Free at last, my sins are forgiven! Thank God, I’m free at last … but what does this MEAN? Forgiveness of sin means I am ...
“… intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.” –Philippians 2:2b-3 ...
The difference between “worthy” and “entitled” is a willingness to do the work. A worthy person believes they are qualified to receive good things, and ...
My 5-year old daughter loves to find birds in our neighborhood and try to call them to come to her. “Tweet tweet” she says. “Tweet ...
Every new day is a new page, blank on one side and covered on the other with all that has come before. You cannot change ...
Have you ever had that moment where you stand on a scale to weigh yourself, see the numbers fluctuating, and try to *will* them to ...
I got lost at DFW International Airport when I was 6 years old. My father and I were there to pick up a family member, ...
“This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.” -1 John 5:4b God has shown you the pathway to ultimate victory, a salvation ...
On a bike ride with my family the other day, a black snake darted right across our path. Thankfully, we simply rolled on by and ...
There is so much sin, failure, and wrong in the lineage of Jesus recorded in Matthew 1 that you might think these people would be ...
This is my Easy Button, a desktop toy from Staples that added flare and fun to my working environment for many years. I’m throwing it ...
GREAT LEADERS know when to step up, and when to step down. They are ready to step in when needed, and willing to step aside ...
A couple of weeks ago, billionaire Jeff Bezos had a really, really important conversation with a 90-year old man that could have gone really, really ...
Did you hear Captain Kirk finally made it to space for real? Last week, 90-year-old William Shatner not only became the oldest person ever to ...
On September 11, 2001, I was working at the News-Press, our local paper. Like every other American, that morning I woke to a new world, ...
Plenty of people talk about the power of organic marketing and how simple it can be when done correctly. But if you do it wrong… ...
A few weeks ago I got sick and wondered what everyone does these days… “Is it Covid? It turns out it wasn’t, but… I was ...
It’s easy to assume the current way you’re working, living, and operating is just “the way things are.” Until you discover a better way. It’s ...
Remember when the whole world lost their mind over toilet paper? Stores couldn’t keep it in stock. People hoarded it and treated it like gold. ...
Entitlement is the mortal enemy of gratitude. The more we feel we deserve something, the less likely we are to feel grateful when it comes. So, the great and tragic irony of modern marketing is this: the more advertisers tell us we deserve whatever product or service or lifestyle they …
TOPICS: consumerism, contentment, gratefulness, materialism, perspective, thanks
An Encouraging Word DON’T LET POLITICS DERAIL YOUR PERSPECTIVE Today my friend texted me in despair. “I’ve given up on everything political,” he said. “If things are going to change for the better, it’s going to happen by changing the hearts of men.” How right he was. Today’s landmark Supreme …
TOPICS: equality, gay marriage, government, homosexuality, justice, politics, society, Supreme Court
I have no presents to open today. Don’t take that the wrong way. Our family exchanged gifts a few nights ago when my brothers and sisters-in-law were in town, so it’s not like I lost my ticket for the goodie train this year. But, since the gift-giving is done, this …
TOPICS: blessings, Christ, Christmas, gifts, giving, gratefulness, holidays, Luke 2, thankfulness
Truth without hope is like light without heat. It may show you the way, but it will not provide the strength to walk in it. … Hope without truth is like a cloud without rain. It may look promising for a while, but it will never provide the nourishment you …
TOPICS: church, hope, musings, sermons, truth
Do you ever feel overwhelmed during the Christmas season? Do you find yourself frustrated by the commercialism, by the long lines and busy schedules, by the financial burden and the family hassles? Here is your solution. Selah. In Scripture, to “selah” means to stop and consider, to step back and …
TOPICS: Christmas, church fathers, commercialism, holidays, Jesus, peace, reflection, selah
When I was a boy, I once let go of a helium balloon, just to see what would happen. There it went, floating up, up, slowly and silently, gently making its way skyward until it disappeared in the cobalt blue of an open Texas sky. It was beautiful. I could …
TOPICS: children, Connecticut, death, elementary school shooting, hope, Matthew 19, Psalm 36, Psalm 56, shooting, tragedy, violence
Do you ever get extra emotional when you hear certain songs? A friend of mine commented the other day, “I don’t know why, but Christmas songs always bring tears to my eyes, but they’re happy songs! Why is that?” Have you noticed this yourself? Maybe there’s a particular carol or …
TOPICS: carols, Christmas, crying, emotion, hope, memories, music, songs
Today is Pearl Harbor Day. “On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 America’s naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the forces of the Empire of Japan. The attack sank four U.S. Navy battleships and damaged four more. It also damaged or sank three cruisers, three destroyers, one minelayer …
TOPICS: holidays, hope, peace, pearl harbor day, remembrance, war
When was the last time you made a list of all the things you’re thankful for? “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” -1 Thessalonians 5:18 I am thankful for a mother who taught me proper grammar…and lovingly insisted on …
TOPICS: 1 Thessalonians 5, chocolate, coffee, family, gratefulness, gratitude, James 1, music, thankfulness
Thursdays are usually geared towards answering theological questions I receive in my role as a pastor. However, today I wanted to share a piece that’s not quite “theology” as much as it is a meditation on the cross as an answer to our cultural perspective on the signs of aging. …
TOPICS: age, aging, culture, growing old, image, pride, sex, theology, vanity, youth
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