Winston Churchill’s first words as Prime Minister to the House of Commons on May 13, 1041, were, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.” It’s interesting to note that Churchill was unpopular with many Conservatives and probably most of the Labour Party. But, in the midst of war with Germany, he…
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I recently went to Cairo, Egypt. What a captivating city, rich with history and culture. The Egyptians are a proud people with a fascinating culture. While waiting in a car adjacent to a very busy street, I noticed an older man. He was in the middle of traffic sweeping the dirt from the highway into…
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What do you do when things don’t turn out the way you planned? You didn’t get the raise. The promotion went to someone else. You received a surprisingly low grade. You’re team lost. You get the picture. We’ve all been there and some of you are there right now. You’re trying your best to process…
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Most of my real estate friends would agree with this statement: “The three most important words in real estate are – location, location, location.” To be sure, location is huge in both residential and commercial sales. That being said, “What might be the three most important words in developing and growing in leadership?” Most experts…
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What are the 3 most important things a parent can teach a child? According to a New York Post survey published December 16, 2018, they are, “Be respectful,” “be thankful for what you have” and “honesty is the best policy.” That’s not a bad list. Seems that if we got these three right, we’d have…
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I just returned from attending the funeral of a friend. He was a courageous Christian friend who, because of his faith in Christ, I will see again one day in heaven. He pastored in an inner-city church. I listened to some incredible stories, many of them I heard personally from my friend. He never passed…
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How do you show your love for somebody? That’s a fair question. Now I’m not just talking about your boyfriend or girlfriend per se. In fact, let me rephrase the question. How do you show your love to anybody? As I ponder the question, there are several things that come to mind. It’s not just…
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I received an updated credit card this past week. It came with a sticker attached that read, “THIS CARD CAN NOT BE USED UNTIL ACTIVATED.” I’m certain you’ve had cards with similar instructions. My wife smiled and said this is not a bad warning label for Christ-followers. She’s right. There is a decision of dedication…
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I attended a Bible study with CEO’s and other leaders from the Phoenix area. The theme of the study was this: “Words are the most powerful tool of leadership.” That thought has stayed with me. With words, armies march. With words, peace starts. With words, love begins. With words, relationships end. And with words, leaders…
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Leadership understandably means doing the right things and making the right decisions. But have you considered that equally important is making sure you don’t do the wrong things? These may be obvious, but here are two for a punchout list for you to consider. Don’t take credit for someone else’s work or accomplishments. I happened…
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What’s your favorite Christmas verse in the Bible? Isaiah 7:14? “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Matthew 1:21? “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and…
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Much of the history you read is in summary form. “Washington crosses the Potomac.” “Japan surrenders ending World War II.” “Elon Musk set to buy Twitter.” But history books don’t have the bandwidth to tell every back story or every detail that led to the headline. I get the same sense when reading what the…
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Sometimes life is just plain hard. People we love get sick. Governments do idiotic things. The news we hear is often negative. Careers don’t always work out. Kids don’t constantly express their love for their parents. Has it ever crossed your mind, “why?” Here’s a thought. Crisis and difficulty in your life have a purpose.…
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I have a friend visiting this week. When dinnertime arrived, I asked, “Where do you want to go?” She said, “Let’s do random.” That’s a code word for “Let’s not plan, let’s just go.” There was a palatable feeling of disorder that washed over me. Now, those that know me, know that I’m not the…
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Some people are just contrary, stubborn, and mean. You could stand on your head all day trying to resolve an issue and it wouldn’t work. Because they’re not willing. Maybe they don’t care. Maybe they don’t see their error. Maybe they refuse to admit something. But ultimately, it’s on them. You’ve tried. You’ve prayed. But…
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Nothing too profound today, but I write this blog today at an outdoor coffee shop. Lots of people deep in conversations. But one girl at a table got my attention. She was making a ZOOM call on her computer. The interesting thing was she was deaf and she was not talking but using sign language.…
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Billy Graham said many profound things, but among them was this statement, “When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.” Why is it that character plays such a huge part in leadership? Character is fundamental to effective leadership because good character builds…
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What happens when leaders don’t lead well? It’s a great question. You can see it all over the place. It doesn’t take great insight to see the results. Usually, there is a lack of direction, decisions are delayed or avoided, there is little or no motivation for anyone looking to them. It’s been said, “Everything…
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My sons and my son-in-law are great fishermen. They love to get away, through a line in the water, and wait for a bite. But I have a problem. I don’t enjoy waiting. They tell me after you’ve found the right bait, you will find yourself waiting and waiting for the fish to take the…
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Life is fascinating. It doesn’t always seem to turn out the way you expected. My dad and I went camping every summer. I can remember the preparation checklist for camping…tent, lantern, sleeping bags, food, and fishing gear. One summer, we checked all the boxes preparing for our trip…except one…excessive rain. It rained so much, that…
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I blog a lot about love. Love “makes the world go around,” right? Theologically, many believe that it is the primary attribute of God. Love is the “sriracha” sauce of healthy relationships. Hopefully, the love you demonstrate is reciprocal. But what if your love isn’t returned? When a parent ignores their own children. When a…
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Sincerity is a good thing. It often speaks of character and moral fiber. When you speak, it’s important to speak with authenticity. Being “real” and genuine is huge. No question about it. But there’s a caution. Sincerity does not equal truth. Some of the greatest communicators of all time have spoken with sincerity and they…
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When I was growing up, my best friend had a Magic 8-Ball. It was a round plastic sphere that looked like an 8-Ball from a pool table. My friends and I used it for seeking adolescent advice. It was invented in 1946 by Albert C. Carter and Abe Bookman. You’d ask a question, then turn…
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The Bible is the most amazing book on the planet. Many of you reading this blog may be aware of the uniqueness of the Scriptures. Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel have written extensively about its historicity and veracity. But I’d like to share a different thought. My undergraduate degree was in science. So, when I…
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Dictionaries define a good name as “a person’s high standing among others.” We associate words that describe a good name dignity, good report, honor, prestige, reputation, repute, respect, and status.” A good name means people can depend on you. Seems that people can’t depend on much anymore. Can they depend on you? Do they know…
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Don’t you love the recurring stories about people at Starbucks “paying it forward?” It’s a bit of an anomaly. Someone in the drive-thru decides to pay for the person in line behind them. Then, something beautiful happens, it catches on. The next person “pays it forward” to the next car. I’ve read one account where…
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Justice in its deepest meaning involves making people whole, by keeping goodness and impartiality. In the book of James, it’s defined as the center of true religion. He says it’s the kind of “religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and…
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Great quote from Malcolm Forbes, “One who never asks either knows everything or nothing.” It’s interesting to me that Jesus was asked a bunch of questions from a variety of people. “By what authority are you doing these things?” “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Who is my neighbor?” But when asked in Matthew…
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I’ve been fortunate to travel to India five times. Each time I come back to the United States, I return with fresh insights. They often come as a result of looking at the world through a different “lens”. Mission trips have a way of doing that. Most recently, my observations didn’t come from my eyes,…
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Every once in and while we enter a difficult season. Perhaps money is tight or health is declining. In my case, I’ve had several friends die within the last few weeks. That situation certainly gets you in touch with your own mortality. But for me, it has done more. It has forced me to renew…
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