blog posts
Ouch. This implies the person who has just severed a relationship, personal or business, has awful taste and made a stupid choice in the first place. Instead, make a comment like, "His loss!" This provides support and optimism without any implied criticism. I could have added more to this list – but I thought these ten were enough to chew on for now. I ask [...]
Sounds like a compliment, I know, but it could create the impression that the person used to be really fat or unattractive. Better to say, "Wow, you look fantastic!" That way you're not commenting on how the person used to look and you're taking the past out of the picture. I could have added more to this list – but I thought these ten were [...]
We're so intent on our own personal agendas that we're out to lunch when it comes to social awareness. I gleaned most of the following from an article by Dr. Travis Bradberry. In his company's testing of emotional intelligence of people, the most seriously lacking skill they found was social awareness. I call this lacking discretion, diplomacy, or discernment. (The lack of thoughtfulness also comes [...]
This week I learned of a beautiful young woman who leapt from an interstate overpass bridge onto the concrete pavement below. Her intention was suicide -- but she didn't die. At this writings she and her shattered body are lying in pieces in a Minneapolis hospital, but she's alive. I'm dedicating this blog to her and proclaiming Ezekiel 37:5 over her: "This is what [...]
Wow. I just finished writing a new book called WALK WITH ME, JESUS (release date: 11/15) It was an amazing experience for me, just like the two TALK TO ME, JESUS books have been for me to write. If you haven't gotten your copy the TALK TO ME, JESUS Journal or 365-Day devotional yet, they are books written in the voice of the Lord Himself. [...]
Amazing, isn't it?-- how we can come to a day of Thanksgiving with more trepidation that enthusiasm? I teach in a college where my students speak of Thanksgiving as an obligatory drudgery. And today I talked to Christians who are worried and stress-ridden about sharing the day with non-believers. OhOh, Beloved, when do we get to be happy? When do we get to have fun? [...]
I'm smitten with the idea of beauty. Today I was leaving the gym and I had just opened the door of my car when suddenly the sweetest breeze blew over me. I was stunned. I breathed in the sweet air-- it was like candy, this breeze. Cool and wonderful. I stood there, head back, hair flying, and allowed myself to simply feel the air. I [...]
How do you define beauty? A couple of weeks ago I had my college Creative Writing class read a piece about watching a stunt pilot fly his plane by author Annie Dillard. She wrote, "I had thought I knew my way around beauty a little bit, I knew I had devoted a good part of my life to it... " but watching Dave Rahm's performance [...]
A sweet touch of heaven is coming upon us now as you and I pause and breathe in the presence of God. If you've lost loved ones who are now in heaven, as I have, join me and access a reality bigger than ourselves by breathing in the loving atmosphere of heaven. I pause for a moment and speak a word of truth such as [...]
