Is There Anything I Can Do For You?
I remembered to ask this question with full sincerity today–with suggestions to follow. Make a suggestion of how you might help. Run an errand? Do your laundry? Give you feedback? Listen to you? Walk with you? Pick up lunch? It doesn’t work as well without suggestions because sometimes, people don’t know what they need. I […]
Your Best Professional Advice
Last night, my student invited me to attend an event on campus with award-winning poet Kwame Alexander. During the Q&A, a student asked about the best professional advice he’d ever received. Kwame said to surround yourself with the right people who help you say “yes!” to life. He told a story of a friend who […]
Your 3 Best Stories
Today I begin my Professional Storytelling unit in my advanced writing class. Students learn all about the power of narrative and how to use their best stories in professional settings. Maybe they need to tell the story of their call to a vocation; maybe they need to tell a better story to engage stakeholders; maybe […]
A Fun Little Find
As I’ve been thinking about “joys multiplied,” I enjoyed a special little joy this past weekend. As you know, I love the show Gilmore Girls, and I especially love Emily Gilmore’s wardrobe. She is my favorite character. Over the years, I’ve always looked for deals on St. John (Emily’s favorite brand), but these high-end clothes […]
Joys Multiplied
I memorized Psalm 16 as a graduate student back in 1998. I love reading it every month and thinking about what words or phrases now mean something different to me. For example, for the first time ever, I noticed a way to read verse 4. When I memorized it, the translation read, “The sorrows of […]
Some Pictures from a “Surrendered and Sent” Retreat
Absolutely
I loved reading this from Hannah Whitall Smith that she wrote in her book Everyday Religion back in 1902. She writes, “The only thing that can bring unfailing joy to the soul is to understand and know God. Everything depends on what He is. He has created us and put us in our present environment, […]
Another Great Question
I follow Bob Tiede’s blog Leading with Questions, and today, I learned another great question to ask those you lead (or even family members). His guest post from Dan Rockwell on “12 Questions Guaranteed to Energize People” offers this tip: ask about secret work. He lists this question: What good things are you doing that […]
Among Other Things
Among so many other things in life, I cannot control this little orchid. It blooms and blooms, year after year—sometimes in summer, sometimes in March, sometimes right now. I hardly water it. I can’t make anything happen when it comes to this orchid. It obeys some other voice that tells it when to bloom and […]
Ending the Psalms and Starting Fresh in February
I’m so thrilled that this marks the last day of January and tomorrow starts a fresh month in the Psalms. My neighbors in Pennsylvania always brace themselves for January; it’s a cold, dark month. But we did it! We’re here, and now we march on into February. May God bless us all richly in February. […]