The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. And the first to learn from it and move on is the happiest. (Source unknown) That’s quite a loaded three-part idea, isn’t it? Apologizing is often difficult; it requires humility to admit...
The greatest tragedy in life is the prayers that go unanswered simply because they go unasked. (Keith Madison, college basketball coach) Prayer is a practice in every religion, no doubt, but it often becomes only a ritual, a rite reserved for public service. It’s...
A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties. (Harry S. Truman, 33rd president of the United States) It is universal. Everyone faces difficulties in life—from early childhood to the...
You can't trust what you can't test. (Bart Blair, pastor in Canada) How many of us have made the mistake of putting our trust in something or someone and finding it or them untrustworthy. Trust or faith is only as good as the object of that trust. It would be wise to...
Thanks a lot for contributing to my reputation in town as "that idiot who laughs while jogging." (Oliver Edwards, a runner) How often do you see a runner smiling, much less laughing, while he or she is doing their daily workouts? Some of us don’t run (or exercise)...
The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God’s will to mine, but to mold my will into His. (Tim Keller, preacher and author) Millions of people pray, and most often they are asking God for something they need or want. Not all those prayers are answered in the way...
Feelings make excellent servants, but terrible masters. (Dallas Willard, educator and author) In a day when there seems to be no objective truth, many people let their feelings be the determinative factor in their choices. If it feels good, then it must be right, they...
Never take down a fence until you know why it was put up. (Warren Wiersbe, author) “Don’t fence me in” are the repeated words of an old cowboy song. Some people don’t like to be fenced in, to have boundaries or limits imposed by others. However, before we rebel...
A negative mind will never give you a positive life. (Author unknown) Have you noticed that some people always walk with their head down, looking at the sidewalk rather than their surroundings? Don’t you think they’re missing a lot? That’s kinda like having a negative...
When you say no to what's right, you lose the opportunity you would have had to learn something of value by doing the right thing. (paraphrase of Mike Lee, pastor) There are times when we face the choice of doing what is right or something we know would be wrong. The...
I have a lot of excitement in my life. I used to call it tension, but I feel much better now that I call it excitement. (Madeleine Costigan, event coordinator and business counselor) Most of us avoid tension as much as possible. We don’t like to be torn between two or...
All human beings are alike in seeking happiness. Where they differ is in the objects from which they seek it. (Os Guinness, English author and social critic) “The pursuit of happiness” is one of the rights expressed in the Declaration of Independence, and, no doubt,...