Families come and go, but jobs are forever. Wait, what?! That sad statement hits home when we consider how some families often act like it's true. Or maybe you struggle is with loving something else. Money? Control? Beauty? Happiness? If only we’d live what we already know – that faith and family are everything. Faith [...]
All kids need a character hero to instill character in them, speak character over them, and celebrate the character already within them. Kids need heroes to help them press on, lift their spirit, and believe they can. And so do adults. As kids, we have great imagination and believe in superheroes. But as adults, we [...]
Devotion forgives the bad that shouldn’t be in you, celebrates the good that’s already in you, and believes the possibilities that could arise from within you. When love morphs into devotion, it looks like 1 Corinthians 13. 1 Corinthians 13 devotion If I succeed with the talents of men and angels, but don’t have devotion, [...]
Adversity and comfort are the great chiselers of character. Our choices amidst life’s greatest challenges say everything about us. Tough times, though, don’t have to lop off chunks of your soul. They can reveal all kinds of possibilities. Like the sculptor, Michelangelo, you can see the “angel” in the marble and chisel until you set [...]
Your believable beliefs are the bedrock of your family’s future. Beliefs built on sand will crash. Bedrock beliefs, though, don’t break; they stand tall and see beyond, even if you feel abandoned and all alone on a ledge. They’re stood upon with conviction because they’re built on the Rock (Matt. 7:24-27). That’s what I saw [...]
The door to your kids’ faithfulness hinges on the authenticity of your character. Every family has a Secret Sauce – the character qualities that meld together to form your unique family character. But are you intentionally choosing qualities that help your family open the door to embrace Christ’s character? Or are you just hoping it [...]
I’ll never forget it. My throat choked and my hands shook. Tears streamed. Barely able to catch my breath, I watched the doctor deliver my first child and proclaim, “It’s a girl!” As they cut the cord and rubbed her down, I thought: Wow, we made her! . . . Now what? If you’re a [...]
Falsely accused. Ever been there? Unable to fight back because you’ll look defensive, you’re left to sink or slink away. The pain can be devastating. That was me in December 1989. But I learned a lesson that changed my life (and maybe can change yours too). That lesson: Kill ‘em with kindness. My company sent [...]
Chocolate and my wife have a special bond. Just a whiff causes endorphins to dance in her brain. My “chocolate,” though, is pizza. Ahhhhh, a Giordano’s deep-dish, a Pappa Rollo’s four-meat special, or an authentic oven-baked Italian pie. Pizza and I have a “thing.” Each stage of my life had its special pizza. As a [...]
With a world and a country in utter turmoil, we wonder what we should do. The answer takes me back a decade ago to two conversations that forever changed my view of challenging times. The first conversation was heart-wrenching. My good friend and co-worker, Lori, walked into my office in utter despair and cried out, [...]
