Tag Archives: #hope

Spirituality

Life

“Life is hard. It’s harder when you’re stupid.”-John Wayne

I’m not certain why Wayne said that, or if he was talking to someone in particular. From what I understand, Wayne could be a little testy at times. Yet, he spoke the truth.

Life has ups and downs. Sometimes the ups are exhilarating. You feel like life could never get any better. And then it does!

The down periods are the ones we dread. We don’t welcome difficulties and we want to get through them as quickly as possible. But let’s look at this in a different way.

Resilience is built in the darkness. Those times, while difficult, are when we find our inner strength. We may not realize how strong we are until we need to find out.

Every experience, the good and the bad, prepares us for something else. We don’t have the luxury of knowing what that something else is. That’s for God alone to know.

Remember this when you’re going through dark times: God didn’t cause your pain. He allowed it. And He will use it to grow and develop you into the person you are meant to be.

These words might not ease your pain, but perhaps they give you a different, better perspective. Keep going…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Do You See God?

Do you see God at work in your life? The hand of God is involved in every detail of our lives. God does a lot of His work behind the scenes, but it’s there whether we acknowledge it or not.

God gives us, believers and non-believers alike, fresh air and sunshine. He gives us everything good in our lives. He gives to the faithful and the people who curse him freely. He gives us the choice to love Him or reject Him. The choice is ours and ours alone.

When you take the time to look for Gods influence in your life, it will become more clear for you. He really does care about every detail of our lives.

Thank God in advance for the good He brings into your life. When you do this for an extended period of time, your faith will grow exponentially. You will see the hand of God at work. Promise…

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Spirituality

I Wonder…

Sometimes silly things pop into my head. Things such as, I wonder what happened to “Baghdad Bob.” Remember him? He was so ridiculous yet entertaining even the President enjoyed his broadcasts.

Important questions come to mind, too. I wonder how we became so divided in the United States. We have had political differences since before the Constitution was written, but in the end the people worked through their differences. The framers created one of the greatest documents ever written, second to the Bible. The Constitution isn’t perfect, like Scripture, but it has lasted for 250 years. That’s longer than I have been alive!

I look at this beautiful world we live in with awe and wonder. The stars are magnificent. The mountains of Norway are majestic, soaring into the sky like nothing I have ever seen. The raw beauty God created never ceases to amaze me. If your life’s focus is political divide, you are going to miss so much.

Don’t misunderstand, I’m willing to engage in conversations with intelligent, open-minded people who see the world differently. This is one of the ways I learn. It’s not a threat to challenge your own beliefs and convictions. It’s a healthy exercise that expands the lens you see the world through.

Still I wonder what happened to the people who used to send me unsolicited invitations to play Candy Crush. One day they just quit coming.

One day life will be over for everyone. A lot of the things I don’t understand will be answered in eternity. Or maybe they won’t. But while I’m on this side, I’m going to enjoy the people and the places. It’s my hope that you do, too…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Problems? What Problems?

In the United States, we do not have problems like the rest of the world. We aren’t perfect, but we are the most fortunate people on planet earth.

The politicians yell their fiery rhetoric on the challenges that many Americans face: the cost of living, safety, jobs etc. And the politicians love to make you believe they have solutions for every problem you are facing. The government can’t fix a flat tire which means they can’t fix anything in your life. Only you can. And you live in the one country that provides the opportunity.

We have citizens who are incapable of caring for themselves. The government should provide for their care from birth to death. But if you can walk and talk, then you can think and do. It’s the thinking and doing that stops many in their tracks. Victimhood reigns in some circles.

When you change your mindset to focusing on solutions rather than problems, you begin to dwell in possibility. Our brains are the greatest gift God gave us. Let’s use them for good. We, as individuals working together, really can leave the world better than we found it. Let’s get started…

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Spirituality

Heading Home

Since Christmas Day I have been in New Orleans, Louisiana. If you have never been here, I encourage you to plan a visit. The city is full of character and charm. Truly, one of a kind.

But all good things don’t come to an end. That saying is wrong because life is a progression. Every moment of each new day is filled with awe and wonder. I’m grateful for every experience life throws my way, even the bad ones. We learn from each and every experience. Nothing is wasted.

We have a few more days until the holidays are finished for 2025 and life becomes routine again. Enjoy your time off and make it count.

Austin is where I will land tonight, but it’s not my eventual home. That home is in the eternal realm. But the work I accomplish here is preparing me for the next life. It’s the same for you.

The world should be viewed through the eyes of a child. They notice each and every little thing, and they are in awe of it, whatever it is! Keep practicing gratitude daily, and the lens you see the world through will expand. I promise…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Lead Me

Our world needs strong leaders. The kind of leadership I’m talking about are people who are moral, ethical, and they do what’s right. And those types of people are rare.

It has always fascinated me when I see the actions of cult leaders. Jim Jones enticed and forced over 900 people to drink liquid laced with cyanide. Three hundred of them were children. Everyone died from the poison except Jones, who died from a single bullet to his head.

The kind of leadership we desperately need is found in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” In other words, dedicate your life to serving God and follow His guidance in everything. It’s difficult, but possible.

Keep your focus on things above. You will not be led astray…

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Spirituality

A Message of Peace

Today is Christmas Day. For Christians, this is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. There is no one like him.

Jesus’s ministry on earth only lasted for about three years. Yet during that short period of time he transformed the lives of countless people. The disciples recorded some of Jesus’s miracles, but according to John, if they wrote all of them down they would “fill all the volumes in the world.”

During Jesus’s era, the Israelites were living under Roman rule, but the citizens were being oppressed by their own religious leaders. Jesus changed everything, yet he never sinned. He shook things up, and they killed him for it.

Jesus rose on the third day. He left a legacy that has lasted over 2,000 years. If he was a fraud, as some say, he was the best fraud ever.

Jesus was a peacemaker. Let’s follow his lead and bring peace, too…

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Spirituality

The Least

A few years ago I was interviewing a Pastor for my podcast. I was gently challenging him on religious rules, which he answered in the most eloquent way I had ever witnessed. Then he started talking about where the faith communities fail. His words stuck.

“We get ourselves cleaned up for church, sit in our favorite pews, praise the Lord and move on,” he said. “But we walk by the drug addict on the street corner, never inviting him in. We don’t want to get our hands dirty.” His words stuck.

It’s important to remember that in God’s eyes, the addict is as important as we are. He created us equally. When you connect your head to your heart on this, you begin to see your fellow man through a different, bigger lens.

God cares about everyone. We won’t give an accounting of our net worth or our zip code when we arrive in eternity. No. God will ask us what we did with what He gave us. Did we use our gifts or squander them? It’s something we all must consider.

There are a lot of hurting people in this world. Help them when you can. Perhaps a prayer is called for. Everyone can help someone…

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Spirituality

A Gentle Reminder

I have spent the first three days of this week speaking in prisons. This is some of the volunteer work I do, and it’s very fulfilling.

This week has been all about the inmates. Most are living with pain they keep inside, in the dark places. Sometimes they will start talking about their struggles. Opening up about painful memories is the first step toward healing. I’m always encouraged when this happens.

Today’s message is a gentle reminder to be kind to everyone. We don’t know what lies beneath the surface. And while you’re being kind to others, be kind to yourself as well…

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Spirituality

The Thinking Game

We live in a meme culture. People see a headline they love and share it as dictum without investigating it. There’s so much stuff thrown our way that no working person has time to check it all out.

God gave us the greatest gift when He gave us our brains. Filled with 86 billion neurons, each with the ability to fire hundreds of times per second, our brains are more powerful than a nuclear reactor. Yet we only use a small part of it.

Thinking has almost become a lost art form. From what I’ve read, many colleges and universities have been teaching students what to think rather than how to think. The results are a mindless society.

Parents are our children’s first teachers. Solid families with strong values are more likely to engage in constructive dialogue. Communication is part of thought.

When you see a meme that piques your interest, stop and ask yourself if it really makes sense. Then ask yourself a better question: does it matter?

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