Russell Conwell was a 19th-century attorney, philanthropist and writer, who later became a Baptist minister and founder of Temple University in Philadelphia. Conwell was known for his eloquent sermons, and the stories he often told to illustrate spiritual and life principles. One of his most acclaimed essays is titled “Acres of Diamonds.” It was written before Conwell became a pastor, and published in book form in 1890 by the John Y. Huber Company of Philadelphia. He delivered this message Continue Reading
Cherish Your Loved Ones… and Live with NO Regrets {The Atlanta Journal Constitution}
I barely turn off the car engine and I hear the loud barks echoing from inside the house. As I come in, the usual ritual starts: Our miniature Schnauzer jumps up and down, crying and wagging her tail, showing the extent of her love and devotion. No, I haven’t been gone for weeks or even days. My trip to the grocery store took less than an hour this time. Indeed, it doesn’t matter how long I am gone, nor if I accidentally step on her pawn, my dog’s display of affection has never changed for Continue Reading
Giving Hope to the “Least of These” {Atlanta Journal Constitution}
Elena. Irinia. Ted. I have a lump in my throat while listening to their stories. For about one minute, these teenagers share a synopsis of their life story, starting with the pain and hopelessness of abuse, neglect and despair, and ending with the joy of adoption. And everything started because someone, on the other side of the globe, cared enough to send them a shoe box filled with simple, inexpensive toys. While I watch the videos, pictures of children around the world parade across the Continue Reading
Are You an Eagle Living in a Barnyard? {The Atlanta Journal Constitution}
A farmer was walking by a field one day, when he spotted a small bird on the ground. While carefully approaching, he realized that the baby bird was an eagle. Excited about his find, he brought the eagle to his barnyard, where soon it started living and behaving like the chickens. Several months went by when one of the farmer’s friends stopped to visit. While observing his friend’s barnyard, he was dumbfounded when he watched the king of all birds pecking around like a chicken, refusing to Continue Reading
Fear and Anxiety – The Evil of the Century {The Atlanta Journal Constitution}
Fear and anxiety. A deadly combination that sweeps our modern world these days. My teenage daughter shared her heart in a recent conversation, where she talked about some of the fears that often cross her mind. Some of them invade her thoughts in the middle of the night, keeping her awake for hours on end. I remember having the same crippling, often irrational fears for many years: fear of dying. Fear of robbers entering my house. Fear that my parents would die. The list went on and on. As Continue Reading
Marriage, Divorce… and the Fruit of the Spirit {The Atlanta Journal Constitution}
In 1994, Howard Markman, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Denver and director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies, and Clifford Notarius, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and director of the Center for Family Psychology, published a book titled “We Can Work it Out: Making Sense of Marital Conflict.” The book was written based on 20 years of scientific investigations of several married couples. Later, in 2016, a Continue Reading
