Phil Vischer, creator of Veggie Tales, had a dream that died when Veggie Tales was forced into bankruptcy. As Phil’s dreams disintegrated, the story of the Shunamite woman in 2 Kings provided Phil some answers. The prophet Elisha repaid a Shunamite woman’s kindness by asking God to give her a son. Later the son died, as did the woman’s dream ...
Bruce was meeting with Terry, whom he had not seen since Terry had launched a new business. When Bruce asked Terry how the new business was going, Terry quietly said, “It didn’t make it.” Bruce was crushed! “What are you going to do?” he asked. Terry said, “I’m going to pray and trust God for what’s next.” In that moment, ...
The praise of men can be a dangerous trap. When others are singing your praises, it’s easy to soak up the praise and start believing your own press. But as followers of Jesus, we are called to give God the glory, because our talents and resources came from Him. In Acts 12, King Herod was addressing a crowd when they ...
Thanksgiving was originally designed to celebrate the fall harvest. Months after the farmer’s seeds are sown, there are no guarantees as to how big the harvest will be, or what price the crops will bring. So, when harvest time finally comes, the result is a reminder of God’s sovereignty and provision. For any farmer who has ever lost an entire ...
Many companies consider the day after Thanksgiving a holiday. However, the financial firm where Jaime previously worked stayed open till 1 p.m. One year, the co-founders surprised Jaime and her peers and let them take the day after Thanksgiving off from work. These co-founders personally covered the shifts of all the staff so their team could spend more time with ...
When my wife, Kathy, arrived at the nursing home, her mother tearfully said, “Please get me to the bathroom!” Kathy discovered that her mother had been overlooked by the nurse all day! Her mother’s clothes were soaked in urine and she was not even fully dressed. Kathy asked for the nurse assigned to her mother. When Kathy addressed her concerns, ...
Recently, at a Casey’s General Store, my wife, Kathy, stopped a young man in an Army uniform and thanked him for his service, then paid for his gas! Kathy then asked this soldier if he’s often thanked for his military service. This polite soldier simply said, “No ma’am.” The lady in front of me then turned and thanked this soldier, ...
Tom, a friend in the construction business, offered a bid on a big job that he felt was critical to win. He prayed and prayed to be selected for this project, only to learn that one of his competitors had been selected. At first, Tom was very disappointed and angry with God, until months later when Tom learned that the ...
Years ago, I started a consulting practice with my friend, Gregg. As 50/50 partners, I hoped Gregg would provide half of the start-up capital, but that wasn’t possible at that time. From the sale of a bank I had worked at, I received enough money to fund the start up. But, I didn’t want to let go of my money. ...
Los Angeles will no longer celebrate Columbus Day because of the city council’s belief that Columbus symbolizes “genocide and intolerance of the early America’s indigenous people.” LA politicians have renamed the holiday, Indigenous People’s Day. Cultures are shaped by the stories they tell of their past and the values those stories highlight. For centuries, we’ve celebrated Columbus’s accidental discovery of ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
