John Harrell's Blog, page 4

Worthy

Making eye contact is a form of communication. It’s overt and subtle, all at the same time. Yet, there are some people who avoid looking you in the eye when you’re talking. Let’s examine this!

Some people are shy. They would be terrified to speak in front of a group of people. Personally, I have never been accused of being shy or standoffish. Meeting new people fascinates me. And I love public speaking. I feed off the energy of the crowd.

Some people find themselves bogged down by their past mistakes. Maybe they had a parent who reminded them of everything they did wrong. Being mired in the past is like being stuck in quicksand. You slowly sink. So what do you do?

Self-work is a subject I write about often. When you examine the reasons why you exhibit behavior that doesn’t serve you well, only then can you remove the root cause and do things differently. Then you can heal and move forward.

Growth is never final. Most people are worth so much more than they give themselves credit. God created each of us, and he doesn’t make mistakes.

Be a lifelong learner. We can learn from everyone we meet. You aren’t required to look people in the eye. But when you do, you let them know they are important. They matter to you in that moment.

Everyone needs to know they matter, that they are important. Because they are…

Competition

Football season is back! I love the game, everything about it. The team I am a fan of is the Dallas Cowboys. They break my heart every year. Yet, I remain a loyal, hopeful supporter.

Team sports are wonderful teaching tools. Young people learn accountability, responsibility and the athletes take better care of their bodies. They keep their grades up so they can play when game time comes.

Winning is a wonderful feeling, but it’s not everything. In sports you have to overcome adversity. You encourage your teammates to rise above the challenges together. These are lessons that will serve you well later in life.

Competition is a good thing. It makes us better at our jobs when a deal is on the line. And if we lose, we learned from sports that we will live to fight another day. All is not lost.

Team sports are not the only place kids can compete. There’s band, debate, engineering, literally everything in school.

Compete fairly with yourself, too. Mistakes happen in life. They will only hold us back if we allow them to…

The “Easy” Way

This morning I saw an advertisement for a prepared food company that said they are “the easy way to get healthy.” Of course they were appealing to people’s desire to take shortcuts and do things without leaving the comfort of their couch.

It’s not easy to get healthy, but it’s not hard, either. It does require commitment. The “get rich quick” schemes are scams, too. You can build wealth over time. But this requires commitment as well.

For centuries the scammers have attempted to take our money with the promise to deliver something worth more than what we paid for it. It was a lie in the past, it’s a lie today and will be a lie until the end of the age. Don’t fall for it.

Follow the principles God laid out in his Word. The Bible covers everything. God didn’t create us and then let us wing our way through life. No, He told us how to eat, build wealth, and he even warned us of the charlatans. But you gotta read it!

I have no doubt the food company I saw the advertisement for was telling the truth about their food. Yet, I know the part about the ease of getting healthy by just eating is grossly inflated. Get healthy through diet and exercise, not scams…

Just Because

Just because someone says or does something doesn’t necessarily make it okay. And that goes for what is true or not true. Going along to get along is a hollow ambition.

There are a lot of fake memes and misleading news stories. According to a February 2025 Gallup poll, 31% of Americans “have a great deal or fair amount” of trust in the media. This is the lowest number in 50 years! Imagine the improvement if they reported news fairly and accurately.

There’s a lot of pressure to “fit in” and not make waves. Jesus certainly wasn’t trying to go with the flow. He rocked the culture of his era and started something that has lasted over 2,000 years.

You weren’t born to be average. You have a great purpose for your life. Go find it. Give it everything you have in you. Be a voice for those who feel like they don’t have one.

When you stand for the truth, sometimes you will stand alone. But the right people will find you…

Church of the Godless

A wise person once asked, “if you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Good question. Great question, actually. Let’s take a moment to consider the answer.

Whether we believe in God is not predicated on how much Scripture we can recite from memory. Nor is it measured by how often we attend church. As it says in The Book of James, “even the demons believe, and they shudder.” They should shudder. It doesn’t end well for them.

Our belief is shown through our actions. God told us how to live, but He gives me the choice to follow his guidance or ignore it. Am I helping the poor, showing kindness and leading others well? Am I taking care of my body and physical health? If the answer is no to any and all these questions, then why am I here? I’m here because God isn’t finished with me.

I have seen people attend church on Sundays, yet they mistreat others the very same day. Maybe they are simply checking the box rather than allowing the teachings to sink in and make them better. Only God knows what is in the heart of man.

Take time to consider the question that the wise person asked. Write down the evidence. And then allow God to help you where you fall short. It’s a continuous process…

Battery Life

About one-third of the world has a smartphone. This modern marvel connects people worldwide. Service capacity is being added daily. In the United States hardly anyone owns a landline.

Our phones have a limited battery life. Keeping track of how much power we have left has added another responsibility to our already busy lives. Ugh. One more thing to do! Gotta keep a charger handy so I don’t lose connection.

Our bodies are similar to a phone battery. We can get run down if we don’t take care of ourselves. Every day we should spend some time just being quiet, eating healthy foods, getting some exercise and having meaningful conversations. I’m not a believer in this work/life balance thing, but when I do the things I mentioned I get as close as possible.

Take care of yourself. Keep your battery charged. Then you will be better for yourself and everyone around you…

Learn to Listen

In The Book of James the author tells us to “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” In other words, we should keep quiet and keep our cool. But what about that listening part?

How many times have we been in conversations where we hear the other person, but we aren’t truly listening to them? I would venture to say it happens quite a lot. We can get so amped up to be heard ourselves that we end up having two monologues rather than a dialogue.

Listening requires way more effort than just hearing someone. But it is required for good communication. And after a day of listening to your counter parties, you become mentally exhausted. But it is worth it. When we listen, others feel like they have been seen, heard and understood.

Take the time to listen when engaged with others. Take the extra time to listen with your heart…

Investigation

Do you ever question or challenge your beliefs? If you haven’t engaged in this exercise before, perhaps it’s a good idea to do so. After all, your convictions will either be strengthened or altered. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

There are a handful of beliefs that don’t need to be questioned. If I jump off a 50 story building, gravity will work every single time. There’s no need to test that one! If (when) I break the speed limit (often), I’m going to receive a very expensive ticket.

But what about our spiritual beliefs? According to a 2025 research study conducted by Pew Research Center, 83% of Americans believe in God or a universal power. In fact, 54% of the respondents believe with “absolute certainty” that God is real. The skeptics need proof.

Look around if you want proof. There is a lot of evil in our world, but there’s a lot more good. Bad news gets headlines. “If it bleeds it leads” my friends in media say. The good news gets published, but not as often as the bad. And only God can bring good from the bad news. It’s his specialty!

Change the narrative from “I’ll believe it when I see it” to “I’ll see it when I believe it.” God gives fresh air and sunshine to believers and nonbelievers alike. Treat every moment in life like it’s a miracle because it is.

Challenge your convictions. This applies to everything. Question why you believe what you believe. Is there proof? What do the facts say?

It’s not a threat to question things. Stay curious…

Tunnel Vision

If you experience tunnel vision, it means your field of vision is limited. Perhaps all you can see is the middle. Sometimes it clears up on its own, but it could be due to a medical condition.

There’s a good kind of tunnel vision. When you get so focused on a goal that all you can see is your end result, you are in the tunnel. You are progressing towards the one thing you want. It might be a college degree, a book you are writing, or an important work project. Whatever it is, it has all your attention.

In life, we need to decide what we want. What fulfills us? It shouldn’t be something hollow like money or fame. Those things go away. It must be something that lasts, something worthwhile.

You are here for a reason, a great purpose. Don’t waste it by chasing the wrong things. Find your purpose and pursue it with everything in you. Have tunnel vision where this is concerned. Then you will feel more alive than you ever have…

Count Me In

We count calories, likes, and we count our daily steps. When I was a (little) kid, I was scared of Count Dracula! But do we count where it really matters?

There is a universal homogeneity in all of us. We want our lives to count. We want to matter. In the heart of mankind, we know we are here for something greater than ourselves. Yet, we can get distracted by life and all the twists and turns it brings.

We were created in God’s image. He’s the only one who gives generously but doesn’t need anything from us. Or, does he? We can use our abilities and our resources for the betterment of mankind. We may not be able to help everyone, but we can make a difference in the lives of some. And when you do something for someone who can never repay you, you receive a wonderful feeling too intangible to describe.

Find the areas in need that appeal to your heart. Don’t hide or waste your talents. You were gifted to make a difference, to make your life count…