Brokenness

If you've not been beat up, downcast and broken at some point in your life, stop reading now. For the unscarred and unscathed, I have nothing further to share. I am thankful you have ventured here and wish you continued smooth sailing.

Now for those who are still...

I stumbled upon a miniature iron while looking for old pictures a few days ago. The following words, written in my mom's distinctive handwriting, were taped to the bottom: Given by Billy Johnson, my father, to Effie, his baby sister, in 1900. Tears came...

I had a most humbling conversation yesterday with a vivacious, 17-year-old young lady named Victoria. In discussions of homework, careers and her future opportunities, we somehow managed to cross into an abyss of sorts and completely unknown to her: letters. It seems that over the past 17 years of her...

I was "blessed" to spend the last three days with a "precious" brother and sister pair of kittens, to determine, per my sister, if I am still allergic to cats. This being her latest Christmas wish and present to us, she hopes to incorporate them into our household, alongside Major,...

Good Morning Son,

Today is your 18th birthday. In the eyes of the world, you have now crossed the threshold from youth to manhood.

Through your intense brown eyes, you have experienced the ultimate joys of happiness and felt the excruciating pain of...

These words of prophetic wisdom were delivered, last week, to me at the very height of my own crisis, from a very close friend and mentor, a spiritual warrior, who, as of late, has endured many valleys of his own, yet still continues on...

"Those who limp are those who have been knocked down, beat up and learned from the experience, and got up a better person for the experience. Those who have not been through such experiences are walking time bombs who do not realize that it can or will ever happen to...

Rejection hurts, separates and divides us, be it from one instance or a thousand. Children and careers catapult us into a world unduly pressed for time where I've heard time and time again "Our wants and needs don't hurt us." In truth, as I came to realize long ago, by...

Throughout the course of our lives, we are subject to fail -- sometimes with notice, sometimes without. More times than not, as human beings we inherently seek to do the right thing. But occasionally, because of some unforeseen turn in this superhighway called life, we fail to recognize and adhere...

If You're not Smooching, You're Loosing....A Beleaguered Male's Perspective

Smooching, when meshed with the intimacy of sex, has the dynamic propensity to keep your relationship strong through touch and feel and better communication day after day, year after year. So begins one more saga on the importance of...

In perilous times such as these, it is increasingly difficult to see the forest for the trees. Stop, breathe and be thankful for the little things, for in God there are no Big things. Once you master this finite art of gratitude, you will...

I found myself recently in a discussion with a renowned lawyer about the financial and foreclosure crisis that's gripping at the heartstrings of individuals and small business owners across America. His comment to me was, "It's just dirt." My guess is, if you are fortunate enough to be on the...

I was raised to believe when you see someone hurting or in need, you stop what you're doing and help. It may be continuous one time events that cross our paths or it could be the occasional life altering one that inspires us to risk much in the hopes that...

This road of life you are now on has been filled with many twists and turns. You have experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows throughout your marvelous journey thus far. You have ventured far beyond the shore, more times...

I have been so long in this valley pursuing another exclusive dream; it overwhelms me to consider how deep one man can go, when the world around me says, "give up, quit, stop digging; there is no shame in failure."But dreams continually do come true and in that there is...

Have you found yourself in a valley pursuing another elusive dream? It overwhelms me to consider how deep one man can go, when the world around us says, "Give up, quit, stop digging; there is no way this will ever come true."

But our...

During an early morning conversation, long before the rooster crowed, I heard these troubling words. "I haven't been happy with my life in over 10 years." Here we go again, faced with another perplexing statement, from someone near and dear to my heart, that...

I just got off the phone with someone very dear and near to my heart. Their question was, "How can I not be mad at God for letting this happen?" Did God cause the collapse of the construction and residential housing market? Did He cause almost everything that I have...