influence

The Poverty of Plenty

“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” -Ecclesiastes 5:10 Have you ever noticed how quickly “just a little more” quietly becomes “still not enough”? Solomon certainly did. Few people have ever possessed more wealth, influence, opportunities, or accomplishments than he did.…
The Fragrance of Our Influence

“Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour…” — Ecclesiastes 10:1 I have always found this to be one of the most vivid illustrations in Scripture. An apothecary would carefully blend fragrant oils and costly spices into a beautiful perfume. Every ingredient was chosen with care, yet it only…
The Sound of a Praying Father

Scripture Focus: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” — James 5:16 When I think of my father, many memories come to mind, but one rises above most of the others. The sound of him praying. While my dad was still living, I didn’t always fully appreciate what I was hearing. It…
The Language of Love and Light

Scripture Focus: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” —Ephesians 4:29 Words are powerful little things. They can build a bridge, open a door, calm a storm, or accidentally start one before breakfast. And most…
Borrowed Wisdom, Eternal Source

Scripture Focus: Daniel 2:20 “Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his.” Daniel 2:20 is spoken in a moment when answers mattered—urgently. Lives were at stake. The most powerful ruler on earth demanded insight that none of his experts could produce. Yet when…
The Company You Keep

Some voices teach your heart to flinch.They point to the height of the walls,measure the shadows,count the reasons you should turn back.Their words sound practical,but fear is always practicalwhen it wants to be obeyed. Other voices speak more softly.They do not deny the giants—they simply refuse to enthrone them.They lift your eyes past what roarsto…
Living Life on Purpose

Scripture focus: Ephesians 5:15-17 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” There is a quiet urgency in Paul’s counsel to the Ephesians—an invitation to wake up…
When Borrowed Footsteps Change You

There’s something humbling about discovering you were wrong about someone—not because they corrected you, but because life quietly handed you a glimpse of their reality. It’s easy to observe people from the outside and think we’ve got them figured out. We see the surface: the expression, the reaction, the habit that frustrates us, the tone…
Ten Steps Earlier

There’s nothing gentle about Proverbs 4:14–15. “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” It almost sounds like the Spirit is stacking verbs for those of us who are tempted to think, I’ll be…
Kept in the Middle of It

There are days when I catch myself wishing Jesus had prayed a different prayer for His followers. Something like, “Father, pull them out as soon as it gets hard,” or, “Build a safe little bubble around them where nothing ugly can touch them.” Instead, on the night before the cross, He said this: “I pray…