Sometimes we miss the joy. In every age and stage, there’s reason to rejoice, even if we have to look hard to find it. One of my daughter’s joys is sunflowers. Just like my Leslie, sunflowers are bold and beautiful. I can’t pass a field of sunflowers without thinking of her. But sunflowers also remind [...]
There once was a grand old shepherd who told his young protégé, “When you find a church that helps you raise your kids, stay there.” That shepherd was my father-in-law, Royce, whose advice was not only wise, it was also prophetic. For 35 years, First Euless/Cross City Church has been there for my family. I [...]
“How dare you!” In a moment of outrage, we lash out, responding to outrageously hurtful comments. We’ve all been there. One of life’s biggest challenges isn’t how to get others to stop being hurtful; it’s how to respond in love. Like many teenagers, I had anger issues. The smallest offense sent me into a frenzy. [...]
Happily married 37 years. Joyfully, actually. So why do I still express my admiration to Anna? After all, she knows how I feel. Well, it’s for the same four reasons we should keep articulating appreciation for any loved one . . . four reasons I learned as a boy at, of all places, funerals. Eulogy [...]
Imagine. Just imagine God writing you a personal letter. Not a form letter or a group email. Instead, God tells an angel, “Grab a pen and take down a letter for one of my children” . . . and the child of God is YOU. Pouring out His heart, God shares some of the reasons [...]
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 [...]
“Alexa, make my child behave.” If only it was that easy. As a young parent, I struggled to lead my kids. Then I realized that my kids weren’t the problem. The problem was raising them without scarring them for life. A friend said her only goal as a mom was to minimize her kids’ counseling [...]
“How’d you do it?” I can only imagine how often my wife hears that question, along with, “How did you get a trophy husband?” Maybe not those exact words, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Well, if you know us, you’d know the irony of that idea. You’d know I’m not younger [...]
I’d heard that you can’t outgive God. In August 1984, I saw how that’s true. As a recent college graduate, I had seen God’s favor. He had blessed with the wife of my dreams and a job that humanly speaking was beyond my reach. Then I passed the CPA exam in one attempt (98% failed [...]
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, [...]
