and other businesses in December 2020 because of the coronavirus, Adventist Reginald Coopwood, M.D., and his family decided to do something to help those impacted. The Coopwoods set up the “Pay It Forward Mid-South” campaign, which ran through Jan. 31, 2021. By the end of the campaign, close to $500,000 had been raised. 

stock photo of cloudy sky and grassy field

Of Hallelujahs and Hope Vendors

Pain comes in all shapes and sizes. Think about all the businesses that have been forced to close. How will the hundreds of thousands who’ve lost work pay their rent? How will they explain to their families that they might soon be living on the street? You and I can both extend the list of the agonies that plague our fractured planet and the people who live here. But there is always hope, healing hope.

Palau presidential inauguration

Adventist Inaugurated President in Palau

On November 21, 2020, Adventist Surangel Whipps Jr. won the presidential election in Palau, becoming the 10th president of this beautiful Pacific nation. Whipps was sworn in as president on January 21, 2021, during the inauguration ceremony at the Palau National Capitol.