I held my birthday gift with intrigue. What could be wrapped in this small package of Brazilian newsprint, tied with a Colombian-flag-colored shoelace? It was a gift from one of my dearest friends, and as soon as I got in
How to find motivation for your goals
Sitting at a table with a cup of coffee and a croissant, I looked around at the type of people that surrounded me. Most were dressed up and seemed to be engaged in quiet, yet intense conversation. I had signed
Five truths about trust
My nephew clung to me with all his strength. I could feel this little hands around my shoulders, holding on for dear life. I had taken four of my seven nephews on an adventure down a little channel that connects
Putting the pieces together
This morning I was reflecting, yet again, on how God works to line up the pieces of the stories of our lives. About a year ago, I wrote a blog about how vision is like a puzzle. When I wrote
Three reasons to listen
Let’s get straight to the facts. No intro story, no attention-catching photo. Most of us need to become better listeners. I especially notice this when I’m with people who are out-of-the-ordinary… either really, really good listeners, or really, really bad
How to live a regret-free life
I woke up a few minutes before my alarm this morning. That’s always pleasant – it makes me think I may be got a full night’s sleep. Either that or the security guard that opens and closes the door of
Even in unknown danger
I came walking fast this afternoon. Faster than usual. I had decided to go home between work and a meeting, giving me about an hour to at least get out of the office and change clothes. As I walked the
Heavenly identity: You are what you speak
The other day, I wrote a blog post entitled Language identity: You are what you speak. I talked a little bit about how my identity is different between languages. I appreciated the comment that one reader left: I have not
Cultura Costeña
I’ve come to love the Caribbean Coast. Who wouldn’t? you say… But before you think that I spent all of my time at the ocean, I have to say that when I refer to “the coast,” it has a much
Softening heart
Today I realized that my heart is softening. For many years, I never had any interest in the Middle East. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I learned about the religion as part of my preparation and training to enter