Gardens exude peace while growing through storms.
Thunder scares us. But, not flowers. They soak in water from the same storms.
Their beauty is not achieved without disorder.
Neither is ours if we see through the chaos.
Whether it be physical or mental suffering, three treasures await for those who look.
Continue Reading “Find Peace in the Midst of Fear: A Step-by-Step Guide” What do wildfires, heart attacks, and drunken sailors share in common with anxiety?
They show up unannounced, and you never know what they’re gonna do.
That’s why a hiding place is the difference between stability and a nervous breakdown.
It is a domain for unlimited strength and clarity, an antenna for answers to your biggest problems.
I wish a mentor had told me when I graduated from college, “Son, you have a great future. It’s tremendously exciting, and the possibilities for your gifts and talents are unlimited. But, you need an atomic fortress when all hell breaks loose because it’s going to explode often and in ways you can’t imagine.”
On second thought, I’m glad no one told me that because I probably would have holed up on a sailboat in the BVI for the rest of my life.
When family tragedies strike, Tyler Perry stands as a shining example.
No, not Madea. Tyler Perry.
His movies are full of humor, faith, and old-school rules for healing wounds.
Tyler was born into tragedy with a raging alcoholic father.
Abuse swarmed him and his mother day and night.
He didn’t even finish high school, so he earned a GED.
And yet Forbes listed Tyler Perry as the highest-paid man in entertainment by 2011.
“My childhood was a story of discouragement, belittlement and unthinkable abuse, and yet I rose above.” Tyler Perry, Higher is Waiting
More than ever, folks in America are growing up in abusive homes.
I did. That’s why I admire Tyler Perry. He navigated abuse for 21 years before leaving home.
Racism and inequality are bad enough, but when you pile on abuse, success is much harder.
Tyler Perry overcame all three.
Continue Reading “How Tyler Perry Turns the Worst Family Tragedies Into Triumph” For the sake of anyone whose loved one recently died, I must share highlights of what I believe the Bible clearly teaches about heaven.
As I write, it was only a few weeks ago that a once-in-a-hundred-year flood event in Texas claimed the lives of 27 children and counselors attending summer camp on the Guadalupe River bank at Camp Mystic.
Additionally, I am watching family, friends, and acquaintances lose loved ones to other tragedies and diseases.
One of the gifts of being 70 years old is the benefit of long reflection on what I’ve learned about suffering and the hope for eternal life in heaven.
So, I took some time and reviewed many of what I believe are the best books about heaven as well as bible verses about what the future holds after death.
Several outstanding conclusions come to mind.
Continue Reading “How to Understand Heaven: What It’s Really Like and Your Path to Get There” What good is achievement if you burn out?
I’ll never forget this line in High School Valedictorian Sherin George’s speech.
Continue Reading “Why This Simple Change Sets You Free Before You Burn Out”