Our Stories Unleashed

The Closeness of Family

A friend told me the other day that her daughter, who recently graduated from SMU, plans to stay in Dallas instead of moving back to Fort Worth. The distance between Fort Worth and Dallas seemed relatively small to me but clearly not to her. As I listened to her talk, I heard two things. First, it sounded like most or all her extended family lives in Fort Worth. Keeping that in mind, Dallas probably does seem far by comparison. My family experience, for several generations, has been one of...

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What Do Your Prayers Sound Like?

What do your prayers sound like?  That’s a weird question, but think for a minute about the conversations we have with other people. Sometimes we talk a lot. Other times we don’t get a chance to say much because other people do most of the talking. Sometimes we speak quietly and calmly. Other times we get excited or emotional and talk more quickly. Sometimes we fill our conversations with celebration. Other times with complaints or remorse. Sometimes we narrate or report...

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God Looks at Our Hearts

I am not a good runner. I never have been a good runner. I’m pretty confident I never will be a good runner. I’ve run on and off for my entire adult life, but I’ve never been fast or competitive or gazelle-like in any way. Yet I continue to run regularly for the discipline, for the conditioning, for the health benefits… and, if I’m honest, because it makes me a happier and nicer person. (You’re welcome.) All those things are benefits I gain simply by...

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