Christian Living

In Search of Character

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:03+00:00

by Whaid Rose Character Formation To set the stage for this article, it is necessary to reveal something of my dark past: I once got into trouble in high school! It was an incident involving my entire homeroom class. The teacher didn’t show up, and we kids seized the opportunity to goof off. Apparently, it was noisy enough to get the principal’s attention. This was back in the ‘70s in Jamaica where punishment was still being administered corporally in public schools, so his arrival at our homeroom naturally prompted fear. But his reaction caught the class off guard. He quietly walked [...]

In Search of Characterlisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:03+00:00

What is the Definition of Character?

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:04+00:00

by Whaid Rose Let’s explore a concise definition of character, and talk about why this is foundational to all true leadership. “We teach what we know, but we reproduce who we are.” This sobering John Maxwell quote forces me to reflect on what I am deep down on the inside. That’s the real me regardless of my public persona. There’s a word for what a person is deep down on the inside: character. We use this word in various ways. For example, we say someone has no character, suggesting that they’re not nice or that they have no moral underpinnings. In [...]

What is the Definition of Character?lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:04+00:00

3 Keys to Overcoming the Burnout of Serving Others

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:32:50+00:00

by Paul Pedersen The burnout grew slowly. It was a general feeling of frustration with my work. As I would drive to work in the darkness of the early morning, I struggled to see the importance of what I was doing. I wanted to quit. For several years, I have worked full-time at a homeless shelter. This kind of service work can be very rewarding. Every day that I would go to work, I knew that I could make an impact in someone’s life. Yet, service work is notorious for its high rate of burnout. I have worked with people who [...]

3 Keys to Overcoming the Burnout of Serving Otherslisaauthor2026-08-24T20:32:50+00:00

Resolved! Making New Year Resolutions

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:18+00:00

by Whaid Rose Looking for a different and more effective approach to making New Year resolutions? You’ve come to the right place. Making New Year resolutions isn’t nearly as difficult as keeping them. Most of our “resolves” typically fall by the wayside just days into the New Year! As one wag observed, “Resolutions go in one year and come out the next.” This year the challenge of making resolutions is made greater by the ongoing impact of the global pandemic. It turned 2020 into a truly “unprecedented year,” wiped our calendars clean, and made the future more uncertain and life less [...]

Resolved! Making New Year Resolutionslisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:18+00:00

Like a Rock: A Classic Example in Character Formation

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:33:02+00:00

by Whaid Rose Jesus had twelve disciples, but among them, was an inner circle of three made up of Peter, James, and John. They’re rightly regarded as such because of their unique role in Jesus’ ministry. They walked closest to Him, were given front row seats on important occasions, and exuded a unique passion for advancing the agenda of the kingdom, so much so that they were nicknamed “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:16). But among them, Peter stood out even more. The first disciple Jesus called, along with his brother Andrew, first seen casting their net by the Sea of Galilee [...]

Like a Rock: A Classic Example in Character Formationlisaauthor2026-08-24T20:33:02+00:00

Why Character Trumps Competence

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:18+00:00

by Whaid Rose “Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you have to be without one, be without strategy.” –General Norman Schwarzkopf Is it prudent to choose leaders based on their ability to get things done, despite glaring character flaws? This has become a topic of national conversation, especially in recent years as the proverbial emperor without clothes plays out in real life on television. Crisis and Compromise This debate comes amid growing concerns about the sharp decline of moral character in American culture. Yet, when it comes to choosing political leaders, many of those concerned, evangelical [...]

Why Character Trumps Competencelisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:18+00:00

Run Your Race

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:19+00:00

by Mike Wallace He had fallen down and injured his knee and ankle; blood was oozing from the wounds. At about 7 P.M. John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania slowly entered the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City more than an hour behind the first-place Olympic finisher. Hobbling along, limping and grimacing with pain, he moved forward to the finish line of the Olympic Marathon. He was by far the very last runner to complete the marathon that day. Hurting, in pain with blood and dirt caking onto his wounds, the reporters asked him why he had continued the race after falling down [...]

Run Your Racelisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:19+00:00

Living Jesus

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:19+00:00

by Loren Gjesdal What do you think of when you read the word “incarnation”? A baby in a manger? Jesus walking the dusty roads of Israel? How about when you read the word “resurrection”? An empty tomb? Jesus rising into the sky on a cloud? Not to be blasphemous, but why don’t you picture you, today, at home, school, or work? One of the mind-boggling truths of the Christian faith is that followers of Jesus are to be the incarnation of Jesus, the Living Jesus in the world today! Incarnation literally means “in the flesh,” and resurrection means “rising from the [...]

Living Jesuslisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:19+00:00

How to Avoid Small Talk (And Why You Should)

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:33:30+00:00

by Caitlin Meadows Does anyone really like small talk? “Hi! How are you?” “I’m well, thanks! How are you?” “I’m good!” And with that, social etiquette deems both individuals free to part ways. We make small talk countless times throughout each week. On auto-pilot we ask about the other person’s well being. No second thought must be given to their answer. We generally don’t wonder if “I’m well” or “I’m good” statements are true. Trained to be polite, we hardly even listen to the response. As an ambivert who leans more toward introversion, I often handle small talk as something to get [...]

How to Avoid Small Talk (And Why You Should)lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:33:30+00:00

Choosing Obedience: An Interview with Andrea Slawson

lisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:20+00:00

“When obedience is in the ascendant, He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist you with all His Almighty power.” – Oswald Chamber [ref]https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/280847-when-obedience-is-in-the-ascendant-he-will-tax-the[/ref] For alumna Andrea Slawson, this quote hits home. Having earned a Certificate in Biblical Studies and an Associate in Christian Leadership through Artios Christian College, Andrea has taken a total of 23 classes through the school. Like me, you may be surprised to learn that before Artios she didn’t consider herself an eager student. In her own words, as a high school and college student she was “average at best.” So [...]

Choosing Obedience: An Interview with Andrea Slawsonlisaauthor2026-08-24T20:34:20+00:00

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