It was late in the afternoon, and I was on a flight from Minneapolis to Dallas. Kathy called to say our brother wasn’t doing well, and I should come as soon as possible. Johnny had undergone surgery to address internal bleeding, and while successful, the damage was worse than anticipated. He was also in the midst of fighting a second round of cancer, and multiple rounds of chemotherapy had taken its toll. He was tired, and coming through such an aggressive surgery would make his recovery even more difficult. Johnny’s oldest son, Joshua, had just flown in from California. We met when I picked up the rental

Ephesians tells us “speaking the truth in love” helps us grow spiritually, and can shape us into the image of Christ. Speaking the truth absent of love, can be divisive and may actually hinder God’s intent. Speaking the truth is easy. Speaking the truth in love, is not. The Word of God is alive, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It divides the soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of our hearts. As a scalpel in the hands of a surgeon, so is the Word of God in the mouth of a

“Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” “Well… it’s certainly not you” “Mirror mirror in the trash, why'd you have to be so brash?” Hearing the truth can make us uncomfortable, and when it's personal, downright painful. Self reflection isn’t always easy, but easily avoidable.  At a recent hotel stay, the bathroom was equipped with a “magnification mirror”.  You know, one of those round mirrors that pulls away from the wall, taunting you as it prepares to reveal every flaw known to mankind. I eased into this experience by looking at the non-magnified side.  Yeah,