Soul Music…Soul Searching

I love the power of song lyrics to touch the heart. A song by Percy Sledge brought a spiritual connection to an old favorite tune. “When a Man Loves a Woman” reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B charts in 1966. I remember when I fell in love with my beautiful wife. I totally identified with these lyrics in those halcyon days of young love. When a man loves a womanCan’t keep his mind on nothin’ elseHe’d trade the worldFor a good thing he’s found When a man loves a womanSpend his very last dimeTrying to hold on to what he needsHe’d give up all his comfortsAnd sleep out in the rainIf she said that’s the wayIt ought to be I give you everything I’ve got (yeah)Trying to hold onTo your precious love Could there be a more powerful description of how it feels to be giddy in love? You really can’t think of anything
Continue reading...

Is Grace Fair?

I write a lot about where our hope truly lies and how we need to be a positive light in a negative world. I came upon this wise advice for social media posters from the Gospel of John. “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. (John 6:43) I laughed when I read that and thought this might become my new life verse for this very negative political season. The verse follows a section where Jesus talks about how He is the bread of life and has come from Heaven. This was just too much for the locals who knew Him as the kid raised by Mary and Joseph down at the carpenter shop. But the message is timeless. I need to stop grumbling and start living out of who God says I am as His child. Maybe that is why God calls me His child because I sure can be childish at times. The grumbling verse reminded me of one of
Continue reading...

The Gift of Being Present

To celebrate the paperback release of Stay this week’s article is a free preview of one of my favorite chapters. Chapter 3 from STAY: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace BE PRESENT– Journal Entry One reason Hannah is such a special friend is that she entered our lives during a difficult season when her human mom—my wife, Joni—was diagnosed with breast cancer. Hannah provided a comforting presence during a scary time. I found an anonymous quote that sums up one big reason why: “One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you’re feeling blue is that she doesn’t try to find out why.” Hannah knew how to deal with people going through an emotionally and physically draining valley. Her solution was simple but powerful. Be present. It was just the unsolicited encouragement that Joni and I so needed at the time. When this cancer journey began, we learned a lot of hard lessons. One of the hardest
Continue reading...

Don’t Let Wounded Souls Drift Away…

Dave Burchett Drift Away from Dobie Gray cycled up on my music playlist this week. Day after day I’m more confusedSo I look for the light in the pouring rainYou know that’s a game that I hate to loseI’m feelin’ the strain, ain’t it a shame Those lyrics cause me to reflect on the millions of emotionally lonely and hurting people during this weird and trying season. They are definitely feelin’ the strain. I see the fear and angst from so many on social media. I know that many feel alone. Where is God? Where is His community? Where is the light in the pouring rain? Sometimes our faith community can feel discouraging and distant. We all know that people will let you down. Perhaps they are carrying burdens unknown to you and me. But many others do care. And God cares deeply about your pain. If you are feeling alone I encourage you to cry out to God and
Continue reading...

Lessons from Covid Class

Life is full of wonderful moments and blessings. Life also has it’s share of dark valleys and scary storms. None of us gets out of this life unscathed. In the valleys of my life I have taught myself to step back and ask this question. What can God teach me in this trial about Him or about myself? This seemingly never ending Covid pandemic has been rife with lessons. Lesson #1 Control freaks have learned a really hard truth from Covid-19. It doesn’t matter one whit how much money, power, or prestige you had accumulated by March of 2020 because Covid rudely stole your ability to control your life. It is funny to search the term “control freak” on the internet and find that so many people try to paint being a controlling person as a positive. I have worked with control freaks and I can tell you the experience for those around them is not pleasant. It is a
Continue reading...

Don’t Let Covid Cause a Fruit Shortage!

I have some mileage on the life odometer and I can honestly say I have never experienced a season like the one we are currently in. The late sixties were pretty wheels off but even that turbulent time didn’t match this. Instead of uniting as Americans over a pandemic we have divided. Isolation and fear have caused a collective national depression. Christians have too often been a part of the problem. In theory we have a message of hope in Christ. We should be a light of courage because we know and trust a loving God. Instead we too often get sidetracked by arguments over wearing masks and whether we should be meeting without restriction. The sound you hear is Satan chuckling that we are missing a chance to show grace, hope, love, and courage. How can we make that kind of difference? Paul has an annoying suggestion that if walk in relationship with Jesus you should display the traits
Continue reading...

A Football Coach Showed Me How to Leave a Legacy

At some point in our journey most people start thinking about leaving a legacy. For some the idea of leaving a legacy means accumulating wealth or property to give to the next generation. A family business can be a legacy that keeps a memory alive through the years. Prestige and power can be thought of as a legacy. In the winter of 2017 I became friends with Newton Texas high school football Coach W.T. Johnston. His story of courage and faith became the basis of my book “Between the White Lines“. For eighteen months the Johnston family embedded me in their lives and shared their story with unvarnished honesty. I had no idea how much that project and that relationship would influence me. I had thought now and then about my legacy. I had always factored my accomplishments into legacy. I had a long and satisfying television directing career. I was fortunate to win a few awards. But the fact
Continue reading...