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 …
Category: Life Calling/Vocation
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 …
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 …
Troublesome Women
In my earlier post Here Comes Trouble, I talked about the good kind of trouble—the kind that might even have you humming along to that 1990s country classic, “T‑R‑O‑U‑B‑L‑E.” But when we look at Jesus and His disciples, “trouble” takes on a deeper meaning. It isn’t distress or anxiety; it’s a holy disruption—an interruption that …
Be Like Fred
I am fully aware that my age is showing when I use quotes like “Show me the money!” and “You complete me” in class and none of the students have any idea that I’m referencing a sports movie. How can we discuss the route to becoming a sport agent if students are unfamiliar with Jerry …
Me-First Attitude
If you pose a question like, “What are your thoughts on the current college transfer rules?” you’re almost guaranteed to spark a lively debate about the state of intercollegiate athletics—especially on a campus where nearly 80 percent of students are athletes. Teach in a sport-related discipline, and the intensity rises: not only are most students …
Professor Gig
It’s been more than three years since documenting the phrase Gig Economy into a journal. And for many years before penning that phrase to the page, I had an inaccurate definition of what the expression meant. Mistakenly, any time I heard a reference to a Gig Economy, my mind conjured up thoughts of computers, data, …
R&D
What brand of toilet paper do you use? Do you invest in Quilted Northern or Charmin? Will any old brand suffice? To be honest, I truly do not care about your brand choices in TP. That’s private information for yourself and for the data mining companies to determine which coupons to place in your mailbox; …
For Others
“How may I serve you?” If we were playing trivia, you might be tasked with connecting this phrase with a particular restaurant. Do you know which one uses this question to focus on excellent customer service, along with “My pleasure”? Many organizations use taglines, mantras, and Catchphrases (See Lesson of the Slime Mold) to unite …
Flourishing @ Life 