Can We Really Control Our Thoughts? The brief thought leaves as quickly as it came. By the time I realize what happened, it had disappeared. But when the thought returned, it lingered and I dwelled on it a few moments longer. Then I found myself rationalizing...
The Danger of Shortcuts As the new year stretches before us, once again I’m looking for shortcuts to make life easier in the coming months. I’m always up for learning a new way of doing things to save time, energy, or in some cases, my sanity. Those short...
Where Do You Live? Where do you live? I don’t mean your street address, or your city, state, or country. Where do you live spiritually and emotionally when the storms of life break over you? Where is your hiding place when your stress level is off the charts?...
Aging Gracefully Is it possible to age gracefully? What does that even mean? Facebook is great about reminding me of friends’ upcoming birthdays. And yesterday, one friend posted about her eldest daughter’s 17th birthday. Seventeen? I first met her when she was...
Are You Surviving or Thriving? Anyone besides me feel frustrated at the apparent success of those who do evil in a world that frowns on a biblical worldview? There are times when I feel like crying out to God along with the psalmist who said...
Walking in the Light When It’s Dark Have you ever been in a situation where you were walking in a well-lit place and the lights went out? It might have been a power outage in your home. Or perhaps you were walking through a park and a dark thunderstorm suddenly...
Spiritual Heroes and Practical Obedience Have you heard the story about a man who escapes his boring life by fantasizing about being a hero? If you’re familiar with books and movies such as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty or Don Quixote, you know what I mean....
Are You Feeling Pressured? Is anyone besides me a bit tired of hearing how pressure turns coal into diamonds? How we should welcome pressure because God uses it to refine us into “jewels”? Every time I hear this illustration, my first thought is that coal is...
Ask and You Will Receive . . . Wisdom! Wisdom seems to be in short supply these days, whether among political and corporate leaders or among the average people you meet on the street. People say and do things that often make us scratch our heads. He did what?...
How Do You Handle Interruptions? Interruptions used to be the exception. Or at least, that’s the way it seemed. Today, not so much. Today, interruptions seem to be the rule instead of the exception. How do you handle it when your day doesn’t go as planned? I’d...
Beatitudes: Game Plan for Success or Failure? There has been a lot of talk lately about acceptable or...
I Can’t . . . Or I Can Try Physical therapy has pushed me to my limits, and possibly beyond. After several...
Test or Temptation? April showers bring May flowers . . . unless you’re a student. Students are not thinking...