Managing Expectations Tom Cruise has a funny line in Top Gun: Maverick. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell delivers it sarcastically during the early briefing scene, when he’s being questioned about his history and reputation. It’s classic Maverick: confident, slightly defiant, and subtly humorous. He acknowledges that people expect trouble, so he keeps the bar low. Managing expectations…
Things aren’t always as they seem. For instance, your GPS predicts a 10-minute drive to your destination, but you turn a corner and find yourself stuck in miles of traffic. Or, on a dating app, you come across an incredibly attractive picture of someone you’d like to get to know. However, when you meet, reality…
One of the thoughts that often haunts me when I step up to teach is the sobering reality that I may have just spent an hour of someone’s life that they will never get back. In a world where “time” has become the ultimate currency, every minute matters. To speak without clarity, inspiration, or purpose…
There are few moments in life that feel as unexpectedly wonderful as when you discover someone who “gets” the thing you’re passionate about. It can happen over the simplest topics — a hobby, a story, a childhood memory, a movie quote, or something you’ve been thinking about quietly for years. And then suddenly… someone else…
Ecclesiastes 4:9 – “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.” This verse isn’t just about manual labor; it’s about productivity. Two people can accomplish what one cannot — not just twice as much, but often exponentially more. When skills, ideas, and energy combine, the return multiplies. You’ve heard…
Okay, here’s my “wish.” I wish I could learn a valuable life lesson once and never have to face the consequences of it in the future. Unfortunately, my life doesn’t seem to work that way. Perhaps you can relate to me. For instance, I make a “boneheaded” mistake, realize what I did wrong, and then…
Romans 13:2 “Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable. John F. Kennedy Community is not just a “buzz word” of our day; it’s how God designed us to live, “in community.” Now there are different…
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” — Henry Ford There’s deep truth in Henry Ford’s words. Our thoughts shape our direction. Our mindset determines how we use the one resource we can never replenish — time. If we believe our moments matter, we’ll approach them with purpose and presence.…
Here’s a fascinating book to put on your reading list: Think Like a Rocket Scientist by Ozan Varol, JD. The premise of the read is simple: “To think like a rocket scientist is to imagine the unimaginable and solve the unsolvable.” Rocket scientists are all about long-term goals, not quick wins. They see challenges as…
As a child, I passionately awaited the arrival of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Each year, my mom would gift my brother and me an Advent Calendar. Every day of December, we would eagerly open a new door, revealing a cool surprise and a new treat. I fondly remember the smells of mom cooking cookies, the songs…
The history of the world records an interesting phenomenon that I would label “major movements of thoughts and ideas.” It looks like this: “Life becomes rather static until a wave of change or thinking breaks through the status quo.” It seems that every culture and time period has these breakthroughs. A better term, however, is…
A rather poignant scene in the movie, “The Count of Monte Cristo,” finds the Count giving Albert a birthday blessing. An excerpt from his speech particularly got my attention. “Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a…
How do you say goodbye? There are literally 100’s of different ways. Formal or informal, friendly or casual, warm and caring, hopeful and forward-looking, or classic or neutral…at least that’s what “Siri” says. However, whether it’s farewell or see you later, they all signify an end to something — a conversation, an event, an activity,…
Personal evaluation is the exercise that helps you grow and move forward in life. It’s often difficult to do because it requires a rigorous and revealing look into your life — the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is so important for a variety of reasons, but primarily because it provides YOU with evidence…
Public shaming is not just something that happened “way back then.” It’s alive and well in our world. Some versions of Sharia law in Islamic societies require that married or divorced persons found guilty of Zina (adultery) be executed by stoning. Countries that are predominantly Muslim or that have a large minority of Muslims vary…
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” In the last few years, I’ve become a book guy. What I’ve found is that the more you read, the more you appreciate language. Our English language is remarkable. Creatives far more talented than I have…
In Hebrew, the word for “messenger” closely resembles the word for “burden.” In Jeremiah 23, Jeremiah employs a “play on words” to address the people of Judah, particularly their leaders. He essentially says, “Instead of serving as God’s messenger, you have become a burden to Him.” As I read his words today, I felt a…
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5–6 Every moment with people matters; time is precious. Most of us would agree that time is life’s most…
The older I get, the more poignant the words of Ecclesiastes become. The last chapter begins…Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”— For some, age moves them further from God, not closer. Oh, we all…
I had the privilege of serving as the chaplain for one of the “farm teams” of the Milwaukee Brewers’ MLB organization. When discussing the development of talent and leadership, several terms can be used instead of “farm team.” But they all function to develop young players and prepare them for careers in the MLB. Developing…
I was diagnosed the other day with something called “first-degree heart block.” It sounded like a “made-up” name to me. Now, before you freak out, it’s not a big deal. It simply refers to a very short electrical impulse delay from the top of my heart to the bottom of the heart. So I have…
As they say, “There is a first time for everything.” I had my first experience with road rage. I’ve read about it, seen the results on the news, and I’ve even seen the reels on social media. I used to think it was entertaining. Not anymore. I won’t go into the details, but suffice it…
Do you know what “Dad-Mode” is? You probably do. It’s a protective instinct that surfaces even in the most gentle of parents. It kicks in when one of their kids is threatened or is in danger. All I can say is, “Don’t get in between a father and child when a parent is in ‘Dad-Mode.’”…
I just received a text from a great friend. He’s taking a few days to flyfish in Wyoming. I had asked him to send some pictures, and he attached several to the text. One of the pictures showed him standing in front of a table FILLED with freshly caught trout. I couldn’t help but feel…
I’ve blogged on the subject of fear before. I probably gravitate to the subject primarily because it’s so common to all of us. Personally, I need to be reminded of the positive and negative aspects of fear again and again. That’s right…there are some positives. Fear is the fundamental emotion that protects us from danger. …
Many of you have seen a list of all the unlikely people God used throughout history. A short sampling might include Moses. He killed an Egyptian and struggled with public speaking, yet God used him to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. How about David? Despite committing adultery with Bathsheba and arranging the murder of her…
I’ve had the privilege of sitting at the bedside of many people, moments before they enter eternity. It’s an honor to be a part of the family circle during such a difficult and confusing time. Here’s my observation: every family and situation is unique because we all process the loss of a loved one differently.…
Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Mean people are the WORST! They just are. Sorry for being so direct, but it fits. I don’t know what the percentages are, but I’m sure there are more nice people than mean people…
One of the values of my mission organization is this: “We’re Better Together.” Pretty simple, and you may have seen similar statements in other organizations. Simple is good, but sometimes profound values get dismissed as “cute,” missing the “why.” Value statements express an organization’s core beliefs and serve as a guide for decision-making. They define…
“Jesus was able to love because he loved right through the layer of mud.” “Tell me how much you know of the sufferings of your fellow man and I will tell you how much you have loved them.” Helmut Thielicke was a German Theologian, pastor, and author. He saw the atrocities of Nazi Germany first…