"Are you losing it?"

Click here to listen to Dr. Joey tell this story

A friend and I were talking recently. He was referring me to someone who was planning a meeting and thought I’d make a great speaker for the event. He mentioned this person’s name and I asked if he had her phone number. His response was priceless:

“I used to know her phone number, but now I can only tell you that it’s number 2 in my speed dial.”

Is that life today or what?

If you don’t use it, you lose it may never be truer than it is today. Just think about all of the “stuff” programmed into some machine somewhere that you used to know. Or, “stuff” you have to remember instead of people. Have you ever called someone, knew you wanted to remember their extension number to punch into the voice mail system, and then forgot who you were calling until they answered because you were so fixed on remembering the extension?

Today, focus on what’s really important—your relationships with God and other people. Those you don’t want to lose…

Discover more great stories like this one!

"How deep is your rut?"

Click here to listen to Dr. Joey tell this story.

When early Americans were expanding their reach westward toward the Pacific Ocean, most of them traveled in covered wagons pulled by horses or mules, just a little bit different from today’s interstate highways and 70 mph-cruising vehicles. There were interstate routes, though; basically just well-worn paths.

Now remember that these were wagons with iron wheels so they rode very roughly and rather than gliding across the pavement like our tires do today, these iron wheels dug ruts. And over time, as more and more wagons headed out west, the ruts got deeper. So the word went out among pioneer settlers, “Choose your rut well” because once you were in some of the deeper ruts, you just had to follow it wherever it went.

“Choose your rut well” is a pretty good maxim for listening to life, too. Do you stay in one way of doing things, wearing your routine into a rut? Ask God today how you can best travel through life. One of the keys to choosing your rut well is to listen to life for God’s choice.

Discover more great stories like this one!

"Are you satisfied at work?"

Click here to listen to Dr. Joey tell this story

Most surveys of American workers that I’ve seen find a high percentage of them are dissatisfied at work. And now a British study suggests that such dissatisfaction increases your risk of heart disease or diabetes. Men are nearly twice as likely to develop the diseases and women five times more likely when sufficiently dissatisfied with their work.

Even though you may try to leave work at work, it apparently goes home with you and to the golf course and the grocery store and everywhere else. You just can’t compartmentalize life into professional and personal. You are a human being, not a human doing, a machine.

So do what you can to find satisfaction in life. That’s different for all of us, but it means asking God what your purpose is in life, why you’re here, and what you were created to be and do. When you start living out of your creative design, your satisfaction increases, you avoid diseases, and you’re listening to life and making a life, not just a living!

Discover more great stories like this one

"What goes around really does come around, doesn’t it?"

Click here to listen to Dr. Joey tell this story

Penny Brown was at a Little League baseball game. All of a sudden, 10 year old Kevin Stephan was hit in the chest with a bat. He collapsed and wasn’t responding. Someone called Penny, an ICU nurse, over for help. She administered CPR. Kevin lived and played baseball again.

Well, fast forward seven years later. Penny Brown, ICU nurse, is in a restaurant, enjoying a meal with family members. All of a sudden, she begins choking and can’t breathe. Her husband attempts to perform the Heimlich maneuver on her with no success. So the waitress goes to the back of the restaurant and calls out a teenaged employee who’s a volunteer firefighter. He comes out, does the Heimlich maneuver, and dislodges the food from her airway, saving her life.

The firefighter’s name was Kevin Stephan. That’s right, this now-17-year-old young man was the 10 year-old Little Leaguer whose life Penny had saved.

Listen to your life today for a chance to help someone else. The life you save may be your own.

Discover more great stories like this one!

"Are things always what they seem in your life?"

Click here to listen to Dr. Joey tell this story.

Here’s a letter John wrote to his Dad:

“Dear Dad, It is with great regret that I’m writing to you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend, Joan, because I wanted to avoid a scene with you and Mom. Joan is so nice but I knew you wouldn’t approve of her because of her piercings, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes, and she’s much older than me, but it wasn’t just that, Dad. Joan is pregnant.

“We have a dream of living out in the woods with the rest of the commune. We want to have more children. But don’t worry, Dad. I’m 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I’m sure we’ll be back to visit you so you can get to know your grandchildren.

“Your son, John.

“PS: Dad, none of the above is true. I’m over at Tommy’s house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the report card that’s in my center desk drawer. Call me when it’s safe to come home.”

Since things aren’t always what they seem, listen to life today, okay?

Discover more great stories like this one!