Words of Hope: What time is it?

My daughter traveled to Melbourne for her college roommate’s wedding. She left the afternoon of Christmas Eve because flights were astronomical any other time. She was delayed and missed flights and ended up with four days of travel, a...

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Words of Hope: God

I follow a physics Facebook page as Shann and I are both interested in quantum physics. One recent post pictured the father of quantum physics, Werner Heisenberg with his quote, “The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences...

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Words of Hope: Friends

My friend Luska and her daughters traveled to Spokane to spend Christmas with us. Luska is originally from London, and we met at Silver Lake after she attended camp in England. Mirroring much of my dad's own story, she...

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Words of Hope: Repeat the Sounding Joy

We love Christmas music at the Ferch house. One of my new favorites is Aretha Franklin’s “Joy to the World.” I just heard it for the first time this year. Her voice is a miracle, full of power, tenderness,...

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Words of Hope: Spark of imagination

One of my dad’s favorite mentors was a man named Paul Nakai. He is a top leadership expert who helped advise after the space shuttle Challenger disaster as well as Three Mile Island accident.   Paul came to the NBC Camps...

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Words of Hope: Christmas Intention

The world outside my window is covered in snow, the trees flocked with hoarfrost. A palpable stillness descends with the snow. I have a quiet, almost solemn but still joyful feeling as I look out in wonder. Beauty of...

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Words of Hope: Community of Trust

At NBC Camps, our team often talks about creating true community together. We discuss the difference between health and toxicity. At the root of toxicity is contempt, criticism, defensiveness, or stonewalling. These are John Gottman’s four horsemen of the...

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Words of Hope: Stalwart

I love words and the word stalwart isn’t a common one, though it should be. Stalwart is a synonym for stable, committed, foundational, and secure. Stalwart is the image of the sea captain who, rain or shine, navigates the...

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Words of Hope: No Grumbling

This is a strange time to be alive. There is a zeitgeist moving that is full of portent like a mighty storm brewing. I believe the Lord is near though I am not sure what that means. Billy Graham...

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Words of Hope: Envy Observed

It's basketball season. The starting lineups have been announced and I consider all the students who don't make the starting five. I think about the anger I have seen from parents and students who sit the bench and wonder...

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