I’m regularly amazed by the addition of holidays to the calendar which I never knew existed. I’m not just talking about silly ones like National Spaghetti Day (January 4) or National Sock Day (December 4). I’m talking about actual, official holidays that show up on the printed calendar I hang in my kitchen. For instance, I just found out that September 12 is the National Day of Encouragement. It was started by The Encouragement Foundation at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas in 2007. And it was eventually made official by President George W. Bush. It’s no coincidence that a day of encouragement should follow a day that we all associate with tragedy and loss. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, we all needed to be inspired and reassured, but September 12 isn’t the only date on the calendar when we should devote time to this practice. In fact, we’re reminded all through Scripture to be encouragers. The prime example for this attribute was a man named Barnabas. Acts 4:36 says that his name was actually Joseph, but the apostles called him Barnabas, because it means “son of encouragement.” What a fantastic nickname! If you continue reading in Acts, you see Barnabas’ name pop up several more times. We see that he encouraged the church in Jerusalem by giving away the money he made after he sold a field he had owned. Scripture says he “brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” Later we see Barnabas step up and vouch for his friend Paul, the Christ-hater turned Christ-proclaimer. The other believers were understandably wary of Paul, but Barnabas told the apostles all about how Saul (renamed Paul) had seen Jesus on his journey to Damascus, and then Paul had started proclaiming the name of Jesus wherever he went. Because of Barnabas’ words, Paul was accepted and could freely preach in Jerusalem. Next, we see thoughtful Barnabas arriving in Antioch. Once he got there, he saw what God had done in this church, and he encouraged them to keep up the good work. Acts 11:24 says, “He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.” One of my favorite stories about this “son of encouragement” comes in Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas, the super missionary team, felt called to go back and check up on the churches where they had previously visited. Barnabas wanted to bring Mark with along them, but Paul was against the idea. You see, Mark had bailed on the team on a previous missionary journey when they had hit some treacherous mountains in Turkey. But Barnabas was willing to give young Mark another chance. They ended up going their separate ways with Barnabas and Mark heading one direction, and Paul and Silas a different one. In spite of this disagreement, God blessed the efforts of both teams. And Paul didn’t hold a grudge against either man. He wrote lovingly about both of them in his later letters, and Mark went on to write one of our four Gospels. Throughout his life, Barnabas was a model for a type of encouragement which goes beyond empty words of praise. He was generous and a faithful, forgiving friend. He may have mostly acted behind the scenes, but he let God use him in important ways. So from me and Barnabas, Happy National Day of Encouragement!

I’ve been making my way through the Old Testament, and I’ve noticed a phrase which pops up frequently when God is referring to His chosen people, the Israelites. When He gets especially exasperated with them, God calls them a “stiff-necked people.” For example, in Jeremiah 17, God says, “They were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline.” In Proverbs 29, we read that “whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.” There seems to be a connection to the stiffness of their necks and their overall level of obedience. As a lover of words, I started thinking about this phrase: stiff-necked. It reminds me of those times when I sleep funny and wake up with a crick in my neck. If I have to drive my car with such a sore neck, turning to check my blind spot involves my entire upper body—shoulders, neck, and head moving in one awkward motion. Unless you’re Frankenstein’s monster, it’s not the way our necks are designed to move. The idea of being stiff-necked also makes me think of a child working himself up for the incoming storm of a full-blown tantrum. Eyes squinting, jaw clenching, the muscles on his neck bulging in stubborn rebellion. He is unyielding to whatever the parent suggests or demands. (If it’s a toddler, it’s probably something reallyimportant like putting shoes on the correct feet or having to drink from the blue cup because the red cup is in the dishwasher. Monumental issues such as these.) This kind of stubborn mentality is why God said to Israel, “For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead was bronze.” (Isaiah 48) Looking at all of the instances where stiff-necked is mentioned in the Bible, I can say for sure that’s not a trait I’m striving for, and it’s definitely not listed in the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, stiff-necked…). So how do I do the opposite and live a humble life? Well, the Scriptures are full of instructions for practicing humility. Our best example comes from Christ himself: “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2) Christ’s example teaches me about obedience, thankfulness, and sacrifice. From His life, I learn about love, compassion, and forgiveness. I read stories about Jesus being a good listener and putting other people’s needs before His own. And if you want to be really literal with the analogy, I think the opposite of a stiff neck is a neck that is flexible enough to bow the head that sits on top of it. Maybe that neck even bends aaaallll the way until the forehead touches the floor. Once in that position of humility, my heart—with all its biases and flaws and distractions and baggage—can pray to a God who I am willing to admit controls the universe and then admire the way He runs it, because His ways are so much better than mine.

This may be indicative of my particular personality type, but sometimes I think the expectation of a vacation or other anticipated event is actually better than the event itself. Once a vacation is over, I find myself scanning the calendar and wondering what to plan for next. We keep a pretty packed schedule, so this also may be the byproduct of my busy lifestyle—living from one big thing to the next big thing, with regular life happening in between. I hope that my living in this way isn’t because of my own tendencies toward discontentment. Scriptures like Hebrews 13 give us great advice about finding satisfaction in our current circumstances: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you;never will I forsake you.’” Convicting, for sure! My position in God’s family and His nearness to me is meant to determine my overall outlook on life. I also don’t want to be the type of person who complains because few experiences meet my expectations. If that’s not a recipe for bitterness then I don’t know what is! I wouldn’t want to turn into a Debbie Downer who can reliably see doom and gloom around every corner. Someone who can take a sunny day and see only gray clouds. In spite of trying to live a content and joyful life, I’m still called to keep my eyes peeled for something amazing just around the bend. The Message puts it this way in Philippians 3:20-21: “But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.” So that’s where I find myself—hoping for something better while remaining content with what life is like here on earth right now. My eyes are pointed toward the heavens, searching for my saved seat in Eternity, but I’m still supposed to work hard to uncover joy in times of division, disappointment, and distrust with the humans I (get to) exist alongside. Looking forward to the Forever Future while loving others in the Tedious Today can be a difficult item to check off my to-do list, so I’m going to have to wake up every day committed to the task. I’m going to have to address the contents of my spiritual wardrobe as I attempt the advice given in Colossians 3. “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” An overcoat of love and forgiveness paired with designer sunglasses focused on greater things to come. That sounds like the perfect outfit to get me through another day on this side of Eternity.

One of the best inventions of the last thirty years has got to be text messaging. Ever since somebody texted “Merry Christmas” to somebody else in 1992 (Look it up…it’s a real thing), we’ve been sending each other L.O.L.’s and heart-eye emojis and grocery lists more and more each year. But with all great inventions, there are drawbacks. For instance, most of us have experienced those times when autocorrect makes us say something we would NEVER say to another person, whether to their faces or on a screen. Our words are changed just enough to render the communication somewhere ranging between the ridiculous to outright scandalous. And there are those times when we receive a text that we just can’t decipher. Sure, the text is made up of actual words that construct a sentence, but there’s an unknown meaning behind the words. Did she mean to make it all-caps or is she yelling at me? Why did he end that text with a period? Does that mean he’s irritated? And what do I do with a text that just says: okay… It’s a short reply, complete with the cliff-hanger of all punctuation, the ellipsis, but how do I interpret its underlying implications? It has the smell of annoyed sarcasm to me, but I could be wrong. As much as I appreciate the convenience of texting, there’s really no replacing face-to-face conversations for getting to the bottom of the real and actual truth. Facial expressions, heavy pauses, and our tone of voice all reveal how we actually feel. But what about those times when I can’t have in-person talks? With kids away for college and busy with their hectic schedules, a text is a welcome gift for a mama who might be a 6-hour drive away. So when my phone vibrates with the news that one of my beloved children has sent me a text, I can read even the vaguest statements with an extra ounce of understanding. The reason for this insight into these short missives is because I know their hearts. Because I’m so in tune with their motivations and their insecurities and their life experiences, I can feel sure of what they’re trying to say if it happens to be a bit unclear. What if we could do that with every person we meet? Just like in the story from 1 Samuel 16, when God tells Samuel, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God has the unique ability to look past what I’m intentionally or unintentionally revealing about myself on the outside to peer deep inside my heart to see what makes me ME. That realization is both freeing and frightening, a breath of fresh air and a reason to blush. But that is Who God is. In Romans 5, we learn the almost unimaginable truth about God’s love: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He knows us better than we know ourselves, but He loves us anyway.

Have you ever watched a cartoonist draw the character for which he’s famous? Take Charles Schulz, for instance. If you watch a video of him drawing Snoopy or Charlie Brown or Lucy, his lines are precise and confident. Each stroke is meant to be there, a perfect part of the character’s design. And how do we know they’re perfect? It’s because Charles Schulz created those characters. Sure, we can copy his drawings, but he drew them first, so he knew them inside and out. His connection to them was different than that of any fan or imitator. The same idea is true for our relationship with our Creator. God knew exactly what He was doing when He made you. I remember reading a poster pinned on the wall outside the principal’s office of my high school: “I know I’m somebody ‘cuz God don’t make no junk.” Apart from the bad grammar, this is profoundly true. God isn’t in the business of making junk or mistakes. He made us, expertly knitting us in our mothers’ wombs, then He’s continued to watch over us. He wants us to become more like His Son, which can be hard work as we approach obstacles and struggles, but He loves us enough to equip us for those tough times with His Word and His Church. Isaiah 43 is chock-full of God’s mercies and provisions for us. The whole chapter is such a blessing, but here are the first two verses just to give you a taste: “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.’” Just in case you missed it, let’s review what the Lord did for the Israelites back then and what He continues to do for us—He created and formed us, redeemed and summoned us. He’ll be with us when we feel threatened and overwhelmed. Our Creator, the One and Only True God, knows us that intimately. Every stroke of the pen by which we’re drawn is a tiny sample of the miracle that we are. I love the old Peanuts comic strip with Snoopy waking up in the middle of the night, scared and alone. He kicks on Charlie Brown’s front door until the boy opens it. Then Charlie hugs his dog tightly, and he tells Snoopy, “Are you upset little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don't worry...I'm here. I’m here to give you reassurance everything is all right. The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you.” Charles M. Schulz You are known. You are seen. You are loved.

Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum When I was growing up, we watched a lot of sitcoms with a live audience, since it was a popular format for television in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. Of course, the live TV audience dates even earlier to shows like I Love Lucy. Back then, many of the actors and writers came from a background of radio plays and stage productions, so having people around to react just seemed natural. At the end of the episodes I grew up watching, you would hear someone—usually one of the show’s actors—say something like, “Cheers is filmed before a live studio audience.” Then you knew the laughing was real. But it wasn’t just the laughing. It was also the sounds of anticipation from the audience. I thought about this phenomenon as I watched The Dick Van Dyke Show with my daughter a few weeks ago. The audience was privy to information that one of the characters didn’t know yet but was about to find out. Even though you couldn’t see the faces of the people sitting on the other side of the cameras, you knew exactly what they were thinking. The husband was about to see his wife trying to hide the inflated raft, and everyone knew it was going to be hilarious. When the reactions from the audience are real, it just feels different. Ray Romano of Everybody Loves Raymond said, “The only thing I miss from the sitcom format is that immediate gratification…of the live audience.” It’s a feeling of everybody experiencing something together—community, camaraderie, coordination of shared emotions. Reading Hebrews 11-12, you see the power of sharing something with others, even when the “others” are people who’ve been gone a very long time. Hebrews 11 lists the “Faith Hall of Fame” with names like Noah, Abraham, and Moses. You see people who chose to trust in God while standing next to tall walls and deep seas, knees trembling before what seemed insurmountable or uncrossable. You see people who “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength…” People who were tortured, imprisoned, and stoned for their love of God, and “the world was not worthy of them.” Then we come to Hebrews 12 and the assurance that “we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses.” Though the saints who’ve gone before us may have died and aren’t necessarily watching us from some cloud in the sky, we still can rest in the knowledge that their testimonies encircle us in a powerful way. Believers endured great suffering and went on to their reward, and the memory and stories of these spiritual giants are our audience as we walk on this earth today. It’s their examples which help us “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Beyond the example of those saints, we have Jesus who is sitting “at the right hand of the throne of God” in our studio audience. And we’re called to “consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” He’s got a front row seat!

In the third book of my middle grade series of fantasy fiction, I created a character named Gus who has two magical powers, and one of them (spoiler alert…) is time traveling. Gus explains to Dooley, my protagonist (and fictional fifth child), that he can hop from one time to the next, then hop right back. Dooley had suspected there was something unusual about Gus, the elderly custodian at his middle school, from the first time he saw him in the school hallway due to the sudden change in the old man’s appearance. Like a flicker, his wrinkles would disappear and Gus would look young again, but only for a second. Eventually, Gus reveals his unique ability to Dooley. “That’s why my face can sometimes look younger. It’s the effects of fooling with time,” Gus tells him. Like most fiction which involves time traveling, the reader learns that it’s best not to mess with the linear function of time. Some things are just meant to run their course. I’ve been thinking about Gus lately as our family nears several big milestones—our older son graduating high school and one of our twin daughters getting married this month, and next year, our other twin daughter getting married and our youngest son starting middle school. It’s a lot for this tender mama heart. In my foolishness, I still think I have that unlined, youthful face—the one my husband first saw when we fell in love nearly three decades ago—then I “time travel” back to the present (or look in the mirror…) and see my reality. My four kids aren’t babies anymore. They’re all as tall or taller than me. They’re making their marks on the world and looking forward to bright futures. This season has a lot of sweetness, but it still brings me to my knees in wonderment. I ask: Where did the years go? Did I time travel to this year and miss everything? Then I see a photo or spot an old stuffed animal or baby doll and I know it all really happened. The birthday parties and days home sick and field trips and reading chapter books before bedtime all happened and I was there. I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything. Psalm 31 gives me the framework I need to get through these next few days and months. “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands.” This season, like all time, belongs to God. I’m enormously grateful for His blessings and the safety of His hands.

Back when Covid was raging through the world, I woke up one morning remembering the strangest dream: I was at a church potluck, and I saw a woman seated at a paper-covered table trying to get a fork-full of food in her mouth while simultaneously holding a fidgety infant. (Of course, this being a dream, I didn’t recognize the room, the woman, or anything else. I just instinctively knew it was a church potluck.) I asked the woman if I could hold her baby for her so she could eat. She answered that she would appreciate that since she was there alone and a bit frazzled. I took the well-swaddled, cranky baby and carried him over to an open area where I could bounce him up and down and attempt to soothe him. He continued to fuss, and I soon realized that he had the hiccups. I moved the blanket which covered the baby’s face and saw at once that he had the face of Eddie Murphy, complete with moustache and prominent tooth gap. For some reason, this didn’t give me much of a surprise. I started blowing in his face, seeing if this would stop his crying. He paused for a second then said, “Stop doing that, woman!” “I was trying to help,” I told him. “I was hoping that if I blow in your face, you would forget about the hiccups and you’d stop crying, then the hiccups would go away.” “Well, I don’t like it,” Baby Face Eddie Murphy said. About that time, my husband’s alarm went off and I woke up. I lay there thinking about my dream, trying to figure it out. What in the world was that about? Did I miss going to church functions? Did I miss seeing babies? Did I want to watch Shrek movies? Dreams often reveal something about our state of mind. I’m not a professional or anything but I think that particular dream may mean my mind has been full of anxious thoughts! We see lots of revealing dreams in the Bible. In Genesis, we see a man named Jacob who was also plagued by anxious thoughts. He had been second-born a twin. His brother Esau was a wild game hunter while Jacob preferred to stay around the house. But with the help of their mother, Jacob tricked their blind and aging father so he could get the blessing, the inheritance, the birthright only given to the firstborn male. Once the deed was done and distinction was transferred to him, Jacob fled. He knew fired-up Esau would now be hunting him. Then we come to Genesis 28:10. When I was little, this Bible story was most remarkable to me because of the rock pillow. I tried to imagine how uncomfortable it would be to sleep on a rock. I would think, Why not just lay your head on the ground? Surely dirt is more comfortable than rock. But, of course, this isn’t the crux of the story. What we read is God’s intervention in the life of a man on the run. We see Jacob, alone and scared, no longer surrounded by the comforts of his mother’s tents. Then God—the One who watches over us and never sleeps—gives Jacob a glimpse of angels being sent out on missions. Jacob gets to see how the operation works and how God is always ultimately in control. Waking up from that dream, Jacob had a choice to make and he chose Jehovah as his God. He still had lots more traveling to do for his journey and lots more obstacles to face, but waking up and making that choice was the best way to start that day. I wonder if he had mornings after that one, where he tried to recreate the splendor of that stairway, grasping for that feeling that would make him proclaim his faith again. We might not get that dream, but we can start every day with Jacob’s proclamation: “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear, then Jehovah will be my God.”

May has got to be the busiest month of the year, at least, it is for me in my current season of life. Graduation parties and wedding showers and soccer games and end-of-the year teacher gifts and on and on and on. It’s a merry-go-round that seems to spin faster and faster without any sign of slowing down. With all of these activities, I seem to be running to the grocery store every day. When I get there, I try to go right to the section with the items I need and then hightail it over to the self-checkout lane. Then, after forgetting to buy the bags of ice that were on my list, I drive home and unload everything. It’s hard to imagine there will be a May when I’m not rushing from one thing to the next, but there are people looking for ways to slow down. For instance, I read about a Dutch supermarket chain called Jumbo. Back in 2019, some kind-hearted person in charge instituted Kletskassa, or “chat checkouts” for customers who might just want to stop and chat, as opposed to rushing through while they pay for their groceries. Initially, these checkout lines were for older people who may be struggling with loneliness, but anyone was welcome who just wanted to have a face to face interaction with a friendly employee available to leisurely discuss the weather or sports or any other topic. I know I have to be intentional about taking breaks from the busyness, and I have a Lord who is willing to partner with me in carrying around all of this stress. In Matthew 11 Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens…” (Okay, Jesus, you have my attention…) “and I will give you rest.” This the kind of rest I want—not just a nap (although that would be nice), but a lifting off of the burdens that weigh me down so that I can get in line with Jesus. Then He goes on to say, “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” To be yoked with Jesus—like two oxen connected as they plow together—means I’ll not only have a lighter load, but I’ll also be going in the right direction. Win, win! I think the place to start with Jesus’ command are his first three words: Come to me. I can get in the Kletskassa lane and have a chat with my Savior. His humble, gentle heart will lead me to unburdening and obedience and rest for my weary soul.

I’m super excited about these end-of-the-chapter discussion questions and creative writing prompts for my novel BELIEVE! Just click the pdf link at the top of the page to access this FREE document! Keep reading!! -Abby

As we were driving down a backroad highway a few weeks ago, I saw a man standing in a parking lot, waving and smiling at people who drove by. The man had a sign that said “May I pray for you?” It happened so quickly and we were running a little late to watch our older son play in a soccer game, so we didn’t stop, but I’ve thought about him a couple of times since then. What would make a person want to stand outside in a gravel parking lot waving at people—mostly strangers—and hoping to pray over them? The world would tell that man that he’s wasting his time. At best, he might give someone a sliver of hope that at least their problems had been heard. But Scripture teaches us something completely different about prayer: The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16) And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:13-14) Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. (Jeremiah 33:3) And there are tons more! In fact, according to my search, the word “pray” occurs 367 times in the Bible. That’s enough for one verse a day with a few leftover. I love that God gives us this avenue of prayer. It’s the perfect and powerful solution for a disconnected, broken world. But, unfortunately, I don’t connect to His power nearly as much as I could and should. It’s like trying to use a vacuum cleaner without plugging the cord into the outlet, then pushing the heavy vacuum over the carpet and wondering why it isn’t picking anything up. There are times when I feel so powerless—devastating wars and school shootings and neglected children. I’m overwhelmed. With each announcement of bad news, it’s as if I’ve been folded in half, then folded in half again, over and over until I’m so small and feeble, unable to change anything. Those are the moments when God reminds me about prayer. He throws me a lifesaver just before my head goes underwater. Then He says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to Me (God)." In the movie Shadowlands, C. S. Lewis (played by Anthony Hopkins) is anxious about the health of his beloved wife Joy. In response to a friend who remarks that God had answered his prayer. Lewis says, “I pray, because I can't help myself. I pray, because I'm helpless. I pray, because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me.” Let prayer change you.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Minnie_Pearl_1965.JPG When I was 7 or 8 years old, my sisters and I were in Davis-Kidd Bookstore in Nashville, shopping with a couple who were friends of my parents. A woman approached us and asked the couple our ages and commented on our general cuteness. Although the woman might have seemed like any ordinary Nashville-area resident out running errands, I recognized her voice instantly. Even without her trademark straw hat topped with fake flowers and $1.98 price tag dangling to the side, I had watched enough episodes of Hee Haw to know it was Minnie Pearl. I have a hard time imagining what it would be like to be famous. To be recognized by people everywhere I went. To be mobbed by fans and photographers. To have the ability to give people a lasting memory and a treasured anecdote to impress friends and strangers just by being in the same room with them and acknowledging their existence in the universe. No wonder so many are drawn to the pursuit of fame, especially considering that at our very core, one of the most basic human desires is to be known. Even though Jesus’ friends had the ultimate example of humility standing in front of them, they weren’t exempt from this clamor for fame. They even argued about it, speculating who would be the greatest in the kingdom and right on the heels of Jesus’ exclamation about his imminent death. Jesus’ reply to their earthly ideas about fame was to bring a child to set in front of them. Then He said something that stopped their quarreling while also no doubt giving them a riddle to puzzle out during future fireside moments of quiet contemplation. “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” -Luke 9:48 (NLT) What did they think about this seemingly backwards path to greatness? How could accepting a lowly child give you access to the Prince of Peace and the Mighty King of the Universe? But Jesus was the master of these mind-blowing assertions about righteous living. He wanted them to understand the vanity of their kind of greatness. He wanted them to take a giant bite of the Humble Pie he had sliced up for them. It was as if He was saying, “Stop looking for ways to step on each other as you climb to the top. Instead, look down and notice these little children. Giving them your attention won’t make you world famous, but these actions will gain you fame in heaven.” So strive to be famous—famously kind, famously generous, famously brave. Win awards for being the best listener, the most thoughtful, the truest friend. Hold the Box Office record for the highest-grossing number of encouraging words. Make the Fortune 500 list for the richest, most genuine friendships. Paparazzi may not camp out in your front yard, waiting to take photos of you as you pick up your newspaper dressed in your bathrobe, but you will be on the real path to greatness.