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  I remember the subtle comment from my brother-in-law as we got into our car for the 13 hour drive home, “Be careful and no tickets.” I thought to myself, “that won’t happen, I always stay close to the speed limit.” We waved goodbye as we pulled away. It had been a great Christmas. The [...]

  Do you remember that gift you dreamed of as a child? I have vivid memories of my eyes feasting on brightly colored pictures of toys in back of the Sears catalog. With pen in hand, I circled every toy I hoped to unwrap on Christmas morning, including a bright red fire engine with a [...]

  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I’m glad a special day was established to thank God for his blessings. We are a blessed people. God’s goodness and grace is poured out daily for our benefit. He is worthy of our appreciation on Thanksgiving and all 364 days of the year. All to often [...]

    There are many stories of courage and sacrifice in the aftermath of the horrific tornado that tore through Joplin, Missouri.  I had the privileged of meeting two wonderful families, The Ball’s and the Tracy’s. The video shares a glimpse into how these families made it our alive and what they consider to be [...]

Lately I have been enjoying three bands that have taken a creative approach to their music. Their approach to mixing instruments and sounds is refreshing. It goes beyond just the music. The lyrics to the songs convey truths and ideas worth signing about. I never get tired of listening and I’m looking forward to what [...]

Tempting. Enticing. Eye Catching. He thought I might be interested. Out of his pocket came a small clear vial. He removed the lid and white crystal rocks tumbled into the palm of his hand. We had worked together for several months as room service attendants at a Marriott hotel before he made the pitch, “Do [...]

Do Christians really need to be like Jesus?  Is it enough just to know what Jesus teaches in the Bible? Francis Chan shares the answer to these questions in this short video. Grateful to  Chad Missildine for bringing this video to my attention. Chad shares his thoughts on faith, family, and leadership on his blog [...]

His first job away from home wasn’t what he had in mind, it felt like a train wreck. None of his eleven brothers had left home to look for work and neither had he. He was forced out of the family with no time to prepare a resume. He wouldn’t need one where he was [...]

I could make a long list of the little urges that draw me to satisfy my cravings; Starbucks mocha, apple pie with ice cream, and one of my all time favorites is my wife’s coffee cake. Entering 2011 has me thinking about what I crave and it goes far deeper than what I enjoy eating. [...]

Playing in the rain is a young boy’s adventure come to life. What boy doesn’t enjoy splashing in the puddles? I view rain much differently today than I did as a kid and rarely have the urge to run out and splash in a puddle or simply stand in the rain. These days I prefer [...]

Nehemiah 2:1 Have you ever found yourself showing up for work but your heart wasn’t in it like it used to be? What you used to enjoy doing seems to have lost its appeal? You show up but your heart is someplace else.  I’ve been there. I could feel something changing inside me. Discontent growing. [...]

I recently attended an insightful conference in Chicago called Story. I wasn’t sure what I would experience but I went with high expectations. The two days flew by like a flash of lightening after months of anticipation that seemed to crawl. I was challenged, inspired, and convicted by many of the speakers. The first session [...]

A homeless man sitting on the side of the road caught the eye of Hannah Salwen, a 14 year-old girl living in Atlanta. A Mercedes sitting at the stoplight next to them also caught her attention.

I recently had the opportunity to hear Jennifer Rothschild share her story. She was 15 years old. Her dreams were just beginning to unfold. She had aspirations of becoming an artist. Drawing came naturally. She had an eye for bringing characters alive on paper. Every stroke of the pen moved her toward living her dream [...]