Identity
A Community’s Legacy of Change
I recently sat on the outside patio of the Auburn, Indiana Starbucks, pondering historical legacy in the context of community. Many years ago, as a teenager, this very spot might have been where I experienced the first garlicy joys of Fazoli's breadsticks. Before...
When Being Teachable Takes More Humility than Smarts
Early in my career, an email changed my life by helping me realize I was unteachable. Thankfully, I took it to heart and have grown more than I ever would have had it not been sent.
Why Do We Expect World Peace From Miss America, But Not Jesus?
World Peace is one of just two easy answers in life. It’s the correct response when a pageant contestant is asked what she would most want to see happen during her lifetime. This response is the mocked canned answer made famous in the movie Miss Congeniality. The...
Understanding and Responding to the Stirring Ache of a Restless Spirit
Several times in life, I’ve diagnosed myself as having a restless spirit. I've often thought it indicative of a compulsion to do something creative. Other times, I've felt it as an awareness that mighty life changes are afoot. Sometimes, I've found seasons of...
Are you Greater or Less than Your Mental Health?
I wanted to share an important message in light of Mental Health Awareness month. It’s gonna be gritty and raw. And that is for good reason. You may know that I was brought up in a home where Mental UNhealth was prominent. At least partly because of that, I have spent...
Why I Dislike Coaches, and Why I’ve Become One
Group and individual role labels – like leader, manager, coach, mentor, go-getter, team, type-A, etc. are frequent observations and studies for me. In my 20+ year career, and in college before that, this stood out to me as both peculiar and aspirational. Then, I...
With a Rebel Yell… She Cried
In 2017, shortly after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, I wrote a post called "The Great American Stalemate will Show Who we Really Are." Parts of it were sort of "off" but much of it turned out to be (sadly) prophetic. Most notably, coming out of that...
Your Divine Calling and Getting Out of God’s Way
A divine calling is not just a purpose or call. A lot of folks exhaust a lot of time searching for what it is God "wants them to do with their life". And many writers distill the path to that down to a few "easy steps". Presumably, getting to this elusive answer will...