Tag Archives: #hope

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…

Standard
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…

Standard
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…

Standard
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…

Standard
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…

Standard
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…

Standard
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…

Standard
Spirituality

As Gentle as a Dove

Doves are peaceful birds. They make a soothing sound that even a child can recognize. Doves represent peace and hope. They are featured prominently in Scripture.

When Jesus came up out of the water after his baptism, the Bible says “the Spirit descended on him like a dove.” Jesus was a peacemaker, so it makes sense.

Jesus was a rebel, too, a real badass. He spoke the truth, always, and his truth was the truth. His teachings and his manner were oftentimes at odds with the religious leaders which made some of them hate him more. But Jesus brought peace and hope to the lost. He showed kindness and compassion to the most outcast. This went counter to everything and everyone the Pharisees stood against, but many of them were blinded by their own lust for power.

My encouragement to you is to show kindness to everyone. Be gentle in spirit. People are carrying pain and struggles we don’t know about. Your kindness may be their last, best hope…

Standard
Spirituality

Let The Light In

This world needs hope. Many people are carrying pain they don’t talk about. They keep their pain hidden in dark places. But they aren’t alone. No one escapes the difficulties of life.

But there is hope. Forgiveness has power. If you are holding on to something that needs to be forgiven, it’s important to remember that forgiveness takes time. You can’t force it. But I encourage you to keep the door to forgiveness cracked just a tiny bit. When the time arrives and you are ready to forgive, push the door open. Let the light in. The light will crush the darkness in our lives.

We don’t want to forgive. And why should we? The offenders don’t deserve it! But that’s the curious thing about forgiveness. Forgiveness is for you, not the other person. By forgiving the person who harmed you, you are releasing a weight you are carrying. At the same time, you aren’t letting the one who hurt you off the hook. You are letting go of any potential power the offense has over your life.

Forgiveness is powerful. You might have to face some darkness to get through it, but you will get there. Light has power over darkness, every time…

Standard