Making Room for Sadness

Eric Wilson, professor of English at Wake Forest University, wanted to become a happier person. He at least wanted a smile on his face, rather than the ...

What Mushrooms Say About Soil

When we do something wrong, we normally feel guilty, and guilt feels bad. So do shame and a sense of conviction over wrongdoing. These emotions can be ...

Flattery Like Gum

Flattery is like chewing gum. Enjoy it, but don't swallow it.

—Hank Ketcham, cartoonist and creator of Dennis the Menace

On Being Accident-Prone

A rabbi taught that experiences of God can never be planned or achieved. "They are spontaneous moments of grace, almost accidental."

His student ...

Donald Miller Realizes the Cost of a Lie

I lived for a time with my friend and mentor John MacMurray, where the first rule is to always tell the truth. John and I were sitting in the family room ...

Desert Father on Self-examination

They who are conscious of their own sins have no eyes for the sins of their neighbors.

—Abbot Moses (10th century)

Brennan Manning on What Makes Us Happy or Sad

Christian author Brennan Manning calls us to examine the cause of our emotions:

To ascertain where you really are with the Lord, recall what saddened you ...

Billy Graham's Defective Diamond

To explain how God sees human sinfulness, Billy Graham writes:

Cliff Barrows and I were in Atlantic City many years ago with our wives. We had had a service, ...

Man's "Toothache" Is a Nail in the Head

Construction worker Patrick Lawler thought he had a toothache. For almost a week, he tried painkillers and ice packs to reduce the swelling. When nothing ...

John Owen on the Inner Life

However strong a castle may be, if a treacherous party resides inside (ready to betray at the first opportunity possible), the castle cannot be kept safe ...