September 1, 2025

The peace in our hearts comes from having enough love to melt away anything that threatens to disturb it. To live in that peace, we must continually fill our hearts with love, overflowing.

August 31, 2025

When I was a little boy, I loved to climb trees. The higher I climbed, the better it was.

The higher in the tree I climbed, the more limber were its branches, and the more of a “ride” I could get. Not only could I see my rooftop, but I also spied all the neighbors’ roofs and yards. Up there, swaying in the tree, I was one with its branches and moved with the limbs in concert with the wind. 

August 30, 2025

When you are not peaceful, do you operate at your best? Probably not. Research shows that our thinking becomes less sharp when we are disturbed, preoccupied, or weighed down by fears, worries, and anxieties. A small amount of anxiety can heighten alertness, but when peace is fundamentally lost, our ability to process information drops and our reaction time increases.

August 29, 2025

Over the many years of treating wonderful people who have anxiety disorders, I found that by far, their anxiety was significantly reduced when they felt an overwhelming amount of love and self-confidence. We are scared and anxious when we feel we do not have the resources to meet our challenges. We think we will be a failure, unworthy, or be made a fool of, taken advantage of, criticized, or “fired.” Or we may feel that we will have a huge loss we cannot cope with, or a massive change in our lives we are unprepared to make. But most of all, we do not feel loved the way we need to feel it or love ourselves the way we need to. This collapses our self-worth and belief in ourselves. 

August 28, 2025

Do you want more peacefulness today? You may have it, regardless of the stressors around you or the things you face. Peacefulness comes when we take time to invite it. But we are so busy, we plow right ahead and do not take the simple steps that bring us peace. 

August 27, 2025

Inner or outer turmoil calls us to awaken to the serenity that’s already within us, but we cannot just automatically awaken. Today we will reflect on awakening to peacefulness.

August 26, 2025

Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid," John 14:27.

August 25, 2025

Peace is a precious commodity. Our minds, bodies, and hearts long for it. Our souls hunger for peace. Common expressions like, “having peace of mind,” “rest in peace,” “making peace,” “inner peace,” “or forever keep your peace,” and “disturbing the peace” reflect the importance of peace in our culture and daily life. 

August 24, 2025

Some of our most private thoughts are about our losses—those behind us, those unfolding now, and those we fear may come. Reflecting on them can stir a reverie of cherished memories, or it can awaken the quiet ache of grief. Often, both arrive together. For many of us, loss is a mingling of sorrow and sweetness, gratitude, and longing.

August 23, 2025

Many of our private thoughts revolve around regret—the would’ve, could’ve, and should’ve of our past. These moments, now frozen in time, often feel irretrievable. And yet, they still trouble us. Do your regrets ever rise to the surface and unsettle you?

August 22, 2025

Some of our private thoughts are pure fantasy. We imagine lives different from our own. Perhaps we see ourselves in a paradise, surrounded by people we would never encounter in reality. Maybe we fantasize about having abilities we don’t possess or achieving things we haven’t yet accomplished. We might picture ourselves as heroes—or on the other hand, doing things we’d be judged for in the real world.

August 21, 2025

Sometimes our private thoughts are actually lies we tell ourselves. Psychologist Albert Ellis called these lies irrational thoughts. He authored books including A Guide to Rational Living and How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything… Yes ANYTHING. Ellis says when we believe an irrational thought, we cause much undeserved suffering for ourselves and others. 

August 20, 2025

Many of our thoughts can be compared to unclean water that causes us harm. But like unclean water going through a treatment plant, toxic thoughts can be purified. Only when raw water is purified is it safe to consume, and so goes with our thoughts.

August 19, 2025

Fantasies are like private movies that play in our minds, often offering some form of emotional gratification. We rarely share them because they might invite misunderstanding, judgment, or even rejection.

August 18, 2025

Have you ever considered how much time and energy go into your private thoughts? They are ever-present. Our inner voice narrates the movie of our lives, and we listen to the soundtrack all day long. 

August 17, 2025

Why Do We Have Emotions? Wouldn’t life be easier without heartache, loneliness, fear, or envy? Emotions can weigh us down. They’ve driven us to aggression, or even to self-harm. So why have a heart at all?

August 16, 2025

Stories about animals are often heart stories. Their love is fierce, loyal, and unconditional. And when an animal expresses what we think of as a deeply human feeling, like love, grief, or joy, our hearts overflow with empathy for them because they have touched something in our own hearts and minds; something we are intimately familiar with, something we know in our bones— the feelings that we share with all life, even the trees—the universal longing to love and be loved.

August 15, 2025

Some of the most powerful heart stories are those in which people triumph against impossible odds—stories of resilience, courage, and unshakable will. These stories touch us deeply because they remind us of our own struggles and the strength it takes to rise when life knocks us down. We find ourselves rooting for the underdog, aching for the wounded, and cheering when they find their way through the darkness. These stories grow our faith and comfort our hearts during rough times. And we all have such times.