Sterling Griggs

If you ask me where the greatest place on earth is, I won't hesitate to tell you that it's found on the beach with the surf dancing around my chair as my kids play in the water and sand nearby. Nothing calms my soul or brings clarity out of confusion for me like a day at the beach. Many people have told me how lucky I am for living on the coast, and I don't disagree. But when they say things like, "You get to go to the beach whenever you want!" I have to chime in with a little perspective. True, if I was a character in a Nicholas Sparks book then the beach would be my backyard and work would be optional. Yet life isn't like that for me or many people that I know. If you were to tell me that you are immune to stress, that the craziness of life never really gets to you, then the first thing I would do is check your pulse! Regardless of whether you are a student, parent, professional, or seasoned citizen, life is often crazy and unpredictable. ...

As a leader, don't you wish that people liked you and respected your every move? I mean, how easy would it be for you if every decision that you made was greeted with applause and compliance? That would be awesome and spare you a few gray hairs and stomach ulcers! But if that were the case - if everyone that you led was okay with where you were leading them - then you would be called a tour guide or entertainment specialist, not leader. The very definition of being a leader implies that you have to navigate people over difficult terrain because, if left up to their own, those under your direction would wander aimlessly. And these people that you lead will sometimes push back against your vision and decisions, which makes it all the more challenging to lead them. Let's face it, being a leader is hard. You are never going to be the most popular person in the room and your every move will be second guessed by a number of people. As a result, it is up to you how you choose...

"Do not judge!" This is without a doubt one of the most commonly quoted - I mean misquoted - verses of Scripture in all of the Bible. Believers and unbelievers alike enjoy pulling this one of our their arsenal to throw at anyone who espouses a belief or an opinion contrary to their own. But what does this verse in Matthew 7 really mean? In order to find out, we have to zoom out and take not just this verse but the entire passage in Matthew 7:1-6 in context. "Do not judge, so that you won't be judged." That seems simple enough. If you don't judge others then they won't judge you. If we stop right there then there really is no need to go further with the discussion. Yet this verse is only the beginning of the passage. "For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Did you see that? This verse doesn't condemn judging but instead gives a warning: When - not if - you judge, ...

--> You know this person I am about to write about. In fact, you may actually be this person and are unaware that you are. Who am I talking about? The person who sucks the life right out of you, the one who demands more time than you can give and lets you know if you have not catered to his or her needs enough, that’s who. Now before you dismiss this as crass and insensitive, reserve your judgment for a few moments. I don’t believe that there is a church (or civic organization or school PTA or recreation sports league or community group for that matter) that has been spared from at least one individual who demanded that she get most of the attention. She dominates the conversations. He insists that you listen to his views before anyone else. She dismisses what you have to say as trivial and out of touch. He does not think you are paying enough attention to his child as a leader/mentor/coach/teacher. She always has an opinion and is not afraid to share it. Even if you w...

Do you remember a time when life seemed a little bit simpler and sweeter?  For me, those days were especially vivid during the summers when I was a kid. I recall spending summer days at my neighborhood swimming pool literally from sun up to sun down. Those were some of the best and most vivid memories of my childhood. All my friends were there, I could hang out with the high school kids and think that I was cooler than I was, and the snack bar had all my favorite candy (Boston Baked Beans and Lemon Heads!). Families would come together for evening swim - we would bring leftovers from supper to the lifeguards and our parents would sit pool side and talk for hours while our fingers and toes pruned like raisins as we played sharks and minnows and dove for quarters in the dark. Over the years things changed for me and that pool. The pool had to be shut down because of shifting ground underneath it, so my family joined another neighborhood pool. But at this new pool, the same familie...

My wife has this odd fascination with the Hallmark Channel and its endless variety of feel-good movies and romantic television shows. She tells me that she enjoys watching the channel because everything on it is "easy on the brain" and there are no stress-filled dramas that play out week after week. When she's in a Hallmark kind of mood, you will usually find me in the next room doing something else. But last night was one of those stormy nights where the best option was to hunker down and seek comfort under the electric blanket. Our kids were occupied with books and other activities, so I took the opportunity to connect with my wife with one of those easy on the mind Hallmark shows. Thankfully, it wasn't some cheesy all-too-perfect love story where girl likes boy and boy doesn't know but when he does find out he loves her back in spite of the fact that there was someone else in his life prior to this new love but it's all okay because he really wasn't...

" This February 27th, join us and other Freedom Fighters from around the world as we SHINE A LIGHT ON SLAVERY. Draw a RED X on your hand. Tell your world that slavery still exists and YOU WON’T STAND FOR IT. Just use your influence any way you can to help us carry the message of FREEDOM so even more people know. Let’s make this SHINE A LIGHT ON SLAVERY DAY even brighter than ever ." This is the premise behind the End It Movement , a group dedicated to highlighting the reality of modern day slavery and the need for our world leaders to wake up to an issue that is largely being ignored and needs to be shut down. Right now, 27 million men, women, and children around the world are trapped in slavery ranging anywhere from sex trafficking to forced labor. Because of that reality, I happily drew a red X on my hand and even sent my kids to school with X's on their hands. No, awareness alone is not enough to stop slavery, but without awareness  the issue of slavery will...