Nathaniel Hawthorne's Encouraging Wife

David Jeremiah shared the following story of encouragement:

Had it not been for a confident wife, Sophia, we might not have listed among the great names ...

Failure Leads to Something Better

Former President Jimmy Carter writes:

In 1966, I ran for governor of Georgia and lost to avowed segregationist Lester Maddox. [My sister] Ruth drove to ...

Payton Endures Repeated Blows

At just 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds, Walter Payton was not a particularly big running back for the National Football League. But he set one of sport's ...

Lasting Effects of Encouragement

Dr. Larry Crabb recalls an incident in the church he attended as a young man. It was customary in this church that young men were encouraged to participate ...

"Field of Dreams": Choosing Priorities

Field of Dreams is a movie about baseball, pursuing a dream, and choosing life's priorities. Half way through the film, Ray Kinsella, played by Kevin ...

Sparky Anderson Learns from Failure

Hall of Fame baseball coach Sparky Anderson is the only manager in history to win World Series titles in both the National and American Leagues. He led ...

Cradle of J.S. Bach's Creativity

After various moves and prominent jobs, [classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach] finally settled down in Leipzig in 1723, where he remained for the ...

Why Failure Lingers

Failures take on a life of their own because the brain remembers incomplete tasks or failures longer than any success or completed activity. It’s ...

Charles Schulz: Lover of Losers

With the death of "Peanuts" cartoonist Charles Schulz, many commented on his ability to reflect on the sadnesses of real life through the experiences ...

Mark of the Call

Quite often the absence of immediate success is the mark of a genuine call.