Life seems to have a habit of throwing curveballs at us. Some are small—a missed appointment, a tough day at work. Others are huge—like losing a loved one or having to change careers. We all want peace, comfort, control. But the reality is, life isn’t about avoiding stress, failure, or hardship. It’s about facing them head-on with faith, wisdom, and intentionality.
I’ve learned this my whole life. As a preacher’s kid born in post-WWII America, I grew up in a time of rebuilding and redefining what life could be. I wanted to direct in Hollywood or perform on Broadway, but life had other plans. Through unexpected twists, personal loss, and career changes, I’ve come to realize that true success isn’t found in chasing comfort—it’s found in choosing to live with purpose no matter what comes your way.
Let’s talk about what it means to live intentionally, to face stress and failure head-on, and to steward life well.
Facing Stress as a Teacher, Not an Enemy.
Most people try to avoid stress, thinking peace is found in getting rid of every source of tension. But what if stress is actually one of life’s greatest teachers?
I learned this firsthand when my wife was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a terminal brain tumor. We walked a journey nobody wants to walk. 18 months of doctor visits, caregiving, and goodbye was overwhelming. But in that season I learned something profound: stress refines us. It forces us to decide what really matters. It teaches us resilience. It grows our faith.
The Bible says in James 1:2-4:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Stress isn’t the enemy. It’s the tool that shapes us—if we allow it.
The Freedom to Fail: A New Perspective
I used to fear failure. As a young man, I avoided risks convinced failure would be a sign of weakness. But one day a mentor gave me some life-changing advice:
“Larry, you have the freedom to fail.”
At first, I didn’t get it. How could failure be freedom? But then life gave me a crash course. In 1972 I was fired from a job I loved.
The announcement was made in front of 90,000 people. I was embarrassed. But that moment of failure turned out to be the door to something better. Just months later I was handed a fundraising assignment no one else wanted—an impossible task with no structure, no team, and no guarantee of success. I had every reason to fail. Instead I leaned into the opportunity, applied what I knew, and trusted God with the outcome.
The result? That “impossible” fundraising project exceeded expectations by $200,000. What should have been a failure was a stepping stone.
Failure isn’t the end of the road—it’s often the beginning of a new one. When we stop fearing failure we give ourselves permission to grow.
Choosing to Live Intentionally.
A year after my wife passed away I sat down at my desk and wrote a document called “The I Wills”. It was a personal commitment to how I would live my life going forward.
I will choose to be grateful even in loss. I will invest in relationships because people matter more than accomplishments. I will trust God’s plan even when I don’t understand it. Why did I write it down? Because intentionality isn’t just having good intentions—it’s making clear choices.
Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
If we aren’t intentional about where we’re going we’ll drift through life aimlessly. But when we set our course with faith and purpose God can guide our steps.
Stewarding Life Well.
Even the Small Things Matter. When I was 19, I worked in a factory where I was given a job nobody else wanted—cleaning a massive, filthy industrial bathroom.
Every Saturday morning I spent hours scrubbing, sweating, and wondering why in the world I had to do this.
Then one day I figured it out: I was a steward of that space. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t exciting. But it was mine to take care of.
Stewardship is about more than money or leadership—it’s about how we handle everything entrusted to us. Our relationships, our careers, our time, even the attitude we bring to life’s smallest tasks.
Jesus said in Luke 16:10
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”
That bathroom was my training ground. It taught me to be faithful in the small things so I could later be entrusted with greater things.
Thriving Instead of Just Surviving
Too many people go through life just trying to “get by”. They work jobs they hate, stay stuck in routines that drain them and settle for mediocrity. But God didn’t create us just to survive—He created us to thrive.
Thriving doesn’t mean avoiding challenges. It means facing them with faith, wisdom and purpose. It means living intentionally, knowing every decision—big or small—has the power to shape our future.
So I ask you:
Are you allowing stress to teach you or are you running from it? Are you afraid to fail or are you willing to take risks and trust God with the outcome? Are you making intentional choices or are you drifting through life without direction? It’s never too late to start living with purpose.
Your Next Step Living intentionally isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about making the choice—every day—to trust God, face challenges and steward what you’ve been given.
If this resonates with you I invite you to go deeper into these principles in my book, Intentional Living and Giving. You can download a free digital copy here.
And if you want to hear more about this conversation listen to my full interview on the “They Not Like Us” Podcast—where we discuss stress, failure, stewardship and the power of intentional choices.
You can live a life of purpose. Start today.
