We have all been horrified by the senseless, shameful deaths of our minority brothers and sisters.

Let’s face it, people are bored and scared. The endless news reports keep you scared. The endless limitations keep you bored.

Here are three “trees” you can put into any toxic relationship and begin the process of healing:

All relationships start with trust. The more we trust, the more we let our guard down and relax.  You have a “secret place” in your life for those you trust. Who is in that “secret place?” Is there anyone there but yourself?

Strife is a time waster. If you could eliminate strife from your life, your free time to create, build, and change things would go through the roof.

Where does strife come from and how can I eliminate it from my daily life?

I was surprised the other day when someone told me that many Americans are not even celebrating Thanksgiving.  They see it now as a pointless, even worn out holiday.  Some even disagree that our founding leaders were godly people.

Ok.  I agree it’s more than turkey and cranberry. 

Here are my thoughts about the “why” of Thanksgiving and the things moving in my heart right now about it:

What a stunner.  A man just ran a marathon (26.2 miles) in under 2 HOURS. 

Eliud Kipchoge easily broke the “impossible” goal.  His secret?  “If I keep on running, my body responds.”

Endurance is the ability to push yourself toward your goals when your body, mind, and spirit say, “I’ve had enough.”  Actually, you haven’t. 

What are the secrets of endurance in your life, your marriage, your legacy? 

Electricity flows through connection.  When connections fray, a “short-circuit” can happen. Living day in, day out for many years can fray your relationship. 

How do you restore the “power” and “magnetism” of marriage? 

HERE ARE SOME THOUGHTS I HAVE HAD TO WORK THROUGH MYSELF IN MY 43 YEARS:

Jesus spoke about having “life and having it MORE ABUNDANTLY” (Jn. 10:10).  This phrase means, “more than they can possibly use, a surplus, something that goes way beyond necessity.”  Quit thinking about barely getting by in life!

Here are some areas for you to apply this beautiful phrase to your life:

People often ask, “Why should I bring my child to church?” Or, “What are the values a child should learn from a life in church?” 

Here are the 10 powerful values I learned in church and then transferred to my children:

I love blessings.  God loves to give them.

The only caveat?  You need to love Him, honor Him, and serve Him.

You do?  Then, here are the 5 amazing blessings from Ps. 112:

Fathering is a heart connection.

Parenting is more than proximity.  It is the power to encourage, comfort, and urge your child to win.

Here are the 5 main things to equip you for this lifelong project:

Is there someone in your life who has become your greatest challenge?  Does it seem their character is in concrete and nothing will change them?

Here are the changes you can make in yourself that will give you hope that they can change:

Do you ever wonder why some leaders are magnetic and others are not?  Is the “it” factor something you can learn?  Is it a skill that can be developed?  I believe it is.

Here are my top 5 skills to personal magnetism:

Everyone is petrified of getting “old.”  Instead, the Bible says, “Abraham died in a GOOD OLD AGE, an old man and full of years…” (Gen. 25:8)

In other words, getting older is not a bad thing…it’s a GOOD thing! 

Consider these 7 wonderful things about getting older:

“Communication.”  It’s the hardest work you will ever do. 

Here are my five (current!) “foolproof” hacks that will help you make sure your “communication” is not a “miscommunication”:

During this holiday season, I like to spend time with the “5 F’s”:  “friends, family, food, fishing, and football!”

 I also like to take time to give thanks to God for one other “F”:  Fellowship.

This Christmas week, I listed a few things I would like to say to Him:

I’ve pastored long enough to know the mood swings of the holidays:  cheer, euphoria, laughter and loneliness, regret, and depression.

How can you prepare for the “swings of the season?”  Try these six remedies: 

How’s it going in your marriage?  Are you drifting?  Losing ground?  Fearful of your future together? 

We all love to evaluate. 

Here are seven questions that have really helped me with my marriage:

Relationships get shallow and boring.  We may live together but drift apart.  We lose the excitement and energy we once had.

You can ENERGIZE every relationship with three simple principles: