As I sit here on my front porch overlooking countless piles of debris and water receding from my yard, I have mixed emotions. I can’t help but be overwhelmed with gratitude because our family and our home is safe. But there’s a sense of grief as well because I know so many who can’t say the same. There are hundreds of thousands of people with significant structural damage and millions more who have undergone significant emotional stress. And as I […]
Life is hard. There’s no denying that. As a result, we try to control our circumstances to avoid the “hard”— like if we eat right or get on a budget, then it will all be rainbows and unicorns. By sheer willpower and effectiveness we try to push through our struggles with a fix-it-myself attitude. But curiously, that mentality isolates us. Before we know it, we’re alone, buried by our circumstances. Rather than relying on efficient practices and willpower, is there another way? As a […]
Change is in the air. You can feel it. You can smell it. You can see it. And, if you listen closely, you can hear it. From stadiums across the country, the roar of a community gathered around its team has begun. Everyone is ready for this year’s action; it’s time for the kickoff. College Football is back. Like an announcement of the new season, this weekend will be a physical reminder of what is happening. As whistles blow, players […]
We define ourselves in community. Think about this with me. Ethnicity, Generation, Alma Mater, North, South, East Coast, West Coast, Vegetarian, Democrat, Republican… We love community and we constantly describe ourselves in this way. We wear our colors proudly and cheer for our proverbial team. Some communities are more intricate than others; some carry clearly divided lines whereas other’s borders may be slightly blurred. Regardless, we love community. This Community One year ago, I began referring to this blog with the phrase […]
Noise. We live in a world full of the Noise. A constant hum of chatter runs rampant in our lives. Key strokes on a computer. Endless posts on our news feed. The complaints of our companions. Tweets and retweets. Car engines. Traffic. Airplanes. Cell phones. The Noise culminates in a blur and we respond in two ways: We add more Noise or We desperately try to escape it In the end, we’re consumed. Maybe we gain a few hours of […]
Are you tired of every year being the same as the last? Tired of watching the hope of January fade into the reality February? As much as you’d hope to change, you end up back in the same routine. Well, we all love invitations and this month, I’m inviting YOU to join us! I’m engaging the process of “My One Word” as I dig into my word TRUST This month, I will be writing about trust, praying about trust, really […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
