Tag Archives: #hope

Spirituality

The Miserable Few

If you have been reading my daily column for a while, you know that I believe most people are good. My faith in humanity will not waver. But what about the small number of people who defy logic?

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is undergoing more repairs. It’s possible that it was sabotaged. I’ll let the investigation play out and then decide. But there are some crazy people at the Reflecting Pool who are celebrating the return of algae blooms. Seriously. They are singing to the algae.

In 2012, extensive repair work was done on the Pool. It was due. The Reflecting Pool opened in 1923 and was leaking millions of gallons of water annually. Soon after the repairs were completed, algae blooms began to appear. Where were the celebrants then?

A few people in this world have lost their minds. They celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk, they wish ill will on their fellow citizens, and they tear down anything good because they are blinded by political ideology. These are what I call the “miserable few.”

Life is challenging enough without having to deal with the crazies. We should encourage others, not tear them down. We are better together…

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Spirituality

The Public Eye

People Magazine was created around feature stories of our favorite celebrities and the going’s on in their lives. We needed to know what Oprah was reading, and we couldn’t live without pictures from Julia Roberts wedding. When you are in Hollywood, keeping your name in front of the public is key.

Everyone is watching others all the time. You can’t escape the cell phone cameras to capture your worst moments. You and I are in the public eye, too, whether we make it into People Magazine or not.

Most importantly, if you are a parent, your children are observing your behavior. Little eyes are always watching, listening and learning. Children need to see that our actions are aligned with what we say.

A large number of families are experiencing dysfunction in the home. It could be alcoholism, drug abuse or emotional abuse. Children are learning about horrible, unsafe conditions at an early age. Their developing brains aren’t capable of handling this in the right way. Children know nothing about setting and keeping healthy boundaries.

My hope is that people will seek out the help they need to change their behavior. God didn’t create us to live in self-imposed prisons. We hold the key…

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Spirituality

The Manifestation of Evil

What is wrong with people? We have people mocking the assassination of Charlie Kirk, cheering the algae in the Lincoln Reflecting Pool, and hailing Luigi Mangione as a modern day hero. This is evil personified.

The spiritual battle is very real. Demonic forces want us to turn away from God. They cast doubt on the beliefs of people who cannot understand how bad things happen to good people. This much I know: the only way satan can hurt God is by hurting his children. God cannot be physically hurt but he is an emotional God.

When you begin to see the world through the lens of the Spirit, things become more clear. God allows bad things to happen. Otherwise we wouldn’t have free will. We choose to love and worship God. It’s not forced upon us. That’s what the pagans do.

Only God can bring good from the bad. When we believe and pray, we are assured that God will get us through the worst. I understand it’s difficult, but faith is strengthened in the fire.

Trust God. He is good…

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Spirituality

Information Without Transformation

Do you read self-help books? If you do, I hope you have taken what you read and used the info to better your life.

The best, most comprehensive self-help book ever written is the Bible. It’s full of history, miracles, and wisdom. Unlike every other self-help book in existence, Scripture is transformational. It changes you when you put its teachings into practice, especially the words of Jesus.

Books are collections of words put into cogent form. They convey a message. Scripture has life in it. The message is alive. It will ignite something in you when you read it and apply what you read in your own life. The Book of James reminds (some might say admonishes) us to be “doers of the word.” Read, absorb and apply.

Any challenges you are facing can be solved through reading and applying Scripture. Health? Finances? Relationships? It’s all there.

Read a little every day. Learn context. Then take what you learned and make it yours…

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Spirituality

User Friendly

When I need a technology issue solved, I find a young person. Typically the person is a teenager. Technology is great, but not always user friendly to me.

The world is rapidly changing. Some of the changes are good, some not so good. In my city, our City Council voted to defund our police department by one third. What is your best guess at what happened? If you guessed that crime skyrocketed, you would be correct. And we have a huge shortage of police officers with only two academy classes scheduled for 2026.

My Google Maps are out to get me. In Washington DC, it sent me the exact opposite way I wanted to go. There is beauty in getting lost, though. My diversion allowed me to see some things I wouldn’t have otherwise. And, I got in an extra 8,000 steps. I’m always optimistic!

There is a reason many items come with instructions on how to use them. But we have to read the instructions to learn how to use the items properly. It’s the same for the Bible. God gave us a manual for life. If we don’t read it then we learn the hard way.

We live in a beautiful world, regardless of our political divide. Most people are good. Take the time to have meaningful conversations with people, even those you disagree with. Then their point of view may become more user friendly…

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Spirituality

A Loss of Two Sons

This week in Texas, a young man named Karmelo Anthony was found guilty of murder. His defense attorney called it self defense, but his case was very thin. The jury sentenced Anthony to 35 years in prison. He could have gotten 99.

What started as a scuffle between two high school kids escalated when Anthony pulled a knife from his backpack and stabbed Austin Metcalf. It didn’t have to happen. I’m not certain why a high school kid brought a knife to a track meet. This question has never been answered.

Good can come from this. In prison, Karmelo Anthony will have the opportunity to rehabilitate himself. It is up to him, but with God, all things are possible. This 35 year diversion may get the young man’s attention and get his priorities straight. We can only hope and pray.

The sad truth is, two families lost a son that day in the spring of 2025. Nothing will bring them back. Forgiveness will play a huge part in this story. And when God steps in, miracles happen…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

The Price of Gratitude

For as long as I can remember, I have been a grateful man. This isn’t to suggest I haven’t been through some difficult times. There have been some, but I refused to give in to any anger or resentment. Those things will destroy you from within.

Actively practicing gratitude changes the biochemistry of your brain. You begin to see the world through a bigger, more beautiful lens. But this comes at a cost; a trade off, if you will.

You lose the mindset of lack, fear of missing out, and your mind shifts towards what you have. There’s a lot of good in your life and mine. For example, if you can read this, don’t take it for granted. A blind man would trade places with you in a heartbeat to be able to have his vision back.

Gratitude has a cost. But what you gain through gratitude is worth everything you will release from your mind…

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Spirituality

Rote Religion

The recurring theme throughout the Bible is that God wants the heart of man. He gives us free will to love and worship Him. It’s never forced upon us. It’s our choice.

There has been a trend over the last twenty years or so. People refer to themselves as “spiritual but not religious.” That’s a safety net because people don’t know God, really know Him. Many believe if they start to get to know God then they would turn into religious freaks or weirdos. God created us to be who He created us to be, not a weirdo.

My encouragement to you is to spend some time in Scripture. Study the life of Jesus that’s found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You will see the character of our Creator. Then allow God to work on you and through you.

Then you will have crossed the line from rote religion to a meaningful relationship…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Spiritual Manipulation

Some people return to church after something goes wrong in their lives. This tells me two things: 1) They believe in a Deity; and 2) They believe He can do something about their situation. For many, this reunion is the beginning of God reaching them in a deeper way.

But there have been those who were manipulated by the people they sought help from. Someone in a weakened, vulnerable position is more likely to be used. This goes against the teachings of Scripture. And it isn’t God at work in these situations. It’s the devil getting his grip and doing harm to others.

Most people are good. Most pastors are good. They enter the ministry because it’s their calling, not for fame, fortune or their own glory.

My encouragement to you is to stay hopeful. Continue to believe in the leaders of your church. And don’t hesitate to reach out to them when life goes awry. God placed them there for a purpose…

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Spirituality

Unlimited Freedoms

Today is Memorial Day in the United States. It’s a day of remembrance, not a day for celebration. Other countries have similar days of remembrance. I believe it is vitally important to remember those who gave their lives so we are free.

There are children who lost a parent to war. They might never have known or remembered the one who died. We owe these families a great debt of gratitude.

It seems that there will always be wars. Some people refuse to play nice in the sandbox. The only thing their leaders understand is conflict and coercion. The United States remains a beacon of hope in an increasingly hostile world.

If your family lost a loved one in war, any war, today we honor your sacrifice. We don’t take it for granted. In the United States we have unlimited freedoms which cost some people their lives. It wasn’t for nothing…

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