Success and succeeding
I have a hard time defining success, specifically when it comes to my work. It seems like any enterprise that gets 40+ hours of my life each week should be setting me up... »
Personal Accounts
The snowball effect
Fred was 19 when our paths crossed—a troubled ambitious youth in search of purpose. After leaving home as a teenager, he’d tried many different ways to make a living and... »
Teleportation—or transformation
Some years ago, a friend and I were on an overnight bus trip to another part of South Africa. We stowed our bags, connected our headphones, and braced ourselves for the l... »
Giving Him all the pieces
I thought I had my life together. I had a loving husband, four wonderful children, and a fulfilling life as an aid worker. We had moved to Indonesia to work with a shelte... »
Pass it on
I sat back in my seat and waited for takeoff. My back ached and my limbs were stiff from the five-hour drive to the airport and the two-hour first leg of my flight home.... »
Love never fails to love
Most of us are familiar with the phrase “Love never fails.” [[1 Corinthians 13:8]] It’s illustrated in children’s devotionals. It’s woven into songs, stories, and poems.... »
The roller coaster
I think I was about 14 when I had my first roller coaster experience. Why in the world am I doing this?! I remember thinking, as my wagon chugged up to that first drop-of... »
Tale of a tiny battery
My wife and I were attending a funeral in the USA. We’d rented a car and were out running errands. Personally, I wanted to find a watch repair shop where I could purchase... »
Creation speaks
My family and I once drove up to the top of Pikes Peak, the highest summit in the Rocky Mountains. Around 14,000 feet above sea level, we took in the breathtaking views o... »
Flowers, projects, and dreams for the New Year
I love tending my garden, but I have a problem sometimes with flowers. I love to buy a few each spring and enjoy them through the long summer days, tending them and water... »
The big leap
It was snowing when we packed the last items into the container that was waiting at an appointed lot in an industrial area, almost ready to be shipped. This was the last... »
Flow with it
A few years ago, I was involved in a volunteer project that operated a meal center for underprivileged students. For the first two years, I helped with cleaning the kitch... »