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In: The Blessing of Living, Uncategorized
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Someday history will tell it. They will say they were on a mission to save lives. On this day, a team of international divers faced perilous conditions, with limited life-giving oxygen and adequate space to swim to rescue a youth soccer team trapped in a cave in Thailand. Regardless of the outcome, they recognized someone needed a rescue. Selfless Samaritans fought to preserve life at the risk of losing their own. Their brave mission is proof of their humanity and the value they’ve placed on life. In dark, troubled waters with the odds stacked against them, they could still see the blessing in living, theRead More →

On:
In: Made Real
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The army of women who took to social media with the hashtag #MeToo. The recovering addict, who when asked how he was doing replied, “I’m medium to fair.” The girlfriend who called in the middle of the night to say she’d left her husband and found someone new. The coach who admits the team is ill-prepared and its playbook is outdated. Refreshingly honest— all of them. Their confessions like oxygen in the smog of noise and niceties. Lately, I have a newfound appreciation for these brief encounters with honesty. They are brave and something to behold at a time when being airbrushed and animated isRead More →

On:
In: Easter Sunday
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“Noooo! I don’t want to!” At four years old, she’s already fiercely independent. At four years old, my foster daughter has already known more loss, disappointment, and pain than my four decades of adulthood. So when her eyes glare at me with laser-sharp focus from under a furrowed brow, and a tantrum of tears meant to test my resolve (and my love), I think of Jesus. There are no words. Out of all the books I’ve read and Easter Sunday sermons I’ve heard, overflowing with comforting wisdom, prophetic prose, and life lessons, there are still no words adequate, big enough, deep enough to contain andRead More →

On:
In: The Right People
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There once was a young man who wanted to introduce his new love to his mother. To soften the introduction, he broached the subject with his mother first. Because lineage and social class were important to her, she quickly asked, “Who are her people?” The mother’s motives aside, like any concerned parent, she wanted to know more about the young woman who had won her son’s heart. What cloth was she cut from? What did she want? What kind of company did this young woman keep? They were all legitimate questions just not the right ones. Indeed the people in our lives are a reflectionRead More →

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In: Uncategorized
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It’s time to come out of the dark. When a gifted singer’s soulful voice fills the sanctuary, we see a light. It inspires us to dance, shout, and lift our hands. When a gifted neurosurgeon’s skillful hands remove a brain tumor, there’s a light illuminating the path to better health for his patient. When a chef creates a culinary masterpiece, there’s a delightful light of pure joy on each plate for her customers. FAITH IS LIGHT So imagine if fear silenced the singer, limited thinking convinced the neurosurgeon there’s no money for medical school, and insecurity kept the chef out of the kitchen. They wouldRead More →

On:
In: Finish the Race
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The Summer Olympics is inspiring. Consider the world’s fastest man as he comes off the block like his namesake: Bolt. The optical illusion of a race track makes it appear as though he’s behind until the lanes become straight and even. Like a gazelle, Usain Bolt floats effortlessly by his opponents; his feet are the first to cross the finish line. As he sprints to the end, a fist pound on his chest has become his trademark declaration to the all who are witnessing his greatness that he is not a quitter. He is a champion. In the blaze of Bolt’s glory, few of usRead More →

On:
In: Good Ground
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I was attending a celebration for a friend when a somewhat shy, sweet young woman made her way across the room to greet me. Accompanied by her mother, she asked me about my career and my recent career transition. I told her it was not only a leap of faith, but a step of faith. I had to believe that no matter where I would eventually place my feet, God was there waiting, providing “good ground” to stand upon. She smiled and admitted that approaching me—a complete stranger—was a bit intimidating, but a gentle nudge from her mother had given her the courage. “Ahh! That’sRead More →

On:
In: Broken
With: 1 Comment

Maybe it was the pout on my face that convinced a mentor administering a fresh dose of advice to issue a friendly reminder from across the dinner table. “We’re all broken,” she said gently after listening to my grievance.  “It’s a matter of deciding how much and what type of brokenness you can live with.” I agree with that. There are broken relationships, broken bank accounts, broken hearts, broken paths to success, and broken spirits. We’re all humanly flawed and imperfect in some ways. As I prepared to write this blog entry, the prodigal son (or daughter) kept coming to my mind. I see himRead More →