How to Stop Worrying: 3 Powerful Ways to Find Peace

Worry loves to fight in my brain the first moment of the day. I’ve spent years learning how to stop worrying. If the outside world is bright, my brain rings with peace. But if circumstances are scary, my brain goes off like a bobcat in a hen house!

Watchful bobcat illustrating worry
Bobcat staring anxiously in the hen house / Doovi

Reading the obituary of a good friend reminded me how suddenly life can change.

John Pitman was diagnosed with glioblastoma. He died 14 months later at 68.

Jeffrey Weiss, a business reporter for the Dallas Morning News, died of the same disease.

He documented his diagnosis and treatment in his newspaper columns.

One of Jeff’s final columns made me wonder how he faced the fear of dying.

Continue Reading “How to Stop Worrying: 3 Powerful Ways to Find Peace” >
How to Stop Worrying: 3 Powerful Ways to Find Peace

3 Daily Rituals That Reduce Anxiety and Restore Peace

Daily rituals can loosen anxiety’s grip on our lives.

The cardinal by my window knows it.

Cardinal morning ritual reminder
This little cardinal in our breakfast room reminds me that daily rituals often bring unexpected peace.

Every summer morning, cardinals sing a melody before starting the day.

What a great ritual for good mental health!

  • Sing
  • Plan
  • Build

See how three rituals bring peace to every day.

Continue Reading “3 Daily Rituals That Reduce Anxiety and Restore Peace” >
3 Daily Rituals That Reduce Anxiety and Restore Peace

How a Funeral Clues Us to a Deeply Satisfying Life

I attended a funeral recently where one thing stood out.

No one appeared to be standing off in a corner.

Everyone mingled with love, unity, and a deep appreciation for the life of this man.

Comforting embrace at funeral

There wasn’t an enemy anywhere.

The man’s son and daughter spoke in glowing terms with admiration and respect.

Is it possible to live a long and happy life, leaving no angry people in your orbit?

Continue Reading “How a Funeral Clues Us to a Deeply Satisfying Life” >
How a Funeral Clues Us to a Deeply Satisfying Life

How to Regain Calm When Life Feels Topsy-Turvy

When life feels topsy-turvy, many people wonder how to regain calm. The answer begins with recognizing that God has not stopped working. He is still able to make something new out of what appears broken, uncertain, or beyond repair.

Regain Calm Through Faith
Finding calm when life feels uncertain/Chris Abadie/Lake Athens, TX sunrise
Continue Reading “How to Regain Calm When Life Feels Topsy-Turvy” >
How to Regain Calm When Life Feels Topsy-Turvy

How a 9-Year-Old Foster Boy Finds Peace to Overcome Chaos

A 9-year-old foster boy, Marcus, finds peace despite his horrific beginning.

His foster mom, Shirley, told me they found him and his sister, Ava, when they were babies, crying in a closet full of human waste.

But today is different. It is June 11, 2024, and Marcus, his foster mom, and four foster siblings are experiencing heaven on earth at a Christian water sports camp, Skiin’ With The Galilean (SWTG). Twenty-five years ago, United Airlines captain Todd Garrett created SWTG to help foster and special-needs children.

Foster boy finds peace
Foster and special-needs kids find peace and joy at SWTG/Steve Blaising/Lake Athens, TX

After taking the kids and caretakers out on a beautiful lake in beautiful boats, SWTG volunteers bring everyone in for lunch.

As the camp pastor, I invite anyone to talk and pray about troubles privately after a brief devotional.

Shirley, Marcus and Ava’s foster mom, approaches me in tears.

Continue Reading “How a 9-Year-Old Foster Boy Finds Peace to Overcome Chaos” >
How a 9-Year-Old Foster Boy Finds Peace to Overcome Chaos