In writing I have tried to be genuine, humble, and open to listening and learning from God. I also try to put the advice into practice by God’s grace and power. As a reader I hope you approach these notes the same way. I pray they bless you and inspire you to become all God has designed for you to be and to do for his glory. He believes in you and wants the best for you. So do I. The most valuable gift I can give is to build you and others up and to help you draw near to God through Jesus. In time I hope God becomes your closest friend, your brightest future, and your deepest love.
Your friend and teacher,
Greenelsh
161 Face Opposition Realistically
The 2021 Summer Olympic Games taking place in Tokyo, Japan concludes today. I've enjoyed watching a number of athletes compete in several sports. Whether they earn a medal or not, nearly all of them have overcome difficulty, opposition, pain, loss, and injury to...
160 Abandon Misplaced Hope
People misplace their hope regularly. They look to themselves, friends, family, government, military, society, wealth, education, health, or technology to answer their needs. They reason that if only I met my soulmate, if only I had a better paying job, if only I...
159 Live in the Present
The last couple of weeks, in my spare time, I have been reviewing old photographs and videos from my family's history. The bittersweet process has brought back fond memories, amused me, and made me wish I could relive seasons of time. I'm grateful for dear...
158 Give To Help Others and Yourself
At the high school where I teach all students are required to serve in the community for at least 20 hours in order to graduate. Some of my students view this requirement as an obligation. I try to inspire them to see that it is actually an opportunity. We are all...
157 Discover God Is Enough
Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, faced a fundamental crisis which every person still faces today. In the garden of Eden they had to decide is God enough or can I be better off and more fulfilled apart from him (Genesis 3). Tragically they made the wrong choice....
156 Tend to the Truth
Last week a 40-year old condominium near Miami, Florida collapsed tragically leaving 11 people dead and over 100 people unaccounted for. It is the third worse building collapse in the history of the United States following the Oklahoma City bombing and the Twin Towers...
155 Embrace Abba Father
People all over the world celebrate Father's Day. In the United States, today is the day we honor fathers and father figures. For many people this is a special day to appreciate dads and the love and formative influence they have had in our lives. For others the day...
154 Determine Your Destiny
Yesterday I received a dreaded phone call. One of my students was in a car accident and is in a coma. We don't know what his outcome will be yet. My heart goes out to to him and his family and I've been praying for them and the medical team. Life is precious, yet...
153 Devote
My school year ended this week. As I sat with my high school students at the graduation ceremony, I thought about each of them and the special moments we shared throughout a difficult year due to the pandemic. I smiled as they walked on stage, proudly received their...
152 Forgive Yourself
Last week in my Digital Art class I talked about the importance of mistakes and failures in the creative process. In fact, in order to truly create you should fail. It's part of innovating, pushing the boundaries, and exploring the unknown. After you resolve your...