Focused. Hard-working. Conscientious. Determined. Results-oriented. These adjectives pepper my resumes and performance evaluations. They accurately describe my work ethic. For many years, I believed in this formula for success:  Set Goals + Work Hard= Desired Results For years this formula worked like magic, fueling my drive and ensuring my success. Until it didn’t. I prepared…
As I publish this post on Christmas Eve, my family will soon participate in one of our final traditions of the holiday~exchanging gifts. According to legend,  we give gifts to remind us of the first ones given to Jesus by the traveling magi. They offered three gifts, each of them a fitting tribute to the…
Beds ought to come with warnings: Caution: Waking up on the wrong side could be hazardous to your relationships. The origin of this idiom can be found in ancient Roman superstition. These people believed each side of the bed connected to either positive or negative forces. The side you exited determined the fate of your…
I once heard a friend say Christians have lost the art of meditation. Although I didn’t disagree, meditation, like rest, runs contrary to my busy lifestyle. But lately this idea of meditation has resurfaced in my circle of friends. I often associate the word meditation with eastern religions, yoga, new age philosophies and the current…
For years I lived my life at full throttle, burning the candle at both ends. As a worker bee, I believed in the sanctity of work. So much so, I tended to identify rest with laziness. Thankfully, this is not God’s position. The first time we see the idea of rest in the Bible is…
God has a funny way of reminding us of the truths we teach. Immediately after I published my last blog post on anchored hopes, something I hoped for did not materialize. God knew I needed that lesson to process the coming disappointment. Not every specific hope we have ties directly to a promise from God….
Anchored hopes never disappoint. Can you imagine life without hope? Hopefully not. Most of us would agree hope is essential to the human spirit. Even so, hope can be tricky for me. By definition, it conjures up images of happy anticipation and expectation. But unfulfilled hope can crush the spirit. The Bible describes this reality:…
Recently a friend reminded me fall is around the corner. Thanks to our recent move to Virginia, I look forward to seeing the leaves change color for the first time in several years. The colorful foliage will not be the only mark of change this year. Retirement, our cross-country move, a new church family, and…
We can learn to be content no matter our circumstances because God gives us strength. (Philippians 4:13) For me, He often strengthens me through the relationships He gives me. I learned this important lesson while living in Paris.
