Every day there are a thousand opportunities to offend. It’s easy. Just “weigh in” on the topic du jour. (There are really only about three currently in rotation. You know what they are.) Somebody speaks out. Someone gets offended, and speaks out, thereby offending...
Your wedding day. Your graduation. Your son or daughter’s baptism. The birth of your first grandchild. These are great examples of major life events! It was during one of these momentous occasions of celebration when I received this sound advice. “Soak it up.” Enjoy...
We’re instructed to have “childlike faith.” It’s easier said than done. Somewhere between 2 and 62, our DNA changes. Kids start off knowing nothing. All they know is they want stuff. But they need you! The more they grow, the more they know. They still need you, but...
There are lots people to blame and lots of people who are wrong. And lots of people are making that very well known. You don’t have to be one of those people. Sure, it’s good to “take a stand." Sure, “if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything." We’ve...
It’s absolutely impossible without a 100% surrender to Jesus. Philippians 2 is kicking my tail. It’s unimaginable to “put others’ interests before my own” when I vehemently disagree with those interests and, in fact, view them as destructive. With a few exceptions,...
There was a Christian rock band in the 90s called Plankeye. Always thought it was a clever name for people who see the splinter in others’ eye. Ouch. Turns out it’s me. (I hate it when that happens.) The Problem Words like hypocrite, sellout, and partisan politician...
One of the best things God can do for you is drive you to your knees. Jesus is so counter-intuitive, so counter-cultural, so counter-ME, it took a massive blow to my heart, mind, and soul to get my attention. And it ain’t over yet. In the fall of 2019, a close family...
Pray. Hard. Ask your God-loving friends to pray, too. God wants to help you and you need Him. This is always best. Listen to your wife. She loves you and wants what’s best. She’s also smart. But even if she’s wrong, listen to your wife. This is always best. Be nice to...
There’s good news in the midst of the crazy. The recent SpaceX historic rocket launch took me back to when I was a kid. Remember the Apollo space program? They made a movie about the bad one, but a dozen people on six different missions went to the moon about 50 years...
We hear a lot of “shoulds” right now. “People should.” “Our leaders should.” “This should not happen." Words like travesty, tragedy, disgraceful and despicable are also prevalent. We’re really good at placing a critical description on troubling news and problematic...
Why do we look when we we’re warned “Caution, some images may be disturbing to sensitive viewers.” Who wants to be disturbed? It seems we do. There’s something weird about us that’s drawn to look at car crashes, violence, and scary movies. I don’t get it....
Have you ever seen a social media post that was so preposterous, so offensive, so just plain WRONG it made you mad? Of course you have. Have you ever given into the temptation to correct them? (All in Jesus’ name, of course) After all, they needed straightening out....
When Christ takes control of your life, something supernatural happens. It’s almost like magic, but magic implies something other than the power of God. No, it’s the Holy Spirit, which out ranks any other force in the universe. An authentic change takes place in your...
I have a friend who’s very nice. He’ll smile when he sees you, he’ll ask how you’re doing, and he’ll ask about your family. He’ll compliment you. He’ll offer to do things for you. He won’t rest until he’s exhausted every avenue to make sure you’re content. He drives...
You never know who you’re impacting. I was nine. I didn’t know anything. All I knew was I liked baseball, brownie pudding, and the Beatles. (50 years later, not much has really changed.) By the time you’re nine, much of your personality and character has been formed....
Slow drivers. Fast drivers. Clueless drivers. Do they drive you crazy? I half-jokingly posted a question asking if anyone ever talked to other drivers, knowing the answer. Of course we do. We all do. And it’s usually derogatory. I sometimes wonder why someone would...
It’s always an adventure in the neighborhood I walk every day. It might be an aggressive dog or just a friendly one. It might be a bustling garage sale or giggling kids on bikes. But through all the various activities, the neighborhood has become very familiar. I know...
Just a month ago we gathered. Remember that? We thought nothing of it. We always gathered. Gathering was a way of life. Gather, gather, gather. It was what we did without hesitancy or consideration of the possibility that we would ever NOT gather. We built our...
It ultimately defies our limited logic, and it’s at the center of our very being. The Bible says “None is righteous, no, not one;” (Romans 3:10) So the gift of no guilt, no remorse, no depression? What could be more important? What could be more powerful? And it comes...
Kids in the 50s had the scare of nuclear holocaust. In the 60s we worried about political assassinations, riots, and getting drafted to Viet Nam. The 70s had their share of issues, too. Acid rain, the Ayatollah, disco, you name it. The 80s had the threat of aids, the...
All your problems are taken care of. You can relax now. Oh, this doesn’t mean you won’t have trouble or bouts with anxiety. You just don’t have to. You’re human. You have limits. We all have a breaking point. The good news is that you have a go-to. You can opt to turn...