Tag: life worth living

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Your Impact Reaches Beyond What You See

Echoes through eternity, leaving a legacy that transcends time. Your Impact Reaches Beyond What You See. I have had an amazing journey through mountaintops and the deepest valleys. Through it all, God kept investing in me in ways I didn’t always understand, and for a purpose I couldn’t always see. I wanted to share that journey with you.

We are each incredible creatures, designed by a God who loves us unconditionally, each with unique talents and purpose. In our own way, each of us can change the world around us. That may sound like an overstatement, but it is true. Not just the world around us, but the world that has yet to be. A future we will never experience.

You may never know how much your life mattered to someone else.

A conversation you barely remember. Encouragement you offered when someone was ready to quit. A moment when you paused, listened, and helped someone feel less alone. We must acknowledge not the life we planned, but the life we received. We plan in straight lines, but we live in detours.

“The Life I Received” – Chapter 3

What if those moments reach further than you will ever see?

Each Life Has a Sound

However, every life makes a sound.

The sound may not be loud. You may not recognize it at the time. It may be nothing more than a sentence spoken to a discouraged person, a meal shared with someone who felt invisible, a lesson passed to a student, a business skill taught to someone trying to survive, or a stubborn decision to keep loving after loss.

But that sound moves outward. It touches people. Those people touch others. An ordinary action becomes a seed. A seed becomes a tree. A tree drops fruit. Fruit carries more seeds. Long after the original act is forgotten, the echo continues.” – Introduction

That question is at the heart of my book, Echoes Through Eternity: Lessons from an Ordinary Life, now available through Amazon.

Many of you have walked alongside me on this blog. This book brings together years of those reflections into a broader conversation about faith, purpose, grief, courage, and the influence we have on other people’s lives.

“A Tree Does not Hear Its Own Growth” – Chapter 6

Inside, I share lessons from business, service in developing countries, personal loss, and the everyday work of following Christ. Stories of people whose determination reshaped my understanding of purpose, and encounters that taught me how easily we can walk past an opportunity to make a difference.

That Sound Has an Echo

If you have ever wondered whether your work matters, how to move forward after loss, or what God might still have for you in this season of life, I wrote these pages with you in mind.

“Whose Life Are You Going to Change?” – Chapter 12

My hope is that you will recognize your story here—and find encouragement to love well, act courageously, and use what God has placed in your hands today. God lives in the moments. Dramatic moments don’t change lives; the steady drumbeat of a life well lived does.

What echo will your life leave behind?

I invite you to explore Echoes Through Eternity: Lessons from an Ordinary Life. Read the description, try a sample if available, and see whether these pages speak to the questions you carry.

My goal in life, and yours, should be to enrich the life of those we touch. Not through money, power, and fame, but through compassion, love, and grace.

“Echo Through Eternity” – Chapter 20

Find it on Amazon  – for a limited time the Kindle version is free.

Amazon

If your find it of value please write a review.

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We Have but One Purpose

Our sole purpose is to glorify God in all we do.We have but one purpose. I have spent a great deal of my life thinking about, planning for, and pursuing my purpose. For most of that time, I was clueless about my true purpose. It seemed to morph over time. There were seasons when I thought I had a good handle on it, only to see my life shift.

The Epiphany

Then there was this epiphany. What if my ultimate purpose and yours were exactly the same? We were created for the same purpose, but in different ways. Rather than looking at my purpose as a task to be performed or a goal to be achieved, maybe it is bigger than that.

We were created for His glory. That is the beginning and end of it. Everything He has blessed us with is simply tools to achieve that singular purpose. It is not the job, mission trips, mentoring, or even evangelism; they are tools we use.

Isaiah 43:7: “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

The reason my life shifts from time to time is that God moves me into a different phase of the same purpose. He moves me from one sphere of influence to another while keeping the primary purpose intact. That also means that no aspect of my life should be directed toward a different purpose.

Acts 17:26–27: “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

The Plan

He placed us where He wanted us, to use what He gave us to glorify Him in every action, word, and thought. That is a different perspective. It is not the conditions of my environment that dictate what I should do for Christ; it is everything I am experiencing in the moment.

Revelation 4:11: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

God has never cared about material goods or power. His only concern is for people. The gifts of intelligence, relationships, experiences, knowledge, time, or money are His resources, placed at your disposal for you to use to glorify Him. You do not give away anything you own; God owns it all.

Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

Take a business, for example. God does not care about the business; it is a tool. He wants you to grow the business because its growth gives you more influence. You gain influence with customers, employees, and suppliers. He wants you to use the influence the business has created to glorify Him. It is not about you. He wants you to use the results to expand His kingdom and glorify His name.

I get caught up in the idea that the success of my efforts reflects how God sees me. He wants me to lead, innovate, motivate, and invest in others. But those are simply tools He has placed in my temporary possession, to be given away in a way that glorifies Him.

Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

The Goal

The greater my influence, the greater my glorification, if I choose to use it that way. I can use my influence to improve my life or my family’s. I can use it to promote myself and gain power and prestige. Maybe I believe I only need to invest a portion of my success. After all, He did give it to me, right?

We have a singular purpose in all that we do with all that He has blessed us with. It is to glorify Him. There is no plan B.

1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

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Finding the Right Path

Finding the right pathFinding the right path in life can seem like looking for Waldo. But God looks at it differently.

Isaiah 43:19: “Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”

I love the outdoors. I hike as often as I can, normally a couple of times a week. So I love the visual of Isaiah

“I am about to do something new.”

“Even now it is coming.”

“Do you not see it?”

“I will make a way in the wilderness.”

It sounds colossal. Grand. Breathtaking. It reminds me of the rush of a great waterfall somewhere up the trail. I cannot see it. The winding path and the canopy of trees hide it from view, yet the ever-increasing crescendo of falling water is unmistakable. Something is ahead. My steps quicken. I want to see what lies around the next bend.

That is how I would like to feel about the fulfillment of God’s plan for me: not apprehension, but breathless anticipation. Unfortunately, that is not always how it works. Second only to the fear of what God may ask me to do is the fear of where He may ask me to go.

Ezekiel 1:12: “And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went.”

Wherever the Spirit was about to go, without turning. There is something intimidating about that kind of obedience. I like knowing where I am going, having a plan. I especially like knowing I will like the destination. But what if I don’t? What if I Don’t Like the Destination?

Psalm 32:8, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”

The Path

Notice what God does not say. He does not say He will guide us along an easy path, or the most comfortable path, the shortest path, or even the path we would have chosen. He says He will guide us along the best pathway for our lives.

There is an element of trust we must overcome if we are ever going to live a fulfilling life through Christ. Once we start down that path, He promises to advise us and watch over us. But it begins with a very basic question:

Do I trust Him enough to believe He knows the better road?

For most of my adult Christian life, I heard people joke about God sending them to Africa. Africa seemed to be the ultimate Christian threat. “Be careful how completely you surrender your life to God. He might send you to Africa.”

Africa was where the hard-core missionaries went. Surrender everything. Live in a grass hut. Eat strange food. Give your entire life to the mission field. It was certainly not the destination most of my upper-middle-class Christian friends were volunteering for.

Fast-Forward to Today.

It was never my plan to go to Africa.

Even when I agreed to work with IMED—International Micro-Enterprise Development—I did not give much thought to the destination. I thought about the work. I thought about using the skills God had given me to help people build businesses, improve their lives, and strengthen their communities.

Then I looked around. This year alone, I have traveled to Africa, Kyrgyzstan, and Honduras three times. Somewhere along the way, I ended up visiting places I never imagined. And something interesting happened. The destination stopped mattering.

The work mattered. The people mattered. The opportunity to use what God had given me mattered.

I think we may spend too much time worrying about where God might send us and not enough time asking what He wants us to do. If we have enough passion for the what, the where has a way of taking care of itself.

Psalm 73: “You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.”

A Glorious Destiny

A glorious destiny. That sounds wonderful, but there is still a problem. I want a map. As the saying goes, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” Even once I come to grips with the idea that what God wants for me may be better than anything I would choose for myself, I am still left with the problem of figuring out what He wants me to do.

That can be hard. I naturally gravitate toward what I understand. God’s plan often becomes clear only a little at a time. We live in a land of opportunity. Virtually every day, I hear about another opportunity to serve God in a special way. The needs are overwhelming. Add to that the joy shown by those already serving, and almost everything looks worthwhile.

Everything seems important. Everything seems needed. But everything is not necessarily mine to do.

So how do I know? I wish I had a formula. I don’t.

There are Many Steps but one Destination

There were several years between the first time I heard about IMED and when I became involved. Roswell Day of Hope was almost the opposite. We were looking for something to put our effort behind, and RDH seemed to come together right in front of us. It was a struggle, but piece after piece kept falling into place.

The prison ministry was different again. That was a path I probably never would have taken, except that I was helping a friend. But it became a crash course in sharing my faith.

Looking back, none of them followed the same path. That is why I keep returning to a lesson I have learned over the years: Each season uses the last to prepare us for the next. God does not waste our experiences. The successes, failures, relationships, disappointments, skills, opportunities, and even detours can become part of what He uses next.

The destination we see ahead of us may not be the destination at all. It may simply be the next mile marker.

Maybe that is why God does not always show us the whole trail. If I could see every mountain, valley, wrong turn, difficult climb, and unexpected destination before I started, I might never take the first step.

The Whole Trail

But I don’t need to see the whole trail. I need to take the next step. For my money, I would concentrate on the what and let God handle the where. If I am using the gifts He gave me, doing work that matters, serving people He places in front of me, and following where He leads, the destination becomes far less important.

After all, the destination was never really the point.

Following Him was.

Psalm 48:14 “For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and He will guide us until we die.”

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I Sometimes Feel Invisible. Silence Verse Apathy

Invisible, the opposite of Love is ApathyI sometimes feel invisible. By nature, I’m a worker bee. I prefer to stay in the background. When the spotlight is on me, I’m uncomfortable. I find it hard to accept a compliment. To me, it’s not about humility; it’s about being truthful. It’s not about lacking self-confidence; it’s about being realistic. I am who I am: nothing extraordinary. I can do what God created me to do.

Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

Life

So for a guy who likes to live in the shadows, why is invisibility a problem? I struggle with that question. I don’t want fame or recognition for greatness. A couple of decades ago, I changed my life significantly. Up to that point, my life was about me. Not in a selfish way, but in a determined one. I wanted to be the best version of me I could be. I would outwork anyone to achieve that goal. It wasn’t about money, position, or fame; it was about self-respect.

Philippians 2:4: “Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Then one day, God said, “Stop.” He wanted me to realize that life was never about me. It has always been about the people God puts in my path. I was to use all the resources God gave me — intelligence, relationships, experiences, and knowledge — to help others. That lifted an immense weight off my shoulders. I was no longer responsible for results, only for obedience. It was freeing beyond words.

Living in the Shadows

I stepped into the background and have lived there ever since. I like it here. I can do my thing unnoticed. I can create my own version of self-actualization by living vicariously through others’ achievements. The greatest joy of my life is watching others bloom. Every day, I have the joy and privilege of watching people younger than me begin the journey toward becoming the person God always intended them to be. Some of these people are in their twenties.

I think this is the turning point for me. At the same time, I get to see young people experimenting with life, the excitement of discovery, and the joy of becoming. On the other hand, I know they must learn from disappointment and loss.

1 Corinthians 10:24: “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.”

In the middle of this, I get lost. I fade so far into the background that even the shadows forget I’m there. Most of my life, this is OK, even preferred. But not always.

Apathy verse Silence

I don’t know how to present this without sounding at some level arrogant or egotistical. It is not that at all. I have lived an incredible life, with all its ups and downs, knowing how difficult it is to juggle family, work, and community. I understand why I am not the center of anyone’s universe. We are all planets, part of our own solar systems, spinning through one of many galaxies. Life is complex.

1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

My downward spiral begins when I forget that silence is not apathy. Many people trying to survive in the chaos of everyday life are silent, not because they don’t care, but because they are distracted. There is a lot to do when becoming something. Figuring out who you should be and how to achieve that goal is time-consuming. Background noise is drowned out by the cacophony of sounds coming from the moment.

Being Seen Again

We all go through moments of feeling lost. It is part of the rhythm of life. As you grow older, you experience this more often. What these people are accomplishing in their lives is something I envy. It took me forty years to learn what they already know. I want to be part of their orbit. When I am not, I feel invisible.

That is, until we meet face-to-face. Then we see each other for who we are and rejoice in that knowledge. The cloak of invisibility falls away, and I am me again. We talk about lives lived, victories won, and the scars left by learning.

Silence is seldom apathy. Sometimes it’s just life being life.

Proverbs 12:25: “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”

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What are the Four Important Lessons I have Learned in Life?

Life LessonsHere are the four important lessons I have learned in life.

Lesson One: Created to Glorify God

Ecclesiastes 12:13, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

God created us to glorify Him. Isaiah 43:7 declares, “Everyone called by My name and created for My glory, whom I have indeed formed and made.” The entire Bible supports this declaration. Everything we do with family, friends, co-workers, customers, suppliers, and strangers has one purpose; to glorify our maker. If we understand only one thing, it is this. We were created to glorify God.

Everything else is simply a resource God has given us to accomplish that task.

1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Lesson Two: You are Unique and Perfect

Proverbs 16:4(a), “The Lord has made everything for its purpose.”

We were created perfectly and uniquely for the purpose God has for us. We cannot be like anyone else, and no one else can be like us. Even the attributes we see as deficiencies were created specifically to help us achieve God’s plan for our lives. These “deficiencies” are not to be eliminated but rechanneled.

God has a plan for all eight billion of us on the planet. Our plan may intersect with God’s plan for another, but it never replaces it. We each get to choose whether to follow. Look to God for guidance, not to the world. The world’s standards are constantly changing; God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Psalm 33:11, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.”

Lesson Three: You are Where God has Destined You to be

James 4:14, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

In this exact moment, and in every moment, you are where God wants you to be. No moment can be repeated. There are no do-overs or mulligans. Every moment counts. Time does not care about your economic status, your resume, or your gifting: it keeps moving forward.

The Bible is full of stories about people who endured a wilderness season before God called them forward. Joseph suffered in prison; David fled from Saul and hid in the wilderness; Moses tended his father-in-law’s sheep; and Esther lost her parents and lived in exile. Mordecai said it best when he told Esther, “How do you know that you were not born for a time such as this?” He followed that with a warning, “And if you do not act, God will raise someone in your place who will receive your glory.”

Live this moment fully, and the future will take care of itself.

John 9:4, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.”

Lesson Four: Every Life Leaves a Sound.

Your life will echo through time. Neither the things that bear your name nor the inheritance you leave your family will create a lasting mark. People will soon use up what you leave behind, and each passing generation will remember less about you. But character, compassion, love, patience, and gentleness endure. They are the legacy passed from generation to generation.

You can choose your legacy or leave it to chance. Act intentionally or hope someone will see something good. Build things that rust and deteriorate, or create something lasting. You choose with every action, decision, and response. Leave something behind worth having.

Psalm 103:17, “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children.”

Conclusion

Live a life worth passing on. Build a life of meaning and purpose. You will always know you matter. Your life will leave a legacy worth dying for.

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A Tree Does Not Hear Its Own Growth.

A tree does not hear the sound of its own growth

A tree does not hear its own growth resonates because it captures something deeply true about human experience.

GROWTH

Growth is usually silent as it happens. A tree does not hear the deepening of its roots, the thickening of its trunk, or the widening of its branches. It simply continues to respond to sunlight, storms, drought, seasons, and time.

Only years later does someone stand in its shade and realize what it has become.

Proverbs 21:21, “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.”

Human growth often unfolds the same way. While we are living through it, it rarely feels dramatic or meaningful. Most days feel repetitive, uncertain, or unfinished. We tend to notice failures, limitations, and the distance left to travel more than the gradual transformation unfolding beneath the surface.

INWARD FOCUS

What we miss is that discipline becomes character, suffering becomes empathy, repetition becomes mastery, and action becomes a legacy.

Others often see the growth before we do.

That may partially explain why we sometimes doubt our impact. The person inside the process feels the struggle, not the full shape of the outcome. The tree knows only the wind’s resistance; it does not see the forest changing around it.

Philippians 2:3, “Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.”

And perhaps that is why simple continued action matters so much. Growth rarely announces itself in the moment. It accumulates quietly until one day the results become impossible to ignore.

OUTWARD FOCUS

When outward acknowledgment becomes the primary goal, growth is often distorted, not always destroyed but redirected. Inward growth is usually anchored in truth, purpose, competence, service, curiosity, or conviction.

Outward growth is anchored in applause, comparison, visibility, approval, status, or validation.

The problem is not acknowledgment itself. Humans naturally want to be seen and valued, which is normal. The danger arises when external recognition becomes the standard for worth or progress.

Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

Because then several things tend to happen: action becomes performance, authenticity becomes branding, patience weakens because recognition is usually desired immediately, difficult but meaningful work gets abandoned if it goes unnoticed, and identity becomes dependent on audience reaction.

One of the strange realities of life is that some of the most important work receives little immediate recognition, including raising children, mentoring, caring for others, building integrity, helping people in need, and quietly serving communities.

These things often echo across decades without public acknowledgment.

THE SOUND OF YOUR ECHO

Matthew 23:12, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Meanwhile, outward validation can become addictive because it temporarily resolves uncertainty. Praise tells us:

“You matter.”
>“You succeeded.”
>“You are enough.”

But the effect fades quickly, so greater recognition is needed to sustain that feeling. That creates a cycle in which a person increasingly lives from reaction to reaction rather than from conviction to conviction.

 “Character is what a man is in the dark.” – Dwight L. Moody

Inward growth is slower and quieter, often lonelier too. Yet it tends to foster stability because the person’s direction no longer depends entirely on the crowd. Ironically, many people who create lasting impact are not primarily chasing recognition. They are absorbed in the work itself: solving the problem, building the thing, helping the people, or pursuing the mission.

Recognition sometimes follows as a side effect rather than the primary objective.

That connects to: “People should focus not on my achievements, but the change that occurs from simply acting.”

That mindset naturally protects against being trapped by external validation because it prioritizes process and consequences over image.

Don’t listen for the sound of your own growth; just keep doing.

Proverbs 20:7, “The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!”

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Buried but Not Forgotten

Buried PainBuried but not forgotten, I was asked today to join a panel to discuss one of the most painful events of my life. The purpose is noble: to help others understand pain, survival, and the hidden struggles people carry. We go through these stages to refine ourselves and become more human in our interactions with others.

We live in a broken world where pain is an inevitable part of our lives. Because we only know our own experiences, it is hard to imagine others going through the same thing. Our pain is unique to us.

John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Buried

What you have gone through prepares you to help others. It makes you relatable. It also gives you the experience to know that you can survive and thrive in a world that is doing its best to crush you. That is an important message to pass on.

But pain is pain. Much of it I have buried deep in the ground. I have even removed the headstone so I do not go back to revisit it. It is part of me. It influences decisions in subtle, subconscious ways. I don’t have to make friends with it. I need to understand it and find a way forward without letting it dictate my life. And I have.

Hebrews 13:5, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Now I have been asked to resurrect it. I have been asked to go deep into the woods and find the indentation in the ground marking its resting place. I must search for it. Remember where and why I buried it. Then I have to revive it, bring it back to life in front of others.

Resurrected

I don’t know how. I’ve gone over it and over it in my mind. How do I talk about something so personal without being condescending or glib? How do I keep from masking the hurt and shame while staying honest? No one, not even my closest and dearest friend, knows the whole story. Mostly to protect the other party, partly to protect myself.

I’m afraid I have no advice today except this. That day, the one that changed my life forever, was not a hard decision. It came naturally.

God said, “Do this,” and I did.

I think it saved a life.

But it cost me everything.

To the outside world, it was a failure on a grand scale. But to me, there was no plan “B”. I have never regretted it, and given the chance, I would do it again.

Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Living

But there is a scar that runs deep. Every once in a while, I gently rub my hand over it to remind myself I am still alive. I have to do that because I am human, and until that changes, I will feel pain from time to time.

I have a God who has never abandoned me, even in the moments when I could not understand the cost. In my darkest hour, He is there. There is nothing I will ever go through that is a surprise to Him. And, if I allow, He will use it for my good.

2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

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We Only Get One Life

We only get one life, and time flows in only one direction. Every moment is unique and irreplaceable, never to be repeated. Yet, we often fail to grasp the true value of our time. Time is one of the most precious resources in life—finite and irreplaceable. It’s easy to overlook its importance, to pretend that tomorrow will always be there. But tomorrow never truly arrives; all we have is today, this present moment. Do we honor it as we should?

James 4:13-14, “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.”

Most of us spend our entire lives reliving moments that will never come. We fill our heads with thoughts of tomorrow, conversations that will never happen, and events that will never come to fruition. We are so busy playing what-ifs with our future that we do not cherish the present. The very thing we have the most control over is the last thing we think of.

Proverbs 27:1, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

We spend a tremendous amount of time worrying about what we can accomplish in the future, creating regrets about the past. We fret over lost opportunities and missing relationships. We forget all the time we spend building scenarios that never came to fruition.

Why do We Live in the Past

Isaiah 43:18, “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past.”

Humans are naturally inclined to focus more on negative experiences than positive ones. Regret often arises from situations that feel incomplete or unresolved. Without a sense of closure, the mind repeatedly revisits these moments, searching for a satisfying conclusion or attempting to rewrite the past. When our actions or decisions conflict with our values or self-image, it creates cognitive dissonance—a psychological discomfort. To alleviate this discomfort, the mind frequently replays the regretful event to find a resolution or make sense of it. Regret is often tied to unresolved emotions like guilt, shame, or sadness. These powerful and persistent feelings can lead to dwelling on what went wrong and what could have been done differently

Ecclesiastes 3:14-15, “I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; God will call the past to account.”

The past is not malleable; it is unchangeable. Our best approach to overcoming regret is to spend more time in the present moment, where our regretful actions have their genesis. God has given us this moment, right now, to do that which will resolve many of the regrets we may have in the future.

Living in the Present

Time is the brush of God as he paints his masterpiece on the heart of humanity. – Ravi Zacharias

That is not the life God has intended. God created us to glorify Him, but we cannot do that if we live in the future or regret the past. The greatest glory we can bring before God is to live the life He has planned for us. That life is not a life of worry and anxiety but a life of achieving, excelling, and joy. But if we do not take the time to experience it in the moment, then why experience it?

Galatians 6:10, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

You have one life to live. It is the only life God has given you.

Being a Good Steward of Time

Proverbs 3:6,” In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

The future is yet to come. Millions of decisions, made by millions of people from millions of places, have yet to determine it. We must be mindful of the future but not live in it. Be a good steward of what God has given you. Protect it, nourish it, and help it grow. Be mindful of the sustainability of your mission, but not at the expense of today. Otherwise, you will create a vast catalog of lifelong regrets. That future you worked so hard to create will remain elusive.

Job 8:7, “Though your beginning was insignificant, yet your end will increase greatly.”

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26692 Opportunities

26692 mornings I have woken up

26692 oppertunities; this is my number as of today. Today I got up, did my mind puzzles, ate breakfast, read the BBC, and prayed. This routine is my regular practice these days. Today is one of the 26692 mornings I have woken up; 26692 chances to change the world, create a new adventure or slay a demon. Annie Dillard said, “How we live our days is how we live our lives.” I have been privileged to start afresh 26692 times.

Hebrews 13:16, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

The question that arises is, what have I done with those 26,692 opportunities? How many have you had? Set down and calculate them. Tell yourself how often God has blessed you with a new beginning. Today, will you be the tiny butterfly on the other side of the world that creates a tsunami on the nearby shore? Have you thought of a minor, barely perceptible change in what you do today that will significantly impact somebody’s life? Do you live as if everyone you meet is Christ?

“It is in the small decisions you and I make every day that creates our destiny.” – Tony Robbins.

A long time ago, I realized that the small daily decisions determine my options for the big decisions I must make in the future. Times when I thought I was the victim of circumstances, it proved to be the natural outcome of a previous decision. The breakup of a bad relationship started when I overlooked an incompatibility. The loss of a job opportunity starts when we decide not to pursue a specific education or experience. Most of the surprises in our lives are not surprises but the natural culmination of life decisions.

Badan

Romans 12:13, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

One of my favorite stories in life comes from Kyrgyzstan. I was helping Badan write his business plan for a photography studio. We help create Kingdom Businesses, not just ordinary businesses. Each Kingdom Business must have a Kingdom Impact element. Here is Badan’s Kingdom Impact statement:

“Today, I have a children’s outreach every Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. In this outreach, I let children around the neighborhood participate in organized sports activities. They do not have to be Christian or even seek Christ. I minister to them through interaction during play. I share the Gospel and hand out pamphlets.”

Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

What is interesting about this is that Badan is a Christian in a Muslim community. Badan’s true nature emerged as we discussed how he started this ministry. He saw kids playing in a field in his village. They were disorganized and lacked leadership. Badan went out to help organize them so that more could play together. This activity grew into a makeshift soccer league. Badan walked out his back door, saw a need, and filled it.

Contrast

Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Here is the contrasting approach people would take in my neighborhood. First, we would form a committee to determine the best application of our resources. Then we would print T-shirts; no self-respecting benevolent activity would be recognizable without T-shirts. Next, we would raise funds, rent a soccer field, provide refreshments, and establish the rules of engagement. Then we would go out into the community.

As a side issue, our friends in Honduras recommend serving refreshments at halftime rather than before or after the matches; the player must hear the message to complete the match.

Use of a Good Day

My point is this; Badan woke up that morning and used his day to do something meaningful. He didn’t spend much time figuring the whole thing out before starting. What started as a seemingly small decision soon became a ministry. Badan helps his Muslim neighbors by understanding the needs of the children and helping when he can. His thoughtfulness brought him respect in his community. His acceptance in the community would not have happened if he hadn’t seen a need and filled it.

Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

You and I have a new opportunity every morning to expand God’s kingdom. I have had 26,692 of them. I have wasted the majority. Today is a great day to create a new habit. Make it a habit to find and make that one small decision that starts a tsunami. Carpe Diem.

“If you knew that only a few would care that you came, would you still come? If you knew that those you loved would laugh in your face, would you still care? If you knew that the tongues you made would mock you, the mouths you made would spit at you, the hands you made would crucify you, would you still make them? Christ did.” – Max Lucado.

I keep thinking that one day, all too suddenly, we have no more days. We have no more chances to make a meaningful contribution, share a laugh, right a wrong, or show compassion. We think that day is over the horizon, out of reach, but suddenly it’s upon us like a thief in the night. At the end of your days, regret is what you don’t want in abundance.

Hebrews 6:10, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
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Living a life Worth Living

Are you living a life worth living? Does your existence consist of going through the motion, or does it echo with impact? Have you ever asked yourself why you exist? Were you created out of passion, or was there a purpose? Are you living a life worth living?

Ephesians 5:15-16, “So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of your time because the days are evil.”

The First Tragedy That is Not Ours

Today I was reading about two separate tragedies. The first was Duangpetch Promthep,  Dom to his friends.  He was the most talented of the Thai cave survivors. He had just won a football scholarship in London. The second was in the biographies of the Michigan State University students that died in the shooting last week; three college students were killed senselessly. My heart cries out for the children I don’t know, whose lives were cut short.  I think of the legacy that will never be realized and the wasted raw potential.

Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Years ago, had I not been saved in the Emergency Room, what impact would that have had on the world? Afterward, would my name even be mentioned, except for dear, compassionate, loving friends who would have noticed, six days, six months, or six years afterward? These children and all of us face the same fate. What is our impact? Do we leave a legacy worth remembering?

At the time of my heart failure, I had not thought about who I was or what I was accomplishing. I was headlong into living life, focused on an abstract future created by others around me. I was competing for a prize that was foggy at best and undefined at worse. Yet, I had to have it, whatever it was, because that is what you do. Not for a single moment did I think this could be my last day.

The Second Tragedy That is Ours

These children do not get to achieve their potential. Dom will never get to go on to win a world football championship. Arielle Anderson will never perform pediatric surgery. Did any of these children give a moment’s thought to their eternity? Did any of them think this would be the day they would find out? That may be the biggest tragedy of all.

Matthew 16:26, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

With a heavy emphasis on We, we need to reassess what and who we are. I am concerned about two specific aspects of my life;  the first is who I am and what impact I am achieving, and the second is what I am doing for the young people around me to ensure their impact is both long-lasting and positive.  

I am not concerned about people remembering my name or my deeds, I am concerned that my actions are not creating a future beyond my years. Does my life echo over time? We owe this both to ourselves and to the God that created us. It is through His grace that we breathe. Everything we have to offer is a gift from Him to be shared.

1 Timothy 6:17-19, “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

The Final Tragedy That We Control

I don’t want any of you to wake up one morning to find out that someone dear to you lost their chance to achieve their potential. Some time ago, a friend of mine had a son, Ryan, who passed while in college. At the Celebration of Life service, a parade of young people spoke of Ryan’s impact on their lives. Many of the young people my friend had never met. My friend had mentored his son well. Today Ryan’s presence echoes, some twenty years later, through an organization called Christ in the Rockies.

Ryan left this quote behind:

And if I go, while you’re still here, know that I live on, vibrating to a different song. Behind a thin veil, you cannot see through. You will not see me, so you must have faith. I wait for the time when we can soar together again, both aware of each other. Until then, live your life to the fullest, and when you need me, just whisper my name in your heart; I will be there.

Colleen Corah Hitchcock

We have to learn to live our lives with urgency. In the end, we will realize we can do no more. What we have done is all there is. There will be no more chances for a kind word or compassionate gesture. That day may signify our end or someone close to us that we hold dear. On that day, will you rejoice? Were you living a life worth living?

Romans 14:8, “for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
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