Choosing my top five books of the year is like deciding which piece of cheesecake to eat; I like pieces of all of them. Therefore, I have added the disclaimer, “So Far.” I reserve the right to change my mind or to recommend one of the other books if I think it might be a better fit for your situation.…
Just talk to any parent and they will tell you they have been bombarded with the question, “Why?” Little children constantly ask that question. There are days that every conversation, instruction, explanation, or clarification invokes a “Why?” So “Why” then do we as adults tend to stop asking “Why?” Why do we leave our curiosity unsatisfied or instructions unclarified? More…
“O, my friends, we are leaky vessels, and have to be kept right under the fountain all the time in order to keep full.” – Dwight Lyman Moody Is there a secret to keeping our souls full? Maybe you feel as if your spiritual reservoir is almost empty from the constant drain, and just one more little thing might suck…
“That comment hit me where it hurts!” Most people understand that criticism comes with the territory of just living life. However, some are surprised to discover they receive more criticism than positive reinforcement. Unfortunately, people are prone to air their complaints rather than their compliments. When we receive criticism, it can be incredibly difficult not to become defensive. Our natural…
Culture can possess a dominating, mesmerizing force over a person or generation without absolutes. I am not talking about youth culture nuances such as clothing or music preferences. This is beyond global demographic distinctions. One of the cultural traits manifested by two recent generations but mastered by the Millennials is performance. Unfortunately, this cultural trait seems to have “found religion”…
If we are honest, we have all asked the question “Where was God when . . . ?” at least once in our lives. Few of us have escaped an experience of life-numbing pain, suffering or death which left us in a void. What we needed was a fresh perspective: a new foundation, anchor or understanding of God. Several years…
I am often asked for reading list recommendations on topics such as leadership, personal growth and student ministry. I plan to share these lists in future blogs. But for now… I wanted to get a little head start on the usual end of year list idea with my “Eight Month Top 10 List.” (These are in no particular order.) The…
False summits are the dread of mountain climbers! When a weary hiker rounds the curve to what he perceives as the last big push to the final peak – and finds it a false summit – his heart can feel as disillusioned as his body feels drained. Realizing a false summit has obscured his view of the true mountain peak…
When Karl Wallenda, the legendary tight-rope walker, would talk about his passion, he would say: "Life is being on the wire: everything else is just waiting!" His passion was not a burden but a time of release and freedom for his soul. He practiced his craft not because of “duty” but “desire.” All performers have days they practice because they “have…
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. (Excerpt from "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost) Our path naturally leads us to a crossroad demanding a life changing decision. Over time as…