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For What You’re Not Thankful, Thankful

A woman once told me to write down everything I didn’t like about my life and then to thank God precisely for those things. She said that the command to “be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) wasn’t just about good things. It was […]

Remember to Include Nature

Some birds approach my youngest daughter, and she feeds them some crumbs. She can’t stop talking about all the birds! I recall the year we took my daughters on a trip to New York City. After a fabulous weekend of well-planned events and activities, it was the pigeons she loved most.  During the holidays–with so […]

A Little Prayer for Gatherings

Lord, help me radiate Your presence–and all that means–to others in the room. Let others experience You in me. Give me the strength to treat others (and myself) with grace and unconditional love. Let the words I say awaken hope in others. Bless others through me in a special way. Protect my heart and mind […]

Get to Know Questions

I love getting to know new people. Today I remember how much others enjoy talking about their pets, their travel experiences, and how they celebrate holidays. These are three new categories to add to my collection of prompts when I’m with new people. (It’s also easy to connect over movies, music, and television shows.) Wherever […]

Feathers, Fortress, and Father: How I See God Today

I grow best when I visualize something tangible about God–something I can flesh out with touch, sight, sound, smell, and even taste. Perhaps this is why the image of myself seated at a royal table with Jesus (from Ephesians 2:6) renewed my mind so deeply and ushered in great personal transformation. I’ve been thinking so […]

The Value I Would Want My Children to Have

I experienced a profound realization at a seminar today. The leader asked us about our most important personal values. I easily–and sometimes shamefully–recounted my work ethic, time management, pursuit of happiness, and status. I deeply value such things.  But then the leader asked, “Which value do you most wish to pass on to your children?” […]

10 Best Tips for Blessing Others During Holiday Gatherings

Sometimes younger folks ask me for advice on how to survive the holiday season with immediate family and relatives when everyone doesn’t always get along. Although I’m no expert, I’ve learned some tips over my forty years that I love to pass on. Accept others as they are—exactly as they are—without expecting anyone to change. Realize […]

It’s Not Just You

All morning, I feel so out-of-sorts. It seems hard to breathe, and the whole morning feels like I’m wading through molasses. Is something wrong with me? What if I collapse right here? Then, I get into the elevator next to a woman who takes one look at me and says, “It’s that kind of day, […]

“It’s Only an Adventure If There’s Fear”

On the walk to school, a little boy talks about designing adventures. He explains that, when it comes to having adventures, one must be a little afraid, too. Otherwise, it’s not really an adventure. If I’m afraid, maybe it’s because an adventure is happening. I want to remember this. I think about moving into my […]