As the world’s eyes are on Ukraine, I’ve learned much, but one thing we can all relate to. Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, was a Jewish TV comedian who ran for president in an Eastern Orthodox country and won. Not surprisingly, he was often questioned and critiqued about his ability, or inability, to lead the nation. And people didn’t know if they could trust him. Then Putin ruthlessly attacked his country.  The USA kindly offered Zelensky safe passage out of the country to set up a government in exile—as practically all leaders in such situations have historically done—but he refused and…

One of the best gifts you can give yourself this year is to form a new habit. I used to set goals I usually didn’t reach because I didn’t focus on the process. That is, I didn’t create habits that when consistently practiced would naturally result in the goal. I wish I had internalized then what I’m writing to you now. You may or may not be familiar with the significance of habits, but they are the mundane building blocks of most best things in life. Can you identify area in your life that would benefit by changing or forming a new…

The beautiful work of God in your life never has to cease. Last month I wrote about how my dog ripped up my Bible, and the experience offered a fresh expression of the gospel.  The dog pictured is my little messenger, Angel. For about a week and a couple hours a day, with lots of tape, contact cement, pieces of paper spliced into pages, and lots of painstaking, patient work, I repaired and reconstructed the damaged Bible. The once-destroyed pages are now strongerthan they originally were. This is precisely what God does in our lives when we say, “Yes, Lord.” Whatever we…