Articles

By: Toto (with a little help from Oz) Something is going on in my world, and I wonder if it’s happening in yours too. It seems this something is not so good for humans, but I’m beginning to see some perks for me and possibly my other furry friends. Let’s start with the most noticeable one: grooming. I haven’t had to go to that place where they chop my fur off in a while. I personally think my female friends like my hair long, but my mom keeps getting it cut short which makes

In this time of chaos and uncertainty, God put it on my heart to offer a new perspective – one of gratitude. There is much to be thankful for even in the midst of this global pandemic, and now many of us have time to pause and take a break from our normal routines. Why not use this time to focus on something beyond anxiety-driven newscasts, empty grocery shelves, and toilet paper shortages? While I plan to stay informed, I’ve decided not to become immersed and to instead dire

We have come to the end of our Esther study and are left with many life lessons. What will you take with you? Will it be Esther’s courageous response in the face of peril, her fasting then donning the royal robes to appeal to the king, or her poise and wisdom in allowing the events to unfold over two banquets? Or will it be Mordecai, not Esther, who will dwell in your memory? Without Mordecai’s guidance, Esther likely would not have made it to the throne. His influence moved

Rest. This word invokes a variety of thoughts and meanings. Many of us immediately think of the physical aspects — vacation, sleep, or couch time after a jam-packed day. Or we may ponder the mental aspect — a mind at rest. But there’s another kind of rest, one that reaches to the depth of our beings — spiritual rest. For me, the three are intertwined; it’s difficult to have one without the others. And in a world that promotes the banner of busyness it’s been an uphill battle

What did God put me here to do? How will I discover it? Then what? Author Erik Rees of Saddleback Church (led by Pastor Rick Warren) has an in-depth and challenging resource to help answer these questions – S.H.A.P.E.: Finding & Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life. While many of us may be familiar with spiritual gift assessments and online inventories to reveal what skills and talents God has uniquely given us, Rees encourages seekers to a deeper level of discovery throug

Stop. Reflect. Take time for self-discovery. That’s what this refreshing, 90-page book is all about. It takes us on Bishop Stephen Cottrell’s journey, as he shares what he learned about the importance of stopping to do nothing in the busy world that surrounds us. “When I speak about what happens when we do nothing I am not in any way wanting to exalt laziness,” Cottrell writes. “Rather, I want to celebrate what happens when we dare to stop and reconnect with a hiddenness insi

So this week my mom is taking time to stop to reflect on her life, and I thought I would too … Physically — Other than the occasional tummy ache from some yummy discovery in the backyard, I feel good. In the last year, I’ve gained a pound but am hoping to lose it on our mile walk each morning. I have good life/work balance with plenty of downtime to rest. I now sleep in my mom’s bed so my REM cycles are at an all-time high. Spiritually — I’m a Christian. My mom is a Jesus fre

It’s midyear and, for most of us, midlife. So it’s probably a good time to stop to reflect on where we’ve been and look ahead to where we’re headed. This summer I intentionally created space in my schedule for self-reflection, which led to some interesting discoveries. Physically, my body is slowly falling apart. The phrase “at your age” has become attached to more statements recently. I know this is normal, but it’s certainly not welcome. It seems that little annoyances can

It has been simmering on my mind for years, and now it’s a step closer to happening. I’m talking about publishing my first book. While I’ve written hundreds of news stories and blog posts and have also created and taught numerous Bible studies, I had yet to pursue official book publishing. So, after much encouragement, I recently tackled my first proposal — an empty-nester devotional. I had no clue of what I was getting into despite my editor’s warnings about it being “a lot