David L. Winters's Blog

"Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble" (Psalm 119:165).Although strikingly beautiful and looking fierce, this little bird is actually a prey bird. That means that it's instincts make it nervous, vigilant, always fearing that some creature might be stalking in the shadows. Peace is elusive for the prey bird. Even if this beautiful feathered guy moved into someone's home as a pet and became domesticated, he might occasionally strike out at his owner. Whether defending it's food or running away from a perceived threat, it will be a rare moment when this kind of bird can just relax. Peace seems to be eluding our whole world right now. Many of us feel just like this bird.A ConversationAt least part of America is trying to have a conversation about race, discrimination, and privilege. Due in part because of the filmed death of George Floyd and partially because of a long history of inequality, some would like to make now the moment America listens to the voices of people historically in the racial minority. Specifically, black and brown people who trace their coming to America back to the days of slavery, these people would like a chance to air their grievances and some would even like to be compensated for years of pan and suffering.Some state that they perceive America as racist in many ways. Not just ill treatment from law enforcement, they see inequality in many sectors from the job market to healthcare to housing options. Many have personal stories of mistreatment based on their color, ancestory, or speech.Athletes kneel during the national anthem, protestors march in large and smaller cities, and Antifa rioters tear up urban neighborhoods all in the name of furthering this conversation.A Different RealityPerhaps on the other side of town, many people see things quite differently. They not only don't want to have a conversation, but find themselves quite tired of being called racist, unfeeling, or privileged. Their perception is that America has for the most part created the most egalitarian and prosperous country in the world. Not owing it's success to the slave trade of the 19th Century, they see Democracy, Capitalism, and God's blessings as the things that still make America the envy of the world. Frankly, they feel a little tired that many younger people and minorities only want to talk about things that they see as sins of the distant past.What's more they see the current debate as not particularly fact based. They quote statistics for the last year available that 10 African Americans were killed while being taken into custodity, while 20 caucasians were killed being taken into custody.) One person wrongfully killed is too many, but it's country of 330 million people for goodness sakes. For those whose parents and grandparents lived through the Great Depression, they inherited no vast fortunes, saw their parents succeed through hard work and modest living, and view success as more dependent on perspiration than any kind of privilege. What's more, life is difficult for everyone, regardless of skin color. Perhaps some are using racism as a scapegoat when their problems are the natural pain we all feel from living?Christians Then, there are us Christians. Though our perspective is sometimes more skewed by economics and politics than our faith, we find ourselves almost as evenly divided as the secularists. In this political climate, is it really a good time to have a conversation. Neither side is likely to hear what they want to hear, but maybe both might hear something they need to hear.How can our faith rescue us from being ordinary?1. Encourage others to come to Christ with their deep heartaches. 1 Peter 5:7 encourges us to cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.2. We need to listen to those who are hurting, even if we don't feel like it. "...But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no [a]schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it" (1 Corinthians 12:24b-26).3. Tell the truth as you understand it. None of us has to pretend that we believe things that we see as false. Have your conversations in love and with compassion, but let's exchange our honest views and ideas. No need to pretend you believe something that you don't. The Holy Spirit is able to straighten us or our Christian friends out, if we give him the chance. And for goodness sakes, don't call other members of Christ's Body names, even when you disagree with their views. "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we [a]know that we are of the truth, and shall [b]assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things" (1 John 3:18-20).If we continue to live by God's word, we can have peace even while the world rages around us.

Wow! This COVID-19 virus is wreaking havoc with plans all over the world. People have died. Workers are displaced. Some companies may not survive an extended shutdown. Serious stuff is going on.On an individual level, long-planned trips are being cancelled; weddings were re-scheduled; and celebrations of all sorts are on hold. Perhaps one of the most affected groups will be the Class of 2020. Whether high school or college, graduation ceremonies are just the tip of the iceberg. Senior proms, trips, and saying goodbye to close friends may cut deeper than any ceremony.Earlier this week, I saw a young couple getting out of their car near Washington's Tidal Basin. Dressed in their prom finery, they probably planned to get pictures in front of the iconic blossoming cherry trees. It made me a little sad knowing this replaced what should have been a once-in-a-lifetime night.Way back in 1977, my senior year got upended by a fuel crisis. Many Ohio schools shut down for several weeks due to a natural gas shortage and extreme cold spell. Now, barely a blip on the historical radar screen, many events were cancelled and our senior year was upended. We eventually returned to school, but sports seasons were abbreviated, extra-circular activities were changed/eliminated, and teachers tried to cram too much content into too few class sessions. In the end, we graduated on time, but many of us felt like we were cheated out of important parts of our senior year.World War IIAs much of an upset as the events of 1977 turned out to be, my mother (shown above) faced entirely much worse circumstances as she launched into adulthood. World War II broke out around the world. As the men went off to war in the 1940s, she eventually took a job in the steel mills of Gary, Indiana. Working in the electrical shop, she found her passion and a lifelong career in electronics once the war ended. Although she didn't stay long as a Rosie the Riveter type, that part of her experience helped to shape the rest of her life - getting her into a field that was dominated by men back then. Finally, her patriotism led her to become a nurse in the Navy's WAVE Corps. After an accelerated 6-week training course, she was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station. During her time in the Service, she met my Dad and got married. So, this twist and turn in her life led her to a husband she would have around until his death in 1990. Although chaotic, difficult at times, and challenging, the war altered the course of her life for the better.Life's ChangesAlthough I wouldn't have selected the energy shortage of 1977 to disrupt my senior year, I'm glad it happened the way it did. I learned several important lessons about the world and taking advantage of changes in direction. When we came back to school, I had to pick between playing tennis on my high school team or being in the high school musical. I'd invested much time in singing and choir through my school years. I enjoyed music very much, but tennis was my first love. I'd started playing before puberty and couldn't imagine not playing my senior year on the school team. So, tennis became my choice. If I'd have been as committed to drama/singing, who knows if I would have tried to do more with it in college and beyond. Instead, I ended up in business.My Mom wouldn't have chosen to be born in the great depression or to have her life interrupted by a major world war. But it happened. She found her life's work and a husband through the ordeals of her youth.Keep Your Eyes OpenTo the class of 2020, I'd just say: don't be too bummed by the trouble that you are living through in your senior year. No one would have chosen a major pandemic, but you will survive and some good may come of it. Learn the positive lessons and hold tight to the people you love. Keep your eyes open. You may just see a future that you might have missed without this momentary upheaval. Life keeps moving and today is no different."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths," (Proverbs 3:5-6).==========================Check out my latest book, Exercise Your Faith. In it, I examine 31 lies that cause men to stumble. If you know someone who is struggling in life, now is a good time to send them this book as a gift. It's written in an easy-to-read, conversational style that will engage even those who don't read a lot. Click on the image to view more information on Amazon.

Christians are supposed to be calm, self-assured, and fearless. Pretty sure that was in the Methodist Hymnal I used growing up in Ohio. Confession: While I believe in God and trust Him with my eternal salvation, I still suffer from moments and even half-hours of anxiety from time to time. Even though I wrote a book about recovery from anxiety (Sabbatical of the Mind: The Journey from Anxiety to Peace), I still feel anxious when put under extreme stress by high places. That's my not so secret Kryptonite. I get scared and sometimes have to push through the fear to accomplish a higher purpose.TravelAs a Christian author, travel is an important part of getting out the messages of my books. While I believe God can supernaturally get my books into the hands of whoever needs them, He chooses to use me to do this task. Perhaps there is something about my physical presence, my teaching classes/seminars, my goofy sense of humor, that encourages others to buy and benefit from the things God gave me to put into my books. Throughout my life, acrophobia has been an issue. Although I saw a therapist, prayed, believed, quoted Scripture, etc., I still have a fear of high places - including most large bridges, high buildings, and riding on the shoulders of NBA players. (Okay, the last one doesn't come up very often.)When I drive, 99.9% of the time, I feel fine and react like everyone else on the highway. My problem rears it's ugly head when I encounter certain large bridges and ridiculously high flyovers where the engineers decided it was a contest to see just how high they could make cars go just to get over two or three other roads.How Does That Make Me Feel?When anxiety strikes. some chemical floods my brain telling me I am in extreme danger. No matter how much the rational side of me tries to convince the panic-stricken side of me, my hands sweat, my head swims, and my heart/lungs act up.It's worst when I don't really know where I'm going on what to expect. On a recent trip, I came upon an unexpected bridge that seemed to appear out of nowhere. It wasn't the largest I've ever driven across, but I was already tired from driving 10+ hours the day before and four hours that morning. God helped me get across, but saying that I was uncomfortable is hardly adequate to describe how freaked out I felt.After such an upset, I feel tired and remain on edge for a while. In this case, my destination remained about 90 minutes away. At the next opportunity, I stopped at a rest area, gathered myself and prayed.No amount of taking authority, quoting Scripture or trusting God seems to fix this problem. This leads me to question God's plan in having me drive around doing conferences, etc. I even doubt his care for me sometimes when I have one thing after another happen such as a bridge, followed by vast rock quarries dug out on either side of the road, followed by a mandatory flyover that I can't avoid. It leaves me exhausted and feeling vulnerable.Going Through What does it mean when God lets us go through our fears, instead of rescuing us from situations that cause us anxiety? After many years dealing with this challenge, I've learned a few things about how God cares for me."For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). First, God isn't the one who sends us fear. He doesn't want us to be afraid. Love and faith can go a long way toward relieving our fears, but sometimes, biological factors cause us to feel irrational fear. Although God didn't send it, I know He wants to help me through it and care for me afterward.God wants us to have faith, even when things don't look or feel right. Although it is with difficulty, I know God is honored when I conquer my fears and show up at these speaking engagements. He rewards our commitment to believe in Him even when we feel afraid. Courage is not the absence of fear, but going ahead and overcoming even when we do feel scared.God's CareOn my way home from my latest trip, God let me experience a picture of His care for me. It happened when a young man begged me for gas money at a service station. Although probably in his twenties, this guy's face looked scarred from all life had thrown at him and his bad choices in response. Some of his teeth were missing, and he sported two or three days of beard growth. His voice was raspy. A young girl, also looking disheveled, acted as his traveling companion. Their car was beat up, and rusty. Sometimes, I don't give to those who ask, but this time, I felt God tug at my heart. I gave the young man a few dollars and a copy of my book. He asked if it had Scripture in it. I replied that it did and that I hoped he would read it.After going inside the store, I learned the clerk had seen what happened. (The young man raced into the store with the money I'd given him and immediately bought gas.) All I selected was a diet soda. but the clerk wouldn't let me pay for it. He wanted to reward my kindness to the panhandler somehow. When I returned to my car, I was almost in tears. I felt my Father in Heaven's affirmation that I'd done the right thing, in spite of my fears, in spite of my past mistakes, and in spite of my shortcomings. Getting to this point in my three-day trip, though warn out mentally - I could feel the Father's strong embrace and love for me.Do you know what it feels like to be embraced by God? It's the best feeling in the world. In spite of fear, even with anxiety, God loves us. He sees past our momentary lack of faith to the beauty of our redeemed self in Christ. Until that day when we completely overcome by shedding this earthly body, keep trusting in Jesus. He is the only Way, Truth and Life - in spite of our fears.

In my author journey, one of the great joys is to meet other writers and learn about their ministry. Scott LaPierre is a very special pastor and author. I hope you will enjoy meeting him.Latest book: A Father Offers His Son: The True and Greater Sacrificed Revealed Through Abraham and Isaac.Website: https://www.scottlapierre.org/Bio: Scott LaPierre is a senior pastor, author, and conference speaker. My wife, Katie, and I have 8 children (and will probably have more).1. Thanks for joining us. Tell our readers what state you currently call home and any other place(s) that have special significance in your past.We live in Woodland, which is in southwest Washington. Katie and I grew up together in McArthur, which is in the mountains in northern California. Katie’s parents still live there, so we visit about every-other-year.2. What genre or genres do you like to write?I write exclusively Christian nonfiction. The material comes from my sermon transcripts, which take twenty-to-thirty hours of work each week. This means each book contains hundreds of hours of study in God’s Word.3. Tell us about your most recent book and the message(s) behind it?My latest book is A Father Offers His Son: The True and Greater Sacrificed Revealed Through Abraham and Isaac, which examines the typology between Abraham sacrificing Isaac and God sacrificing His Son.I think many people wonder why God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The Angel stopped Abraham showing God did not intend for him to kill Isaac, but what did God desire? God wanted to do two things. First, test Abraham, and second, reveal in human terms what God would do with His Son two thousand years later. Genesis 22 is not primarily about Abraham and Isaac. God and Jesus are the true and greater Father and Son shining forth in the account. Abraham didn’t not spare his son but was willing to deliver him up for God. Likewise, God “did not spare His Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32).If you like typology – such as the bronze serpent, manna, rock in the wilderness – you’ll love AFOHS. If typology bores you, you’ll want to read a different book

Are you careful about keeping track of appointments? Most of us are busy enough to keep a calendar either electronically or manually. Beware! There is a potentially devastating trap tucked away in the pages of our calendars.We can focus so much on the routine activities of life (the doctor's appointments, lunch with friends, parent/teacher conferences) that we forget to schedule time for our most important priorities.Playing with children, visiting a relative in a long-term care facility, or spending time in prayer may fail to make the calendar. While these crucial activities of life also need time on the schedule, that's still not what I'm talking about.In my new book Exercise Your Faith (Defeating the Lies the Men Believe), I devote a chapter to the lie: My Life's Work Can Wait. Procrastination can cause huge regrets when comes to our real purpose in life.Each of us are gifted by God with special talents. Some are writers, some woodworkers, others can easily learn foreign languages. We may have a life's work that has little to do with our current job. How can you know if you are where you should be?Becoming An AuthorSince college, I've felt a calling on my life to write. This gifting peaked out from wherever it hides several times. At Ohio State, I chose journalism as my undergraduate degree program. Working on the school paper, my dreams came true to learn about various news events and write about them for my fellow Buckeyes. While working in the city, I took graduate-level screen writing courses at Wheaton College in the Chicago suburbs. This led to a part-time job as a stringer for local daily newspapers.As my career progressed, it took most of my energy to excel at managerial positions, participate in my local church and visit family several states away. Still, in the back of my mind, I longed to write a book.When I finally retired at the end of 2015, I started in earnest to become a published author. It felt late in life, but who really knows. I could live another 25 or 30 years. Writing has been everything I dreamed about and more. To have another human being take the time to tell me how one of my books helped them: that's pure gold. Although I accomplished a lot as a manager of other people, I'm now helping and influencing thousands of people through my Christian books. Helping others find Christ or get closer to Him is a miracle. Being part of that process is so rewarding.Your Life's WorkSo, what is your life's work? Does it have anything to do with what your 9-to-5 job? Some of us are quite lucky that we know our career is exactly what we are meant to do to take care of God's world. Others feel like they are wasting their time. What about you?I hope you will think about these questions. Let God into the process. Ask Him what you can do to make the most of the talents and gifts He put in your toolbox. ************************As an Independent or Indie Author, I depend on the support of my loyal friends like you. Each review on Amazon or other platform is infinitely valuable in spreading the word about my books. Please consider picking up a copy of Exercise Your Faith (Defeating the Lies Men Believe). When you read a all or part of it and leave an honest Amazon review that helps to build social proof that my book is a good investment for someone else. I appreciate all of you who have read and reviewed any of my books. Thanks so much!Click here to buy on Amazon.Click here to buy on my website and get a free commemorative key chain.

Last year, I read a great book by Rachel Hollis called Girl, Wash Your Face. Although many Christians have never heard of the book, it has been on Christian bestseller lists since its release in 2018. One publication estimated the book's sales at over 1.5 million copies.Although reviews have been mixed, a large group of women follow Hollis for her lifestyle blog and social media accounts. The book recounts lies women have been told that inhibit their ability to live their best lives. Most of the criticism of the book involves Hollis telling women that they have primary responsibility for their own happiness. Reviewers interpret this as diminishing the role of God as the CEO of the Christian's life. No arguing with that thought, but I'm not sure Hollis would disagree. Her point is that no one else is going to make your happiness their primary life concern.In any case, the book inspired me to write my tome of advice for men. Although perhaps a much more upfront Christian book, I look at the bill of goods that men have bought into lately.In our culture, there has been a war on masculinity since at least the 1960s. A national organization of some women wrongly confused diminishing the role of men as important to the cause of equal rights for women and girls. As the son of a Rosie the Riveter type who fought for everything she obtained as a person, I'm the last one to understate women's struggles for equity. My own mom had to argue with the bank to grant her a credit card in her own name without my father's permission. (Sounds crazy now, eh?) She was asked in a job interview to promise not to get pregnant if hired. For most of her career, mom made less per hour than the men who worked next to her. (They had a family to support, she was told.) No, I definitely know that women's rights were hard-won and delinquent in coming.My beef is not with anything women are able to obtain. My focus is on men living out their own calling. Exercise Your Faith (Defeating the Lies Men Believe) addresses 31 falsehoods that hamper a man's ability to live his best life. Here are just a few of the lies I dig into:- Life is all about sex;- Masculinity is toxic- My truth beats your truth- If my cause is noble, I can act like a dunderhead- Anger has never been a problem for me- Someone else will do it- Lying is easierThe hardest thing about writing this book: I needed to get honest about the lies that dominated my life at one time or another. This definitely is not a book for the squeamish or those easily offended by graphic descriptions. Just as the Bible is graphic about certain subjects, I felt compelled to be specific about certain challenging areas for men (and the women who love them.)My hope is that many men and women will read the book and hear God's wisdom about each of these issues. While I tried not to overwhelm readers with Scripture, particularly since I'm hoping many non-believers will read the book, there is definitely a trail of Bible references and verses that will lead the curious to the only One with all the answers.As folks on my mailing list, I hope you will pray that this book meets needs, represents the faith well, and gets into the hands of those who will be helped by it. Exercise Your Faith is scheduled for release on February 1 on-line and in select bookstores. If yours doesn't carry it, they can order it through Ingram Distribution. (They'll know what that is...)Preorders are being taken on my website. Click the cover photo for more information.

One of the most rewarding parts of my life these days includes leading the GriefShare ministry at my church. Nationwide, thousands of churches have participated in this amazing program that helps hurting people along their grief journey. Recently, we sponsored a one-time event focused on Surviving the Holidays. Like the "regular" GriefShare program, those mourning a loss of a loved one assembled to watch a video chocked full of healing testimonies, advice and strategies for moving from sorrow to joy. Renown experts in psychology, counseling and grief shared time-tested truth about the grief process. Remarkably, each of our participants began the evening by expressing their trepidation about facing Christmas without their loved one. After sharing our burdens with each other, prayer, and the helpful information in the video, most of us felt better, expressed our appreciation for God's comfort, and moved a bit farther down the road of healing.Grief happens when great love is lost. Without a deep connection to the person who left us, there would be no mourning. The key is make our lives a celebration of these important relationships. While loss is difficult, we can allow the light these dear ones shined in our lives to continue bringing us joy through memories. For the Christian, we know the loss is only temporary. One day, Christ will gather us home and wipe away every tear from our eyes. Those who also knew Him as their savior will be safely in the care of Jesus waiting to rejoice with us.One way we can honor our loved ones who have gone before us is to focus our energy on loving others to the Lord. How proud will be our "great cloud of witnesses" if we lead a friend, relative or perfect stranger to Jesus? They will rejoice knowing another name is written down in glory as a result of our yielding to the prompt of the Holy Spirit.What can we do? Christmas is a golden opportunity to share the Gospel with our neighbors, coworkers and loved ones. Gifts can include helpful books, a special meal, or an invitation to your church activities. Take the time to invest in those around you. Make it clear that you are doing so because of your love for them in the Lord.If you have a few sad moments this Christmas, embrace God's healing through gratitude. Thank Him for sending you such a precious gift as your loved one and trust that He will make it all worthwhile very soon. May you have a very merry Christmas and your best ever New Year in the care of Jesus.To learn more about GriefShare and to locate a group in your area, check out https://www.griefshare.org.

One of the most rewarding parts of my life these days includes leading the GriefShare ministry at my church. Nationwide, thousands of churches have participated in this amazing program that helps hurting people along their grief journey. Recently, we sponsored a one-time event focused on Surviving the Holidays. Like the "regular" GriefShare program, those mourning a loss of a loved one assembled to watch a video chocked full of healing testimonies, advice and strategies for moving from sorrow to joy. Renown experts in psychology, counseling and grief shared time-tested truth about the grief process. Remarkably, each of our participants began the evening by expressing their trepidation about facing Christmas without their loved one. After sharing our burdens with each other, prayer, and the helpful information in the video, most of us felt better, expressed our appreciation for God's comfort, and moved a bit farther down the road of healing.Grief happens when great love is lost. Without a deep connection to the person who left us, there would be no mourning. The key is make our lives a celebration of these important relationships. While loss is difficult, we can allow the light these dear ones shined in our lives to continue bringing us joy through memories. For the Christian, we know the loss is only temporary. One day, Christ will gather us home and wipe away every tear from our eyes. Those who also knew Him as their savior will be safely in the care of Jesus waiting to rejoice with us.One way we can honor our loved ones who have gone before us is to focus our energy on loving others to the Lord. How proud will be our "great cloud of witnesses" if we lead a friend, relative or perfect stranger to Jesus? They will rejoice knowing another name is written down in glory as a result of our yielding to the prompt of the Holy Spirit.What can we do? Christmas is a golden opportunity to share the Gospel with our neighbors, coworkers and loved ones. Gifts can include helpful books, a special meal, or a invitation to your church activities. Take the time to invest in those around you. Make it clear that you are doing so because of your love for them in the Lord.If you have a few sad moments this Christmas, embrace God's healing through gratitude. Thank Him for sending you such a precious gift as your loved one and trust that He will make it all worthwhile very soon. May you have a very merry Christmas and your best ever New Year in the care of Jesus.To learn more about GriefShare and to locate a group in your area, check out https://www.griefshare.org.

I should have known from the way the day started that Thanksgiving would be one for the record books. As I got the turkey out of the refrigerator, it clearly did not thaw out as I had expected. After a quick call back to Ohio, mom's solution involved warm water in the sink and much prayer.Next, a survey of the ingredients for the various dishes indicated no sour cream for the corn casserole. Fortunately, that could be remedied on my trip to 7-11 for my morning Diet Pepsi. Standing in line, the lady in front of me took the opportunity to explain all the things wrong with a national day of thanksgiving. An avowed atheist, she built up quite a head of steam telling me her opinion."That must be difficult for you," I said. "Thankfulness is a very healthy state of mind though. Ten out of ten Psychologists agree." My new atheist friend just shrugged her shoulders, sure I hadn't listened to a word she said.FootballBack home, I made the stuffing and packed it into the bird. With the turkey ensconced in it's body bag, I turned on the television and watched the final minutes of the parade. One of the NFL match-ups looked good, so I switched to that station in time for kick off.Between possessions, I ran the sweeper and put my only holiday tablecloth on my smallish dining room table. Melancholy settled in as I thought about my relatives back home. Everyone would be gathering at Mom's house soon and I wouldn't be there to join them. With work crazy busy and Dad recently passed away, it had seemed like a good year to take the holiday off. As the football game got more interesting, I tried to minimize my time in the kitchen. During commercials, I whipped up the corn casserole, green bean casserole, and Au gratin potatoes.After getting excited over a particularly spectacular catch, the timer went off in the kitchen. Hopping up, I couldn't take my eyes off the television because they were showing the catch in slow motion. Wham! As I turned to go through the doorway to the kitchen, my nose slammed into the wall. I'd misjudged where the opening began and the wall ended. Pain shot through my proboscis and I felt stunned. The bell still ringing on the timer, I gathered myself and went into the kitchen. After retrieving the turkey and momentarily rejoicing that the meat thermometer showed the bird fully cooked, I set the other dishes in the oven to bake.My NoseFinally, I trudged upstairs to the bathroom. My nose looked terrible. Now turning black and blue, it seemed bent a little to one side. Although it hurt, I moved it back into place.Depression descended. God and I had a talk about my nose, my faith, the atheist, how nothing good ever happens to me, missing Thanksgiving with my family, the friends coming over in an hour, and several other topics.I decided not to go to the hospital. Why should my friends miss Thanksgiving dinner just because I'm clumsy. A bag of frozen peas applied to my swelling nose, I plopped in front of the television and brooded.ThankfulnessAs we all sat down at my table, I asked each person to state something that made them thankful this year. A new job, another year of marriage, and friends got mentioned. Then, it became my turn. I was dreading this moment. My nose still ached. I still felt lonely for home. "I'm thankful that God is still with us even on a bizarre Thanksgiving like this one. My nose is a mess. I burnt the crescent rolls. My team lost the football game, but He still loves me. He brought me great friends like you guys. I'm feeling thankful despite it all and the nose will eventually heal. I have to try not to blow it."******************************************************************Friends, I sure hope your Thanksgiving goes better than mine all those years ago. May yours be filled with friends and family, love and joy. Most of all, may it be filled with Thankfulness for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hi Friends on Goodreads,

I need your help. My new non-fiction advice book for men (and the women who love them) drops early next year. Although different, it's a little bit like Girl Wash Your Face, but for men. But I'm not sure on the title. Which of these titles would you be most likely to buy for yourself or a guy friend?

Pick One

1. Guy, Wash Your Armpits
2. Guy, Comb Your Hair
3. Guy, Shave Your Face
4. Man, Clean it Up
5. Man, Let's Talk