Blog

When are you really open to changing? Probably when you are “finally” sufficiently disturbed. WHAT’S AILING YOU? You’re tired of being out of shape. Your relationship has worn down. You’re lonely, maybe sick, or facing the possibility of losing your job. Maybe an addiction is now lording over your life. Whatever the disturbance, finally, you’re ready to change. THE BREAKTHROUGH As a counselor, I love seeing this kind of breakthrough. Not because I enjoy seeing people suffer,

How do you handle something in your life that’s so big, so concerning, and completely out of your control? What do you do with the fear and uncertainty of what might happen next? THE DIAGNOSIS In July 2026, Wendy discovered she had a brain tumor about the size of a blueberry, located near her brainstem, behind her right ear. If it continues to grow, and it appears it is, doctors may have to remove a 4 by 4 inch section of her skull to attempt to remove it. The surgery carries

How do you respond when life gets hard? Does difficulty inspire you, energize you, or slowly wear you down? WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN Have you ever wondered why God allows our comfortable lives to be turned upside down? Everything may be going well, and then suddenly something changes. Sickness, financial problems, marriage difficulties, problems with our children, or circumstances we never saw coming can leave us asking, “Why does God allow this?” I’ve found that when we pause a

How do you pray? When do you pray? What does your prayer sound like? Short? Long? Fancy? Impressive? Simple? And when you pray, do you actually picture God listening? Can you imagine Jesus interceding for you? What about the Holy Spirit? How does all of this work when you and I pray? WHY I BRING UP PRAYER TODAY Today I read, “I thank God as I always mention you in my prayers, day and night. I serve him, doing what I know is right as my ancestors did.” (2 Timothy 1:3 NCV) Here

If someone knew nothing about my faith, my church attendance, or how much Bible knowledge I have, but simply watched how I treated people, handled money, responded to correction, and behaved when nobody was looking—would they see evidence that I belong to God? It's not what we claim to believe that demonstrates our faith. It's how we actually live. How are you living and how is it different than a non-believer? HERE’S SOME TRUTH The Apostle James said: “My brothers and sister

Why is it so important to know, and I mean really know, the Bible? How well do you study it? A UNIQUE WAY TO STUDY I know, for many, reading the Bible seems so religious, maybe even boring. But actually, it’s quite incredible. I’ve been reading the Bible cover to cover every year for over 28 years, and I’m still discovering things I never understood before. Let me give you a tip on Bible study. Set up some prompts in ChatGPT, or your favorite AI platform. My prompt is really

How do you differ from those who don’t confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? WHAT’S IT MEAN - “GRABBING HOLD OF THE LIFE THAT CONTINUES FOREVER?” Today, I read: “Fight the good fight of faith, grabbing hold of the life that continues forever. You were called to have that life when you confessed the good confession before many witnesses.” (1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭NCV‬‬) So, how do you grab hold of the life that continues forever? What does it mean to live this way? I think the

How is all the scrolling, watching, and taking in more and more information affecting you? Is it making you want to buy something new? Is it influencing you to want more? Or is it simply eating into valuable time you could be using to grow your life? I don’t know about you, but I’m in information overload. I see things, and before I know it, I’m investigating whether I want to buy it, know more about it, or just be entertained by it. And sometimes I wonder, what good is all t

What sins and lifestyle habits are you hiding? What are you doing that you wouldn’t want others to know about? And on the other side, what good deeds are you doing that nobody sees? Some sins and unhealthy habits are easy to recognize. Overeating can show up in our weight. Drunkenness is often obvious. Laziness shows up when responsibilities go undone. But other sins can remain hidden, sometimes for years. Today, I read something interesting from Paul: “The sins of some peopl

What are some things in your life that you rarely compromise? Maybe it’s showing up for work, never missing the gym, watching your favorite program, or maintaining a certain lifestyle. It could be a relationship, a hobby, or even an unhealthy habit. Isn’t it interesting how disciplined we can be about certain things while neglecting others? LET’S BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES Why is that? Let’s be honest - we value what we love, maybe even worship. God tell us to live a certain wa

What is the difference between forgiveness and trust? THE TRUTH Are you refusing to trust someone because they’ve hurt you, or because you simply don’t like them? And have you really forgiven someone if you’re unwilling to give them another chance? Those are tough questions, aren’t they? I’ve noticed that sometimes people hide behind words like trust and boundaries when the real issue is that they simply don’t like someone, disagree with them, or don’t want them in their live

We live in a world obsessed with image. Everywhere we look, someone is selling us something. Beautiful homes, expensive furniture, designer clothes, luxury cars, perfect bodies, and lifestyles that seem almost too good to be true. Social media is filled with people presenting themselves, their possessions, and their successes. Some want attention. Some want popularity. Some are trying to make money. And some simply enjoy sharing their lives. OUR MOTIVES But here’s my question

WHAT IF YOU’RE WORKING HARD ON THE WRONG THINGS? What’s occupying your thoughts, feelings, schedule, and lifestyle these days? What’s most important to you? What do you really value? If you suddenly had to flee your home with only a few possessions, what would you grab? What really matters? WHAT ARE WE WORKING TO ACCOMPLISH? Ya know, we can spend our entire lives working hard on the wrong things. Chasing success, building wealth, protecting our comfort, holding grudges, or pu

Really, what is your opinion of Jesus Christ, and how serious is He in your life? Have you ever thought about what makes God angry? We talk a lot about God’s love, His mercy, His forgiveness, and His patience. And rightly so. But how often do we talk about God’s anger? Does God actually get angry when we reject Him, ignore His commands, or refuse the salvation He offers through Jesus Christ? Today, I was reading Jeremiah, and this verse really caught my attention: “In my ange

What does finishing life well mean to you? It’s one of my life’s missions. I think most people want a full life. I love the verses speaking about King David: “He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor.” — 1 Chronicles 29:28 (NIV) Another similar verse speaking about Abraham: “Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.” — Genesis 25:8 (NIV) Don’t most people want to live at

How many times have you heard someone say, “Well, I know I’m not perfect, but I have a good heart”? Maybe you’ve said it yourself. I have. We like to believe that underneath our mistakes, bad decisions, and occasional sins, we’re basically good people. WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT OUR HEART But is that what God says? I seem to always stop at this verse every year I read it: “More than anything else, a person’s mind is evil and cannot be healed. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 N

How aware are you, on a day-to-day basis, that God is watching you? He sees everything. Do you really believe that? And if you do, how does knowing God sees you (and me) change the way you live? WHAT BROUGHT THIS UP TODAY I’m reading about the days of Jeremiah, when God’s people had become rebellious. They were living sinful lives, mistreating others, worshiping false gods, and yet they continued going to the Temple to worship God as though everything was fine. God told Jerem

WHEN IT ALL CATCHES UP WITH YOU — HOW DOES IT CHANGE YOU? (2 minute read) When you do something wrong and you’re caught—or when your bad choices finally lead to something not so good—how does that change you? BTW, pardon again the photo - I just like seeing my wife - it has nothing to do with this story. Today, I read: “You can hear crying on the bare hilltops. It is the people of Israel crying and praying for mercy. They have become very evil and have forgotten the LORD thei

Who have you set up boundaries with? Are those boundaries really necessary? IS IT A BOUNDARY OR AN EXCUSE I mean, is that person truly dangerous, abusive, manipulative, or capable of causing you real harm? Or is it possible you’ve established boundaries for other reasons? Maybe reasons that aren’t entirely justified? We hear a lot about boundaries these days. And don’t misunderstand me, some boundaries are absolutely necessary. There are people whose behavior is destructive,

What are you praying about right now? HOW REAL IS PRAYER TO YOU Some people never pray. Some pray at the drop of a hat, but I wonder sometimes how real their prayer really is. How real is prayer to you? When you pray, do you really believe God is there, that He hears you, and that something is actually happening? BTW, yes, the photo has nothing to do with praying. I just like to share photos of Wendy. So today, my schedule reading says: “Do not worry about anything, but pray

Things are going well—and then, little by little, we stop following. Why? WHAT WALKING WITH GOD LOOKS LIKE How is your walk with God right now? I know, it sounds religious. Let me define walking with God. Walking with God means listening to Him, “doing” as He says, reading His Word, praying to Him, loving others as you love yourself, forgiving, serving, being generous, and being other-centered instead of self-centered. His ways are to benefit our lives. Jesus basically summed

What kind of pain do you have? No one is without pain. Why? Because we don’t live in a perfect world. WHO’S FAULT IS IT? Some pain is not our fault—some is. Some comes from what other people have done to us. Some comes from our own choices. Some comes simply from living in a broken world where bodies get sick, relationships struggle, people disappoint us, and people we love eventually die. But here’s something I’ve noticed: We often don’t change until the pain becomes signifi

How do you forgive someone who absolutely did you wrong? I didn’t say trust them. I’m asking, how do you forgive them? THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FORGIVER The one who forgives is the one who is “full” of love, patience, mercy, and grace. We throw those words around pretty easily, but when you’re the one who has been hurt, betrayed, lied to, rejected, or mistreated, those characteristics don’t come quite so easily—right? WHAT THE FORGIVE SHOULD LOOK LIKE This morning I read so

What would you define as a bad day? Bad traffic? A strained relationship? Trying to get over your past, and it’s hitting you hard today? Needing to overcome an addiction? Being broke? What’s a bad day for you? I suppose it depends on what you compare it to. WHAT A BAD DAY REALLY LOOKS LIKE I’m reading today, and Isaiah says about Jesus’ suffering: “Many people were shocked when they saw him. His appearance was so damaged he did not look like a man; his form was so changed the