Words of Hope: Drinking Poison 

My husband Shann and I have been discussing bitterness. It’s a deceptive emotion and incredibly dangerous. Most people struggle to notice they are bitter because they have lived with their bitter emotion for so long that it has built...

Continue reading →

Words of Hope: The Path of Destruction When We Don’t Listen 

I have been reading Proverbs recently. Dad loved this book of the Bible, and we talked about it often. He and I both struggle with listening. You could talk with Dad and find that he had “zoned out” and...

Continue reading →

Words of Hope: Ask  

I have been at my parents’ place, praying where my dad prayed.   I imagine him here and picture him praying. Henri Nouwen, one of my favorite authors, said he recommends praying in spaces where beloved people have prayed.  Praying in the...

Continue reading →

Words of Hope: Letting Go of Vengeance 

God is always surprising me. Several years ago, a man trained up by us at NBC took all our training, investment, and information and tried to run camps without us. All of us, especially me, were angry at this...

Continue reading →

Words of Hope: Beyond Crisis 

I have been thinking about how crisis reveals truth. What does difficulty show about the underlying fabric of a home, marriage, business, or nation?  When pressure mounts and life becomes hard, and all essentials are stripped away, what do...

Continue reading →

Words of Hope:  Where Truth Dwells 

One statement that has been thrilling my mind is this, “The natural habitat for truth is human conversation.”    How we speak to others reveals how we live. So powerful!   It’s a truth my dad understood, he said that our conversations are...

Continue reading →

Words of Hope: Reclamation Instead of Regret  

I have been considering how regret is a stronger emotion than gratitude. Regret can overrun our desire for gratitude. It can invade our thoughts and interrupt our thankfulness.   Like anything wild and deadly, it must be managed consistently, persistently, and...

Continue reading →

Words of Hope: The Healing Power of Praise 

I read recently that gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. It counteracts against the four most toxic emotions: envy, bitterness, regret, and depression. I think about my dad and his deep struggle with depression at times in his...

Continue reading →

Words of Hope: Are you listening? God is speaking. 

We had a staff meditation on Psalm 4 and Philippians 4:4-8. These are some of my favorite memory verses. I am always surprised by the demands of the Psalmist, which is David in this case. He says, “Answer me...

Continue reading →

Words of Hope: Meditation on the Cross 

A friend of mine posted on Facebook a description of the physical suffering of Jesus on the cross. I never realized the loss of blood is why water poured from his side. The Roman soldier who witnessed Christ’s death...

Continue reading →