It’s never smart to offend someone who has discretionary authority over your life. Such as the ticket agent I watched as she juggled an overbooked flight. She was waiting for two couples who had confirmed seats but had not yet appeared at the gate. I was on standby...
Three months before graduating from law school, I decided I did not want to be a lawyer. Two years of interning for a plaintiff’s attorney had shown me that the adversarial system brought out my worst characteristics: pride, aggressiveness and a compulsive desire to...
Indulging in bitterness is one of the most stupid things we ever do. How stupid is it? Well, think about it this way. Imagine that someone stabbed you in the arm with a knife, leaving it there. After he flees, you stare in horror at the knife, then in agony take the...
Rich, a dear friend of mine, had a horrible conflict with his neighbor, Cynthia. A property line dispute that began with debates in the back yard had evolved into heated arguments. Eventually Cynthia filed a lawsuit. As an attorney and trained conciliator, Rich felt...
Have you ever been in a meeting that was about to explode? You could feel the tension building with each person’s comments and knew it was just a matter of time before the dynamite went off. It might have been a conversation with your spouse or teenager. Maybe it was...
When my wife was an elementary school counselor, students were often sent to her office because of conflict. As they told her their stories, many children would go to great lengths to paint themselves as victims and others as being to blame for the problem. Corlette...
It's not often that pastoral counseling sets the stage for a kidnapping, a $200 million lawsuit and crying attorneys. But that is exactly what happened when Cindy and Clark went to their pastor for marriage counseling (names changed but story used by permission)....
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. If you’re tired of doing the same “card and gift” routine, allow me to suggest something that will blow your mother (or your wife) away ... something she will remember with glad tears for the rest of her life. Since she devoted much of her...
A friend of mine recently learned that his wife is having an affair and is planning to file for divorce. After Mark got over the initial shock, he sought my advice and prayers on how to respond to Lisa (not their real names). He is now fighting for his marriage with...
Most Christians would love to share the gospel with their friends and coworkers. But many of them don’t know how to begin this kind of conversation. Others are afraid they will be viewed as religious zealots. RW360’s new Transformed pamphlet is designed to help...
In James 3:18, God makes a marvelous promise: “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” This “sow to reap” metaphor reminds us that the more diligently we teach and nurture God’s relational principles, especially the gospel itself, the more we...
Would you like to move beyond superficial conversation during your Christmas gathering this year? Would you like to connect deeply with your family and friends and hear them share stories about the most meaningful people and events of their lives? If so, give each of...
As much as Corlette and I rejoice to see people reconciled to one another through peace-making, we rejoice far more to see them reconciled to God through the gospel of Christ. This is why our ministry is dedicated to developing resources that make it easier for...
C.S. Lewis and I have something in common: there was a time when each of us became an embarrassment to our friends. Lewis endured this uncomfortable experience after his wife, Joy, died. Here is what he wrote in A Grief Observed: “An odd by-product of my loss is that...
My mother passed away fifteen years ago on Christmas Eve. She was totally at peace and eager to see her Savior face-to-face. Not so my father. He was terrified as death approached. He had served as a prosecutor and trial judge for 30 years, declaring people guilty and...