Category: Family Leadership

Celebrating Our 26th Anniversary with Relationship Grit

In Ephesians 5:25, Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”  That sounds similar to my one word for the year—Surrender.

Last weekend marked celebrations of marriage. First, on January 15, one of our close family friend’s daughter was married.  It was a fun celebration and a good reminder of young love.  Then, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Jennifer, Tanner, and I watched the Tom Hanks’ movie A Man Called Otto—which was a different celebration of marriage.  Both made me appreciate even more the gift of Jennifer and our life together.

In October 2020, during the throes of the pandemic, I read the book Jon Gordon wrote with his wife Kathryn, entitled Relationship Grit: A True Story with Lessons to Stay Together, Grow Together, and Thrive Together.

Click here for more about Marriage from the Gordons

Discover the Power of One Word in 2023

Over the Christmas break in 2017, I read Mike Smith and Jon Gordon’s You Win in the Locker Room First:  The 7 C’s to Build a Winning Team in Business, Sports, and Life.  In the book, Jon Gordon notes that he has been sharing with many people the simple discipline of developing just One Word as a way to focus your energy for the upcoming year—noting that 90% of New Year’s Resolutions are usually dropped by March. 

Have you taken Jon Gordon’s One Word Challenge?

Instead of creating endless goals and resolutions, choose One Word to be your driving force for the year. No goals. No wish lists. Just one word.

One Word creates clarity, power, passion and life-change. As Gordon explains, “When you discover your One Word for the year, it gives you more clarity, passion and purpose for life.  The One Word exercise brings simplicity and focus. It cuts through the distractions and keeps us focused on what really matters.”

Over the past five years, my One Word has been:

  • 2022 = “Faith” with a focus on the Hall of Faith from Hebrews 11
  • 2021 = “Basic” with a focus on The Apostles’ Creed
  • 2020 = “Sheep” with a focus on Psalm 23
  • 2019 = “Wisdom” with a focus on Proverbs
  • 2018 = “Optimism” with a focus on The Beatitudes

Click here to learn more about my One Word focus and the choices of my Family members