Hurricane Irma is steadily moving toward Florida as I write. I have dozens of relatives scattered across Florida – all in the path of this dangerous storm. I refuse to give in to fear so I don’t keep the television on to watch the continuous reels showing the devastation in the places Irma has hit already. As …
This article is published by Beauty For Ashes Press in an anthology called From Tears to Triumph: Tales of Transformation Through Jesus Christ. In celebration of our 39th anniversary, I want to share it with you here. After the Wedding It seems unreasonable to anticipate an event for years, plan and prepare for months – …
Do you know the elevation where you live? Florida’s Emerald Coast is where I work and play. Local coastal locations have an elevation of about 10 feet above sea level. Not an ideal place to be when hurricanes make landfall. Our home is on 20 acres inland with a 60-foot elevation – giving us a …
Strength of heart. That’s something we all want and need, right? Encourage literally means, “to provide with strength of heart.” For years, I’ve been choosing one perfect word to carry with me throughout the year. A word to ponder and grow into. I’m always surprised by what comes to the forefront as I sift and …
If asked to name the three people with the greatest influence on my life, my mom tops the list. She has known me longer than anyone else on earth and loved me through it all. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a mentor and parent who loves without limits – always available to offer …
The Emerald Coast of Florida boasts sugar-white sand, sparkling water and bright sun punctuated by summer thunderstorms with full light and sound shows. And at the end of every day, the spectacular sunsets beat any fireworks display hands down. Those of us who live here love to boast that we live where everyone else vacations. …
If communication is the currency of relationships, are you rich, just getting by, or bankrupt? If you are feeling short-changed, it’s time to review the seven deadly sins of communication. Regardless of your current state of affairs, with intentional investments, you can significantly increase the value of what matters most in the long run – …
All my life, I’ve heard the saying, “two heads are better than one”. Is it really true? The ancient wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs says, “Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” It’s exhilarating to experience the synergy of two minds sparking the electricity to generate powerful ideas and strategies. That’s what is …
Kindness is the most powerful, least costly, most underrated agent of human change. It’s easy to think the world has gone crazy. Certainly, there have been other times in history when people seem to have lost their sensibility, but we have no shortage of irrational, angry folks all over the world right now. It’s hard …
What do you do when your life blows up? You go on. Such is the advice of Rebekah Gregory in describing her journey of healing after being three feet from the bomb that exploded at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. As Rebekah spoke to a packed audience at the Women’s Work-Life Symposium in …