A new kind of Notice

Do you ever feel invisible? Think about it. Here’s what I mean by that. It isn’t that you want to be on display, receive applause, or even be the center of attention, but maybe simply to be noticed. We all go through times when we want someone, we care about, to notice us. Maybe we … Read more

Here’s why ONE is not the loneliest number

When I was in high school the musical group Three Dog Night sang from every juke box in the country convincing us that, “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.” If you know the lyrics, you will remember that life doesn’t get any better with two because something bad divides them. Who listens … Read more

A Healthy Prescription for Comfort

Two years ago, if you had said the word opioid in my presence, I would have thought you were talking about a new kind of breakfast cereal. Then I read a book titled, Less Pain Fewer Pills: Avoid the Dangers of Prescription Opioids and Gain Control over Chronic Pain by Beth Darnall, PhD. It was … Read more

Settle on Belonging

What settles you? How would you answer that question? We are warned to seek best, don’t settle for just good enough. So, let’s get beyond the negative connotations of the word settle and explore why settling is a good thing. We are comfortable around people who are a lot like us. We feel settled when … Read more

The Standard for Extraordinary

I regularly receive email messages announcing events designed especially for women. There’s one that catches my attention every time. It isn’t that the organization is authentic and reputable, it’s the label. This label: Extraordinary Women represents ministries to women through conferences and Bible study resources.  The women of this network are extraordinary, gifted speakers, singers, … Read more

But wait! There's more!

OK OK I get it! When we hear those words, don’t we think ‘Please spare me the lame commercial!’? I’m going to take a wild guess here and assume most everyone who reads this is a friend from Michigan, or in a state with similar weather patterns. As I look outside, the sun is frozen … Read more

Let's play a game: Fresh Look Friday

OK! Everybody up! Rise AND Shine!  It’s Friday – Let’s play a game. Come on. You know you want to. We’ll call it Fresh Look Friday. Have you ever heard of Pay-It-Forward? How about Random Acts of Kindness? And here’s one. Have you ever heard someone transform the words of Luke 6:31 which clearly says … Read more

Learning from highlights of the past

I have a rule which I follow pretty diligently. Protect the first hour and last hour of the day – no televised news shows and no talk shows. They plant seeds of negativity that have to be weeded out before the roots take hold. If you’re into gardening you know how pesky those insidious little … Read more

The Serving Leader by Kenneth R. Jennings, John Stahl-Wert – Book Summary

Have you ever read a book that so overwhelmingly captured your heart you didn’t want it to end? That’s how I felt when I came to the end of The Serving Leader. Written in the style of a novel, this book teaches like a textbook that’s so interesting you can’t put it down. Each chapter … Read more

Refining Grace