Every day, we subject ourselves to pain, inconvenience and discomfort. Some sacrifice sleep to study throughout the night while others push their bodies to unimaginable limits through physical training. Then, there are those who endure painful medical procedures to guarantee an improved quality of life. Still others work jobs they don't like to ensure their families are taken care of. For a myriad of reasons, we all endure inconvenience to have the things we desire. Some endu

We've all heard the old adage, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" One thing is for sure - life happens! This blessed life God has given us is full of ups and downs. While those down times may be difficult, they are often the occasions that make us grateful for the many wonderful moments we enjoy. It's death, or the threat thereof, that makes us thankful for life. Sickness causes us to appreciate health. Remembering moments of poverty cause us to celebrate wealth. Wh

One of the most important things any individual can do is take full responsibility for one's own protection and safety. As Americans, we live in a very passive society. We are blessed with so many benefits that it's easy to push personal responsibility onto others. We depend on fire departments, police officers, security guards and even doctors for our own care and protection. Instead, we must train ourselves to take responsibilty for ourselves. While these blessings do exist

Years ago, Lay's potato chips coined a phrase that many would come to recognize and never forget - "Betcha can't eat just one!" The advertising slogan referenced the addictive nature of potato chips and the unlikelihood that anyone would be satisfied with just one. The implication, of course, was that the taste of these chips would keep anyone from putting them down. They were so good that the consumer should just plan on indulgence. This advertising slogan, while self-comple

As a pastor, I'm often asked why I chose to open a business based on fear. After all, I'm also a preacher of the Gospel. How do I reconcile faith and fear? The facts are quite the opposite. I believe that everyone should live free of fear, guided by faith and embracing every joy life offers. That's freedom! I also believe that TRUTH guides us to this freedom (John 8:32). Here's the truth in these United States of America: - A murder takes place every 35.6 minutes - Forcible r

There I was. I'd finally made the decision. I wanted to learn to shoot a handgun. My husband stood beside me in the local range as the instructor discussed range safety rules and described sight picture and alignment. After fifteen minutes of hearing about these sites, I finally realized he was describing the little white circles on the gun. I never even knew handguns had an aiming mechanism. I thought, until that point, that those who were actually able to hit the target had