I’ve realized a great lesson about leadership: I’m best when I’m being me. Every leader faces a temptation to project a persona rather than be themselves. They think that in order to maintain the confidence of their team, they must appear faultless, flawless, and ever wise. Yet most organizations need authentic leadership, not perfect ones. I’ve…
Kindness is a Calling for all Christians
When we were growing up, my sister and I brought home stray kitties and puppies that had missing fur, broken limbs, and in one case, missing a leg altogether. The animals that had absolutely no hope of ever being adopted and were one breath away from their last—those were the ones we loved the most.…
Teach Kids to Love Others Like Jesus Loves Us
When we see people the way God sees them, we look at everyone from a totally different perspective. It takes some effort, some intentionality, to rid ourselves of the hidden veins of prejudice in our lives and begin to embrace everyone around us with the love of Christ, to love others like Jesus loves us.…
Yearning for Fluency in Prayer
Even when prayer seems a duty, like a homework assignment, we sustain the hope that it could grow into something more. A hidden treasure lies inside, if only we can quarry it. A new country awaits us, if only we can find the language in which to converse. We babble like infants, yearning for fluency.…
Cultivating the Value of Gratitude
One time we were raising money for a new playground for the kids at our church. You may have seen these colorful wonderlands in parks where you live. They’ve got slides, swings, climbing walls, curved balance beams, and monkey bars. (Not only do my kids love these playlands, but I’ve been known to climb on…
The Power of Real Praise
Public praise empowers your team to be the leaders you already know they are. It was a brisk and beautiful April day, but I was as nervous as I’d ever been. This was my first day on the job as the new chairman of Herschend Family Entertainment, and Jack Herschend was going to introduce me…
How to Pray for Your Kids
It’s important for parents to be in the habit of knowing how to pray for your kids. Not only does prayer change your child but it also helps you as a parent align yourself with God and his plan. With his strength you’ll be less likely to blow up in anger, and you’ll have more…
We All Used to Be Awesome
Awesome is a lot simpler than you think, because you used to know awesome quite well. Everyone did at one point. Especially when we were kids. I was reminded of this one night as I was walking down the hall at home. My daughters were brushing their teeth, an event that usually boils over to…
Grow Your Faith Like You Grow Your Career
In our efforts to balance faith, family, and career, faith almost always takes a backseat. A typical day goes something like this: Every morning I get up early, lace up my running shoes, and head out the door for my daily run. About forty-five minutes later it’s time for a quick shower, and then I…
What You Won’t See on Sitcoms about Children
Flip through primetime’s sitcoms, and it won’t take you long to absorb what our culture thinks about children: they drain your love life, your wallet, your independence, your patience, and your sanity. If there’s one message you probably won’t get, it’s the one God wants you to hear: children are a blessing. Yes, you will…