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You Never Know What a Day Will Bring

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

You Never Know What a Day Will Bring

I had a phone call from a friend on Sunday. As we talked, she mentioned the death of her husband, saying, “But I think he was mad at me when he died.”

His death was close to ten years ago, but their unsettled relationship still haunts her.

Within twenty-four hours of our conversation, a killer tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma and reporters on TV spoke of the search for survivors. With the recent events in Boston and the above conversation on my mind, I thought about the fact that we never know what a day will bring.

As families in Moore searched for loved ones, I keep wondering how many regreted cross words that were spoken that morning before they left the house. How many wish they’d been more loving?

We plan to live to see tomorrow–and to see our loved ones at the end of the day. We don’t normally make contingency plans in case one of us doesn’t make it.

In times of crisis and uncertainty, if a relationship with a loved one is askew, dealing with sudden disaster is more difficult. Furthermore, if that loved one doesn’t make it, the grief is more intense and prolonged.

We often take our closest relationships for granted. When strife arises, it’s easy to put off making things right because they always seem to eventually come around.

But, nobody wants to live with regrets for years. Would we do differently if we knew we wouldn’t have another chance to clear the relationship with that person? What if we knew today were the last day we could ask—or give—forgiveness?

If we were aware that today would be our last, I believe we’d pursue peace and harmony with everybody (Heb. 12:13), but especially with those who are close to us.

Meanwhile, if we remain at peace, live in harmony with others, and are given more days, think how much more enjoyable those days will be!

We don’t know what today will bring, much less tomorrow. But, by the choices we make, we can influence what the day will be like. It’s worth the effort to be quick to forgive and quick to settle differences so we can enjoy every day with those we love.

Do you ever think about “What if something happened today that would prevent us from making things right?” What do you do to maintain harmony in the home at all times?

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What to Do When an Important Relationship Turns Sour

Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

What to Do When an Important Relationship Turns Sour

It unsettles me when any relationship is out of kilter. Whether with a family member, a co-worker, boss, or friend, I like for relationships to be on friendly terms, and I do what I can to right them when they’re tense.

In a close relationship, I am really impacted—torn apart is probably more accurate—if there’s conflict. Consequently, I learned to seek the Lord about what I needed to do to make things right.

God’s been faithful to answer through the Word. During the deepest struggle of my life—when it seemed I couldn’t get along with anybody—He spoke to me out of Peter 3:8-11, pointing out the key points below. Maybe they can help you mend broken fences in relationships.

Let all be harmonious. If you’re breathing, you’re included in “all.” Even if everybody around you is out of harmony, you need to do what you can to be in harmony with the Lord, and thus with those who offend you.
Let all be sympathetic. When you’re most tempted to judge another for their unfair actions and attitudes, you most need to put yourself in their shoes and try to understand from their perspective.
Let all be brotherly. Brothers look out for and care for each other. Show you care through caring actions.
Kindhearted. Ouch. Not being unkind in action is hard enough. How do you have a kind heart toward someone who’s hurt you? . . . Submit your heart to the Lord. Allow Him to work through you. He can make your heart soft and be kind through you.
Humble in spirit. Pride causes you up to defend and promote yourself, your well-being and, and your desires. Only as you submit to God and accept His love for the other person, can you truly follow the above directives from the heart.
**Don’t return evil for evil, or insult for insult.” This is the test. The words of your mouth will reveal whether or not your heart is right before the Lord. A returned insult stirs up more strife. A kind word turns away strife.
Give a blessing instead. Bless the offending party in prayer first–daily, and whenever you start to fret over the tension. Bless first with words of forgiveness for whatever their offense is—even if it is only that they remain offended or distant.

Then ask the Lord for some way to bless them that will minister to them. It could be quick and simple. It could be something that costs you time and energy. I’ve sent a card of appreciation for one, spent hours on a special cross-stitch for another, and I spent three days cleaning the house of another. In all three cases, the relationship was restored.

For you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. This doesn’t make sense. You “give a blessing instead” because “you were called [to] inherit a blessing.”

But that’s the way the kingdom of God works, isn’t it. You give in order to receive from God. You lose your life in order to gain it. You give your measly efforts in order to experience the abundance of God’s blessings in return—and to have an important relationship restored.

The Lord is faithful. If we can learn to truly give a blessing instead, He will take care of the rest.

*Question: How has the Lord led you to work at restoring strained relationships?**

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When Independence Is a Problem

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

When Independence Is a Problem

Two-year-olds yell, “No! Me do it!”

Teens demand of their parents, “Why can’t I go?”

In a familiar Anacin commercial in the 1960s, a young housewife demanded, “Mother, please! I’d rather do it myself!”

All seek independence. They want to do things their way.

I’ve observed a similar attitude in the elderly. Even when unsteady on their feet, they refuse to use a cane or a walker. An unsteady 93-year-old woman told a friend, “I’m glad we don’t use canes like those old people.

I know a gentleman who holds a cane in his right hand and with his left, he holds onto doorways, furniture, or counters to get extra support as he slowly and cautiously walks from one room to another. He would be much more secure with a walker–but, in spite of many falls, he refuses to use a walker. That is not yet an acceptable option.

We don’t want to admit our weakness. We don’t want to be dependent on something else. And, we want our own way.

Many would say that independence is what made America strong. But, I wonder if its merit has been blown out of proportion.

Independence is thinking or acting for oneself and not being influenced or controlled by others.

Independent people trust themselves and their own opinions to guide their direction and their actions.

In stark contrast, God tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path (Prov. 3:5-6).

We are to trust God, not ourselves.
We are not to trust our thinking and understanding.
We are to let God direct us—in all things—rather than doing whatever we think is best.

The next verse says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes” (Prov. 3:7).

When we are wise in our own eyes, that’s a problem that leads to more problems.

A toddler doesn’t have the experience needed to make wise choices. That’s often true of teens as well. Even our elders can fall and break bones if they insist on maintaining independence.

The independent person is wise in his own eyes. He trusts his own thinking and chooses his own direction. He seeks to be true to self.

It’s good to be independent in the sense that we take responsibility for ourselves and for others under our care. It is also good when it leads us to stand firm in godliness rather than following our peers or our culture.

However, when we begin to trust and follow ourselves rather than trusting God and being loyal to Him, independence has become a problem.

If we want to prosper in life, we need to trust in the Lord and let Him direct our lives.

Question: With our self-centered sin nature, it’s easy to move into problematic independence when we lean on our own understanding rather than seeking God. How do you balance your life so that you are responsible and yet dependent on God?

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A Major Block to Growth in Christ

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A Major Block to Growth in Christ

“It was all about me and I didn’t care about nothing else.” So said Alexander, as he shared about his journey with anger in a letter he wrote to me.

When he was seven years old, Alexander had already been kicked out of two schools because of his anger. He was involved with the law before his teen years. As an adult, he’s destroyed his family, lost his kids, and is now incarcerated. All because of anger.

The courts wanted him to take a class on Uprooting Anger but he didn’t think he needed it. In Alexander’s words, “I was in complete denial.”

But he wrote to say that he was glad he took the class because it showed him that he had a lot of anger built up. He was grateful to learn how to recognize the triggers of his anger and to know how to deal with them. He is seeing life from a new perspective, and he’s grateful.

Alexander’s story is dramatic and I’m grateful Uprooting Anger is making a difference. I pray that he will stick with it and somebody will encourage and help him in his journey.

But I’ve gotten similar responses from individuals studying the book in church groups.

Even when those around them had no doubts, they didn’t realize they had a problem with anger–all while anger was destroying their health and their families.

In fact, Uprooting Anger was written because leaders of churches kept begging us to take their out-of-control sons and rehabilitate them. As we talked with the parents, we discovered deep-rooted anger–and the parents were blind to it. Their anger led to their child’s rebellion, but they could only see the problems of their sons.

We are often blind to our short-comings.

Alexander understands the problem. The reason we have such blind spots is that, “It [is] all about me and I [don’t] care about nothing else.” We see life from our perspective and we don’t consider anybody else. More accurately, we don’t care about anything else. Our love for Self overshadows our concerns for others.

Self-centeredness—expecting the world to revolve around me—makes me blind to the fact that I’m angry. It also makes me blind to the damage I am causing others.

We all have blind spots. I was blind to my anger until I began the study to help others.

The problem with a blind spot is that if we don’t see a problem, we don’t deal with it. It’s like termites in the floor. As long as they stay hidden, they cause destruction. When you find them, you attack and get rid of them.

We need for the light to shine on our hidden things. If we want to grow to be more Christ-like, periodically, like David, we need to pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Ps. 139:23-24).

When the blinders came off Alexander’s eyes and he admitted his problem, and he gained hope and help for the first time. Now, his life is being transformed through the Word and the Spirit of God.

The Lord is our salvation and redeemer. He makes all things new—when submit them to Him.

First, we have to take our blinders off and admit that we have a problem.

**Learn more about the Bible Study Uprooting Anger

What problem have you failed to recognize and how were the blinders removed?

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The Potter Knows Best

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Potter Knows Best

One of my favorite analogies to help understand the nature of God is the one of the potter and the clay. He is the Master Creator.

I’m not a potter, nor am I super creative. However, I have made some Christmas gifts, cross stitch pictures, and quilts. With each, I enjoyed the creative process. The finished products are also a joy to me.

My pleasure in my creation gives me a small hint of the joy that God must have as He creates a complex being, made in His image, out of two tiny cells. I believe that the Master Creator receives far greater pleasure and joy from forming each of us than we do at the completion of a quilt, or even at the birth of our own child.

Because we were interested in learning from the potter analogy, Theresa Pope, from southern Kentucky agreed to teach Robert and me some basics about throwing a pot. We started with enough clay to make a mug.

We discovered that each step is much more difficult than it seems when master potter throws a pot. My biggest challenge was pulling the clay upward, to make a container out of the ball of clay.

Fortunately, if you mess up in pulling a pot, you have two options. You can collapse your creation and start over, or you can trim off the top—where it’s out of control—and end up with a smaller finished piece. Getting the clay centered on the wheel took a lot of strength and effort, so I chose to trim my clay rather than repeat that step.

Then I had to trim it again. Again. And still again . . . Nevertheless, I’m really pleased with my final product.

Only it’s not a mug. It’s a toothpick holder.

We keep it handy, on our kitchen table, and we use it more than anything else we made.

Even though it’s small, simple, and a sample of ineptness, my little toothpick holder has done more than make toothpicks handy for those who need them. It’s taught me things concerning the relationship between the Potter and the clay.

If you’ve made mistakes and wasted part of your life, it doesn’t mean that you are wasted and useless.
Plan B can still be good.
The Potter has a plan and a purpose for you.
Small doesn’t equal insignificant—whether in size, visibility, complexity, or . . .
The Potter doesn’t give up on you.
The Potter loves and cares for you—even if you feel like you’re Plan B—or C, or G.
As we are shaped and molded into God’s image, we are trimmed of the things of this world, things that hinder us from fulfilling the work that He prepared for us.
The Master Potter doesn’t make mistakes–like I did. Anything that we would term imperfections are the result of sin that destroyed the perfect on earth.

We don’t like being trimmed, but that may be the only way for us to find the peace, joy, and fulfillment that we seek in life.

I’m grateful for a Potter who loves us and knows what is best for us.

Question: What have you learned from the potter and the clay analogy?

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Does the Lord Take Joy in You?

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Does the Lord Take Joy in You?

It’s finally Spring! Daffodils herald the season. The grass is turning green and newly plowed fields dot the country side. Buds swell and burst with color as they uncurl and stretch forth into leaves and blossoms.

Robins abound, finches are turning bright yellow, and bird songs fill the air. Not to be outdone, thunderstorms are forecast for later this week. Spring has arrived in Kentucky.

Light, warmth, and color make Spring special, but the heart sings because of the hope and expectancy created by new life and growth.

I wonder if the Lord enjoys nature’s awakening. I think He must.

In the winter, life seems dormant and brown. It seems mundane, with little new, and seemingly no change day after day. When Spring finally arrives, each emerging sign of life is like a gift from God.

I also wonder what the Lord feels when we, His children, experience Spring in our lives.

Sometimes it seems we’re stuck in the doldrums of winter, dormant, with seemingly little change or growth. However, when our faces turn toward the Son, we soak up the warmth of God’s love. Our hearts awaken and we bloom, full of life as we seek His face. As a result, we become a living testimony of the mighty hand of God. Just like Spring.

What pleasure it must bring the Lord when we stir to His love! I can imagine His joy as He watches us soak up His warmth and life until our buds swell, and we burst forth in joy and song.

It’s a bit speculative to guess at what God feels, but we know He desires that we grow close to Him. I believe it grieves Him when we’re distant and brings Him great pleasure when we respond to His love and awaken, showing signs of new life. After all, Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so we could be one with Him. Surely it brings Him pleasure to see us moving toward that oneness that He died for.

Jesus said, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (Jo. 15:9-11).

Our Spring comes when we abide in His love—when we’re focused on Jesus and soak up His warmth. If that leads to His joy, as indicated by the verse, I’d say it brings Him pleasure.

Many people see God as a judge waiting to pounce on them when they do something wrong. While He is our judge, He prefers to relate to us through a foundation of love. He wants to bless us with Spring-like gifts. When we serve and obey in response to His love, He fills us with joy—His joy, in us.

It lifts my heart and gives me joy just to think about it—just like Spring does. I am so undeserving of such pure love, but He loves me anyway, with a love that never fails.

As the Lord’s gift of Spring fills our hearts with joy, may it also stir our love for the One who created Spring. And may we fill His heart with joy in return.

What awakens your heart to God’s love for you?

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A Fraudulent Foundation Leads to a Crumbling Relationship--But It Can Be Fixed

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:25:01 GMT

A Fraudulent Foundation Leads to a Crumbling Relationship–But It Can Be Fixed

Three months ago, a couple that I’ll call Carl and Twanna, pursued their dream retirement and moved nearby into a fairly new, beautiful two-story home on some acreage. They settled in, met their neighbors, and were learning about their surroundings.

Then, it happened. Their house began to settle. They can now skate across the kitchen floor without a running start.

Closer inspection revealed problems that hadn’t been reported or discovered. The beams supporting the house are rotting and giving way. Several things contributed to the problem, including a spring that runs under the house. In addition, there isn’t enough space between the ground and the beams to allow sufficient air movement. Consequently, the moisture is trapped and is absorbed by the beams.

The only way to fix the problem is to remove the floor, dig out an adequate crawl space, deal with the encroaching spring, and replace the beams.

Initial estimates for repair—not including much of the needed labor—were over $60,000. Then they discovered roof damage from the settling, leading to black mold in the attic. The estimate has doubled, with questions looming concerning future discoveries.

The house was built without county permits or inspections. It’s looks nice, but was fraudulently built, and is literally crumbling beneath them.

As I prayed for this couple and the decisions facing them, thoughts of their dilemma converged with thoughts of a troubled marriage. Their house is a good analogy for relational problems.

Many relationships, like Carl and Twanna’s house, are built on deception and a fraudulent foundation. They look pretty from the outside, but the sought-after dream is rotting away and threatens collapse because the foundation is faulty.

Like the house built on a spring which undermines its foundation, too often, marriages—and other relationships too—are built on destructive self-centeredness. A couple is drawn together with hopes of getting personal needs and dreams fulfilled. However, they invest more thought, energy, and care in fulfilling their dreams and in appearances than in quality. They plan for the wedding more than for the marriage.

Time isn’t taken to determine God’s desires, much less each other’s needs, interests, and goals. Instead, the focus is on having fun and getting what “I” desire.

After the knot is tied, expectations increase. Meanwhile, the effort invested to maintain the relationship decreases. As each takes, rather than giving for the benefit of the other, there isn’t space in the relationship—i.e. “under the house”—for the other to breathe, grow and develop.

Consequently, misunderstandings, resentments, and bitterness develop like rot that eats away at both individuals as well as the relationships. They work to maintain a good appearance while their foundation crumbles.

Salvaging the union requires pulling up the floor boards and working on foundational issues.

First, change your foundation. Try to please the Lord Jesus Christ with your life instead yourself. Seek and follow the Lord. Love, honor, and obey Him—in your own life and in your relationship.

Second, get rid of the rotten beams. Repent and put away expectations, resentments, and bitterness. Replace them with beams of love, service, and respect.

Third, trust the Lord to guide you, to meet your own needs, and to build a strong foundation to build on in the future.

Like the house, it won’t be a quick fix, and it may seem expensive. However, in a relationship—especially a marriage—the return is worth the investment. And the sooner it’s done, the better. The longer you wait, the greater the damage, and the more difficult to repair.

Just remember, as you seek to get your house in order, the Lord will be with you each step of the way. This is the kind of project that He enjoys. He’s in the business of redeeming.

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Welcome! Jesus' Triumphant Welcome Became the Ultimate Sacrifice

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:36:04 GMT

Welcome! Jesus’ Triumphant Welcome Became the Ultimate Sacrifice

I welcomed some visitors to our Sunday worship service and their response was, “Thank you for receiving us.” Their words stuck with me during worship because they seemed so genuinely grateful to be warmly received.

It was time for the service to start, so there wasn’t time to visit, but from the brief minute we had, I’d guess that they are unchurched, maybe unbelievers. Their apparent gratefulness left me wondering what kind of impression they have of the church. What does it take for someone from outside—someone from another culture—to be welcomed and received as one of us?

Immediately after our short greeting, our Palm Sunday worship service began. We read Matthew 20:17, where Jesus warned his disciples that He would soon be mocked, scourged, and crucified.

Shortly after He spoke those words, Jesus was joyously welcomed into Jerusalem as the soon-to-be king. I thought of the couple sitting a few rows behind me and how they were blessed to feel welcomed in the church. It wasn’t the royal reception Jesus received, but they apparently felt embraced by the congregation.

What did Jesus feel as He entered Jerusalem? He knew that within the week, He would no longer be welcome. Even as He rode on the donkey with palm branches waving, He knew the crowds would soon cry, “Crucify Him!” and that He would hang on a cross.

And yet, in spite of likely misgivings, He kept moving. Jesus chose to embrace the misunderstanding, humiliation, and cruel suffering.

He did it for us. He didn’t just welcome us into His kingdom. He prepared the way—so we would no longer be outsiders. We can belong.

Because Jesus Christ chose the cross, we can be one with Him.

That is radical love. This week, we celebrate the week that Jesus moved from a triumphant welcome to ultimate rejection and personal sacrifice—so we might be welcomed into the kingdom of God.

We are called to do the same. We are to take up our cross and follow Him.

He has given us the kingdom (Luke 12:32). Are we holding onto it for ourselves, or do are we willing to lay our lives down so that others can know our Savior and experience eternal salvation?

“By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (2 Jo. 3:16).

I think I love the Lord, love my brothers, and want God’s kingdom to grow. But when I contemplate what Jesus did to welcome me, I realize how much I live my life just for me. I’m not sure I know what love is, or what it means to take up my cross.

Am I living for me, or am I willing to take up my cross and follow Jesus?

Unbelievers that I meet may never know that He prepared the way for them if I’m not willing to lay my life down to demonstrate it. They need to know that they are welcome. It’s my choice.

Question: As I get caught up in the busyness of daily life, I slide into a self-centered existence. What do you do to help maintain a Christ-centered, other-centered life that motivates you to daily take up your cross and follow?

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God Cares for You

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

God Cares for You

Have you ever had hard time trusting God? You know God’s bigger than the Thing before you. You know He’s been faithful in the past. You know your problem is that your faith isn’t big enough—not that God isn’t big enough.

But, you still have a hard time fully releasing the problem into God’s hands.

Such was the beginning of my week. The possibility of misunderstandings, wounded friends, and missing God’s blessing smothered my attempts to trust the Lord. In spite of my efforts to place it all in the Lord’s hands, sleep eluded me the night before the big meeting. Once again I yielded it all to God, but still lacked the peace I sought.

Then God showed up. I can’t share the detail, but I watched in awe as the Lord took care of one concern after another. A dozen or so fears, which were all tangled together, were addressed one after another. And God did it all—without me needing to champion any of them.

Everything isn’t fully resolved yet, but my faith in a living, caring God certainly has been renewed. Rather than being anxious, I’m now watching with hopeful expectation to see what happens next.

This week has deepened my understanding of God in some foundational areas.

God is with us. When we don’t experience His presence, we need to check our focus, rather than check His faithfulness. He never leaves us. He’s waiting for us to yield to Him so He can act on our behalf.
We’re told to not be anxious but to give our requests to God, and that God works all things together for good. Anxiety shows a lack of faith, but my heightened worry led to diligent prayer, which led to increased faith. He worked it for good in my life by driving me to my knees. Consequently, I watched as He did so in the bigger picture as well.
Fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much (Jas. 5:16). A sleepless night doesn’t represent my picture of a “righteous man.” And then again, in my anxious hours, I may have been as righteous as I’ve ever been. I was keenly aware of my depravity and of my total dependence on the sovereignty and goodness of God. In my need—because of my need—I certainly prayed with greater fervor.
The Lord delights in us—and in showing Himself strong to deliver us. He waits for us to trust Him and give our cares to Him. He said, “Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him” (Ps. 22:8). Yielding to Him precedes His delivery, rescue, and delight.

This week, because of what seemed to me to be a crisis, I’ve felt the Lord’s delight in me. In response, I’ve delighted in Him. And, I want to camp in this place of intimacy.

I don’t want to lose it, but I know life and distractions happen. However, I hope I can live a life that is more committed, more trusting, more yielded, because God never changes, and He cares for me.

How has the Lord met you when you struggled, but finally committed your way to Him?

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Stop Judging and End the Conflict

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Stop Judging and End the Conflict

Jesus said that if we judge, we will be judged. Furthermore, the degree we judge will set the standard for how much we are judged. That should be consequence enough to keep us all from acting as judge in someone else’s life.

In addition, God is judge. When we judge someone else, we put ourselves over them as if we are their god. As we position ourselves between them and God, it makes it more difficult for them to hear from the Lord. They focus on the one they feel judgment from instead of on God. If the consequence of being judged by a peer is not enough, this should certainly keep us from judging those around us.

But even together, they are not enough. As believers, we keep judging one another.

Recently, I’ve struggled with judging and I keep hearing Christians being judgmental. The Lord’s spotlight is focused on this one area and it seems like we’re in an epidemic.

But it seems that we often aren’t aware of when we have a problem with judgment. They keep having conflict in relationships that were once peaceful and affirming. They live in constant turmoil and can’t figure out why.

I once lived in tumult for several years because I was blind to my judging. When I identified the problem in me, the discord melted away. I want to share from my experience to help others.

But since nobody is asking, I’m reluctant to jump in as judge of their problems and say, “Your problem is that you’re judging the other person—and in the same measure they’re judging you back. You have an evil-for-evil relationship, and it will continue until you quit judging and let God handle them.”

I’m fighting to not judge those whom I feel are being judgmental, but I did learn a few things from that experience. For one, I learned to recognize when I’m judging someone. If you are in ongoing conflict, the following checklist might help.

Do you have negative, critical thoughts about the way the other person is doing something?
Do you have thoughts of what they “should” and “ought” to do, or not do?
Are you afraid of the consequences of their actions and how it will affect you or those you love?
Do you think of verses that they need to read, so they’ll be convicted, and God will fix them?
Do you talk about your frustrations about them to a close friend(s)?
Do you have imaginary talks where you tell them what they need to hear?
Do you find yourself talking forcefully (or yelling) to them to make them understand your side?
Do you dread being around them and try to avoid them because you feel judged or because you hate the tension of wanting to “fix” them but needing to keep quiet?

Jesus said, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log … in your own eye?” (Mt. 7:3) For some reason, we don’t see the log in our own eye. My hope is that this list will help you see your log so you can deal with it, leading to conflict resolution.

Question: How do you avoid judgment when you feel someone is wrong?

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