“The pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste of time.” — Edwin Bliss John Quincy Adams is perhaps one of America’s most impressive leaders. No elected official held more prominent offices than Adams in U.S. history. He lived in constant pursuit of excellence, serving with distinction as the country’s president, senator, congressman, and minister to major European powers. He also served in the American Continue Reading
All Articles by Patricia Holbrook
Grace is amazing. Breathtaking… Empowering… Everlasting… All-surviving… Grace makes you soar.
And as you browse through my messages,
Come Soar with me!
Patience = Secret Ingredient to Follow God’s Plan {Recharge Wednesday}
The clock showed 5:30 am. I could certainly stay in bed for another hour, but I knew better. I had been trying to fall asleep again for the past hour to no avail. So I dragged my tired self out of bed, thanking God for coffee. “Fortunately,” I thought, “I don’t have to wait for an entire pot of java to brew.” Several years ago, I discovered the marvel of one-cup coffee machines. Thank you, Lord. I hit the power button and waited for the three lights to announce that the machine was ready Continue Reading
Pull Up a Thanksgiving Chair {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
Years ago, when our children were still small, I used to put a large glass jar on the kitchen counter at the beginning of November. Beside the jar, I would put a basket filled with strips of paper and a pen. Our thanksgiving exercise consisted of writing one thing we were grateful for every day and placing it in the jar. On Thanksgiving Day, as we made the one-hour drive from our home to Nana’s house, I would read the entries, and we would pray together, thanking God for his many Continue Reading
It’s Never Too Late for a Comeback {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
History has many accounts of men and women whose work and influence changed the world, but whose beginnings were less than impressive. At the end of their lives, the list of accomplishments undeniably challenged their humble, often failing records as children, which in some instances followed them into adulthood. Winston Churchill, the man considered England’s most extraordinary prime minister of the 20th century, was not a bright student as a young man. He performed poorly in every subject Continue Reading
Expecting Change without Changing = Insanity {Recharge Wednesday}
“You know when you are sailing, and you lose the wind? What do you do? You try a different tack. You need to try a different tack with your son.” I hit the pause button on the episode of my favorite TV show and picked up a notepad. The powerful visual was too good to dismiss. It is true and I could certainly relate. I used to sail in a bay on the shores of South Brazil, and what the character described is precisely what often happened when I reached the open ocean with my small Laser boat. As Continue Reading
When Anxiety is a Focus Issue {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
We have all been around overly anxious people. Some have good reason to feel anxious. Facing unemployment or severe illness, concerns about basic needs, life and death may fill their minds and rob their peace. Others may experience extreme stress brought up by somebody else’s decisions. Likewise, many people suffer from a chemical imbalance in their brain caused by prolonged stress, chronic disease, or an immune system disorder, creating an afflux of erratic thoughts, fear, and Continue Reading
