PANdemic or PLANdemic?
Posted on August 26
PANDEMIC OR PLANDEMIC? This is a tough time in which we are living. But we choose whether it is a PANdemic or a PLANdemic. A PANdemic is a widespread outbreak of a disease. I’ll define a PLANdemic as a widespread outbreak of a desire to know and follow God’s Plan. A PANdemic is debilitating, defeating, and destructive. A PLANdemic is positive, purposeful, and productive. A PANdemic produces panic. A PLANdemic produces possibilities! I’m concerned about... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Decisions…Decisions…
Posted on August 12
DECISIONS…DECISIONS… Where we will be tomorrow depends on the decisions that we make today. Decisions determine our destiny. We all must make decisions concerning COVID-19. There are good, smart people on all sides of the issues. Decisions made will reflect our attitude towards ourselves and other people. One issue is about wearing masks. I will wear one at appropriate times to communicate that I care about other people. Let me paraphrase a famous statement by... more »
Posted in Inspirational
What Can I Do? – Part III: Lean & Love
Posted on June 24
WHAT CAN I DO? – PART III: LEAN & Love My first two steps are to listen and to learn. These lead me to lean on God and love all people. 3. LEAN. It is tempting in our day and age to think that we humans are so smart we can figure out all the answers. We have smart people, but the answers to the greatest issues of life come from God! “Trust in God and... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Transforming Diagnosis
Posted on May 27
TRANSFORMING DIAGNOSIS The COVID-19 pandemic reminded me of a story my dad told me about a man who went to the doctor for a battery of tests. The tests revealed the diagnosis of a terminal disease. The doctor was candid with him and told him that he would probably not live more than a few months. The man was shocked. He immediately went to his pastor, who listened carefully and empathically. The man confessed that he did not have... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Falling Apart or Falling into Place?
Posted on May 20
FALLING APART OR FALLING INTO PLACE? For the past 6 weeks, I have been filming a brief “Good News” segment on social media every morning at 10 o’clock. I stand in front of bookshelves in my office where I have some pictures. Since many asked me about the people in the pictures, I decided to take a different picture each day and talk about the person in the picture and what good news they might share. I... more »
Posted in Inspirational
COVID-19 Can Reveal The Best Or The Worst
Posted on May 13
COVID-19 CAN REVEAL THE BEST OR THE WORST As restrictions are being loosened on large and small businesses and public gatherings, I pray that we will be very cautious and practice even more carefully the guidelines that have been put into place. We do need to see the economy rebound, but we cannot allow the coronavirus to rebound. COVID-19 is bringing out the best and worst in people. 43 employees at the Braskem petrochemical plant in... more »
Posted in Inspirational
The New Normal
Posted on May 6
THE NEW NORMAL As most states are relaxing restrictions on businesses and confinement, people are talking about returning to normal. Normal will not be normal as we’ve known it! There will be a New Normal! Read Deuteronomy 28. Moses is leading the people into the Promised Land. If they obey God, it will be a New Normal. He describes where they’ve been, and where they’re going. They have a choice to make – obey God and the New Normal, or... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Finding the Good
Posted on April 29
FINDING THE GOOD While there is daily bad news about COVID-19, there are also good stories of people helping people and making a difference. Helen Keller once said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of suffering.” She could see more about life than most people that have 20/20 vision! Two medical students at the University of Minnesota Medical School saw they would have a little more time and... more »
Posted in Inspirational
Good News
Posted on April 22
GOOD NEWS There is a lot of bad news about COVID-19. There are also good news stories of how people are using this time for something good. Here are a few of those! Cavanaugh Bell is a first-grader in Maryland. He heard about the coronavirus, and he started thinking about what he could do. He had $600 in savings, so he asked his mom to go shopping with him. At the store, he bought cartloads of hand sanitizer, snacks,... more »
Posted in Inspirational
COPING-20 with COVID-19
Posted on April 15
COPING-20 WITH COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic caught us all by surprise. It has interrupted our normal lifestyles. Six weeks ago, I was preparing to speak at several churches, a coaches conference, a pastors’ conference, and I was planning to celebrate the graduation exercises of 2 of my grandsons. All of that has changed. How do you deal with a pandemic? We all do something to cope with it. We must be careful about how we choose to cope because our... more »
