A few years ago, there was a short-lived reality show called My New BFF, where young women competed for the privilege of being Paris Hilton’s “New Best Friend Forever”. It was a one-sided proposition where Paris the celebrity, auditioned those eager to earn the privilege of entering her world. The title of Friend came at a price, and I couldn’t help but think of the popularity contests in my high school that only fed teenage angst and left many of us feeling insecure and unsure of ourselves. But even as adults, friendship can still be Continue Reading
November 28, 2013 By
Looking Back with Graditude, Looking Forward with Confidence
When Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, our country was in the middle of the Civil War. Loved ones were being lost daily on the battlefields in America and our country was being torn apart and full of uncertainty. It seemed there was little to be thankful for. Yet Lincoln saw the need to seek God and be thankful for His mercy and provision during the hard times, and ask for our country’s healing and prosperity in the future. It was a declaration of hope and trust in God that despite the turmoil in the present, God Continue Reading
November 21, 2013 By
Jackie Kennedy and the Gift of Encouragement
“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people.” Philemon 1:7 Jackie Kennedy Onassis was known for her beauty, poise and elegance and is considered a classic style icon, much like Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel. But what stands out most about Jackie is her renown for writing the perfect thank you note. Her correspondence was so effective that it notably inspired French President Charles DeGaulle, moved Pakistan’s President Ayub Khan, and comforted Kathleen Graham Continue Reading
November 8, 2013 By
Roots and Wings and Parenting Things
“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.” Hodding Carter, Jr. Like every parent I know, I’ve made my share of blunders. There are times I wonder if something I said or did in one of my many moments of impatience permanently warped my children, and that’s why I’m so often tempted to throw my hands up and plunge into “passive parenting” mode. Sometimes it seems they could do a lot better than to have me as a parent, and they could do a better job on their own! But then I realize that Continue Reading
October 25, 2013 By
Confident Resistance
“But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry” Nehemiah 4:7 Imagine what my home would be like if I didn't have any doors, and if my yards didn't have any fences. Anyone who wanted to could just come in and open the refrigerator, sit on the sofa and run up my pay-per-view bill. Anyone who wanted to could come into my yard, pick all the plums and enjoy the Jacuzzi. And when I got home with my Continue Reading
Recent Comments