Whether shaped by culture or my experience teaching drug education, the first definition that comes to mind when I hear the word sober almost always relates to alcohol or drugs. Because of this, I find myself momentarily distracted when encountering the word in Scripture—particularly in passages like 1 Peter 5:8. Even across translations, the Greek …
Good or God
Perhaps I am not alone in the struggle to discern what is a Good or God thing. As I try to steward my time, talents, and treasures well, I sometimes wish for a flashing neon arrow pointing me clearly toward the “God” choices instead of the merely “good” ones. I mean, Moses got a burning …
Beyond Windshield Glass
Evidently, I am “in love with the mountains,” according to a friend’s recent description of me to her son after a trip to British Columbia. I mean… I’d prefer to be known for being in love with Jesus—or at the very least my husband (still waiting for him to make himself known!)—but I can’t exactly …
What’s Going Right
As I browsed the new books section of the local library, one title immediately caught my attention: What’s Going Right? As someone continually searching for appreciative frameworks, I was intrigued. The author’s name, Paul Conti, seemed familiar, so I picked it up and began reading. Before I even made it out of the introduction, I …
Eyes and Ears
Have you ever paused to consider how often you take your senses for granted? Perhaps it happened during a power outage—one of those moments when darkness becomes more than an inconvenience. The kind of darkness where there is no glow, no flicker, no ambient light at all. The kind where the phrase “you can’t see …
Six Strings
As we consider what it truly means to flourish together, a compelling cultural voice echoes what both Scripture and research have already revealed. In a May 2026 commencement address at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, musician Eric Church described a defining tension of this generation in his speech about the Six Strings …
Table in the Back
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 …
Flourishing @ Life 