Joe Williams

Choose Your Words Wisely

[498 words] The story is told of a man who called the phone company to complain about how his name was listed in the directory. He angrily insisted, “My name is Sweady, but this is the second time you’ve mistakenly spelled it Cyirwu.” “I’m sorry,” the customer service representative said, “I will make sure to…

Me, or We?

[458 words] The story is told of an encounter between a high school principal and a young ninth grader. The principal noticed the young man in the hallway with a very defeated and frustrated look on his face. He asked the young man, “Is everything okay?” The boy replied sternly, “No. I don’t understand all…

Life Is Like A Train Ride

[433 words] John C. Maxwell, in his book The Difference Maker, quotes an excerpt from a speech given by former First Lady Barbara Bush at Kennebunk High School in Maine. I thought it was worth sharing: “We get on board that train at birth, and we want to cross the continent because we have in…

The Formula for Failure

[499 words] I believe each of us desires to succeed. We want to succeed at our business, our families, and in life in general. I think I can also confidently say that we all want to succeed spiritually. It is often said by many a Christian, “I want to hear the Lord say to me,…

Un-Slumping Yourself

[451 words] Most every night, I sit down with my son and read him a bedtime story. He likes to hear some of the stories over and over, and I get so tired of some of them, to be honest. However, there is one that I don’t mind reading over and over. It’s the Dr.…

Will You Open the Door?

[529 words] William Holman Hunt was an English painter from the late 19th century. He was a very religious man and spent much of his talent for painting directed toward religious subjects. In 1854, he completed another religious work. The painting was titled “Light of the World.” The title for the painting comes from the…

Lessons from a Former President

[380 words] John Quincy Adams may have held more important offices than anyone in the history of the United States. He served with distinction not only as the president and secretary of state but also as a senator, congressman, and an ambassador to major European leaders. He also played several key roles in the American…