Master craftsmen have signed, stamped, and stitched their marks on their work for years, ensuring their value. Michelangelo’s signature traverses Mary’s sash of his Pieta. Leonardo da Vinci used intertwining knots as his signature (Check Mona Lisa’s bodice.).  And God? He placed His imprint on you, His masterpiece.  The mark of a master determines the value of a…

In the 2010 Zheng-Kai Marathon, elite runner Jaqueline Kiplimo spotted a disabled Chinese runner having trouble opening a water bottle. The runner had no hands and was dehydrated. Kiplimo not only helped him with the water bottle, she also slowed her pace and ran with him from about Mile 6 to Mile 23, aiding him…

Discernment. Do you have it? How about your kids?  Culture presents the idea that truth is relative: You have yours. I have mine. Compromise is okay if you have a good reason. How do we help our kids navigate these minefields of truth and lies? We train them in discernment. When Harry Potter came out, I chose…

Rootbound plants are wrapped in their own roots. Like an ingrown toenail, growth has gone inward instead of outward.  And inward is no place to grow.  Roots should spread. Deep and wide. Spiritual roots can bind too.  Squeeze. Tighter than duct tape, they can hold us hostage. I felt stuck. For years. Scripture speaks of several…

Though she sat on the front row, you would have missed her. Passed right by without a second thought. No designer labels. Quiet. Invisible. A plastic bead among the polished gems of the well-to-do Sunday School class.  Until my lesson started.  I threw out questions to the feisty group of seniors I had the privilege…

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Matthew 2:10 NIV I love Matthew’s account of the Magi (please note they were not at the stable), but I’ve always found joy rather elusive.  It plays hide and seek with me. Ever feel that way? Could it be that joy was right there and I hadn’t…

As I head into the holidays, I desperately need the right frame of mind. A firm foundation and a solid framework of spiritual principles to keep me steady through the challenges of the season, like managing the same twenty-four hours of the day with a much longer to-do list.  Christ, as always, provides the foundation,…

The principle of sowing and reaping runs through the pages of Scripture. But we don't usually think about the sowing—until the harvest arrives.

Ever start an article or blog post and all you saw was miles of ink? (Yes, Texas Monthly, I’m talking to you.) Did you wince? Tense up? Bypass it? We need white space.  Breathing room. Margin. Do you have any? Do your kids? Are you scheduled to the edges of your calendar? Sabbath God commands us…

My ninety-plus pound Belgian Malinois is a great running partner—most of the time. Valor heels, sets a good pace, and serves as bodyguard too.  But he has a high prey drive.  Anything small and furry that moves, beware. (FYI, owners of small dogs, big dogs see prey rather than your precious baby.) If I see…