I just finished a two-hour conversation and walked away without an answer. How frustrating!  No matter how hard we try, sometimes we’re not going to get answers. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Very seldom did Jesus answer a question […]

Too often we say one thing when we mean something else. We say ‘yes’ to too many obligations when we really want, or should, say, “No.” Saying “no” is an important decision that allows us to prioritize.   To regain our ability to effectively and honestly say, “no,” we need to: Understand the amount of time you may be committing. Ensure […]

According to a Wall Street Journal article, Pitt Ohio, a Pittsburgh trucking company, learned from a University of Pittsburgh survey that drivers who reported financial stress had more accidents. To improve their safety record and their driver’s lives Pitt Ohio established a goal of every employee having a $1,000 emergency fund. Each employee who saved $19 a week for 6 […]

My friend, Rick, shared some exciting news! His wife had been asked to give the commencement address at this year’s Business School graduation ceremony for a major university! Rick went on to say, “Denise has given many important speeches and I’ve never seen her nervous. But this time she’s nervous.” I pondered several reasons why this talk might have her […]

When I was a child, encouragement and affirmation were qualities I rarely received nor witnessed. Therefore, it’s harder for me to offer those gifts to others. Fortunately, my wife, Kathy, is the best I’ve seen at encouraging and affirming others. Kathy will stop a stranger to give them a compliment. This often leads to Kathy sharing with them that “God […]

During my childhood my mother worked outside the home full-time and somehow managed to raise five kids.  With that as a backdrop, when I married Kathy, I assumed she would always work outside the home as well. She did, until we discovered that my son, Jeremy, had autism and needed more help than a daycare could provide. Kathy’s new vocational […]

Recently, I spent three days serving as a juror. One lesson I learned is the importance of restitution. During the jury deliberation the jury struggled with how to assess an amount for the intangible value of “pain and suffering.” In Numbers 5, God told Moses, “Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way, and so is unfaithful to the Lord, is guilty and […]

Recently, I spent three days serving as a juror on a personal injury case. There were many lessons learned that I would like to share. One lesson I learned is that justice doesn’t always prevail in the courtroom. My naïve belief going into jury deliberations was that twelve reasonable people would come out with a fair and impartial verdict. That […]

Recently, I learned several lessons as I spent three days as a juror. The first lesson is how differently people can view the same set of facts. The defendant had run a red light, then crashed into the plaintiff’s car. The plaintiff’s car was “totaled,” and, she racked up $107,000 in emergency room and subsequent medical bills. Her request for […]

Recently, I had lunch with Jim. Jim was excited to hear that my wife, Kathy, is leading our new Unconventional Business Women ministry. Jim shared a story that put a smile on my face, but didn’t surprise me. Jim shared that he was in a drugstore recently when he saw Kathy. At the time, Jim had a family situation that […]