Piet's POV
Hope and Help Along the Way
DON'T GIVE UP
I can’t even tell you how many times I tried… and failed…
I don’t think I can necessarily call myself a ‘winner’ in the health/fitness space, but I’m headed that direction.
A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION
This may be one of the most important questions we ask ourselves…
In observing how people make decisions, I often wonder if it wouldn’t be better to start by asking this question, “What got us to this point?”
HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THIS?
It is never one and done…
For some reason I thought that at this stage of life, having been a Christian and pastor for literally decades, this would be more/less axiomatic.
Just start.
One of my favorite little quips is: “God can’t steer a parked car…”
Now… I get it, sometimes our confusion and ambivalence about the next right step, keeps us from wanting to do anything. We don’t want to get it wrong. We don’t want to create a bigger mess.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT 2025...
- I think about how often life is just about courageously putting one foot in front of the other
- I think about redeeming for good what the enemy meant for evil
WHEN WILL I FINALLY GET IT?
CAN YOU SEE IT?
LOVE ANYWAY...
THE STORY OF THE QUILT
THE RIGHT PRESENT
A BALANCING ACT
SO CLOSE
STORMY SEAS
HONOR UP
COMFORT
CAREER MINDED?
READY?
TRANSFORMATION
SUFFERING...
MADNESS...
BROKEN.
WAIT.
.
PRESENCE.
He is closer than your next breath.”
~Susie Larson
Hmmm, I don’t always feel free to ask this…
.CAN YOU SEE IT?
LOOK UP!
Cool enough?
Change anyway...
SAYING NO?
HOW IS IT...REALLY?
- Who has time for such esoteric questions?
- Does it really make a difference in our everyday lives?
DAILY DIRECTION...
SILENCE IS GOLDEN?
HAVING DOUBTS?
Sometimes the doubting/critical voices are in your own head… we can be cruelly barraged by unhelpful commentary:
- “Why are you working so hard?”
SLOW AND STEADY...
I’ve been giving fresh attention to my eating and exercise disciplines, and as I was making the plan I ran across this quote. Perfect timing! AND a great reminder!
POURING OUT, POURING IN
One of the profound lessons this season has taught me is a reminder of a powerful truth: giving and serving, even when you feel completely unable (unwilling?) to do so, can be incredibly restorative for your soul.
TIME FOR AN ALIGNMENT?
Max Lucado has nailed it!
This statement resonates deeply, especially as we navigate the complexities of our current world. It speaks to that inner conviction I often feel, where I need to follow what I believe is right, even if it’s not the popular path.
LOVE LANGUAGES...
Carol and I have a simple morning ritual: whoever wakes first makes the coffee. This morning, my mind was already racing with tasks, and I completely forgot.
FRIENDSHIP...
After a wonderful weekend away with my dear college friends, I have been reflecting a bit on the goodness of life-long friends.
THE ROLE OF REPENTANCE...
The news of a cancer diagnosis delivers a double blow: the life-altering impact of the disease itself, and the sobering realization of one’s own potential contribution to it.
DOING MY PART...
There is probably not a morning that goes by where I don’t pray for a miracle.
I believe they are possible. I have witnessed and experienced them first hand. But I cannot sidestep an equally important truth:
MINDSET MATTERS...
HUMAN MEDICINE...
CONFESSION TIME...
THE ESSENTIALS...
IT'S OKAY TO DOUBT.
I saw this post from Craig Groeschel…
Having doubts about God is not a sign of flawed faith; rather it’s a hallmark of an authentic human experience.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
It’s true… guilt and shame are lousy motivators for change. You have to see yourself as a person of value/worth in order to give yourself your best efforts.
In 2012 Sister Madonna Buder (the Iron Nun) became the world record holder in her age group to complete the Ironman triathlon (at 82).
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE WAITING...
Such a great point!
I’ve often said that ‘patience’ is not my strong suit. I have found myself waiting for various breakthroughs – physically, relationally, spiritually and financially. Waiting for ‘the thing’ is not necessarily the virtuous part.
DOING THE THING...
It’s a crass way to say it – but I have been at this exact place many times!
Sometimes it’s about something (seemingly) small, like saying, “I’m sorry” or “I need you.” Other times it’s a bit more involved – a new exercise routine, launching a new project, creating a boundary in a relationship, cutting up a credit card.
A reflection...
Normally I spend a good bit of December thinking about the new year and what I want to emphasize, but because of the activity surrounding the holidays this past year, I didn’t have a chance to do much of that. So January has been my month of reflection.
Attachments matter...
One of the harder lessons of life for me has been related to poor choices I made with regard to my attachments. Insecurity, the desire to be liked, and a false sense of obligation, all contributed to ill-advised attachments….
Sacrifice, but when?
There is a lot of truth in this statement.
There are always sacrifices to be made. When we embrace them early, we experience long-term benefits. But when we delay the voluntary personal sacrifice till later, we tend to deal with more ominous consequences longer.
Here is the dilemma...
I found this statement by Dr Caroline Leaf worth pondering…
Here is the dilemma.
Sometimes we are the villain in someone else’s story – and rightly so. We were immature, unwise, sinful and vindictive (we all fall short) and even if we are forgiven of those indiscretions, part of weight we must bear is the ongoing relational disconnect caused by those poor choices. Only Heaven will fix some of those breaches.
The Power of a reset...
There is often a good bit of cynicism around New Year’s resolutions. And maybe rightly so. I have started way too many years with ambitious goals that never amounted to lasting change.
BUTTTT… I have also known the value of purposeful reflection that lead to meaningful resets – emotionally, spiritually, relationally and physically.
WHY THE DICHOTOMY?
Being thoughtful about the way we go is most assuredly a good thing. We are all familiar with the old adage: ‘Ready, Fire, Aim’ – not good!
And yet, at the same time, we can also overthink and procrastinate. There is a time to ‘sh*t or get off the pot.’
I BELIEVE THIS TO BE 100% TRUE!
When a storm eventually passes it’s a wonderful thing. The problem is that you never know how long it will take – and sometimes it takes a lot longer than we’d prefer.
COMMUNITY...
It is such a common idea and an oft-quoted necessity that we can actually miss its significance. If we think about how many of our friendships start, they are generally relationships of convenience. We fall into them, because we live in the same neighborhood, work in the same office, have kids who play on the same soccer team, or we attend the same church.
MY HEART IS FULL!
10 days ago I started a road trip through the Midwest. I had several things on my ‘to do’ list. I wanted to introduce people to the Pocket Prayer devotional. I wanted to make quality investments in several groups I was invited to train. And I wanted to have meaningful conversations with donors who might have interest in supporting our foundation.
THE ART OF SELF-RESTRAINT...
Have you noticed that sometimes the most important moves in life are connected to the things we choose not to do? Restraint is an under-appreciated asset in a world of outrage.
SO TRUE!
I remember reading Victor Frankl’s book ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ and it is one of those books I keep coming back to. His statement about meaning only becomes all the more important the older I become…
Simplicity?
Saw this post the other day and it really resonated…
But I’m not sure ‘simplicity’ is the best word. I prefer the word ‘groundedness’.
When we really get "this" it's a game changer!
I have a routine, but it’s not super intense. I break a sweat and I’m tired when I’m done, but I’m not overly spent – and most importantly, I am doing it regularly.
Why there won't be a civil war...
Today is the first day of early voting in TX. and so the fear-mongering has begun.
If she wins, she will turn us into a socialist nation. If he wins, he will be a dictator from day one.
Harrison Ford once said...
- They will criticize you for what you are, for what you are not, and for what they think you are.
- They will judge you for what you do, for what you don’t do, and for what you fail to do.
the best time to start...
I’ve seen this illustration before – “the more you learn, the more you see…” and it’s true.
But I also want to add…
Family
These last few days have been about enjoying my family. We have walked through some beautiful parts of the country, and there is definitely something wonderful about that.
I love this illustration...
It reminds me of the famous quote by Carl Jung, “That which we need the most will be found where we least want to look.”
The art of friendship...
I heard an interesting analysis by a psychiatrist recently, where his research indicated that widows do significantly better than widowers after the passing of their spouse.
What inspires you?
I was never a gym rat. Diet and exercise was always something I’d have to force and I failed more than succeeded.
All of that changed with my diagnosis. It was no longer an option. If I wanted to live I needed to get my sh*t together physically.
it's a ride...
Mental health matters.
Feeling less than...
Taking the next step...
This is my prayer everyday…
I don’t fully understand it, but I think there is something in the human psyche that gives us added courage when our survival isn’t just about ourselves. When we are willing to fight – not just for ourselves – but for those who might need what we are learning, there is extra motivation to get it right.
But did he?
How much does God control?
Had an interesting conversation this morning about the sovereignty of God and how/when he is involved with the things we experience in life. It got me to thinking about how often we say things like, “It’s OK, I know God is in control!” And I understand why we say it, but there is something about that statement that seems a bit ‘off’ to me.
It’s not my intention to create controversy. And if you feel different, I’m good. There is so much about these things that will always be a mystery. Our small human brains will never be able to fully comprehend the ways of God.
Did God show up?
When you walk through a really tough season as a believer you go into it with the hope that God will show up and make himself known. You even believe that perhaps something dramatic will take place – maybe even a miracle. That is our hope, because that is what we believe. We believe in a God who shows up.
But did he?
The problem of positivity...
In most Christian circles we are encouraged to focus on the positive. If something bad happens, we ought not dwell on that bad thing, instead we are to be grateful for what we have in Christ and trust God for a better day ahead. That’s what we should do – or so it seems.
And I get it, faith sees all things through the lens of hope, and we believe that God can and does turn all things to good (Roman’s 8:28). Also, negativity can become a debilitating spiral.
MODERN VS HOLISTIC MEDICINE
In my experience, there is seemingly a great divide between modern and holistic
approaches to cancer treatment. And sadly, patients often feel forced to choose one or
the other.
I haven’t…
I have no idea why such animosity exists between these two approaches! So
unfortunate and truly counterproductive. I have been extremely grateful for all the
expertise of my teams at Mayo, Mercy One, and Urology Austin. I was really well-served by these professionals AND was grateful for all the tests and scans that helped pinpoint
the root causes/issues associated with my cancer challenge.
Dawn UNTIL dawn
It struck me so odd – even unnecessary – I was doing so well after my initial discharge.
But then, while eating a home-cooked soup (made by my son and his fiancé), one of my
side wounds started leaking. We tried to stop it with gauze bandages but couldn’t stay
ahead of it. That led to a very long night. My son didn’t get much sleep as he tried to
hold it all at bay.
In the morning, we got an appointment with a nurse, and they ran a few tests.
Learning to Be a Patient Patient…
There are some things that just can’t be rushed. There are times where we must give ourselves permission to let things take as long as they need to take – even when that is longer than we’d like.
Over the last five years, I’ve had a number of cancer-related surgeries. I’ve grown accustomed to the process and the associated recovery. Do the deed, two weeks of rest/recovery, and back at it! This one – not so much. I realize a lot more was done this time around and a month isn’t very long (all things considered), but still, it’s hard to be patient.
My New Normal
It’s been 2.5 weeks since my last surgery, which isn’t that long ago. I see small improvements almost every day. My biggest hurdles are still related to digestion (fewer parts to work with) and weariness. I get tired after even the smallest activity. But walks help keep things moving.
So, it’s become a bit of a balancing act. Enough activity to stimulate healthy internal processing with enough rest to let my body recover.
Thus the 4… 2… 9:30 plan!
The Problem of Healing Prayers
One of the great conundrums of this season is what to do with prayer – particularly prayers for healing:
How should I pray?
What to do when others pray?
And how to react when circumstances don’t align with the prayers prayed?
Good-bye Room…
You welcomed me as a stranger – like many before me
You were intimidating and cold – at least at first
I was taken aback by the dials, flashes and buttons – but eventual saw them as attentive soldiers watching over me
I had no idea how to find a comfortable place to rest – but you were made to conform to whatever I found most amicable
You became a place for friends and family too – to pray with me, have encouraging conversations, and to share a meal
What is faith?
Faith has to do with what you really know in the face of life-altering circumstances. And for me, there aren’t many things I know know. Most of the stuff in my head fits in the hope category.
I find it interesting to think about this stuff before I know the outcome. There are not many times in life where we have these moments. Thankfully they are few and far between. But when they come they reveal a lot.
I will never leave you or forsake you… Hebrews 13:5
This is the promise God has given us. It is meant to give us hope no matter what we are walking through, because when he is with us (and we know it), there is nothing we can’t face with faith and confidence.
But… gaining that awareness is the hard part.
It’s my privilege to help people encounter God and integrate faith into their day-to-day lives, particularly when it becomes more difficult. To help in that endeavor, I’ve put together thoughtful, biblical resources to help you discover meaningful spiritual rhythms that build strength and add depth to your life.
Bible study can be intimidating. Many people don’t know where to start. Sometimes it can feel tedious and ritualistic.
This is why I lead a new 6-day study every week. I’d love to have you join us. You will be joining a group that does the study together. These studies typically begin every Monday and are built around a theme. I select a new study every week, and we do it together on the YouVersion Bible app. Each reading will take about 10-15 minutes with a chat feature at the end, where you share your reflections. We are all learning – so don’t be afraid to leave your thoughts. There are no ‘bad’ answers. Three easy steps to get started:
1. Download the YouVersion Bible app from the app store
2. Extend me (piet van Waarde) a friend request (from within the app)
3. Accept the invitation for the study.