True friendship is a gift we sometimes take for granted. A devoted friend is a priceless gift who continually surprises you with their faithful love and acceptance. True friends aren’t just people who laugh at your jokes; they’re the ones who cry with you when life gets messy and disappointing and you are suffering the consequences of a boatload of bad decisions. A loyal friend is the one who sticks around when life gets ugly. Someone who doesn’t flinch when... Read more
They don’t tell you this when you’re signing divorce papers, but you’re not just parting ways with a spouse—you’re also signing up for the emotional Hunger Games with your adult children. (May the odds be ever in your favor.) When it comes to my adult kids, divorce, and Christmas, it’s now a mix of happy memories and depressing realities. Once upon a time, Christmas was the most wonderful time of the year for me. Now, not so much because half... Read more
The story of Leah and Rachel, known to some as the “original sister wives,” is found in Genesis. These two women became the co-wives of Jacob (later known as Israel), and their story offers a compelling glimpse into the complexities of family dynamics and divine purpose. Leah and Rachel were the daughters of Laban, a cunning and selfish man. Jacob, a man of questionable character himself, cheated his brother Esau by deceiving their father and stealing his brother’s birthright. Escaping... Read more
Have you noticed that the traits or behaviors we see, dislike, and criticize in others often reflect something within ourselves? I first heard the phrase, “You spot it, you got it” from a respected pastor who intended to highlight the importance of self-awareness. Our reactions to others reveal a lot about ourselves. Like it or not, admit it or not, we humans tend to be extremely sensitive in others to what is hidden (or not so hidden) in us. I... Read more
Family. One simple word, and a common word at that, but one “f” word that can stir a boatload of emotions for many. For some, when they think of their mom, dad, siblings, and so on, they have warm fuzzies (a good “f” word). They think of playing Monopoly in front of the fireplace while sipping their favorite beverage and eating popcorn. However, for others, even the whisper of family evokes anything from troubling thoughts to outright terror. Sadly, I... Read more
Infidelity, a nicer word for adultery perhaps, is far more common than most want to admit. The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy reports that when it comes to married couples, between 10 and 15 percent of women and 20 and 25 percent of men are unfaithful. That’s around one in ten and about one out of four. Sadly, the numbers do not represent a much higher percentage who, according to Jesus, commit adultery in their hearts when they look... Read more
Have you ever wondered if you would survive during a time of trying to navigate a self-inflicted tumultuous emotional storm? Maybe you said to yourself, If just one more thing hits the fan, I quit! You might not be suicidal, but you sure as heck are ready to wake up in heaven sooner than later. The tempest is especially difficult to endure when you know in your knower that you caused it. What’s worse, perhaps some of your oldest friends... Read more
Everything changes—every relationship, human system and structure, organization, organism, and cell in our body. Even after death, there is change (aka decay). Nothing earthly on this side of eternity has any permanence. So, like it or not, all things change; it is inevitable. Several days ago, my younger brother had a massive heart attack and passed away. He was only sixty-four. I didn’t see that change coming, and it rocked my world. A week ago, someone sent me a picture... Read more
We live in a world where rejection and revulsion are far too common. The cancel culture—where we cast off people and end relationships because we’ve been angered and hurt, separates and divides us from one another. In our treatment of others, we appoint ourselves the judge of right and wrong and determine who is in or out based on our preferences or beliefs. We have forgotten how to be civil. We also confuse accountability (i.e., holding people responsible for their... Read more
Life is hard sometimes. I don’t mean splinter-in-your-finger hard. I mean, you’re in so much mental, emotional, or spiritual pain (and yes, spiritual pain is a thing) that you sometimes pray to God, “Okay. I’m done. I can’t take it anymore. Beam me up, Jesus.” I’m talking about the kind of agony that causes you to bounce between anger and grief so much that it makes you dizzy. I’m referring to the sort of anguish so excruciating that you wonder... Read more
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