Author: Kevin Spear

I am a content creator and storyteller based in Florida, where I work for OneHope. I love digital and content marketing, writing, and the occasional doodle.

Categories
motivation

Detours and Roadblocks

orange and black signange
Photo by Joshua Brown on Pexels.com

Nobody likes them, but we all experience them. They seem to hold us back from reaching our goals. They may stop us from getting what we want or need. But maybe they are an essential part of our lives.

Without detours, we might miss out on discovering something vital for our growth. We could even realize it was the turning point in something incredible.

But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee.
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth.
Matthew 2:22–23

Joseph and Mary experienced them too. They must have been annoying at the time. But the detours were all part of the plan.

You never know what a detour might reveal. As Ryan Holiday maintained in his book, the obstacle might be the way.

Categories
Encouragement

Cruelty for Cruelty’s Sake?

hands forming a heart shape
Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

You can be good for the mere sake of goodness; you cannot be bad for the mere sake of badness. You can do a kind action when you are not feeling kind and when it gives you no pleasure, simply because kindness is right; but no one ever did a cruel action simply because cruelty is wrong

C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

We may try not to think about the stranger who is suffering next to us. And we may try to ignore the disheveled person at the intersection with a sign begging for money. We may even develop a story about the person that he is conning us, or she is working for a network of panhandlers.

Rarely does anyone do cruelty for cruelty’s sake. If they did, we would conclude that the person is a psychopath. No, we usually have a reason for acting badly. But that doesn’t make it right.

It is far better to be kind for kindness’ sake, even when we don’t feel like it, because it is right.

Categories
motivation

Men Without Chests

father teaching his son how to ride a bike
Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.com

We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise.
C. S. Lewis in  The Abolition of Man

What do we expect of men today? I read and hear stories about a crisis of manhood. And then I see men trying to display their manhood with big trucks, macho attitudes, and a disdain for anything that hints of femininity.

Continue reading “Men Without Chests”
Categories
motivation

When Setbacks Happen

Sketch of me with leg pain illustrating when setback happen.

Earlier this month, I went for my weekend run. I was going to run six miles, determined to keep on my plan to run a half marathon this fall. Then the pain started, and I found myself pondering what to do when setbacks happen.

  • Should I quit?
  • Should I cut today’s run short?
  • If I push through, will I injure myself?

The pain didn’t go away. Eventually, I decided it was foolish to push my knee to the point of severe damage. Ironic, isn’t it? I wrote a post on sticking with it, and I injured myself.

It was so ironic, I didn’t want to write this post! I sat on it for two weeks. How could I write a post about a setback right after encouraging others to stick with it? But that’s exactly when I needed to write it.

Sticking with it is easy when slow and steady progress is unimpeded. It’s much harder when I have to take a detour. But that’s when the successful learn from failure.

What do you do when you have a plan and reality throws you a curveball?

Categories
motivation

Sticking With it

Sketch of a guy sticking with it when the sun is hot and his legs ache.
  • Is this it?
  • Is my goal over?
  • I thought this was a worthy goal.
  • God, where are you in all this?

When the negative thoughts come, sticking with it feels like an impossible task. But that is where the magic happens.

During a marathon, when the sun was hot and my hamstrings were screaming at me, I discovered that goals are crucial, even when they don’t feel attainable. Besides, what good is a goal if it is easy to reach?

That moment taught me something more profound than fitness or a goal. It taught me the value of endurance and perseverance.

What has helped you stick with it during the hard times? Leave a comment below.