A blessing for a sibling partnership
Sibling relationships in a family business can be both a strength and a weakness. The trust that is often implicit between brothers and sisters can be a powerful force in the division of labor and in...
Faith & Family Business
A blessing for the end of a family business partnership
May 7, 2023
Ending a family business partnership may not seem like a situation that qualifies for a blessing. Feelings of disappointment, guilt that you are letting down prior (or future) generations, or a...
David’s True Legacy
April 28, 2023
I hope you’ve enjoyed reflecting with me over the last year on King David and his family. On this Christmas morning, my final meditation is about David’s family legacy: Jesus. The lineage is...
Rebuilding after the damage is done
April 28, 2023
I’m finishing the year by reflecting on Psalms (songs) that match up to some of the events we’ve covered in David’s life. Psalm 51 is about King David’s affair with Bathsheba. He recognizes he’s...
Staying faithful in distress
April 28, 2023
As we wrap up our year-long study of David and his family, I’d like to end with reflections on a few Psalms, the ancient Hebrew hymns reflecting several episodes in David’s life. (That there are...
How will you instruct the next generation?
April 28, 2023
My last reflection focused on how King David, now very old and feeble, came to name his son Solomon as the successor to the throne. David’s final words before his passing include the following...
Who helps you stay the course?
April 28, 2023
Our last few weeks focused on how Absalom, King David’s son, tried to force succession by dethroning David. Now, Absalom’s younger brother Adonijah, wants to become king. King David is very old and...
A Thanksgiving Prayer for the Family Business
April 28, 2023
I’m taking a break this week from our study of David and his family, and sending you an updated version of a prayer I wrote several years ago for those working in family businesses. May God’s...
Caring for those who care for you
April 28, 2023
My last reflection summarized the saga between David and Absalom in which Absalom tried to take his father’s position as king. In the final battle between David and Absalom’s armies, David’s key...
A blessing for grandparents in the family business
April 28, 2023
My grandparents, on both sides of my family, had a significant influence on my life. One set of grandparents fostered my interest in agriculture, and, through our family’s struggles and challenges,...