In Others’ Words: Taking the Time

Beth Vogtgoals, In Others' Words, Quotes 12 Comments

To everything there is a season, right? But how many of us consider “now” the perfect season? We don’t want to wait. We want what we want right this minute because, of course, “now” is the best time, the right time, to have it. And yet, rushing things often ruins things. Let’s be honest: rushing things often ruins us. Can …

In Others’ Words: The Power of Doing Good

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, power, Quotes 9 Comments

  Power is often thought of as the ability to act or to do something. Adjust that idea a bit, and power becomes the ability to make others do what you want them to do. Power causes change … both good and bad. Power influences other … for both benevolent and evil people’s purposes. And, let’s be honest here: people …

In Others’ Words: Start or Finish?

Beth Vogtcompetition, In Others' Words, Quotes 12 Comments

I’ve watched many a volleyball game since my youngest daughter started playing back in fifth grade. I’ve got to admit, I like it when her team comes out hot, all the players fired up and ready to go, knocking the team on the other side of the net off kilter. But I’ve learned over and over again that, while fired …

In Others’ Words: Inspiring Change

Beth Vogtchange, How Gratitude Shapes the Heart, In Others' Words, Quotes 25 Comments

My husband laughed and summed up today’s blog post in two words: Change happens. You can’t argue with the man. January was a month of change for me as a writer. I started on book 2 in my Thatcher Sisters Series — always fun to develop new characters and plot a new story. “Why?” is the repeated question during this …

girl standing on a beach at sunset

In Others’ Words: Where Have You Been?

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perspective, Quotes 17 Comments

 Where has life taken you? That’s not a rhetorical question. I want to know: where has life taken you? What geographical locations have you seen? Cities. States. Provinces. Countries. What mountains have you climbed or skied? What lakes or oceans have you plunged into? Where have you sat and watched the sun rise or set? What place holds your heart …

In Others’ Words: When Story Conquers Fear

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, Quotes, story 10 Comments

I sat across from my trusted friend Wise Guy recently and told him, “My heart seems smaller.” Had unrelenting circumstances — mine and others’ close to me — turned me into some emotional Grinch and downsized my heart? As I talked some and listened more, I realized that yes, fear had crept in and silenced me … that unknowingly I …

In Others’ Words: Decide What It’s About

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perspective, Quotes 9 Comments

  Perspective changes everything. As my husband and I wandered through a local park early one morning before my daughter’s day-long volleyball tournament, I paused in front of this wire bench. The surrounding trellises were mostly bare. What few leaves remained were brittle and brown. The landscape was awash in grays and browns. And it had its own certain beauty. …

In Others’ Words: Choosing to Live Inside Hope

Beth Vogthope, In Others' Words, Quotes 6 Comments

Do you know what you hope for? We talked about life themes on Tuesday and I think what we hope for is linked to our life theme. If, as I said in the post two days ago, my life theme is relationships, than I hope for healthy relationships. Loving relationships. Life-giving relationships. Obviously I’m talking about the capital “H”, capital …

In Others’ Words: The Power of Quotes

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perspective, Quotes 14 Comments

I have always been a word person. My mother used to say she thought I was born with a dictionary in my hands. (Now that is an odd visual.) And I have always appreciated quotes, savoring the discovery of someone else’s way with words that makes me pause and think or even laugh out loud, thanks to their fresh perspective.  …

In Others’ Words: How Do You “Do You”?

Beth VogtIn Others' Words, perseverance, Quotes 15 Comments

The New Year is two days old. Some of us started 2018 armed with a list of resolutions while others distilled our desire for change down to One Words like trust, kindness, release. Whatever your mode of change, the New Year is prime time for a new you … to a certain point. In the midst of all the New Year-New Me changing …