“Opposition inflames the enthusiast, never converts him.” -Johann Fredrick Von Schiller Disagreement is a common everyday experience. We all come from different backgrounds and have had different experiences. We have talked to different people and visited different places. We were raised by people with their own unique beliefs and each teacher we’ve ever had […]
Just this week, I read two very different tweets from two Christian leaders. The first intimated that the Bible justified actions the President was considering taking with regard to foreign policy. The other stated that the Bible supported his cry that the President should be impeached. It must be confusing to watch us Christians do […]
It’s amazing what you can learn if you are willing to see all that goes on around you. Recently, while having a coffee in a small bakery, I noticed a mother and daughter climb out of their car and ready themselves to come in. It was a bit of a process because the daughter was […]
I have a favorite coffee shop in town that I go to when I get stuck in a creative rut. It’s an edgy place with great coffee. Sometimes a change of environment can make a huge difference in my thinking. I’m amazed when I go there at how all of the employees seem to be in […]
As we continue our series of small phrases that pack amazing relational power, we look at a third simple statement, “I don’t know”. There are few things that feel more like failure than having to admit that we don’t know the answer or what to do next. So, most of us never admit it. We […]
Unlike admitting that we are wrong, lots of us say “I’m sorry”. In fact, it is so often said, that it has been stripped of it’s meaning. “I’m sorry” is different than saying “I was wrong”. “I was wrong” is something we say when we examine ourselves and admit that we have made an incorrect or […]
My wife and I are big fans of Louise Penny’s mystery novels that center around the small Canadian town of Three Pines. They are great reads, and I highly recommend them. The main character in the novels, Inspector Gamache tells those he trains that there are four phrases that will make them great detectives. They […]
Since there are no perfect people, there are no perfect relationships. We’ve all had our hearts broken and we’ve all been let down. We’ve hurt others and been hurt ourselves. When our relationships become strained to the breaking point, it can be difficult to know how to begin to repair the damage that has been […]
We all want to feel closer to the people who are most important to us. We also want them to feel close to us. Everyone would also agree that being able to listen improves the chances that our relationships will be healthy and enjoyable. But, as critical as we know the skill of listening to […]
Our pastor at church is currently working through a series on an ancient king of Israel named Josiah. Josiah was a good king. He repaired much of the damage that his corrupt fathers and grandfathers had done to the kingdom. The full account of all that Josiah did is located in the Old Testament book […]