Snow and frigid temperatures make staying indoors very tempting right now. Navigating roads and sidewalks is difficult, if not dangerous, and the windchill makes your skin hurt. There is nothing inviting about these times. The stark cold and snow, along with overcast skies, can be discouraging and depressing. Curling up and waiting for it all to pass seems like a natural thing to do. Looking […]
Juggling the many details and situations of life can leave us so busy that we only have time for the most pressing priorities. Even the things we love can suddenly be eclipsed by the things we need to do. Sometimes, as we cross off some of the higher priorities, other valuable things rise to the surface, but then there are the times we must dig […]
Our church is currently in the midst of our annual stewardship program. This is an important part of our life together where we consider what it means to be a steward of all God gives us, and where we encourage each other to embrace more of what the Holy Spirit is asking of us. This is not about “getting people’s money,” instead; we are looking […]
Writing yesterday’s post was troubling. Not only because the subject matter was painful, but because the issue of hatred and bullying is so overwhelming. I could not help but feel there was more to consider. Whenever one of these tragedies occurs, there is a sudden outburst of emotion by people troubled by horror of what happened, accompanied by reflections on how we can stop or […]
The tech and business world is abuzz with thoughts and comments surrounding Steve Jobs resignation as CEO of Apple Inc. What will happen to the company’s products and services? What impact will this decision have on stock prices, and how will the news affect Wall Street overall? What happens now? What happens next? Whenever significant changes occur in such public ways, there are always many […]
“I am just not feelin’ it.” That was exactly how I felt yesterday, as I stared at a blank screen pondering what to write for my blog post. I’ve actually felt that way off-and-on for several days. I love to write, but I simply did not feel inspired. Then, last night, I got the word. While watching a rerun of an episode of Art Race, […]
When I was preparing for ministry, my wife’s grandmother called me to her bedside in the nursing home and gave me this advice, “Always remember, your job is to study God’s word, preach God’s word, and love the people.” It was wonderful advice, and one of the best summations of pastoral minsitry I’ve heard. The real challenge is keeping that focus. Every day, I try […]
What does God want for Christmas? It may sound like a strange question, but it may be the most important one we answer in this season. As we approach the holiday, many of us are scurrying to make all of the necessary preparations for our family and friends. There is food to buy, decorations to find and hang, and, of course, presents to buy. In […]
Have you ever noticed how easily some things go unnoticed? All too often we grow comfortable with what we know and what we see. Before long, we are blinded to things that are amazingly visible to others. Without an awakening or some intervention that causes us to look afresh at our lives and our environment we remain unaware. In one way, this is a gift. […]
Bob pierce, founder of World Vision, once said, “One man cannot do it all, but one man with a lifetime can be enough of an example to have someone follow in his footsteps.” We have the opportunity to the impact our communities and to consider what we are leaving behind us. Many others will inherit the results of our decisions and ministry efforts, just as we […]