Tag: Hope

Choosing to “Know” Less

As a child, I remember when my Sunday school knowledge about God and the Bible became dull and simple. I was a jaded 12-year-old, having grown up saturated with what felt like dry, moralistic lessons drawn from the pages of scripture. The words faith,… Continue Reading “Choosing to “Know” Less”

Choosing to See Glory Next Door

It’s a classic idea for a romance story. A prince, a princess, or a wealthy heir for some reason goes undercover and lives as an ordinary, unassuming character. In the course of everyday life, someone gets to know the royal or moneyed individual as… Continue Reading “Choosing to See Glory Next Door”

Choosing the Way of Thanks

I am afflicted with a condition that I understand many men have. I often cannot see what is right in front of my face. The can of soup I’m looking for in the pantry mysteriously disappears when I go to retrieve it. I’m perplexed… Continue Reading “Choosing the Way of Thanks”

Choosing What Remains

I first became a homeowner when I was 25. It was a small run-down rental in a suburb of Sacramento, California. My wife and I decided we could buy it at a good price and “fix it up” ourselves in preparation for our soon-to-arrive… Continue Reading “Choosing What Remains”

Choosing to TRUST in the Dark

I was five years old when I had my tonsils removed. Medical concerns and procedures were different back then. They had me spend the night before surgery in the hospital. I remember my initial impression was that of getting to do a sleep over… Continue Reading “Choosing to TRUST in the Dark”

Choosing to Honor What is Truly Valuable

I traveled quite a bit when my children were young. I led outreach teams to foreign countries and could be gone for several weeks at a time. We didn’t have a lot of money, and so when it came to bringing gifts home to… Continue Reading “Choosing to Honor What is Truly Valuable”

Choosing to Resist the Bitter Pill

As a kid, there were certain old people I avoided. They were the kind that didn’t seem to have the capacity to endure the messiness and clumsiness of children. They couldn’t see the intentions of little ones when something got spilt or broken. They… Continue Reading “Choosing to Resist the Bitter Pill”

Choosing Real Love

I was in Lhasa, Tibet the first time I saw someone physically bow in worship to a statue. The Buddhist temple was filled with smoky incense, and dozens of people prostrated before a grinning image. Sunday-school stories of the ancient Israelites giving offerings to… Continue Reading “Choosing Real Love”

Choosing the Right Words

As far back as I can remember, I have largely interpreted life, my value, and my impressions of those around me through the words I hear. What I have taken in through my ears has lodged deep into my soul. Countless words have cut… Continue Reading “Choosing the Right Words”

Choosing a Life of Substance

Music of the rock group Kansas takes me back to my high school days. I particularly remember the hauntingly beautiful harmonies of “Dust in the Wind”. The sound would echo in my head days after I listened to it on the radio. Who could… Continue Reading “Choosing a Life of Substance”