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Abraham is arguably one of the greatest faith leaders of all time. The book of Romans tells us that his "faith was accounted to him [Abraham] for righteousness." (Romans 4:9)

Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness and in some modern translations, this verse reads, "Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:9, NIV) In order for Abraham to receive this "faith credit," he endured—like all students in the school of life—several tests. 

The airport in Amsterdam is fairly large. Shawn had flown through it in the past, but it was new to me. As we made our way past the gates, we came to an extremely long line. Two things caught my attention. First, it was really long. Second, it was not a single-file line. It was something like what you would see at the entrance of an amusement park right before the doors opened—just a mass of people stretching back as far as you could see. As we made our way past this line, we wondered what was going on. Looking toward the front of it, we noticed it was a security checkpoint.

What they all have in common is the notion of cause and effect. Right ideas and behavior lead to right consequences, and bad ideas and behavior lead to bad consequences. 

But karma is impersonal—a cosmic principle without a personal face. It's like gravity; it works because it's a law of the cosmos.  

I love the fall and everything it brings—cooler days, colorful foliage, steady routines and all things pumpkin-flavored! As summer gives way to fall, I reflect on the balance of the year, put my schedule in order and have a second go at all of my New Year's resolutions. Maybe it is the childhood memory of new, unmarked notebooks and still-sharp pencils that still make this time of year feel like a time of beginning—a chance to start over again.