Chapter 21 / Rebuilding the Walls of Brokenness

Many of us were familiar with the film critic duo Siskel and Ebert.  Gene Siskel died in 1999.  Then, in 2006, Robert Ebert lost his lower jaw and his voice to complications from cancer.  He has since relied on Post-it notes, his writing, and various automated voices.  The kind you find on your laptop.  He […]

Chapter 20 / When Life Feels Like It’s On a Roll

Sometimes you may feel like life is a big gamble.  Like the outcome of your life is resting on how the dice roll for you.  If they roll right, you get “lucky.”  If they roll badly, your life goes down the tubes. There are times when the stars seem to align just right and you […]

Chapter 19 / There are Some Things Worth Finishing

A few years ago we went on a cruise and got excited about art.  We bought a few prints and could not wait to get home, frame them, and hang them.  We thought when people came over to visit they would say, “Rick and Karen are so cultured.  We wish we were more like them.”  […]

Chapter 18 / There Will Be a Day When You Feel Like You “Fit”

Sometime after Adam and Eve committed their world-changing act of disobedience in Garden of Eden, I can imagine Adam walking with his young sons Cain and Abel.  They happen to pass by the ruins of the Garden of Eden. One of the boys asked their father, “What’s that?” Adam replied, “Boys, that’s where your mother […]

Chapter 17 / Be Available for God’s Assignment for You

Sally Edwards is a highly esteemed third grade teacher at Jacksboro Elementary in Texas.[1]  She was preparing her students for the TAKS test and compiled an exam to prepare them for it.  There were twenty questions.  Number eleven on the test was this question: “List in any order the four seasons.” A whopping 67% of […]

Chapter 16 / Adopt a Revolutionary Motto for Your Life

In the early formation of our nation George Washington had the opportunity to become king of the burgeoning nation.  But given the young nation’s experience with England and because he had a robust prayer life he knew there was only one King, so he declined the offer. The people of the land apparently knew the […]

Chapter 15 / Can You Hear Him Now?

Verizon Wireless created one of the most memorable marketing campaigns ever in 2005.  In their commercials a so-called ”test man,” accompanied by a crowd of network engineers, travels the country asking the simple question, “Can you hear me now?” in an ongoing exercise to determine the reliability of the mobile phone carrier’s network. The “catch […]

Chapter 14 / Pay Attention to the Ripple Effect

The decisions you make and the actions you take affect those around you. Rehoboam learned that lesson the hard way.  Rehoboam followed his father Solomon to the throne of Israel.  Solomon had exacted harsh labor on the people.  A delegation, led by Jeroboam, went to the new king and asked him to take away the […]

Chapter 13 / Don’t Forget to Wish For the Best

Over a recent Thanksgiving holiday I did my version of Black Friday shopping.  I slept in, had breakfast, took a shower, and then met up with my wife and son who had left the house before 6:30 a.m.  I was rested, fresh, and full of energy.  After facing the frantic shoppers all morning they . […]

Chapter 12 / What to Do With Your “Third Week of March”

When Pope John Paul died, a man named Rogers Cadenhead quickly registered the web address www.BenedictXVI.com, thinking this might be the name chosen by the new pope.  When Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope, he did choose the name Pope Benedict XVI, causing some to question what the Vatican would do to get the rights to […]