Surrounded by beautiful people, but I still feel alone. I am talking, laughing, and contributing, but alone. How is it that we can be surrounded by people, maybe even friends, but still feel lonely and alone? Is it because I’m not giving the relationship all that it needs or maybe the relationship is not fulfilling me? I find these questions often as I join in fellowship with various friends and acquaintances. It’s very easy to feel alone amongst people, even when the people are beautiful, kind, people. I believe part of it is because we’re searching for…
When I start questioning what others are doing around me, I look inward with self-reflection. Am I participating in the things that I am questioning in my mind? Are my actions and words congruent with my values? I look to avoid carrying around anger and immediately replace it with compassion. When I step back and evaluate with love, I become more understanding and regain my inner peace. Disappointment might show up for a moment, but I quickly move to encouragement. The situation might not be pleasant, but through prayer, I am guided back on path. I have to listen…
The Wall Street Journal article, “The last decision by the world’s leading thinker on decisions” by Jason Zweig (3/15/25) was moving and thought-provoking, but it stopped short of addressing my question: What might we miss if we don’t complete our journey? The author of this article was friends with Daniel Kahneman, psychologist at Princeton University, winner of the Nobel prize in economics, and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow, who died in 2024, choosing to end his own life in Switzerland. The article caught my attention because for numerous years, my parents have suffered…
When I realize I am second-guessing myself, I block those thoughts and pray, immediately asking Jesus to take back control and lead me to my intended path. The questioning and doubting are signs to me that I have steered off course and are often an indication that I have left Jesus behind for the moment. This happens most often when I am in a rush, caught off guard, or feeling unmotivated. The common factor in all these situations is that I have not put Jesus first. For a moment, I have allowed myself to lose focus and walk off…
Merriam-Webster defines encouragement as the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope. What a world this would be if we offered encouragement to all those who entered our circle of influence. At the same time eliminating all withholding of encouragement. That would mean leaving the judgment to Jesus and serving others with compassion. Being present and a good listener, not necessarily in agreement, but showing a level of understanding. Encouragement comes packaged in many different ways. Some deliver tough love while others take a softer, more compassionate route. The tricky part is delivering the message in a manner…
I choose to ride out the times of uncertainty looking for the light or the positive along my path. Most people can find things they don’t love about their life. If I am on my intended path, I ignore those negative things. What allows me to stay the course is prayer, asking Jesus to guide me to the light. It is amazing what we can endure when we look for something good to carry us through tough times. Prayer leads me to opportunity and to the light. The argument is that there is nothing to like about the situation…
There are things we can do to help us create and sustain a solid foundation for our home. It is important to build a strong structure, a place where we can live each day with hope and free from chaos. Our attitude, effort, and choices all contribute to the strength of the structure we call home. My mindset is important to me and drives how I feel each day. I am purposeful about starting the day thankful and full of hope. Before I get out of bed I thank Jesus for all that the day will bring. I choose an…
If there ever were a word that I would use to describe my father, it would be wisdom. Before making a decision or giving advice, he always took time to compile the knowledge, experience, and judgment, to deliver an unbiased response. Although my dad had an excellent sense of responding to emergencies (he was an emergency responder) he had a keen sense of not overreacting. He would answer if he felt a need or urgency but never felt obligated to respond without utilizing all the information at hand. Knowledge is a big part of wisdom. But there’s more to…
Many of us detox to cleanse our body, I like to think I also cleanse my soul. Daily I challenge myself to slow down, pray, and center myself on Jesus. As I slow down my core beliefs and values are strengthened. Personally, I don’t have a set time that I cleanse my soul but it is something I do daily. I have a routine, but I stay flexible and in the moment so as not to miss out on an opportunity to serve Jesus. I work at having a synergistic perspective from the inside out, looking to mirror compassion…
It’s so easy to get caught up with the daily grind, allowing gloom to shadow over possibility. Many go through the day with a perspective of finishing rather than celebrating small accomplishments. Everything can be looked at negatively and turn to doom and gloom. Often leading to a path that feels like swimming upstream. But we have the possibility of meeting the challenge, relying on our faith, and looking for the light. We can choose to make every crazy little crummy task a positive challenge. But to accomplish that we need hope. I rely on my faith to move…