Busyness is not a sign of success, effectiveness, or importance, yet many live their lives as if it is. Busyness is a sign that our schedules are too full, and we are missing the opportunity to be fully present in the moment, focused on our true priorities. Of course, there are times, maybe even seasons, where circumstances require us to live with heavy agendas, but […]
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” – Matthew 11:28 “Don’t be selfish,” we hear, “being a Christian means putting God and others first.” The call to self-sacrifice seems ever-present in such comments, as we are reminded that Jesus poured out his life for us, and we should do the same for him. Clearly, the Christian […]
“My child, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways” – Psalm 23:26 It is hard to give your heart to someone you rarely spend time with. Not only is it difficult to a relationship without the investment, but all of the other distractions will seem so much more attractive. It takes time to share your heart, but time is a precious, […]
Tuesday was one of the better Valentine’s Days I’ve experienced. We did not make any real plans due to a busy schedule, but we celebrated that we would be able to spend most of the day together which is always a blessing. After teaching a class and completing the work in my morning office hours, I was able to join my wife for a little […]
“First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn shall appear.” These words many of us sing around this time each year, are from the hymn, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.” They are also the words from Matthew 4:28. A clear reference to the agricultural process, they are certainly appropriate when we begin to think of Thanksgiving and the harvest season. As we celebrate […]
“In the coming days, I will be sharing some suggestions to help encourage and empower your study.” I remember writing those words, surprisingly weeks ago. I would love to tell you that my time was filled with study; digging into great spiritual depth, but that would be a lie. In the days that followed my last post, church life, family life, even community life became amazingly […]
I am amazed how disconnected I feel when I forget my cell phone. Take away my iPad, my computer and my other means of communication and a serious sense of isolation begins to take hold of me, and from the conversations I have, I am not alone. It is not that I cannot live without my technology, though I do have a bit of withdrawal […]
In the digital would we live in, it is easy to appear lost should you decide to unplug for a while. We are accustomed to speedy responses and easy accessibility leaving a myriad of open-ended questions if we fail to respond as expected. Take too long responding to a friend request on Facebook and someone’s feelings are hurt. Take some time away from the computer […]
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 […]
This will just take a little time. The truth is, everything takes time and sometimes it takes quite a lot of it. All of us receive the same 24 hours and we are charged with the responsibility of choosing how we will spend those precious moments. This week, I returned from a post-Christmas vacation. Our family enjoyed a relatively quiet week together. We ate, watched […]