Have you ever been at a loss for words, feeling unsure and inadequate, when someone opens up and shares something deeply painful with you? Has that fear of saying the wrong thing—or not knowing what to say at all—kept you from engaging when you see someone who may be hurting? Or, when someone you’re talking […]
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An Easter Invitation Into Healing
On Easter Sunday, we celebrate more than an empty tomb. We celebrate our new covenant relationship between God and His people. When Jesus ascended, He gave us access to something we could never earn: an unbreakable connection to our Creator, not based on our performance, but on His sacrificial love. No more trying to earn […]
A Grandpa Story: You Are Not My Favorite Person Right Now
“You are not my favorite person right now!” That’s one of my wife’s go-to responses when I’ve done (or not done) something that triggers her. She picked it up from one of our favorite movies, Fools Rush In, and it has become her way of navigating conflict with as much respect as she can muster […]
Which Is Better: To Love or Be Loved?
You might be surprised… There are moments in life that reveal the deepest truths about life—moments so simple, yet so profound, that they linger in your heart long after they pass. I had one of those moments recently while holding my grandson, Amari. He was curled up in my lap, nestled against my chest, his […]
Regrets: Let Them Change You This Year
I’m learning to love the beginning of the New Year! It feels like a fresh start—a clean slate full of possibilities, dreams, and plans for the year ahead. It’s an exciting time for me, coming right after the Christmas season, which has always been my favorite. I love the festivities, the lights, the smells, being […]
Are You in Awe and Wonder or Ahh and Wondering This Christmas?
Christmas is a season of contrasts. On one hand, it’s an invitation to awe and wonder—the kind of amazement that comes from marveling at God’s works and His love for us. On the other hand, it can leave many of us saying, “Ahh…”—a sigh born of exhaustion, being overwhelmed, or even deep questioning. We may […]
A Thanksgiving Reminder: Making Memories To Look Back On
One More Cup of Coffee Recently, I returned to places with treasured memories from when Leeboy was alive. As I retraced familiar steps—the beach where we watched sunsets and had Thanksgiving on the beach one year, the coffee shop where we worked side-by-side, the neighborhood where we took daily walks, and our favorite taco stand—great […]
Simple Encounters That Heal
The other day, while running a typical errand at the grocery store, I met Jodi. She was my cashier, and like many of us, Jodi had a lot going on—probably more than most. But it wasn’t just the groceries or her job that weighed on her that day. After putting my groceries on the conveyor, […]
What to do after hearing “Not Yet” when you ask for forgiveness. (part 2)
In our last blog, we talked about embracing the “not yet” moments when we ask for forgiveness, allowing space and time for genuine forgiveness, reconciliation, and a deeper connection. We understand forgiveness is often a journey, not a one-time reflex. We learn to be patient, trusting that the journey of forgiveness will ultimately lead to […]
“Not Yet”: Forgiveness and Connection
Last night, my grandson Amari, LeeBoy’s son who is 2 1/2 years old, taught me a profound lesson about forgiveness. As bedtime approached, Amari was full of energy, refusing to settle down. Frustrated, I put him in another bedroom, telling him he’d have to sleep alone if he didn’t calm down. As I left the […]