From the rearview mirror, I saw my then-9-year-old praying again. After mouthing “Amen,” she picked up my phone and dialed her best friend’s number. After the initial greeting, she lit up: “OK, so I received my letter from the camp and have not opened it yet. Go get yours. As we decided, let’s open them together.” “Please let me be in the same club, please let me be in the same club,” I heard my baby girl whisper. She opened the letter and screamed: “Oh my goodness! I made it; I made Continue Reading
Adoption – Choosing to Change Lives {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
I remember the day as if it were yesterday. I was 9 years old when my parents called my brother and me to our living room and asked us to sit down. By the look on their faces, I knew we were in trouble or something terrible had happened. Their voices were low, their words measured. Carefully, they told us a long story about my mom’s love for a baby abandoned at her aunt’s house. Mom was only 15 years old when she met the 9-month-old baby girl. Over the next several years, she fell in love Continue Reading
6 Components of Effective Prayers {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
“I fear John Knox’s prayers more than an army of ten thousand men.” — Mary, Queen of Scotland We find the story of King Jehoshaphat in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles in the Old Testament. He was the son of King Asa and was known to follow many of his father’s positive actions. But as his father, Jehoshaphat was also a king who often obeyed God partially. Even though he started a national religious education program and developed an extensive legal structure throughout the kingdom, Continue Reading
Overcoming a Lack of Confidence {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
Confidence is an anchor for the heart. It separates those who only dream from those who accomplish great things. It is a crucial element of personal fulfillment, focus, and joy. Confidence anchors our hearts when doubts assail us and pushes us toward the next step when everything around us pulls us back. It helps us overcome hurdles, dismiss nay-sayers, and look at the mirror with a smile on our faces. Indeed, confidence is arguably the one ingredient mixed into every success story. And Continue Reading
Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
“Nothing changes if nothing changes.” The quote scrolled across the TV screen while the leader talked. I immediately started thinking about the truth behind those words. It was one week before the beginning of the new school year, and I knew it was time to practice some of the changes I had committed to making during the summer. Let me rephrase it: It was time to start implementing some of the changes I felt God was instructing me to make. Leave it to me, and I will keep doing things Continue Reading
Looking Back to Move Forward {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
Early in the spring, I had the opportunity of interviewing Laureus “Sport for Good” Ambassador Grant Lottering. After reading about his extraordinary story, I was curious to meet the man who escaped death. While training for the 2013 World Masters Championship in Italy, Lottering was pronounced dead after a horrific accident. He was revived on the scene and taken to the local hospital, where doctors worked strenuously to save his life. For the next 12 months, Lottering underwent 11 surgeries, Continue Reading
