Sometimes people say, “Give me the news. The good, the bad, the ugly.” I’ve begun to update this phrase. Instead of the good, bad, and ugly, I consider the good, different, and unexpected. I find this mental shift unshackles me from limited perceptions. Just because a situation turns out differently than I intended doesn’t make…
“Who are your competitors?” This was a question from my business’s new web designer. I was unsure how to answer his question. I’ve discovered how writing, life coaching, and speaking arenas can be highly competitive. I’ve also encountered rich loyalty for other’s lifework. Sometimes, I feel unqualified, unnoticed, or underestimated. However, this diminished sense of…
When Lasix surgery was introduced, people wanted to know how effective the procedure worked. Ophthalmology industries depended on referrals to expand their business. What would the industry look like if eye surgeons told their patients to remain silent after their successful Lasix operation? How would people explain why they no longer wore glasses or contacts?…
What is your motive? What is your purpose? We live in a fallen world motivated by self-help, self-serve, self-made humans. We want what’s best. Best for who? Best of what? Best according to which benchmarks? Matthew 9 included examples of Jesus’s best. He healed a paralyzed man; ate with tax collectors. He revived a dead…
God’s greatest accomplishment is that He always gets the last word. I hesitate to admit defeat or weakness, especially when I’ve packed grandiose plans into my adventure-filled day. I embark on a trail, eager to fulfill my mission. I anticipate a catwalk but sometimes find myself on a skunk chase. Through my misguided direction, I…
“That’ll separate the men from the boys.” In demanding situations, I often hear that challenge statement. Compared to boys, men are generally stronger, smarter, more courageous. I base a person’s strength on their ability to make sound decisions in chaotic circumstances. I consider a resourceful person to be resilient during, and after, unexpected twists. A…
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 4:18 NIV). Ah yes. The classic chicken and egg dispute. Which came first? Was faith and works the political biblical debate? In James 4, there’s a…
RIP. I visualize a figurative tombstone. Rest In Peace. I’m in situational circumstances where my weakness nearly buries me. My typical self-control has been replaced with unfamiliar abrasiveness. “When you can’t change your situation, you can change your character.” I agree. My disposition has become shady, and I’ve fallen behind a spiritual eclipse. I feverishly…
“But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake, and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours” (Mt. 17:25). April 15. Tax day. Today also marks Good…
Twelve times. “I write to you.” In the book of 1 John, he states why and for who he writes twelve different times. I appreciate people with a focused mission. John wrote Truth to caution people against sin. He wrote because sins were forgiven. He wrote because his audience knew Jesus, therefore they knew the…