MSI Press Blog

  Psalm 95 pleads, “Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah.” It’s a line that pierces through centuries, because stubbornness—spiritual or emotional—isn’t ancient history. It’s a living condition. We all know what it feels like to resist what we already know is true. To look away from grace we’ve seen, to close the door on conviction, to pretend we didn’t hear the whisper of God. Why do we do it? 1. Fear of Change To soften the heart means to let something in—and that something might rearrange everything. People harden their hearts when they sense that obedience will cost them comfort, reputation, or control. It’s easier to stay the same than to surrender to transformation. 2. Pride and Self‑Protection Stubbornness often masquerades as strength. We tell ourselves, “I’m fine. I don’t need help.” But pride is a fragile armor. It keeps us from admitting weakness, from receiving mercy, from saying, “I was wrong.” The hardened heart is a shield against humiliation—but it also ...

  Independence looks different at mid‑life. In youth, it meant freedom from authority — the right to choose, to roam, to declare “I can do this myself.” But somewhere between the fireworks of ambition and the quiet of experience, independence becomes something deeper: the freedom to begin again. Mid‑life resilience isn’t rebellion; it’s reclamation. It’s the moment you realize that strength isn’t measured by how much you can carry, but by how gracefully you can set things down. It’s learning to rebuild after loss, to adapt after injury, to redefine purpose when the old maps no longer fit. The Fourth of July celebrates a nation’s birth through struggle and renewal. Mid‑life celebrates the same — the rebirth of the self after the first half of life has tested every system you built. The body changes, the roles shift, the certainties dissolve. Yet beneath it all, something steady remains: the will to live fully, to keep learning, to keep loving, to keep showing up. Resilience at this ...

  It’s not every day that Caturday and Flag Day collide, but when they do, there’s no better time to reflect on the shared spirit of independence between cats and the American experience. From the founding ideals of self-determination to the unapologetic autonomy of every feline, both cats and the American spirit thrive on a love of freedom. Cats are masters of their own destiny—choosing where to lounge, when to demand affection (or ignore it entirely), and how best to rule over their human subjects. In much the same way, the American story is one of forging a path, resisting outside control, and declaring sovereignty over one’s own fate. Across cultures, cats have long been symbols of independence: 🐾 Ancient Egypt: Cats were revered as sacred creatures, embodying both protection and autonomy—qualities deeply tied to the nation’s self-governing ideals. 🐾 Norse Mythology: Freyja’s feline-drawn chariot symbolized prosperity and individual strength, much like the enduring Ame...

  Today's book excerpt comes from Widow: How to Survive (and Thrive!) in Your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Years  by Joanna Romer. Year Two Carving Out a Place for Yourself Nothing in my previous experience prepared me for being a widow, not my 40 years of job experience, ranging from Cosmopolitan Magazine to St. John’s University; not my 25 years of marriage to my beloved husband, Jack; not even my five years of worrying about Jack as he slowly become fatally ill. The widow experience is, as I’m sure you’ll agree, unprecedented. We can’t sugarcoat being a widow. After a year of widowhood, you’ve probably figured that out. It’s hard, it’s a struggle, it’s not something that goes away like the flu. And, unless you get married again, you’re going to be a widow from now on. Yet, believe it or not, you can get used to it. I feel pretty good about my widow status now, although it’s taken me awhile the reach that plateau---4 ½ years. The first year was a killer, wasn’t it? The depression...