The Lie We Buy
I used to sit ten feet away from a tiny black-and-white TV, mesmerized by the lifelike masks on Mission: Impossible. It took me years to realize that the exotic worlds on the screen were just painted backdrops on a studio lot. We often fall for the same illusion today, mortgaging our peace to buy a version of the "good life" that turns out to be nothing more than a hollow prop.
The Day I Turned Pro
Standing in the chaos of a sixth-grade classroom, I realized the noise felt less like my old routine and more like a hurricane. That moment forced me to admit that I am no longer a teacher who writes, but a writer who occasionally teaches. It turns out that "turning pro" isn't about the size of your paycheck, but the internal decision to finally embrace the work you were called to do.
Overcoming Herculean Challenges
I used to think pirates were as imaginary as the Tooth Fairy until I realized I was just confusing the real thing for a cartoon caricature. It’s easy to do the same with God, especially when we are staring down a challenge that feels absolutely insurmountable. If you feel like a million-to-one shot today, come read why "one plus God" is the only majority that actually matters.
The Tumbleweed and the Tree
I’ve lived through enough Texas hurricanes to know that every crack and pop in the dark sounds like an ending. After Hurricane Ike, I saw century-old giants standing tall while younger trees were split like matchsticks, their survivors’ scars proving that toughness is grown, not given. If you’ve spent your retirement feeling more like a rootless tumbleweed than a sturdy oak, come read why those marks on your heart aren't blemishes—they’re the proof that your roots are finally finding the stream.
Love God and Do What You Will
I found myself staring at a blank screen today, paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong choice for this new writing journey. It’s easy to dress up indecision as "waiting on the Lord," but I’ve realized that staying stuck actually denies the very providence of God. If your heart is aimed at Him, you can finally stop over-analyzing and find the freedom to just do something.
The Eight-Cent Tragedy
I still remember the crushing disappointment of watching my eight-cent Eskimo Pie slide off a crooked stick and melt into the hot Texas concrete. We like to think we outgrow that kind of envy and loss, but as the years pass, the price tag just gets higher and the "shiny red cars" of life leave us just as hollow. If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of always wanting more, come read why a posture of gratitude is the only real cure for a lifetime of small tragedies.
All Our Needs
I stood on a deserted stretch of road by the Houston Ship Channel, staring through the glass at my keys hanging in the ignition of a locked car. Just as panic started to set in, I looked down and found a pristine wire coat hanger sitting in the gravel exactly between my shoes. It felt like a minor miracle, but it taught me a major lesson about how God’s quiet providence meets our needs before we even think to ask.
The Millionaire I Never Was
I was seventeen years old when a man in a sharp suit convinced me I’d be a millionaire by the time I hit thirty. I spent years chasing that low-hanging fruit, only to realize much later that falling short of that goal was one of God's greatest kindnesses to me. If you’ve ever felt like a failure for not reaching your youthful ambitions, come read why the "richest man in six counties" usually doesn't have a million dollars in the bank.
The Interest Rate on Worry
I’ve heard it said that worry is just interest paid on trouble before it’s even due. My father, a child of the Great Depression, carried invisible scars that made him approach every day like a burn victim eyeing a flame—always bracing for a disaster that rarely came. If you’ve spent your life "catastrophizing" small setbacks into imaginary wars, come read why borrowing peace from the future only leaves you bankrupt today, and how to finally silence the whisper that asks if God is really going to take care of you.
The Ghost of “If Only”
I spent years listening to a voice on the radio tell me I had missed my window, convinced that a mortgage and a family had made my dreams impossible. At thirty-two, I found myself delivering pizzas and feeling like God had shipwrecked my life, only to realize that "if only" is a ghost that doesn't know how to tell time. Whether you’re facing a broken relationship or a career that feels like a dead end, come read why there is simply no such thing as "too late" when a sovereign God holds the calendar.