By: Noel Liemam on November 15, 2024
Introduction “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” by Angela Duckworth, has been rated 4.6/5.0 stars on amazon.com and 4.1/5 stars on 4.1/5 stars on Goodreads. Is it a good read? The reviews I watched on YouTube agreed on the fact that it is a very practical book, and it is useful for self-improvement. Angela…
By: Joel Zantingh on November 15, 2024
“Stubborn Dutchman” was a phrase I heard almost weekly as a child. It was applied to grandparents, aunts and uncles, my parents, siblings, and yes, to me. It seemed to be a regular explanation to a tenacity and commitment against all odds, even when the activity or hypothesis was less than iron-clad. Sometimes an insult,…
By: Daren Jaime on November 15, 2024
As we pay homage to our armed military veterans across the United States this week, the sports enthusiast in me would like to pay special tribute to the United States Army football team. They are ranked 18th overall in the nation in college football standings and are currently on a 14-game winning streak, the longest…
By: Christy on November 14, 2024
Grit is a common word in my household. My husband serves with a missions organization as a mobilization coach and equips potential goers to go to unreached people groups. The organization partners with local churches to help future goers to be developed as church planters to unreached people groups. They have three steps in their…
By: Julie O'Hara on November 14, 2024
Grit. The word conjures images of dusty cowboys enduring hardship out on the plains of the American west while protecting their cattle and preserving their way of life. Maybe the image comes easily because the long-awaited final episodes of the fan-favorite television series, Yellowstone, have begun to drop. In this series about life on a…
By: Elysse Burns on November 14, 2024
I live among people whose resilience and resourcefulness are extraordinary, and I am amazed and humbled by what they produce and repurpose daily with limited resources. Whether navigating crowded market stalls, constructing buildings with only buckets and concrete blocks, or commuting in taxis, rickshaws, on donkeys, or by foot, one thing is unmistakable: life here…
By: Diane Tuttle on November 14, 2024
Between the two books, Grit: The POWER of PASSION and PERSEVERANCE[1] and Mindset[2], it feels like I was reading several lines from my “script” to new employees at our orientation meetings each month, except with different words. My role in these meetings is to welcome the newcomers, review our Mission, Core Values and Vision statements…
By: Kari on November 14, 2024
“You’re a lady doing the worker’s job!” I looked up from my sweeping to smile at the neighbor passing. I shrugged and cheerfully told her it was good exercise. She laughed, agreed, exchanged a few more words, and continued walking. That exchange was in the local dialect of Arabic. I understood her. She understood me.…
By: Ryan Thorson on November 14, 2024
*Grit: (Noun) courage and resolve; strength of character:* What does it take to develop grit? Is grit really perseverance and passion, or simply perseverance with a growth mindset? Does Grit even matter? Angela Duckworth wrote the book Grit in 2016 after measuring success in various groups of students and people. Having gone from the…
By: Adam Cheney on November 14, 2024
The little red dirt trail had become familiar as I walked between the tall grass and coconut trees. We had been living in a small village in Kenya for about a year and I had learned to always vary my route, never returning the same way I had come. Our arrival into the village we…
By: Graham English on November 14, 2024
“You can do anything you want”, is a mantra that I’ve heard parents often say to their kids, with the desire to see them maximize their potential. The concept of reaching one’s full potential has been a focal point in various fields of thought for centuries. Philosophers, psychologists, and theologians have extensively explored methods to…
By: Shela Sullivan on November 13, 2024
Introduction “True Grit,” is a 2010 American Western movie about a fourteen-year old girl, Mattie Ross,[1] who hires a drunken US Mashal, Rooster Cogburn to pursue her father’s murderer, Tom Chaney. Determined to see Chaney brought to justice, in two scenes, Mattie displays remarkable grit, such as when she crosses a river on horseback to…
By: Debbie Owen on November 13, 2024
Jesus asks many questions in the gospels. But the most powerful question he asks is, “What do you want?” For instance, he asks a blind man, Bartimaeus, in Mark 10:51-52, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus replies, “Teacher, I want to see.” Isn’t that interesting? The man is obviously blind, yet…
By: Chad Warren on November 12, 2024
In a world where social media glorifies instant success and extraordinary talent, the YouTube group Dude Perfect exemplifies how perseverance and consistent effort are the foundation of their remarkable achievements. Known for their fantastic trick shots, they easily achieve the impossible, captivating millions with their seemingly effortless displays of talent. However, behind the scenes lies…
By: Glyn Barrett on November 12, 2024
Jesus is GRIT! Not only does this book define the Christian life, but it perfectly summarises Jesus. Before discussing Jesus, I will highlight the central premise of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, [1] before drawing an analogy with a movie, Jesus and my family. Angela Duckworth’s work on grit is absorbing and, in…
By: Jeff Styer on November 11, 2024
Reading Angela Duckworth’s book Grit: The Power and Passion and Perseverance reminded me of a bike ride I took this past summer.[1] It was a two-day 132-mile ride on a 71-mile crushed gravel trail in West Virginia that parallels U.S. Route 50. This was a trail that my wife and I began several years ago…
By: Jennifer Eckert on November 10, 2024
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” — Attributed to Vince Lombardi Lombardi’s quote addresses the idea that grit is the will to keep pushing forward, and despite the difficulty, it is often a quality that determines…
By: Noel Liemam on November 8, 2024
“The Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” by Dr. Carol S. Dweck, has a good content that I can learn from. I would love to have it in bookshelves; however, I would read it only once or twice. This book teaches about the ‘two mindsets’ which are fixed mindset and growth mindset, and the remaining…
By: Jennifer Eckert on November 7, 2024
The contentious U.S. election has left me feeling battered and drained, much like the Oklahoma tornadoes that struck shortly before. Americans remain deeply divided in how the country should move forward, and many increasingly rely on social media headlines instead of fact-checking or thinking critically. Those who challenge misinformation are often publicly criticized or even…
By: Daren Jaime on November 7, 2024
It was one of my first denominational ministerial classes. We were nervous, uncertain, and in a healthy fear of what our ministerial journey will take us. The course was pastoral administration. A very well seasoned scholar and pastor was sharing with us what we should expect if we were ever assigned to a pastorate. As…
