For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.–Isaiah 9:6 I do not think of myself as having much to offer on most days. I typically feel like a failure and wonder why anyone puts up with me. The voices in my head are loud and negative. I start most days with tears…
Sometimes my mind wanders. Sometimes it is taken on a journey. Today the trip took off listening to the old hymn, Blessed Assurance. All I could think about was the power of a hug. Not the cold side-shoulder hug we give today due to fear of litigation, but the full on bear hug that says “I am here for you.” Do you ever pause to think about the widow who longs for the hug of her soul mate? What about…
Walk with me to the top of Mt. Nebo. Do you see the figure just ahead of us? That is Moses. You remember him don’t you? He was once a prince of Egypt. He had all the world at his disposal, but he chose his heritage over his worldly inheritance. He chose his rage over his rational mind. He gave it all up to become who he was from birth, a nomad, a shepherd. But, he came back to us….
May I be open and honest with you? I wanted my child, my daughter, to be more athletic than I was growing up. I love sports so much and never had the ability or work ethic to match my passion. So, in a moment of confession, let me just admit that I prayed hard for a left-handed point guard, and God heard my prayer. She’s good. Not just “Daddy thinks she’s good,” but crowd goes “ooh” and “ahh” good. But…
Can I paint a picture for you? It is early in the morning when the dew hangs on the flowers and leaves. The sun is just beginning to wake God’s creations. A man sits alone in his front porch swing. He is gently swaying in the cool of the day sometimes humming an old tune. The chains of the swing are making a rhythmic tapping as he pushes himself back and forth. In his lap is a book, tattered, worn,…
I have more walls in my life than a complicated maze. I wall out my employees, my family, strangers, fellow church members, and every other soul I encounter in my life. I do all of this in the name of self preservation. I figure no one wants to hear my problems or tales of my mental craziness and I KNOW on most days I don’t want to hear theirs. Yet, I call myself a Christian; a leader that others must…
“I wish I could say something classy and inspirational, but that just wouldn’t be our style. Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory… last forever.” Keanu Reeves as Shane Falco in Replacements (2000). This may be one of the greatest movie quotes of all times for sports fans everywhere. What could be more exciting than watching the exhausted underdogs, the beaten down and forgotten rejects, the unworthy replacements stand inches from glory facing the mighty adversary who represents all that is wrong with…
Consider the mighty Mississippi River. People has attempted to tame the river through levees, dredging, and careful construction. Yet a change in nature, such as floods, hurricanes, or fires reminds us that, when prodded, nature has the power to exert dominance over any construct of man. You see, the River was created to follow a path. Billions of dollars spent on levees can’t hold back the nature of the River when circumstances call for following the natural flow of energy….