Director's Thought for the Week

Ministries Unlimited Thought For The Week (#15)

January not only brings a new year, but also new beginnings. I gave up making resolutions a few years ago. Instead, I commit to making more time for family and friends each year—although my son says I am less available in retirement than when I worked!

Spending time together doesn’t necessarily mean going to each other’s homes or meeting up to enjoy a meal. It can also mean picking up the phone and talking. This is a lost art in today’s world of texting, but I enjoy hearing their voices. It has led to so many meaningful conversations that we may not have had otherwise, even face-to-face. Some of the best conversations I’ve had with my son have occurred in the car or over the phone.

For the past year, my son has been trying to convince me that podcasts and audiobooks are the best way to gather information. I am a tried-and-true bibliophile! If I can’t hold the book in my hands, I lose interest and my mind wanders. Don’t get me wrong—there are some books I can listen to and retain—but there’s nothing like the feel or smell of a new book. And don’t get me started on people who write in their books!

He is very adamant that his generation is more attuned to self-improvement than mine. We differ in how we take in and process information, but we can still have meaningful conversations about the books we read. His suggestions have led me to do a lot of deep thinking and soul-searching. We’ve both learned that it’s okay not to agree—it doesn’t affect how we feel about each other.

After listening to Fathered by God by John Eldredge, we had a very honest discussion that helped us both. He then suggested Living Life Backwards by David Gibson. I hate to say this, but my mind wandered during the first chapter while walking in the park. The book also had questions at the end of each chapter, which put me in a panic because I couldn’t see them! Neither of these books is something I would have chosen on my own. I usually prefer mystery novels or books based on true events. But knowing that my son is reading them makes me want to connect with him on a deeper, more meaningful level.

Podcasts are his favorite way to gather information, and he has been sending me ones he thinks I need to hear for years. Recently, he sent me “Chris Williamson: If You Don’t Fix This Now, 2026 Is Already Over!” It’s a little over two hours long, but it definitely holds your interest. The discussion centers on how people make resolutions and then break them, extending even into life goals.

One of the basic concepts many people don’t understand is that resolutions often require give and take. Our days have a finite number of hours, so we can’t add more without giving something up. We need to identify what time is wasted and replace it with more productive use. Procrastination can also play a role, especially when the goal involves facing something uncomfortable.

When we finally reach the top of the mountain we’ve been climbing for a year—or years—we may realize that while it was a great achievement, it didn’t bring the satisfaction we expected (external vs. internal wins). I especially enjoyed the parable The Fisherman and the Businessman mentioned in the podcast. It’s amazing how often we believe we need to achieve big dreams, when in reality we may already be happiest with what’s in our own backyard. Sometimes, it’s the journey itself that helps us come to that realization. If we never hiked the mountain, we might never fully appreciate what we already have. It truly is the simpler things in life that bring the greatest happiness. As we think about 2026, it might be worth asking ourselves not just how we want to spend our time, but who we want to be fully present with along the way.

Submitted by Kathy Scheller, Director of Operations