Tag Archives: purpose

Time to Experience a Fool’s Odyssey

Posted on October 21, 2025 by mitchteemley

Dear blogger friends: I’m in the midst of a week-long project. And so, in an effort to avoid creative overload, I’m taking a break from blogging. Meanwhile, I’m inviting you to read my award-winning poetic novella, Fool’s Odyssey. To begin your … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Culture, Fool's Odyssey, Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

There’s No Such Thing as Nothing

Posted on October 13, 2025 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week The word nothing doesn’t mean “non-existence.” It only means the absence of a specific or expected condition. For example, a buyer might ask a property owner whether there is “anything” on a particular parcel of land. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

Question: How Big Is Your Dream?

Posted on September 13, 2025 by mitchteemley

Photo by Juuso Oikarinen “The purpose of your life did not begin with you, and it will not end with you.” ~The Wishing Map ∞

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

The Biggest Leap of My Life

Posted on August 26, 2025 by mitchteemley

My Real Memoir “You don’t have to cough,” I told God. To wit, “You don’t have to make a sound or produce a theatrical burst of light for me to believe you’re here.” In fact, looking back, it seemed God … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , | 36 Comments

You Can’t Live on Ego Candy

Posted on August 3, 2025 by mitchteemley

Compliments are like candy. They’re pleasurable in small amounts. But the moment we try to live on them we grow weak and sickly. Just ask any miserable, spiritually undernourished pop idol, sports hero, or movie star. Adulation isn’t nutrition. True, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 48 Comments

My Heart Was in Your Hands

Posted on August 2, 2025 by mitchteemley

Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and encouraging words! It looks like I may be around for a while. My heart procedure was deemed a success. A dicey one, mind you. I have tachycardia due to premature ventricular contractions. Translation: … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 203 Comments

Looking Back: Ten Years Ago Today

Posted on July 14, 2025 by mitchteemley

Image by Johannes Plenio Thought for the Week Oh, how the world has changed. Ten years ago, I’d just seen Pixar’s Inside Out and cried like a baby; president Obama was normalizing relations with other countries; and Donald Trump had … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 77 Comments

Knowing Why We Are Here Matters

Posted on June 16, 2025 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week An agnostic friend asked, “What is the purpose of life? Why don’t religions tell us?” I responded, “Actually, Jesus and others in the Bible do tell us the purpose of life. It’s to know and love … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Running the Race Set Before Me

Posted on June 1, 2025 by mitchteemley

It’s true, Jesus is my hero. But he’s so much more than that. And, yes, I’m aware that some (non-historian) people believe he never existed. Or that he was only loosely based on an obscure, deluded rabbi. And then later … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

How to Remember Your Future

Posted on May 19, 2025 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week Thirteen Years. That’s how long Marcel Proust spent writing and expanding his seven-volume autobiographical novel. He obsessed over getting every detail right, and leaving nothing out. Only no one would publish it. So he published it … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments