Check out the following quotes and guess who had the audacity to say them:

Geez, you’re fat!

You stupid loser!

Way to go, Einstein!

I mean… how could you do that?!

No wonder nobody likes you!

I don’t think you’ll be winning a metal for best parent anytime soon!

You’re such a lousy person – your spouse must be disgusted with you!

You don’t have friends because you don’t deserve them!

Your personality sucks!

You’re a failure: An utter… abject… reeking… failure!

If there is a hell, nobody deserves to go there more than you!

If somebody could say the wrong thing at the wrong time, you’re the one I’m betting on!

You have no willpower whatsoever. None. Zippo!

Okay, who said these things… and to whom did they say them? Continue reading…

Once again this past weekend I was blessed to be a part of the Indian Hills Community in North Little Rock.  And even though I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado – I claim them as my ‘home’ church.

This group is special. Very special. And their pastor, Dick King (and no, we really aren’t related!) is one of the most outstanding people I’ve ever met. At 65 years of age he has the look of a kind fatherly figure combined with a youthful zest and enthusiasm for life and the kingdom that is nothing short of infectious. Continue reading…

At the end of this week I’ll be joining with a small group who will be embarking on a trip to the Middle East to meet with Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders working for peace.

The situation there is wrought with innumerable challenges. To help give you an inside perspective, I wanted to share this poem with you that was written by Samah Sabawai. She is a writer, playwright and poet from Gaza.

I hope you are moved by it and feel compelled to pray for peace in Gaza and around the globe.

Blessings… Continue reading…

There is a simple yet profound truth that says, ‘we never know forgiveness until we are confronted with that which is unforgiveable.’

This principle made me search my memory bank for a time I might have been confronted with the unforgiveable and nonetheless chose to forgive. I guess I should consider myself blessed that I couldn’t find such an occasion.

Don’t get me wrong, it was easy to bring to mind how I had been wronged along life’s path. There have been broken friendships, strained relationships and toxic partnerships – all of which ‘I thought’ required forgiveness on my part – but would I really say that in all of that I came face-to-face with that which is/was unforgiveable? Continue reading…

This is the time of year we’re all thinking about ways we’d like the upcoming year to be better than the last. And in order to see these differences take wing, many of us are in the mood for our annual ritual of resolution-making.

Some desire to quit smoking while others (once again) aim to lose weight. That last one was my resolution for 2009 – I’m down 75lbs and feeling great – all of which has put me in the mood for yet another, even more aggressive challenge.

There are resolutions of all kinds for all ages – study harder, make better grades, be more consistent in arriving to work on time, make that needed career change, begin or cease going to church, on and on.

My new resolution, which may sound a bit strange at first, is to quit… God. Continue reading…