You Were Made for This

John Certalic
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You were made for fulfilling relationships. Listen each week to stories of people finding hope and encouragement in their relationships so that you can too. Host and award-winning author John Certalic, together with his guests, share principles of life-giving relationships. John's relationship story starts with his birth to a single mother and placement in foster care for the first 16 months of his life. From this comes four different careers, 53 years of marriage to the same wife, and much he has learned about relationships. John draws from all this, along with inspiring stories from his guests, to share how you can find more fulfillment in the relationships you were made for.

  1. 5D AGO

    A Delightful Conversation Fueled by Silence

    It's counterintuitive, I know, but delightful conversations are often fueled by the magic of silence interjected at strategic moments. I've got an example of this in today's episode. I'm pretty sure you're going to like this one. It involves a delightful conversation I recently had with a charming four-year -old child. But first, I'm John Certalic, and you are listening to episode 230 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about enriching our lives by reflecting the character, image, and likeness of God in our relationships. It's what we were made for. We were made for this. I'm back It's been five months since you last heard from me in episode 229 entitled "Thankful for Encouraging People." In that episode I mentioned I needed to take a break to catch up on a few things, and that I'd be having shoulder replacement surgery, followed by months of physical therapy. The surgery went well. I can now shake hands with people, type on a keyboard, and warm my coffee up in our microwave. I'm also nearing the end of my tiPT appointments. So it's good to be back behind the microphone talking to you. I'll start with this first episode back by sharing a delightful conversation I had with a four-year-old girl that makes me smile whenever it comes to mind. I'm pretty sure  It's going to make you smile, too, as well as remind you of an important listening principle that can help deepen your relationships. A visit from a mom and her two young children This delightful conversation I've mentioned took place when a friend of ours came to our house to spend some girl time with my wife Janet. She came with two of her kids, a toddler, and his four-year-old sister, who I will call Emily. It's not her real name, but I've always liked the sound of Emily. If Janet and I  would have had another daughter l would have liked to have named her Emily. It's a perfectly symmetrical name. Three vowels separated by two consonants. And it's such a soft and gentle-sounding name. I happened to be home at the time our mom friend arrived, and I thought it might be helpful if I would entertain the kids so Janet and our young mom friend could chat without distraction. So while Janet and Mom talked away in our dining area, I occupied the kids around a large square coffee table in our living room. We don't have a large house, but it is open, and Mom could see her kids and me in the next room. Unfortunately, it had been years since we last had toys for small children in our house. Our grandkids are now in their 20s and we got rid of the toys we used to have in the house for them. However, we did have a basket full of toys for our cat, Father Patrick O'Malley.  Cat toys come in handy I've mentioned  Father Patrick before in several episodes, so I won't say anything more about him here. Except that he's a great cat, and that if we ever get another cat, and it's a female, I should like to name her Emily - Sister Emily. Sister Emily Frances to be exact. Anyway, the cat toys did the job in amusing little brother, but Emily grew tired of them pretty quickly. At that point, I remembered one large picture  book we had for kids, and got that out and started reading it to her. I got about two-thirds of the way through the book when boredom set in for little Emily. The book just wasn't cutting it for her.  Emily tried re-engaging with the cat toys, which were still holding the attention of little brother. But nothing captured her imagination. Emily glanced over at Mom, deep in a meaningful conversation with Janet, and must have realized they weren't going to be leaving for home anytime soon. I sat on our couch watching this cutest little four-year-old trying to solve her boredom problem when she walked over to get closer to me.   Looking for a solution to boredom Choosing her words very carefully, and while looking around the room, Emily softly  and deliberately asked, "Do you have a TV?" I knew where this conversation was headed, but I became curious to see how we were going to get there. My natural inclination would be to answer her question with something like, "Of course, would you like to watch something on TV? Let me ask your mom first to see  if that would be okay with her." But something inside of me said to hold back. Something larger is about to take place. Most four-year olds when they get bored will let you know it in no uncertain terms with their body language. They'll look frustrated, beg Mom to leave, and otherwise whine about their current state. I've seen it hundreds of times, and I know you have, too. But Emily was different. No whining, complaining, or pouting. Instead, she came up with a possible solution to her boredom problem in a way that it would look like it was my idea, rather than hers.   Do you have a TV? But instead of grabbing the bait at the end of the line she was throwing me, I did something different. I paused for several moments and simply said,  "Yes."  That's all I said, and waited for her to respond. After several more moments of silence, this little girl turned her head every way you could turn it, looking for a TV in the room we were in. Not seeing one, she asked a follow-up question. "Where is it?"  I began smiling internally, thinking I'm enjoying our lovely little conversation maybe more than I should be. Strategic silence I paused for a few strategic seconds of silence before pointing to a bedroom on the east side of our house that she could not see, and said, "We keep it in a room over there." While eagerly waiting for what she was going to say next. I could see the wheels turning in her mind, crafting a response that would lead to getting what she wanted. After a pause longer than normal, she finally asked me a second follow-up question, "Do you ever watch programs on it?" It was all I could do not to burst out in laughter. But after a few more moments of silence Responded with just two words. "I do." By now I knew it was time to bring this delightful conversation to a close and bite on the bait Emily was using to lure me in. I was about to ask her if she wanted me to find a program for her to watch on our TV when I heard a stirring in the next room. Mom and Janet began standing up from the table, signaling that Emily, Mom , and brother would soon be leaving. Three observations from this delightful conversation First off, I realized you can't rely on cat toys to entertain small children. We are becoming friends with much younger people at our new church and we need to stock up on a few toys for when they visit us with their kids. A second conversation observation is that it's clear to me that Emily has been parented well. While her interaction with me may be in part because of her personality, it seems to me that the relational skills she demonstrated were the product of what she learned from her parents. Partly by instruction, I suspect, but largely by example. Her parents deserve a lot of credit for teaching her how to relate with adults. Especially in this day and age when parenting is so much harder than when Janet and I were raising our kids. So many more challenges than decades ago. Finally, my conversation with Emily would have been much less interesting if I had filled the long pauses in our interaction with words. Silence after my one-word answers to her questions gave her space to think and to ask follow-up questions. As adults, we could all experience deeper, more meaningful conversations if we allowed for periods of silence. It not only creates room for people to ask  meaningful follow-up questions, but it also gives people permission to let their thoughts more fully develop. What made this conversation so delightful The world that children like Emily live in certainly has it challenges. But it's not tarnished with what adults face day in and day out. There's an innocence about children that draws adults back to a simpler time when life was less stressful. It's good to savor the beauty of childlike innocence from time to time. It calms the soul. Another thing that was delightful was watching this four-year-old develop relational muscle in solving a problem. In this case, her problem was boredom. But she was too shy to simply ask, "Can I watch something on your TV?" Instead, she asked me a question (do you have a TV?) that she hoped would lead down the path of me coming up with a solution to her problem, all the while thinking it was my idea and not hers. But I didn't make it easy on her. It was wonderful to see how she asked follow-up questions to my one-word answers.   Emily was so charming. It brings a smile to my face when I think of our brief interaction. Her parents have been blessed with a rare gem. It will be interesting to see how her inherent people skills grow as she matures. Imagining the future It lifted my spirits to imagine what this four-year-old will be like in another 35-40 years. Her relational intelligence even at this early stage of her life will give her a head start in dealing with the relational encounters she will have in years to come. It also made me think of ways I could get what I wanted by being more charming and winsome like Emily. Advance my idea by creating an environment where someone else thinks it's their idea. Go slower, be more patient with people. Be gentle with them. Yeah, that's what I learned from this four-year-old that morning a few weeks ago. So what does this delightful conversation mean for YOU?  The scriptures tell us we are all made in the image and likeness of God. We were made to relate to people in ways that reflect God's character. And one aspect of God's character is that he is sometimes silent in relating to us. Not out of indifference to us, or displeasure with us. No, it's just the opposite.  He is sometimes silent to draw out the best in us. To develop our character, to teach us new skills, to help us become the best version of ourselves. And we can do the same thing for other people (e

    17 min

  2. 11/26/2025

    Thankful for Encouraging People

    With Thanksgiving Day just around the corner here in the US, I've been thinking about how grateful I am for the encouraging people I see all around me. People who encourage me by their thoughtfulness towards me, and also towards others. I've got some examples for you in today's show that I think will encourage you.  But first, I'm John Certalic, and you are listening to episode 229 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about enriching our lives by reflecting upon the relational moments of everyday life that reflect the character, image, and likeness of God. It's what we were made for. We were made for this. Thankful in New York City I'll start with an encouraging quote I came across the other day from a Substack email I got from Garrison Keillor. Now in his early 80s and having moved to New York City from his beloved St. Paul, Minnesota,  Keillor still writes and travels the country putting on truncated versions of his wildly popular A Prairie Home Companion. He writes in his email: Old age is the age of gratitude, when I come to appreciate the beautiful details in life such as Lenny our doorman in New York who says, "Taxi?" as I come across the lobby pushing a suitcase and when I say, "Please," he hustles out into the street and lets fly with a classic two-finger whistle like the shriek of a predator and a taxi makes a swift U-turn and pulls up and Lenny grabs the bag and throws it in the trunk. How encouraging it is to hear someone say, Old age is the age of gratitude, when I come to appreciate the beautiful details in life. I think I should like to live in an apartment building that has a doorman. Maybe even be the doorman who worked second shift in exchange for reduced rent. And maybe wear a classy uniform and get tips from wealthy tenants. Thankful for kind people Actually, I once was the caretaker of an upscale apartment building when we were first married, living in what used to be the servant's studio apartment in exchange for reduced rent. I didn't have a uniform, but I did get a few tips. Like the time Mrs. Rourke gave me a tip for changing a light bulb in her floor lamp. And Mr. Reynolds used to tip me for taking his golf clubs down to the Greyhound bus station to be shipped to Florida just before he and Mrs. Reynolds headed South for the winter. So I do have the experience, which I will have to remember to include in my resume. Thankful for feedback from our podcast listeners While Garrison Keillor was encouraged by Lenny, his doorman, there are encouraging people in my life, particularly the listeners to this podcast. For example, last month a listener from Ohio wrote to me and said,  I just want you to know how much I enjoyed your podcast where the girl was searching for her biological father. Have to listen to it again. [She's referring to episode 169 from several years ago: "A Daughter's Feel-Good Story About Her Father"] Your podcasts are so refreshing, John…and you have a very soothing voice. A break from other podcasts for sure. Though they are interesting and beneficial.      ~ M.G. Then there is the encouraging person serving as a missionary in Ecuador  who responded to the article I wrote recently, "Ask Questions Like Jesus Did." He wrote,  This blog post is very thought-provoking and reminds me of what a master conversationalist Jesus was. Every word counted for something. It definitely was not filler with Jesus. God bless you, John.         _ N.F. An Interesting Bible study format Among the other encouraging people in my life is another podcast listener who is from Wisconsin who wrote I wrote about asking questions like Jesus did. She responded with this: I love this article you wrote about the questions Jesus asks.  Next semester, I am planning to have my Bible study group do a study on "the questions Jesus asked." I'm planning on having everyone in the group pick a question Jesus asked and lead a Bible study about that question. I love to get everyone in our group involved by leading a study.  There are so many questions Jesus asked and he has so much to teach us in each question. I thought it would give everyone a chance to pick a question that caught their attention in some way spoke to them.  I might just share your blog post with my group as a way of introducing this idea!  Thanks for expanding my thoughts! ~ K.P. What a great idea for a bible study. I wish I could be a fly on the wall for this one. Two responses to "Ask Thoughtful Questions Before It's Too Late" Moving on, two other encouraging people wrote to tell me about how an article I wrote the end of last month impacted them. This was the one entitled "Ask Thoughtful Questions Before It's Too Late" The first one is from a listener from Iowa who wrote: I wish my grandpa was still alive! I would have liked to hear more about his childhood. He was so grouchy, but also kindhearted. And he became much nicer as I got into high school and beyond.  I would like to know what made him act so grouchy when I was a kid. Maybe he hated his job? Or maybe he was just not great with kids? One day we will meet again, and hopefully I will hear more of his story.  Maybe we should all write a memoir called "What made me so grouchy?" (I am currently working on figuring that out for myself!)         ~ - J.B. Finally, the last encouraging response I received to the "Ask Thoughtful Questions Before It's Too late" blog post comes from a listener in Arizona who writes, Dear John, I have appreciated your columns so much, and the topics you focus on. This one is especially meaningful, and I'm so glad you included it. Grateful for your ministry, ~ L.G I'm intrigued by this listener's comment and was struck by the use of the word "so."It's used twice, once as an adjective and once as an adverb, as in "so much" and "So glad." And then "especially", as in "especially Meaningful." Apparently the "Ask Questions Before It's Too Late" struck a nerve with this listener. I wonder what the backstory is to their comment. It appears to be something they felt deeply. Hmmm. How encouraging people affect us All of these comments from listeners have made me think about WHY I am thankful for encouraging people and why you will most likely be grateful for them, too. A couple of thoughts come to mind. Encouraging people stand in stark contrast to the abundant supply of people who lack an emotional response to most things. They are also so different than the grumpy people among us that J.B. from Iowa who mentioned her grandfather. Encouraging people are a joy to be around. Negative, joyless people are discouraging to be with. Encouraging people think about others besides themself. They want the best for someone. They share what they observe that's positive in the life of another. Encouraging people express how another person has impacted them in a positive way.  They motivate others to be the person God created them to be. Encouraging people inspire confidence in others to keep doing what they're doing. They remind others of how they are making a difference in the world. Encouraging people lift our spirits and sometimes surprise us with their positive perception of things they see in us, that we might have difficulty seeing in ourselves. And finally, encouraging people remind us that we can be encouraging to others, too. We can be a source of encouragement, and not just a recipient of it.  I am thankful for this, and I hope you are, too. Closing As we close up shop for today, I hope your thinking was stimulated by today's show, to be thankful for the encouraging people in you life, and to consider how you could be an encouragement to someone else.  Well, that's it for today. I'd love to hear your thoughts or reactions to today's episode. Just go to the show notes for today's program at JohnCertalic.com, then scroll down to the end to the "Leave a comment" box. Finally, remember to spread a little relational sunshine around the people you meet this week. Spark some joy for them. Encourage them.  And I'll see you again next time. Goodbye for now. Other episodes or resources related to today's shows 169: A Daughter's Feel-Good Story About Her Father   Ask Questions Like Jesus Did Ask Thoughtful Questions Before It's Too Late Prior recent episode 228: Beyond the Landscape - The Beauty I Saw In Ireland   All past and future episodes can be found at JohnCertalic.com

    12 min

  3. 10/15/2025

    Beyond the Landscape - The Beauty I saw in Ireland

    Beauty is more than scenery My wife and I recently returned from a vacation trip to Ireland. We saw the same things people typically see when they visit the Emerald Isle. The museums, the pubs, the walking tours led by local guides. And those sheep; all those sheep. Then, of course, there was the rich beauty of the green rolling hills, and the breathtaking rugged cliffs that border the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea. But I also saw a different kind of beauty, the beauty of relationships as people reflected the character and image of God. This is what I will remember most, and what I talk about in today's episode. But first, I'm John Certalic, and you are listening to episode 228 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about finding joy in being the person God created each of us to be. Namely, someone who reflects the character, image, and likeness of God in our relationships. It's what we were made for. We were made for this. When people ask me, "How was your trip?" I can say it was truly awesome.  But it was different from the kind of awesome that has become so commonplace these days. It wasn't like the awesome you hear from the high school kid after he finishes taking your order at Chick-fil-A. What was awesome for me was the beauty I saw in several different forms. The first was how spectacular the landscape and scenery were. I couldn't help but think of how pleased God must be with his creation of this island about the size of South Carolina. Anne Lamont would call it "God showing off" when he created Ireland. Showing off in the best sense of the word in talking about ˙is creation. Beauty in Differences Another form of beauty I experienced was how different many things were to what I'm accustomed. Driving on the left side of the road. Very few highways wider than two lanes. People saying" sorry" when they accidentally bump into you on the crowded sidewalks of Dublin and Belfast. No graffiti or homeless people that I could see. And how clean everything was. No garbage or litter. And the sheep. All those sheep. Have I mentioned the sheep yet?  So much beauty in people living life very different from me,and thriving in it. There was also the beauty I saw in relationships during our travels through the cities and countryside of Ireland. One stop took us to the Waterford Crystal factory in Cork, and another to Belleek Pottery in Northern Ireland. In both places I was impressed with the artisans who work there.  They start an apprenticeship that lasts 5 years, and then after 3 more years they become master artisans in their craft. They spend the work day at benches creating beauty in small decorative items that are shipped around the world. Their relationship to their work in creating beauty is a picture of dedication. Creating beauty from a workbench In both places, many of the employees have worked for decades at the same job. Several grey-haired men, not much younger than me, hunched over their benches with ear buds in their ears, creating intricate details with small tools in their large hands. It made me wonder if they might be listening to this podcast. I don't know if I I could work as a craftsman like they do. I don't have the pertinence I imagine they must have.s="Apple-converted-space">  I also think I would get bored. But I so respect people who work at tedious jobs like this in order to support their families. Men and women who sacrifice loftier goals for the sake of earning a living so their families could achieve their goals.  Yet the objects they create are truly beautiful, so there's got to be some satisfaction in this. Many of the pieces were so expensive I picture them becoming family heirlooms to be handed down to future generations. That's got to be rewarding. The man in bib overalls Another form of relationship beauty unfolded in front of me with some of the people in our tour group. My wife and I  traveled with two friends of ours, along with 37 strangers on a motor coach all over Ireland for 12 days. One man in our tour group stood out, the guy who wore bib overalls every day, and everywhere. He seemed out of place at first. You cut people slack when they're living out of a suitcase for 12 days as we did. But he wore bib overalls all the time, even at the nice restaurants on our tour. I thought at first he was a farmer, but soon learned that he was a public works employee who just retired from his job in a medium-size town in central Illinois. I don't remember his name, but he was the kindest, gentlest, and most caring person I've run into in a long time.  He helped Janet get off our bus on several occasions, and he helped other people as well. He stood in sharp contrast to two other men on the trip who never seemed to stop talking. On and on they talked about their travels, the minor things that went wrong on our tour, and their opinions about everything under the sun. They seemed oblivious to others in their midst. Different from other men on the trip But the man in bib overalls wasn't like this at all. He always smiled and never complained about anything. I recall an interesting conversation he and I had about his snowplowing duties with the city.  "I loved plowing snow because I knew it was helping people, helping them get out and around town after a snow storm, " he said. At one of our stops in a small village the bus driver had a problem starting the bus when we were set to leave, and many of us were getting nervous. So the man in bib overalls got out of his seat, walked to the front of the bus, talked to the driver, and then helped him completely push the bus door shut that was ajar, which had kept the bus from starting. Then on at the end of our trip and on our flight home back to Chicago, who should I run into one last time, but the man in bib overalls. I spotted him at the back of the plane somewhere over the Atlantic when I needed to use the restroom. He was standing in the aisle back there, and when he saw  I was having difficulty reading the little "vacant" or "occupied" sign in the door, he came over and with a smile on his face, said, "Go ahead, no one is in there." You might be thinking about now, where is the beauty in your encounter with that guy in bib overalls? Beauty in being the person God created each of us to be The beauty starts with how comfortable the man was in his own skin … and his bib overalls. He didn't care about what others thought of his unusual out of out-of-place appearance. He wore what made him feel good, without concern for pleasing others and meeting their standards.   Like all of us, he is created in the image and likeness of God. And there is beauty in being the person God made us to be in reflecting his image. We were made for this. Wearing bib overalls is a bit contrarian as it goes against the grain of what society expects. So is God and his son, Jesus. They go against the grain in so many ways.  There is beauty in being different, especially when at the same time a person is charming and engaging with people. Sometimes being different comes out as anger or defiance, which certainly does not characterize Jesus. Nor does it describe the man in bib overalls. What better way to be different than to help people off a bus, to enjoy plowing snow because it helps people move around town, and to help people read a small sign on an airplane restroom? Beauty in another relationship I saw beauty in another relationship on our trip watching two widows. One was a retired school teacher who cared for her older sister. Both were widows from the Philadelphia area. I think the older sister was the oldest traveler in our group, and her younger sister was at least 10 years younger than her, if not more. One evening as our tour group ate dinner together, I sat across from the older sister, while on Janet's right sat the younger one. Older Sister asked me about my life and my family, and I did the same with her. I learned about her deceased husband and their children, and also about Younger Sister and her family.  I was the only man at our table of six that included Janet and four widows. Later on it struck me that I was feeling a little survivor's guilt, being the only surviving husband at out table. So many widows I know. When will my wife join their ranks? Why them and not me?  It's been on my mind lately. Some people you just easily connect with There was just something about these two sisters that I found so appealing. Their kindness, their gentleness, their sense of humor. We could tell they were women of faith. Throughout our trip I saw Younger Sister help Older Sister navigate through groups of people and come to her aid from time to time. There was such beauty in seeing the younger sister care for the older sister like this. They never complained about anything that bothered others.. They were having the time of their lives, enjoying the trip and each other's company. Such beauty in watching them interact. Their parents would be proud of them. There are more examples of the relationship beauty I saw in Ireland, but it would be best done in person over dinner at your house. As I've said before in other episodes, Wednesdays still work best for me, but I'm flexible. So what does all this mean for YOU? So what does all this have to do with you?  From my perspective, it has to do with seeing the beauty all around us if we just pay attention and look for it. You certainly don't have to go to Ireland. We will find beauty in all of nature when we acknowledge that God is the creator of everything. Everything. So much of it he created for us to look at and enjoy. He also created each of us to be in relationship with him, and with each other. And when we relate well with each other by reflecting the image and character of God we create beauty ourselves. We were made for this. YOU were made for this.  Closing As we close up shop for today, I hope your thinking was stimulated by today's show, to notice the beauty

    16 min

  4. 10/01/2025

    When Anxious Thoughts Come

    In last week's blog post (click here if you missed it) I wrote about taking a break from the news media because of how unsettling and agitated it was making me feel. All the violence and discord were making me anxious. I needed to withdraw myself from the news and turn to something more positive. It led me to a passage in the Bible from Philippians 4:8, which reads,  "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." I then wrote about the breakfast Janet and I had with our 23-year-old twin grandsons and what a delight it was because it personified the virtues the Apostle Paul described in this passage.  Anxiety creeps in What I didn't mention last time was that our breakfast came at a time of anxiety for me in preparing for a vacation trip Janet and I were taking to Ireland. It was coming up soon, and I even thought, "How can I get out of this?" Have you ever felt anxious like this, even over something good like a vacation? In today's episode I'll tell you how I made it through this anxiety, because what I learned in the process may help you when you're feeling anxious. But first, I'm John Certalic, and you are listening to the start of season 10 and episode 227 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about finding joy in being the person God created each of us to be. Namely, someone who reflects the character, image, and likeness of God in all our relationships. It's what we were made for. We were made for this. Vacation planning causes anxiety So what was there to be anxious about in planning a 12-day vacation trip to Ireland? Janet and I have both traveled a number of times overseas, but it seemed there were more things to be anxious about this time.  Will our Irish cat, Father Patrick O'Malley, be okay with our cat sitter?   Will the bus taking us from our home in Wisconsin to O'Hare International for the flight to Dublin get us there on time? Will I forget my passport? Will our flight be on time, or might it even be cancelled? What did I forget to pack?  Did I pack too much, or too little? Will I get sick like I did a few years ago, and spend hours in the ER of a London Hospital? Will Janet get sick? Will I lose my passport in Ireland? Will Janet's foot and knee pain keep her from being able to walk fast enough to keep with the tour guide? On our return home, will we be able to find the place to pick up the bus at O'Hare to take us home? On and on it went. So many things that could go wrong. Was the trip even worth it? An answer to anxiety During this anxious time a few close friends were praying for Janet and me. As the day grew closer to leave, I was in the middle of reading through the Book of Psalms in the Bible. At the height of my anxious feelings I came across Psalm 139. And that is what made all the difference in relieving me from my anxious thoughts and feelings. Reading this psalm several times over a few days calmed my heart. It's another example of putting Philippians 4:8 in practice, namely,  fixing my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Thinking about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. I'll close now by reading Psalm 139 for you. It's not very long. I hope you will think of the truths it contains when you're feeling anxious and unsettled.  Because it is what we were made for. You and I were made for this. Psalm 139 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave,[a] you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me,[b] O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers! They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name. O Lord, shouldn't I hate those who hate you? Shouldn't I despise those who oppose you? Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.   Thanks for listening in, and I'll see you again next time. Goodbye for now. Other episodes or resources related to today's shows 139: Why Should I Listen to This Podcast? 021: The Most Important Relationship of All Prior recent episode 226: End-of-Summer Conversations All past and future episodes can be found at JohnCertalic.com

    9 min

  5. 09/03/2025

    End of Summer Conversations

    Labor Day here in the U.S. on the first Monday in September is near the top of my list of favorite holidays. There's a freshness and energy about this time of year I find appealing. But before we launch into fall, there are some end-of-summer conversations I've recently had that I don't want to forget because they add to the richness and energy of autumn. So I'm going to give you only a brief snap shot of some of them because they deserve more reflection than I have time to consider now. I bet you've had some similar end-of-summer conversations you'd like to think more about later this fall. I'm going to give you mine, but I'd like to hear about yours. But first, I'm John Certalic, and you are listening to episode 226 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about finding joy in being the person God created each of us to be. Namely, someone who reflects the character, image, and likeness of God in all our relationships. It's the THIS we were made for. Now here's my list of end-of-summer conversation I want to think more about later. I think each one of them could be a podcast episode in the future. We'll see. End of summer conversation with Meghan First off, we had a missionary couple stay with us recently. I'll call them Harry and Meghan, which may surprise you aren't their real names.  During their with us Meghan said she found my blog post from a few weeks ago helpful, "Grief Doesn't Follow the Rules." She forwarded it to a relative who experienced the death of a child, and then to a co-worker whose adult son took his own life. Meghan went on to say that the relative was disappointed in people who did not understand her grief. A counselor told Meghan, "It's not your job to understand her grief. A counselor's job is to help her understand her own grief."  And then this related thought that the counselor told Meghan, "Grief is inevitable. Misery is optional." I'm going to be thinking more about these comments. And also, what should we expect from our friends when we ar grieving? More from Meghan Before she and Harry left us, there's one more end-of-summer conversation I had with Meghan that I'll be thinking about for sometime this fall. A friend of hers is in a church that had a weekend conference where the speaker talked extensively about demon possession, and how if believers and followers of Jesus are not careful, demons can possess them. This bothered Meghan's friend so she did quite a bit of research into whether or not demons can actually dwell inside a Jesus follower. She concluded they can't because the spirit of God living within a believer cannot co-exist with a demon. It raises the question does the pastor agree with her or with the conference speaker. If he agrees with the conference speaker that Christians can be demon possessed, she doesn't think she could stay at the church because of this seismic theological difference. Meghan went on to say, "My friend has been going to this church for decades. All her friends are at this church This church is her life. It would be heartbreaking to have to leave." Yikes, the anguish this must cause Meghan's friend. I don't remember where this one came from I heard someone say in an another end-of-summer conversation, "Behavior never lies." This is  a really helpful principle in dealing with interpersonal relationships. What a person does reveals more than what they say. This especially true with teenage children. My end-of-summer conversation with Harry Then there's the conversation I had with Harry, Meghan's husband. We told him we have started asking people with tattoos, "tell me the story of your tattoo. What does it mean to you." We've noticed lately that wait staff in restaurants often have tattoos. Harry is a leader within his mission organization and he mentioned that in a staff meeting he said that everyone has a story. I'm sure you've heard this before. But then he added, "We honor someone when we ask them to tell their story."    The word "honor" just jumped out me. I'm going to be thinking more about this. People with a difficult past We then started talking about people who don't want to share their story. Who don't want you to know about them. Why is that?  If we honor people when we ask them to tell us their story, why do some people run the other way? One possibility, and this is just a guess, is that some people feel shame over their past, even if what happened to them was out of their control. So they play it close to the vest with people, and rarely disclose much about themself.  This reminded me of my friend Dan who grew up in a very abusive home as a a child. Some people who had similar childhoods will carry this around with them the rest of their life and define themselves in terms of the terrible things that happened to them. But for Dan, he says, "All the bad stuff that happened to me in childhood is certainly part of my story. But it is not an active part. I prefer to focus on the active part of my story." So what about you? Enough about me. I wonder what end-of-summer conversations you've had that will carry you into the fall thinking about them. Were there any thought provoking questions or insightful observations about life?  I hope so I'd love to hear from you about them. Closing As we close up shop for today, I hope your thinking was stimulated by today's show, to reflect upon meaningful conversations you had with people as summer gives way to fall. Well, that's it for today. I'd love to hear your thoughts or reactions to today's episode. Just go to the show notes for today's program at JohnCertalic.com, then scroll down to the end to the "Leave a comment" box. Finally, remember to spread a little relational sunshine around the people you meet this week. Spark some joy for them.  And I'll see you again next time. Goodbye for now. Prior most recent episode 225: A Joy to Be Around Other episodes or resources related to today's shows 139: Why Should I Listen to This Podcast? 021: The Most Important Relationship of All All past and future episodes can be found at JohnCertalic.com

    9 min

  6. 08/23/2025

    A Joy to Be Around

    Today's episode Some people are a joy to be around. I have a story for you today about one of them, and what I learned about being more like him.  But first, I'm John Certalic, and you are listening to episode 225 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about finding joy in being the person God created each of us to be. Namely, someone who reflects the character, image, and likeness of God in all our relationships. It's the THIS we were made for. Someone once told me "always have a doctor you like who is younger than you. The older ones retire, and then you are stuck and have to look for a new one."  The same is true for barbers. I'm now on my third barber in the last 30+ years. First there was Paul, who retired. Then came John, and he retired, too.  Leaving me with Nick at the present moment. I was with Paul the longest - for several decades. Besides haircuts, I learned from him an easy way to stain my deck and other useful household tips. I also had the joy of taking my twin grandsons to him when they were toddlers, and then into middle school.  Paul was kind to them in their early years and more tolerant of their fidgeting around than I was. He had a jar of candy they could dip their hand into as a reward for sitting through their haircut. Laffy Taffy was their favorite. Inviting your  barber to Thanksgiving dinner My reward was watching them interact with Paul and the things they said that made both of us laugh. Like the time, with all sincerity of heart, one of them invited him to their house for Thanksgiving dinner. I miss those days with the boys. Then Paul retired and I had to find someone new. For some odd reason I started going to the barber shop my father went to back in the 1950s and 60s. The owner was Buzz and he lived across the street from our house. As a kid, I think my father only ever took me once or twice to Buzz's barber shop. Every other time my dad cut my hair himself. I recently recovered from the PTSD of this childhood memory. By the time I returned to the place where Buzz cut hair, he was long gone. But the small shop was just as I remembered it. It drew me into my past like a slow moving train going through a dark tunnel. The shop was now owned by John, a barber older than me. I really liked him because he was fast and gave neck shaves as part of the haircut. Paul never did that, and I didn't have the heart to ask him why. Haircut injuries My dad didn't give neck shaves either, which was wise on his part. Instead, he gave accidental neck burns with the hot electric razor he used. So I was delighted when John shaved y my neck as a matter of course. Using shaving cream and a straight-edge razor to shave off neck hairs on the back of my neck is the greatest feeling in the world. If money were no object, I'd visit a barber shop every couple of weeks just for a neck shave. During my first visit back to this place of my youth I sat in John's barber chair and imagined my father sitting in this same chair decades ago, having a boisterous conversation with Buzz while he cut my dad's hair. On another visit to see John I told him about my connection with his shop. I asked him if he knew Buzz, the original owner, and to my delight he said he did. He told me about his wife and kids, and how he got divorced and moved toArizona. Rumor has it, Buzz killed himself, John told me. My heart sank. Barber Shop ambience takes a nose dive I continued going to John for haircuts in what was for me a historic place and connection with my father and my childhood. But things changed one day, when John began replacing his 3 traditional barber chairs with lowriding black seats and back, and small chrome handled chairs found in hair salons. Big mistake, I thought. There's something special about traditional barber chairs from the 50s. Thick arm rests about five inches wide, covered in worn brown leather with compartments for an ashtray and your pack of cigarettes.  I keep coming back, anyway, despite this loss of ambience. But then one day I called to make an appointment and was told John recently retired. I continued coming for haircuts with John's successor while I looked for a new barber. One who gives neck shaves while I sit in a REAL barber chair and not one of those low riding models that girls sit in. It took awhile, but on sunny Monday  I noticed a small nondescript   building near my home that I had ignored for years. I thought it was a vacant barber shop. But my wife said she actually saw someone coming out of it.  So I pulled into it's parking lot, went to the door. and walked in ro see the sole barber chair that looked like the ones John was got rid of. It felt like home.  I asked the barber, whose name was Nick, if did neck shaves. He did, so I made an appointment for latter that week. When I returned for the haircut I noticed a sign he posted for his three teenage sons offering their lawn mowing and landscape services for the summer. Going in to work early   As I sat in his comfortable relic of a barber chair I asked Nick about the sign. He told me he has seven children, one in college, two in high school and four younger kids. I also said I noticed on his web site that he starts at 7:15am. "Yeah, but my first customer today came in today at 5:15am. I want to leave here so I get home by 6pm to be with my family. So if my schedule gets too full, I'll schedule customers earlier in the morning while my kids are sleeping. Then I can get home by six." I'm going to like this guy, I thought. He's one of those people who's a joy to be around. A father and entrepreneur who works hard to provide for his family. Who works while they sleep. Getting a haircut by Nick, with the accompanying neck shave brightened my day. And it was mostly because of the brief conversation I had with him. About  about him.  Anyone who works as hard as he does, and who sacrifices for his family like Nick does can't help but be a person who's a joy to be around. There aren't a lot of dads who choose to get to work by 5:15 am so they can spend more time with their kids later in the day when they are awake. Kudos to Nick and men like him who work 13-hour days, or have second jobs, to support their families.  One little question releases joy My second haircut was just as uplifting for me. When I arrived a few minutes before my appointment, Nick was finishing up with another customer who went on and on talking about his Green Bay Packers season tickets. But Nick was kind and let the guy ramble on until he was finished. Then it was my turn to get in the chair. After exchanging pleasantries I asked Nick one question that carried us through to the end of my haircut. My haircuts don't take as long as they used to because the part in my hair has widened considerably over the years. Considerably. Anyway,  here's what I asked: "When I was here last time I saw the notice you posted for your sons who were looking for lawn mowing and other  yard work for the summer. How is that going for them?" Nick responded by telling me his three sons earned about $3,500 each during the course of the summer, and were winding down as school for each of them was coming up soon. He then went on and on talking in great detail about each of his boys and their academic accomplishments. He was obviously proud of his boys, and you could feel the joy they brought to him. At one point he set aside the razor he was using on my hair and walked around in front of me and stood next to a nearby cabinet to talk to me face-to-face. He wanted to be sure I understood how much joy his children brought to his life. What makes a person a joy to be around? In ny view, it starts with shared values. With Nick, I share the same value about the importance of family. Providing for the financial needs of his family is certainly part of it, but also it is being present in the lives of one's children. Being home when they're awake. Sacrificing sleep so he had more time with the kids. I share that value with him. Another value I share with Nick is taking advantage of a job that allows you to make more money by working harder, smarter, and longer. Not all jobs are like this, and obviously, this isn't a fit for everyone. My career as an executive recruiter was like this. My career as a high school teacher was not. But I enjoyed and valued both of them, even though they were worlds apart. Even more than shared values, someone who is a joy to be around is someone who exudes joy. They find joy in life and it's contagious. It radiates from them, and many times in subtle ways. When people listen to us When Nick talks about his boys it does not come across as pride. There's nothing wrong with being proud of your kids, but there is something deeper and more subtle. With Nick, it's the joy his children bring into his life. And he wants to share it with you, if you're willing to listen. Most people aren't.  But when we share the joy coming from within us. it helps us remember how good we have it, and how thankful we can be. There are a couple of verses in the Gospels where Jesus is described as a son who brings God great joy. Several times it's mentioned. When I have more time, I'll look them up and share them with you. I need more joyful people in my life. People like Nick. How about you?  Who are the people in your life who are a joy to be around? A Better question: how can I be a joy to be around? I'm convinced it starts with being a good listener.  This is something I deeply value, and is something that brings me joy when I listen well. It feels like I unlock something for someone who doesn't realize they have something important they want to get out, but the door is locked. Once unlocked, they feel uplifted. It's a great privilege to listen well. I talk about it all the time in this  podcast. Beyond listening well to others, and actually even more important than listening, is being the person God created each of us to be. Someone who

    16 min

  7. 08/06/2025

    224: God Cares For Us In Ways We Rarely Consider

    I've been reflecting more and more lately about how much God cares about us.  When we hurt he hurts. Today's episode is about how God responds to the dark times we go through, and what he models for us in relating to the hurting people in our lives. But before we begin, I'm John Certalic, and you're listening to episode 224 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about the joy of relationships we were made for. Those that reflect the character and image of God in the unique way he made each of us. Today's episode is an example of how this works An unwanted anniversary I've been reading through the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament this summer, and the other day I came across a passage that jumped out at me as if to say, You'll want to pay more attention to this one. It deserves your attention. You're going to want to reflect on this more than normal. Here's the passage, just one verse, Psalm 56:8 You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle You have recorded each one in your book.          NLT The first thing I thought of as I read this verse is my friend, Martin. This Friday, two days from now, is the fifth anniversary of the death of his wife, Suzanne. Martin and Suzanne were missionaries, first in China, then in Germany where Martin is from. I got to know both of them when Janet and I served at a missionary conference put on by their sending agency. When they left the mission filled to move to the States to care for Suzanne's mother in Chicago, we got together several times and continued our friendship. It was shocking to get a text from Martin one evening that his his beloved wife, and our friend, had died from a brain aneurysm. She was only 53. I devoted several podcast episodes about the aftermath of this terrible event in Martin's life. You can hear more of the details  if you go to the end of the show notes where you'll find links to those episodes. Numbers 071 and 072. An Old Testament example of how God cares For today, though, I can't shake Psalm 56:8 and how it relates to what Martin went through, and continues to go through, because that's how grief works. In the midst of the awful things King David went through, he still had a deep appreciation for God's empathic character. David brings his relationship with God into his circumstances in this verse. Three sentences that all begin with "You." Each "You" is a specific statement of how God is at work in David's life. Each "You" is followed by a distinct and compassionate verb phrase: keeping track of all David's sorrows, collecting all his tears in a bottle, and recording each sorrow in a book. I don't know about you, but when I'm going through a rough patch, I want God to fix things, to put ab end my problems. Instead, we see in in the example of David that he doesn't ask God to fix things for him. Rather, he is content knowing that God is right there with us in the midst of what we're  dealing with. He's there not simply as an observer, but as an active and empathetic participant with us. God cares enough to keep tears out of heaven What strikes me most in this passage from Psalms is the bottle in which God stores all of David's tears. This, of course, is poetic and figurative language used to describe God's awareness and understanding of the pain we go through in life.  And while the bottle God is using to collect our tears may be overflowing at times, this same bottle is empty once we get to heaven. Revelation 21 tells us there are no tears in heaven. What a comforting thought, this is - God emptying the bottle that contained all the tears we shed on earth. Another element to how God cares  There's another point to this verse in Psalms that I find interesting and instructive in relating with the "Martins" in our life. I know you have them, people like Martin who have suffered great loss. It starts with recognizing and reminding ourselves that we are all created with the image and likeness of God backed into each of us. He enables us to manifest his character through the qualities  he used to make us the unique person we are so that we can care for people in ways that God cares. What a privilege!   For example, in Psalm 56 when David describes God as one who keeps track of our sorrows, collects tears, and records them in a book, there are some clues as to what we can do to help people. These 3 actions of God are all about acknowledging and remembering what people hav gone through or are going through now. And this is something WE can do for people . We can acknowledge and remember what our friends have experienced, even years after the fact. After Suzanne died, I recorded the date of her death in my computer's calendar, and set it to repeat on the same day in years to come. I didn't want to forget the day. I do this for other losses my friends have suffered.  It reminds me to contact my friends and let them know I remember them and am thinking about them and what they have lost.  Text, phone call, card, email, or even a visit. It almost doesn't matter what form it takes. It's just to connect with them to let them know I haven't forgotten the awful pain they've experienced. There is so much power in the simple act of letting people know you remember. Closing Well that's what I have for you today. I hope your thinking was stimulated by today's episode to remember that God's purpose in our lives isn't always to fix things for us. Instead he uses our difficulties to reveal his kindness  compassion,  and love. And more than this, remember that we can do the same thing for the people in our life going through struggles and loss. Because we were made for this! Now before I go call Martin by the end of the week to let him know I still remember his loss, here's Psalm 56:8 one more time with its wonderful truths about God we can cling to: You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book. I'd love to hear your thoughts or reactions to today's episode. Just go to the show notes for today's program at JohnCertalic.com, then scroll down to the end to the "Leave a comment" box. Finally, remember to spread a little relational sunshine around the people you meet this week. Spark some joy for them.  And I'll see you again next time. Goodbye for now. Other episodes or resources related to today's shows 071: How to Help a Grieving Friend 072:  What I Learned From a Grieving Friend Most recent prior  episode 223: A Christmas in July Story All past and future episodes can be found at JohnCertalic.com

    10 min

  8. 07/16/2025

    A Christmas in July Story

    As I'm recording this, Christmas is almost six months away. I recall last Christmas, when I heard a few people say they wished we could have the Christmas spirit all year long. We can if we reflect the image and character of God. And I have a Christmas in July story for you today that shows us how. Welcome to episode 223 of You Were Made for This, the podcast about finding joy in being the person God created each of us to be. Namely, someone who reflects the character, image, and likeness of God in all our relationships. It's the THIS, we were made for. ———————————— One of the things my in-laws were noted for was hosting a Christmas in July party in their small 1960s-style basement rec room. They did it up with a decorated Christmas tree, elephant gifts, loud laughter, and plenty of food. Especially my Italian mother-in-law's signature spaghetti. It was quite a festive affair, without any of the stress that sometimes comes with Christmas in December. With that in mind. I have a Christmas in July story for you, which actually took place last December, but that I've held onto it until now. It's been hard holding it back because it's one of my favorites. Background to this Christmas in July story The story I is about a man who embodies the spirit of Christmas by reflecting the character of Jesus, whose birth we celebrate on December 25th. But first I have to give you a little background information about my friend Paul. I first met him years ago when a co-worker told me about taking her car to be fixed. She said, "My car was making a funny noise so I took in to Paul's auto repair shop. He said it wasn't a serious problem and would be expensive to repair. He told me if I could put up with that distracting sound, not to fix it. It's not causing any harm. That's what he would do if it were his car." This was classic Paul and the kind of business he ran. The main character in this Christmas in July story Paul is an avid baseball fan, and when I would take my car in for an oil change, he and I would talk briefly about baseball while one of  his mechanics worked on my car. In his reception area and waiting room he had some impressive pieces of baseball memorabilia.  There was a large photograph of our then-new Major League Baseball stadium in Milwaukee, Miller Park, on the day it first opened. Another item was an official baseball bat signed by one of the Milwaukee Brewers. Jim Gantner, I seem to recall, but I could be wrong. All this is an important part of the story that I'll get to later. So bear with me even if you're not into baseball. One Sunday morning several years after I first met Paul, I saw him from a distance in the parking lot of the large church Janet and I were attending at the time. Hmm, I thought. I wonder if he is a follower of Jesus like I am. Depending upon the generosity of others Now, by this time, I had closed my own recruiting business to work full-time in a missionary care ministry Janet and I helped start. To pay our bills we formed a non-profit corporation and began raising funds for our ministry. One of the people I contacted by mail was Paul, and to my surprise, he responded with a generous check. Why it surpeised meI don't know, but it just did. I was a pretty happy customer of Paul's, but then one day I learned he had retired and sold his auto repair business to one of his mechanics. This didn't change anything for me because I continued to have my car serviced by the new owners, but missed seeing Paul. Some time passed after Paul's retirement, and one day while in for oil change I noticed all of Paul's baseball souvenirs were gone. I didn't say anything, except to ask if Paul was still around. Another  character in this Christmas in July story "Oh sure, he stops in every so often. He was here earlier this morning. You just missed him" was a common refrain I heard from the new owner.  Fast forward to seven months ago and this past December.  Like her mother who was noted for her Christmas in July parties, my wife Janet is noted for a snack mix she created for friends every Christmas. It's made of pretzels, bugles, goldfish crackers, cashews and a few other secret ingredients. If you'd like to know the exact recipe, Janet and I would be glad to share it with you after dinner at your house. Wednesday evenings still work best, but we're flexible. Anyway, last December Janet was packaging her Christmas snack recipe for friends, and I asked her to make one up for Paul. He's been so generous with us, it was the least we could do. I had his address from the checks he sends for our ministry. So it would be simple to drop off a package of Janet's snack mix at his house. Or so I thought. On a Saturday morning close to Christmas, I plugged Paul's address into Google Maps on my phone and headed to his house with a package of Janet's snack mix. I stopped in front of what I thought was his house, went to the front door, and rang the doorbell. A woman opened the door and I asked if this was Paul's house. "No, I'm sorry. You have the wrong address," She said in a friendly manner. A well-known neighbor Pointing to her right she corrected me with, "Paul lives down the street, past the next street over. He's in the second house in from the side street. It's the one with the small wire reindeer decoration on the front lawn." I was amazed at the detail this woman knew about her neighbor down the block. My next-door neighbor knows my name. but I doubt if anyone else down the street does. Clearly Paul has made a name for himself, and by the tone of this neighbor's voice, I could tell it was a positive one.  I then drove down the street to the correct address for Paul's house and parked at the end of his long driveway near the street. As I got out out of the car with Janet's Christmas snack in hand, out from the garage came Paul who called to me, "Hello, John!" I was surprised because it had been a number of years since I last saw Paul at his shop, and I never in a thousand years expected he would recognize me, much less remember my name. It could be that he listens to my podcast and noticed my license plate, which reads "I LISTEN." I've used a photo of this plate several times in the show notes for several episodes.That's my guess anyway. I returned Paul's greeting with one of my own as I walked up his driveway to where he was standing outside his garage. I gave him the package of Janet's Christmas snack mix and told him how much we appreciated his support of our ministry. Kindness and graciousness interrupt a conversation We then had a few minutes of small talk, which brought me back to all the times we chatted when I brought my car in for service. In the middle of our conversation, a woman walked up the drive and gave a gift for Paul to give to his wife. They were clearly friends, and it was interesting watching the two of them chat. I was impressed with Paul's genuine kindness and graciousness toward this woman. He is just one of those kinds of people you love being around. After the lady left, I asked Paul how the auto service business he sold to one of his employees was doing. I told him that to me it looked like they were doing well, as I had a hard time getting an appointment the last time I took my car in.  "Yeah. they're doing great. They hired a couple of new cracker-jack mechanics and their business has really taken off," Paul said. You could tell from the tone of his voice he was genuinely happy for the guys who took over his business. I then said, "I noticed they took down all your baseball stuff from the wall. The bat, the photos, etc." "Yes they did," Paul remarked. "They wanted to make the waiting room and office their own, which I understand." His eyes then lit up, and he became more expressive and animated as he spoke. "But I've got a story for you about all that." Christmas in July comes alive for me when I think of this story He began with,"I started seeing a new doctor and the first time I went to his office you couldn't help but notice how stark and plain it was. It looked pretty institutionalized. So the next time I went to see him I said, "You know I sold my business and I had all this baseball memorabilia that I took with me. A signed baseball bat, phots of Miller Park the day it opened, stuff like that. I'd like to give it to you if you're interested so you could put it up in your waiting room. I know my customers liked it, and I think your patients might lie it too. It's all yours if you want it." The doctor was grateful for the offer, but the medical network he was with prohibited accepting gifts from patients. Hmm. Paul thought for a minute, then said, "Well, how about if I lease all my baseball stuff to you with a 99-year verbal lease? It wouldn't be a gift then. Just a lease." I burst out laughing. The doctor said, "I think that would work." So he took Paul's baseball artifacts and the next time he had an appointment with his doctor, he saw all of it displayed on a waiting room wall. "My doctor said his patients loved seeing all the stuff displayed, and it just warmed up the waiting room and humanized it." "How generous of you, Paul," I said. "It was just going to sit in my basement otherwise," he remarked. Our conversation came to a close, and I headed home, smiling all the way. I still smile when I think of it now, here in the middle of July, six months later. The joy of Christmas isn't limited to December 25th So what's the point of this Christmas in July story? For me, it's connecting the dots with the joy of that first Christmas when God was kind and generous enough to send us his son Jesus - connecting this with the joy that came from the kindness and generosity of both Janet and Paul. Janet making that Christmas snack mix and giving it away to people, and Paul for giving away…opps, I mean leasing his baseball memorabilia to his doctor. Neither Janet nor Paul got anything tangible in return for the

    16 min
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About

You were made for fulfilling relationships. Listen each week to stories of people finding hope and encouragement in their relationships so that you can too. Host and award-winning author John Certalic, together with his guests, share principles of life-giving relationships. John's relationship story starts with his birth to a single mother and placement in foster care for the first 16 months of his life. From this comes four different careers, 53 years of marriage to the same wife, and much he has learned about relationships. John draws from all this, along with inspiring stories from his guests, to share how you can find more fulfillment in the relationships you were made for.

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  • Creator
    John Certalic
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    229
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 John Certalic
  • Show Website
    You Were Made for This

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