Heartfelt Words Don’t Have Dictionary Definitions

Heartfelt Words Don’t Have Dictionary Definitions

We hear the phrase “Heartfelt Words” or similar expressions from time-to-time. Most of the time, we say it in context of expressing sympathy or to show genuine care. However, angry words or words and phrases that are rooted in bitterness, jealousy, envy, or other...
Give Real Grace… Even When its Fake as Sh*t

Give Real Grace… Even When its Fake as Sh*t

How do you spot a fake? More importantly, how do you realize you’re being a fake? Or more challenging, how do you be true to who you are even when you must behave a certain way to be sensitive to others? I grapple with these questions more than most will ever...
How Second Acts Honor God and Cling Not to Our Pasts

How Second Acts Honor God and Cling Not to Our Pasts

Restoration – or second acts – is something my community really identifies with. In fact, our history is a source of pride, civic unity and – to be totally honest – we owe a significant portion of our tourism lift to that history. I’ve written,...
Our Present Suffering and Eventual Future Glory

Our Present Suffering and Eventual Future Glory

As I write this, I am suffering. I have had a cold for a good week. It has left me tired and unmotivated. Also, it has me much less productive than I would like to be. Though my suffering is relatively minor, it has me eager to experience a time when I am again...
Why Brackets (and Fantasy Sports) Are Life Busters

Why Brackets (and Fantasy Sports) Are Life Busters

I have not filled out an NCAA March Madness bracket since 2016. And I don’t miss it one bit. I was once a regular fantasy sports participant, so it is natural for me to hop onto Yahoo or some other platform to make my bracket picks every March. It’s a...
Must We Lament? How Can We Not Lament?

Must We Lament? How Can We Not Lament?

It’s good to lament. Or maybe not. Who knows? Maybe we better back up and first ask “what does it mean to lament?” To answer that, let’s consult Got Questions, where they say: To lament is to express deep regret, grief, or sorrow. We can lament through words or...
Christian Living, Christian Death, and the Eternal Flow

Christian Living, Christian Death, and the Eternal Flow

A post about Christian death is a hard one to draft. As is the case with most, this post culminated in much more than I intended when I started studying it, praying over it, and observing society around me. I also find that I have been in a very gray season of life....
The Quest to Know You Belong to Something More

The Quest to Know You Belong to Something More

There is a basin human desire to know you belong. It might be to family, to a group, a club or something else, but we all are searching for our tribes. In most cases, we prefer to do it on our own terms. That’s especially true in this era. With so much emphasis placed...