Step Into Significance

When I was four years old, my parents surprised me with my first puppy, Pepper. Pepper quickly became my best friend. My dad often shares a story about watching me play with him. After witnessing my pure joy, he smiled and said, “I love you, buddy.” Without skipping a beat, I replied, “I love Pepper.” […]

I recently learned about bummer lambs—lambs rejected by their mothers for various reasons. Without intervention, they would die, too weak and helpless to survive alone. That’s where a good shepherd steps in. He rescues the bummer lamb, bottle-feeds it, and nurtures it, holding it close until it gains strength and matures. These lambs grow up […]

In my first year of college, I attended church every time the doors were open. I was determined to grow in my faith and knew I had a lot to learn. One week felt exceptionally rough. I was trying to decide whether to continue playing college baseball or quit to focus on the calling I […]

In 1831, after preparing to become a minister at Christ College in Cambridge, England, a young man set sail on the Beagle—a ship filled with naturalists invited to explore and study the world for five years. During his time aboard, new ideas challenged this young man’s beliefs. He was living in the Age of Enlightenment, […]

In my first year of college, I attended church every time the doors were open. I was determined to grow in my faith and knew I had a lot to learn. One week felt exceptionally rough. I was trying to decide whether to continue playing college baseball or quit to focus on the calling I […]

One summer, some of our family went paragliding. If you’ve experienced paragliding, you know how nerve-wracking it can be. Before the jump, I bombarded our guide with questions, trying desperately to calm my fears. Geoffrey, our youngest, volunteered to go first. I could hardly watch as he took off! 15 yards…10 yards…5 yards… “Stop!” our […]

One of my favorite quotes on leadership is by J. Oswald Sanders. In Spiritual Leadership, Sanders wrote, “The best leaders are those who know the way, go the way and show the way.” Most leaders have the first two down. They’re well-educated in their trade and regularly achieve at a high level. But the last […]

The first time I remember doing laundry for myself, I was a sophomore in college (I know it sounds crazy, but I was the baby of my family!) I was shocked when I pulled out my once-white socks, t-shirts, and underwear and realized they had turned pink! Since I was a broke college student, I […]

In traditional Jewish culture, a beautiful part of the wedding ceremony is the Hora—a dance symbolizing honor and unity. I love watching the wedding party lift the bride and groom in chairs as they dance around the room, celebrating the couple’s new life together. Every time I watch this dance, I’m reminded of the vital […]

When I was a senior in high school, my co-captain of our varsity basketball team won Mr. Pittsburgh—an area-wide strong-man competition. It was a big deal, so I invited him out along with two of our girl friends to celebrate, on me. I thought first we’d go bowling, and then possibly go out to eat […]