You want to feel loved? Go be a pastor at a rural church in South Dakota. It’s like stepping into a family reunion and a group hug at the same time.
I got to preach not only at one, but at TWO churches this weekend. You cannot even begin to imagine how full my love tank is ... Read More
It’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done. And it’s happening in 45 American minutes.
I am meeting with a woman who is going to unscrew the top of my head and peek inside. (I mean that figuratively, not literally, thank you Jesus.)
I am going to a psychological evaluation.
It’s part of the process to become a pastor. Did I mention I’m starting ... Read More
My mornings have taken on a predictable and comforting cadence since the start of COVID19.
Every morning I shuffle out to the living room couch that sits in front of a big picture window. I love having my coffee and talking with God and looking at the changes Mother Nature continues to unveil each day. It’s amazing to watch a ... Read More
“There is a miracle on the other side of this mountain.”
I was doing a video chat with a friend and her words awoke the hope inside me. She said it’s her daily mantra. It’s the place she parks her brain when her brain wants to idle in the land of what-ifs.
She heard those words from another friend who saw ... Read More
They say you either had a good childhood or a good story to tell. Andrea Abbate, from Glendale, Calif., says she has the latter.
Her childhood was terribly traumatic, but as she bravely shares with us, it was an act of kindness during that time that saved her.
“When I was 10, my father had a drinking problem that would sometimes end ... Read More
I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to be Mister Rogers when I grow up.
I still have his mug on my desk and his picture on my wall, along with King Friday and Daniel Tiger.
I still share the core values he lived.
I still long to grow stronger in the things he was so naturally good at like humility, gentleness and ... Read More
Surgery update for anyone who cares followed by an important reminder for YOU.
I’m snuggled up in my home office with my dog and my computer. The boys are in the next room playing video games. I should cut off their screen time, but they’re in a continual state of giggles, so I think I’ll just let it be. Besides, that ... Read More
Andy Smallman is a go-getter. He’s a teacher, and when he realized he didn’t like the way schools were educating students, he started a new one.
It’s been up and running in Seattle since 1994. But Andy isn’t just a go-getter — he’s a go-giver, too.
“Let me start by saying I’ve got this thing for the number 143 and have for ... Read More
You know those days when you wake up feeling just okay? Not great. Not terrible. Just okay. When someone asks you how you’re doing, your face cracks into a pleasant smile before responding, “Fine.”
I have a secret. God doesn’t want you to go through the day feeling just okay. He wants to wow you into having an amazing day, so ... Read More
I’ve often wondered if I was praying right. Is there one type of prayer that pleases God more than another?
As a young child, I learned we are to recite our prayers to God out loud, preferably on our knees. Then I found out I could pray to him quietly in my mind, which made my prayers a whole lot more ... Read More
