SamStone

SamStone

Avoid Spiritual Pride

There are two kinds of stress or anxiety in life—Overt Stress and Covert Stress. Overt Stress is easy to recognize because it bogs us down and troubles our hearts. I also call it “Sour Stress.” Covert Stress is “Sweet Stress”…

Faith is not Confidence

Once upon a time, a family in a small village owned a strong and dependable horse that helped the family in farming and transportation. They loved the animal and treated it like a family member, but one day, the horse…

Express Gratitude and Experience Grace

Recently, I came across some new research studies on the science of gratitude. Can you believe there’s such a subject as “the science of gratitude?” It’s fascinating to learn how gratitude can enrich our lives with profound joy and happiness.…

Empathy: Your Wings to Heaven

There is an Indian parable that is quite thought-provoking. It’s about a prostitute living across the street from a small monastery occupied by a monk. They can see each other from a distance through their windows. The monk meditates and…

Making Best Friends Forever

A native American village has a tradition of sending young adults, at about twenty years old, out to the world to fulfill their vocation and then return to the village to retire when they are old, maybe around sixty. Every…

You Complete Heaven

If you love Chinse food, you must know a popular dish called “Dongopo Rou,” or “Dongpo Meat.” It’s a sweet, savory, flavorful, and delicious dish named after its inventor Su Dongpo. Su Dongpo was the Benjamin Franklin of 11th Century…

The Prayer God Answers

I was browsing Amazon.com some time back and landed on C.S. Lewis’ book page, “Mere Christianity.” As you all know, that’s one of the most read books in the 20th century, and naturally, you see nothing but raving five-star reviews.…

Dangerous Distractions

You might have heard in the news about the giant lifelike 3D cat on a billboard in Tokyo, attracting fans from around the country and even worldwide. If you have never seen it, search on the web for the “giant…