From an early age I learned I enjoyed public speaking. I don't remember the first time I stood in front of a group and gave a presentation. It might have been "show and tell" in kindergarten. As a kid growing up in a local church, it could have been reading scripture or praying during midweek services. During my teen years, I began participating on the speech team in high school and delivered my first sermon on a Sunday evening. Over the years, I've tried to be diligent about honing my craft. As a communicator, I realize I haven't communicated if all I have done is transmit information. When the audience understands the information and knows how to apply it ... then I've communicated. Just recently, I was reading an excellent blog post by Stephanie Scotti, author of Talk on Water. In it she writes about foundational beliefs every effective communicator…
Read More
While reading through the accounts of Jesus' birth, I noticed something that has always been there but didn't pop out before. Besides the angels who appear in the story, the rest of the characters are average, ordinary people. They include a teenager, a carpenter, a priest performing his priestly functions, innkeepers, two senior saints, and farmhands. I've noticed that average, ordinary part before and it preaches. Outside of King Herod, none of the characters were wealthy, famous, or socially important. But that's not what struck me this time. Perhaps it's because I turned 50 years old in 2019, but what caught my eye this time was the intergenerational demographics of the Christmas story. Mary and Joseph: a teenage girl and a young adult male Elizabeth and Zechariah: a married couple who "were both very old" Doesn't it seem backwards that God would entrust his Son to a young couple and…
Read More
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." That saying is attributed to Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher whom historians believed lived in either the 6th or 4th Century BC. Without scooters, bicycles, or Uber, I imagine they did much more walking (and possibly reflecting) back then. The saying has lasted because of its simple truth: to get anywhere you want to go, you have to start with the first step. Until the Star Trek transporter becomes a reality, the need for intentional action and directed effort will be necessary if we want to reach our preferred destinations. If the first cut is the deepest (h/t to Sheryl Crow), the first step towards improvement or change is often the hardest. Why is that? Based on my almost thirty years in the people business, I've found it's one of several reasons. First, let me debunk a few of…
Read More
Based on my interactions with all varieties of people, I believe most every person wants at least four things: More joy Peace with their Creator Peace with themself Peace with others If you are like me, while I want to experience more joy and peace, I'm just as likely to experience fear, anxiety, discouragement, and doubt instead. This may come as a surprise to you, but not every moment of my life is filled with overflowing joy. I have had seasons in life that were anything but peaceful. Whether or not we have put our finger on the reason, everyone from Adam and Eve to Kanye West has been searching for someone or something that will solve their problems or ease their pain. God not only recognized our problem, but he proactively took the initiative to bring about a solution. The solution wasn't a secret formula, available only to a…
Read More
There is a common myth that many people have about those who are successful. It gets passed around in conversations. It might be used as a dig or jab. In some ways, the myth is used to justify a person's own lack of success. What is the myth? Success comes easily for successful people. "They didn't have to face the same challenges I did." "They didn't grow up in my family." "They had everything handed to them." According to the myth, successful people never had to overcome hardships, face down any challenges, or start over due to failures. At this point, it might be helpful to return to a distinction I made at the beginning of this series. Here is what I wrote in the first article: "Not all of them were 'successful' by conventional standards, if you’re simply talking about net worth or square footage. But if you define…
Read More