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BLOG BY JIM KOK
Thoughts from Jim are the musings and teachings of Dr. Jim Kok.
His writings range over a variety of topics,
but all are enlightenments in his mission of motivating people
to be more intentional in their offering kindness
to people around them.
Thoughts Generate Chemicals
An Olympic Athlete Trainer was quoted as saying: " There are four negative feelings or thoughts that produce toxic chemicals in the...
3 days ago
Disability Builds Faith
Popular opinion holds that a disabling life event is likely to destroy a person's faith. A research project studying 26 men and women who...
Mar 14
Everybody Is Dealing With Something
The amount of stress that everyone is feeling these days can be overwhelming without the right attitude and an antidote by way of our...
Feb 28
Why Do We Believe in Kindness?
Why are you kind to other people? Why do you do good deeds? Many of us grew up strongly believing that we were called to good behavior in...
Feb 14
How Tall Are You?
Here is an interesting experiment you can try. I have done this before groups of people, and the results are quite interesting. Stand,...
Jan 31
The Fifth Side Effect of Kindness
5) Kindness is Contagious When we’re kind, we inspire others to be kind, and studies show that it actually creates a ripple effect that...
Jan 17
The Fourth Side Effect
4) Kindness Improves Relationships This is one of the most obvious points. We all know that we like people who show us kindness. This is...
Jan 3
A Kindness Suggestion for Christmas Time
One night, at about 8:00, I stopped at a home, the residents of which were strangers to me. I rang the door bell and a man came to the...
Dec 20, 2024
Kindness Slows Aging
Aging on a biochemical level is a combination of many things, but two culprits that speed the process are Free Radicals and Inflammation...
Dec 6, 2024
Another Side Effect
My last posting began a series of sharings from Dr. David R. Hamilton, PhD,'s book , " The Five Side Effects of Kindness ", and today we...
Nov 22, 2024
The Side Effects off Kindness
When we think of side effects, the first thing that springs to mind are the side effects of drugs. But who’d have thought that kindness...
Nov 8, 2024
Teachable Moments
The kitty lay dead in the street when we woke up. Shocked and saddened, we prepared a burial spot in the backyard. Gently and reverently,...
Oct 25, 2024
Reflecting on Rejuvenation
I am older than I've ever been. In fact, I've never been this age before! So, I've been thinking that we begin to get older actually...
Oct 11, 2024
Friendliness Is So Much More Than A Feeling
When you meet someone, or merely pass a person on the sidewalk, a friendly greeting is called for-most of the time. You do not have to...
Sep 27, 2024
Do You Use This Word Too Much?
There is a word that we all commonly use, but today I want you to consider that perhaps you use it too often. The word is ' just ', I'm...
Sep 13, 2024
When You Are Listening . . .
I have been thinking about the unity of several messages that each supports the others. A minister recently spoke of the unfortunate...
Aug 30, 2024
How About the Word 'Kind'?
Today, I'd like to have you consider some thoughts with me. In my previous posting, I spoke of being kind. And of course, you know that...
Aug 16, 2024
Love Is Not A Feeling
It is accurate to call love "doing good". However . . . such behavior is not necessarily connected to feelings of affection, or...
Aug 2, 2024
You Can Affect the Health of Others
I waxed eloquently previously (I hope you thought so!) on the benefit to your own health from smiling. But the other half of this reality...
Jul 19, 2024
Smile Anyway
Smiling is important, I say. Does the Bible back me up on that? Actually, there are no words that give us a clue whether the Apostles or...
Jul 2, 2024
Hopeful vs Hopeless
Are you, like most people, unsure how to relate to a person in a wheelchair? I've been there! Like, do I acknowledge that they are...
Jun 19, 2024
Your Role in God’s Healing Touch
There is more to prayer than talking and crying out to Jesus. Often there is a hurting friend we are thinking of and concerned about when...
Jun 6, 2024
A Mild Earthquake Is Good For The Soul
Earthquakes can be more unsettling than tornadoes, floods, and fires, even though the damage in the latter is usually horrifying....
May 23, 2024
You Who Weep, Will Laugh
An ancient guru is reputed to have inquired of disheartened and dispirited people, those who were knowing no pleasure or joy in life,...
May 10, 2024
Just Walk With Me
I have a problem. I want to tell you about it. No . . . I really don't. I'd rather keep it to myself; I should handle it alone. I do...
Apr 26, 2024
Doing the Next Right Thing
There is almost always a risk in being a Good Samaritan. To stop by the side of the road, even when there appears to be no physical...
Apr 12, 2024
4 Tips for Showing Friendliness
1. Greet People Warmly — "Good morning. It is good to see you." Become an enthusiastic, habitual greeter. Greet everybody, whether or not...
Mar 29, 2024
Hugging Is Healthy
It Relieves Tension It Combats Depression It Reduces Stress It Improves Blood Circulation It's Invigorating It Elevates Self-Esteem It...
Mar 15, 2024
Show Kindness Regularly
A fresh convert to the Care and Kindness campaign, or life style, asked an important question. “How often should I say something to...
Mar 1, 2024
Thanking and Praising the Dental Hygienist
What do you think about lying there while the dental hygienist is carefully cleaning your teeth? You can't chat with her, or even watch...
Feb 16, 2024
Give People Room for Their Feelings
People need to be allowed to 'feel'. The most helpful thing you can do for a person in a grief situation is to be able to express or pour...
Feb 2, 2024
Loss Comes In Many Flavors
A minister told me of his entering his church one morning and coming upon the janitor. They exchanged greetings. The pastor asked him how...
Jan 19, 2024
Post Office Friends
Stamps.com? No Thanks. It's supposedly a terrific idea. You can buy your U.S. postage stamps quickly and simply in your own home, using...
Jan 4, 2024
Ready To Try Something New?
There are wonderful delights in being secure. There is comfort in sticking with the familiar. But . . . there are also special joys in...
Dec 22, 2023
Sharing Your Hurts is Good
When persons are hit by a devastating event, pastors and counselors encourage them to talk about their feelings. It is believed this is...
Dec 8, 2023
Are You Contagious?
It Could Be A Good Thing If You Are! You are a positive person, but when you see the word 'contagious', you think of bad things, don't...
Nov 24, 2023
More on 'Dying for Others'
In my previous blog, I explained what I mean when I speak of 'dying for others.' Now that we have discussed it intellectually, let's take...
Nov 10, 2023
What I Mean by 'Dying for Others'
Those of you who have read my books . . . who have heard me speak . . . have heard me use the term of 'dying for others'. I want to take...
Oct 27, 2023
People Often Gloss Over Our Wounds
The statement in this title of this blog is true, but it is also very sad. The statement in the graphic is also too easily thrown out...
Oct 13, 2023
God Needs Your Help
Think about your friends, relatives, acquaintances, colleagues and neighbors . . . For two or three of them, life is difficult right now:...
Sep 29, 2023
Your Smile Can Heal
I was walking in the shopping mall, pondering over a couple of discouraging encounters that I had had earlier in the day. Suddenly, a...
Sep 15, 2023
Thank Someone Today
. "Thanksgiving" cards are great. What an appropriate time to sit down and think of a number of people who have given us something, or...
Sep 1, 2023
How Can I Show Up?
You've heard me frequently repeat one of my fundamental beliefs: that 90% of Helping Is Just Showing Up. Let's explore that concept more...
Aug 18, 2023
Being Kind to Yourself
We’ve been considering the role of kindness in our lives. Our Care and Kindness Campaign seeks to raise people’s awareness of how...
Aug 4, 2023
What is Your Kindness Quotient?
What is your kindness quotient? There are various tests you may have taken — an I.Q. test (intelligence quotient), perhaps a Risk...
Jul 21, 2023
Listening Is Kindness
Listening is kindness. It provides healing. Showing love by taking time to listen is a wonderful thing. There is a Bible story that tells...
Jul 7, 2023
Just Be There
Permitting Yourself To Be Uncomfortable I am an introvert. How many of you recognize yourself as being the same? It is hard for me to do...
Jun 23, 2023
The Role of Enthusiasm
I love that word enTHUSiasm. As you may know, the 'thus' in the middle comes from the Greek word Theos. Theos means 'God' in the Greek...
Jun 9, 2023
A New List of Kindness Suggestions
Readers of my books and my blog postings are all familiar with my message that we can offer acts of kindness daily as we go about our...
May 26, 2023
More Things I Forgot
I Wish I Had Remembered When she was crying over her sudden loss, I hesitated to ask her questions about how it happened. I forgot she...
May 12, 2023
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