Spiritual Growth

Devotional-style readings to help you grow and develop wisdom as a spouse, parent, friend, leader, and most importantly, as a Jesus-follower.
Commerce Over Charity Commerce Over Charity
Stewardship

Commerce Over Charity

Not too long ago, our T.V. screens flashed images of bloated-bellied African children. Emotion-filled voices pleaded for donations to save them from starvation. Either those ads stopped working or the situation has improved. Probably a…

Friendship Grows in the Darkness Friendship Grows in the Darkness
Community

Friendship Grows in the Darkness

The old saying goes “to have a friend, you have to be one.” I don’t think so. To me that describes a business deal. That’s a trade, not a friendship. Haven’t you been friends with…

Life is a Puzzle Life is a Puzzle
The Bible

Life is a Puzzle

Here in the south, we have these restaurants called Cracker Barrel. On every table is a little puzzle made out of wood and golf tees. Sort of like ‘checkers’ (or chess for you really smart…

A Shortcut for Suffering A Shortcut for Suffering
Death & Dying

A Shortcut for Suffering

A young friend of mine named Andrew is about to release his first full-length film. It’s called After the End. It’s a film about dealing with pain and sorrow. It was birthed when Andrew’s dad…

Not Deciding is Deciding Not Deciding is Deciding
Decision-Making

Not Deciding is Deciding

What about those deals we don’t ever really decide? We think one way for a while, then we think the other way. Back and forth we swing. “Maybe I will….nah, I don’t think I will.”…

Who’s the Most Important Person to You? Who’s the Most Important Person to You?
Walking the Talk

Who’s the Most Important Person to You?

I’ve picked up on a habit. I have it. You may have it too. You may think it’s dumb but it’s not. It’s called ‘self referencing’. When one ‘self references’, they take the topic of…

Living Wholeheartedly Living Wholeheartedly
Walking the Talk

Living Wholeheartedly

So we muster the courage to be vulnerable. We expose our stuff . . . our past, our weaknesses, our ugly parts. Our friends and family don’t kick us out. Maybe they even feel closer…

Clear the Decks Clear the Decks
Parenting

Clear the Decks

Ever thought about where the phrase “Clear the decks” came from? Pretend you’re interested even if you aren’t, okay? The phrase comes from the navy. It means ‘remove everything from the decks of the ship…