Thirty years of teaching taught me that shame doesn’t fade easily. Hardworking kids absorbed correction like wounds, while others brushed it off without a thought. Years later, I realized I was living out that same pattern myself, carrying old mistakes long after everyone else had forgotten them.
Life throws fear and faith into the same jungle, and they fight for control. When I feel overwhelmed, I think of my drained laptop battery—trying to run on fear alone leaves us weak. God’s words are like plugging back into better power; they don’t get rid of the battering, but they help you keep going. It’s a simple choice, but not always an easy one. The News: US returns to 1,000 coronavirus deaths in a day and officials warn pandemic will only get worse (CNN) God: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the … Read more
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Psalm 46:1-2 Four years ago, I stepped back into my school building alongside my fellow teachers, returning for the first time since we’d left for spring break in March 2020. COVID-19 was still in full force, and our return was marked by uncertainty, anxiety, and a sense that everything could change at a moment’s notice. Reflecting on those days now, I’m struck by how profoundly that season reshaped not … Read more
As kids, we thought a ham in a can looked glamorous—until we tried it and found it slimy and disappointing. That quick lesson stuck: packaging can lie. Casinos push the same fantasy—flashy lights promising big wins, but mostly draining pockets and hope. And real stories? Like the lottery winner who cursed his fortune instead of celebrating it, remind us that “more” doesn’t always mean better. Proverbs matters: wealth gained quickly seldom lasts. True gain grows slowly—and quietly holds meaning long after the shine has faded.