Recently while browsing in a hotel gift shop, I came across a decorative sign that caught my attention. In fact it seemed to be yelling at me to give it a look. It was one of those cute wooden box signs designed to look vintage, but the message it contained was extremely current. It read. […]
Category Archives: Life Stories
A U.S. Army Veteran’s Message to Children We All Should Hear
Retired U.S. Army Captain Chad Fleming stood proudly on his prosthetic leg in front of a gym full of elementary school children ready to share a message the entire United States needs to hear. The children at Dripping Springs Elementary School were most interested in what he calls his “robot leg.” Captain Fleming described how […]
David Little: Finding Faith In the Middle of Chaos
(* This is part of a series of posts about people using their life stories to inspire others.) David Little had his life planned out twenty years ago. He would get married, have children and practice law in the same city as his alma mater, the University of Texas in Austin. One by one, each […]
Alicia Machado: Don’t Bury That Dream
(* This is part of a series of posts about people using their life stories to inspire others.) As soon as I met Alicia Machado, I could see a twinkle in her eyes that I knew told an amazing story. The 17 year old student at Austin Can Academy took me on a tour of […]
Chrystal Smith: Creating a Village for Foster Families
(* This post is part of a series of interviews with people using their life stories to inspire, teach and love others.) Over the Thanksgiving holiday of 2013, Chrystal Smith took a trip to Mexico that dramatically changed her life story. Her family traveled to Reynosa just across the Texas border on a church mission […]
Jaimie Davis: Growing Better Health
(* This profile is part of a series of blogs about people using their life stories to teach and inspire.) Jaimie Davis sees a world of opportunity when she sees a tiny green plant. Through her experience, she knows that one plant can spark just enough curiosity in a child to change that child’s eating […]
Helping Our Children Write Original Stories: Julie Lyles Carr
Parenting books intrigue me. I have several of them scattered on shelves and in drawers throughout my house. I think it’s because I’m very aware of some of my parenting pitfalls, so I need all the help I can get. Also my heart tells me it’s one of the most important jobs I will ever […]
Julia Barnett: Re-examining Your Story
(* This profile is part of a series of blogs about people using their life stories to teach and inspire.) Julia Barnett has been acting since she was a teenager, most recently playing a recurring role on ABC’s Nashville and a role on Lifetime Network’s The Preacher’s Mistress. Her latest project, however, is her most personal. […]
What Tourette Syndrome Has Taught Me
My son has Tourette Syndrome, a neurobehavioral movement disorder causing motor movements, or tics, he cannot control. And that’s just what is obviously visible on the outside. Many children with TS deal with obsessive compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and various learning disabilities. The Tourette Syndrome Association of Texas estimates up to 1 in […]
A Heart Story for Busy Moms
Like many moms, Julia Lou spent most of her time taking care of others, until she learned taking care of herself literally saved her life. She was on vacation with her husband and three young children in Hawaii when she felt a tightness in her chest and numbness on her left side. She had felt […]