This is the third in a series (thus, part 3). You might want to read the other two parts first: My Adoption Story – Part 1 My Adoption Story – Part 2 At the appointed time, I dialed her number. I remember being very nervous. As I wrote in Part 2, while the initial contact […]

This is the second part of my adoption story. It stands alone. But, if you would like to read part 1 first, go to My Adoption Story – Part 1 After the initial shock of finding out I was adopted as related in part one of this set of posts, being adopted wasn’t a big […]

I recently posted this question on Facebook: “What would you like me to blog about?” One of the responses surprised me. Someone I’ve known for a long time responded that they’d like to hear about my adoption. At first, I was hesitant. Not because I’m ashamed of being adopted or anything like that. But my […]

Friends, Every successful person builds on the wisdom and experience of others. So today, I offer you three quotes, none of which come from me. Pick one and let it be a guide for you today. Thought #1 comes from the mists of time. It has been quoted by, among many others, Bill Keane (author […]

Do you want to be really good at something? I mean REALLY good?   Perhaps you’ve heard of the research popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his book, “Outliers.” Mr. Gladwell estimates that it takes about 10,000 hours, more or less to become an expert in a given field.   While this may be a handy […]

Imagine a man (or woman) who owns a tow truck. This guy wants to be helpful in the world. He really enjoys changing flat tires for people, helping people get in their cars when they are locked out, towing stranded motorists to safety… He really likes doing all the tow truck stuff. It may seem […]

Zig Ziglar is one the great of motivational speakers. In the Ziglar Show, his son, Tom Ziglar, is “Continuing Zig’s legacy of Inspiration and True Performance, one episode at a time.” Is this a popular podcast? How does 30 million downloads sound? Here’s what the show is about (from the website): We inspire your True Performance. […]

According to BrainyQuote, the top inspirational quote is: The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. – Helen Keller What’s your top inspirational quote? Send it to john@godsgifttotheworld.com. You are God’s gift to the world! Believe it. Own it. Live […]

You go in and out of your front door every day. You go out into the world through your front door. You come back into your home through your front door.   Because your front door is your transition between worlds, it is a great opportunity to live with greater intention. Make stepping through your […]

Friends, Brene Brown, one of my favorite authors, is a shame and resilience researcher. She writes: “Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” Be Authentic to Be a Gift to the World You don’t […]