Better than Talent

Never underestimate the value of hard work.  The business world has discovered that a good work ethic trumps raw talent. In a recent survey, 91 percent of business executives said they hire people who demonstrate a hard work ethic over those who have superior talent. And men and women who have achieved great success in…

New Hair

You are probably familiar with the story of Samson. When he revealed the secret of his strength to Delilah, it resulted in his capture and humiliation at the hands of the brutal Philistines. But that is not the end of the story. If you keep reading, you find this gem of a verse: “However, the…

Own It!

Until you take ownership of the problem, you won’t take responsibility for the solution. That is one of the fundamental truths of recovery. Most of us had some form of trauma at the genesis of our addiction. Or abuse. Or isolation. Or all three. None of that is on you. But what comes next is…

Rahab

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient” (Hebrews 11:31). Most of us have heard about Joshua and the battle of Jericho, when “the walls came tumbling down.” But let’s not miss the account of an ordinary citizen of Jericho who God used to do…

Porn in the Pocket

Sin can happen fast. Notice how quickly the original sinners sinned – Eve, and then Adam. “The woman saw that the tree’s fruit was good to eat and pleasing to look at. She also saw that it would make a person wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave…

Where Was Jesus?

“Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died’” (John 11:21). How many times have you said that? “Lord, if you had been here…” Martha was right. Jesus could have been there and he could have prevented Lazarus’ death. But he didn’t. For that matter, he could have…

Soso, Mississippi

There is a small town in southeast Mississippi that was founded in the 1860s and has a current population of about 400 people. The name of the town?  Soso, Mississippi.  How did it get its name? When the settlers found the place where they’d start the town, they looked at the soil and said, “It’s…

Church and Marriage

Church is good for your marriage. Brian Hollar, an Associate Professor at Marymount University, wrote, “For nearly fifty years, people who attend church regularly marry at much higher rates and, for a majority of the population, those who attend church frequently also divorce at lower rates than the rest of the population.” One study found…

Bridger Wilderness Park

The beautiful Bridger Wilderness Park in Wyoming offers amazing hikes and views. But for some people, every day is just another opportunity to complain. The park has suggestion boxes scattered throughout, inviting hikers to write down any concerns or complaints they may have. Here are a couple of recent comments they received in the boxes:…

352 Times a Day

It’s time to put down your phone! The average person checks his phone 352 times a day. I did the math. Assuming we sleep eight hours a day, this means we are looking at our phones once every three minutes for the other 16 hours of the day. And this is a problem. At the…