When struggling through my early teen years, I often wondered if I would ever be able to reach the lofty expectations had for me. Many of us felt that way. Did we hit the mark? Did we achieve the goals our parents had for us? Here is one many of us heard. Did we do better than what our parents did for us? Too often, we only see our failures. But you know what? Wherever you are in your journey, there is a lot of good you have done! Your parents know this. But guess who else needs to know this? Find out …

Everyone revels in winning. Whether it is at work or home, no one wants to lose. In fact, some people do not know how to lose. But what if I told you that sometimes a loss is not really a loss. Mature couples know that if you win all the time, the other side has to lose, and would you want your better half to be a loser? Maybe 😊 But the question is if you would lose a battle to win a war, would you? That answer is yes. There is a group of people who lost all the time, and yet won not only in the end but also for others who did not even know them. Who? Find out here …

When you eat something bad, it is the worst feeling. My wife had an experience after eating a sandwich on our honeymoon, and she refuses to go to that restaurant ever since. I even stayed away from it just remembering her experience. I share this because nothing could speak to the feeling one might get when someone gets the wrong message about who Jesus Christ is particularly if it is a horrible experience. That is what today’s devotion is about. How to avoid giving a bad experience …

By nature, I am a talker. I grew up with a Dad who spoke to his team and a mom speaking hours on the phone. And if you think that is bad, my brother was a news reporter. You would think I spent a lot of time talking over my siblings. Not at all. I was ‘the quiet one.’ That was probably the best thing for me because I learned a lot in those times. Being quiet is often an undervalued trait, but if you talk less, you hear more. And if you good at it, you often hear the quiet voices that share the most valuable lessons. That’s what today’s devotion is about. Simply being quiet …

We are not perfect. There are things we can do well consistently and even get right all the time. However, even the most accurate people can get the simplest thing wrong. A chef who cuts vegetables all the time can accidentally cut themselves when distracted. The best professional will make a mistake when under pressure. While there are always moments we find perfection, there is nothing that is always perfect. Or is there? I have found one thing that is always perfect. Here’s what it is, and it could one day save you …

My life has been very unique. I’ve been blessed to experience many different perspectives that have helped me understand a certain truth. Sometimes what may be good for one person is not good for the other. It does not make it right or wrong. It does make it necessary for one to have a sense of balance in their life. That’s what today’s devotion is about: finding a healthy balance …

Who in your life have you relied on for counsel? Some are very direct and tell you exactly what to do. Others, provide no answers at all and leave you lost. The best counsel however comes from those who know what to do but provide guidance so that one can figure it out on their own. As a Christian, we often see God as the authority. While that is true, we tend to forget that He is also wise counsel. That’s what today’s devotion centers on ….

Throughout our lives, we are led to ponder on a simple question.  Why?  That is often a valuable question to understand motivations, causes, and even its necessity.  But what if that question is not answered?  What if you are left to ponder and determine what to do?  Hopefully, you can trust your judgment based on the information given to you.  When it comes to God, He does not always give you are reason to do what it asked of you.  He simply asks you to trust Him.  Can you?  Of course!  Today’s devotion tells us why …

The silly things we remember from childhood. I can remember all the times I heard a parent say, “For goodness’ sake!” I even remember an obscure line from the movie ‘Ghostbusters’ has a part with actor Bill Murray singing, “So be good! For goodness sake!” As a kid, ‘goodness’ got such a bad rap! As I grew older though, I found that goodness is not only ‘good’ but to share it with others is dare I say ‘great!’ Today’s devotion is about goodness. Not just God’s goodness. But our own. Here’s why it matters …

A few years ago, my favorite show had its final episode. It was a great series that I enjoyed until the very finish, but like all good shows, you are never really sure if it is the end. Jesus knew the crucifixion would not be the end, but as today’s devotion points out, it had a vital purpose …

Practice what you preach. Your actions are so loud, I can’t hear what you’re saying. Those are things commonly said when people struggle to match our actions with our words. This has a significant impact on the sharing of our beliefs. You might even have a reputation that precedes an interaction with someone. Thus, it is important that we not only check what we say but also how it represents who we are. Today’s devotion speaks on how words are not always enough to win hearts over …

Everyone wants to win something.  Some people are so hung up on it that they will go as far as to say that second place is ‘the first loser.’  What’s worse, no one wants to feel like they are rewarded for just showing up.  It’s that latter part that bothers people on the topic of someone getting a ‘participation trophy.’  Sometimes, that criticism is totally warranted.  However, what about the child who tries something for the first time and has never gotten anything?  What if something becomes the start of a big thing?  There is something to be said for ‘just showing up’ particularly when there is effort behind it.  Today’s devotion is about how effort, no matter how big or small, leads to greater things …

We all love to be home. Everything is familiar and we know who to talk to and where to go. When you go somewhere, things feel unfamiliar. You must figure things out and your routines become very different. I thought about that and came to realize when that discomfort hits you, it can be unsettling. However, there are some people that feel calm and at ease as if nothing ever bothers them. It’s like they are at home. Whit God, we know where home is, but how do we repond when we are ‘on the road?’ Inquiring minds want to know, and here’s how you too can make the road ‘like home’ …

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. I remember hearing that a lot. As a bit of a nerd particularly in my earlier years, I may have even said it. But we all realize just how false that truly is. Words do matter. They can hurt us in some cases for years. Ask someone whose parent never said, ‘I love you.’ As a Christian, we need to learn how our words matter. Today devotion focuses on that very thought …

We all know the saying, “The message is not for you.” Today’s devotion is a warning about that very thing. Sometimes the message is not for you because we are looking at it through our own lens. What if we put on someone else’s glasses for a minute? Might we find something hidden in the message that might be of value to us? I found that what I missed gave me greater insight. Perhaps, it will be for you too.

None of us will ever admit to hating another individual. You might hate brussels sprouts, cleaning the garage, or Manchester City if you love Soccer. We might even venture to hate a group of people. But an individual? That’s a tall order that requires a special threshold. So, what if you have reached that? Maybe, you need to take another look at what the story is because it may not be the right one …

You ever hear that song on the radio in your car that just does it for you? You start to shimmy your shoulders and move your head. You might even belt out a few words or two. If you were out on the dance floor or even in the shower, you might have to ‘bust a move.’ You know exactly the feeling of exhilaration that you feel inside. Imagine if that is the feeling God has over something. In fact, what if God danced? Guess what? He does, and guess why?

Who are your enemies? We often can think about that question and come up with some very easy answers. Usually, it is a collective group. Maybe a country or a group of people. But Jesus made the comment about loving our enemies. I often wondered if it was about our enemies and our treatment of them. As I thought about it, it goes far deeper than that …

People have differing thoughts of high school reunions.  Some are of dread, and others are of curiosity.  Interestingly enough, mine was of excitement and anticipation just to see people.  I got a lot more than I bargained for, and I found out another answer to how God works ... 

My wife would tell me that to get respect you have to give respect. If it works that way with respect, what about love? Many would say love is unconditional, and I agree with that. But to attract love, I would say you have to give love. So why is God's unconditional love so different. Read on to find out