Sterling Griggs

Have you ever felt like the plans in your life were cruising in the right direction only to have things stall out? When you begin to feel stuck, the best remedy is to continue moving forward, even it's just small steps at a time. This is called resiliency.  No one wants to lose momentum, and this is where resiliency comes into play. You can maintain a forward trajectory by not giving up, not giving in, and by continuing to push forward with ideas, plans, dreams, goals, and vision that will keep you on track to where you want to be even if the progress you are making seems minimal.  Also, ask the right questions before settling for answers that may not relate to where you want to go in your life. Settling for less is a choice. Resiliency is the better option.

Don't miss out on all that today has to offer. Not everyday is going to bring opportunities, but when they do come your way take advantage of them and make the most of them. Don't live with the regret of missing what was right in front of you. And if you fail, at least you moved toward a goal you believed was worth pursuing.  What you failed to achieve in your past is not what defines you today. Rather, what you are seeking to accomplish today and moving forward can be your legacy. Embrace what is right in front of you, even if it feels small and insignificant. The value of what you have accomplished is not measured in numbers, but rather in impact.  

I was hesitant at first to write this blog post. A big reason for that is because so many people have experienced a lot of life-altering events and I don't want to appear as if I am trying to play the comparison game with mine. But, at the same time, when life throws you a series of curve balls, it is often therapeutic to chronicle the twists and the turns that it brings. This is my attempt to do just that. In January of this year I finally got around to making an appointment with my cardiologist over some concerns I was having about my heart health. I say "finally" because I had been experiencing some less than normal cardiac symptoms for almost a year, primarily a sensation that made it feel as if my heart was going to burst out of my chest with every heartbeat. Something inside of me told me that this wasn't normal, but since I had experienced a major open heart surgery in January of 2020, I wrongly assumed that what I was experiencing could be my new normal. A vis...

Free time. Anybody know what that is anymore? I know I am not alone in wishing I had more time each day to “get things done” and enjoy more down time for myself. Remember when you were a kid and complained to your folks about being bored all the time? Don’t you crave a little more boredom in your life right now? Someone once said that you don’t make time to do the things you want to do, rather you gotta make the best use of the time that you’ve been given. Good advice, if you have the time to take it. But all of us at some point will find ourselves with extra time on our hands that we have the privilege to fill with, well, whatever we want. It might be while you are on vacation or the kids are away at camp or you are recovering from a medical procedure at home. Whatever the circumstance, this gift of extra free time comes with challenges of its own, namely, “What in the world are you gonna do with yourself?” The challenge the I have with this kind of time is that I want it to be meanin...

To the lady in the black Mazda SUV with the NC State sticker on the back window, thank you. Most mornings, no matter what time I leave my house, I find myself directly behind you on the way to work. You drive slower than I would prefer and you take that last turn so painfully deliberate that I am afraid you may ultimately stop in the middle of the intersection. But thank you nonetheless for giving me much needed perspective.  You may not know this, Mazda driver, but every time I see you pull out of that side street up ahead in the distance, I groan behind the wheel of my truck. And it's not because I am in some sort of a hurry – I always leave with plenty of time to spare and am never late for work. Rather, it's more because of the fact that I KNOW you are going to pull out in front of me and drive the way that you do. I don't honk or tailgate you, because I know that solves nothing. Instead, I seethe a little on the inside. Please know, there is really nothing wrong with y...

Do you remember what it was like? You know, when you were just a kid and Christmas seemed liked the most magical time of the year? I know, I know, Christmas is truly about Jesus and that is why we celebrate. Yet as a kid, you couldn't help but go beyond the manger scenes and Christmas Eve services to a world filled with toys and happiness that still sticks with you to this day. As I ponder what this year has been like for most of us, I realize that holiday gatherings are probably not going to look like they have in the past. Some of the Christmas traditions that have been sacred for your family for generations might be on pause this year, but that doesn't mean that this time for gathering and worshiping the birth of our Savior can't still be memorable. We all just have to flow a little bit differently right now, you know?  In honor of this most wonderful time of the year when gathering with friends and family has never seemed more precious, I thought it would be cool for so...