Americo Makk was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1927. In 1956 in the middle of the night, Americo fled his country, seeing his father for last time to escape the Soviet’s ruthless occupation.

Daily the talented artist hoped a prestigious Italian art scholarship would arrive in the mail.

At the art institute in Budapest, the letter finally arrived. Americo rushed home. “Father, look, I won the scholarship. I can go to Rome!”

His father was playing poker with friends. One of the men Americo did not know asked, “When will you plan to return to Budapest after your art studies in Rome?”

A number of friends had already been arrested and sent to Siberia. It was common. Americo hated the Soviet occupation.

Later in the evening, Father Makk came to Americo’s room. “Son, why did you tell that man you would never come back to Budapest?”

The man was KGB! Americo began to sob. Two hours later Americo kissed his father goodbye never to see him again. With a passport but no visa at 15, Americo boarded a night train for Vienna.

Americo’s life story is a miracle. From Hungary to Italy to Brazil to America world famous Americo Makk lived a life filled with the love of art, a rich legacy of beauty, elegance, and pure enjoyment.

Unfinished Man is a painting I was pleased to watch emerge from a white canvas. Because my home visit ended too soon the painting was not finished to Americo’s standards I carried it home as a precious gift in its unfinished state.

Unfinished Man reminds me God is not finished with me. I, too, am an unfinished man. As a wise friend once said, “We are alive to learn and grow. This is the essence of life, learn, keep on learning.”

If you want to have a time of enrichment and joy, spend a few hours living in the art of Americo and Eva Makk. You will discover why I believe the Makk’s are among the great artists of past and the present.

Comments

DRINK WATER

“Two types of drinkable water. Water from God’s earth and water from GOD’S heart. We need both.”

Key Statement: Fred, your bones want water. Drink 120 ounces daily. Susan Reynolds’s – Endermologist

Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.

When 18 young basketball gladiators were touring Italy with Susie and me. My joy and privilege was to teach and coach these fine men both basketball and LIFEBALL skills.

It was hot and humid. For this reason, water consumption was preeminently on my mind.

Each player was given a water bottle. The expectation was for each athlete to drink half their body weight in ounces.

It takes 1,825 bottles of water each year to keep a 150lb athlete healthy. 5 average sized bottles each day. 1,825 bottles!

It takes 900 seconds each day to keep a person emotionally and spiritually healthy.

If you don’t listen, you don’t learn. If you don’t act, you don’t apply.

Comments

RESENTMENT- PALMS UP PALMS DOWN

Resentment ignored turns to bitterness like grapes turn to wine. Bitterness ignored turns to vengeance like mash to 100% proof moonshine!

Resentment has two purposes. Using the hand to illustrate and vividly explain the two sides of resentment see the palm of the hand in this manner.

The palm of the hand is the gentle side. Reach to a dog with palm facing up. This is a sign of peace. It is not aggressive yet it is an indication of confidence.

Palms down is you telling others their actions are creating negative feelings. You are kindly asking them to stop doing what they are doing or start what they are not doing.

Palms down resentment is your signal to change what you are doing to create these feelings. The question here is, Who do I need to forgive?

Palms down is most often the first step in dealing with resentment resolution. Change myself and others will change as I change.

Palms up is speaking your truth in love. “I need to tell you what you are doing is causing resentment in my spirit. I am asking you to…,

Fact is resentment is expensive. Resentment extracts a big payment. Sort of like the IRS or student loans. Compound interest comes into play. Ignore a payment and bang! You begin paying interest on top of interest.

Resentment is a red light! Stop! Who are you mad at? Yourself or somebody else?

Palms down is your cry to the Lord, please change me, forgive me Lord, forgive me friend, forgive me family.

Palms down is to be brave. Whisper with the courage to tell others what you need, whether it be please stop or please start.

It is vital to diagnose when dealing with Palms Up Resentment Resolution is the person intentionally hurting you or are their actions unintentional?

If intentional, it is a very very serious – either it stops or the relationship stops. If there is no relationship. This is where courage must find itself in us.

If unintentional, exercise patience. Any movement in the right direction deserves encouragement.

Forgiveness is your get out of jail free card. The absence of un-forgiveness is joy. Joy is gratitude, it’s gestures are a gorgeous flower or a sunny morning

Comments

ENCOURAGEMENT IS OXYGEN

Pictured Above: Miracle Hanson ladies from Bristol Bay Alaska. No more worthy cause than investing in our future leaders!

Comments

LESS IS BETTER

In 1855 Robert Browning wrote the poem, Andrea Del Sarto. The line, less is more, has become an oft-used expression in promoting inner peace and personal focus.

Yet do much less, so much less, Someone says,
(I know his name, no matter)—so much less!
Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged.
There burns a truer light of God in them,
In their vexed beating stuffed and stopped-up brain,
Heart, or whate’er else, than goes on to prompt
This low-pulsed forthright craftsman’s hand of mine.
Their works drop groundward, but themselves, I know,
Reach many a time a heaven that’s shut to me,
Enter and take their place there sure enough,
Though they come back and cannot tell the world.
My works are nearer heaven, but I sit here.

This past summer Susie began an ambitious project. Minimize, dejunk, declutter every closet, cupboard, room, and drawer in our house, including the garage. Surely a daunting task for two people who collect much more than we discard.

Browning’s less is more became a daily goal. We forced ourselves to commit to rigid goals, a biggie was to reduce our closet by two-thirds. Christmas decorations were the most difficult. “How do we depart from these cherished memories spanning 50 plus years of marriage?” we asked ourselves.

An amazing thing happened, as we minimized we experienced the exhilaration that comes with cleaning, organizing, simplifying… were energized. It felt good!

My daughter Jennifer had her NBC Camps team read the book Essentialism. It is a good read. The author changed, less is more to less is better. Same concept.

It reinforces the Crowell commitment to live more simply. We are finding a deep sense of peace and joy in living moment by moment in a PSALM 23 state of mind; the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.

It makes perfect sense when we can experience living in the now, the “I shall not want life” becomes heaven on earth.

Comments

SUNRISES - GOD'S GUARANTEE

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” – Jesus

The most reliable teacher of all is your life experience. Your life experience proves each new day begins with a sunrise.

These four sunrises were taken by my special friend, Mike Tauriainen. Mike and Kay live in Sterling, Alaska.

51 years ago the big Finn walked into my office at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. I was seated at my new desk. Mike asked, “Where is the new coach?”

51 years later Mike and I are best friends. We have enjoyed many sunrises and new days together.

Some days like today we can’t see the sunrise but photos like these four remind us there is a sun and it comes out each morning whether we see it or not.

A Yupik mother, terribly afraid of more cancer radiation, and I prayed together. She was in a place where there was no light, no appearance of a sunrise.

Be joyful always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is God’s will even in cancer or hardship for this is God’s will in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Sunrises are God’s guarantee He will never leave you, He will never forsake you, and He loves you unconditionally.

Comments

THE GIFT OF CHOICE

Three choices; two usually poor ones!

As a young coach at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks my college president taught me a lesson for life.

Years later I discovered choice was God’s unique gift to humankind. No other creation on earth has the power of choice.

My president had promised 10 basketball scholarships, and when this promise was broken. With great difficulty, I finally got a face to face with the president.

For 45 minutes except for brief pauses for oxygen, the powerhouse UA headman waxed eloquently on the challenges he faced running a university.

Abruptly he arose from his chair, wrapped his long arm over my shoulder as he guided me to the door. The president’s last words to me were, “Coach, anytime you are asked a question there are only 3 answers and 2 are usually bad. They are yes, no, or I am thinking about it.”

Choice always costs something. A yes to something means a no to something else, while an I don’t know often results in missed opportunity.

When the Creator chose to give man and woman free will, the gift of Choice, He risked disobedience on our part. Ultimately the gift of choice cost God his only son who gave his life as a ransom for our sins.

Use or abuse of the gift of choice is on a moment by moment basis and based on our decisions.

Today I choose life, not death.
Today I choose to please God above man.
Because my life experience tells me I can choose to have a big God and small people or big people and a small God.
Today I choose to have a big God.

Comments

LEADING MEN FOR 50 YEARS

Jeff Erickson has been my friend, mentor, and hero from the first day I met him at NBC Alaska Camps. Jeff loves people; especially the youth of Alaska. The fact Jeff is a devoted husband and father of a son who has endured disabilities since birth only deepen my respect for one of Alaska’s most devoted and dedicated educators.

The photo is a 76 birthday present for a 76-year-old coach who 52 years ago coached some of the finest men in the world. In this photo is Mel Brown #12, an Ivanoff from Unalakleet, Milo Griffin #21, UA Hall of Fame, Mike Taurianan, 1959 homesteader, Civil Engineer in Soldotna, Ben Ramos, Eielson Air Force, Fairbanks resident, Stephan Anderson #32, Nome business leader.

This was the first UA basketball team to play a full 26 game collegiate schedule, no military or tavern teams. These men were the forerunners to the very good NANOOK teams of the 1970’s.

Thank you, Jeff Erickson, for finding this photo which brings back so many many wonderful memories. Only two seniors were pictured here. This team had a great future. Unfortunately, the university chose to reverse their commitment to the four scholarships they had given the previous year. It was a great loss to all of us. This team had many good games and some amazing wins and losses.

To three national powers at the then powerful NAIA D2 level. Losses are always losses; however, when building a program knowing you can beat the best in the USA is the first step to building a strong program. These men pictured here would have won many games the next two years.

Comments

LIFE EXPERIENCE

Each life experience has the potential to reward us three times.

#1. The Preparation Experience. Potentially, this can be an exciting time. Anticipation, hoping, planning and preparing are good things.

Example: I find the hunt for a new thing, be it shoes or a car, is more fun than the purchase. Thus I take two to three years to buy a car. I love the hunt.

#2. The Event Experience. Where are you? Right here right now. If we can win the moment we can win the minute; then the hour; then the day.

Live to love life. The enemy is to live in yesterday. This creates depression and regret.

#3. The Memory Event. If we prepare well, live the event fully, the memory is the best of the 3, because it can be relived the rest of our lives.

My joy cup runs over. Memory making is my plan. Game Changer is my purpose. Loving people is my action steps. Living in the moment will create fantastic memories.

Comments

DESPERATE CHILD NEEDS

The need to belong and to have something of value to belong too; the need to have success and be recognized for this success; the need to love and be loved.

Just one of the many tragedies of modern day education is when a star athlete reaps huge accolades while student artists, musicians, singers, dancers, and many others with great talent go unrecognized.

A few questions every parent should be addressing every day of their child’s lives. Words matter and the following words really matter.

Encouragement is as precious to the child’s spirit as water is to the garden.
Oxygen in the blood is as important as encouragement to the mind and heart.

Love is paying attention to the details. Encouragement is a powerful tool for loving and inspiring people to discover the hidden miracle in themselves and in every human.

Crucial question. Why is it so difficult, so uncommon, so rare for parents to say?

Those who see goodness and greatness in others lives life with appreciation & gratitude.

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. Encouragement is a precious tool to have in our life skills toolbox. However, a tool not used is a wasted, a tool that begins to rust. Don’t waste your encouragement tool.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. – Hebrews 10:24

Comments

MESSENGER - MESSAGES

“If people accept the message, they will embrace the messenger. If people reject the message, they will reject the messenger.” -S. Crowell

A crude way of stating this more clearly is, “If you love the message you will love the messenger, and if you hate the message you will hate the messenger.”

Basketball coaches and military leaders often speak in crude terms. In both competitive sports and war, dance words don’t work.

The Old Testament Prophets spoke in terms that often caused them to be rejected, even hated. Isaiah was a tough guy who spoke truth.

The prophet Isaiah wrote about how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news; Good news of peace and salvation; the news that the God of Israel reigns.

It took Isaiah 52 chapters to bring this amazing good news to His people who were in slavery.

Makes me wonder how many people you and I know who are in slavery to things like:

It has taken me many years to know the best message moves people towards love.

“Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger for God’s righteousness is never accomplished through anger.” – James 1:19-20

Comments

WILL AND WHAT?

Two extremely important, yet uncommon questions that bring relational healing.

I am sorry; I was only kidding; I didn’t mean it that way; are only excuses and do not bring relational healing.

Will you forgive me for being rude?
Will you forgive me for my anger?
Will you forgive me for my selfishness?

What was it like for you when I lied to you?
What was it like for you when I forgot to call you?

If these two types of questions were so easy to ask, why is it so uncommon to hear them?

When is the last time someone asked you these type of questions?
When was the last time you asked these two kinds of questions?

Comments

SHOUT OUTS

If shout outs bring more joy to the giver than the receiver, why are shout outs the exception not the norm, and why are they not the common practice?

The 7-10 principle is an excellent shout out idea. Give a ratio of 7 thanks to every 3 asks in the course of 10 contacts in a relationship. Another idea would be to eliminate negative shout outs.

One legendary Alaska state basketball coach was known to teach his players to totally eliminate what he called “killer shout outs.”

Alaska Airlines is flying me from Spokane to Anchorage first class. My joy and passion is to inspire young basketball players at the Alaska Basketball Tournament. Basketball is my tool to help save and build successful lives. With gratitude, I give a shout out to Alaska Airlines who has helped me fly to villages throughout Alaska.

Please read the following true story of a miracle child who was suicidal. This story among many others tells why Alaska Airlines deserves my shout out.

Good afternoon, I am emailing you now to tell you that I have accomplished so much in the past few months in finding my confidence, self-worth, and respect for myself. I have been leaning on my new friend and role model a lot and I have talked to her anytime I feel like I am starting to backpedal again. I am happy to tell you I have realized that I don’t need people to tell me that I a beautiful, confident or strong. I realized all I need to do is believe in myself and believe that I am beautiful, confident and strong. I also wanted to thank you for telling and showing me that I am worth more than I think I am worth. I want to thank you for that because if it wasn’t for you shining that light for me I do not think that I would be here now. I was in a deep and dark place and you were that hand to help pull me out and I thank you for that.

Who has earned a shout out from you? What is stopping you? Give them a shout out!

Comments

I Love Reading WOH

I love reading your WOH. Thanks for thinking of me. The one of laughter hit a nerve in a good way. Growing up I had the good fortune of a mom and aunt, twins, who would spontaneously erupt in laughter as if on cue. It didn’t matter if we were in a movie or out somewhere they would lose it so to speak. As kids we got to the point when we went to a movie that we would sit away from them because they would erupt in unison laughter even when it wasn’t a funny part of the movie.

To this day, I can think of them in those situations and begin laughing even as I am writing this email. I am due however for a bellyaching laugh that you have a hard time stopping your laugh.

My father in law was a joke teller and I became his greatest audience because even if I already heard his joke previously and knew the punch line would laugh and the rest of the family would shout a number like 56 or 22 to indicate that his stick was so old they had numbered his jokes.

One night we were sitting down to dinner, he at the head of the table, and everyone including the grandkids at the long rectangular table. He turns to me matter of fact tone and asks if I know how to make leek soup. I respond with no, how? He says, in a stone face, first you take a leek. I apologize if this is somewhat dirty, but I lost it. For the next 20 minutes at dinner, I couldn’t control myself. My brother in law was upset at him for telling that at the table with the kids around and the more I snickered, the more he got upset, and my father in law beamed with pride that one of his jokes had that kind of effect on someone. To this day I can’t look at a leek or here that word without beginning to laugh.

thanks for reminding me. This ability to laugh at a moments notice is a gift from my mom and aunt and one I cherish.

Comments

NBC Camps Maui,

Comments

Thank You

I must repeat back to you, you’re very words. Your commitment to write daily words of hope has been valuable to my mind and heart. I consider knowing you and learning from your gift of wisdom being one of the great blessings in my life. Thank you
Mike Dahl

Comments

Than You Fred

Thank you, Fred. What an amazing compliment from you and Susie. I feel like it has taken a long time to learn not to feel like I have to force knowledge and strength. I never want to be Napoleon. Servant Leadership has really framed my interactions and relationships. For someone little it was a little scary at first because it can open you up to be labeled weak but around my neck I wear a cross with 2 Cor 12:9-10 inscribed in it. If I am going to profess to it, I need to live it. So far, it has worked with me leading our scouting staff and gained the confidence of our leadership. God willing, that will continue and hopefully I will be trusted with more influence over time.

Comments

Tonight's big win at OCU.

Had an amazing motivation message prior to the game from my close friend Coach Fred Crowell. Fred has a unique gift of helping young men see their destiny! He then had to go watch his granddaughter perform in a play. No pressure Fred we are going to fly you out 9 more times this year;)

We then listened to the FIJI rugby pregame song. We always celebrate singing their post-game song but first time we listened to the song they sing before battle. Then listened to King of my Heart and then talked about the difference in David and the other cowards who were scared of Goliath. His Heart. The talked about Jesus and how he came from David’s heart and bloodline and how he came as a servant and in love as a lamb for us. He was a warrior though and stood up for weak and healed the sick. He drew the line in the sand saving a prostitute from stoning. I think he would have stopped them physically if necessary but He knew how to fight with love. He took the greatest stand in battle of all time first showing His power to His disciples by calming the storm and walking on the water, feeding 5000, and so many more Miracles, but He first demonstrated His plan to defeat Hell and the grave when He let Lazarus, His friend, die and get put in the Cave Grave of darkness for 3 days. He wept as he saw how sad Mary was when he arrived at the tomb. He then showed His power and future plan by telling Lazarus to come out of the darkness and back into the light! Then he took a beating and took a stand of unprecedented love on the cross where his leverage to stand was nails in his feet to push up to breath and his fist were not used to fight but instead nailed to the cross where he had to pull up to breath. After he bled for us and took all our sin and pain, Jesus went to war by saying it is finished, he declared war on hell and after defeating hell and all sin, Satan and Satan’s demons, Jesus did what He showed us He was going to do with Lazarus. He called the game-winning shot and won victory coming out of the grave! Greatest Victory of all time.

So at half, we all go in and I play powerful worship music playing. I have a table set up in the center of the locker room. I roll out another cooler full of grapes, strawberries, blackberries, plums, and Gatorade. An amazing feast. I explain that in 23rd Psalms. God prepared a table in the midst of battle right in the midst of their enemies. We, because of Jesus victory, are playing from a place of victory, not striving for victory. We are to claim this victory and I read about 7 versus speaking to the power we are promised when we focus on fulfilling His plan and bringing Glory to the King. Allowing the Spirit of God to fully flow and not hinder it by our own weaknesses. Allow God to use our weakness instead of us allowing our weakness to own us.

Guys came out and buried OCU. Game was over before we left the locker room. Funny how when you tap into the power of the King. You can’t even explain how or what just happened, but one thing is for certain. God was Glorified and we focused on humility to the end.

Comments

Former NBC'er

I hope this email finds you well. It has been on my heart for the past month to email you. I had a great lunch with Ken Sugarman the other day and we talked about all the little things we learned from spending time around you, it was fun. I have such good memories of you, thank you. As I continue to mature I find myself longing to spend time around people who spill Jesus on others by how they live and love. You were one of these people, thank you. I won’t fill this space with tons of words, but I wanted you to know I am thankful for you and how God used you in my life.

Comments

GOOD BRAG BAD BRAG

So vividly the memory of a bad brag rests in my memory bank. It was my 9th-grade year; basketball was the brag. On the ride home Dad, teammate, and his father listened to my bad brag about my great game.

Making it even more nauseating was my buddy had hardly played. I was oblivious to his pain.

When our friends left the car, Father C looked at me with sternness; “Never blow your own horn; let others blow it for you. Your brag sounds terrible.”

The Apostle Paul teaches us the best brag possible is to brag on the Lord Jesus Christ. In his day the former Christian hitman was unsurpassed with brag rights, yet he counted them as dung.

One of my former players had a severe bad brag problem. One practice I asked this boy.

It’s because you do all the bragging about yourself. Do you want me to brag about you?

Great, you stop bragging about you and I will start telling everyone what a great ball player you are!

For these reasons I take delight in sharing with others the good works, our Lord Jesus does in my life. My intent is to bring honor and glory to Jesus; for it is Him alone who deserves the best of the best Good-brags.

Comments

NO TAXES?

I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethoughts of grief. – Wendell Berry

No taxes – no future fears?
No takes – no worries for tomorrow?
No taxes – no negative attitudes?
No taxes – no vain imaginations?
No taxes – no shoulda, woulda, coulda?

Poet and author Wendel Berry tells us wild things don’t tax their lives with forethoughts of negativity.

Jesus challenges us NOT to TAX our lives with forethoughts of worry, fear, anger, jealousy, greed, depression, and anxiety.

Jesus asked us, “Why do you worry about what you shall eat or drink or what you will wear? Look at the birds of the air….. see how the lilies of the field grow …. they do not tax their lives with negatives.

There are no taxes on living in the precious present. When we live in the right here-right now mindset we LIVE tax-free.

David was tax-free when he wrote, “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want.”

Wendell Berry was tax-free when he wrote, “When despair for the world grows in me…. I go lie down where the woods rake rests in his beauty on the water.”

Jesus paid no taxes because HE came do to HIS Father’s will not His own.

There are no taxes on us when we live the life Jesus loved and challenged us to emulate.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34

Comments

RESCUED

Going back to the four pillars that form the foundation for one’s belief system:

My life experience tells me those who have never been rescued have little desire or compassion to rescue others.

While those who have been rescued from deep misery, be it poverty, illness, oppression, addiction etc., become people who look for opportunities to rescue.

My dear Hungarian friends, deeply oppressed during WWII by the Russians, are the most grateful USA citizens I know.

The man who had more home tragedy than you can imagine is one of the best fathers and husbands I know.

The friend in the wheel chair who gets up every day to try to take one more step than the day before, exudes joy seldom seen in anyone I know.

Fact is, as I look over the past 50 years it is crystal clear, Jesus the Christ rescued me from the misery that surrounds all of us.

My life experience exhorts me to be so grateful that He has rescued me from me and given me a new nature. For if any man be in Christ he is a new creation and all things become new. – Corinthians 5:17

For these reasons I delight in looking for opportunities to rescue others. This has become the joy of my life.

Comments

PRACTICALLY PERFECT

Perfection is a noble concept yet it is a fallacious possibility.

Coaches often talk about perfect practice. Really!? What is so admirable about perfection?

Under close examination, the pursuit of perfection actually becomes a deterrent to exceptional performance.

Leaders who demand perfection in others often operate from a position of inner unhealthiness.

A car perfectionist can never get the car clean enough, mirrors focused precise enough, or all surfaces to be scratch free.

Coach perfectionists can’t celebrate wins for more than a few hours. They create anxiety and fear in their players.

Dad’s who demand perfection drive sons to hatred, anger, and rebellion, while their daughters fall into insecurity or rebellion.

Perfectionistic moms who lean into criticism push their daughters into destructive behaviors and their sons into mean-spiritedness towards the opposite sex.

This said, practically perfect is admirable because it is a possibility, whereas perfection is not realistic or even possible.

When perfectionism yields to acceptance of practically perfect life becomes more enjoyable.

Criticism tends to shift to gratitude and appreciation; Impatience to long-suffering and anxiety to peace.

The next time you find yourself seeing through critical eyes; speaking words with a critical tongue or being in a state of emotional turmoil, say an emphatic, “No!” to perfectionism and a strong “Yes!” to practically perfect.

Comments

THE BEST MOVIE EVER

The academy award winning, best picture you have seen in your lifetime, is you. You are the screenwriter, the producer, director, lead actor, and in charge of promotion and sales.

The movie is called, This is Your Life! The really good news – the movie is not finished. Beginning right now, this very moment, you and I can write a new script, even recruit more actors and sell more tickets to our fabulous movie.

This sounds complex and mystical, yet it is really quite simple when we use basic logic.

When we choose to make a movie where we love God, love all people, and fully live life, how can our personal life movie not be an academy award winner?

Comments

ATTITUDE IS KING

Thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits, and habits become your destiny.

I remember so clearly an experience in the early years of marriage. After enjoying a fabulous dinner Susie prepared, I was lying on the couch. Susie asked me to do a small task. I feebly replied, “I’m too tired.”

Soon thereafter the phone rang. A buddy wanted to play handball. I couldn’t say, “Yes” fast enough.

The handball competition was fierce. At one point each of us took a total minute out to rest. It was fun, hard work.

Later that evening, guilt began its work in me. Here I was too tired to do a simple job to help Susie but not too tired to do something I had a great attitude about.

Recently I wrote about Disneyland and Livingland. I stated that my research estimated 75% of the people at the Happiest Place on Earth were not that happy.

After 3 days at 90 degree plus temperature and body to body crowds, I think 90% were working hard and paying for the experience.

If each of us had to work hard at Disneyland as our day jobs and pay for the experience, our attitudes would be terrible.

So what is my point? Life is all about Attitude. Right thoughts, positive words, productive action steps form amazing habits.

Love delights in all of life from the pretty flower to blue skies and serving others.

Comments

THE LAW OF RESTITUTION - RECONCILIATION

“You can never do too much for Him who has done so much for us.” -The late Coach T.

One of my best friends, Coach Joe Tremarello, I met in my first year as a basketball coach at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1965. Joe T. was about the finest man I’ve ever known in my life.

From the moment it became clear giving my life to the Lord came with the promise; “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation. Old things passed away, all things become new.”

Paul tells all believers we are called to the ministry of reconciliation; we are the Lord’s ambassadors to the world.

For 27 years, Joe T was on my prayer list. At an NBC camp at Chugiak High School, Alaska Hall of Fame Coach T told 300 plus young men he had become an ambassador for the Lord during the middle of the night as he listened to the young coaches sing and pray as they lay on sleeping bags in the wrestling room before sleep. (This was the only large room in the school with soft mats and no all-night summer Alaskan sun).

Sudden brain cancer robbed Joe T of his ambassadorship here on earth. Heaven means more to me now because The KING (Joe T’s nickname) is waiting for me with open arms and a huge Italian smile.

The role of an ambassador is to be an excellent representative. An ambassadorship is a high privilege. It is not to be taken for granted. It is a gift.

Forgiveness is not an option; it is a law to be obeyed. Forgiveness is not about the other person, it is about you. Forgiveness is your get out of jail free card.

Restitution is optional. It is not a command. The law of restitution is conditional. These are the conditions making restitution-reconciliation possible:

Thankfully the Lord does not demand us to reconcile; he only asks us to live at peace with all men so far as it is possible.

Some relationships have been so grievously damaged, restoration is not wise or even possible. In these cases we forgive and pray for their well-being.

With gratitude and praise, the Lord has called us to be his ambassadors, ministers of reconciliation and restoration, so far as is possible with ALL PEOPLE not just the nice ones.

Comments

CURIOSITY TRUMPS ANGER

The Apostle James gives us solid counsel when he said, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger for anger never brings about the righteous life God desires for us.”

Unfortunately, if our Life Skill Toolbox only contains the survival tool of anger, we are akin to a carpenter having only a single hammer in their entire toolbox.

Anger is used with correct intent in the correct circumstance. Uncontrolled anger is destructive, while controlled anger when correctly measured can have positive results.

Anger begets more anger; therefore do not use anger to motivate an angry person.

The opposite of anger is apathy. Use controlled anger to positively impact apathy. Use controlled anger to motivate the “I don’t care” types of people.

Use sadness and disappointment in dealing with angry, defensive people. Soft gloves with firm controlled sadness works effectively in aggressive, anger filled situations.

Curiosity reduces anger. Rather than yelling, instead ask questions of curiosity.

“What is it like for you when I keep asking if you have done your homework?”

“When you do ____________ I am curious what your intent is. Can you help me understand?”

It is very difficult to be angry and curious at the same time. Choose curiosity over anger, you will be pleased with the results.

The key to effective use of curiosity is to ask questions aimed at understanding the anger of the person you are attempting to help through a problem.

Curiosity uses questions to solve people problems, where anger can simply heap up blame, shame, and guilt.

Comments

STORY COLLISIONS

The tendency is to believe the first story told and forget there are two sides to every story.

The late Dr. Bill Bright cautioned his team of thousands to make a practice of effective communication because open dialogue almost always improves relationships.

In hundreds of marriage consultations, it never ceased to amaze me as I compared the two stories couples told me. They would be in complete contradiction of one another.

If clients were willing to attempt peaceful communication an effective tool was role-playing.

Vividly I recall a couple where one person would not forgive the unfaithful partner. The bitterness was making restitution and forgiveness impossible.

In the role play, we reversed roles. The damaged partner took the role of the cheater.

Like a professional actor, the client played the unfaithful role to perfection. Tears, facial pain, shame, guilt, and tension spilled out!

After the role play the crucial question to the faithful client who wanted to get even; not the unfaithful partner was, “If you could choose would you want to be the unfaithful or the faithful marriage partner?”

If I were in your shoes I would… This is a stupid saying because if you were in his/her shoes you would do exactly what this person did.

Any time we say, “I should have,” it is delusional thinking. Why? Because if you would have known the negative outcome you wouldn’t have done it in the first place.

Every life incident with more than one person has more than one story. Take any people problem you face. It can be fixed if each person is willing to:

We can often find greater hope and the ability to forgive when we allow a one-sided story to collide with the truth and reality of another’s perspective.

Comments

SOMETHING BETTER

The strength and integrity of a company or an individual is the associations they are able to develop.

Cornerstone Home Lending is one of the finest companies in the USA to help families finance their homes.

Valuable life lessons in integrity.

50 years ago a dynamic young man walked into my office to offer his help with our University of Alaska Nanook basketball team. Since he had an engineering degree, plus rowed crew for the UW Huskies, I was very impressed.

Soon I began calling him the “Dysonian Institute” because of his practical knowledge and wisdom.

For 50 years Fred Dyson, retired Alaska State Senator, has been a trusted and reliable mentor.

Dyson is a master of the Socratic teaching method. He uses questions to get you where he wants you to go.

In my first meeting, Dyson talked basketball for about an hour with me. As he stood to leave my office he said, “Can I ask you a question before I leave?’

Turned out the question changed the course of my life. In fact, it was and still is to this day, the most profound question I have ever been asked.

With laser focus and supreme confidence, Dyson asked, “Coach what do you think of Jesus Christ? Someday at another time, I’d like to talk about it.”

One pearl from the Dyson Institute is, “If God takes something away from you he will give you something better if you trust him.”

Countless times I have counseled heartbroken lovers who have been tossed aside for another. With tenderness, it is my joy to tell them this may be the best thing that has ever happened to them.

With joy, I have been privileged to be at their weddings with the new love of their lives, that surpasses their former relationship a hundredfold.

With humor, I have delighted them with teasing. Just think where you would be IF you were married to what you thought was the love of your life! (Always good to be able to laugh with those you know love you).

As I write this Word of Hope, I suspect several emails or calls from a dear friend who gave me the honor of walking through their pain, now living with their 100 fold life partner.

On a smaller scale yet significant from an integrity standpoint. We stopped for a light dinner at a favorite place.

Susie’s hot dish was lukewarm. As I left I gently said to a waiter at the counter, “You might want to make sure your dish is hot for future customers.” He said, “Thank you”; then departed to do his work.

Standing nearby was another employee. Before you could say Holy Cow she had a 10 dollar bill in my hand. Integrity strikes.

The rest of the story. Our car sales guy was sick about the car Susie purchased to replace her totaled car. Presently in our driveway sits a superior auto for the same price. Shawn delivered integrity in spades. Integrity strikes again. (For the backstory read: Not My Plan).

Clearly, those who trust in Jesus will never be disappointed. My spiritual struggle in 1967 was simple, not complex. IF I totally surrender life to Jesus Christ, He will take away my basketball.

Soon I discovered, only after I trusted Him, was he going to use NBC Camps and WordsofHope.com not just 10, 20 or 30 fold, but 100 fold.

“Be joyful always, pray without ceasing, in all things give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

In fact, it is impossible, unless we die to self each day and believe, “We can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength.”

Comments

HEALTHY SILENCE

The base note of our lives is silence. The trees must be in it, the birds sing, the dogs bark, cars beep – people speak – but the silence is the deep ground. – Marie Howe

The beauty, grandeur and health restoration of silence is foreign to most people. Rush, busy, hurry, drive, are friends to most people.

The pace, the distractions, the noise, the need for stimulus is so great people need more and more. More time on the cell phone, louder music, more shock in movies, more addictive intensity. Just more and never less.

Only a few of us experience the beauty of poetry that leads us to treasure healthy silence.

Healthy silence is the silence leading to serene peace. Unhealthy silence is the tool to punish people. Cutting people off is not healthy.

Poet Wendell Berry shows us the ways to healthy silence. Thank you, Mr. Berry, for this precious gift; THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS.

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world and am free.

Silence is a gift. Silence is a treasure. Silence is the narrow, single lane road to finding rest with God.

Comments

THE DETACHMENT PRINCIPLE

The detachment principle is a life skill of letting go with ease and grace yet maintaining zest and a drive to live life fully.

Time marches on and stops for no one. The greatest invention ever would be the machine that allows a man to buy back used time. Now that would be a trick.

Imagine buying back 36 years. No longer am I 76 fighting cancer. Now I have a 40-year-old body with a 76-year-old mind. Hey, maybe I could be a genius. No chance; only wishful think.

Detachment is the path to freedom. Detachment is a crucible core of Christ’s message. Let go, and let God.

What are you hanging onto that is getting in the way of your freedom, joy, peace, love, and forgiveness?

Are you exhausted running the race of, “just a little bit more?” There is never enough and there never will be enough, until we surrender our will to knowing and understanding enough is enough.

The young child reached her tiny hand into a narrow-necked M&M jar. Fist full she could not get her hand out of the jar. She sobbed with clenched fists. Not until she let go of the candy was she able to get her fist out of the jar.

Paul in his letter to his friends, the Colossians, exhorted them to use whatever they held in their hands for God’s Glory.

For moms and dads that might mean letting a child go off to a college far from home.

For the anyone clinging, grasping, begging to hold onto that which you cannot control, it means letting go. Open your fist like the child with the M&M’s.

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Comments

PEOPLE WATCH YOU

People watch what we are doing, how we do it, and how it makes them feel.” – Derrick Sebastian

The waiter obviously flustered with too many customers replies with anger, “I’ll get to you as soon as I can I’m so busy!”

Driving in heavy traffic; waiting to leave the parking lot, late for the next meeting.

The person in another car permits you to proceed in front of you and waves a hand with a smile on their face.

The purpose of these examples is for us to scrutinize how we make people feel as we walk through life each moment, each hour, each day.

Fact is somebody is watching us. Our character is best described as who we are in the dark.

The best way to have pure character is to develop a habit based on knowing existentially how we are doing a job, having a conversation, performing to an audience and knowing what those watching feel.

People will forget what and how we did it. They will not forget how we made them feel.

Most people focus their attention on what people do or think of them. Most people let other people’s attitudes and actions dictate their attitudes and actions.

Goethe said, “We can never change anyone by direct action; we can only change ourselves and when we change others tend to change in reaction to us.”

Comments

THE LAW OF FORGIVENESS

The universe is governed by laws. Obedience to the law preserves life. Disobedience to these laws may lead to destruction.

One of the most obvious laws is the law of gravity. What goes up must come down. Only one who majors in stupidology questions this law. Break this law and you may be seriously injured or die.

The law of forgiveness has a little less obvious consequences. The law of forgiveness is clearly stated. As you forgive others you will be forgiven.

Response: If a person is unwilling to forgive you there are usually two reasons. First, they believe you will continue to commit the same offense against them. Second, they question your sincerity.

How many people do you know who have never once said, “will you forgive me for ________ (name of the offense and specific terms)?

The law of forgiveness clearly states that you will be not be forgiven of your transgressions unless you were willing to forgive others for their transgressions.

Some people prefer destroying relationships rather than taking a position of forgiveness.

Unfortunately, everyone who reads these words of hope will know someone in their lives who have never once asked forgiveness.

Offenses are simply swept under the rug, pretended as if nothing ever happened, or minimized with an, “Ok ok I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it I was having a bad hair day.”

There is a gigantic difference between forgiveness asking and restitution making.

The law of restitution is Not a command because the restoration of relationship is a two-way street, where the law of forgiveness is a one-way street. Forgiving other always begins and ends with us alone.

The law of forgiveness always involves the one found guilty taking the first step without any expectation of the other person responding in a positive or negative manner. The responses is 100% irrelevant in this law.

Terminal anxiety is a medical term used for dying patients during their last 2 weeks of their lives. Those who have lived lives of unforgiveness die very very poorly. Those who have obeyed the law of forgiveness die with peace and comfort.

Therefore, to live well ask this simple yet effective question, will you be set free. by forgiving, or will unforgiveness place you in the jailhouse called the home of bitterness.

Comments

EYES ON YOU

Do you want single or double knocks?

Every time the aspiring basketball youth yells back to Coach Crowell, “give me double knocks, Coach!!!!!”
Coach Crowell makes two-fisted fake binoculars and points to the action. Without exception, the hoopster either gives a great performance or begs for a second and third try.

Conversely, an employee once told Coach C, “I never want you to watch me coach, because you make me feel inferior. I can’t coach as well as you.”

What is the learning opportunity of these two stories?

Clearly, the confident student wants eyes on, whereas the fear-driven one prefers isolation from inspection.

One of my favorite ways to both motivate and encourage is to say, “You are so good, you have eyes on you; coaches are watching you.”

The featured photo for this Words of Hope is a college female playing a boy in a riveting play. The eyes of the student artist speak to the power of eye contact.

No wonder the Scriptures tell us, “The eyes are lamps to the soul.”

No wonder a child loves to hear a parent tell them, “You are the apple of my eye.”

No wonder it is so beautiful and wonderful to know and understand the truth when we read, “You are wonderfully made; I created you; I know your name and you are mine; I have my eyes on you, I love you.”

Comments

BODY TRUTH - HEART TRUTH

The skill to know when the body and the mind are telling us the truth is equally important as knowing when the body and the mind are telling us a lie.

Harmony is when the body and mind speak the same message. Confusion is when the body and mind speak in contradiction.

Discernment is knowing who to listen to when body and mind are speaking in opposition to each other.

In sports completely knowing if the pain is from injury or just fatigue is vital. Pressing on with an injury may result in serious complications. Quitting when too tired is a recipe for losing.

How do you feel is a common question, a better question is, how are you doing? Often when fighting terminal illness you can’t emotionally afford to dwell on how you feel.

Sometimes the body screams STOP; the body needs rest. Sometimes the body screams stop, but the body needs to push through the challenge.

Cancer warfare is both a body and mind battle. To win, the victor must be diligent to have body and mind in complete unity.

I might go so far to say all life battles come down to body readiness and mental toughness.

As a professional coach, I have always been impressed that many Bible verses exhort us to present our bodies first; then our mind.

Present your body as a living sacrifice, all discipline is painful but later it produces fruit, run to win the prize. These are all body issues.

Then comes the mind part. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind; let this mind in you be renewed in Christ.

My body has been screaming STOP. My mind is trying to tell my body it is time to stop.

I have been trying to discern if it is a STOP or stop. STOP means total rest. Stop means press on; buck up.

Life is a mystery. Life is challenging. Life is tough. Life is hard. Life is joy. Life is worth the high cost of giving it our best shot.

Comments

CRUCIBLE LIFE EVENT

Looking back over your entire lifetime, was there a single experience that would be classified as a crucible event?

One of the definitions of the word crucible is the overcoming a trial or difficult circumstance.

The dictionary uses an example of the word crucible as a time when one would attempt to climb Mount Everest with their legs tied together.

The crucible life event this Words of Hope deals with is one experience that surpasses all other events in one’s lifetime.

This is not an easy question nor should it be. A lifetime is filled with many many life-changing events. Yet there is one crucible moment that stands out above all else.

For Susie King Crowell, a warm, 1966 Saturday in Coeur’d Alene, Idaho was a crucible moment. After months of illness, Dr. Jane told Susie her problem was not physical. The doctor’s recommendation was a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

When Susie looked directly into my eyes she said. “I love you, Fred, I just did the most important thing I have ever done. I invited Jesus to be my Lord and Savior.”

For Josh Burton after a week watching his beautiful daughter play basketball and listen to powerful messages, his crucible moment came a week later. Driving in Kauai, his home, Joshua decided to live 100% for Jesus Christ. Cold turkey he tossed out his cigarettes. A blackout binge drinker Josh quit alcohol as well. The Burton family rejoiced in having a new dad and a new husband. NBC celebrated a new Camp in Kauai with Josh Burton as a leader.

The reason Jesus Christ is a crucible moment for millions and millions of people in every country, all races and among all walks of life is because He and He alone is qualified to forgive our sins, because Jesus knew no sin but became sin for us that we might have a brand new nature, not just an old nature working harder and harder to be good and truthful, pure and holy.

The Crucible moment with Jesus Christ is not what we do. It is about what He has done, is doing, and will do in our lives.

Paul says if any man is in Christ he is a new creature old things passed away all things become new.

Comments

DID SO GOOD

Cain, what have you done? Why is your countenance so downcast? What did you do that makes your face so dark?

The eyes are lights to the soul. Do you have your lights on, is a frequent question asked to the youth I serve when coaching sports and life skills.

You did so good, is a compliment that brings me joy in giving to a well-deserved recipient.

The ability to have eyes to see and a heart to feel the so good in people and life is learned behavior that comes through years and years of hard work.

Fools can tell you what’s wrong; genius is showing you how to fix the problem. Brilliance is being able to imagine what a person can become as opposed to what their present state is.

When you reach the place in life where you subconsciously see the so good, you live in gratitude. Life becomes ease and grace. Peace is your reward.

Easy to say; maybe impossible to live without a strong conviction that St. Paul was correct stating, “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose…” – Romans 8:28

Comments

PRINCIPLE OF PROBLEM SOLVING

Albert Einstein believed a problem could not be solved with the same level of consciousness that created it.

Operating on the belief system that everyone and everything is the creation of a Master Miracle Maker means everyone and everything created is a miracle.

Based on the logic of Biblical authority, humankind is the highest form of creation. We have been given dominion over the birds of the air, the animals of the land, and the fish of the sea. We were created a little lower than angels.

In my opinion, far too many humans believe a lie. It is common to think a baby was created without sin. In essence, we are created good. The idea here is that education and hard work produce healthy, successful adults.

While it may be an unpopular belief system, the truth is humanity is born with an evil nature. In this system of thought, the solution is replacing an evil, sinful nature with a new nature, not modifying an old nature.

Our family purchased a lake home. The foundation was in failure. We had three choices.

We decided to level the cabin and start fresh with a brand new cabin with a sound foundation – a new creation.

On a professional level, it is not necessary to teach how to be evil. Children by nature are mean, selfish, and even cruel. It is hard work to teach children to share, be kind, truthful, and to work hard. Laziness comes naturally, while industriousness only comes through self-discipline.

40 some years ago a professor posed this question to 30 plus of us master degree students.

The class of seasoned teachers and counselors agreed to the rules, and the professor asked the question, “Do you believe people were born evil or good?”

“Now please raise your hand if you believe we are born good,” the professor instructed.

Two of us felt alone as we raised our hands slid our hands up admitting we believed we were born with an evil nature.

One week later the prof permitted me to present my research on my reasoning, and the importance of effectively diagnosing a problem accuracy and with precision.

We could have patched up the lake cabin, just as we could hold that man/woman are without a sin nature. Or we could face the truth; the reality of the human condition.

For 50 years, thousands have discovered, like me, a remodeled life doesn’t work. We discovered the joy of knowing, “If any person becomes a person in Christ they are a new creation. Old things pass away and all things become new.”

One said it this way, “The greatest discovering of my life is knowing Jesus Christ in a personal way.”

50 years ago I began the hard, yet wonderful journey is solving my problems with the mind of Christ; not my old way of solving them with my own wisdom.

Comments

ADVANTAGES OF COMPANIONSHIP

“Better to trust and run the risk of being disappointed than to trust no one and be alone.” – Jim Harrick

In a recent conversation, it was communicated to me that trust was a big problem. I asked this person who they trusted. After a long pause, my friend named two people he hardly knew.

Solomon tells us of another example of meaningless under the sun. He speaks of the person who is all alone. Reminds me of the lady who left millions for her cats.

Companionship is a gift. Those people in our inner circle are crucial. These are the ones who are there for us in health and in sickness. They are there when you have nothing to give back.

Treasure these companionships. Give them the first fruits of your time, your energy and even some of your treasure.

Years ago a friend lost a high powered job. He became very depressed. I was motivated to call him often; as much as once a week. I was concerned for him.

After a year he got a great job. The news came out on a Friday. By Monday I had 10 recordings asking me to call my friend to put in a good word for them to work for him.

My friend told me, “During the year it was like I had leprosy. My friends disappeared.”

I asked each of the 10 callers one question. “In the past year did you call or write my friend a letter when he was down?”

Companionship is simple. Make sure you follow the 7 to 10 rule. In 7 of your contacts, you ask for nothing. You can have 3 asks for every 10 contacts.

Avoid, at all costs, this mentality if you want companionship. “How come you haven’t called me?” Make the call if you want to talk. It will become clear if they do not wish your companionship.

If this is the case give them a break. Maybe they have something going on in their life that prevents them from having a close companionship with you.

To illustrate this point. Cancer has shrunk my world, my companionships. Some of my friends love me but they can’t deal with pain so they don’t call or write. This is ok.

Further, there are many days my energy level is very low. These days it is winning the moment so I can win the hour. There is no energy except to do the “have to” of NBC and home.

No longer do I try to send 10 encouragements a day. Words of Hope is my one way of letting my lifelong companions know I love them and that I care.

As Stevie Wonder sings so beautifully “I just called to say I love you. I just called to say I care.”

Comments

ULTIMATE TRUTH OR ULTIMATE LIE

If my life is dedicated to the proposition that Jesus was the ultimate truth teller, then my belief system is based on the most profound story ever told. It is a story of the ultimate miracle.

The ultimate truth story is God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter are 3 in 1. We call this the Blessed Holy Trinity. It is so amazing only the mind of God could come up with it.

However, if this story is fabricated it is the ultimate lie. Billions of lives, like Paul said, “Are living in vain.” When the Russian President announced communism was a failure in 1996, his Minister of Defense ended his life that evening.

Living your life in a lie has serious consequences. For this reason, I rejoice all the more that Jesus was the ultimate truth teller.

Without question, the most remarkable speech I have heard (on tape; I have given out over 100 copies) in my lifetime is Ravi Zacharias’ message to the LDS church leaders at the invitation of theology professors at BYU. Ravi spoke on the six unique qualities of Jesus; one being the Holy Trinity. He received a standing ovation.

As I enjoy my sacred place this early morning, gardening through five gratitude’s for the day, the firm conviction, based on many Biblical passages, that the God of the universe lives in me. My entire being is filled with His love, peace, and joy. My cup runs over.

Comments

PAIN COMES IN THE NIGHT

JOY COMES IN THE MORNING
I BELONG TO JESUS
JESUS IS MINE

As boys Father Crowell trained us to not shed tears. Whether it was after a beating or watching a tearjerker movie, tears were regarded as sissyville, weak sissy acts of cowardice.

For these reasons tears dripping, softly and silently down my cheeks in a church service were greeted with joy and gratitude as I sang softly, “pain comes in the night, joy comes in the morning, I belong to Jesus, Jesus is mine.”

Teaching young men to be warriors for truth, justice, and to shed tears of kindness and compassion for the suffering is the true measure of a man.

The great public speakers and actors are the ones who can bring you to laughter and tears in the same speech or movie scene.

To be tough as nails and gentle as a soft pillow is one of the mysteries of life.

No passage of Holy Writ inspires me to embrace toughness to fight and kindness to heal than Colossians 3:12-17

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Comments

YOU MAKE ME BRAVE

CRUCIAL QUESTIONS

Football legend coach Vince Lombardi said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”

It is my opinion, brave acts demand monumental causes. Cowards die many deaths whereas the brave die but once. I strongly believe this to be true.

A soldier takes a bullet for a friend. He dies brave. A coward hides behind a desk while his friends die in battle, he dies a hundred times.

Each of us knows and understands what it means to be brave, and hopefully, we have others who inspire us to become brave.

My high school coach helped us become brave because he was both brave and a great coach.

My granddaughters are brave because their daddy is a brave and faithful warrior.

Out of all the brave individuals I know, absolutely no one has made me brave more than the King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s.

Jesus has made me brave. He is the one who goes before me as I face life’s battles.

Armed with the promise I have in Him; if I ask anything in His name He will hear me.

Comments

TODAY WILL NEVER COME AGAIN

It is absolutely amazing the difference there is when one decides to, “have not a good day, but a great day.”

Be a blessing to people I meet.
Encourage at least one person today.
Take time to care.
Speak words of healing and speak no wounding words.
Be kind, be gentle, give love.

My life M/P is to love God today with all my mind and heart. To love people by seeing the miracle in them. To love life as if today were my last day on planet earth.

Comments

HAD ENOUGH YET, AMERICA?

Where is the hope?

Years ago an international student from a country suffering terrorism and killings told me, “Once terrorism and killing start, it is virtually impossible to stop.”

On Fox News, an articulate student pleaded with his fellow Americans, “Please. America, stop the killings.” He had witnessed 17 of his fellow students murdered at his high school.

There I said it, Fox News! In fact, I said it with intent. Some Americans get more riled up over news channels than they do about tragic events.

This speaks to the anger in America.
America is an angry nation.
America is an uncivilized country; she has lost her manners and civility.
America is a land where too many expect to get more than they give.
America has too many activists who do not place safety and opportunity for its own citizenry before foreign nations and people’s.
America’s political leadership has a self-itis disease. They even have their own healthcare and retirement programs.
America is not safe; especially in schools. American schools are a failure. They do not protect their children from bullies and abuse.
American men too often remain boys lacking the skills to be fathers.

Will one of your family members be impacted by a brutal murder? Terrorism, or suicide?

Crowell’s reality is based on personal experience and information from trusted people.

Please allow me to have my truths. I promise to let you have your truths without chastising you.

Clearly, the answer is no, but it cannot be fixed unless we see and act in new ways.

Americans, face the problem – hiding it or ignoring it is the common non-solution until the next killing(s) then the news media takes over as coverage is relentless, bordering on sensationalism. Awareness of the problem without taking action is like looking in a mirror with dirt on your face, looking just long enough to see the ugliness, yet not long enough to actually do something about.

Americans, focus on prevention, the origin not the aftermath. Prevention is the key

Fact or fiction? It is for you to decide and to take action. Yes. It is up to you.

Hope is humans becoming millions of people who love America, who have had enough.

My two hope convictions make it possible for me to share my truth. If you want to know more about my truths, and how to stop the killings, keeping up with me on WORDS OF HOPE.

As aforementioned, as for me and my house, the Crowell’s choose to live in hope. How about you?

Comments

HOPE, AN ANTIDOTE FOR DEPRESSION

“Hope is the anchor to our souls.”

In my former career as a marriage and family counselor, I faced a monumental counseling challenge. A young, deeply depressed, divorced mother came to me.

Being new to the profession, 1971 to 1975, listening to her story was eye opening to say the least. Under psychiatric care, she had attempted suicide six times.

Comedians make jokes about such stories. This was nothing to joke about. This was life and death.

Step One: Ensure client was safe. This meant knowing for sure she had “eyes on” protection.

Step Two: Assess client’s want to factor. Do you want to live or die? Dig deep here. Be sure your diagnosis is correct! This woman wanted to live for one reason and one reason alone. Any idea what that was? The reason was her 3 year old, adorable, little girl.

She reached into her purse and handed me a photo of an angel like child. As she show me the picture, we extolled her blue eyes, her blond hair, and all her brilliant qualities.

Step Three: Uncover the poison called resentment, buried anger and most of all the roots of bitterness and shame. We divided her life into blocks of 5. Being about 30 years old, there were six time periods of her life to mine out the poison, over a six week period.

Each week her assignment was to mine the source of the poison, then write it down on paper. Now that it is out for the conscious mind to examine, some therapists suggest burning it. My suggestion is to thank the Lord, by first bringing the garbage to the surface, then seeking His forgiveness for your wrongs and forgive others for theirs.

Our final act is to write scripture across the poisonous words, even multiple times.

“If we confess our sins He will be faithful and just to forgive all our sins.” – 1st John 1:9

For six weeks this was hard work. Tons of tears in my office. Today this grandmother is one of my heroes. She had a wonderful career in the human services profession. Married a wonderful loving man, and had even more angels.

Comments

WHEN INTELLECT & EMOTIONS COLLIDE

“Life stands still when head and heart disagree.”

The must see movie, Risen, took me back to the most difficult, challenging decision of my young life.

Like the centurion soldier who protected Herod, I came to a fork in the road. One road was intellectual honesty, the other to follow my desires, my emotions. They were at war!

Most people make emotional decisions then back them up with logic. Example, we shouldn’t have bought this car but we couldn’t afford not to trade cars.

Back in 1965 I was an agnostic. Death is a tough teacher. My mother’s tragic death severely damaged my faith in God. My priest’s accusation that I was going to hell shifted me to the antiGod way of thinking.

The death of Jesus and the empty tomb placed the elite Roman soldier with the duty to find the stolen body. Though he was relentless, he could not find the body.

Both the Centurion and I ended up at a similar fork in the road. It became crystal clear that the body of Jesus had not been stolen. He had been Risen!

At the point when, at an emotional level, everything in your being does not want to accept the logical facts, the mind and heart are at conflict.

No matter how the Roman centurion uncovered new evidence as much as he wanted to prove Jesus was a fraud, it came back to him that Jesus had Risen His mind said, “Jesus is the absolute truth.” His heart was a Roman soldier. His heart wanted fame and wealth.

At my fork in the road there was not one emotionally driven reason I wanted to say, “Yes”

to the claims of Jesus Christ on my life. I knew it would be costly. The Centurion and I found ourselves in the same circumstance.

Thankfully, I did not let my emotions make my decision. My yes was the product of a remarkable mother and my basketball coach who taught me far more than basketball. His life spoke, “Do the right thing.”

My mother and high school basketball coach lived truth. They made tough decisions and when emotion and intellect did not line up, they chose truth based on intellectual logic. Emotions were the tail on the dog as it should be.

Another Roman begged us to present our bodies as living sacrifices and to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

When I discovered message of Jesus was not only intellectually honest but compelling to my heart, is when I wholeheartedly decided to become all His.

Gentle suggestion for the serious pursuit of developing self control, of uniting mind and heart before making life decisions. Memorize Romans 12:1-2.

Comments

DEPRESSION DIAGNOSIS

The single most obvious evidence of depression is lack of energy and passion for life.

The single greatest indicator of health is a life with an abundance of energy and passion for living.

The remarkable movie, WIND RIVER, has a verbal exchange between two fathers whose daughters were both murdered.

The father who is in the Black Box, depression comes first. Last comes suicide. He is in the middle of the teeter totter. Live or die. No hope, no energy, no passion.

The father who escaped the black box after several years in the prison of depression, now has hope, energy, and passion.

The key to suicide or life. You can choose to surrender or you can decide to survive.

If you choose to surrender know that you not only lose yourself, but you lose all your loving relationships.

If you choose to survive you find yourself and you encourage and inspire all the ones you love.

Like the captain on the ship and the roughest waters of the world do not surrender. He does not run away from the storm. No, he points the ship into the storm.

Comments

WIN IS A CHOICE

The win begins with the decision to know you can and will win.

A win is in the preparation. Preparation builds confidence. Confidence promotes high-level performances.

The photo of the horse and dog is worth thousands of words. Study the photo let it absorb your attention.

Comments

LOVE TRUMPS ALL

One of my favorite hobbies is playing cards with friends. Bridge, Hearts, Pinochle, Casino, 10 To 1, Rummy and Cribbage are all card games I like.

Knowledge of the game rules is the first step to being a winner. Card smarts are a must. One of the most important winning skills in Bridge is when to lose a trick. Poor players lose a trick early in the game only to lose a bunch towards the close of the hand.

Card games that make a trump suit all powerful complicate the game further. When a 2 of diamonds beats a king of spades, hearts or clubs, players better learn how to master this aspect of the game.

Likewise in life:
Love trumps hate
Love trumps envy
Love trumps fear
Love trumps failure
Love trumps pain
Love trumps sin
Love trumps death

My favorite artist; Vincent Van Gogh, though he died in poverty and obscurity, said some remarkable things about love.

“Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.”

The author of Love is God, our Heavenly Father who provided us life by giving us His Son.

Therefore, I would be remiss if I did not name at least five of my favorite Bible verses on Love.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – I john 4:18

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:37-39

I close with Sir Vincent ‘s quote on courage because to live demands courage. I choose to love God, to love life and to love people no matter the cost.

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” – Vincent Van Gogh

Comments

FOUND GUILTY

Is there enough evidence to find you guilty?

Years ago an excellent public speaker challenged a large audience with this profound statement.

If it were a crime to be an effective, efficient employee, would you be found guilty?

If it were a crime to be kind, generous, loving, and unselfish, would you be found guilty?

The apostle Paul encouraged his friends to be found guilty of being clothed in compassion, kindness, gentleness, perseverance, and patience.

In addition, the saint advised forgiving others and majoring in the virtue of love which is the perfect solution to disunity.

The Romans found this Roman Citizen guilty of being a Christ follower. Paul’s penalty? He was beheaded. Found guilty.

Comments

DETACHMENT LIFE PRINCIPLE

Crowell’s Fourth Spiritual Pillar

Detachment Truth is the 4th foundation of St. Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercise Theology. Every Jesuit priest is taught to exercise this foundational principle in their life, daily.

As the founder of the Jesuit movement over 1400 universities throughout the world bear St. Ignatius’s name.

Every intellectual discipline from medicine, to science, to theology, to mathematics, to philosophy, to music, to art, to architecture, felt the impact of this former Spanish soldier.

While St.Francis was moved to serve the poor; the deprived of the world; St. Ignatius believed God called him to change the world, reaching kings and rulers through education.

Loving God, Abba Father, with all their mind, heart, and soul united St. Francis and St. Ignatius in their missions to love and serve the poor, yet their methodology differed.

Jesuit priests specialize in a specific intellectual discipline that has helped them earn doctorate degrees and has propelled these priests to sit at the table with the greatest minds in the world.

Father Bernard Tyrrell, a Jesuit priest with a doctorate in philosophy, taught at Gonzaga University for over 40 years.

Father B took me under his mentorship in 1999. My life changed slowly but surely meeting bi-monthly for nearly 20 years with this man I could imitate.

Ignatian theology has become the bedrock of my belief system. Father B is a spirit-led genius. His book series entitled, Christotherapy, has been translated into 15 languages.

My mission is to love my Lord and Savior with all my mind, with all my heart, and with all my soul. Sounds easy; hard to do.

My mission is to love people and to serve them with kindness and goodness and forgiveness. Sounds easy; hard to do.

Saint Ignatius approached theology from a soldier’s perspective. Soldiering and basket-balling demand similar mental discipline.

The Ignatian theology system was attractive. It is based on logic and organization with very specific actionable steps.

Detachment is the fourth foundation/pillar of the system. If life were broken down into 4 seasons starting with spring and ending will winter, clearly I am in the winter of my life at age 76.

Detachment is the practice of letting go. Letting go of something you cherish, love, and hold dear makes detaching very difficult.

From birth to the grave our life often follows a process of accumulation; then letting it all go in our later years of life.

In essence, life is a series of successes and failures. One of the battles we all face is when is enough enough?

It seems to me the happiest and most content people I know have learned to live the life St Paul challenged us to embrace when he wrote, “Be joyful always pray without ceasing in all things give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 2 Thessalonians 5:16-18

King David wrote Psalm 23 while under stress, gave us his wisdom that has done more for me in the cancer battle than any mental health expert could ever give me when he wrote, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”

To not want is a great way to live. This detachment from want is freedom no possession can give.

If you are feeling depressed, anxious, overwhelmed, too busy, too tired, try detachment by saying the poem St Ignatius quoted so often.

“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me to you, Lord, I return it. All is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me..”

Comments

JUST LOVE PEOPLE

Life offers no greater gift with greater rewards than just loving people for no other motive than to love.

Frankly, I never much like the slogan “Just Do It.” Seems to me it has more negative than positive connotations.

Mandela lived in jail for 27 years before becoming president of South Africa to prove loving people always wins over hate.

Mother Teresa lived in poverty and with the hopeless to show us the power we get when we love people.

Why is it so difficult to love people? Why is there so much anger the world, in our homes and at our work?

Each day love at least one person, using the love language they need, not just the way you want to love them.

This assignment needs EQ. Emotional intelligence. WOH has several entries on EQ.

Comments

DOING NOTHING IS DIFFICULT

Coach Jim Harrick delights in saying, “I am doing nothing today and I won’t start until noon.”

As my wife Susie recovers from a car accident that resulted in a broken sternum, which has rendered her helpless, we are doing nothing. The pain in doing much of anything has been horrendous for her.

After many weeks at camp, my body is weary, yet for both Susie and I doing nothing is hard work mentally speaking. It is uncomfortable dos us to be doing nothing.

We are spending 7 days at Deer Lake. Just the two of us. Rummy is one of our activities. My favorite sport is power naps. Susie enjoys reading. Writing Words of Hope keeps me in close touch with the Lord, my inspiration.

The closer we keep to doing only the basic essentials of daily life, the more we are experiencing the fruits of rest and peace.

H A L T – hungry, angry, lonely, and tired are the fruits of fear, anxiety, being too busy, un-forgiveness, narcissism and arrogance.

Doing nothing is an opportunity to restore balance and rest. This is like the annual every airplane must do to be certified to fly another year. It is the full medical exam.

We are on day five of our “do nothing” week and it is becoming more comfortable each day.

Our life tanks are being refueled. The future is filled with hope. Gratitude is our lynchpin to being able to see beauty in creation and in people and to recognize new opportunities.

Comments

FORGIVENESS FRIDAY

Forgiveness is a get-out-of-jail-free card or 50-million-dollar lottery ticket winner. Who wouldn’t want that? Nevertheless, to effectively fathom the principles of forgiveness, it is necessary to understand unforgiveness and its brutal consequences.

First comes sadness, disappointment, hurt or mistreatment. These are the seeds that may cultivate strongholds of vengeance, the worst of human behaviors with a desire for retaliation or repayment for a hurt.

Untended, these negative disappointments and hurts are fertile grounds for anger to gain a foothold.

What we resent, untended, grows to a root of bitterness in a similar way grapes ferment to wine. Bitterness is lethal. It grows to strong roots, and, like all weeds, they attach themselves to other roots. Weeds take over gardens, and bitterness takes over lives. Often angry, resentful, bitter people attract each other — just like bunches of grapes.

The final stage to this personal destruction is vengeance. A getting even attitude then becomes the way of life. Therefore, unforgiveness never hurts the other person; it only hurts you.

Beware when sweeping sadness, pain and hurt under the rug as if it did not happen. It will grow and grow and grow through the stages of destructive unforgiveness.

To forgive is to save our own souls, not necessarily save the soul of the one we forgive. Biblically speaking, to forgive is a command, not an option. It is extending grace. Why? As C.S. Lewis said, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”

Forgiveness Friday is a wonderful opportunity to free ourselves from hurt, anger, resentment, bitterness and, yes, even vengeance. When you forgive, you may not change the past, but you sure change the future!

Comments

WINNING IS NOT LUCK OR ACCIDENTAL

“That was a fluke!” When someone said that, did you believe them? Was it a freak course of nature? Yet, winning is never pure luck or accidental. Rather, winning is learned behavior. It is a logical, organized system consisting of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, grit and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

Never in American history have youth been less equipped to win. Our youth have not been primed to fight back when rock bottom adversity hits.

“There were no indications he/she was depressed. This was the last person I thought this would happen to.”

We must train youth to win! This means training girls to be women of noble ambition, loyalty, kindhearted beauty, and character; and training boys to be men of valor, integrity, courage and leaders of excellence.

In one way, winning is like the universe. Both are systems. Compared to the universe, winning is microscopic in simplicity; yet both are fascinating and a lifetime intellectual pursuit.

Show me a winner, and I will show you someone who loves the challenge of giving 110%. Don’t you love these acquired characteristics of the know-how-to-win winner:

If we can win the second, we win the minute; if we can win the minute, we can win the hour; if we can win the hour, we can win the day; if we can win the day, we can win the week; if we can win the week, we can win the month; if we can win the month, we can win the year. Plan, prepare, expect, execute.

Winning is a choice. Everyone is a potential winner, the choice is to master the winning skills and be ready for life when adversity hits hard! Is your life skills box full of the winning tools?

Comments

ONE OR TWO FISTED LIVING

Solomon has wisdom for those of us willing to listen, learn and do.

“Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the world.”

Seems to me Solomon is helping us learn from his vast experience to find balance, between folding our hands, doing nothing, and working our hands to the bones to have as much as we can possibly get.

Much of my professional life has been two-fisted living. Solomon calls this chasing the wind. There was a time I had three jobs going at the same time. Counselor at Spokane Community College, owner of a counseling and basketball camp business.

Yet as Solomon carefully uses this word to change the course of the conversation, he speaks to the opposite. Idle hands. Idle hands are foolishness.

This speaks to ways that I am idle. Rather than focus on the millions of Americans who refuse to work, my heart tells me to focus on ways I can unfold my hands and improve my life. Daily walks is the first one to come to mind.

Dear friends, who faithfully read my Words of Hope, what does Solomon say to you?

I wonder if there is a connection to the idea that God is our right hand. Just maybe if we allow God to be our right hand, the source of power, and our left hand, our own power, life will be lived in the land of ease and grace.

Comments

BOOMERANG

Today’s culture uses “boomerang” in many settings, especially over the Internet. It is a phenomenon today, a cause and effect, a return to the originator.

Even ages ago Paul in the Bible spoke of the no-room–for-misinterpretation boomerang effect: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatever you sow, that you will also reap.”

How clear is that! Sowing leads to reaping… in agriculture, in life choices, in giving. These words emphasize bountiful kindness and goodwill without reservations, without self-interest, and without self-profit.

How profound are these boomerang words, “You cannot fool God, so don’t make a fool of yourself!”

Or how about, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep for what he can never lose.” ~ Jim Elliot, 1956 martyred missionary at age 29

And last thought-provoking boomerang quote, “You can never give too much for Him who has done so much for us.” ~ Late beloved friend Joe (yielded to Jesus 27 years after I did)

Comments

CONSCIOUS CONTACT

In retrospect, maybe even Super Bowl players (winners or losers) see improvements needed in their play. In life, we are never perfect!

After Super Bowl LII, I was reminded our good habits operate from the subconscious mind, our autopilot system. Conversely, new, heightened, or changed behavioral skills are mastered by operating from the conscious mind. Therefore, wisdom tells us to make conscious contact with behaviors we wish to begin and/or those we want to stop = eliminating the wrong and mastering the right. Conscious contact is needed to get it done!

The brilliant pianist’s fingers dance on the white and black keys. It is an extension of the body and mind, a great automatic pilot driver. Yet the piano novice must focus on the conscious level step by step. The mind needs to be on overdrive. Such conscious contact is hard work! Similarly, the MVP Super Bowl quarterback is operating at the conscious level when he calls plays in the huddle; however, he is operating at the subconscious level when he is in the passing pocket. At this point, it becomes instinctive behavior.

Confidence then is the product of careful preparation; careful preparation is the product of conscious contact. The hard, cold truth is that behavioral change is very difficult because it demands focus, hard work, and consistent conscious contact.

Do it for yourself so you can give to those you love your best you, the best valentine gift!

Comments

SANCTUARY HOME

“If your faith does not work in the home, your faith does not work.” – Howard Hendricks

Some 45 years ago Susie and I took our little girl Jennifer to this amazing zoo.

Every detail was in order to make this an ideal environment. The tigers, lions, monkeys, giraffes and all creatures were in a perfect environment.

My favorite place was the bird sanctuary. It was personified for the birds. Beauty, peace, and provision shouted softly to me.

Susie and I made a life decision as we marveled at man’s workmanship in building a bird sanctuary of perfection.

What would we need to do to make our home a sanctuary; a place of beauty, peace, and opportunity for growth?

What did we agree upon and disagree upon; how could we eliminate the disagreement issues and build our team unity?

Knowing what a sanctuary home is not, is equally as important as knowing the one you want.

This is not rocket science. Imitate the bird sanctuaries from the great zoos of the world.

The 15 to 30-minute family meeting once a week profoundly impacted the Crowell home.

Paul’s Word in Philippians 2 moves me to do the extremely hard work of having a sanctuary home. “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” – Philippians 2 1-4

Imagine the hard work it takes to maintain the bird sanctuary at the San Diego Zoo!

The most important sanctuary is our homes. It requires hard work. It demands daily attention. It is never a finished product.

As for me and my house, it is worth it! No price is too costly. Peace, joy, laughter, healthy communication and quick repair to issues that require forgiveness and reconciliation make a sanctuary home a reality.

Comments

REFRESH TO BE REFRESHED

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25

Racketball, handball, and squash initially are very difficult games to play until you learn a critical skill. Unlike all other ball games, these games you let the ball go by and then play them off the wall on the return of the ball.

In essence, we are talking about the principle of letting go. In the case of being refreshed logic says, “me first”.

I get the first class of cold water
I get the biggest and best steak.
Hey, “I get shotgun in the car!”
Me first is the focus.

Me first does not work in God’s economy. Amazingly it doesn’t work well in team sports either.
Me first destroys marriages.
Me first robs children of great parents.

50 years ago, this new year. Susie and I discovered a new way to see the world. At first, it baffled us. Today it is the Way the Truth and the Life for us.

We have discovered giving, trumps getting.
We now have a life experience that proves as we refresh others we, in turn, are refreshed.
With deep gratitude, Abba Father thank you for revealing this mystery to us.

Comments

WHOSE TRUTH?

Is it God’s truth, her truth, his truth, their truth, my truth or is it your truth?

These questions though confusing are not meant to confuse. The intent is to bring enlightenment to the difficult dilemma of truth finding and truth telling.

Only a couple hundred years ago an absolute medical truth was that bloodletting (removing blood for health balances) cured diseases.

In my lifetime both Coca-Cola and cigarettes were promoted as truly beneficial to health.

We had a president of the USA who saved himself from being removed from office by saying, “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is,” when confronted with telling the truth or a lie, under oath mind you.

Unfortunately, the truth is always impacted and shaded by the truth glasses you’re wearing at any given time.

Let me explain it this way. When my two children were young, they delighted in running to me and jumping in my lap. What joy the hugging, kissing and story-telling… even if it was about our fictional characters with fictional names of Little Red or Torsha.

However, one day I had severely injured my right leg quad muscle in basketball. Still, Jay (about four years of age) jumped into my lap, expecting the warm greeting and Little Red story. Immediately, there was not the hugging and kissing. Instead, I screamed in great pain! What do you expect Jay did? Of course, he cried! He was confused, and his truth world was shaken.

On normal days, my children’s truth was: We love Daddy, so let’s hop on his lap, have fun and hear great stories. Yet on Dad’s injury day, the truth experience became fear, confusion, tears. Very opposite from the previous warmth, joy, love experience. This incident highlights experience influences truth, making truth often subjective.

Years ago, I used the familiar words, “There you go again” when a friend sincerely believed the Bible was absolute truth, and contained no subjective truth. I also added, “Yes, I agree, the Bible is absolute truth… according to YOUR truth.”

His reply: “Not true. I tell people the truth based on the Bible because it is not what man says; it is the truth.” I could not help but respond, “There you go again. You are telling them what YOU think the Bible says is truth.”

Be careful here. Don’t make this harder than it is. Much of life is truthfully clear. Right?

Why? Simple. If a gang member came to my home and I was hiding someone they came to kill. They ask,”are they here hiding?”

Fact is, I love truth. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Deeply and desperately, I seek truth, yet I have come to believe that everyone has what they consider as their own truth. Yet, is God convinced?

For 50 years I have tried to live this Fred Crowell Truism: Show me an area of your life when you’re experiencing success, and I will show you where you were following a biblical principle. Conversely, show me any area of your life where you are failing, and I will show you where you are violating a biblical principle.

I will not impose my belief on you, but I will attest Biblical truth has worked well for me, and it will work well for you. This is my truth. I hope it will be yours as well. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Comments

NOT MY PLAN

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord; when he delights in His way…” – Psalm 37

Children are remarkably amazing. As I reflect on summer 2016, the thousands of youth at NBC Camps move me to a place of wonderment and gratitude.

Each week the athletes were asked to write letters to parents or caregivers. Many were tear jerkers! Children love to love their parents.

Each day athletes gave their best in every possible way. They embraced loving hard work.

Now, it’s back to the real world. We need great memories to win the moment, so we can win the hour, so we can win the day.

Now my plan is creating a family fun memory to lift us up when things go not to our liking. Kingston (a 3-year-old at the time) told Lala (Grandma Susie) when she says no, “This is not my plan.” Susie in turns says, “I know, honey, but we are going to do it this way.”

Isn’t life like this? How many times have you faced this past year, past week or even yesterday experiences that weren’t you’re planning?

How we respond to those this is not my plan events in our lives can be the difference between living in emotional and spiritual poverty or in the abundance of gratitude, grace, and forgiveness.

Paul gives the perfect prescription for those, this is not my plan experiences. Paul told his Roman brothers and sisters, “All things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are called to His purpose.”

When we purchasing a car to replace Susie’s totaled auto. The dealership was doing a few things to get it ready. Last night our sales guy called. Another salesman had taken the sold sign off and sold the car.

Not our plan. We are in the same circumstance as when our grandson (3 years old at the time) said, “This is not My plan.” Thank you Kingston for this valuable life lesson.

Comments

MIRACLE SEARCHES

Have you ever seen a miracle? All too often the response I get is a confused look and the factual answer, “No.”

If yes, then how many ways is the moon a miracle in your opinion? Last time I searched 7 was the number I was able to find.

As we master the search skill for finding miracles in the big picture and small details of life, we become filled with wonder and awe.

A baby’s face is a miracle.
The red rose is a miracle.
The beggar on the curbside is a miracle.
Life is a miracle.
Heaven is a miracle.

Comments

SEARCH ME – Part

Reality Truth: If you accept the message, you will value the messenger; whereas if you reject the message, you will reject the messenger. I value those who, out of love, help me be the best person I can be.

With open, honest vulnerability, we can grow if we can handle and accept the truth. We need the help of others. Cases in point: I need cruise control on my auto to avoid traffic violations, a calendar to jog my memory of scheduled commitments, a faithful wife to find lost items and provide me with gentle reminders.

Do you want to know the truth, or do you want to know a lie? Search me because I want my life to be holy, pure, and undefiled.

Comments

SEARCH ME – Part

When you seek personal excellence, self-scrutiny is welcomed, not rejected. Is the truth, not a lie, really your goal? Search Me! Tragically, in my 50 years of counseling, the vast majority of people do not want to be told the truth. They prefer a lie.

As an example, one of my most humorous yet tragic counseling stories is about a dentist and his wife who desired counsel for their marriage. The dentist said, “I just drove five hours to see you. Let’s not waste time. I am ready to do what it takes to improve our marriage.” The session was going so well I suggested each client make one small request as a homework assignment to show respect for each other.

The man said to his wife: “You go first.” Her response: “Oh, no, you go first. You will get mad at me!” But the husband convinced his wife he would be good. She then revealed her small request: “It would mean so much to me if you stopped coming to dinner in your underwear but were fully clothed.”

Boom! The dentist ended up cursing me and stomping out of my office, never to be seen again.

This reminded me of the movie “A Few Good Men.” While being interrogated under oath Jack Nicholson shouts, “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!”

Do you want to know the truth? Do you want the truth to be told to you by a trusted, reliable person who has a proven track record, is worthy of imitation, and shows love for you? If so, then it will be possible to stop doing the undesirable behavior or thought pattern.

Comments

PRACTICE GRATITUDE

“As medicine is to the body, gratitude is to the soul.”

For the past six months, Words of Hope with Fred Crowell has been a source of joy and thanksgiving to me. Knowing God and enjoying him forever is my meaning and purpose statement.

When I examine and evaluate the reason I am still here when five of my friends have lost their lives to cancer, I know for certain my purpose and meaning is to grow my knowledge of God and to enjoy Him.

For when I am intimately connected to Abba Father and his amazing son the Lord Jesus Christ, my joy factor is limitless and my love for life knows no boundaries.

Therefore, it is my commitment to practice daily, the art of gratitude. Gratitude is the hinge to knowing God and enjoying him forever.

At the Friday with Fred lunch last week, keynote speaker Jennifer Crowell Ferch stated that an effective way to beat cancer is to write down five gratitudes at bedtime. Thinking gratitude is not enough. Writing down five gratitudes is enough. My five gratitudes for today are:

3. The gift of music – singing God Bless America coming down the hill to work.

4. A tender kiss goodbye. With a beautiful twinkle in her eyes, Susie said “Have a great day.”

5. NBC camps is truly a game changer in the lives of thousands and thousands of people over the past 45 years.

Join me today in writing down five gratitudes before you go to bed. It is the best way to beat cancer and it’s the best way to live joyfully, so why not do it every night?

Some people make things happen, some people let things happen, and too many people say what happened. Let’s make it happen.

Comments

FORGIVENESS FRIDAY - Our Get Out of Jail Card

The Crowell Game Changer program dedicated each Friday to conscious level living forgiveness.

To forgive is to save our souls, not necessarily the souls of the ones we forgive.

Biblically speaking to forgive is a command, not an option; Whereas restitution is optional.

Forgiveness this Friday is a wonderful opportunity to set up our minds and our hearts to be free from anger, resentment, bitterness, and yes even vengeance.

As I studied Paul’s coaching of his beloved son in the faith, Timothy, it became clear to me that to be able to live out “living with holy hands” required me to be free of anger and other ways I display poor character.

The more I contemplated on Paul’s teachings on forgiveness, old wounds, which I had assumed had been healed, resurfaced.

In my experience, forgiveness is among the three most important Biblical, yet poorest taught principles.

I believe forgiveness is a command. It is not optional, whereas restitution is not a command. Forgiveness of a serious injury is not a one-time act.

Forgiveness is sort of like a get out of jail card because forgiveness brings healing and freedom. The Lord’s Prayer is the bedrock of the principles of forgiveness.

The decision to live each day with holy hands combined with challenges of health tests my character. After getting quick tempered several times over small matters, it became clear I needed to do an inventory of my past.

For months, I had kept a letter I had rewritten at least five times. I was convinced it was a good letter with good intent. It became clear the letter needed to be burned not mailed. My wife Susie and I had a burn celebration.

These past weeks, many who read Words of Hope have emailed or called giving me encouragement/oxygen. Thank you!

My hope for you as you read these words on forgiveness is that you will benefit from my honesty about taking a deep dive to dig out any and all areas of unforgiveness in our lives.

Honestly, I cherish having holy hands. I enjoy being able to deal with difficult issues without a quickness to anger or a demonstration of poor character.

Comments

VISION CARRIES CONVICTION

Encourage children to dream big dreams; train them the life skills to make their dreams and visions come true.

The creative gift, imagination, separates the human mind from every other creature on the planet.

The more crystal clear we are with what we envision with our imagination, the more energy, and power we have to carry that vision out in reality.

All great achievements begin with the end result in mind, not just the beginning or first step.

All great achievements begin with big thinking, yet require doing the small things extraordinarily well.

All great achievements demand a never, never quit attitude, regardless of the hardships of the task and negativity of other people.

An example of the power of vision that carries conviction.

A Spokane businessman started his business with a small loan. No one but he and his wife believed in his vision. Vision powered his conviction. He dedicated all he had and all he was to win the race set out before him.

Imagination created vision, vision powered goals, goals powered action, action created achievement.

When I do these values well, I build such a high wall my competitors ask themselves, “Do I really want to climb over this wall to try to get his business?”

Today’s Word of Hope is inspired by Eric Hixson, owner of E2Media. Creator of the wonderful Toyota promotions you see in Alaska, Eastern Washington, Southern Idaho, and Montana.

Comments

FASCINATION WITH PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR

“Nothing on Earth is more interesting than studying the way people act.” – Fred Crowell

At Jewelry Design Center I enjoy watching John work on jewelry. He is a master craftsman.

My friend Wayne helped me make a beautiful jewelry box for Susie. Masterful describes Wayne’s work.

Ron Sellars learned from his dad the art of making cars fast and beautiful. He turns junk into award winners.

I love watching professional excellence; the gardener, the pure shooter, the actor, singer, dancer, the waiter, the house cleaner, or the parent loving their kids.

Watching people who love their work, which in reality is their hobby and their passion, is pure joy for me. I can do this all day.

My passion is being a student of human behavior. In my opinion, nothing is more interesting or fascinating than studying people.

Why does one flight attendant speak to each passenger with a smile and kind words while another seldom smiles or speaks?

Why does one boy on the basketball team say “thank you” and another seldom, if ever, offers a word of thanks?

Why does one person take responsibility for their actions and another never admits fault?

Fascinating? How do we teach people effectively? How can we motivate youth to love hard work? How do we bring hope to the hopeless?

Loving God, loving life, and loving His people is a privilege I cherish. I hope and pray I get to do this for many more years.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Be tolerant of one another and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, you also should forgive.” Colossians 3:12-13

Comments

SPACE PHENOMENA

Without space, life is absent from rhythm.

Life is rhythm therefore life is dead without rhythm. Space is integral to life.

Living in the USA is a precious gift for millions of people. The North American continent is incredibly loaded, actually overloaded, with physical resources, that make us the most powerful country in the world.

The American way since our inception is more and more, bigger and biggest, fast and faster, rich and richer!

Motivation, energy, drive, inspired our forefathers to expand; take lands from the native Americans, win two wars against the Brits, take Texas and California from Mexico,

7.1 million dollars bought Alaska. At the time they called it Seward’ s Folly. Imagine if Russia still owned Alaska, they would be a two-hour flight to Seattle! Alaska is the best land buy in our nation’s history.

Yet as valuable as motivation and drive are they have a dark side. This underbelly is called “too busy.”

The most difficult life skill I face teaching is not to get people to try harder, do more, work more hours. No, the enormous challenge for advising givers is to get people to do less and do more of doing less.

There are two ways I know of to do less; to slow the bus down, to create rhythm in your life. You cannot have rhythm without space.

Baseball pitchers understand rhythm and space. The most difficult pitch for me to learn to throw was not the fastball or curveball; it was the soft, off-speed pitch.

Space creates rhythm. Too busy is a strong indication space is missing from our lives.

Tragically far too many build a snowball in the best years of their lives; hitting their 50’s to 60’s in terrible health.

Too many die way too young because they had little or no space. Their margins were too thin.

The true story of a man who has given his mind, body, time and even his family for the large school he leads.

On the last day of school give your two bosses a sign that says, “Please do not call me during this time period. I will not be available until work begins the first day of school in 2018.”

Result: Family had two weeks together. They found a wonderful family rhythm. His words.

“It was wonderful. Did not know I could do it. Best thing I have done in years.”

Comments

THE PLAIN PAIN TRUTH

Mother speaking to her distraught daughter says, “Sorry, honey we can’t teach pain to stop hurting.”

A little boy falls in the bathtub; cuts his forehead; cries out, “Stop the pain, mommy, I’ll be good!”

It is really this simple therefore it is wise to embrace pain as a friend, not a foe.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. – Hebrews 12:11

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. – James 1:2-3

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. – Romans 8:18

Comments

KINDNESS

The ancient Greeks and Romans had a word chréstotés for slaves who went beyond being good. Slaves who went the extra mile to serve others with useful goodness.

Jennifer tells the story of a man in India who, for 18 years, took a hand pick and shovel to dig a path through the mountains. His wife had died suddenly because it took too long to get medical attention. 18 years of useful goodness made it possible to get medical help in less time.

Being mindful of the ways people in our lives demonstrate useful goodness is step one.

When I witness the rarity of humans expressing intentional gratitude when they are recipients of useful goodness, it leads me to think of my missed opportunities to acknowledge useful goodness.

Today at lunch, a busboy raced out of his way to bring extra bread to our table. Jennifer said, “Dad, did you notice you did not say thank you?”

Thankfully, at that moment Jennifer was iron in my life (Proverbs 27:17). Before departing, a thank you was delivered and received well.

The amazing reward in being a person of kindness – useful goodness is when the giver nearly always gets more than the getter.

The realization of the benefits of living useful goodness is not nearly enough. The joy and delight is reserved for those of us who practice useful goodness until it becomes the natural fabric of our daily lives.

Clearly, it is still necessary for me to be intentional; to set goals to act with the intent to be kind in such a way it provides useful goodness.

What will you do with today’s WORDS OF HOPE? The reward is waiting for the one who lives useful goodness.

Comments

IF-THEN PRINCIPLE

KEY STATEMENT: Every IF statement is usually followed with a THEN.

Coach Krzyzewski told his players IF you take care of the ball, play great D, and make shots, THEN you get play time.

The Crowell family planned vacation times were based on the IF-THEN PRINCIPLE as well.

IF A’s came home on the report card, THEN extended vacation to nice places happened. If C grades came home the kids knew the THEN would be “pack lightly vacation was a brief car ride around the block.”

The first time I learned of the IF-THEN PRINCIPLE was from a Hebrew Roman citizen.

While in a dank Roman Prison, St. Paul educated his dear friends at Philippi with this remarkable teaching tool.

The IF’s begin with, “If you have received any encouragement from being united in Christ…”

The 6th THEN is, “Your attitude should be that of Christ Jesus who did not consider yourself to be equal to God but humbled himself, and became a servant… even to death on the CROSS.”

Deep mining for the IF and THEN’s in the gold & silver rich quarry of Philippians 2:1-11 is worth the time and effort.

Comments

WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?

Thinking I was getting another basketball question, Dyson floored me when asked, “What do you think about Jesus Christ?”

Buried deep in my subconscious mind, organized religion was a cemetery of bad experiences; 20 plus years of negativity. Buried, never to resurface until someone or some new experience dredged them up to the conscious mind.

At another time, Lord willing, I will share what is in the grave on the capstone of my organized religion cemetery which has become a resurrected victory.

Dyson’s question was uniquely profound. It was not an informational set answer question. No, it was an elegant personal question that dove into the essence of my existence.

I had no answer! As soon as Dyson left my office. I called Susie to say, “I think I have found someone who can help me.”

Meet My Head Coach gives a detailed account of how I eventually discovered who Jesus was, is, and forever will be.

I close today’s Word of Hope with an elegant question that I have asked thousands of people, “Have you made the wonderful discovery of knowing Jesus personally?”

Comments

ULTIMATE TRUST

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:4

Each day, I find myself discovering ways to be intimate with God, Abba father. The commitment to write Daily Words of Hope has been valuable to my mind and my heart.

Early this morning I began to think about what I would write for tomorrow’s Words of Hope. For some reason I cannot explain, the idea of ultimate trust came to me.

Have you ever stopped to consider how often trust is a common daily experience? Each time I fly on an airplane, I trust the pilot. Each time I eat a meal in a restaurant, I trust the chef. Each time I push the ignition button on my car I trust it will start.

Trust is an amazing phenomenon. Trust is the foundation for a relationship, for business, for marriage, for sports teams, and for faith in an invisible God.

These past few weeks my administrative assistant, Michelle, and I have been working diligently on basketball camps in village Alaska. Eight years ago I met Harley Sundown. Harley introduced me to the Yupik customs and culture. I danced Yupik with a late, angel like mother, who was 93 years old at the time.

Trust is a core value in Yupik culture. My Yupik brothers and sisters have enriched and expanded my life because of the great love they have shown me when treated with respect and dignity.

Trust is critically important. Ultimate trust is the best of the best. The Bible has a great deal to say about trust.

King David, a great warrior, was wise. He said, “I don’t trust in my bow or my sword.” His ultimate trust was the Lord.

If you are convinced mankind is worthy of ultimate trust, watch the movie, “The Big Short.”

Today I feasted on Psalm 118. It is a brief story of how David faced grave danger, yet discovered His God was worthy of ultimate trust.

For some reason today I was asked nearly a dozen times, “How are you feeling, Fred?”

After the first three or four asks this became my standard response, “Don’t ask me how I feel. It is not relevant.”

Comments

LIFE EXPERIENCE

“Experience is a term used to name our mistakes.” – Oscar Wilde

There are four pillars that form the foundation for my meaning and purpose in life.

These are a few keys I have learned in life experiences that compliment Wilder’s definition of experience:

Comments

LOGIC REQUIRES IMAGINATION IMAGINATION NEEDS LOGIC

Logic is like dry toast. Toast with butter and jam is like logic soaked with imagination.

Dry toast gives nourishment. Toast with butter and jam provides nourishment and delight.

Logic fueled by imagination makes the abstract rich and meaningful. Logic void of imagination is dull; tasteless to the senses.

Imagination without logic leads to poor judgment, faulty decision making, and roller coaster thinking.

Logic without imagination leads to rigidity, the absence of emotion, mechanical relationships and loss of joy, love, kindness, passion, and many other delights.

As a basketball coach and a teacher of life for young people, my objective was to train players to play like warriors and to be able to shed tears like a child.

This sounds so simple, yet in reality, it is the most difficult skill of all to master. The intricate balancing act between being a warrior and being a person of kindness and tenderness requires a multitude of life experiences.

These are a few Life Skills examples that display; compassion, love, and commitment.

The fierce warrior is willing to lay his life down for his cause and his people.
The gentle servant is willing to enter into sharing another’s pain and suffering.

The strong warrior prepares and practices to defeat the opponent.
The gentle servant places the needs of others above their own.

Do you have the good fortune to have one like this in your life?

It is most difficult, maybe impossible to be a warrior who can fight to his death and sob at a loved one’s tragedy or death.

Candidly my life changed the moment I knew and understood Jesus Christ embodied the warrior I wanted to be.

Comments

NOT ASHAMED

Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

In recent years race relations have become a daily news event. Some believe the USA is at an all-time low in race relations.

There are many forms of truth. Your truth, his truth, her truth, their truth, and my truth.

It is both a privilege and an honor to share my truth based on personal experience.

Clint Hooper is one the finest players and men I was blessed to coach, as well as call a friend, and a son. Clint called me his spiritual father.

Clint starred on the basketball team at Seattle Pacific U. Clint, wife Francesca, and two-year-old daughter Tracy, drove from Seattle to Tulsa, Oklahoma to join our Athletes in Action basketball team.

When Clint was refueling his car upon arrival, a policeman threatened to arrest him for no reason other than his skin color.

Clint called me. As soon as possible the policeman and I were in deep discussion.

I demanded Hooper’s immediate release. This experience became the foundation of our life-long friendship.

Of all the men I have known, none have proven to never be ashamed of Jesus Christ more than Clint Hooper.

Clint proved his courage at Louisiana State University as Athletes in Action basketball played the LSU Tigers.

The best player, at the time, I had ever seen play was Pistol Pete Maravich. He was the star player.

For two years AIA gave Pistol Pete all he could handle. Pete gave us more! The Pistol scored 48 in game one; 32 points in game two.

Before game one I was asked how many of my four African Americans did I plan to play at the same time. I said, “Four.”

In front of 10,000 spectators, Clint Hooper walked up to the microphone during the halftime break.

“I grew up in Seattle, Washington. My father is a member of the Black Panthers. I grew up not trusting white people. During college, I realized the world’s problems were not a black, white, yellow, or brown problem. We have a sin problem and until we deal with the sin, the problems will continue. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only solution.”

Tragically Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated just 5 months before Hooper’s courageous words to a potentially hostile Louisiana basketball crowd.

Paul, the Lord’s faithful ambassador made a provocative proclamation to the Roman citizens before being beheaded.

Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.”

Thank you, Clint Hooper, for being iron in my life and for being a faithful servant.

Thank you, MLK for not being ashamed and for taking a stand and giving your life to free people of oppression and racism.

Comments

SATISFIED WITH GOOD THINGS

I wonder what was happening in King David’s dramatic life when he wrote the 103rd Psalm.

From a theological perspective it is brilliant.
Psychologically, David provides wise counsel.
Literary critics find creative genius in the author’s words.

Crowell’s life has been renewed, refreshed, forgiven, and revitalized over and over for the best part of 40 years, as a result of memorizing this Psalm.

David begins with a declaration, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me.”

Remembering where we came from and clinging to precious memories is so good for us. The beauty of a memory is being able to relive it as often as we wish.

In the next 3 verses, David lays three of God’s promises on us that are game changers:
• Forgives all our sins; heals our diseases.
• Crowns us with compassion; redeems us from the pit.
• Satisfies us with good things.

Early in our marriage, Susie often said, “Let’s make great memories because when we are old all we will have are memories.”

Like gold and silver, the riches in God’s Word must be mined. With joy, dear friends, join me today in mining Psalm 103. We won’t be disappointed.

Comments

LIGHTS ON FULL BEAM

“Start living instead of dying.” -S. Crowell

Lights ON living is a moment by moment decision. Today’s modern cars are designed to take human error out of driving.

Driving a vehicle in the dark without headlights and taillights is a recipe for catastrophe. With minimal care, automatic lights are a simple fix. To make sure driver’s pay attention there is a hefty fine for those who neglect repair.

The Psalmist said, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.”

The Gospel writer wrote, “The eyes are a light to the soul.” Mean eyes, mean heart; joyful eyes, joyful heart.

When Moses met with the Lord, he returned to his people with a radiant countenance.

The bride at her wedding dressed in glorious white has a face of beauty. Her eyes pour love and joy. Her lights are on full beam.

What happened to the children who drag themselves out of bed and lifelessly go to school?

Or worse yet, the up to 25% of kids who skip school each day. One of four children is walking dead.

The Bible story about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead had significant implications for any person who chooses life over death.

Walking alive or walking dead is a moment by moment choice. For the person who recently told me, “I don’t know, I don’t have the tools to solve my problem,” I say this with emphatic confidence.

Neither do I have the tools to fix your problem or even my own problem, however, there is a book of proven reliability that has the tools to fix your problems and my problems.

It is so easy yet so difficult. The easy part is admitting we need help, we don’t have the answers and we must turn to God for now his grace and his mercy and his love go to work in our lives.

Comments

FUTURE, PRESENT, FUNNY FAILURE

FACT: Future failure is fearful; Present failure is painful; Past failure is funny.

As a boy, one of my weaknesses was doing stupid things when people said, “I dare you.”

One afternoon in August just before grade 9, two of my buddies, Brian W and Brian R were walking with me towards town on Commercial Avenue in Anacortes, a beautiful island town in Washington.

As we walked by a local drugstore Brian W said, “I dare you to walk into the drug store and buy a pack of rubbers. Here is 75 cents to go buy them.”

Mind you this was in the 1950s. I had never seen a rubber let alone bought one. It wasn’t like today were some schools actually sell them.

Being totally ignorant, I walked into the drugstore, stepped up to the counter and said to the pharmacist, “I want to buy a pack of rubbers.”

The look on the pharmacy face in retrospect is priceless. I can’t recall anyone having bigger eyes than Tommy as he passed the package to me.

The story gets even better. The first thing we did was make a balloon. It sailed into the sky. We laughed like little kids.

Using my modest business skills, I sold the second one for cents in Latin class to my friend Joe.

A few days later when I came home from school, my wonderful, amazing mother confronted me with these words, “Mike tells me you are selling rubbers at the high school. What is going on?”

Mike had left the third rubber on his dresser. Mom was not happy. Fred was in deep weeds.

There has been tons of laughter as my brother Mike retells this story; usually at my expense. He tells it so well.

Failure is an opportunity to learn. No longer am I quick to accept I dare you’s.

Failure is an opportunity to eliminate what does not work in order to find what does work. Failure does not discourage me.

Failure is an opportunity to become brave and strong. Failure turns me to true power and purpose.

No words in my vocabulary bring me victory over failure than the promises the Lord gives in Psalms chapter 23 and 103.

Comments

SWEEP “IT”UNDER THE RUG

The “IT” can be dust and dirt; depression, anger, resentment, bitterness, addictions, and even suicide.

If you don’t tell “IT,” you will not be an embarrassment to you and family.

Stuffing the closets full of clutter makes for a presentable living area but an unmanageable closet.

Denying personal trauma and pain help you look good on the outside but you are dying slowly on the inside.

The finest psychology, philosophy, theology, and basketball book that was ever written teaches guarding the heart above all else, renewing the mind and presenting your body as a living sacrifice, which is like cleaning under the rug and organizing the closet with excellence.

What’s under your life rug and in your closet? This is a deep dive into your interior life.

When was the last time you did a deep dive into you? This is existential self-diagnosis. It isn’t fun!

For 8 long years the deep dive, physical diagnosis, has been a near monthly ritual. Generally, my blood pressure climbs during these visits.

Too soon I will have an MRI and a neurological exam to satisfy my Oncologists concerns.

“Fred, it has been 4 years since you had an MRI. I want to see what is going on to be sure.”

…Doc, I know my mind doesn’t work normally. I have never been normal. I don’t want to do this test.

What can we learn from this dialogue between oncologist any patient about sweeping life’s dirt under the rug and stuffing the pain in our life closet?

For schools and universities pretending it didn’t happen, or hiding suicides from the public is an unhealthy practice. For those in the know of the situation not discussing it or bringing it to the surface is like having an elephant in the room.

One of the bravest men I know is a father in Alaska whose son committed suicide. He spoke openly about his son’s death with the intent that it would never happen again in his village. Years have gone by without a suicide.

Untold thousands of people are living in silence and loneliness in the black box experience called depression.

They are too ashamed to tell anyone. They sweep it under the rug or toss it into the closest.

Comments

THE WONDER OF CHILDREN

Let’s delight in children. Enjoy these photos and videos of kids at NBC camps.

“Dad I never knew how much you loved me until I had a child.” – Thankful Father

“All I have ever wanted to be is a basketball coach because I love children and I love to see them grow and develop.” -High school coach

If you want to be young all the days of your life, act like a child because they never grow old. -An old, happy man.

Love is an attitude. Attitudes can be controlled through personal discipline. Love, thus is a decision of the will.

Comments

TERRIFIC TUESDAYS

Is it possible to consciously decide to delegate Tuesdays as the day of the week to make terrific things happen?

1: unusually fine: magnificent terrific weather
2: extraordinary terrific speed
3: exciting or fit to excite fear or awe a terrific thunderstorm

The conscious mind instructs the subconscious mind to be alert and to bring past experiences to the conscious level.

When we awaken the mind to seek terrific opportunities, Tuesday’s are no longer just another ordinary day of the week.

Paul urges us, no he does more than urge; he exhorts us as a coach inspires his team to suck it up and fight for the prize to experience a terrific Tuesday.

Today’s prize Paul speaks of is presenting your body as a living sacrifice and to be alive in your conscious mind to discover terrific opportunities today.

And why should it be so easy to have a have a terrific Tuesday? Life doesn’t work that way.

All great things required great action; all worthwhile prizes demand challenging effort; all terrific days require terrific focus and commitment.

One of the most motivational passages of Scripture is Paul’s writings to the brothers and sisters in Rome.

Read slowly and carefully Paul’s expectation with the intent to make this your terrific Tuesday.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:1-8

Comments

MISSION POSSIBLE

Knowing how you want to live is the first step in living the way you want to live. – FJC

At one time the television series, Mission Impossible, was one of the most popular programs in America. Each week a seemingly impossible mission with life or death consequences captivated millions of viewers.

Mission POSSIBLE, real life, is far more important than escaping into a TV fantasy world.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of humanity does not know their MISSION for a single day; not to mention a week, a year, or a lifetime.

Mission Monday is a conscious focused decision to open the vault into one’s subconscious mind where our precious personal belief system is stored.

The miracle of the subconscious mind is that no one, absolutely no one, has the combination of the vault housing our subconscious mind.

Unless of course, we give them the code to our vault. This is exactly the same concept as giving up the codes to our computer.

The aerial photo of Natalya Alexis Ferch starring as the ghost of Christmas Past in Charles Dickens Christmas Carol is a graphic example of mission possible.

Mission possible requires Precise Planning and Practice. Flying high above the audience keeping perfect balance while singing and acting for 30 minutes required Natalya to spent hours and hours planning and practicing. She was on mission possible.

Truth Statement: The will to plan and prepare to win is more important than the will to win.

Rhett Soliday, head basketball coach at Vanguard University had never caught a fish in the ocean.

TJ Scott, Metlakatla, Alaska’s excellent boys’ basketball coach and master fish catcher treated NBC coaches to a fabulous fishing experience.

The video clearly proves mission possible demand’s Total Focus and Total Commitment. Watch Coach Soliday catch his first salmon. Note his TF&TC as the fish reaches it’s destination

People passionate about good-looking footwear and lovers of basketball will delight in this photo.

Imagination, Beauty and Creativity spring forth from this photo. The imagination of the photographer. The beauty of color and the creativity of originality of the basketball.

The eight diamond shapes make basketball unique and very effective in teaching shooting accuracy.

Working where you are into what you want it to be is when your mission possible becomes a reality.

Comments

THE PERFECT CHURCH

Key Statement: if it is true, and I firmly believe it is true, there are three kinds of churches.

The church in your community
The church in your home
The church in your personal life

When I hear someone say, “I don’t like church,” it moves me to think this person does not understand that church can be anywhere you wish it to be.

The benefit of having church in a community is that it provides an opportunity to experience love, belonging, and support from other people.

The benefit of having church at home with family is that it provides an opportunity for a family to experience the love and joy of God in each other’s lives in a special setting.

The benefit of having church in a forest by the seaside, in a private room at home, driving the car, or any place where you can quiet your mind and heart is that you can experience the love of God anywhere.

As always, in my church experience, the word of God is the center, so I leave you with these verses for today’s church experience:

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.”

Comments

SEIZE SERENDIPITY

How two words definitions seem to contradict each other but in real life bring amazing results.

King David’s army seized city after city until there were no more enemies to defeat.

General George S. Patton seized the momentum to defeat Rommel in a great tank battle in Africa.

Mark Phelps seized the opportunity to maximize his talent and relentless love of hard work win gold medal after gold medal.

Whereas serendipity just by the rhythm of the word speaks of joyfulness, a place of peace and contentment.
Serendipity evokes kindness in my bones.

Seize evokes – get your hard hat and steel pointed shoes on. It’s game time.

I like both words. For years now, it has become clear from life experience, that a boy becomes a man when he has prepared himself:

To seize the moment, the hour, the day. He will fight to his death to protect his family and defend his core values at all cost.

To have serendipity. The skill to be kind and gentle. To thank with gratitude. To say, I love you. To say, will you forgive me? What was that like for you when I hurt you?

The measure of a man is to be a warrior when necessary and gentle as a dove when appropriate.

Comments

MEMORIES

Over 50 years ago Susie King Crowell said to me, “Fred, let’s make great memories because when we are old, all we will have left will be memories.

After two years of courtship and 54 years of marriage, Susie’s wisdom has proven to be accurate.

We have a thick book of memories that have shaped our lives and given us not only great joy but passion to make more memories.

A little boy with his catalog of toys under his arm months prior to Christmas, with over $1,000 in toys marked for Santa to bring him gleams with anticipation.

The diehard football fanatics eagerly waiting for the first football game. Some even spend hours upon hours researching to build their fantasy team.

This is the best of the 3 experiences because it can be experienced over and over and over again.

The remarkable thing about memories is that some of the ones we enjoy best are those that at the time were not enjoyable at all.

Recently 37 of us visited Italy on a basketball tour. The plane was delayed for hours and hours. Instead of spending our first night in Naples Italy, we were overnighted in Paris.

One of many problems was being held up at the Paris airport for over five hours because a passenger left a green bag on the floor. The police shut the airport down.

Rather than waste time, the players went through a one hour Paris airport Crowell basketball workout. People stopped, looked on with unbelieving eyes, some even laughed.

This negative experience turned into a very positive experience. 37 people will remember this day for the rest of their lives. The Paris workout will be a chapter in their life memory book.

One idea would be to write a memory book of your life for your children and grandchildren to read.

The second idea would be to make a great memory today and tomorrow and the next day and the day after that.

On the Crowell 2018 Greatest Year Plan – thankfulness is a focused conscious level actionable goal.

Comments

PUPPY LOVE - HUMAN LOVE

It’s amazing how quickly puppies learn to love the one who serves them with food and continuous attention.

In the human realm, nothing compares to the sacrifice of laying your life down for another.

The first verse in the Bible I learned at age 24 was, “But God showed his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

Hate hardens the heart; love softens the heart. Hate destroys life; love creates life.

At my mother’s funeral a Priest, who was no Father to me, said with a finger pointed to my chest, “You’re going to hell.”

With burning coal eyes and fists clenched, my words of defiance speared the priest,“I would be glad to go to hell as long as you are not there.”

Only supernatural love could heal my heart of stone. The miracle of God’s Good News. He even uses puppies along with people to love us and heal our hearts.

Life is just way too complicated. This is where puppies fit into this story so well.

Puppies lives are quite simple; eat, sleep pee, poop, sleep, play, sleep, pee, poop, eat your shoes, sleep. They don’t go to dog college to learn to love.

Love takes minimal time.
Love requires words but not many.
Love must be pure and honest.
Love must serve without demands.
Love must set people free not shame them.
Love must give more than you get.

Imagine what a wonderful world it would be if people would love each other like puppies love their human family.

It is that simple yet so hard to do.
Who needs an I love you today?
Who needs a call from you today?
Who needs a letter from you?
Who needs you to give them attention?

Think I will go play with our new puppy, Cocoa. Hope you get busy loving all of His creation.

Comments

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Everybody is selling something. What’s for sale and are we willing to pay the price are critical questions.

Years ago, Susie and I pulled into a car dealership to look at cars, not to buy. I still see that salesman aggressively asking, “Do you like that car?”

Unwillingness to forgive eventually costs you health, relationships, joy, and peace.

Smoking, on average, adds 10 years to your face and an earlier visit to the mortician.

College loans can get you a degree and free money until graduation; then Uncle Sam wants it ALL back at nearly 7% interest!

Credit cards are easy and free to get. I think our two Poms, Keiki and Mighty Might, could qualify. When the debt gets too big to pay off to ZERO, 22% torture is a common fee. Ouch!

For far too many, the cost is way too high. Just like the 18k car I was willing to pay 5k for.

The cost, if you choose moment by moment to be your best you, is all you have in your life skills tool box.

Dr. Saint Paul said it best, “Whatever you have in your hand, do it with everything you have for the glory of God.”

The amazing reality, the closer we come to being our best self, the closer we come to living in His image.

Comments

FROM NOW ON

Movies are delightful experiences for the Crowell – Ferch families. Recently we watched Hugh Jackman star in the life story of PT Barnham.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is in the top five 2017 money makers. Some don’t like the movie; more do! The 7 of us loved it!!!

The movie spoke to me because PT Barnum grew up in poverty. For a boy whose mother died and father was sent to debtor’s prison, London was a cruel and harsh place.

The Crowell boyhood years were not nearly as difficult as PT’s. Yet poverty is poverty.

Like Barnham the 6 Crowell kids knew we were poor. Many poor grow up not knowing they are poor.

How many four and five-year-old boys do you know that had their Christmas present repossessed?

At age 4 the family was downtown. There in front of a hardware store was our magnificent, red, battery driven jeep. It wasn’t broken as we were told; it had a for sale sign on it.

There is a huge difference between not knowing you are poor and knowing you are poor!

Knowing you are poor creates a large hole in your heart and shame in your subconscious mind where your belief system is housed.

PT Barnum conquered his world. He became world famous, yet it was never enough. Success could not fill the hole in his heart and the shame in his subconscious mind. PT was obsessed with being accepted and successful in the eyes of the elite.

This obsession motivated Barnham to take substantial financial risks. PT hit rock bottom. In the movie which played loose with the true facts of PT’s life, he lost everything including his wife.

Bankruptcy was PT Barnum’s crucible moment. He was set free from the prison of Never Enough.

Jackman, in my view performs at an Academy Award level. When he sings FROM NOW ON my eyes water and my heart pounds.

Sitting in a chair in the dark, gloomy room at the University of Washington medical center in 2010 was the beginning of Fred Crowell’s From Now On song in my heart.

Doc replied, “Well, Fred, I think you have 3 years, 2 ok ones and a tough 3rd year with chemo.”

Fact of the matter is Crowell’s sympathy and patience tank has run dry from all the excuses people hit me with on a daily basis.

Comments

THE SMART START

Is it possible that 2018 could be the best year ever in your entire life? Even if it were remotely possible why not go for it? What do we have to lose?

Mission Monday – Bring from the subconscious to the conscious mind level; How do I want to live? How will I live my mission?

Terrific Tuesday – Live in such a way that the creation of one terrific experience is my reality each and every Tuesday. Keep a record for year.

Wonderful Wednesday – Bring to the conscious level all the wonders around me, in and through me. See the small miracles!

Thankful Thursday – Accelerate and expand the gift of a thankful heart. Moment by moment live in thankfulness.

Forgive Friday – Forgive people as I wish people would forgive me. Rid self of all anger, resentment, bitterness, and negative talk about others.

Sunshine Saturday – Focus to make my own interior sunny weather. This is my day to enjoy. relax, restore, and rejoice day.

Silence Sunday – Silence is the essential nourishment for all virtues to grow to full bloom.

Silence is like the pure water springs from the earth. Without silence, virtues starve.

Silence is the first step to discover one’s sacred place. The secret garden is where God can be experienced at the deepest levels.

We alone create our own personal sacred and secret place. No one can do it for us.

Once we enter our sacred place we are now ready to begin the journey to our secret garden hidden in our soul and spirit.

Every person has a secret garden. Unfortunately far too many live a lifetime and never experience its wonders.

For those who find their secret garden, know and understand it is the best vacation place in the world. No place on earth surpasses the grace and beauty of being in the presence of Abba Father, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Be joyful always
Pray without ceasing
In all things give thanks
For this is God’s will
In Christ Jesus
Concerning
Fred Crowell

Comments

FINISHING IS HARDER THAN STARTING

Comments

DESTINY

Key statement: Destiny is the product of habits; habits are the products of actions; actions are the products of words; words are the products of thoughts, and thoughts are the products of dreams.

Positive destinies originate from positive dreams; negative destinies originate from negative dreams.

Shann asked his father, Tom, “What went wrong with your father, why did he end up a beaten down man?”

The difference between great leaders, great fathers, great mothers, great teachers, great coaches, great mentors, and mediocre ones, is their ability to visualize what a person can become; not who or what they are at the present time.

I think this means the great ones can see the destiny before the dream is even imagined in the student of learning.

Moscow Idaho, 1961, a young college freshman was on the brink of flunking out of the University of Idaho. On a dismal and cold winter day, Dr. Leon Green placed his hand on this young athlete’s shoulder.

Dr. Green said these positive words, “I see greatness in you, come major in physical education and I will mentor you.”

Five years later this boy had become a young man ready to enter the professional world.

Once again Dr. Leon Green was the man of the hour. Fred Crowell needed new thoughts and new words to reach his dream of becoming a college basketball coach.

Crowell had lost out on several coaching jobs. Doc said, “Hey Crowell, they need a basketball coach at the University of Alaska. Why don’t you apply?”

Two weeks later the University of Alaska hired coach Crowell as it’s head men’s basketball coach. Knock knock. Whose there? Destiny, I have been waiting for you.

Fred Crowell woke at 1:57 am today. A dream woke me. Today I have a new destiny.

Tomorrow I see the oncologist to get news of my most recent blood draw. The news will not change my new destiny.

If you can’t tell me what it is in 20 seconds or less, I urge you to get busy. Know your destiny. Make a new one today.

Comments

THE GOD OF HOPE

Hope is the anchor to our souls.

Spiritually speaking, faith, hope, and love are the three greatest words. Love being number one.

Love is patient
Love is joy
Love is peace
Love is goodness
Love is kind
Love is gentleness
Love is self-control
Love is faithfulness

Hope is our anchor to our love and faith. Hope gets us through the storms and devastations of life.

Comments

THE GOD OF HOPE

Hope is the anchor to our souls.

Spiritually speaking, faith, hope, and love are the three greatest words. Love being number one.

Love is patient
Love is joy
Love is peace
Love is goodness
Love is kind
Love is gentleness
Love is self-control
Love is faithfulness

Hope is our anchor to our love and faith. Hope gets us through the storms and devastations of life.

Comments

GOD IS NOT DEAD

What would it mean to you; how would your life be different if it were proven without dispute as an absolute fact that God was dead?

As a 5 year old, my hero was Santa Claus. I believed fervently in Jolly Old St. Nick. My parents truly loved the Christmas Season.

On Christmas tree hunting days, Mom made hot chocolate for the trip to the woods. All six kids helped find just the right tree, yet Mom had final say.

Decorating the tree was a family ritual. It had to be done perfectly, down to the last strand of tinsel. The Crowells loved Christmas. Still do!

A high level secrecy was kept in place to ensure the good name of Santa was kept safe. All presents were given in His name. Presents were often stored at friend’s homes so clever brother Mike couldn’t find them.

One summer day, I was playing in the attic at long time friend Brian’s house. For some reason ended up getting in an argument about Santa. Brian told me to go ask his mom if there was a real Santa Clause.

Mom stopped her work. She had the face every parent knows; it is news you don’t want to tell your child.

I dashed into Mike and I’s bedroom, dove on my bed, and sobbed. That day changed my life. I now knew the truth and the truth hurt.

Poverty was our reality. There was no Santa bringing gifts for being good. You better watch out, you better not cry you better not pout Santa’s coming… all hog wash!

Fact is, if it could be proven with the same finality that God is dead and Jesus is just a different version of Santa Claus I would be devastated. I would know I gave 100% of my being for a lie; a cruel deception.

Everything about my life would be different. I would think, speak, act differently. Susie and I would spend our money differently.

NBC Camps would not be the same. No longer would we believe lives could be changed.

No longer would I have hope in eternal life. My view of philosophy, psychology, creation, a covenant marriage and on and on would change.

For more reasons than there is room or time to share, I declare with 100% conviction God is alive and Jesus Christ beat death on a cruel Roman cross. To me, this fact is pure gold.

Because He lives, I too shall live and will be with Him and all His saints in heaven. So many people I deeply love are waiting for me and when He calls I am ready to join them, most of all my Mom and Uncle Walt.

How would your life be different if God were dead? My hope is that you would be as devastated and sad as me.

My joy is that the possibility that God is dead is as possible as me putting my car on my back and carrying it across the USA.

If in this present life we have a hope resting on Christ, and nothing more, we are more to be pitied than all the rest of the world. But, in reality, Christ has risen from among the dead, being the first to do so of those who are asleep. – 1 Corinthians 15:19-20

Comments

Merry Christmas

Warm and delightful Merry Christmas wishes to all Words of Hope readers-friends.

This WOH is my Christmas gift to you. The information presented here is not from a book or instruction manual, they are God’s Biblical truths learned through years of pain, through failure and recovery.

It is not our victories or failures that make us. It is our never quit attitude. It is getting back up over and over again, it is our recovering from the hardships of life that build who we are.

These truths are my daily game plan, day by day to kick cancer in his teeth and beat him to the ground till he cries, uncle.

Please do more than read this. Do it, because in 90 days it may be your best 2016 present.

Happiness is my new name for 90 days! You all bring happiness to me as I reflect back all the WOH’s the Lord has given me to write.

This is my present to you this Christmas:

After all these years I believe emotional intelligence is the essence of all good education. EQ trumps IQ.

FRED CROWELL’S GAME CHANGER EQ SKILL MASTERY- 90 DAYS!
(baby steps one day at a time. Learn to “win the moment”)

Comments

THE WORD OF GOD - LIFE’S INSTRUCTION BOOK

Early this dark, snowy Monday morning, on my lap lay a richly covered brown leather Bible. It is my favorite one because it was given to me by a special friend.

Obviously, the Bible means different things to many people. We did not have a Bible in our home when I grew up, yet I had respect for it.

One Christmas, early in our marriage, Susie and I we were playing Monopoly. I was accused of cheating. Susie, her sister, and her sister’s husband challenged me to swear on the Bible that I did not cheat.

Even though I did not know or believe in the Bible, when I placed my hand on the big black book, I said, “I don’t think I cheated.” All of us erupted into laughter.

Years later I found myself in a difficult situation. Reluctantly, I had agreed to debate whether the Bible was true or false. (You can read about this in great detail in my book Meet my Head Coach if you’re interested).

My prep time began at the university library. Reading as much as my busy schedule as a basketball coach at the University of Alaska permitted, I was somewhat prepared to speak with a level of intelligence about whether the Bible was fact or fiction.

Intellectually, I realized the Bible was true. Yet emotionally, I was unwilling to embrace the demands set forth in the Bible. The cost seemed too expensive. At this point in my life, Basketball and the Bible were incongruent.

One day before basketball practice while skimming through a Bible concordance, I was amazed what the word of God had to say about jealousy, bitterness, laziness, selfishness and other character qualities that rob teams of their potential.

I thought to myself, “If I can really know this book, I can solve most of my players’ personal problems.” Years later, Northwest Counseling was founded on Psychological and proven Biblical principles. Thus the birth of NBC camps.

These past 50 years, the word of God, who became flesh and dwelt amongst us, has become my most treasured life gift.

I call it a gift because I didn’t earn the faith system given to me by the grace and mercy of God.

Therefore, I really understand why some of my friends struggle with saying yes to Jesus Christ.

Rather than try to influence them with logic, I know love is the one way to help open minds and hearts. Force doesn’t work on changing us either. God alone can change us.

For Susie and me, the word St. John so careful records in His Gospel of Good News changed and transformed our philosophy of living.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
– John 13:34-35

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
– John 1:1

Comments

JOY IS A PRECIOUS CHRISTMAS GIFT

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no “brief candle” for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

PRACTICE JOY – What you appreciate appreciates. Live appreciation by seeing the best in creation, people and life.

SING JOY – Happy people sing: in the shower, in the car, under their breath, in their head.

WHISTLE JOY – My uncle Walt was one of the happiest people I knew growing up. He whistles often.

IMITATE JOY – We all have joyful people in our past and present. Imitation is the highest form of praise.

Rejoice in the Lord. Again I say rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all. – Philippians 4:5

UNFINISHED MAN - REVISITED

A tribute to one of the world’s great artists.

Comments

DRINK WATER

“Two types of drinkable water. Water from God’s earth and water from GOD’S heart. We need both.”

Comments

RESENTMENT- PALMS UP PALMS DOWN

Comments

ENCOURAGEMENT IS OXYGEN

Comments

LESS IS BETTER

Comments

SUNRISES - GOD'S GUARANTEE

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” – Jesus

Comments

THE GIFT OF CHOICE

Three choices; two usually poor ones!

Comments

LEADING MEN FOR 50 YEARS

Comments

LIFE EXPERIENCE

Each life experience has the potential to reward us three times.

Comments

DESPERATE CHILD NEEDS

Comments

MESSENGER - MESSAGES

“If people accept the message, they will embrace the messenger. If people reject the message, they will reject the messenger.” -S. Crowell

Comments

WILL AND WHAT?

Two extremely important, yet uncommon questions that bring relational healing.

Comments

SHOUT OUTS

Comments

I Love Reading WOH

Comments

NBC Camps Maui,

Comments

Thank You

Comments

Than You Fred

Comments

Tonight's big win at OCU.

Comments

Former NBC'er

Comments

GOOD BRAG BAD BRAG

Comments

NO TAXES?

I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethoughts of grief. – Wendell Berry

Comments

RESCUED

Comments

PRACTICALLY PERFECT

Perfection is a noble concept yet it is a fallacious possibility.

Comments

THE BEST MOVIE EVER

The academy award winning, best picture you have seen in your lifetime, is you. You are the screenwriter, the producer, director, lead actor, and in charge of promotion and sales.

Comments

ATTITUDE IS KING

Thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits, and habits become your destiny.

Comments

THE LAW OF RESTITUTION - RECONCILIATION

“You can never do too much for Him who has done so much for us.” -The late Coach T.

Comments

CURIOSITY TRUMPS ANGER

Comments

STORY COLLISIONS

The tendency is to believe the first story told and forget there are two sides to every story.

Comments

SOMETHING BETTER

Valuable life lessons in integrity.

Comments

HEALTHY SILENCE

Comments

THE DETACHMENT PRINCIPLE

Comments

PEOPLE WATCH YOU

Comments

THE LAW OF FORGIVENESS

The universe is governed by laws. Obedience to the law preserves life. Disobedience to these laws may lead to destruction.

JOY COMES IN THE MORNING
I BELONG TO JESUS
JESUS IS MINE