Do you remember Gunsmoke, the greatest Western television show in history? (No, that honor does not go to Bananza.) In the opening scene, Marshal Matt Dillon shoots a guy on the streets of Dodge City, Kansas. The guy who is shot never says a word, and he is not shown up close. But he was…
The smallest town in America is Monowi, Nebraska. Population: 1 Monowi’s lone resident is 84-year-old Elsie Eller. She runs the Monowi Tavern, serves as the town’s mayor and as the town librarian. The tavern is open six days a week, as she serves up burgers to drivers who pull off on their way to South…
A Perusian military strategist named Helmuth von Moltke said, “No battle plan can survive the enemy.” Philosopher Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan when they step into the ring. It lasts until I punch them in the face.” We all need plans. You need plans – for your finances, job, marriage, kids, hobbies, and…
Coach Nick Saban said, “Because so many players and teams focus on the things they can’t control and forget about the important stuff they can control, they lose games.” Translation – In recovery, focus on the things you control, as you turn the page on your past. Paul said it like this: “Put on a…
Man has long held a fascination with time. You can spend anything for a watch, starting at around $10. If you’ve had a good year, you can buy the world’s most expensive watch. The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF men’s watch sells for a cool $163,700. But you probably knew that. What you might not have…
Let’s talk about Rosie Revere. These are the words from a great old children’s book, Rosie Revere, Engineer: “Your brilliant first flop was a raging success! Come on, let’s get busy and on to the next! She handed a notebook to Rosie Revere, Who smiled at her aunt as it all became clear. Life might…
The Lachazi language is spoken in areas of Africa such as Angola. Within their language, a common word is missing. They have no word for “lie.” But they do have a word for “lies.” I asked an Angolan missionary about this. He explained, “There is never a single lie. Every lie has another lie. So…
“How can I get ahead?” That question has echoed through the corridors of time for as long as we have roamed the planet. Even God’s children – who were in church every week – lamented how this cramped their style. They asked, “When will the Sabbath be ended, that we may market our wheat?” (Amos…
I should have been on the debate team in college. And high school. And preschool. I love a good debate. I never miss a presidential debate. Don’t get me started on the Nixon-Kennedy debates of 1960. Or Carter-Reagan twenty years later. I love to watch debates, and I love to participate. But that’s not always…
I love this line from Max Lucado: “God has the final word in your life, and that word is grace.” It was grace that found me in my darkest moment. It was grace that saved me from my sin – and from myself. It was grace that lit the road of recovery. And it is…