Mistakes A life making mistakes is not only honorable, but more useful than a life doing nothing. (George Bernard Shaw, 19th-20th century Irish playwright) Some of us are fearful of making mistakes, knowing all the while that everybody does, and we will again and...
God’s Plan When God wants to play a practical joke on you, He grants your deepest wish. (Cynthia Heiml author, Village Voice) It’s not a joking matter, but Heiml’s point is well-taken. Many of the things we wish for can turn out to be harmful. It’s like a mother...
Conscience Nothing ruins a face so fast as double-dealing. (Jessamyn West, late American author) West continues, “Your face telling one story to the world. Your heart yanking your face to pieces, trying to let the truth be known.” Have you ever found it difficult to...
Thanksgiving Day I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. (Henry David Thoreau. 19th century essayist) “Thank you!” Those are such sweet words to hear when you’ve tried to do something for someone else. We should practice the habit of...
Helping We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone. (Ronald Reagan, late US president) There is so much need and so many needy people around the world—and even in our own neighborhoods. When we see those huge numbers of people, we become discouraged and are...
Problems Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems. (Sun Tzu, 5th century BC Chinese philosopher) Another writer put it simply, “Big opportunities arise when big obstacles arise.” Most of us try to avoid difficulties. It’s a natural response but getting in...
Giving and Receiving After all, you must have a capacity to receive, or even omnipotence can’t give. (C. S. Lewis, British scholar) Gift-giving is easy, but Lewis suggests that receiving might not be so easy. Have you ever tried to give something to someone who...
Each Other God designed us for community. Isolation robs us of our greatest level of usefulness. We need each other. (Tim Sprankle, pastor) The recent, long-lasting pandemic lockdown has created isolation and a deep sense of loss, resulting in discouragement and...
Virtue Virtue is the mark of a life well lived, and it takes a lifetime to cultivate. (John Stonestreet, worldview writer) Have you noticed how often we seem to extol the virtue of some notable person only to have them act in a way that discredits the acclaim we’ve...
Love If you've never received unconditional love, it can become hard to then give it out. (Author unknown) Someone else put it even more simply, “One who has not received love cannot give love.” There’s only one way to have experience and that is to have it. How can...
Aging When our memories outweigh our dreams, it is then that we become old. (Bill Clinton former US president) When we’re young, we want to grow up; when we’re old, we wish we could be young again. But aging is a natural process that is inevitable and unstoppable. At...
Mistakes and Failure Our worst mistakes double as our greatest opportunities. (Bart Blair, church consultant) Someone else has said, “Failure is not the worst thing in the world. The very worst is not to try.” And Blair’s observation encourages us to make the effort...