Small Town Southern Man

What kind of legacy are you leaving for those coming behind you? In his song, “Small Town Southern Man,” Alan Jackson sang these powerful lyrics: “He was always proud of what he had, He said his greatest contribution Is the ones you leave behind, Raised on the ways and gentle kindness Of a small town…

Nolan Ryan

Okay, baseball fans, here’s a trivia question for you. Who had more career no-hitters? Nolan Ryan Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, Steve Carlton, Grover Alexander, Lefty Grove, Don Sutton, Don Drysdale, and Whitey Ford – combined Answer: 1. Nolan Ryan Nolan Ryan tossed a record seven no-hitters over his amazing 27-year career. By comparison,…

Trumpets and Torches

Sometimes, God employs a strange battle plan. In Judges 7, we read about Gideon. God told him to take 300 Israelites into battle against 135,000 enemy soldiers. And it gets crazier. God said to bring as his weapons torches, trumpets, and clay pots.  Gideon would put the clay pots over the torches so the light…

The Day a Fight Broke Out

In the Spring of 1894, the Baltimore Orioles came to Boston to play a baseball game. During the game, Orioles’ third baseman John McGraw got into a fight with the Boston third baseman. The fight quickly became a brawl that involved both teams. Soon, the fans in the stands broke out into a massive fight.…

Bedrock of Recovery

Let’s talk about a bedrock of successful recovery. It’s called self-control. Jim Rohn said, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.”  Scripture teaches, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Navy SEAL and leadership expert Brent Glesson writes, in The…

The Impossible Made Possible

You can only accomplish the impossible when you see the invisible. “It was by faith that Moses left Egypt and was not afraid of the king’s anger. Moses continued strong as if he could see the God that no one can see” (Hebrews 11:27). That’s what makes for elite athletes, chemists, astronauts, and doctors. Like…

Missing the Point

The great philosopher George Carlin said, “People who see life as anything more than pure entertainment are missing the point.”  A lot of people miss the point. Consider little Jimmy, for example.  Jimmy walked up to his teacher’s desk, holding a report card with a big red ‘F.’  “If I was you,” said Jimmy, “I…

From Birth to Hearse

From the days of your birth Till you ride in the hearse, Things are never so bad That they couldn’t get worse. How’s that for starting your day on a high note? The bad news is, things can always get worse. But the Good News is that things can always get better. And that is…

Do You Forgive Him?

Your spouse has cheated. Call it an addiction or a disease. Either way, it was a choice. And he cheated. Now you are hearing it from all directions.  “As a Christian, you need to forgive him.” Forgiveness may be the most misunderstood aspect of recovery. Let’s talk about what forgiveness is not. Here are five…

The Luckiest Man

Lou Gehrig was known as the Iron Horse, as he played 2,130 consecutive games. For 14 years, his name was in the lineup every day. And then he came down with ALS. His weakening condition hastened a premature retirement from the game he loved. On July 4, 1939 (83 years ago today), Gehrig addressed a…