Blog: celebrate instead of compare
Posted: October 9, 2026
Yes, I get offended. I still live in a human body that feels pain—one that recoils when I am misunderstood or when someone attacks my character. Is that sinful or wrong? No. God gave us feelings as a dashboard, helping us recognize how we respond to life. The question is: What will I do with this ugly emotion? If I hold on to the offense and remain angry, resentment can grow into bitterness. And bitterness is like a weed in the heart, choking out love, grace, and forgiveness. That is when it becomes sinful. Then it becomes sinful. The Bible clearly tells us: “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15). Bitterness is dangerous. It not only defiles my heart; it can also become a toxin that infects those around me. So…
Posted in: accusations, anger, angry, ask questions, be a blessing, betrayal, bitterness, blessings, break free, celebrate instead of compare, Christ in us, communicate, Conflict, confront conflict, crisis, decisions, disappointments, do the hard work, do the right thing, emotional abuse, emotional triggers, feeling bad, fighting, Finding Truth, forgive one another, Forgiveness, Freedom, God's love, grace, healing, love, Making Wise Choices, misunderstood, Offenses, Overcoming Struggles, power of words, Resentment, selfishness, set free, take care of your heart, toxic relationships
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Posted: July 8, 2026
The older I get, the more certain I become that life is not measured by bestselling books, the size of our homes, the balance in our bank accounts, or the number of followers we have on social media. Life is measured by the relationships we nurture, the people we love well, and the moments when we choose to truly show up for one another. Life is measured by relationships we nurture. I’ve lived long enough to know that life can change in a single moment. I’ve experienced heartbreaking loss—the kind that steals away your breath—and I’ve also known deep joy, unexpected detours, God-given opportunities that left me speechless, and miracles I could never have imagined. Through all the ups and downs of this crazy, wonderful life, one truth has remained constant: people have carried me when I did not have the strength to carry myself, and they have celebrated with…
Posted in: accumulate experiences, achievements, barefoot in the rain, beauty and joy, beauty and pain coexist, Best friends, break free, brokenness, care, celebrate instead of compare, circle of friends, Communication, cry, don't you care, empathy, Encouragement, find the simple joys, fresh joy, friends, Friendship, girlfriends, God's love, good conversation, grief, grief is lonely, growing old, happiness needs to be shared, hugs, hurting world, joy, laughter, listen, loneliness, love lives here, make time for each other, one-another, positive conversations, power of hugs, power of words, Prayer deepens relationships, praying with friends, recapture your joy, relationships, show up, spiritual friendships, Understanding each other, we are made for relationships
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Posted: March 26, 2026
The cat’s out of the bag; I turned 79 last week! While in Colombia, South American the calendar showed it was my Birthday and wow did I get celebrated. It’s so refreshing to experience how people in other countries esteem and honour older people. I truly felt cherished and celebrated. Whenever people hear my age, they are shocked and wonder why I am still travelling around the world to speak at churches and conferences. I say: “Why not?” As Christians in ministry do, we ever retire? I am so grateful for my body which, to this point, has not let me down. The 31 years of pumping weights in the gym and now these last years of walking and hiking have kept my core strong and infused energy. In the morning when my feet hit the floor, I thank God that my body still works and I am able to…
Posted in: accumulate experiences, achievements, adventure, Age is not a cage, Balancing life, beauty and joy, beauty in God's creation, Best friends, bitterness, celebrate instead of compare, circle of friends, companionship, decisions, do the right thing, don't give up, Encouragement, Expectations, feeling good, find the simple joys, finding yourself, Forgiveness, fresh joy, friends, girlfriends, God's creation, growing old, Hearing God, Hope, Legacy, lifestyle, Made for more, Overcoming Struggles, praise, Prayer deepens relationships, praying with friends, purpose, recapture your joy, regret, seasons of life, show up, take care of your heart, thankful, thanksgiving, we are made for relationships
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Posted: August 10, 2020
Last year I told myself, “I’m not doing this again…ever!” But there I was again with clippers in hand, on the hottest day of the day, ready to prune all the dead branches from my five-foot tall, decorative rose bushes. For two hours, with sweat running down my face and back, those thorny branches attacked me. Long sleeved shirts and pants don’t protect me from those nasty, long thorns, which manage to grab and rip my skin until the blood spurts out. Then when my wheelbarrow is full, I have to push it up the rocky incline on the left side of my house toward my green container. With the sun beating on me I sit down and collapse. I’ve been doing this for 24 years. Same story every year. This year my daughter Michelle and I were sitting on the lower patio encircled by the rose bushes and she…
Posted in: beauty and joy, beauty and pain coexist, celebrate instead of compare, decisions, disgard ugliness, do the hard work, fresh joy, happiness, new growth, Overcoming Struggles, pruning
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