About the Author
Fred Crowell has 69 year life experience as a player, coach and father. Coached teams with wins over Washington, Oregon, USC, Kansas St, Illinois, and Rhode Island.
Latest Words of Hope Posts
18
Nov
I love James Clear’s work on “atomic habits,” and his research on how to make long lasting changes. Dad naturally understood how to build tiny...
15
Nov
The apostle Paul encouraged us not to be anxious about anything. Unfortunately, too few people take his admonition seriously or take the time to learn...
13
Nov
One of the greatest gifts my dad had as a father was his insistence on total relational transparency regarding emotions. He wanted a home where...
11
Nov
As my husband Shann and I meet with Goldenwood, this unique community not only prayerfully considers gifting but more powerful considerations. They ask these two...
9
Nov
America has been portrayed as a lady—a lady of grace and beauty from sea to shining sea, purple mountain’s majesty, amber waves of grain, among...
6
Nov
My husband Shann and I are part of a beautiful community of believers who participate in an organization called Goldenwood. This program is designed to...
4
Nov
One of our staff posted something on their social media which deeply grieved another staff member. This is always challenging. How do we handle our...
1
Nov
St. Paul wrote letters beautifully to his friends, especially after establishing Christian communities. This is what he did to his friends in Corinth, Greece, a...
30
Oct
I opened my office drawer for a notecard and found the one I selected was already written on in my dad’s handwriting. It’s a card...
28
Oct
One of my friends says a powerful prayer when something difficult or challenging happens in her life or in the lives of those she prays...
25
Oct
You must build hope, for the day will come when it is desperately needed! Myelin is a coating that covers your circulatory neurons. Every time...
23
Oct
As my husband Shann and I read and pray through Hebrews every night, we are struck by the admonition to look to the invisible realm...
22
Oct
Dad and I had lovely conversations. He was a masterful listener and question-asker most of the time. When we had a spare moment, he might...
18
Oct
For by grace we have been saved through faith not of works lest any man should boast. – Paul The Christian faith presents many paradoxes,...
16
Oct
Dad believed and lived that God was speaking to him. He prayed to attentively listen and hear what God was saying. Interestingly, it rarely had...
14
Oct
I am back writing Words of Hope for the remainder of the year. I took a lengthy break for several reasons. Mostly because I was sad....
26
Dec
I am keeping a gratitude timer on my phone. Every hour and a half, I check in with myself. How grateful have I been? How much news...
21
Dec
One of the stories Dad and I loved came from an experiment designed to see how well people can spot talent. The experiment included one of the...
20
Dec
One of the practices of contemplative prayer is eliminating prayer as performance. I consider how much poor religion gravitates toward perfection, judgment, us and them,...
19
Dec
The other day I was praying through Colossians 1:9-14. I was praying about myself which is interesting because the passage is about praying for others....
18
Dec
God has been surprising me lately. I have been meditating on these verses, “Do not be anxious about anything but through prayer and supplication, with...
14
Dec
Dad and I often talked together in surprise how fearful people are to compassionately engage in difficult conversations. Instead, they turn to avenues that destroy...
12
Dec
I appreciate my dad so much because of how he dispelled the fear and chaos of conflict. Conflict can be part of a passionate life....
11
Dec
At the core of all systems of love is listening, mutual respect, serving others, repentance, gratitude, and joy. Health looks complete from top to bottom...
8
Dec
I was visiting my daughter in New York City, and we stepped into a French pastry shop. Two beautiful young girls were selecting macrons with...
7
Dec
I was becoming high and mighty about fathers and their need to change when my husband Shann reminded me that a critical, hateful woman will...
6
Dec
In this advent season, I love to read the first chapters of the Book of Luke. I am struck by John coming to prepare people...
5
Dec
I have been praying for the discipline to trust the Giver of Good Gifts. I believe God loves to surprise and delight us beyond what...
4
Dec
I find the research on complaining so powerful. Complaining or listening to complaining for thirty minutes impairs and diminishes the intellectual part of the brain....
1
Dec
The scripture passages I read this morning had a verse that has been reverberating in my mind. “When it was time for Elizabeth to have...
30
Nov
A friend sent me a video of their school singing the worship song, “Goodness of God” by CeCe Winans. This is the song our family...
29
Nov
One of the recent devotional messages asked me to picture Jesus as He weeps over Jerusalem. He laments, “If you, even you, had only recognized...
27
Nov
One of my daughters enjoys true crime podcasts. She told me of a real estate agent who sensed something was wrong with a couple that...
24
Nov
Sometimes, when I start to pray my mind wanders over the myriad of tasks I have for the day. Sometimes everywhere I turn, my mind...
23
Nov
I recently researched the benefits of gratitude. I am still surprised how overwhelmingly transformative gratitude is to our health and wellbeing, to our relationships, and...
22
Nov
I am always surprised by transformation. There are so many stories throughout history of people on a tragic trajectory until grace intervenes and changes the...
21
Nov
My husband Shann and I have been discussing bitterness. It’s a deceptive emotion and incredibly dangerous. Most people struggle to notice they are bitter because...
20
Nov
I have been reading Proverbs recently. Dad loved this book of the Bible, and we talked about it often. He and I both struggle with...
17
Nov
I have been at my parents’ place, praying where my dad prayed. I imagine him here and picture him praying. Henri Nouwen, one of my...
16
Nov
God is always surprising me. Several years ago, a man trained up by us at NBC took all our training, investment, and information and tried...
15
Nov
I have been thinking about how crisis reveals truth. What does difficulty show about the underlying fabric of a home, marriage, business, or nation? When...
14
Nov
One statement that has been thrilling my mind is this, “The natural habitat for truth is human conversation.” How we speak to others reveals how...
13
Nov
I have been considering how regret is a stronger emotion than gratitude. Regret can overrun our desire for gratitude. It can invade our thoughts and...
10
Nov
I read recently that gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. It counteracts against the four most toxic emotions: envy, bitterness, regret, and depression. I...
9
Nov
We had a staff meditation on Psalm 4 and Philippians 4:4-8. These are some of my favorite memory verses. I am always surprised by the...
8
Nov
A friend of mine posted on Facebook a description of the physical suffering of Jesus on the cross. I never realized the loss of blood...
7
Nov
Dad and I would discuss why Bible classes in Christian schools and colleges were often the worst classes, boring, uninspired, didactic, and lacking. I think about this...
6
Nov
We have had a vibrant fall this year. As the chlorophyll dissipates from the leaves, their true colors are revealed. The color deepens with the...
3
Nov
I have a few friends having babies soon and one of the fun parts is to learn the name. It’s amazing how children live into...
2
Nov
I drove by a sign that said, “God uses us to love people.” I have felt tremendously loved by others. My mom and dad loved...
1
Nov
I met with a beautiful friend about grief. She asked me about my journey with Dad’s death and how it has affected me. “Like a...
27
Oct
Sometimes I imagine Dad riding next to me in the car. We might pray together, or I will ask him a question. I loved to...
26
Oct
My husband Shann was speaking recently to a group of people describing his life before Christ came to him with healing power. He had been...
25
Oct
Dad always believed that philosophies would play out to reveal the best way to live. An acquaintance from church in my younger life turned his...
24
Oct
Sometimes we think we are God. We act like we alone know what He wants and others need to listen to us. What we find...
23
Oct
Sometimes I wrestle with what to pray for others. I have learned that praying for something specific may not be what God wants. Instead, I...
20
Oct
My daughter is in her Freshman year at Pepperdine. This past week a group of senior girls were walking in a busy part of the...
19
Oct
My dad loved spontaneity, but he also loved ceremony. He believed events required the joy of planning, the importance of tangible ways to talk about...
18
Oct
I have made my house a memory palace which is a device to help me remember things. Near my sink is one of my favorite...
17
Oct
I love this quote, “There are people who go on infinitely preparing for life and not living it.” I can be like this. Most of...
16
Oct
In our office there is a photo of my friend’s son who died recently in an accident. He is smiling and as I walk by,...
12
Oct
I was talking to a woman about our family’s mealtime conversation and daily spotlighting. She looked skeptical. “What if you had a sullen child who...
11
Oct
With war stories and upsetting news, I believe the most powerful decision is to praise and pray. When we as followers of Christ become afraid,...
10
Oct
Dad understood leverage which can be a tough concept to grasp. In my opinion, Dad understood leverage so well on the basketball court which helped...
6
Oct
My dad started a practice of letter writing at camp and for the last fifty-plus summers, student-athletes pause during the week to write a letter to...
5
Oct
I have heard two sermons now on the devil. They are both wildly confusing and humbling stories. The first is about Job. Satan demands to...
4
Oct
I love the word metanoia. It’s not necessarily a pretty word but the meaning is beautiful to me. It means a change in thinking and...
3
Oct
I like to guess what will happen in the future. I would like to be a prophet. I hate to be caught unprepared. The problem...
2
Oct
I have been mediating on a sentence I wrote last week. “Dad did the work of forgiving his father.” Work is a true description of...
28
Sep
My friend reached out to tell me about a new form of Christian counseling that involves writing out a traumatic story and walking through that...
27
Sep
One of the most misunderstood, difficult concepts on the planet is forgiveness. You can watch a YouTube video of a celebrity recommending not to forgive...
26
Sep
One of my dad’s favorite mentors was a man named Paul Nakai. Paul did so much to elevate our understanding of relational health. He taught...
25
Sep
One of the questions we have been meditating on in the office is, “What do you believe God wants to help you remove or release...
21
Sep
I read a wild verse that I hadn’t noticed before. It says, “Do not rejoice and gloat when your enemy falls, And do not let...
19
Sep
I spoke with Mom about the miracle of my dad’s transformation from aggressive agnostic to total faith. How do these things happen? After his mom...
18
Sep
My mom’s good friend died last week. She was in her early seventies and the epitome of health. Last March, she and mom vacationed together....
14
Sep
This summer we focused on the topic of enthusiasm. It was one of Dad’s favorite words. He loved to ask the camp, “How’s your PMA?”...
13
Sep
Sometimes, I write messages to myself when I am in the middle of a crisis. I keep them as reminders that this painful moment will...
12
Sep
Dad and I loved the story of Joseph. It is such a fascinating consideration for me. Joseph, annoying, openly, and shamelessly favored. He is thoughtless,...
11
Sep
I love thinking about the phrase, “Words of Hope.” I meditate on each piece of the phrase. WORD – Some of my dad’s favorite scripture...
7
Sep
Dad loved scripture. Memorization was a big part of our lives together. We would drive and pray scripture aloud. For example, we memorized 2 Corinthians...
6
Sep
One of the first passages we all memorized as a staff was Psalm 20. It’s my go-to passage for those in distress. I think of...
1
Sep
I have had a long break from Words of Hope for various reasons. Primarily, I needed to regain my footing. I had to accept an...
26
Jun
One of our family friends has an app that’s called “We Croak.” Seven times during the day, a small alarm goes off and a quote...
19
Jun
I am so often surprised by Jesus and I want to know more about His interactions on earth. The story that is shocking me right...
15
Jun
Camp is in full swing with many moving parts and of course unforeseen challenges. Most of these come out of nowhere surprising me without warning. ...
13
Jun
During a poetry night at our house, we played a round of “speed friendship” and then ended with the question, “Who is someone who has...
9
Jun
I liked how Dad spoke to me. He was a great coach because he could take a task that felt daunting and make it very...
8
Jun
The other day I had a few inordinately aggravating difficulties that were more irritations than problems. If you follow Words of Hope regularly, you know what that...
6
Jun
I received a beautiful letter from William May who told me stories about his appreciation for my dad. He shared with me a podcast I...
2
Jun
I was cleaning out a backpack and found a staff meeting paper from March 11, 2020. This was the last time we met in person...
31
May
We have been playing a short game and praying everyday as at our office. I have been curious about building meaningful connection. How do we...
30
May
One meditation I have been speaking in my mind and heart is from Proverbs 13:10, “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is...
29
May
I am feeling afraid to remember. What if I struggle to remember? What if I don’t want to think of all the white crosses and...
26
May
I am so thankful my dad called these little devotionals Words of Hope. I bless him for this. His words do give me strength and hope...
25
May
I have been finding photos of my dad when he is my age. He looks so young and healthy! I can hear him counseling me...
24
May
A close friend sent me a Ted Talk that is the most watched in Ted history. This talk references the longest study of adults done...
23
May
I found a note from my dad. Dad wrote amazing words of encouragement. He celebrated people and made me feel like I could run through...
18
May
I keep thinking about many Christian churches and schools I have witnessed in my life. Here is one thing I deeply admired about my dad....
16
May
We have a chalkboard with the “verse of the week” stenciled across the top hanging above the NBC Camps office sink. The verse we have...
15
May
A friend of ours is doing his dissertation on the phenomenon of forgiveness asking. He is researching the experience of asking forgiveness of family, friends,...
12
May
I love thinking about the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God seems full of joy, life, and abundance. Maybe I believe this because I...
10
May
I love the phrase, “A setback is a setup for a comeback.” I have been chanting this in my mind for the last few days....
9
May
Last night, our family attended a beautiful event combining the discussion of leadership and dance. This teaching was presented by a father/son duo. Shann and...
8
May
Dad greatly excelled at relational discipline. He willingly submitted to the rigor of relational well-being, investing time and attention, encouraging words, and spending quality time...
5
May
Growing up my family had a daily ritual of reading Our Daily Bread every morning at the table. No matter who was staying or living at our...
3
May
Recently, I had a waking vision of my dad. I was walking on the treadmill, praying through the Pray as You Go app. I saw Dad walking...
1
May
Dad and I struggled with listening. Shann would laugh at our conversations sometimes when we were both distracted. When present, Dad was an amazing listener....
26
Apr
I am often surprised by sorrow. I didn’t realize how many different shades of sadness I could experience. Small moments trigger me, and I am...
26
Apr
Adjustment is such an important skill in relationships. I picture Dad with his injured neck. He could not easily adjust his posture or his point...
21
Apr
My husband Shann and I have been talking a lot about the criticism/defensiveness cycle and how insightful it is for relational health. I have found...
19
Apr
If we go shopping, it is almost always going to be for a book. One of the new ones we picked up was from a...
18
Apr
I watched one of our friend’s post a video of his baptism. His daughter also was baptized. It’s so surprising to me what a joyous...
17
Apr
Dad loved biographies more than any other type of book. He read to me children’s stories of inspiring people. One person he loved was Florence...
14
Apr
When you read or listen to the stories, the ones that deeply change and transform us are the ones with the great themes of life...
13
Apr
I love that Dad worked hard to redefine success. He had to do it all his life because the temptation to place “numbers” or “money”...
11
Apr
I am in love with Christianity, but I am also overwhelmed by all the trauma and bloody history this word represents. So I will say...
10
Apr
How important is hope? I can’t believe how I need it. I have five big hopeful dreams right now and they are easily toppled with...
7
Apr
One of the gifts God has given me is a reframing of what I define as good. It’s been a long life lesson. I believe...
5
Apr
I am surprised at how many men I meet who laud the fact that they don’t cry. They make it sound like it is an...
3
Apr
My husband Shann teaches poetry for Stanford. I read one of his lessons and it was so beautiful I felt like crying. He says that...
31
Mar
My dad loved people, and he built beautiful friendships. One person he loved is a man named Rachi Wortham. We just did a short video...
30
Mar
My dad loved the concept of forgiveness. He grew up in an abusive home with a father he did not admire and in fact deeply...
29
Mar
Does anger change us? Jesus opens his ministry after the wedding miracle with anger. I identify with this. Wanting to move the church with righteous...
28
Mar
I have a bad habit of imagining someone else’s suffering will pass to me like a contagious disease. Sometimes the images of another’s suffering is...
27
Mar
During our mealtime conversation, my husband Shann asked how the idea of God sacrificing His son on our behalf moves us? It is a profound...
24
Mar
Shann and I were speaking at a conference about forgiveness. It’s always amazing how everyone gets overwhelmed with this topic. I think because most people...
23
Mar
The words from the hymn, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand,”rang through my mind this morning. Dad loved...
22
Mar
I have been meditating on a few lines I heard in my devotional about Peter and the devil. Jesus says, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked...
21
Mar
I have been thinking about unity and violence. How does the turn happen? For Cain it is losing his joy for being in union with...
20
Mar
March 18th was the birthday of my beloved father. I have been crying on and off all week. March is our family’s birthday month, and...
16
Mar
We read a gorgeous essay aloud as family members recently written by Albert Camus. He seems like a person I would have loved time with....
14
Mar
At the conference Shann and I spoke at, we invited people to practice asking forgiveness. I role played with a woman who had been a...
13
Mar
I sit watching about 20 robins congregating in the trees. They greet each other noisily and swoop continuously between my neighbor’s tree and mine. They...
9
Mar
One of Dad’s favorite hymns came on when I was listening to my Pray As You Go app. The words say, “Thou my best thought by day...
8
Mar
Driving through a beautiful college campus, I notice several ugly tree stumps in the middle of the landscaped meridian. They jut sideways with sharp points....
6
Mar
I loved my conversation with a devout atheist on a recent flight. I think he enjoyed the conversation as well. It was never truculent or...
2
Mar
Our family recently listened to a sermon delivered on the wrath of God. If you cringe reading this, it was cringeworthy. The message was delivered...
1
Mar
I met a devout atheist on a flight recently who loved Christopher Hitchens, a world-famous atheist. Hitchens contracted throat cancer and died denying God. My...
28
Feb
I would really love to have a conversation with my dad about loneliness. I never asked him if he struggled feeling lonely. The main definition...
27
Feb
I read an evocative post about the thief hanging on the cross. He did not get baptized. He didn’t do anything most churches classify as...
25
Feb
I had a beautiful opportunity on a flight to Oklahoma recently to talk with a brilliant person who memorized the poetry of GM Hopkins and...
23
Feb
I recently wrote an homage to my dad on LinkedIn highlighting a lesson he imparted to me and Jay as a great father. A few...
22
Feb
Today marks the beginning of Lent. It’s a time that triggers strong images and memories of Dad. I can picture him walking around New York...
21
Feb
Dad had a paper route at the age of nine. He had to be out the door early in the morning, as early as 5:00...
20
Feb
My dad LOVED reading biographies and one of his favorites was John Adams by David McCollough. He includes letters Adams shared with his wife Abigail full of...
17
Feb
Dad loved acronyms. He had a million different ones he used often. My newest favorite is from my brother Jay. He texted a response TGBTG...
16
Feb
I have been reading my dad’s Words of Hope messages lately. I was surprised to find one in April of 2021 where my dad wrote, “My promise...
15
Feb
I have been pondering a message Brene Brown gave on resentment. She explains that resentment stems from envy rather than anger. This would have been...
14
Feb
It is Valentine’s Day, a day most people focus on romantic love. However, the namesake for this day was deeply devoted to so much more...
13
Feb
Dad and I memorized a beautiful poem by Wendell Berry. One of the poignant lines says, “when despair for the world grows in me…” Despair...
10
Feb
A friend of mine told me she heard about my dad’s love for calling people “a miracle.” She began to do this as a substitute...
9
Feb
Our family liked to tease Dad that he would be peaceful hearing about his car being wrecked but enraged about five crumbs on the table....
8
Feb
I just finished a historical book on Florence. After reading it, I felt compelled to write an unfavorable review. I usually never write unfavorable reviews...
7
Feb
Some of my daughter’s friends are incredibly kind and remarkable people. They do not know what they believe about faith. They are curious but feel...
6
Feb
I am reading a historical novel about Quebec set in 1697. The author, one of my favorites, did extensive research for this book. She described...
3
Feb
Dad loved the Trinity. He literally was ecstatic about the community and unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because of his deep love for...
2
Feb
I have been meditating on the first part of Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times.” I consider the words, “at all...
1
Feb
I continue my meditation of the first verse in Psalm 34. The beginning of the verse says, “I will bless the Lord at all times.”...
31
Jan
One of my favorite passages of scripture is Psalm 34. What a psalm of solace! Dad and I would pray each word, meditating on it....
30
Jan
I have been thinking about the Fall and the Garden of Eden, specifically what was lost in our relationship with God and with each other....
27
Jan
My husband Shann and I took a class together when he was getting his PhD in clinical psychology. It was a religion class taught at...
26
Jan
My best frame of mind comes from meditation on gratitude and the truth that I belong to God. Every time I draw my attention away...
25
Jan
I am thankful that my dad instilled in me the discipline of scripture memory. I have been memorizing in earnest since 2005 and have had...
24
Jan
I listened to a sermon recently on Galatians. The pastor had worked himself up into a zealous fervor decrying the current times. Then he addressed...
23
Jan
I have been learning about boundaries. They are incredibly challenging and require discernment. You can see the problem of lack of boundaries in politics. The...
20
Jan
Our family had our nightly mealtime conversation and Bella, my youngest, offered up the elegant question for the night. She asked, “In what design or...
19
Jan
My husband Shann has been researching angels for a novel he is working on. He recently texted me a few verses from Exodus 23. “See,...
18
Jan
My husband Shann and I watched a modern-day movie fable attempting to show the calamity of friendships and families that lead to war. One of...
17
Jan
I watched a video of a woman sitting down with two college students. Her intent was to share the gospel. They recorded their conversation. She clearly...
16
Jan
Shann was an A student but not a real reader when I met him and now he teaches in the PhD department of Gonzaga’s Leadership...
11
Jan
My car was turned the wrong direction when we were leaving the house. It was facing the direction leading to my mom and dad’s home....
10
Jan
a. Who is my mentor? Who can I call for wisdom and objectively wise counsel when I encounter a crisis next year? b. What are...
9
Jan
I’ve written the blogs for NBC Basketball for almost twenty years now. In August 2019, I wrote the following blog—Are you prepared for the unexpected? ...
5
Jan
My husband Shann and I often celebrate that we live in the Golden Age of research. We can communicate to anyone, regardless of philosophy or...
4
Jan
I admire how my dad navigated his emotions. He grew very calm under duress. When others became aggressive, he became clearer-headed. He slowed down, spoke...
3
Jan
Team chemistry is vital to becoming a championship-level team. Researchers have found the importance of both task chemistry and social chemistry. Task chemistry is a...
2
Jan
Dad loved the promise of the new year. He loved journals, plans, and renewal. Yesterday, on New Year’s Day, a group of us gathered around...
30
Dec
My daughter traveled to Melbourne for her college roommate’s wedding. She left the afternoon of Christmas Eve because flights were astronomical any other time. She...
29
Dec
I follow a physics Facebook page as Shann and I are both interested in quantum physics. One recent post pictured the father of quantum physics,...
28
Dec
My friend Luska and her daughters traveled to Spokane to spend Christmas with us. Luska is originally from London, and we met at Silver Lake...
23
Dec
We love Christmas music at the Ferch house. One of my new favorites is Aretha Franklin’s “Joy to the World.” I just heard it for...
21
Dec
One of my dad’s favorite mentors was a man named Paul Nakai. He is a top leadership expert who helped advise after the space shuttle...
16
Dec
The world outside my window is covered in snow, the trees flocked with hoarfrost. A palpable stillness descends with the snow. I have a quiet,...
15
Dec
At NBC Camps, our team often talks about creating true community together. We discuss the difference between health and toxicity. At the root of toxicity...
14
Dec
I love words and the word stalwart isn’t a common one, though it should be. Stalwart is a synonym for stable, committed, foundational, and secure....
13
Dec
This is a strange time to be alive. There is a zeitgeist moving that is full of portent like a mighty storm brewing. I believe...
12
Dec
It’s basketball season. The starting lineups have been announced and I consider all the students who don’t make the starting five. I think about the...
9
Dec
Dad was a basketball healer. He knew how to bring repair and healing to teams who were divided or despairing. Not many people describe someone...
8
Dec
Pain is tricky. It makes people uncomfortable. Pain can cause us to make the wrong decisions. I love the training of Ignatius of Loyola who...
7
Dec
A passage of scripture blew my mind this week. The writer of Hebrews is describing so many beautiful men and women of the faith; some...
6
Dec
I recently listened to the Pray as You Go app, and the scripture passage was from Hebrews. As I listened to the passage I thought, “I wonder...
5
Dec
Grief continues to surprise me. The other night I missed Dad so much I just lay on my bed crying for a while. The pain...
2
Dec
I like to talk. Sadly, I often talk too much, and about the wrong thing. This hurts my relationship with my family. I say something...
1
Dec
One of the hardest lessons I have learned is the discipline to delight in difficulty. Our NBC Central office team has been practicing this for...
30
Nov
I have a dreadful notion that arises now and then of God as a punisher. As soon as it comes, I remember one of the...
29
Nov
Give ThanksOne of the best ways to praise the Lord is through the prayer of Thanksgiving. Thank you for loving Fred Crowell. Share his legacy...
28
Nov
Practicing gratitude was one of the most important disciplines for my dad. Gratitude for God, for life, and for people were his intentional and pursued...
18
Nov
There is a Webb Space photograph that has captured my imagination. It appears to be a huge hand lifted like an artist moving the stars...
17
Nov
Dad loved acronyms and teaching slogans. One of his favorites was called the Big Six. These were the must-have, go-to moves for basketball players. Dad...
16
Nov
I am very quick to emotion. I cry, rejoice fully, and get angry quickly. My husband Shann is cool and calm. If you want to...
15
Nov
I read a brilliant insight from the Gottman Marriage Minute. What I love about John Gottman’s research is that it is immediately applicable to any...
14
Nov
I heard a beautiful quote that justice is love in public. What does loving look like? How much does my desire for love become thwarted...
11
Nov
I read a short story about a firsthand account of the suffering in Iraq aloud to Mom and Dad. Afterward, they read the rest of...
10
Nov
I was praying about what to write in Words of Hope and I kept feeling asked to write the Kingdom of God is now. If...
9
Nov
If you read my Dad’s Words of Hope you will see how much he cared for those going through depression or cancer. Dad struggled with...
8
Nov
I have been fortunate enough to visit many cities around the world such as Cape Town, Barcelona, and Prague. Each city has its own vibe...
7
Nov
I have been wrestling with the word ambition. The definition of it makes it more complex. In some definitions it says ambition means “aspiration, intention,...
4
Nov
Oklahoma City is not my favorite in terms of beauty. The water is brown, much of the city is worn down and the tree in...
3
Nov
I have frustration at the hypocrisy and moralism of certain forms of Christianity in America’s extreme right. Men measuring the skirts of young girls and...
2
Nov
My youngest child Bella and I only have a few months left together before she launches off to college and a brand-new life. We do...
1
Nov
My husband Shann and I had a bit of a spat in Oklahoma City after our daughter’s junior recital. After all the planning, there was...
31
Oct
My dad deeply loved Psalm 23. He meditated on it often. As I read C.S. Lewis’s Reflections on the Psalms, he brings attention to something I...
28
Oct
A very sweet friend took me to lunch. She has been so kind in sending encouragement after a Words of Hope message she resonated with. As we...
27
Oct
During date night, Shann asked me an elegant question. In the metaphor of sowing and reaping, he asked what two seeds I am thankful I...
26
Oct
I have been missing Dad so much lately. I walked by a neighborhood bench where he liked to sit and pray and shocked myself by...
25
Oct
In math, A + B normally should equal C. In life, the same should happen. A loving home will produce loving kids. However, this is...
24
Oct
I recently watched a movie about a man who demands a perfect world to the point he abuses others to achieve it. Perfection is so...
21
Oct
Dad loved the phrase, “Set the Table.” For him, it was a call to action for those in leadership to provide a space for true...
20
Oct
In C.S. Lewis’s Reflections on the Psalms he addresses a topic I have struggled with. What do we do with the Psalms that pray down wrath on...
19
Oct
I am reading Swiss Reformed medical doctor Paul Tournier. He writes that neurosis is the division of right intuition and false suggestion. I see this...
18
Oct
We have a quote on our fridge by one of the best poets in the world, Li Young Li, who says, “I don’t have faith...
17
Oct
Shann and I have an elegant conversation every evening. We sit together looking out a window or sitting on a porch. We hold hands and...
14
Oct
I recently visited Oklahoma to support my daughter Ari who was playing Margo in Bright Star the musical. While I was there, I sat in a chair...
13
Oct
Dad and I often discussed energy. Navigating cancer requires tremendous energy expenditures, which results in less energy for other aspects of life. I would email...
12
Oct
Dad wanted to be wise about tendencies to make the wrong response in crisis. He believed becoming wise about how we handle stress and crisis...
11
Oct
Jesus always touches me. I am reading about His interaction with the Pharisees and the woman caught in adultery. He takes a woman who had...
10
Oct
I have been mulling over a scripture verse for the last two weeks. It says, “I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your...
6
Oct
I recently wrote a piece about Dad being an amazing culture changer and described with intensity a father who neglects his daughter and a mother...
5
Oct
Dad was a culture changer. He envisioned a home with a true loving, present father who asked forgiveness of his children and encouraged dialogue even...
4
Oct
Parenting is hard. What makes matters worse is that people often don’t work to figure out how to be skilled as a parent. Much like...
3
Oct
Our family has a fun mealtime activity called “Speed Friendship.” We ask a question and quickly find out more about whoever is at the table. ...
29
Sep
I read recently that researchers have discovered a connection between relational joy in your fifties and wellbeing and flourishing health in your eighties. I think...
28
Sep
In the last two Words of Hope, I have been sharing about a presentation Shann and I heard during our prayer retreat. One of the...
27
Sep
Shann and I were part of a prayer retreat recently. Each day had two or three presenters. One presenter who spoke on heartbreak asked this...
26
Sep
Recently Shann and I participated in a contemplative prayer retreat. One of the beautiful and elegant questions asked was, “What breaks your heart?” One of...
23
Sep
I find Dad’s title, “Words of Hope,” so crucial during difficult times. I say difficult times because I feel a deep battle raging in the...
22
Sep
Dad and I had an important mentor who had helped with the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster as a consultant in the aftermath of the tragedy....
21
Sep
A friend asked me the other day why I thought Dad was so dynamic and incredibly loving to others. He told me he doesn’t know...
20
Sep
My father-in-law was on a generational pattern of self-sabotage. He came from no education, alcoholism, wasted living, and deeply troubled relationships. He was throwing his...
19
Sep
On March 11, 2020, we received news the March Basketball Tournament was closing. Games were canceled across the country. We met as a staff in...
16
Sep
I found a letter from my Dad to Natalya, my oldest. (I know the proper way to write “my dad” is lowercase, but I think...
15
Sep
Dad loved parenting, and he was a fantastic Dad. He and Mom taught Shann and me so much about the daily habits of being a...
14
Sep
I asked Mom what she would like to say in Words of Hope as my Dad’s caretaker for over twelve years. I think caretaking might...
13
Sep
When I was younger, I loved to yell, “Hey, Dad, what would you give me if I make this shot?” One of the biggest wagers...
12
Sep
Last year we were in NYC to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of 9/11. We were with some friends who are artists. For me, art is...
9
Sep
Probably the phrase most people associate with my Dad is, “You are a miracle.” I remember when he started to change his perspective from seeing...
8
Sep
My husband Shann is studying angelology for a writing project. What an incredible word, angelology—the study of angels. I read that 90 percent of people...
7
Sep
Yesterday, I wrote about my Dad’s response to people aggressively purporting their beliefs. Dad’s navigation of dogmatism greatly influenced me. A few years ago, a...
6
Sep
Dad had an expansive faith. He rooted his faith in both firm convictions and deepest wonder and awe. One of his good friends has strong...
5
Sep
My Dad loved hard work. He had a paper route at the age of nine. I visited Dad’s hometown this summer to watch one of...
2
Sep
Shann and I subscribe to the Gottman Marriage minute. It’s a perfect, short reminder with simple steps to improve relationships. A recent message asked, “Do...
1
Sep
Many of you who read Words of Hope know my Dad. Maybe some of you have never met him. After his passing, one person who...
31
Aug
When Dad was younger, he could easily provoke people into frustration. He loved to induce people to anger, especially on the basketball court. He intentionally...
30
Aug
I was rereading Dad’s Words of Hope on anxiety he wrote on April 21, 2021. He discusses lessons learned from nurse Laurie who served with...
29
Aug
I recently went to a memorial, and one of the main verses was Ecclesiastes 7:2. I took time to look at this verse in various...
26
Aug
I was traveling through the Denver airport recently when I noticed I was drinking from a bottle that wasn’t mine. Someone else had left a...
25
Aug
My Dad valued people from all walks of life. He thanked and honored those many would overlook. He believed in leaving places better than when...
24
Aug
If you fly to Oklahoma City, you will see a famous quote by Will Rogers: “Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that...
23
Aug
Shann is a forgiveness researcher. I was listening to a lecture in which he enumerated the physical benefits of forgiveness— a more robust immune system,...
22
Aug
When my Dad was ill during the last weeks of his life, he mostly lay on his back. His cancer treatment medication caused him to...
19
Aug
When I feel the deep ache of loss and start feeling sad about Dad being gone, I go back to the fundamentals. I go back...
18
Aug
Contentment has been a hard-fought lesson for me and also for Dad. He wrestled with finding contentment even in illness. I have been on a...
17
Aug
I met “Margo” at camp. She loved hoops and baggy shorts and had a cutting-edge fashion style. She found her mother dead when she was...
16
Aug
My grandmother grew up in a severely austere home. Her mother did not believe in affection and ruled her family with a no-nonsense mentality. She...
15
Aug
One of the helpful learning lessons Dad and I received was the conscious decision to move out of the external illusion. Consider a man named...
12
Aug
One February, we lost our cat, Crystal. She never came home. I was devastated. I held to the fantasy she would be found at a...
11
Aug
Today is the anniversary of my Dad’s death. Our family is traveling together. Mom and Dad’s house, where he passed away, has been sold. I...
10
Aug
I have moved to Spokane three times in my life. It has the largest urban waterfall of any North American city—such an incredible place to...
9
Aug
Dad and Jay love the phrase POSP, which was an acronym for “P—on Self Pity.” My grandmother was very British, and I don’t love the...
8
Aug
One of the best skills Dad gave our family was the family meeting. Before an event, this meeting time was crucial to outline the expectations...
5
Aug
Dad and I often wondered why people work and live together without knowing each other. This distance creates a supreme sense of loneliness. Proximity without...
3
Aug
One of my favorite lines in scripture says—“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” It’s located in...
1
Aug
We are approaching the one-year anniversary of my Dad’s death. I can feel the sorrow rising in me. I am quick to tears; my bones...
29
Jul
Dad and I liked to take a sermon or scripture and understand it as well as we could. He would pass out blank pages with...
28
Jul
I keep a few old gratitude journals on my desk that I review from time to time. Today I read about an overnight trip my...
27
Jul
Dad and I had many conversations about the attraction to cut-off relationships by not speaking to someone or vilifying others, a tendency to build up...
26
Jul
I heard from two people last week that Dad’s “Words of Hope” book brought people comfort. One person gave the book to a family who...
25
Jul
My middle daughter, Ariana, is playing at the professional summer theatre in Coeur d’ Alene in Little Women the Musical. Ariana’s character Beth dies from...
22
Jul
My friend told me, “I didn’t have a dad like yours. He left our family through an affair and wanted to reconcile later in life....
21
Jul
Someone asked me how I was doing with my Dad’s death. I told her, “Honestly, it is much more painful than I thought. I miss...
20
Jul
Shann and I recently discussed how family issues become more difficult because many fear disagreements and conflicts. We have very few examples of people navigating...
19
Jul
Shann is genuinely a happy person. He is cheerful, lighthearted, and never moody or depressed. He sings daily and is genuinely a joy to be...
18
Jul
I love listening to the Pray as You Go app. The other day one of the scriptures asked us to ponder the story of Jesus...
15
Jul
My oldest daughter and her husband, Tim, came to town, and on our last day together, we asked, “What is one way you see the...
14
Jul
Dad worked on relationships. Scott Peck, who wrote a bestselling book, “The Road Less Travelled,” discussed how laziness, in his opinion, is the biggest obstacle...
13
Jul
I had another dream of Dad. I saw him walking with mom into the door of the church where we hold the NBC musical theatre...
11
Jul
Shann teaches poetry at Stanford, and our family is doing the lectures and lessons together. I can’t believe how incredible this experience has been. I...
8
Jul
Dad loved unity, and he didn’t like disagreement. He also was a fierce competitor. Our family could get into heated disputes around politics, news, or...
7
Jul
One of the great gifts from my Dad was the discipline to write each day in a gratitude journal. At NBC Camps, we say daily...
6
Jul
My dear friend Josh met Dad in Hawaii. Josh brought his daughter to camp and spent the days watching the coaches and observing. He had...
5
Jul
A friend of mine called me. Her daughter lost her fiancé in a devasting accident a few months before their wedding. This grief feels unbearable...
4
Jul
One of my dad’s favorite scriptures was Colossians 3:12-17. It starts, “Therefore as God’s chosen people holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion… Dad...
1
Jul
I had been dreading Father’s Day. I woke up on Father’s Day, assuming it would be a bone-crushing day of sorrow, but it wasn’t. I...
30
Jun
My Dad was incredibly pragmatic. He was a genius at making complex concepts simple and easy to understand. Dad believed the clearer you are in...
29
Jun
Dad LOVED slogans—he had hundreds. One of his favorites was, “You win or lose by the way you choose.” This phrase has been on my...
28
Jun
Growing up, Dad was assigned family jobs. Mine was to haul wood to the basement every Saturday and clean up after the dog. This last...
27
Jun
When we ask forgiveness without change, we commit further harm. Teresa was an angry parent. Despite her best intentions, she often yelled at her kids,...
24
Jun
Dad taught our family that we cheat the forgiveness asking process when we fail to resolve our conflicts or disagreements using language that does not...
23
Jun
Dad believed we nullify forgiveness and cause pain rather than healing when we ask the other to forgive too much at one time. “I cheated...
22
Jun
Our family likes meaningful conversation. Years ago, we heard the quote, great people talk about ideas, mediocre people talk about things, and small people talk...
21
Jun
Dad and I often talked about bitterness and the drive to live in fracture with others. It’s incredible how generational resentment perpetuates—mother cut off from...
20
Jun
Dad and I loved to talk about relationships. Especially how they can be improved. He loved John Gottman and even met with him personally. Gottman...
17
Jun
Thank you so much for coming to the celebration of life! For those unable to attend the Fred Crowell Celebration of Life, here is the video...
16
Jun
At the celebration of life, we had a video of my Dad talking about peace and the importance of pursuing peace. He asked us, “Can...
15
Jun
Forgiveness requires discernment and wisdom for it to bring healing. Forgiveness can happen through the power of the written word, a glance, a touch, a...
14
Jun
Dad had the gift of reading the Bible and making the words immediately practical and healing. He believed Christianity should make us more like Christ–more...
13
Jun
The ancient parable entitled “The Wager” by some is an old tale of selfishness and refusal to change with counterparts of the same theme told worldwide....
10
Jun
When I first met Shann’s father Tom, he seemed very distant. We would enter the house after having traveled far to get there, and Tom...
9
Jun
One of my Dad’s and my favorite writers, Henri Nouwen writes, “Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard...
8
Jun
Forgiveness is the willingness to start a journey by faith with the hope what currently feels impossible will become possible. We often drove to Edmonton,...
7
Jun
Of all the things my dad taught, one of my favorite and the most powerful has been forgiveness. Because of Dad’s influence, Shann became a...
6
Jun
Shann loves loud music. He likes to feel the sound and hear the music throughout his entire body. I don’t love loud music. It is...
3
Jun
My brother and I made some rocks to give at the Celebration of Life with the letters RPE4FJC. RPE stands for Relentless Pursuit of Excellence-one...
2
Jun
I cannot express how grateful I am that my Dad was a student of loving well. He made it his life mission to love God...
1
Jun
Getting ready for the Celebration of Life was difficult and joyful. As our family gathered together to sing, we could feel the tensions and emotions...
26
May
Dad and I loved to memorize. One of the best gifts he gave me was my passion for memorizing scripture and poetry. We started in...
25
May
I am reading Ulysses by James Joyce. Truly not the easiest read but entertaining nonetheless. He takes the day in the life of one man...
24
May
I read about a twin separated from her sister for years. Her grandmother lost her in a crowded market in Korea when she was quite...
23
May
I recently asked what is bringing someone joy lately, and he responded by learning about trees. He said with all the latest advances in forestry,...
20
May
When Shann and I had three daughters, we imagined a home full of love and joy for one another. How could we make this dream...
19
May
I read a statement, “Zealous judgment closes us off from revelation.” This statement would have immediately caused me to pick up the phone and call...
18
May
My Dad’s celebration of life is nearing. I look forward to honoring the life of my Dad. Dad loved parties because he loved people. He...
17
May
A huge table in the center of our kitchen seats twelve people comfortably. This table is the focal point of our home, a place to...
16
May
I am reading about the form versus the formless. Dad and I discussed this often. He had a big journey in his life toward understanding...
13
May
Prayer always amazes me. I can fall in love with praying and get discouraged because my prayers don’t “turn out” the way I want. I...
12
May
Dad believed one of the most telling ways for us to observe if we love well was to examine the quality of our relationships. Relationships...
11
May
One thing I have been marveling at since my father’s death is the realization of grief. I feel I am awakening into the color of...
10
May
Our family loves Ignatian contemplative prayer. You listen to the passage and imagine yourself in the story. Recently, we experienced a prayer session together on...
9
May
One of my favorite times with Dad was to discuss poor coaching or poor parenting as they share similarities. Dad had incredible insights into how...
6
May
Shann taught poetry at Princeton Theological Seminary’s Center for Contemplative Leadership. He discussed the power of words. How much power does a word hold? The...
5
May
Being a basketball coach, my Dad studied momentum. He analyzed how teams and coaches responded to mistakes and difficulties. He often asked, when crisis strikes,...
4
May
CeCe Winans song Believe For It heals me. She has a bridge where she sings, “You said. I believe. You said it is done.” I love considering...
3
May
We watched an evocative movie the other day. It was a modern parallel of the road to Calvary. One of the characters is an atheist...
2
May
Ravi Zacharias, one of the greatest theologians and apologists in modern memory, had an incredible ministry by all outward appearances. Dad and I LOVED Ravi....
29
Apr
Shann and Bella had a late-night this week, and I was alone in the house for the first time in a while. I sat on...
28
Apr
One quality I admire about my Dad is that he did not speak poorly or negatively about my Mom. He worked hard to root out...
27
Apr
When I was growing up, Dad made time with God something sacred, intentional, and interesting. He hated the idea of church or discussion about God...
26
Apr
I celebrated Easter at my Mom and Dad’s church. It was my Mom’s first Easter without Dad. I thought about Dad being in church just...
25
Apr
Mom and I met to discuss Dad’s celebration of life with a beautiful person helping coordinate the day. While there, we bumped into a long-time...
22
Apr
When I think about the many things Dad taught me, contentment is one of the most crucial. Contentment is the state of living where we...
21
Apr
The slogan for NBC Camps is better players, better people. Dad and I talked about relentlessly pursuing excellence in life without leading to perfectionism and...
20
Apr
Dad and I loved to read stories of inspiring people. One day, I felt sorry for myself and justified my frustration and irritation with life....
19
Apr
I can’t fully express my gratitude for having such a fantastic Dad. He was incredible with people, and he always had time for me—how did...
18
Apr
Dad loved Easter and Good Friday. Dad loved the stations of the cross and would meditate at each spot. He especially loved the stations of...
15
Apr
One of the first concerts I attended was in Birmingham, Alabama. It was Don Francisco live. My mom and Dad took me to the show....
14
Apr
My Mom and I went to tea the other day and talked about Dad. This journey of grief is new for me. I want to...
13
Apr
Shann has a beautiful coffee table book that just came out on Amazon in collaboration with his artist friend, Craig Hergert. His friend has fifteen...
12
Apr
Dad and I loved to read. I am currently reading Graham Greene’s book, The Ministry of Fear. Greene was a masterful writer and author of...
11
Apr
Come celebrate the life of Fred Crowell founder of NBC Camps. All are welcome at Real Life Church auditorium in Post Falls. Reception directly after...
8
Apr
I miss Dad’s amazing advice. He often had remarkable wisdom. He told me creativity is powerful work. The work, each one of us, are called...
7
Apr
Dad thought outside the box as a basketball coach and had insightful ways to keep students engaged. He believed deeply in the idea of love...
6
Apr
Dad and I struggled with thin skin at times. We love people and want to be loved. Dad often encouraged me to have tough skin...
5
Apr
Dad and I loved Francis of Assisi. He is one of my favorite people. One of the quotes I love is, “Start by doing what...
4
Apr
I love to ask why. I spoke to Dad in person or on the phone every day, and my favorite thing was to ask him...
1
Apr
When I was in high school, my Dad began to play April Fool’s jokes which were never quite funny to anyone but him. We tried...
31
Mar
As I plan for Dad’s Celebration of Life, the person helping me organize the décor told me that because the stage is large, she imagined...
30
Mar
One day, I was wiping down the bathroom sink. Focused and intensely absorbed in my work, I didn’t hear my oldest daughter Natalya come into...
29
Mar
Dad and I liked to play solitary card games while racing against each other. Our favorite was kings in the corner. These games are addictive—just...
28
Mar
Years ago, one of our dear friends had a church interview to lead a small group, and it had a level of harshness that surprised...
25
Mar
Today is my middle daughter Ariana’s birthday. She has the last birthday in four weeks of March birthdays to celebrate in our family. When she...
24
Mar
Dad and I loved March Madness—mainly because it was fun to coach and critique the teams. We were often negative spectators, so Shann had to...
23
Mar
I heard a woman share the gospel, and it was truly an inspired gift. She connected the oil spill image off the Gulf of Mexico...
22
Mar
We traveled to NYC recently, and our family watched the MJ musical highlighting the life of Michael Jackson. It has been met with controversy, and...
21
Mar
My brother and I are planning my Dad’s Celebration of Life. Dad loved short phrases and slogans, so I love to call his memorial day...
18
Mar
Today is my Dad’s birthday. Do I write that it would have been his 80th or that it is his 80th birthday? I will say it is Dad’s 80th...
17
Mar
I am reading Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal’s novella, Too Loud a Solitude. Hrabal experienced not only the horrors of the Nazi occupation of Prague but also...
16
Mar
My Dad and I loved to pray together, and I learned so much about prayer from him. I have been on a journey to understand...
15
Mar
The news of Ukraine and Russia is everywhere, with images of war, suffering, and trauma. Just watching it is unsettling to a high degree. It...
14
Mar
I am surprised by my lethargy around the death of my Dad. It really has taken the wind out of me. I am a busy...
11
Mar
Trauma triggers happen when you have had something difficult happen in your life–for example, a car wreck. For many who have experienced a very serious...
10
Mar
My parents were married for 58 years, and they deeply admired and loved each other. They worked hard to root out bitterness, detachment, infidelity, and...
9
Mar
Watching the war in Ukraine has been devasting. The cruelty of Putin, the shocking images of destruction, the terror that feels palpable around the globe....
8
Mar
One of the reasons to travel to Mumbai was the opportunity to work with amazing artists to bring Kintsugi experience to social service workers, pastors,...
7
Mar
This was my first birthday without my Dad with me in person. Birthdays always involved dinner together with a beautiful mealtime conversation. Dad would share...
3
Mar
We often drove to Edmonton, Alberta, from Spokane when Shann and I were newly married. This long road trip afforded us hours of meaningful conversation....
2
Mar
In our early years of marriage, Shann rarely felt anger, never cried, never had much emotion at all. He lived with a consistently cheerful attitude....
1
Mar
Mumbai is a city of 28 million people. There were slums and poverty everywhere we went. People live in tin slabs with tar paper roofs...
28
Feb
Our family traveled to India last week to work with those in severe poverty. I wore my Dad’s t-shirt – Relentless Pursuit of Excellence (one...
25
Feb
My Dad started talking about dying in the last few years. Honestly, it bugged me. I didn’t want to talk about his funeral; I didn’t...
24
Feb
I have been thinking about skills and gifts my Dad had that I aspire to have in my life. One skill he had was the...
23
Feb
Shann wrote the lyrics for an opera. I love to think about this. He is a poet, a researcher, a novelist, and a librettist (opera...
22
Feb
Dad and I loved to talk about Mary, the mother of Jesus. When we were in the Philippines, Dad was adored everywhere he went. He...
21
Feb
Here is an insight into conversations I would have with Dad. One of our favorite topics was how to live outside the external illusion. Every...
18
Feb
I have been thinking about my Dad’s skills and gifts that I aspire to have in my life. One skill he had was the caesura...
17
Feb
Our family has been visiting different churches as our church of many years disbanded before Covid. We have been watching the church Natalya goes to...
16
Feb
We spotlight every meal, and it can be challenging to find new and meaningful ways to spotlight others. To keep it creative, sometimes, we look...
15
Feb
When I was young, Dad would make devotional times meaningful. He would grab plain white paper and put color crayons, markers, and highlighters on the...
14
Feb
I met Shann at basketball camp. We have been married 31 years. Dad met Shann before I did, and he adored Shann. He loved his...
11
Feb
I had my first dream of my father. He was younger than I am now at my current age. We sat side by side at...
10
Feb
One of the longtime slogans at NBC Camps is the mission to be better players and better people. Dad and I discussed this often—how can...
9
Feb
Dad was an extreme extrovert. He loved to be around people. My oldest is an extreme extrovert like her papa. She is constantly with friends...
8
Feb
Dad had great accountability partners. One of his is also a dear friend of mine. His name is Bobby Moore. He was Dad’s pastor, his...
7
Feb
We went to a new church nearby our house today and they were doing baptisms. One of the women shared she had been raised in...
4
Feb
My brother called last week. I picked up the phone and heard a choking cry. I panicked. “What’s wrong?!” I said. Jay wept hard into...
3
Feb
When Dad lay dying, I told him he would soon get to spend time with Sojourner Truth one of our favorite people. We never met...
2
Feb
Dad was a maverick and exceptional teacher. He grasped ways to make concepts understandable way before the science of pedagogy confirmed his teaching methods. Cookie...
1
Feb
One of the verses Dad and I memorized together was Deuteronomy 4:7-9, a beautiful set of verses reminding parents to pass on what they have...
31
Jan
The book of James says, “Consider it all joy my brethren when you encounter trials of various kinds.” Some translations say to consider trials, “pure”...
28
Jan
Dad would say, “Imagine an elevator. Most of us have moods and emotions which take us up and down the elevator. But some people get...
27
Jan
Shann had his first dream of my Dad last week. He had been wondering when he would have one. He woke up and told me,...
26
Jan
I have never loved flowers as a gift. They have always seemed to be an extravagance. I would rather Shann buy me a vacuum or...
25
Jan
Last spring, I read Dad and Mom a beautiful short story from Anthony Doer’s book, Memory Wall. The story tells of a young girl who loses...
24
Jan
I spoke to one of Dad’s lifelong friends from California. They expressed sorrow because they did not get to say goodbye in person to Dad....
20
Jan
One of my daily devotionals gives short segments from the writings of Henri Nouwen, a beautiful Christian author. He wrote many moving books, including Return of...
19
Jan
One skill I am incredibly grateful for in my Dad is the peace he had to navigate difficult topics with wisdom and care. My Dad...
18
Jan
Dad and I both struggle with our mouths sometimes. Dad said things he should not say. I would get so frustrated with him when he...
17
Jan
A woman named Luska is one of NBC’s bright stars. She is brilliant and has an incredibly powerful mind. Since we first met more than...
14
Jan
In an earlier Words of Hope, I shared a message Dad asked me to consider in the year of 2018. We had a relationship where...
13
Jan
I met with some very lovely friends who want to create a language of forgiveness. I love this idea because forgiveness is such a misunderstood...
12
Jan
I drove by a snowy park bench near the Spokane River yesterday. The last time I drove by this bench, Dad, Shann, Bella, and I...
11
Jan
Dad traveled many days when I was young. He went all around the PNW recruiting for NBC Camps. His journey brought him to the Cheyenne...
10
Jan
I looked back on my recent WOH and several begin with the words: Dad struggled. I find it important to consider unconscious repetition. The word...
7
Jan
Dad loved surprises. We liked to take him and mom on a secret trip each year. It would be a 3-4 day trip within driving...
6
Jan
Grief is tough. My Dad tried to overcome his grief for the few years after his mom’s death, but many situations triggered his pain and...
5
Jan
Dad sat down with me in the New Year of 2018. He asked me to consider a few tasks for my life. I will be...
4
Jan
Dad’s nickname around the house was Norman Neat or sometimes Matt Ticulous. He loved it clean, but he also loved having people over, which caused...
3
Jan
Dad loved New Year’s Eve. He loved to clean out closets; he loved to organize and plan; he loved fresh starts. New Year’s Eve was...
31
Dec
Dad loved Jesus’s response to the Pharisees. They often tried to trap Jesus. He frequently faced either/or no-win decisions by them but Jesus offers the...
30
Dec
Deuteronomy 30:19 “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life so that you and your children may live.” This...
29
Dec
Dad struggled with some forms of common sense—like when he accidentally shot my mom’s dog (no, it did not die) while trying to warn off...
28
Dec
At camp, my Dad struggled to help student-athletes understand the necessity of encouragement. Then he compared it to oxygen. Oxygen is necessary for life; the...
24
Dec
Merry Christmas to all of you at Words of Hope. I want to share this Christmas story. Tom is my father-in-law, and he and my...
23
Dec
How many of our friends and family struggle with feeling alone? My Dad loved the great poet Maya Angelou who said, “We, unaccustomed to courage,...
22
Dec
My oldest daughter Natalya turned twenty-five Sunday. Dad was there for her birth. Shann, my Mom, Dad, and other friends waited in the comfortable birthing...
21
Dec
I have been praying daily for the Christians kidnapped in Haiti. They were held by a murderous gang who wantonly killed children and adults unable...
20
Dec
Sorrow can feel like a heavy shroud. I sometimes feel suffocated by it if I allow my mind to think of no more time with...
17
Dec
I wouldn’t say Dad loved poetry when he was younger, but he definitely grew to love poetry. We both found poetry more and more beautiful...
16
Dec
Dad believed fully what Mother Teresa said, “Christ’s love is always stronger than evil in the world… this kind of love begins at home. We...
15
Dec
Shann, my husband, had a book interview last week. His interviewer had respect for Shann’s faith but also incredulity. How could Shann, a learned scholar,...
14
Dec
I have been wrestling with language around my Dad’s death. I don’t like to say I lost my Dad because I didn’t lose him. I...
13
Dec
I opened my journal from 2017, where I had listed concerns I had during that time. They seem so trivial in light of my current...
10
Dec
Dad disliked rules over relationships. In our home, he cared more that there was love in our hearts for God than if we went to...
9
Dec
After watching thousands of athletes at NBC Camps, Dad said the two most dangerous emotions which hurt any athlete are arrogance and fear. Those emotions...
8
Dec
My Dad’s hope inspires me. Dad studied, researched, prayed for, and meditated on the word hope. He knew it was a crucial foundation for life...
7
Dec
Dad was a magnificent storyteller. He could mesmerize audiences at camp with stories of Challenger, our big black lab, or make everyone howl with laughter...
6
Dec
My Dad believed fully in Christ and in His resurrection power. He did not fear death but trusted implicitly in the message that the dead...
3
Dec
My Dad loved the movie about Mr. Rogers, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. He watched it many times. During the NBC Alaska Airlines Invitational...
2
Dec
The day after Thanksgiving was difficult. I found myself feeling quite sad about Dad. I went thrifting with the girls, and the vintage store we...
1
Dec
Dad and I often talked about life balance. Dad was a juggernaut of energy when he was younger. He was a make it happen person....
30
Nov
My Dad had an abusive father, and so did my Mom. My Mom was born in November of 1941. A few weeks after she was...
29
Nov
My good friend was in town on a recruiting trip, and he stayed with Shann and me. He loved Dad and considered Dad in many...
26
Nov
Dad hated the phrase, “I’m bored.” He believed great coaching, teaching, and parenting never allowed for boredom. He believed it was the responsibility of the...
25
Nov
Dad was masterful at creating meaningful moments. At Thanksgiving, the TV would be off, there would be intentional time for grateful reflection, and there would...
24
Nov
Dad hated God when he was young. He vowed he would never pray or cry again after his Mom died. He was filled with anger...
23
Nov
Dad and I memorized Lamentations 3:22-23 together, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassion never fails, it is new...
22
Nov
My Dad’s father loved rage as a tool to solve problems. Dad desired to learn to be gentle. He sought out gentle men as mentors...
19
Nov
Dad was a very fun dad. He enjoyed games. He loved playing with my brother and me. When I was little, Dad and I would...
18
Nov
Last December, Dad and I read sections of “The Violence Within” by Paul Tournier aloud to each other. Tournier believed that criticism was a form...
17
Nov
Dad delighted in people. Wherever he went, he made lifelong friends. On the day he died, I called many people whose numbers were on his...
16
Nov
One aspect of Dad’s character I admired was his presence. He carried himself with dignity and power. His voice could fill a room or a...
15
Nov
Today is my Mom’s 80th birthday. Her courage in caring for my Dad through cancer reveals her reliance on prayer and dedication to serving. Mom...
12
Nov
The other day Mom and I walked through our neighborhood together. We stopped to see a woman planting in her yard. Her house has a...
11
Nov
My dad loved veterans and felt deeply grateful for his friends and family who served. One man that he came to know and love fought...
10
Nov
Dad asked our family to be with him when he first received the news he might have cancer. We gathered around the kitchen table to...
9
Nov
When my daughter Natalya turned fourteen, our relationship didn’t feel the same. I felt like she didn’t want to connect, and I wanted to blame...
8
Nov
The night Dad died, the sky was full of color, the sun was blood red with Hesperus, the evening star was visible. I took a...
4
Nov
I asked my Mom what the most challenging part of her journey right now was, and she paused for a minute and then said, “Not...
3
Nov
A song comforting me during this painful loss of my Dad has been “Lean Back,” written by Tony Brown, Chris Mcclarney, Nate Moore, and Amanda...
2
Nov
I have talked with many people who felt loved and close to Dad, and they often tell me how much Dad meant. Sometimes they say...
1
Nov
Following up on last week’s WOH. I wanted to discuss my Dad’s beautiful love for Christ. He always cherished my faith and did not look...
28
Oct
I loved asking Dad his thoughts about parenting and coaching- both are similar. An authoritarian coach or parent who leads with fear and intimidation creates...
27
Oct
Dad loved servant leadership. One beautiful definition Dad would have loved from Dr. Marleen Ramsey, who writes, “Servant leadership is an ethical perspective of leadership...
26
Oct
My Dad believed in the intentional work of mentoring. Many of you reading Words of Hope are testimonies of Dad’s investment in your life. My...
25
Oct
Traveling through Switzerland recently reminded me how much fun my Dad had sightseeing around the world. He loved new places and adventures. Swiss physician Paul...
22
Oct
God shall supply ALL my needs?! What a sentence! Do I live like I believe this? I know this is something Dad wrestled with for...
20
Oct
Dad loved my mom. They were married for 58 years. He loved to tell the story of when he first saw her at the University...
19
Oct
Dad didn’t like it when I asked him how he felt. He instead preferred me to ask what he was learning from God or what...
18
Oct
One of the passages of Scripture Dad and I memorized is Ephesians 6:10-18. Verse 12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood...
15
Oct
One of the essential life lessons Dad helped me with is the idea of detachment. I am very passionate and opinionated, so the lessons of...
14
Oct
My dad grew up extremely poor. He often told stories of the paper route he had when he was age nine. He told us often...
13
Oct
A few days after Dad died, my friend sent me a loving text and ended with: You won the “Dad of the century” award. He...
12
Oct
Several people reached out to me after the Words of Hope in which I shared not being able to hear Dad’s voice on the voice...
11
Oct
Dad died two months ago. It feels like it just happened and conversely that it happened long ago. Dad’s 12 year battle with cancer carried...
8
Oct
Hope, Dad’s dog knew he was dying. She lay by his bed and would rest her head on his arm. When my dad passed away,...
7
Oct
I opened Dad’s desk recently and found hundreds of random note cards. Some were covered in images of nature; others were blank white cards or...
6
Oct
Dad loved the Lord’s Prayer, and it was one of his favorite ways to pray. Here is how time with Dad praying the Lord’s Prayer...
5
Oct
My brother Jay created RPE (one of my dad’s favorite slogans, which stands for Relentless Pursuit of Excellence) and FJC—my dad’s initials Fredric James Crowell....
4
Oct
My Dad left me a lengthy voicemail before he died. I waited to listen to it for a few weeks after he passed, waiting for...
1
Oct
My dad had wisdom that resulted in practical ways to live. Before he died, I asked him about a parent who had a young child...
30
Sep
Our whole family often jumped into learning what Dad was learning. He was so infectious and enthusiastic; he inspired us to understand what he was...
29
Sep
Our family created a ritual around mealtime conversation. This ritual refined through the years, but it emerged from my Dad’s quote he often used, “Great...
28
Sep
Dad and I loved to go to movies and see them on the big screen. One of our favorite movies was 1917. We loved the...
27
Sep
Dad liked to use a jar illustration to help people diagnose the quality of their thoughts and words. Picture a large glass jar in which...
24
Sep
Dad loved to sing, and for a long time, he was not good—so poor people thought he purposely mocked the song when he sang in...
23
Sep
I love history with all my heart, especially World War 2, perhaps because I know Dad loved Winston Churchill, or because I lived in Germany,...
22
Sep
My Dad noticed people that many do not—people mopping floors, or bussing tables, people who were often unseen or unrecognized. He treated everyone he met...
21
Sep
Dad valued quality thinking. For most of us, we assume whatever we think about is reality. A thought enters our head, and we unequivocally believe...
20
Sep
One of Dad’s favorite sayings was, “Yard by yard, life is hard, but inch by inch, life’s a cinch.” Dad would often counsel me on...
17
Sep
I opened up Dad’s journal from 1987 recently. The year I survived a severe car accident on my way to school. The entry date was...
16
Sep
Dad met with his doctor for the last time in July. A cancer doctor is such a massive part of a cancer patient’s life. My...
15
Sep
When I was a young girl in Birmingham, Alabama, mustard became available for purchase in a new plastic bottle. Before this new packaging, we had...
14
Sep
Dad was not the best at waiting when he was younger. He disliked waiting in line or at the doctor’s office. With cancer, you spend...
13
Sep
I trusted my Dad. He created a very safe space for me to share with him my life and my struggles. He listened well and...
10
Sep
Laughing seems difficult for me right now. I almost didn’t write this though I felt my Dad intentionally gave me this word. Dad loved rocks...
9
Sep
Dad loved to do crazy things, like two-footed hops down the middle of main street Disneyland or teach strangers how to laugh or practice his...
8
Sep
The keyword I wanted to focus on for today is, forgive. I know that as Dad crossed over into eternity, any memories of bitterness, resentment,...
7
Sep
I have felt fairly bereft with dad’s passing, so I have decided to set a daily intention, something he would encourage me to consider for...
6
Sep
Fred Crowell passed away on Wednesday, August 11, at around 7:40 pm. Fred is my Dad, and I’ve had the unparalleled blessing of being raised...
9
Aug
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians...
6
Aug
Hi All, My dad has taken a very serious turn. We keep hoping it is temporary and he makes a remarkable recovery as he has...
5
Aug
Written near the end of his life, Soren Kierkegaard gives insights into what we call “infinite resignation.” This is in his book The Lily of the...
4
Aug
Something truly amazing happens when we clean when the dirt is removed when clutter becomes neat. Our human spirit is enhanced when we make something...
3
Aug
Today’s world lives out the adage, “There is a season for everything.” Solomon said this in his book of Ecclesiastes. In other words, there is a balanced,...
2
Aug
Looming in the hearts of human “doings” (not human beings) is the majestic Mount Never ENOUGH. This imaginary self-imposed mountain stands taller than America’s tallest Mount...
30
Jul
Recently my brother Larry relayed Giannis Antetokounmpo’s comments to me. Giannis is the shooting guard for the Milwaukee Bucks that won the 2021 NBA championship....
28
Jul
In the Bible, Psalm 90 is a prayer by Moses, full of wisdom. Moses had eight requests in the last part of the prayer. In fact, his...
23
Jul
It seems to me there comes a time in everyone’s life when we can either take a stand or remain seated. Historically, there were many...
22
Jul
You must build hope, for the day will come when it is desperately needed! Myelin is a coating that covers your circulatory neurons. Every time...
21
Jul
Here in Spokane we have had record-breaking heat in June. Now in July throughout the Pacific Northwest we need rain. Don’t you agree there always appears...
20
Jul
Fear is a dominating emotion that cripples performance and steals success. Is it possible to live without fear? Probably not because there are two types...
16
Jul
I am convinced the two most important HOW’S in the world are: 1) HOW to be born again, and 2) HOW to be filled with the Holy...
15
Jul
In the early days, a baby spends the vast majority of time in a crib. The middle years of life are spent grinding it out...
14
Jul
Happiness is watching your granddaughter dance. Possibly one of the greatest joys of being a grandparent is watching grandchildren excel and love life with passion. As...
13
Jul
“You pile up enough tomorrows, and you will find you have nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don’t know about you but I...
12
Jul
This is the ultimate difference between contentment and discontentment. Contentment is living in abundance. Discontentment is living in scarcity. Contentment is living in – “enough...
9
Jul
Yes, Fred Crowell loves to drive a car! And the better the car, the better I love driving! And how fun it is to drive on...
8
Jul
“Folks are usually about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” This is what Abe Lincoln felt. For some, happiness is a common...
7
Jul
One of the great gifts of life is that of choice. Everyone can choose whether they live natural, meaning normal or ordinary, or supernatural, meaning transcendental or...
6
Jul
Imagine making a blanket guarantee that all things, meaning everything in your life, will work out for good! Consider this life guarantee written by St. Paul...
5
Jul
It was a fateful Christmas Eve in 1776. General George Washington, also Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, led his men across the Delaware, marching 13 hours...
4
Jul
“This land is your land, this land is my land. From California to New York Island, from the Redwood Forest to the Gulf stream waters....
30
Jun
Years ago, Henry David Thoreau said: “The mass of men live lives of QUIET desperation.” Yet today, I (meaning Fred Crowell) say: “Most people live lives of ACTIVE...
29
Jun
“Once we admit life is hard, it is no longer difficult.” – Scott Peck It baffles me when people; notably Fred Crowell, think we deserve...
28
Jun
The Apostle James encourages us to consider trouble when it comes our way, to be an opportunity for great joy. Common sense tells us this...
25
Jun
Many of us have heard “HELP!” from a child. Sometimes this means the child is in danger or perhaps just needs assistance or support. Maybe any help...
23
Jun
Fred Rogers, the famous child inspirational television star, said, “There is an inside story for every outside behavior.” If every teacher, coach, and, most importantly,...
22
Jun
Lamps and lights are favorites of mine, more than the average person. My wife will agree with that. She will tell you how an extraordinary...
21
Jun
When we stop climbing, facing the challenges life presents every day, we lose our mission and purpose. For the toddler, the climb is learning to...
18
Jun
When life gets so hard, we seem to be in a place we cannot describe. In fact, we do want other people, but it seems...
17
Jun
One of the most important life principles is the phenomenon of In-N-Out. Coincidentally, an American popular fast-food chain is named In-N-Out, where placing an order necessitates...
16
Jun
Webster writes PRIVILEGE is “a special benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity granted only to a particular person or group.”There was a time in...
15
Jun
The Dead Sea, bordered by Israel, Jordan, and Palestine, is the world’s lowest point below sea level. Animals cannot live in its water even as...
14
Jun
An elementary teacher was talking about the subject of good and bad guys. One little boy raised his hand: “Teacher, who are the good guys?“ This is...
11
Jun
Very early this morning I asked myself this question: Is my life enough, or do I want more? My reality is while I am in my secret garden,...
10
Jun
In hopes to offset today’s primarily angry, harsh, rhetorical, judgmental language. The language of Hope seems like an excellent alternative. These quotes are the Hope...
9
Jun
Dying well begins with living well. Nearly 40 years ago, one of my best friends from Seattle called me. His words were: “Fred, I am really afraid....
8
Jun
Four is a great number! Why not three? Look at the original ATV (all-terrain vehicle); it had three wheels. Didn’t work – would cause far...
7
Jun
In Proverbs 30, the writer says there are things God has done that are too wonderful to understand. I, too, feel three mysterious miracles are...
4
Jun
Coach Crowell, I really like reading your book, Words of Hope!” “Coach Crowell, I love reading your blog, Words of Hope!” Thank you is my...
3
Jun
JUNE 3 is an important date. June 3, 1865, was the date for the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, as part of the Civil War (156...
2
Jun
Here I sit in my easy chair, at 4 AM, wondering about life. How is it possible, so many diverse thoughts roam through my brain...
1
Jun
The Psalmist wrote, “The Lord Most High is awesome.“ The word awesome always reminds me of my brother Larry. He delights in saying, “You’re awesome!” ...
31
May
Wise people do not forget those who have gone before and made our lives richer, better, happier, and safer. Foolish people do not honor those who have...
28
May
Pictured above is Jim Harrick – John Wooden – Fred Crowell. Coach Jim Harrick is one of the finest friends any person could ever have in...
27
May
Hope is helpful if you find yourself in a position much like myself, HELPLESS TAKE HEART are words that speak loudly. This sun-filled, blue-sky May morning inspired...
26
May
If you truly want to know your life purpose, ask yourself the 5 Whys. In fact, asking 5 Why’s may help solve many of your...
25
May
The four P’s – Psalms, purpose, prayer & power. Dr. Shann Ferch tells the following story. One day my dad took me to Circle, Montana to...
24
May
Nestled in the decorative rock among my beautiful rhododendrons, I discovered what looked like trash. To my big surprise, it was not trash! Instead, it...
21
May
Approximately 160 men with metastatic prostate cancer are counting on three (3) daily pills to give them a few more good days on this earth,...
20
May
Amazing Greats interviews with well-known actors, authors, artists, athletes, musicians, and business leaders. Authentic conversations about their lives, careers, and how their faith played an...
19
May
One of the closest followers of Jesus wrote of a special man who came to Jesus at night. Why would Saint John want to make...
18
May
Coaching basketball taught me many life-related concepts. These principles just appeared on the court! One example is a timeout. To take a break, intermission, breather...
17
May
There are three profound Laws of Life that impacts all of us, whether we are aware of them or not. These Laws of Knowledge make...
14
May
I like to begin Words of Hope with a story that inspires me. A long time ago, there was a man who said he was...
13
May
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news.” As remarkable and beautiful as Alaska’s magnificent mountains is the notion...
12
May
View this IMAGINARY CAGE FIGHT: Nemsa vs. Pemsa. In the south corner of the cage, wearing red/orange is Nemsa. He is fighting for world domination...
11
May
Greeting from Fred Crowell! This letter from Fred to all who have a special place in my heart. As I study my favorite Bible book,...
10
May
“You can’t break a bad habit by throwing it out the window. You’ve got to walk it slowly (and deliberately) down the stairs.” When people...
7
May
Sooner or later in life, we discover we are not who we think we are! We discover there is a difference between who we are...
6
May
Key Statement: People have an internal compass. This compass points in the direction of people who have a compass pointing toward us. We call this...
5
May
Who is worthy to be called your king? What a profound question! According to Krois’ definition, A king is any person, any object, anything or undertaking that...
4
May
Key Statement: Death Moments and death are inevitable. Yet both death moments and death are subject matters seldom discussed except at funerals. Elegant question. What...
3
May
KEY STATEMENT: If you have experienced a death moment you are never the same. If you have not experienced a death moment, be prepared because...
30
Apr
After 12 days with my new Medical Trial by UCLA, I now more fully understand why it is called a Clinical Trial. It is because the prescribed...
29
Apr
“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, I have everything I need, all I really want is God.” – Crowell It’s been said...
28
Apr
Have you considered that NONSENSE MEANS NO SENSE? It is an indicator of lacking good sense, judgment, or real meaning. Therefore, nonsense becomes foolishness. A brilliant...
27
Apr
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. In basketball language, an excellent metaphor for shooting a basketball is an...
26
Apr
Young children do it the best! They get so excited to see people they love. They run, jump in arms (confident to be caught!), gleefully...
23
Apr
Years ago, a wise college basketball coach evaluated a hopeful recruit with these words: “His body betrays him.” At the time, these were stunning yet insightful words....
20
Apr
The crucial question… My daughter Jennifer tells the story of being seven years old. She braved a flight of steps to the high board at...
19
Apr
Some would have said Henry Ford’s mass production of the Model T is the world’s greatest machine. While others would have said it was the...
16
Apr
My dear, dear Father B: I slept a very rare 8 uninterrupted hours through the night this week. Praise God. I think of you through...
15
Apr
“Old things passed away, all things become new.” – Paul Early this morning in my secret garden, I was thinking of my grandson. What kind...
14
Apr
Do you want to live longer? Then LAUGH! Laughter heals the body, decreases pain, protects the heart and blood flow, and lowers blood pressure. Do you want...
13
Apr
In Psalm 8, David wonders about his micro-self and says, “What is humankind that God is mindful of him? He has created us a little lower...
12
Apr
No reasonable person can dispute there are immutable, unchanging laws that govern our lives. There is no escape from them. One such law is the...
9
Apr
Laughter heals the bodyLaughter reduces angerLaughter elevates hopeLaughter is funLaughter is caught, not taughtLaughter is unique to eachLaughter is contagious Laughter is social happinessLaughter lowers blood...
7
Apr
Last Wednesday, we discussed 5 characteristics of wisdom seen in wise people. They were: Personal Admission, Personal Commitment, Personal Trained Behavior, Personal Skills, Personal Diligence....
6
Apr
As I inspire myself to love and good deeds, I realize I need to give more thoughtful attention and continuous care to watching over others. I need to...
5
Apr
People-watching is fun, entertaining and a valuable source of learning. A wise spiritual and life educator taught his students to master three people-watching skills. WATCH...
2
Apr
Just one act of KINDNESS can change a life forever. It is a type of behavior marked by favorable acts of generosity, consideration, and concern. What...
1
Apr
“A worthy mentor is one of the most valuable people leaders, parents, coaches, and peoples of all professions can have in navigating through life.” –...
31
Mar
For about 100 days, the mysterious and remarkable topic of WISDOM has been on my mind and heart. At the end of the year 2020,...
30
Mar
Key Statement: “Ex” means to get out, and “en” means to enter. Get out of the hallway and enter rooms of beauty, grace, peace, joy,...
29
Mar
Ideas from a sermon about being stuck in the hallway of life. People get mentally stuck in hallways because only 5% of our emotional decision-making...
26
Mar
Dear Forever Friends, Once again, the Lord delivers Fred Crowell big time. After 11 intense metastatic cancer years, my cancer is isolated in the bones...
25
Mar
Is it Rembrandt, Picasso, Michael Angelo, Chagall, Van Gogh, or is it GOD? Susan Stricker, high school math teacher, lover of beauty, declares to any...
24
Mar
The idea of walking with 360-degree vision seems absurd, yet this is a Biblical challenge. Dr. Thomas Jones told 120 truly good kids at an...
23
Mar
I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethoughts of grief. – Wendell Berry No taxes – no...
22
Mar
Curiosity opens doors; anger closes doors. The Apostle James gives us solid counsel when he said, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow...
18
Mar
Two extremely important, yet uncommon questions that bring relational healing. Will you forgive me for; now call the offense by name. I am sorry; I...
17
Mar
The value of a wisdom checklist is to prioritize each vital activity necessary to complete the task with great success.After choosing major projects, it is wise...
16
Mar
CRUCIAL QUESTIONS Are you brave? If yes, how? Are you brave? If no, why not? Football legend coach Vince Lombardi said, “Fatigue makes cowards of...
15
Mar
March 15 became a famous day known now as “THE IDES OF MARCH” relating to Roman history. We can learn three lessons from Roman incidents...
12
Mar
“Fred, how do you do it? How do you have such peace and joy going through the challenges you are facing? Four times in the...
11
Mar
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...
10
Mar
The invention of the checklist is one of the all-time great discoveries! It can also be called PLOTTING THE COURSE. It is a reminder list...
9
Mar
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...
8
Mar
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...
8
Mar
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...
5
Mar
A good Friday to you, dear friends! Let’s start today’s Word of Hopefulness with two inciteful, elegant questions, answering Yes or No. Do you know...
4
Mar
The giant enemy of the human spirit is self-pity! Years ago, one dark emotional day at an NBC Camps clinic for the Tulalip Indian Reservation...
3
Mar
Wisdom is the design of the one and only true Creator. Without the existence of God, there is no wisdom. There are only opinions, people’s viewpoints. Even...
2
Mar
People watch what we are doing, how we do it, and how it makes them feel.” – Derrick Sebastian “May I have another cup of...
1
Mar
“Laughter is a fascinating subject to study because each person has a unique way of laughing.” F Crowell In my years of empirical research I...
26
Feb
Today is Day 57 in our 2021 Words of Hope. May I politely ask a favor of you? I really need your help. This is...
25
Feb
“I think of you through the watches of the night because you are my help.” After three full, long days at a camp, the 75-year-old...
24
Feb
Wisdom is doing the right thing at the right time. W – Want it! This is the first step in being wise. See Matthew 6:25-33. I...
23
Feb
To SEE means I have seen. In essence, I cannot help others see the value of something if I have not seen its worth. Growing up, I...
22
Feb
Albert Einstein believed you could not solve a problem with the same level of consciousness that created it. Operating on the belief system that everyone...
19
Feb
My dear friends, I write this Word of Hope from Cabo, San Lucas. This is a wonderful place, especially when Spokane is experiencing bitter coldness –...
18
Feb
Do you desire freedom from quick temper, anger, and personal conflicts? The Apostle Paul is truly a remarkable writer. I marvel as I read his...
17
Feb
Wisdom begins knowing I am NOT wise. There is a circular presupposition: To be wise is to know; if you don’t know, you can’t understand;...
16
Feb
Each New Year resolutions are made with high hopes and firm resolve. By the year’s end, these well-intended resolutions will have been abandoned. In January...
12
Feb
Today is the 43rd day of the year 2021. Wow! At least 10% of the year 2021 has already evaporated! Really, it is more like...
11
Feb
Every life form is starving for a drop of encouragement. Some examples: The cactus in Arizona cries for just one drop of moisture. The house dog...
10
Feb
TRAINING TO WIN is far superior to trying to win. Trying is not sufficient. We fail because we don’t train. Trying is not enough. The world...
9
Feb
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...
5
Feb
One of the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. A profound request! Who else should be asked! His instructions were condensed to 70...
3
Feb
I hope you are enjoying the 416-page, hardcover Words of Hope book. The book helps us discover how hope heals, elevates the spirit, and brings energy and...
2
Feb
“If your faith does not work in the home, your faith does not work.” – Howard Hendricks Vividly the bird sanctuary at the San Diego...
1
Feb
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...
29
Jan
Dear FRIDAY WITH FRED Friends, Today’s communication is to lift your spirit and inspire you to positive caring, life-giving, yet enjoyable actions. Personally, one of...
28
Jan
Briefly, why do we idolize being first and disfavor being last? Often last trumps first. Here are some real-life examples depicting in the end first does...
27
Jan
Solomon has given us this advantageous bit of wisdom in Proverbs 11:14, “Where there is no advice, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors...
26
Jan
“Defense is the best offense in basketball and in lifeball” – Fred Crowell One of my father’s passions I inherited was a clean car. When...
25
Jan
“Experience is a term used to name our mistakes.” – Oscar Wilde Four pillars form the foundation for my meaning and purpose in life. Life...
22
Jan
A WRITTEN LETTER can be an effective way to communicate. Francis Bacon said: “Reading makes us full, speaking makes us prepared, and writing makes us exact.” A letter is...
21
Jan
Imagine a valentine heart shape burdened with a heavy backpack running to jump and clear a high bar. Recently I visited a very special person...
20
Jan
To review, we have looked at WISDOM along with four negativities to avoid, mainly people who sap us of our real meaning of life and...
19
Jan
What you don’t see is far more important than what you do see. Imagine the excitement 2224 of the richest people in the world and...
18
Jan
A tribute to the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. How many coloreds are you going to play at a time in the game...
15
Jan
My Dearest of Friends, When St. Paul wrote his many letters from his Roman prison cell, I am sure he did not know they would...
14
Jan
Within arm’s reach is a ping-pong-ball-sized red light button. It is your anger button! Press it and anger flows or possibly explodes like a volcano....
13
Jan
King Solomon combined WISDOM and DISCIPLINE in his Proverbs writings. In fact, he advised us to not despise them or treat them with contempt. It intrigues me...
12
Jan
Imagine a farmer plowing a field with his hands hanging tenaciously to a plow pulled by two hefty horses. Then, out of nowhere, a brand...
11
Jan
What do you hold most dear? What do you want to be most known for? Whatever the answer, God’s intent for contacting us is for...
8
Jan
I am writing to all who call Fred Crowell brother and friend. I want you to know I love and appreciate you. I also want...
6
Jan
Let’s explore what it means to be wise. We know the decisions we make determine our destiny. In 2021, Words of Hope will give you...
5
Jan
Each 2021 Wednesday, Words of Hope will focus on the personal skill development of being wise. It will be designated WISDOM WEDNESDAY. The first Wednesday of 2021...
4
Jan
WARMEST GREETINGS TO MY DEAR FAITHFUL FRIENDS: The year 2020 had the earmarks of a very unique year. For too many, it was the worst of...
23
Dec
Some say the two greatest days of your life are the day you were born and the day you die. Wisdom says the two greatest...
22
Dec
Life without balance between drive, rhythm, and margin is like driving an automobile with tires out of balance. It can be done; however, the journey...
21
Dec
PHILOSOPHY-OLOGY PSYCH-OLOGY BASKETBALL-OLOGY LIFEBALL-OLOGY SPIRITUAL-OLOGY KEY STATEMENT: These five OLOGY’S are the five disciplines that have played a significant role in my life. Two principals...
18
Dec
These Chinese flowers give evidence to the elegance, beauty, and grandeur of the miracle of creation. The China basketball experience continues to warm my heart...
17
Dec
It may be impossible to escape life without some Hard Teachers and Dirty Graders. Life is hard until you realize it; then it is no...
16
Dec
This Word of Hope is written to my hero Mike. He is responding to a fellow employee who has just been given a cancer diagnosis....
15
Dec
Life is meant for good friends and great adventures! Life is an adventure to be lived! Even Aristotle said, “Adventure is worthwhile.” However, why should it...
14
Dec
The base note of our lives is silence. The trees must be in it, the birds sing, the dogs bark, cars beep – people speak...
11
Dec
“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,...
10
Dec
Sounds too good to be true. Well, truthfully it is priceless but it is not absolutely free. This priceless vacation does not cost one red...
9
Dec
God’s mercy is for everyone. “And so dear brothers and sisters, ‘I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He...
8
Dec
Adversity – Abundance – Appreciation Is it possible to go through life without adversity? Are learning valuable life lessons possible without adversity? In your life...
7
Dec
Truth is what we need to hear, a lie is what we want to hear. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set...
4
Dec
A broken plate! Imagine the pain a mother experienced when her young child dropped one of her most precious treasures. It was a special plate received...
3
Dec
The wise King David encouraged us to measure our days and to know the brevity of life (Psalm 39:4-5). He also told us we are...
2
Dec
Life offers no greater gift with greater rewards than just loving people for no other motive than to love. Frankly, I never much liked the...
1
Dec
The most beautiful and blessed place on earth. Slow the bus down is a favorite expression in the Crowell home when one of us gets...
30
Nov
6 WAYS TO BE A BETTER LISTENER LEARN – Listen with the purpose to learn, not be quick to tell what you know. INTENTIONAL –...
27
Nov
Kindness Is Contagious is a valuable educational documentary on the magic of kindness. Of all the species on earth, the most helpless for the longest period...
26
Nov
Why should Thanksgiving be limited to one calendar day a year? Giving thanks can be so much more than watching football all day, eating piles...
24
Nov
If there is a battle, then what is a soul? The soul (psuche in Greek) is our animate life, the seat of our mind, senses, will, and desires, reflected...
24
Nov
“If you try to fix a problem with the wrong tool you will make the problem bigger, not smaller.” – Jennifer Crowell Ferch My true...
23
Nov
In 1863, because of the Army victory at Gettysburg during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared a national Thanksgiving holiday for every succeeding November. This was...
20
Nov
As I reflect on the major decisions of my life, there was one that took the longest to decide yet had the most impact on...
19
Nov
Don’t never stop being HOPEFUL Don’t never stop being kind & cheerful Don’t never stop loving life and people Don’t never stop loving the Lord...
18
Nov
We all need IRON in our bodies and also in our social lives. Are you aware of this? IRON IN THE BODY Iron is a mineral that...
17
Nov
Once in a while, I question why I find such joyful delight when I receive a grateful expression. Recently, I received this written gratitude from...
16
Nov
One of the most enlightening Biblical chapters is I Corinthians 13. Here Apostle Paul extols love as the highest creative act of human giftedness. Despite...
13
Nov
In broad terms, there are only two kinds of body itches. However, there are many types of “life itches.” One kind of Body itch is reachable;...
12
Nov
Today I received OXYCOURAGE from a wonderful man who was a valuable player on one of my basketball coached teams, approximately 44-years-ago team. He has...
10
Nov
Years ago, a brilliant leader taught the magic learning number is 6. For example: If you want to remember a person’s name when introduced, silently repeat...
9
Nov
The best experience in life is simply living, breathing, loving people, delighting in God’s creation, and earth as our Disneyland. Life is a blessing! Yet, one...
5
Nov
When neighbors are out walking their dogs, my favorite question is: “Who is having the most fun — you or the dog?” Of course, the...
4
Nov
“Thank you“ may be the most forgotten phrase in all mankind! Is the loss of a couple seconds of our time worth not expressing thanks?...
3
Nov
Genius is being able to visualize the finish line or the finished product before you begin the race or the task. The late Dr. Howard...
2
Nov
Anytime the word “HOPE” appears in writing, my eyes light up! It is my inspiration! It became my go-to word when cancer knocked at my...
30
Oct
My reading in James 1:15 (NASB) says: “Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” May...
29
Oct
Some people hide all their lives, and some people don’t know they are hiding. We seem to live in a rootless society. Our identities seem to...
28
Oct
Do we really measure HOPE in terms of pounds? Yes, we surely do when it is Words of Hope books. How fitting that the ordained day...
27
Oct
October is Bully Prevention Month. What better month could there be because October comes soon after the start of a new school year? The first 4-6...
26
Oct
If dogs could bark in human language, I am convinced my new pup, Hope LUV, would bark words of hope to you. Hope is kind...
23
Oct
You can change the world! Think big! But… start small! Today’s world is fragile, imperiled, hurt, unknown, in a type of bubble. This is our...
22
Oct
Something incredibly positive has happened during my 10-year journey of over 250 oncology appointments. As always, ATTITUDE is the difference-maker in all of life experiences, cancer...
21
Oct
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His handiwork. There is no speech or language where His word is...
20
Oct
Why is gratitude important? Gratitude becomes mental and emotional medicine. John Hopkins Hospital asks each cancer patient to journal 25 gratitudes daily. Gratitude enhances greater performance. Research...
19
Oct
My years of counseling have taught me it is nearly impossible to help others unless they sincerely say ‘HELP ME!” This kind of help is to advise,...
16
Oct
The birth of a child is the grandest and most Godlike event a mother and father can experience in a lifetime. In fact, it is so...
15
Oct
The relatively new science of phenomenology, empirical-based research, is understanding the meaning of people’s lived experiences. It has made it possible to quantify reliable data to...
14
Oct
The relatively new science of phenomenology, empirical-based research, is understanding the meaning of people’s lived experiences. It has made it possible to quantify reliable data...
13
Oct
QUESTIONS: After a gathering of friends, do you ever wonder if they had a good time? Do you sometimes wonder if a person dislikes you or...
12
Oct
These two 17’s are the best moments of my day! This is time dedicated to entering my personal secret garden. The psalmist called this a...
9
Oct
Many years ago a college student told me his story: “For six years I was drug-free. However, after graduating from college, I was struggling to...
8
Oct
A cup of joy has the potential to give more vitality than a cup of joe. Do we really believe this? Ask 65% of adult Americans who...
7
Oct
The customary “How are you doing” greeting continues to receive the same casual responses of either “Good,” “fine,” or “ok.” Yet, today there may be a big difference...
6
Oct
My family, especially daughter Jennifer, delights when I am excited over surprises, no matter the size. A small surprise came yesterday, although it was tear-moving. It was a...
5
Oct
SPOKANE IS A CITY OF BRIDGES. These bridges are crucial for connecting south and north Spokane. This city has the truly magnificent Spokane River which...
2
Oct
“Unstuck” is a descriptive word, an adjective. When an object becomes unstuck, it is freed or loosened from being fastened or stuck. An example would be...
1
Oct
The incredible human machine has an approximately 10-ounce heart that pumps blood through the entire body. Can you imagine every 24 hours our arteries, veins, and capillaries deliver...
30
Sep
The auto industry survives on used car sales, not new car sales, according to some experts in the car and truck industry. One highly successful...
29
Sep
Sad to say, in today’s culture you and I are at war. The enemy is unbelief. Too often we view the enemy as other people, but...
27
Sep
HOPE IS REAL ANTICIPATION IN A VERY TOUGH AND DIFFICULT WORLD. Hope is our medicine for depression, failure, discouragement, illness, broken dreams. Hope is the cure for...
25
Sep
The time has come! Ten thousand WORDS OF HOPE books are now being published: Full-color, hard-back cover 416 pages of wisdom 366 Hope messages The daily messages...
23
Sep
Anacortes is a small fishing, lumber town in northwest Washington. This community has lived, breathed, and died basketball. It has been the town religion. No one cared...
22
Sep
What is a word? It is a revealer, a messenger; it can also be a unit of a spoken or written expression. The ultimate source of wisdom is...
21
Sep
Music is the universal language of the world. Melodic music can be like the soft drizzle of rain, in other words, light rain in fine...
20
Sep
Difficulties and troubles in this world often cause us to cry out unthinkingly for help to be strong, brave, and invincible. Even for me, the...
18
Sep
To WIN against cancer, it is first and foremost necessary to understand what war and winning are. War is intense conflict and combat; winning is...
17
Sep
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else up.” This is a wise statement by Booker T. Washington. A great example of lifting up...
16
Sep
Ed Pepple (1932-2020) was a great high school basketball coach for 49 years in the state of Washington, 42 of those years at Mercer Island...
15
Sep
With many mental parts moving about in the “Crowell Cooker” today, I wonder how do I find peace where there is so much pain in our...
14
Sep
In life experience laboratories, human condition scientists search to find new methods to educate people to live at maximum potential. Their one mystery question is:...
12
Sep
One of the most powerful ways to inspire and encourage someone is a personal letter. This is because written words can be reread and encouraged...
10
Sep
Dear Words of Hope reader, please do not flee from this WOH because of the word “death.” To equate it with dancing will be mind and heart...
9
Sep
Everyone is a teacher! The title teacher is not inclusive to those who are certified academic instructors. The most effective teacher is one’s life experience....
7
Sep
I discovered far too late in life what Labor Day Celebration should be. I thought it was valuing hard work. It really is appreciating what...
6
Sep
From time to time, all of us need to assess where we are emotionally. We need to be willing to open the door and take...
4
Sep
One of the most spectacular auto plants in the world is the Audi headquarters in Germany. According to my family, it is a marvel to...
3
Sep
Good morning, Freddy J. Crowell. The immediate, direct question needing an answer is: How are you? With a nice breeze coming through the open window, a favorite blanket over...
2
Sep
This is to be very personal, so let’s approach this as a personal one-on-one conversation even though it is a monologue. My dad used to...
1
Sep
KEY STATEMENT. To encourage someone is to give them oxygen. 12-year-old Bella Crowell Ferch gives us an education on what 6 graders are learning at...
26
Aug
Military battles, sports, and music competitions all demand mind management and self-regulation skill training and development. It is said that elite, world-class stars in sports...
24
Aug
Have you ever held two pounds of HOPE in your hands? With today’s many worldwide problems housed in nearly every human life on this planet,...
21
Aug
Of all the possible criticism words that could be leveled against me by someone I love and admire, the most heartbreaking one would be: “I HOLD...
20
Aug
Imagine the hopelessness one would experience under the following conditions: Stay of execution although standing before a firing squad Ten years in prison Death of...
19
Aug
What is my favorite city in the USA? Perhaps New York City! Traveling to the Big Apple for great Broadway plays with our musical Ferch family...
18
Aug
As a general rule, basketball coaches have a single focus: to coach/teach the team to excel. Great coaches are outstanding in creating the team environment...
17
Aug
Within the world-famous San Diego Zoo is a truly magnificent bird sanctuary. It is breathtakingly beautiful. It is a perfect home of safety with the...
7
Aug
For the first time in 49 years, NBC Camps worldwide have not been able to host even one single live day or residential camp. This...
5
Aug
Behind every Ask is a life experience story. The more significant the story, the larger the Ask. The less important the story, the smaller the...
4
Aug
Every nation, every region, every city, every town, every village, every group has two classes of people. My terms are The Haves and The Have...
30
Jul
“I have come that you might life and have it abundantly.” – Jesus Often people tell me, “We grew up poor but I never knew...
29
Jul
“If you have faith, family, friends sprinkled with a little fun you can beat anything.” – Loraine Derr, Juneau Alaska If anyone on earth understands...
28
Jul
Key Statement: “My soul thirst for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” – Psalm 63 Water has been the...
27
Jul
“…LIFE ONLY BEGINS WHEN IT ENDS HERE ON EARTH” – Bonhoeffer St. Paul has often been quoted, “Death where is thy victory, where is thy...
26
Jul
These past few days people have asked me questions that are extremely difficult. There doesn’t seem to be a helpful answer. Five years ago Bill...
24
Jul
Meet Mookie! He lives in Thailand. He is a favorite at NBC Camps; always smiling, inspirational, hard-working, and a pure delight to teammates and coaches....
23
Jul
“Better to trust and run the risk of being disappointed than to trust no one and be alone.” – Jim Harrick In a recent conversation,...
21
Jul
The human gut has 80% of the immune system to fight disease. Best to take care of the gut. Don’t you agree? Coaches routinely take...
17
Jul
Recently USA News made two statements: “Ignorance is the new normal. Stupidity is the new normal.” Where is there hope in these two philosophical statements?...
16
Jul
“Do not be afraid of people or I will make you look foolish in front of them.” – God’s words to the Prophet Jeremiah Elegant...
15
Jul
WHAT IS YOUR M/P (MEANING AND PURPOSE FOR LIVING)? Meaning and purpose are jet fuel for life. Tell me in 30 seconds or less your...
14
Jul
“Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and dies it abides alone…” Do we destroy the old bridge, let it stays as is...
13
Jul
Aristotle said, “We become brave by doing brave acts.” The clear logical definition of brave: Courageous, dauntless, perhaps a little bit daring, a brave person,...
10
Jul
“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...
9
Jul
Slow the bus down. Relax. Breath. Call Time Out. When the pace gets too fast, relax. When words flow too quickly, relax. When the conversation...
8
Jul
“You aren’t ready to live until you are ready to die.” — Ray Eberle My days in the book of Matthew completed. The last chapters are like...
6
Jul
In my left palm is a white $200 pill. Its purpose is to prevent kidneys from producing testosterone, a food prostate cancer delights in eating....
3
Jul
Research suggests gratitude helps beat cancer. Dr. John Gottman has proven through extensive testing that when the heart jumps over 100 beats per minute when...
2
Jul
When I awaken in darkness in the middle of the night with a sudden thought that cancer will defeat me, fear grips my heart like...
1
Jul
Never ever be discouraged Never quit Never ever let cancer win Never stop loving people Never cease to love God & His Son One of...
30
Jun
“Cancer cannot steal my joy, rob me of hope, or destroy my love for life and people.” The past decade has been some of the...
26
Jun
This morning the candle is lit here in my home office. Prayers for your courage, faith, and hope have been offered to our loving Heavenly...
24
Jun
The best athlete in my lifetime of coaching was gentle and kind, yet super competitive, his name was Jonathon Stringier. Jonathon was our star center...
23
Jun
What are the two most important qualities of father excellence in teaching Lifeball to children? My life experience in being a teacher/coach and a father,...
19
Jun
There was a time in my life when transcendent truth, or absolutes, was accepted as reality. Not today. Such acceptance is dead and gone. Today...
18
Jun
No one would expect a university physical education major to attempt to analyze the human condition mathematically! Well, here we go! At least the analysis...
16
Jun
If dogs could bark in human language, I am convinced my new little pup would bark words of Hope to you. Of course, she would...
15
Jun
We are in an intense and painful season of humanity. As a former basketball coach, I need to call a TIMEOUT. Coaches know teams need...
12
Jun
A friend said to me, “I feel like I am walking in quicksand because life is so difficult these days.” Quicksand is soft, cannot support weight, and...
11
Jun
LIFE IS A RACE. For some, this means a long-distance marathon (maybe a decathlon?); for others, 400-meter hurdles. Too many live only long enough to run...
8
Jun
With bold confidence, strong conviction, passion, and compassion, I, Fred Crowell, proclaim without God and His hope, I have no firepower to beat cancer, nothing but...
7
Jun
Hundreds, possibly thousands of times, NBC camp students have told me these words, “I know my father loves me but I have never heard him...
5
Jun
In today’s national crisis, everyone seems to want to express their opinion. Have you noticed this? Even all the pro athletes. We must keep reminding...
4
Jun
Have you ever been told you can’t do it? I hope you replied, “Yes, I can!“ A Crowell Core Value: Never let anyone or anything stop...
2
Jun
Years ago in a graduate psychology class, my professor said, “I am going to ask a controversial question. I do not want you to be influenced...
1
Jun
Imagine the hopelessness one would experience under the following conditions: Stay of execution although standing before a firing squad Ten years in prison Death of...
29
May
After reading yesterday’s blog entitled, Prepare for Battle, my special friend in Mexico asked, “How can I identify the enemy besides CV-19?” Enemy identification is difficult because the...
28
May
Today you and I are at war! The battle is raging and seeking to destroy us! There are forces who oppose us! Do you know...
26
May
Bread has been on my mind. As a boy, mom’s homemade bread was worth dying for. Then, for many years my wife had Mondays as...
24
May
The older I get, the more I learn about life. The happiest people I meet and the most unpleasant people I observe confirm to me...
22
May
We build our personal world within the global world with the words that proceed from our mouths. So, if words matter as I believe they...
21
May
Doubtlessly, humans were created to think and act with logic in mind. If it makes sense and is understandable, in today’s world it becomes acceptable....
20
May
There was a time in my life I detested all pain. It was to be avoided at all costs. Certainly nothing good about it! Yet...
19
May
In his day, Job was a leader; in fact, a terrific leader. He was one many people sought counsel from until his own world crashed...
14
May
One of my most favorite songs is “It Is Well with My Soul.” The lyrics are what I need, sometimes several times a day. The...
13
May
My 20% PMA advantage plan today is gratitude. I am thankful I am alive with a strong heartbeat and breathing ability. Today I am confident,...
12
May
Have you heard these quotes about Truth? Have you heard these quotes about Truth? “Truth is beauty; beauty is Truth.” John Keats “In a time...
10
May
How does a boy become a man without a good mother? This is a mystery to me. When I journeyed to my secret place or...
8
May
Doctor Shann Ferch, my highly esteemed, intellectual son-in-law, introduced me to Phenomenology (phe·nom·e·nol·o·gy). He is also respected as my daughter Jennifer’s husband and cherished father...
6
May
A wise professional athlete said, “The stars are not the athletes because without fans there would be no professional sports; fans are the true stars.”...
5
May
When fear grows in me at the least unexpected time (now concerning CV-19), I go to my secret place, my secret garden. This is where...
4
May
Today my remarkable friend, Dr. Caviezel, sent me “One Pair of Hands” sung by Carroll Roberson. Incredible, inspiration, uplifting! Dr. Jim knows something about a...
3
May
The world’s best organization is looking for good people who are difference makers. Not long ago, in a Words of Hope, I spoke to the...
1
May
Mirror Mirror in my hand who has a pure clean glass that can show reflection in two directions; first at me; second to my world...
30
Apr
The Psalmist said, “The Lord knows everything about us.” Imagine being able to say, “You know everything about me, even before I say it, and...
29
Apr
Long ago when my dad was in school one of the basketball games fan chants was: “Ash can, tin can, who can, we can beat Everett…Bellingham…...
28
Apr
Yes, in life we are either going up, going down, or not moving! Just like a mechanical elevator. Today, like every day, you and I stand...
27
Apr
Happiness is: an emotion of joy a feeling of merriment absence of anxiety an attitude a decision encouragement a smile kindness purposeful practiced a learned...
26
Apr
One of the funniest comedians Jay Crowell and I enjoy is Chris Rock. In one of his monologues he makes his famous toothy, wide-eyed look;...
24
Apr
A basketball coaches analysis of the Lord’s Prayer. Based on the prayer instruction of Jesus, how is it possible to have His Kingdom come and...
23
Apr
How does the title of the word of hope strike you? Is there a word that stands out to you? For me, the standout word...
22
Apr
Behavior is the result of a person’s beliefs. In my early years coaching basketball and counseling families, it became clear to me the most important...
21
Apr
Shame is the demon that haunts all of humanity. When you name it, you can beat it. Years ago, I was in a master’s educational...
20
Apr
The year 1999 is the year the gratitude story began. The world was in disarray. Brilliant minds predicated the world economy was going to collapse...
19
Apr
MEMENTO MORI is the Latin for “Remember your death.” Three important men of the past reminded us of this. St. Ignatius of Loyola encouraged and...
17
Apr
Most people make emotional decisions and try to justify them with logic. The crucial decision-making question is, am I making an emotional or a logical...
16
Apr
I am sure you have discovered, as I have these past years, that having a fulfilling profession, a joyful marriage, doing daily exercises, and staying...
15
Apr
Settling for the story: Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama 1977 a conversation between Fred Crowell, Basketball Coach & Dr. Joseph King, 88-year-old professor emeritus ensues. “Good...
14
Apr
If we don’t protect our minds and hearts the negativity of the world will rob us of our positive mental attitude! If the news you...
13
Apr
The world’s pandemic has forced isolation upon us with a heartless vengeance. This isolation for the vast majority of Americans changed our lives in dramatic...
7
Apr
Sir Winston Churchill, given to depression, called it the Black Box. This Black Box is too deep to climb out of by sheer human strength...
6
Apr
Is it possible to get through life without experiencing pain? Seems every story has an element of pain in the narrative. Let’s imagine being able...
5
Apr
“But Jesus didn’t trust them because He knew human nature.” – St. John The words “protection” and “guard” have been on my mind and my...
3
Apr
Hey, wanna come over for dinner tonight and have a meaningful discussion about death? How about a conversation over a latte about what you want...
2
Apr
When a baby was born years ago, the doctor encouraged the initial breathing by spanking the baby. Why? To breathe is to live. Breathing is life....
1
Apr
Our present-day English language is rather difficult to learn because we use so many idioms. These are words or expressions not having meaning unless the...
31
Mar
It is not good enough for a son to become as good as his father or a daughter to become as good as her mother....
30
Mar
No pain no gain No sorrow no joy No work no pay No crooked line no straight line No hate no love No late no...
27
Mar
“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,...
26
Mar
A great high school coach told me many years ago, “If NBC had a finger painting class my 3 children would be there. NBC is...
24
Mar
I AM WHO I AM is a profound declaration. It is an ultimate statement, an eternal constant, not contingent upon anyone or circumstance. It is the...
23
Mar
Words of Wisdom for All Boys Dr. James Jones, a leader of youth, once told me, “There are four vital foundations to govern your life...
20
Mar
“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...
18
Mar
“We were like grasshoppers in our own sight and so we were in their sight.” – Numbers 13:33b An essential element in preparing for a...
17
Mar
Who is most grateful? The one rescued or the one who does the rescuing? Going back to the four pillars that form the foundation for...
16
Mar
“What is man that you are mindful of him?” Circumstances have motivated me to do some existential self-diagnosis. The self-question that challenges me is, “Am...
13
Mar
An African proverb says, “Westerners have watches, Africans have time.” The meaning: Africans work with goals and targets but do not relate them to a...
12
Mar
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” I’m reminded of a time when my fourth graders were playing for the city championship. At...
11
Mar
The need to belong and to have something of value to belong to; the need to have success and be recognized for this success; the...
6
Mar
The universe is governed by laws. Obedience to the law preserves life. Disobedience to these laws may lead to destruction. Three things you need to...
5
Mar
The strength and integrity of a company or an individual are the associations they are able to develop. Cornerstone Home Lending is one of the...
4
Mar
The Crowell-Ferch family delights in really good movies. The great ones we watch over and over again. Over 30 years ago, SILVERADO was a family...
28
Feb
Self-worth is the belief that our lives have value and significance. However, how do we know our own worth? Do we look to ourselves or...
27
Feb
Spending a lifetime career as a “Basketball-ologist” has given me an advantage in the world of “Ologists.” This is because competitive athletics forces the coach...
25
Feb
One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure. Where can we apply this adventure of living...
21
Feb
This guest Words of Hope is written by Janice Foland. OUR KIDS NEED HEALTHY COACHES WITH CHARACTER. How do we select healthy coaches for our kids?...
20
Feb
THANKFULNESS GRATITUDE CREATION Today is focus time on 3 impactful words! First, is the idea of thankfulness. It is impossible to have a negative attitude...
17
Feb
For the best subconscious nanosecond’s response, I suggest these four literary prose are worth reading repeatedly. They will support our inward peace and rest. “When...
14
Feb
The legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus reportedly said: “You cannot become a great golfer until you have the skill to watch yourself hitting the golf ball.”...
13
Feb
This Words of Hope blog is especially for those who are experiencing hardship or helping another who is experiencing hardship, feeling defeated. For over 400...
12
Feb
“If you know it and you don’t do it, you don’t know it.” – Mike Nilson The Apostle James short book on walking your talk...
10
Feb
Solomon has wisdom for those of us willing to listen, learn and do. “Fools fold their hands leading to ruin.” And yet. “Better to have...
7
Feb
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....
6
Feb
“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....
4
Feb
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...
3
Feb
FEBRUARY is the second month of the year in the Gregorian calendar and its predecessor, the Julian calendar. It is the shortest month of the year with 28...
31
Jan
“The steps of a man are established by the Lord; when he delights in His way…” – Psalm 37 Children are remarkably amazing. As I...
30
Jan
The difference between an Elegant question and a factual question. Elegant question – How many miracles can you see while looking at the moon? Factual question...
29
Jan
I believe Mindful Management and Self-Regulation are life’s two most difficult skills to master. St. Paul wrote to Timothy, who he called his son, and...
28
Jan
One great mind once said, “If you spend 15 minutes a day in Mindful Management with Self-Regulation, you will be able to solve nearly all...
27
Jan
I have been privileged to spend many years educating, encouraging, inspiring and challenging youth. The foremost life skills have been: I have been privileged to...
24
Jan
Who was this man? What was His meaning and purpose in life? Two profound questions for the ages. The questions were relevant when John wrote...
23
Jan
“Days at times can be very long, however, in the end, life is too short.” -FJC Often we hear the phrase, I am too busy. What...
22
Jan
KEY STATEMENT: Every IF statement is usually followed with a THEN. If you read Daily Words of Hope at a minimum, there will be one then. If you...
21
Jan
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...
17
Jan
The Crowell Game Changer program dedicated each Friday to conscious level living forgiveness. Forgiveness is or get out of jail free card. To forgive is...
16
Jan
Some amazing quotes by one of my favorite artists: “I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” “Keep your love...
15
Jan
Who God Says I am, is far more important than who you, or who I, say I am. In the early 1980’s I was invited...
14
Jan
Knowledge and understanding of the following three principles give meaning and purpose to life. Foundational Principle #1 Where did I come from when I was born?...
13
Jan
My dream of Hope is realized in, helping me, help you, help others. One of the most hopeless feelings is to lack the resources to help...
10
Jan
“Never fear to negotiate and never negotiate in fear.” JFK 1960 Inaugural Address. Rhetoric is the skill to clearly present in the written or spoken word,...
9
Jan
In the days of old a quiver full of quality arrows was a must. It was the difference between life and death. The Psalmist used...
8
Jan
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...
7
Jan
Tell me, promotes learning – I know, stops learning. The other day at the Oncology clinic several of us were in a conversation. One of...
6
Jan
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...
20
Dec
Hello Miracles! Soon we celebrate the greatest miracle of all, the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. If Words of Hope has encouraged you in...
19
Dec
A man has joy by the answer of his mouth – Proverbs 15:23 This is the true joy in life, the being used for a...
18
Dec
Another good definition of delight is “inclination to great pleasure.” Here are some of the many places in the Bible that talk about delight. GOD’S PART...
17
Dec
The three D’s are the ingredients for a joyful, cheerful and fulfilling day! Oh, how we love the anticipation of a fantastic day! This feeling is...
16
Dec
Key Statement: The IT of life is anything and everything that is on our radar screen. The IT demands our time, energy, and attention. The...
15
Dec
Christmas is that time of the year when giving is celebrated. Yet, I remember when, as a young child, I discovered there was no Jolly...
13
Dec
Children are precious gifts from the Lord. The greatest legacy gift parents can give their children is to live St. Paul’s parenting virtues, especially in his...
9
Dec
In my career coaching years, I discovered a valuable premise which, in turn, can be transferred to practical life. I call it THE END GAME. How was...
8
Dec
The secret of this attitude. An elegant question from Jay Crowell: Dad, if you could visit one site in Rome what would this place be?...
6
Dec
Recently one of my remarkable sisters asked me this profound question: “What made you become a Christian?” If you remember, dear sis, we both grew...
5
Dec
In today’s culture, we are virtually helpless to operate successfully without proper identification. ID’s and passwords have the potential to control our lives. Don’t believe me? Here...
4
Dec
No discipline seems pleasant at the time but later on, however, it produces a fruit of righteousness for those who are trained by it. One day...
1
Dec
Be careful how you answer these 5 how questions. Serious reflection may alter the course of your life. For the good! Try to answer each...
28
Nov
“I will offer to YOU the sacrifice of thanksgiving & will call on the name of the Lord.” Psalm 116:17 Our Special Day dedicated to being...
27
Nov
“So, there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.” My beloved Susie asked me an elegant question last week. “When do...
26
Nov
St. Ignatius’s TAKE AND RECEIVE prayer is one of my most favorite prayers. Multiple times daily these are the words of my mouth. May they be...
25
Nov
For a father I’m not sure many joys surpass the privilege of having children becoming lovely, healthy, successful parents. One of Crowell’s teaching principles is,...
22
Nov
When the grind of life is so intensive, the human brain cannot process all that needs to be done without mistakes. A checklist has been...
21
Nov
“If you love things more than people you will use people to get things, if you love people more than things you will use things...
19
Nov
As in the lyrics of “Ungrateful Eyes,” do we ever stop and watch the stars shine? This may give us a clue if we are...
18
Nov
One of my favorite places I find the “therefore” logic is in the Bible. St. Paul carefully uses his vast intellect and exceptional educational training to set...
16
Nov
It is not possible to stand or walk in a crowd until you can stand and walk alone. The best gift you can give to...
15
Nov
“Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, baker, shoemaker…” This was a chant we used as kids, especially while jumping rope. How to discover what...
14
Nov
Time is the only sparse commodity on earth. Time does not honor, respect or bow to those of personal wealth or fortune. Time is the...
13
Nov
Imagine five majestic deer enhancing the Crowell home view of one of America’s best places to raise children and live a peaceful life: Spokane, Washington....
11
Nov
Twenty-five feet above a huge carved rock in the Crowell front yard waves the U.S. flag. This flag is a tribute to: Susie’s dad who spent...
7
Nov
“At any given moment you are either in consolation or desolation.” – St. Ignatius of Loyola The idea of “beauty is in the eye of...
6
Nov
The wise parent knows and understands that the ultimate test of successful parenting is the day when their son or daughter has matured to the...
4
Nov
A young Spanish soldier was leading a fierce battle against the superior French army. He took a cannonball between his legs in 1521. Because of...
31
Oct
5 BILLION spent on Halloween each year; the second biggest money making celebration of the year. Who said capitalism is dead? 2000 years ago the...
29
Oct
St. Augustine, a fourth-century theologian, and philosopher was considered one of the most respected followers of the Master of all masters. He influenced his many followers...
25
Oct
Surveys indicate some of our most fearful times are public speaking, heights, the unknown and death. Do you relate? It is said we all have some distress,...
23
Oct
Unless you know how low is low, knowing how high is high is not possible. My life experience tells me rock bottom is the low...
21
Oct
Forgiveness asking is one of the world’s most important, yet least understood and practiced success principles. What makes it so difficult to ask forgiveness? What...
18
Oct
These exceptional photos of a sunrise on Scout Lake, OR, and a moon-glowing night there as well, are perfect reminders we can count on day...
17
Oct
Internal combustion – Internal motivation. Gottlieb Daimler is known as the founder of the internal combustion engine. This engine was a game changer in the...
16
Oct
Have you been turned upside down? Or, perhaps, it really is right side up! In essence, that is what suffering does to us. It can...
15
Oct
Often we say, “I know exactly how you feel!” But do we really? It takes much connecting with another person before really understanding him or...
14
Oct
The doctors told me I had less than single digit chances to survive the dreaded Whipple pancreatic surgery. My medical team was extraordinary. Medical science...
11
Oct
If 7 out of 10 calls to me are asking for something, it is not a friendship, it is a transactional relationship. An example of...
10
Oct
During NBC Camps’ summer athletic camps, we are exposed to thousands of campers’ lives. We learn from them, and we challenge them to face their...
9
Oct
Basketball has taught me that victory comes when you bounce back from difficulty. Lifeball is a far tougher game to play than basketball. Psalm 100 is...
8
Oct
Change is all around us! There is a constant alteration, meaning a difference from one condition to another. Look at the world events, seasons, day...
7
Oct
Have you noticed the difference between genuine relationships and required events? Which would you prefer? Insight says relationships may be more desirable than required events....
4
Oct
You can become a true game-changer, someone who makes a big difference. How? By the word ENCOURAGEMENT. Encouragement is giving another person confidence, support, hope,...
3
Oct
IMPACT IS WHAT I SEE. INTENT IS WHAT I FEEL. There can be a uniformity between impact and intent. However, not until we know and understand how to create...
2
Oct
Between the stimulus and the response is a NANOSECOND. This nanosecond is the time we decide our response. It happens so quickly that it is assumed...
1
Oct
Let’s play one of my favorite games. It is called “WHAT IF.” What if you were a lighthouse perched high to warn ships from crashing...
28
Sep
When I study the lives of Joseph, Esther, David, Job, Daniel, Jonah, Mary the mother of Jesus, John the Baptist, Andrew, Peter, Paul, and other...
27
Sep
A monk living the aesthetic life for 12 years in the deserts of Syria was assigned to be the Bishop of Constantinople, the leading city of...
26
Sep
Dr. Maxwell Maltz states so clearly in his Psycho-Cybernetics book, “We must turn to the Bible to discover how to change the self-image.” This is because...
25
Sep
This past summer have you seen a helmsman steering a ship to port? If so, this could remind you that the Greek term “cybernetics” is...
24
Sep
1956 Hit Song by The Platters 56′ and 57′ for the Seahawks. The football team was 53-3 for these two seasons. In 57′ they gave...
23
Sep
TIMEOUTS ARE VITAL Athletics prove time outs are critically important. The mark of great coaches is having the skill to take the complex and make...
19
Sep
Dr. William Parker received his doctorate from USC and was known for his group counseling and pathology of speech. When he was a professional psychologist,...
18
Sep
Be quick to listen – slow to speak – slow to anger. These 3 life skills are as important as a carpenter’s hammer, power saw...
17
Sep
A leading human performance expert likes to say, “You can’t get enough of what almost works.” Here are some examples. Maybe the next drink will be...
16
Sep
Please allow me to invite you into a typical counseling session. You will need to use your imagination. Here is the scenario. A client walks...
13
Sep
Unforgiveness is the number one way to be imprisoned in the Emotional Intelligence Jail. It is holding a grudge against someone who has offended us,...
12
Sep
A house is not a whole lot until it is occupied by people. A house becomes either a sanctuary or a battlefield. The definition of...
11
Sep
“Why did your father end up living alone with a bottle of alcohol in his hand with no hope?” -Dr. Shann Ferch This question could...
10
Sep
The mature in emotional intelligence can shed tears and also laugh often. Both crying and laughter have a healing effect and seem to cure a...
9
Sep
“The ability to appreciate is a learned behavior. Mastery of this skill of seeing the full worth in people, in creation and all life is...
6
Sep
This remarkable, majestic, mysterious world in which we live is governed by physical, psychological and spiritual laws which are both seen and unseen. The law...
5
Sep
Millions of USA students enroll in schools across the continent in September with the hope of winning! Unfortunately, far too many will lose the battle to...
4
Sep
Walt Disney grew up an unhappy child. His father did not make life fun for the young Walter Disney. Walter developed a dream. In the...
3
Sep
All too often it is asked, “Where do I begin to change the world?” The simple question demands a simple answer: Start where you are....
30
Aug
The difference between a covenant and a contract is as wide and deep as the Grand Canyon. A covenant is a commitment that can never...
29
Aug
A noted clinical psychologist believes if you don’t know the why you can never discover the how. Based on this belief, the why becomes the fundamental crucial...
28
Aug
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! – Psalm 133:1 Unity is 10 times more difficult to achieve than...
27
Aug
Stevie Wonder made famous the song, I Just Called To Say I Love You with the popular lyrics, “I just called to say I love...
26
Aug
One of the greatest losses a child can experience is father loss. Father loss comes in many forms. A three-year-old boy’s father dies in a...
24
Aug
By far the most beneficial game ever invented in my opinion. Dr. James Naismith invented basketball to give children something to do during cold Massachusetts’s...
23
Aug
What’s better than getting a text from a person you highly respect telling you that you are awesome? Today one of my heroes, Roger Smith,...
22
Aug
When position is more important than destiny the focus needs to be reversed. Research reveals focusing on destiny increases performance and health both individually and within a...
21
Aug
Nearly 16 million views for the song I CAN ONLY IMAGINE by Mercy Me. That’s a ton of views. As a boy, I mastered the...
20
Aug
“Cling to your faith in Christ & have a clear conscience.” – Timothy Around about 64 A.D, which was 31 years after the crucifixion of...
19
Aug
Your tongue can speak over 130 words a minute. Your mind can think over 400 words per minute. Recently a friend said to me, “Follow...
16
Aug
Accountability without inspection leads to irresponsibility. Responsibility without inspection leads to mediocrity. Inspection is vital to winning. Winning is a choice. Elegant question: Why is...
15
Aug
When tragedy or misfortune strikes there are two choices. The most difficult choice is to survive. The least painful way is to surrender. WIND RIVER...
14
Aug
A well-developed EQ is evident when one knows and understands that intent must ultimately be measured by its impact. Growing up the statement was, “You...
13
Aug
1. Will 2. You 3. For 4. Give 5. Me 75 years of life experience confirm to me that “will you forgive me” are the...
12
Aug
Fall in love with children and you will be in love with life. Find joy in children and you will always be joyful. Play with...
9
Aug
“He comes to me in the silence.” – Mark Forrest Knock knock Who’s there? Silence, I’ve come to see you because you need me! Please...
8
Aug
If you have eyes, use them to see both external and internal beauty. How our eyes observe color through tinted lenses is comparative to how...
7
Aug
The law of attraction means what we attach ourselves to will multiply and expand. Therefore, what we purposely choose to delight in will grow into...
6
Aug
Today’s culture has an auto-pilot: We do what we know we should NOT do, and we don’t do the things we know we SHOULD do. ...
5
Aug
WIN – “To be successful or victorious in a contest or conflict.” – Dictionary To win is a verb; a verb connotes action; action involves...
3
Aug
Years ago when I was in full-time marriage, family, and personal counseling I had a teenage client who was very defiant towards her parents. I...
1
Aug
Can you name one valuable life skill that does not demand practice? When someone says, “I am good at ….,” you assume that person may...
31
Jul
A human flaw is our overpowered magnetic attraction to negativity. Negative people disrupt and influence us more easily than positive people and the beautiful energy...
30
Jul
1999 was a tough year for many Americans. Political, business and spiritual leaders were forecasting terrible times for our world. They predicted global financial collapse....
29
Jul
RELATIONSHIPS – a gift in life 1) Show how much you care about acquaintances, friends, and family. 2) Talk positively; the way you talk is...
27
Jul
Life Skills. Imagination. Imitation. If we don’t teach winning, we cheat our students because they don’t learn the skills necessary to win. The life of...
26
Jul
The second of two WOH’s on the destructive habit of second guessing oneself. The biggest little word in the English language is the word “if.”...
25
Jul
Break your sternum and you’ll soon realize the reason Paul chose the breastplate of righteousness as a simile for protection of the chest; a vital...
24
Jul
The ability to see what is not seen is a valuable skill in coaching and teaching. It is discerning the invisible. In the athletic world, imagine there...
23
Jul
What is oxycourage? By Fred Crowell’s definition, it is when oxygen unites with the human soul to form internal power and courage. “Oxy” makes it more...
22
Jul
A powerful solution to stop worry, fear, self-pity, and other forms of negative behavior. I happened to hear a portion of a sermon about not...
20
Jul
A healthy baby is gifted with incredible inner strength. This internal power is vividly displayed when the baby screams to the point of exhaustion. Try...
19
Jul
Everybody is selling something. The questions are what are they selling and what is the cost? My children love the story about the richest man...
18
Jul
If happiness were a tool in a carpenter’s toolbox, it would likely be a pair of needle-nose pliers. Many times these specialized pliers are the...
17
Jul
In our world, a challenge becomes a need for meaningful exploration. It becomes incredibly important. The late Dr. Scott Peck, psychiatrist, also saw it as perhaps a...
16
Jul
Each morning in Africa, the lion and tiger wake up hungry. They spend their day hunting for a good meal. Likewise, the gazelle and antelope...
12
Jul
An important Emotional Intelligence skill is mastering the ability to see what you don’t see better than what you actually do see. Generally, we foresee...
11
Jul
How many times have you heard: ‘Just do what makes you happy! Don’t worry, just be happy!” We feel if it makes us happy, it must...
9
Jul
The teenage gal (in Part 2) began this day-by-day Win Life plan, the process of “living a brand new me.” There are FOUR FOUNDATION PILLARS to beat...
8
Jul
As a child, when my mom asked me to sweep the kitchen floor, it was most convenient to sweep the crumbs under the rug so...
4
Jul
Over the past 49 years of leading NBC Basketball Camps, there have been many opportunities to help student-athletes defeat the dreaded disease of anorexia. This...
3
Jul
“If you want to feel inferior, look at someone above you. If you want to feel superior, look at someone beneath you.” – Walt King...
2
Jul
If we approach life from an inner beauty stance, we see beauty all around us, in all things; whereas if we are living in squalor...
2
Jul
Why should I want to practice prayer? My life is full of demands, responsibilities, people. Where is the time for additional practice time? Do you...
29
Jun
In this world of people and things, we can either love people more than things, or things more than people. If we love things more...
28
Jun
Questions: What impacts a person the most? What lasts the longest in a person’s life? The answers may well be different for each person. However,...
27
Jun
Spokane Hoopfest is the largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the world. Nearly 6000 four-player teams of all ages and sexes battle on the streets of...
26
Jun
Key Statement: if you don’t keep your mirror clean, the mirror cannot do its job to tell you the truth about yourself. When you look...
25
Jun
“Which one comes first?” In reading through Van Gogh quotes one stood out because of the fact NBC Camps hires more than 400 coaches each...
24
Jun
This past Thursday the NBA gave us five continuous hours of drafting 60 fine college basketball players for a possible future with its professional teams....
22
Jun
“We should have won that game.” – New York Mets Terry Collins Reading USA Today Sports, Bob Nightengale’s interview with Manager Collins brought me back...
21
Jun
Saint Ignatius trained his Jesuit priests to be aware of and to recognize the difference between consolation and desolation. The bad news when experiencing the...
20
Jun
Key Statement: It’s so simple, yet so hard to do; open ears and mouth shut! Three keys: Slow to speak Quick to listen Slow to...
19
Jun
It seems comparison has crept into every area of our lives prompted by social media and constant media ads. It can reveal a dissatisfaction and...
18
Jun
COMPARISON leads to death; GRATITUDE leads to life. COMPARISON leads to depression; GRATITUDE leads to satisfaction. COMPARISON leads to arrogance; GRATITUDE leads to humility. COMPARISON...
13
Jun
As a great, successful Spokane entrepreneur, here is Eric Hixson’s story. As a boy, Eric Hixson loved the scouts. To pay for his scouts’ summer...
12
Jun
The sword that conquered the world. From the time I was a small boy I have been fascinated with knives and swords. So much so,...
10
Jun
Be it Spain, Italy, Arizona, England, Seattle, Greece, New York or wherever, Mrs. C is ready to go places! However, Coach C is not so...
8
Jun
If you happen to miss an athletic game, I imagine you would want two questions answered: “Who won?” “What was the score?” The scoreboard would...
5
Jun
If your time is spent with any type of media (the internet, television, radio, magazines, newspapers), you realize hardly a minute or page goes by...
4
Jun
Success, the favored or the desired outcome will be more attainable if we like ourselves, like what we do and how we do it. THE...
31
May
“The TALENT OF SUCCESS is nothing more than doing what you can do well, and doing well whatever you do without thought of fame. If...
30
May
An apocalypse usually leads to a catastrophic event. Dr. John Gottman speaks of four horsemen as metaphors for the destruction of a relationship, especially a...
28
May
The present world problems do not create anger, vengeful talk, bitterness and aggression in me. This is unlike so many others today. Why? Because I...
27
May
HOPE is a favorable and confident expectation. Who should not want HOPE? It is light! The opposite is darkness, which is despair.We can also say...
25
May
I am thankful for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms here in the US. It is recorded that after the brutal world...
24
May
“I love you Mom!” Oh, how I wish I would have told Katheen Mitchell Crowell these four simple words before her death. However, speaking love...
23
May
Long ago God had some words to Cain (son of Adam and Eve). God could see in Cain’s heart, seeing his half-hearted motivation and attitude...
22
May
“Work hard and continue to struggle.” – Timothy Last week a friend sent me a text with this question, “Why do we have to struggle?”...
21
May
“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?” James, the brother of Jesus,...
20
May
An expert yoga teacher says: “Young people have lots of lotion to oil their joints. The aging process slows down the body’s lubrication process.” The solution...
15
May
Spokane, Washington, is the home of many bridges because of the majestic Spokane River. During its peak season, this river spills over 348 million gallons...
14
May
As much as most of us need some help in life, we seem to want to do it all by ourselves no matter what the...
10
May
No other person deserves honor, appreciation and high esteem as does a mother. She continually gives, cares, sacrifices with little thought of anything in return....
Copyright 2015 FRED CROWELL