Tag Archives: #hope

Spirituality

Peaceniks

Sometimes you gotta fight. You go into battle when there is no viable alternative. The men and women who make the decision to go to war carry a heavy burden.

I hate war. In fact, you might even call me a peacenik. Peaceniks are opposed to war unless you must fight. Peaceniks are different from pacifists. Pacifists believe there’s never a reason to fight. That’s a nice belief, but it’s not reality. if no country defended its sovereignty and territory, the world would be filled with tyranny.

The United States stayed out of World War II as long as it could. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they stirred the wrong bear. Since I wasn’t alive in 1941, I am not sure where the pacifists stood. I do know the Military-Industrial (MI) Complex loved it. They still love war.

The MI wanted President Kennedy to send troops into Cuba. Kennedy refused for a good number of reasons, and his refusal eventually cost him his life.

Peace through strength is a powerful motto. You must be able to back it up. The United States has the greatest, most powerful weapons in the world. And under Secretary Hegseth’s leadership, our military is the best trained, most formidable force that exists. We can back it up.

Don’t mess with Texas, as the brilliant saying goes. And don’t awaken the guardians known as The United States military…

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Spirituality

Peace in The Middle East

It’s a great day! The 20 living hostages have been returned and there is peace in the Middle East. At least temporarily.

If I sound hesitant, I am. There are several reasons for my concern. The number one reason is you are dealing with terrorists. Terrorists are zealots on a religious mission. At least it’s religious to them.

The other concern I have is that the hatred goes back thousands of years. It runs deep. So, I am cautiously optimistic.

I don’t think the administration is blind to this. There are many capable people surrounding the president. He listens.

Today I will celebrate the peace of this day. Thanks to God for making this happen.

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

You’ve Got to Want It

Nothing happens without desire. You have to really want what you are pursuing. Being lukewarm won’t cut it. Neither will occasional effort.

The pursuit of your purpose in life will be filled with ups and downs, setbacks and obstacles. This is unavoidable. But consider this: when you are going after your God-given purpose for your life, you will find success if you refuse to give up. God doesn’t plant a dream in your heart to set you up to fail.

People oftentimes think they need to have perfect conditions or more education before they begin pursuing their purpose. Not true! You are already equipped. Just begin.

When frustration comes, instead of dreading it I encourage you to welcome it. The more difficult the path you are on, the more confirmation that you are doing what you’re meant to do. No one said it would be easy.

Start with desire. What do you want to accomplish in this life that benefits others? Once you have answered this question, then it’s time to get after it.

Don’t wait or hesitate. Just begin and keep going, even when the road is dark…

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Spirituality

The World I Knew

As longtime readers know, I grew up in a home filled with anger, violence and fear. I spent a lot of time alone in my room. The only things my family provided me were a roof over my head, food, and a great story to share with others. I learned this last part much later.

Punishment was my world. I blamed God because I figured he had to be behind it. You see, punishment was normal to me. My parents punished me for having accidents like spilling water, so I walked on eggshells when I was home. I hated God for putting me in this horrible home. I didn’t know what I had done to deserve it.

Man, was I ever wrong. Fast forward to today, I now realize that God felt every hurt and pain I felt. He was hurting right along with me. And the more remarkable thing I learned was that God can take a punch. I hit him hard, but he never hit back. This is one of many beautiful things about our Creator. Don’t miss it.

Today I am privileged to share my life story with the least among us. This includes kids and prison inmates. When you grow up like I did, you feel like you’re the only one. There are many.

Never waste your pain…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Unspoken

Take a look at the faces of the people you encounter. Take a good look. People are more stressed today than ever. To further complicate things, loneliness has reached epidemic levels. Yet, we live in an era where we can call anyone in the world any time we want to.

Kids have it the worst. Children who are living in homes where abuse, addiction and neglect keep their problems to themselves. As of 2023, about 25% of children are living in these conditions. This has doubled since 2014. Kids are carrying stresses they aren’t equipped to handle. Worse, they feel alone and believe they are the only ones who live like this.

Human connection is vital for good health. We need to be in community with others. If you are feeling lonely, reach out to someone. There are many good people in this world. In today’s “it’s all about me” culture you have to look hard for them, but they are out there. You don’t have to go it alone.

If your kids speak about troubled kids at school, consider inviting them over. Their troubled behavior might be a cry for help. Compassion triumphs over isolation.

Today’s column is my reminder to be kind to everyone. We don’t know what lies beneath…

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Spirituality

Reading Rooms

In the 1700’s, public or semi-public spaces were created called Reading Rooms. They were funded by churches, philanthropic societies, and subscriptions. The desire was to increase literacy and civic awareness.

The Library typically referred to private collections at colleges and universities, as well as individual collections for those with great means. Over time, the rooms evolved into places you could “check out” or borrow books. Society didn’t have cable news or the internet, so if people wanted to know what was going on or learn about something, they had to read.

Thomas Sowell’s life was sent in a new direction when, at six years old, his friend Jimmy took him to the Harlem Public Library. Sowell developed a yearn for reading and learning. Fast forward to today, Dr. Sowell has authored over 40 books and written countless papers.

Part of society has devolved into what I call a meme culture. The internet floods your feed with things you want to believe. No one who has a job and a life has the time to vet everything that comes our way. Taking the time to read scientific, non-opinionated pieces can give you a clearer picture of what is going on in the world.

My encouragement to you is to prioritize learning. Take time to read and learn every day. And turn the internet noise off. Or, at least turn it down…

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Spirituality

The Cycle of Abuse

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but this is an area that requires daily awareness.

On average, a person will return to an abusive relationship seven times. I have heard people say they don’t understand how anyone could return to an abusive environment, but let’s show some compassion rather than judgment.

The abuser starts with isolation. Cutting off family and friends means they have begun to exert control over the other person. It begins subtly, then it escalates. The abused are manipulated and beaten down emotionally and, oftentimes, physically. Their self-worth has been destroyed, causing further reliance on their abuser for any validation.

The abused hold on to hope their abuser will change. There are occasional bright spots. The abused are so low they begin to convince themselves that “it’s not that bad.” It’s a living hell no one should live in.

The cycle can be broken. It takes courage you may not know you have. Find it no matter how deep you have to dig. There is a better life on the other side of hell.

The number for the Domestic Abuse Center is: 800-799-SAFE (800-799-7233) or you may text START to 88788. Make the call.

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Spirituality

Givers and Takers

You have probably heard all the sayings: “it’s better to give than to receive.” And “it’s the thought that counts.” If these are true, and they are, then why are we so damn greedy?

The culture of the United States is greed. Yet, we are the most benevolent country in the world. Greed and kindness can coexist. The greedy part of our psyche is insecurity while the benevolence comes from the heart. The heart is what really matters. It’s the heart of mankind that God searches.

Publications like People Magazine give us a glimpse into the lives of our favorite celebrities. The images are showing us a carefree life with no worries. It’s a created image that doesn’t exist in real life. Everyone has challenges in their lives whether they are famous or not.

Giving of yourself and your resources is good for the spirit. When you help someone who can never do anything for you, you get a feeling that is impossible to describe. I believe this is how we were created in the image of God. He’s the only one who gives and gives.

My encouragement to you is to try to be more giver than taker. Find a cause that touches your heart. Get involved. See how your life gets even better than it is already…

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Spirituality

Revealed

Social media has given people a public platform. People who thought they never had a voice now have one. It isn’t always pretty.

Most recently, the assassination of Charlie Kirk had some people practically dancing on his grave. These people didn’t like what he said or what he stood for, so, to them, he won’t be missed. What has happened to the heart of mankind? The man was a husband, father, son, friend and an inspiration to many young people.

I have heard people say that social media has changed people. I disagree. Social media has revealed what lies in the heart of people.

Since the beginning of time as we know it, the world has been in a spiritual battle. The battle has intensified. Don’t believe me? Look around. Keep the people angry and divided and fuel whatever evil fire burns inside them. Don’t fall for it.

Agree or disagree, we are better together. It’s all about the heart…

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Spirituality

Shocked

The country is in trouble. There’s no margin for differing opinions or beliefs. While I refuse to give up hope, I’m watching the division widen. This doesn’t look like the country I grew up in.

We have always argued about politics. The old saying was, if you want to get along with others, don’t talk about politics, sports or religion. Sports and religion have taken a backseat to politics. In some ways, politics has become some people’s religion.

The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk has brought out some real ugliness in people. The comments and celebrations about this mans death are inhumane. It doesn’t matter what his politics or what his organization stood for, a 31 year old man was killed, leaving a young wife and two toddlers behind. I cannot understand how decent people could be happy about this. Perhaps they really aren’t decent, just sick, twisted and dark.

It would be wonderful if bad things didn’t happen in this world. But that would mean this world would be Heaven. It’s not Heaven, just an imperfect place for us to live until we reach eternity.

Take care with your words. The tongue is a dangerous weapon…

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