In this world of achievers and go-getters, do you ever wonder what difference you could possibly make? Do you feel too average, too ordinary, too old, too invisible?
If so, I’d encourage you to eat an apple, and when you get to the core, stop and look at a seed.
The miracle of one little seed.
Have you ever stopped to think about what can result from a tiny apple seed?
Are you in pain this Christmas season? Carrying the burden of grief, the terror of a recent cancer diagnosis, the heartbreak of rejection…or the incessant ache of loneliness?
While Christmas is the most beautiful of seasons because of the hope it represents, it can also be extremely difficult for many of us. If you are one of those who is suffering, I hope you will be encouraged by the story of God’s redemptive love in the life of my friend, Lanise Shortell.
Are you looking for that “special something” to tuck into a loved one’s Christmas stocking?
A priceless gift that costs nearly nothing but will have meaning long after the Christmas season has passed?
Last Christmas, I found such a gift wrapped in my stocking.
What was this amazing gift? It was a stack of handwritten cards from my exceedingly thoughtful daughter.
“Today is a gift. That’s why we call it 'the present.'” I know. Hokey, but true.
Lately, I’ve been struck with the amount of energy I spend focused on the past or the future.
And, yet, I often miss the gift of today.
I’m all for reflection. For learning lessons from the past, both the good and the bad. For letting go of old hurts and forgiving others…and myself…for mistakes, selfish decisions, hurtful words. And for cherishing the sweet memories and the countless examples of God’s faithfulness in my life. But it’s easy to get stuck in the past.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed with emotion, but unable to "label" it?
That was me this past week. Emotions as strong as gale force winds.
But exactly was I feeling?
Joy? No. Happiness? Nope. Fulfillment? Not that, either. Pride? No way.
None of those terms aptly described my sentiments.
Finally, the lightbulb came on.
It was awe.
Awe. “A feeling of reverence and amazement.”
Yes, awe.
Awe: that God had allowed me to be part of something so incredibly beautiful.
It’s a day that I will always remember.
A live interview with Gretchen Carlson on FoxNews.
Yes, it was an honor and a privilege to share the message of Leave Nothing Unsaid with a nationwide audience.
If you’re wondering, Gretchen is incredibly gracious, genuine and well-prepared. Just what you’d expect from your average, run-of-the-mill Stanford graduate who is also a concert violinist, former Miss America and national news anchor.
Never underestimate the impact that your words can make.
Words can serve like fertilizer, encouraging a person to grow and blossom.
Words can also act like emotional “Round-Up,” causing a person to wither, shut-down, and never fulfill their potential.
What kind of words are you speaking into the lives of the people you love?
And what kind of words are you speaking to yourself? (Sometimes, our most condemning words are those we whisper to ourselves.)
November is National Hospice Palliative Care Month. In honor of the incredible people who serve others in this beautiful way, I am reposting a message from earlier in 2014.
“It’s time for hospice care.” Those words initially hit like a sledgehammer on the hopes of a patient and their loved ones. Translation: “prepare for death.” Yet what initially seems like the worst possible prognosis also offers the possibility of an incredibly meaningful time because it gives people the chance to say goodbye.
When was the last time you opened your mailbox and actually found a personal note, addressed to you? How did you feel? On the rare occasions it happens for me, I immediately rip the envelope open. No self control here. No waiting to get into the house.
And what if it was a note for no apparent reason? Not a thank-you for a gift, a birthday card, or an invitation? Just a note to say “I’m grateful for you,” “Thanks for the difference you make in my life,” “You have inspired me.” “This is a character quality about you that I really love.” That’s a pretty rare occurrence, isn’t it?
Do you ever feel invisible? Me too. Most of us probably battle this feeling at some point in our lives.
Everyone has different triggers. Mine generally involve being in large groups of people (makes sense that I’m part of a “mega-church,” right? ) or in new settings with no familiar faces. Or in a group of people that I know where everyone else is engaged in conversation, and I’m awkwardly looking around.
How about you? What triggers that “invisible” feeling for you? And what do you do with the feelings?