• Little Is Much When the Lord Is in It

    My very first Christmas choir solo included these lyrics: “Little is much when the Lord is in it.” I was a shy, insecure thirteen-year-old, but I took such comfort in these words. Today, they still encourage me whether I’m wondering what difference my writing can make or whether my students actually take the time to read my comments and feedback to help them improve. Maybe you’ve felt the same way. When we’re tempted to despair at how “little” we have to give, let’s remember a minor character in a major Bible story. Show Up for Service Instead of worrying about outcomes, we should instead focus on showing up for service.…

  • 2 Realities of Reaching Worthy Goals

    I’m convinced that anything worthwhile involves sacrifice. To reach a great goal, you have to give up good things. Take sleep, for example. For the last two Saturdays, when many people enjoyed the chance to catch some extra Zs, I set my alarm early to go for a long run. Granted, I enjoyed the morning with some amazing running partners, but I had to sacrifice sleep, embrace sweat, and push through fatigue (and dewy cobwebs along the trail). But I’ll never be ready for my half marathon in November if I don’t. As I type those words, I laugh, because not many years ago, I couldn’t even run a mile.…