Brenda’s Blog – April 7, 2026

“I’m FREE!” That simple text expressed my sister’s release from ICE imposed house arrest. The first day was fun – a day off from work. The second and third days were challenging. And by day four she was marking her hours of incarceration by staring out the window, hoping to be sprung. (Actually, she was hoping for Spring!)

A friend of mine emailed to tell of a dream in which she watched the church move away from the bondage of darkness. The great hymn puts it this way, “My chains fell off; my heart was free; I went forth and followed Thee.”

What chains entangle you? What habits tie you up, hindering your progress?

One of my dear friends is in rehab. The current assignment is to write out the life story. “Where did the anger begin?” “Where did the hopelessness and powerlessness take hold?”

“In the free” is the slang for walking out of jail. We don’t have to wear orange jumpsuits to be psychologically incarcerated. And, we don’t have to be sentenced by a judge – we can judge ourselves declaring guilt that is undeserved. But we have the right to claim life “in the free.”

The grace of God through Christ Jesus pours down mercy hour by hour. Morning by morning we can receive His gifts of freedom. We are free to live without recrimination. We are free to throw off those shackles which slow us down.
As an influencer, what is holding you back? As a decision maker, what is hampering your effectiveness? What lies are you believing that put up road blocks?

Break free – put your life in four wheel drive and hit the road. There may be a few icy spots, but always remember – turn into the slide and you will be fine.

Brenda’s Blog – March 24, 2026

“They call me Virginia, the navigator… I am glad you found us.” It was getting late; I had driven many miles; I was ready to quit. All well and good except for one thing: I couldn’t find the hotel. It was a national chain with an address near an interstate exit. No problem, so why was I lost? Why was I getting frustrated?

Finally, admitting defeat I called the hotel and sweetly said, “Where are you?” (Probably not so sweetly!) “People get lost all the time,” she answered before giving me turn by turn directions.

“You are without a doubt the hardest place I have ever tried to find.” Laughingly she said, “Yes, everybody ends up calling, so the regulars have a name for me: “Virginia, the navigator.” Her voice and manner was truly sweet.

“Why in the world are you built so far back on this crazy site and why in the world don’t you have signage?” “Oh, that’s easy. Our owners are from out of town and they already had this piece of land. The other hotels are owned by one man and he made it impossible for anyone else to put up any signs. You have to really want to get here!”

Virginia was a model employee with a tremendous sense of hospitality, but her employers had put her in a tough spot. Virginia understood making lemonade from lemons.

Max DePree says servant leadership is providing all the resources necessary for the employees to be all they can be, accomplishing all they can. Where do we hinder others from achieving? Where do we tie weights around their ankles, expecting them to run a winning race?

And then, what circumstances hamper our progress? Do we recognize the power we have to become a Virginia, or do we collapse into complaining and mediocrity?

How can we create an environment for others that challenge them to succeed? And how can we respond to our challenges with humor, and professionalism?

The same spirit of love, hope, and goodwill the newspaper correspondent described still exists in this modern day Virginia. Thank you for being a lighthouse on a dark night.

Brenda’s Blog – March 10, 2026

“The boy didn’t make it snow – God did!” My three year old grandson Will had it right. The story told of a little boy who badly wanted snow. His Grandfather told him to try all sorts of silly things to bring down the white, fluffy stuff. Nothing worked. Finally, he did a snow dance and sure enough, the rain turned into flakes and covered the ground. “I did it! I made it snow!”

Without even a word, my grandson looked me in the eye and reminded me of the true truth.

His candor reminded me of a cold, snowy Christmastime in Dallas when I parked the car in a crowded mall lot, went in with my grandson Andrew to enjoy time together. When we left it was dark, and I couldn’t remember where I parked. We walked and walked and walked. Finally, Andrew spotted the car! “Thank you, Jesus” was my response. “How come you thanked Jesus? I found the car!”

There is a balance, isn’t there? Taking credit for weather conditions is foolish. Failing to acknowledge the diligence of a 9 year old is negligent.

I truly believe God is evident in all things. I believe He allowed Andrew the joy of finding the car. And, I also believe He gave Will the insight to understand who is the true maker of weather.

Showing Andrew the power of prayer and the joy of being the beneficiary of God’s providential grace was the “teachable moment” that cold December night. Celebrating with Will in his belief in our sovereign God allowed us a time to share the goodness and awesomeness of this same God.

As the Mom of three young ones I didn’t have the patience or strength to look for these spiritual vignettes. Aging brings the blessing of perspective. I thank the Lord for these “wee bites” which strengthen my heart and stretch them.

Brenda’s Blog – February 24, 2026

World famous glass bathrooms” read the billboard luring travelers to stop in Sulphur Springs, TX. Personally, it raised more questions than interest. But it made me think about distinctives.

Companies work hard to distinguish themselves. Some do it by product design, others by advertising campaigns, and still others by pricing strategies. Businesses want positive name recognition.

A friend once worked for a CEO whose genius was creating bizarre morale builders. His head first dive into a pool of Jello fired up the sales force. Another thrilled the employees each day bounding into the international headquarters two steps at a time dressed in running shorts. Definitely distinctive – they chose to be recognized for their independent quirkiness.

While working as a recruiter for a large insurance company we used a personality test consisting simply of fifty descriptive words on two sides of one page. The only difference: one side said, “Check the words you would use to describe yourself.” The other side said, “Check the words others would use to describe you.” Surprising how many saw themselves one way and expected others to view them differently.

Peter Greer, speaker at a Catalyst meeting, talked about ways to enter into conversation without leading with “what do you do?” In his list of alternative opening questions, he included, “What one word would others use to describe you?”

What one word would you use to describe yourself? What is your distinctive? What differentiates you from the other hundreds of millions sharing this planet?

I want my word to reflect my purpose and mission. I want my word to identify my heart’s desires. I want my word to express my longing for a life that counts. My word? Connect. What’s yours?

Brenda’s Blog – February 10, 2026

“I didn’t think there was anything outside of Longview, Hallsville, and Marshall. Then I went to China.” The student told of his overseas study adventure as part of the chapel service. His naturally worn cowboy attire told me he was indeed a native Texan. The first sentence stayed with me. What is opening my world right now? What amazes me and creates a sense of awe?

I thought of another young man from Appalachian America who left home for the first time to spend a semester at Disney World. He returned to Kentucky with a deeper appreciation for his strong roots and his unfurled wings.

In college my parents bought a ticket for a friend to accompany me to North Carolina. It was her first plane trip. Her emotional response as we crossed the country touched me. That trip began a lifetime of discovery for her.

We go to Christian colleges and universities to “stretch and bless the next generation of leaders… to the glory of God.” We leave stretched and blessed. Their world is full of hope and promise. Their world is unhindered by geographical boundaries. Their energy for change is contagious.

Reduced options are one of the symptoms of aging. Our worlds get smaller; our walls grow higher; our healthy restlessness diminishes. I may never challenge the Great Wall of China again but new roads lie ahead. I am not ready to call it quits. I am still eager to wake up each morning with, “Hello, world, where are we going today?”

Brenda’s Blog – January 27, 2026

“God loves us. God is not a meanie. I am not afraid. Say it Mommy, ‘I am not afraid.’” These words were spoken by a 3 year old girl dying of brain cancer. Leadership is not age sensitive. No degrees, no certifications, no titles, no powerful positions – just qualities that cause others to follow.

Phoebe Fair led all of us during her 21 months of illness. Why? She had vision; she had passion; she had direction. She understood her mission, and stayed the course.

Most of us will not be asked to travel Phoebe’s path, but each of us is asked to be faithful to our calling. Leading a corporation, a Christian organization, a family unit, or a campus ministry… all share the same common elements: defining reality, setting the vision, understanding constructive strengths and destructive weaknesses, capturing the loyalty of others to the vision, effective communication of direction, and the ability to move the group forward.

How could a 4 year old do this? During her lifetime she received thousands of personal messages weekly, had 75,000 followers of her Facebook page, filled the sanctuary of a major church for her service, and continues to touch lives worldwide. How could that not be leadership? Her life was her mission; her love for Jesus was her passion; her eagerness to encourage others was her uniqueness.

Never underestimate your LQ – leadership quotient. You don’t need position, power, and prominence… you simply need to influence and move others to action. Lead on!

Brenda’s Blog – January 13, 2026

“Why ‘Fortitude’?” I surprised myself as I asked the young man about his arm’s length tattoo. His response got my immediate attention. “It means courage. There is a story behind it and it reminds me I will never be a coward again. I will never let fear make me cower.”

The chairs in the coffee shop became pew-like in this sacred space. The conversation unfolded easily.

“The do-not-fears in the Bible have really helped me this year. Fighting fear is real to me, as well. I started studying this because it dawned on me even in the Bible fearful people made really stupid decisions. I looked at my life and saw the same pattern. Fear is no friend of clear thought.”

He nodded, picked up his iPad and started searching the do-nots. His face brightened and the interest increased. Two strangers engaged in life-strengthening.

We talked for a few more minutes, and as he left he stopped to say, “This was meant to be.”

“Start with Joshua 1:9 – it is the cornerstone; and be fortified.”

A brief exchange with the thumbprint of God all over it.

I have no idea why he fervently inked the reminder on his arm… it doesn’t matter. His resolve to stand fearlessly marks him more deeply than the tat.

What is your word? What is your story? Then whose story are you missing because you don’t ask the question? Open eyes, minds, and hearts lead us into the most exceptional surprises.

Brenda’s Blog – December 30, 2025

In 2007 my avocation as a road warrior began. Thousands of miles each month took me throughout the country. Establishing three rules before beginning made the adventures even more colorful.

What were the daily rules?

1) Stay off the Interstate highways. The “blue roads” indicating US highways built before the Eisenhower interstate system gave me the opportunity to see America up close and personal.

2) Say a word for Jesus. Praying for an opportunity to share a word of encouragement in His name, or experience a brief conversation about faith focused my attention on what really matters. Following the Spirit’s leading allowed my spiritual antenna to operate.

3) Meet an interesting person or have an interesting experience. When you are traveling from the shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the heart of Miami’s Cuban community there is an abundance of opportunities.

4) Always stop for home made apple butter. This wasn’t a daily rule, but certainly a priority and source of extraordinary experiences.
During COVID my traveling came to a screeching halt. I began thinking about ways to apply it to travel from the Piney Woods of East Texas to a much narrowed perimeter of destinations. But even within a tightened circumference, keeping my eyes open made for sharpened senses in the midst of a dreary shutdown.

As I challenged myself I challenge you. You don’t need to adopt my rules (except for the home made apple butter – that is too good to ignore). Have fun – you will be surprised how enjoyable this can be.

Brenda’s Blog – December 16, 2025

“Never lose the good of a bad experience.” Those words were spoken to me by Dad after a difficult time at work and a long whine by me. It took me a minute to change gears and think about what he said to me.

How right he was! Since then I have had many, many opportunities to practice his wisdom. His statement wasn’t just “happy talk.” It required me to analyze the situation, seriously consider the experience and then break out the good from the bad. Sometimes the good continued to show up later, but I stayed open to its arrival.

He used to also tell us, “The things you cry about today you will laugh about tomorrow.” I must admit this sage advice takes a bit longer to fully mature. But as I age and look back (far back for a few situations) I see the truth.

He never offered unrequested advice, but asked questions to find what he called the “key log.” Apparently, in the logging industry often then enormous tree lengths were sent down river to the mills. Occasionally, they would jam and be stuck. Trained loggers would take a position above the river and look for the source of the jam. Then those on the river would loosen the “key log” and allow the smooth flow to continue. He would help me find the key log which was jamming up my thinking, creating chaos in my life, or just allowing me to feel stuck. His questions then served to help me see it and “blow it out of the water.”

Funny, but often I will be making decisions and I think of those questions. I even think of his response sometimes. No, I don’t hear voices, but years of hearing him talk to me and many others (especially during the 7 years he lived with me in my house) I have a mental template for his thinking.

The next time your plane is delayed five hours, or a traffic accident keeps you parked on the interstate for two hours… Work hard to find the good in the bad experience.

Brenda’s Blog – December 2, 2025

Growing up watching TV in the 1950’s meant 3 stations in black and white with a sign-off accompanied by the national anth6em and a “test pattern” indicating that was all the TV until the next day.

We had our favorite shows which came on for weekly… No streaming and seeing TV any hour of the day. A weekly publication came in the Sunday newspaper with the TV schedule. If you were a true fan you would subscribe to the TV Guide which was delivered to your house in the mail… that was “big time!”

During the 60’s our choices expanded. We traded in Kukla, Fran, and Ollie and Howdy Doody for Queen for a Day and Perry Mason.

The lawyer who was the impetus for increased law school recruitment pulled a rabbit out of his legal hat week after week. We all had faith in his ability to dramatically prove his client innocent while exposing the true perpetrator simultaneously. No one ever beat Perry Mason!

The weekly opponent was the prosecutor, Hamilton Burger. Every time Mason would make a provocative statement Burger would rise to shout out, “I object… that is incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial!” The writers loved to spur him to this mantra-like expression.

Those of us who follow Jesus live in a world that is adversarial. When we share our beliefs we often get a spirited “incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial!” as the response. Those of us who hold to the doctrines of the Bible are often demeaned. Our positions on the authority of scripture and trust in Jesus as the only way of salvation are ostracized. But like Perry Mason, our God has the answers. Vindication is His as is the triumph. The true “perp” is exposed and judged for his evil doing. The enemy of our souls is relegated to forever judgment and punishment.

Television entertained us, but the Lord God Almighty brings revelation and forever… all in living color!