Is it possible we've been looking at Christian academics all wrong. For many students, school feels like a blur of lectures, assignments, and exams. Sometimes boring. Occasionally stressful. Rarely inspiring. But when you begin following Jesus, it flips the script. Suddenly, education becomes something more than a GPA. It becomes stewardship. It’s about asking, “How am I developing the gifts God’s given me, including my mind?” One of the ways faith influences our academics is by reintroducing us to wonder. Say you’re in a general biology class, staring through a microscope at some mysterious little cell. What are you looking at? To be honest, I don’t know either. But I do know this: you’re looking at one of God’s many miracles. We need to help students understand: they’re not just killing time before practice or chasing a grade. They’re discovering something God created. That’s not boring. That’s breathtaking. But Christianity…
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In one of my business classes, I was talking with students about how business can be more than just a paycheck or a promotion. It can actually be a vehicle for doing God’s work in the world. I wanted them to hear this clearly: their faith doesn’t begin and end in chapel. It doesn’t clock in when class starts and clock out when the lecture ends. When you start to grasp what it really means to follow Jesus, something shifts. Your work becomes worship. One of the ways that happens? Purpose. Paul writes in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” In other words, your job isn’t just about a boss or a salary. It’s about serving God. Whether you’re a nurse comforting a patient, a businessperson making an honest deal, or a teacher inspiring a…
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When you move to Florida, you get asked several questions. Do you live here year-round? Are you retired? And ... Do you play pickleball? Actually, you only get asked the first two on a regular - but the third one is not uncommon. Do I live here year-round? Yes. Am I retired? No. Do I play pickleball? Yes, I am a pickleball player. At least, now I am. Before moving to Florida, I had the opportunity to play pickleball one time with our church staff. A few volunteers treated us to lunch and taught us the very basics of pickleball. We flailed around for a while, until the older ones (like me) got sweaty and sought out the shade. But as the old saying goes, "While in Rome, do as the Romans do" -- I decided one of the best ways to acclimate to Florida and meet new people was…
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Not being one who frequents our local Social Security Administration office, I didn't quite know what to expect when I took my mother-in-law there to change her address. She recently relocated from Tennessee to Florida to live with us and needed to update her information. For the uninformed (and assuming you have a valid email address), this whole process can be done online and takes about five minutes. The kiosk issued us a ticket: Q29. Almost two hours later, a voice came over the loudspeaker and called "Q29." I felt like I had won the lottery! My new friend, David, had his number called about ten minutes prior. He was the gentleman sitting on the back row wearing a dapper straw fedora hat. He had taken the day off work, needing to correct an error regarding his account. Not working meant he wasn't getting paid. He wasn't too happy about…
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Sometimes a small mind shift can make a big difference. It might be reframing a challenge in a way that opens up new solutions. Or, it might be asking a simple follow-up like, "Tell me more about that." These small actions hold great potential. If you're in a position of leadership, shifting your thinking from networking to relationship building is one of those mind shifts that will pay incredible dividends. Don't get me wrong. Networking isn't bad. In fact, I've been to those networking gatherings and enjoyed the free appetizers and drinks. In the "old" days before smartphones, I came armed with my business cards and a willingness to strike up a conversation with anyone. Networking is about creating connections that enable the traffic of ideas and opportunities to flow more easily. When we network with others, we're hoping to create a mutually beneficial partnership -- personally or professionally. To…
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