"Imagine the potential if we could create safe spaces in which people could be . . .?"

A thought by David Roberts from his book, Healing Conversation (p. 59). Moran James Publishing. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)

That is a very good image to think about.

David says, "Imagine the potential if we could create safe spaces in which people could be vulnerable, heal from past wounds and learn to engage in meaningful conversation? What if, with our words and patience, we could open closed hearts, build trust, and help people feel liberation and joy at the prospect of talking honestly about their fears, thoughts, beliefs, hopes, and dreams? We could talk each other out of brokenness and isolation and into connection and wholeness. We could talk ourselves into some places in life that have yet to be built. We could talk ourselves into a renewed marriage, or a real understanding of our children. We could talk ourselves into politics that unite instead of divide. We could talk ourselves into a society that is fair and nurturing. We could talk ourselves into almost anything.

He goes on, "We could talk ourselves out of some things, too. We could talk ourselves out of anxiety or loneliness or depression. I am not saying we could use words to convince ourselves we are not anxious or lonely or depressed. I am saying we could use our words to build a bridge that allows us to move into connection with others and away from our lonely anxiety. We could use our words to bring light and hope to the inner parts of souls that are trapped in depression."

He then says, "When I really stop to consider the concept, I am moved by the thought that words really are those powerful building blocks that are the basis of all human interaction. We ought to respect and honor these little arrangements of letters for the mystical powers they possess. We ought to learn to use them wisely."

And that would be so great, wouldn't it? Yes, yes!

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“There’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.”

A thought by Bob Goff from his book, Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People ( p. 41). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Have you ever built a sand castle or maybe a Lego castle? Have you? Bob says, “We actually build castles all the time, out of our jobs and our families and the things we’ve purchased. Sometimes we even make them out of each other. Some of these castles are impressive too. Lots of people come to admire what we’ve built over the course of our lives and tell us what great castles we have. But Jesus told His friends we weren’t supposed to spend our lives building castles. He said He wanted us to build a kingdom, and there’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.” Bob goes on, “You see, castles have moats to keep creepy people out, but kingdoms have bridges to let everyone in. Castles have dungeons for people who ha...

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“Sometimes we think we’re stuck simply because things are hard.”

A thought by Matt Perman, from his book, How to Get Unstuck (p. 52). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the That is a possible trap for many, isn’t it? Matt says, “But if you’re continuing to make progress and aren’t experiencing huge snags, you’re not stuck. Rather, you’re in a dip. “A dip is a temporary hard slog that you will get through if you keep pushing and don’t give up. And pushing through the hard slog is actually the fastest route to the destination. In these cases, you will be especially tempted to bail. Be discerning and able to identify that you’re in a legitimate dip and you’re not a failure.” Matt says another trap to be careful of, “Some people are stuck and don’t know it.” He goes on, “Everything can be going your way, going smoothly, and going quickly. Everything feels and seems wonderful. Yet... you are still headed toward a dead end, a form of getting stuck, if you are leaving God out of t...

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