a pastor's thoughts on faith, family, life & leadership.
Where's your favorite chair? Is it in your house? Was it in the house you grew up in? Or maybe it's in someone else's house, it's the one you look to make sure no one is sitting there at you enter and as you try to move the conversation into that room. Is it in [...]
Life moves fast. Perhaps too fast. Sometimes so fast that it can almost feel like you're missing out on living it. When life becomes hurried - it actually begins to rob you of life. So, what's the alternative? Become a couch potato? Do nothing? Say 'no' to everyone? Probably not. That's not living either. Is [...]
I love the Church. Not just the church I get to serve, but THE Church. The one entrusted to carry the message of the grace of Christ forward to each generation. The one vehicle of God's message that He promised would never fail, but always prevail. The one enlisted to move the movement of Jesus [...]
Labels are a part of life. From labels on clothing, to labels we use to organize our files, to the labels on jars, bottles and cans. There's labels we assign to products and services giving our approval or disappointment. We navigate relationships by assigning labels to people's character and interactions. We can't help but label [...]
Be Quick. It seems to be the normal pace of life. Quick to go do. Quick to read through. Quick to share our opinion. Quick to move on. But in reading through James with my Egroup guys, we're being reminded what the greatest tip toward 'quickness' is to God. James 1:19-20 says this: 19 My dear [...]
The following is a simple concept, but one that is life-giving. To you and others. It's one that can revolutionize your relationships. It can be said in a sentence, but takes a lifetime of practice to fully engage in well. If you want to have better friendships. If you want to be a better leader. [...]
Remember that moment when all seemed right in the world and you were walking tall. Then it came fast on your heals, that moment where you wanted to quit. Failure came your way. Fear jumped up to hinder your progress. Shame's shadow overwhelmed you. Rejection came a knocking. Fatigue set up shop within your soul. [...]
They say music can comfort the soul and move people like nothing else. It's true. If we had a conversation about genres, bands, taste in music and favorite songs - chances are, we'd find some different preferences. We'd probably find some commonality as well. There is a song that plays, that invites us all to [...]
I got to watch my son's baseball team yesterday in their last regular season game. We were in a small town north of Tucson. Kearny, AZ. It was there in a small town, that I witnessed a big time demonstration of compassion. In fact, maybe it was more than that. Sports sometimes captures moments that [...]
Sometimes a picture or story captures vision better than any sermon or lecture. We talk a lot about what 'biblical community' should look like. That we're encouraged in Scripture to intertwine our lives - that the connected life is better than the surrounded life. Connected means: "I'm in your corner" and you're in mine. We [...]
A simple reminder. Yesterday can not be replayed. Today is a NEW day. So, whether you've got hurdles to overcome or you're mulling over regrets from the past. You can't go back. You can stay stuck - by why? 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I [...]
We just left the scene. Sure we tried to clean it up the best we could, but we knew there would be a residue that would remain for awhile. At Chipotle none-the-less. How could we desecrate such a great place... It was just soda. Mr. Pibb to be exact. All over the table. All over [...]
I found this info graphic on another pastor's blog last week - Brandon Cox and was so struck by it. It's the assessment of the internet usage and activity during a ONE minute interval. As you see it - it might shock you, it might stun you, you might simply see it as another piece [...]
I know you've had those moments. The moments where you're questions ring louder than answers and the answers you seek seem out of reach. Moments where you've become stuck in your journey with God, your journey in life. So many questions. So few answers. I've been there also. It's often in those moments where we [...]
It started with toy phones. They were cool for my kids growing up. But it didn't take long before the toy faded and we migrated upwards to the fake, yet not fully functioning phones. In fact, if you make your way around our home, you'll notice cell phones everywhere. Behind the cushion and under the [...]
