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When I was a teenager, I had an opportunity to go on a week-long summer camp with a bunch of youth from my church. I had been looking forward to this for a long time. I was also excited that my older sister would be there to show me all the great things about camp.   On the third day, the leaders took the youth that were there for the first time on a hike together. During these hikes, it was intended that we would learn about nature, survival skills, and the importance of sta

I stared out my car window at the pouring rain. “Please help the rain to stop” I fervently asked God. I asked again and again, but the rain continued to pour. I lived in a community that had a fair number of issues. Neighbors did not talk to each other often, and most kept to themselves. As I had thought about what I could do to help bring the community together some, I had realized that a fair number of guys in the area were working on restoring cars in their garages.   I sp

A few months ago, I was in my car when suddenly I noticed the dreaded check engine light came on. Immediately I started to think of all the things that this could be, hoping it would be an easy fix. A few days later I was able to stop in at an auto parts store and do a diagnostic test to see if I could get an idea of what was going on. The result showed I had a bad purge valve. When the purge valve fails, it sticks open and will create a vacuum leak that can affect the engine

We cannot steer a parked car. A car can only be directed when it is moving. Depending on where we are going, we may travel faster or slower at different times. Life is similar. We all have destinations – or goals – that we want to reach. We may want to achieve a set level of wealth or have a certain job. We may want to help do something good. We may want to have a family. We know that reaching these destinations takes work and movement, but we often stay where we are, simply

I learned I might be praying to avoid the very things I needed A genie in a bottle. A magic carpet. These were supposed to be from the story of Aladdin, but one day I realized they were not entirely fictional—they described my prayers.   “Bless me and my family with safety today.”   “Bless me and my family to be healthy.”   “Bless us to have the money we need.”   “Please help [name] get better.”   “Bless us to have peace on earth.”   The above statements are common statements

In a world often defined by categories and stereotypes, the labels we attach to one another can profoundly impact our perceptions and interactions. These labels, whether they're based on appearance, occupation, or background, can often limit people to predefined roles or titles. This habit of labeling can lead to misunderstandings and missed opportunities for meaningful connections. Instead of relying on labels, we have the power to reshape our perspectives by focusing on att

Do you have a bucket list?  There are so many wonders in the world to read about and explore. I would say most, if not all of us desire experiences that enrich us and bring learning and joy. So, what is stopping you from doing some of these things? If you are like me, you may simply need to start writing these things down. I have thought of several things, but I have never actually made a list. It’s hard to accomplish a task or a goal if we never write it down. Writing it dow

Does the media and big tech intentionally push negative content? I know that I believed so, as getting on Facebook or watching the news always left me feeling negative or down. At some point though, I began to wonder if it was them or if I had something to do with it. I decided to try an experiment where I would only interact with positive content on Facebook. I decided to like only posts that were positive or uplifting, comment on positive statuses, or click on or read posit

All of us have at one time or another found ourselves alone or feeling alone. We may be single parents trying to raise young children, a business executive having to make difficult decisions related to layoffs, or a college student trying to find what path we should pursue.   While there may be others around us during these hard times, including family, there are times when we don’t feel that they understand what is going on, and we do not feel that they can help share the we

There are 749,404 restaurants in the United States and with that comes an astounding variety of foods available to us. There are also countless types of diets that anyone can choose from. Our dietary choices are often affected by ethical and religious beliefs, medical needs, or a desire to control weight. From a young age, we learn, and over time better understand that our physical growth and health require that we provide our bodies with proper nutrition. We need a regular i

Lindsey stared at the screen in front of her. Another rejection email, another month with no job leads. She bit her lip in despair, trying to hold back her tears. She didn’t have money for her house payment, or any other bills, for that matter. The economy was seriously struggling and had been for some time now. She knew that she wasn’t the only person in her position, but being out of work for five months now was taking its toll on her. She thought back to when she was first

Have you ever heard of the Grain of Mustard Seed parable? It is one that has passed the test of time, being passed down over the last 2000 years. Its message is that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains - and nothing will be impossible to you. I had been thinking about this parable quite a bit before the following realization hit me: You don't have to have faith the size of a mountain to move a mountain.   This parable is trying to give a small

A couple of weeks ago, I authored an article about not feeling ready to become a father, but my wife was due with the baby soon. I wanted to write a follow up article to talk about how the change has affected me. If you have not read the first article, it might enhance this story to read that article first. The main question that I pondered in the last article was if I was ready to be a father. Now I get to see the answer. At least, I have proven that I can be the father of a

Jenny made another mistake on the piano as I watched with a bit of confusion. Teaching her to play the piano has been a unique experience. During some piano lessons, she displays an almost prodigy-like knowledge of piano theory and ability. Other times, she just stares at the sheet music in confusion. Those who have taken piano lessons before might guess that the lessons in which she excels directly follow the weeks she practiced daily. That’s what confuses me. Why does she n

A significant amount of my prayers have gone unanswered. I’ve always believed and hoped that God answers prayers. I have prayed many times in my life and have received answers and guidance at various times. However, I have also prayed at other times, and have not received the items I earnestly sought for. Many of my prayers have simply resulted in silence and more questions and doubts rather than in guidance, inspiration, or clarity. I don’t imagine that my experience is much

News flash! Humans are fallible! We make all kinds of mistakes every day. We say the wrong thing at the wrong time, think we know the answer when we’re dead wrong, lose control of our emotions, disrespect or misuse authority, lack humility and charity, demean others through word and deed, care too little, care too much, and a host of other failings. We even make mistakes in our own self-evaluations. Some people aren’t critical enough, glossing over their own faults or justify

Sitting at his 6-year-old son’s soccer game, Jim watched as his son’s coach started yelling at the referee and the coach on the opposing team about a claimed rule violation. This season, the league was experimenting with a rule that required keeping a goalie in for the entire half. This rule came about as it often took the younger kids a fair amount of time to substitute goalies since they needed to put on the goalie jersey and gloves. The other team had a goalie on the field

How many times have you heard somebody when, after given a compliment, say “No, that’s not true”, or “Not even”. They often reject the compliment trying to be humble, or because they do not believe the compliment, but in reality, they are being detrimental to themselves and the person giving the compliment. Saying “thank you” to a compliment greatly increases our ability to love ourselves and others. Let me explain why with a case study. I once knew a very impressive girl. Sh

I remember observing a Facebook conversation where a lawyer mocked certain modern trends and concluded by firmly stating that he was entirely self-made and had not relied on anyone else for his success. “I worked for my success” has a certain appeal to it. I remember often saying similar things myself in various situations, but when I saw it come from this attorney, I really started questioning the statement. Is any person self-made? As I have reflected on this question for s

I love to play in the dirt. Pulling the weeds, planting seeds or new plants, moving rocks, transplanting trees or plants, and creating new spaces in a yard brings me so much joy. As a young child, I would go out and help weed the garden, but I secretly loved it. At times I would go out and water the plants and then “fluff the dirt”. I loved how it looked, and I equally loved how it made me feel when it was done. There was a purpose in doing it.   Several years ago, I wanted t