Overhearing a colleague on campus the other day, I couldn’t help but laugh. Someone had asked her where she bought her sandwich. Her answer came quickly: “Jeff’s. It’s the Mad Shepp!” The reply was immediate and teasing: “I didn’t know they let women in there.” After the laughter subsided—and the tears from laughing so hard …
For Good
On a drive through south-central Kentucky, it’s not uncommon to lose a radio signal while passing through a holler tucked between rocky cliffs. Yes, I still sometimes listen to that now-archaic format of music sent across the airwaves. And for younger generations, losing a radio signal often means losing a cellphone signal too. For that …
Eye is on the Robin
Had I attended the birding workshop at Clay Hill Memorial Forest or consulted Dr. Andy Madison, I might have understood what unfolded before me. Instead, I was given a quiet, everyday moment that carried a profound message—no pulpit, no sermon—just persistence revealed in real time. This spring, the message arrived in the form of a …
Mascots and Leaders
If you were asked to describe the role of a mascot and the role of a leader, how would your definitions differ? Mascots are meant to energize, inspire, and rally others. Leaders, however, are meant to guide, steward, and take responsibility. In a culture that celebrates charisma, visibility, and motivational slogans, leadership can easily slip …
Cognitive Closure
When a season ends painfully or unexpectedly, the mind naturally searches for Cognitive Closure—a firm explanation that will quiet uncertainty and restore a sense of stability. Psychologically, this is understandable. When a story feels unresolved, we long for clarity, coherence, and a verdict about what happened and what it means. For faculty, whose vocation is …
Intellectual Hospitality
Flourishing doesn’t begin with answers, it begins with welcome. Flourishing at Life means we must discuss growth that is whole, durable, and faithful—growth that integrates body, mind, spirit, and vocation. Again and again, a quiet but powerful theme emerges: flourishing happens where people feel seen, heard, and invited into meaningful conversation. That posture has a …
Legendary Mac ‘n Cheese
I’m not a foodie. In fact, I’m the person who gets asked to bring the paper products to any kind of gathering. It’s not that I can’t cook—or at least follow a recipe—it’s just a great deal of work to cook for one person, and leftovers get old fast. If you peek into my pantry …
Isaiah 43
It seems hard to believe, but it has now been more than five years since Isaiah 43 first nudged its way into my life. And here we are—still waiting for that Something New. Yes, much has changed. And yet, in many ways, I feel as though I am still sitting in a Waiting Room, watching …
BOLO
Perhaps this offers a bit too much insight into my reading—and viewing—preferences, but this week, while reading Jesus Calling, a single word flashed through my mind: BOLO. Sarah Young writes: “Knowing that your future is absolutely assured can free you to live abundantly today… Instead of approaching the day as a blank page that you …
Let Them Play
When was the last time you watched a child simply play? Not in a uniform, not on a schedule, not under the watchful eye of coaches or officials—just playing for the sheer joy of it. Having never been an athlete or a parent myself, I may not fully grasp the tug‑of‑war adults feel in trying …
Flourishing @ Life 