It’s the belief that all of us are broken, that no timber is made straight, that life is intended to be a series of struggles and lessons — and that all of this builds moral fiber and strength of character. I WAS SITTING in a job interview — at a … [Read more...] about David Brooks: From crooked timber to a life of service
Kenneth Voss: The Letter (part 1)
An uncompromising principal, Ken Voss was flinty, obsessive, and nobody’s friend. But his leadership changed lives. WHENEVER I MENTOR young leaders, I often reflect on the two years I spent in the sun-drenched Ohio Valley teaching in an … [Read more...] about Kenneth Voss: The Letter (part 1)
“Moonlight Sonata”: Learning to Be Still
I SUSPECT EACH of us is allotted a certain amount of transcendence; those moments when the veil is thin, when the Eternal offers her hand — gloved, sublime — and draws us up to observe the dance of the cosmos through the screen of heaven. I have … [Read more...] about “Moonlight Sonata”: Learning to Be Still
Ada Schlabach: Learning to Party with Ada
IT’S ONE OF the things you experience as a new member of a church — you get invited for dinner. In our case, I quickly turned one of those invitations from our pastor and his wife by inviting them for dinner to our home. We’d do dinner at our home … [Read more...] about Ada Schlabach: Learning to Party with Ada