In the 1987 film Wall Street, Bud Fox is a young stockbroker desperate to succeed. He finds a mentor and hero in Gordon Gekko, an unscrupulous corporate raider, and uses Gekko to measure himself and his job performance. Although Bud becomes very wealthy, ultimately he is deceived and betrayed by his idol and convicted of insider…
A filter separates what you want to discard and what you want to use. Think water and coffee grounds. A water filter removes impurities to cleanse water for drinking, irrigation, swimming, bathing, or cooking. An oil filter removes contaminants that may affect an engine or machinery. A software filter screens incoming data to protect your…
Burnout is a danger in serving – both in occupational ministry and for volunteers. In a recent Francis Institute survey, 71% of pastors stated they were burned out. Further, one national report documents that just 25% of volunteers contribute 77% of volunteer hours, placing them directly in line for what’s now known as “volunteer fatigue.” Serving need…
You know the signs: the darkened screen … a slash through the “Charge” icon … a background beep. Your cell phone battery is dead! And usually it happens just as you were about to make or take an important call. Keep Your Cell Phone Charged and Updated Fortunately, the lithium ion battery in your cell…
Stress is your body’s response to change. Yet the term “stress” conjures us all kinds of negative images of danger, calamity, conflicts, and difficult situations – hence the term, “distress.” But stress can also be positive: a wedding, a new job, a thrill of discovery, a vacation trip – even Christmas. Positive stress, also called…
Can you keep your core balance and stand on one foot, not fall over … and stay that way for a good while? In athletics, that ability is highly valued. Good athletes in every sport work their “core” (their trunk) for strength, adding balance drills for agility and flexibility. Without core balance, athletes are incomplete,…
Sharing from experience – impartation – is powerful. The principle of impartation is easy to overlook in the hustle and bustle of ministry work. And it is modeled beautifully by the Old Testament prophetess Deborah. She was able to impart courage to the Hebrew people because she knew what it took to be courageous. During a…
When asked to reveal their secret for 43 years of a happy marriage, a couple looked at each other and smiled. “We let our differences complement each other,” they said. Yet it comes as a surprise to many that “to complement” another person does not mean “to be the same.” It means “to complete.” This couple…
The days grow shorter and darker. Fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in activities, lack of concentration, depression, and unhealthy eating …. an estimated one in four Americans feel the biological impact of winter. Up to 11 million are diagnosed with even more severe form of the “winter blues” in a medical condition called Seasonal Affective…
Sending gifts and greetings is a long-held Christmas tradition. In the U.S. alone, the Postal Service delivers more than 16 billion pieces of mail in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Your Gifts, Your Choice You may choose to send gifts via mail. Delivering packages in person may be impractical or even impossible, but sending allows you…