The One Question We All Must Face

I’ve talked to hundreds of people who were hoping to save or repair a relationship in their life. I’ve talked with parents who were struggling with their children, and husbands and wives who were struggling with each other. I’ve comforted the heartbroken and sought to calm the enraged. Some people were struggling with just one person, others felt that they had alienated everyone around them. While every relationship is different and has its own unique challenges, relationships are also similar in many ways. There is one question that every relationship faces at some point. It’s the one thing that anyone who is seeking healing in a relationship must ask themselves. That question is, “Am I Willing To Change?”. This is the most important question you can ask for several reasons:

You Are Not 100% Right

You’ve probably already come to realize this, but you are not perfect. I know, I was crushed when I found out as well. We all fail from time to time. We all misunderstand. We all act too quickly at times and too slowly at others. Even if the person you are relating to is totally wrong, it doesn't mean that you don't have room to grow as well. Since we are all imperfect, we all have the opportunity to grow and learn something new. So, if you are open to change, you always have the possibility of growth in front of you. No change = no growth.

You Are The Only Person You Can Change

As much as you may hope that your patience and understanding will one day break through to your spouse, the truth is you have no real power to change him. You can be great, and she can still choose to treat your poorly. You can parent perfectly and still have your child make disastrous decisions. If you put all of your hopes on being able to change the person you are relating to, you will end up discouraged and defeated. Instead, you must be open to whatever change may be the most healthy for you. You must be honest about the person you care for, but you must focus the bulk of your energy on your own growth.

Your Change Can Be Inspiring

While your growth may inspire your friend to examine themselves more closely, there is no guarantee that they will actually make any changes. What is guaranteed is that every time someone finds the courage to examine themselves and make changes, it is inspiring others. It may inspire others around you that you aren’t even aware are noticing. People who have the courage to change can inspire others who may also want to change. Not only that, but your ability to change will give you more confidence when new you face new challenges in the future.

Are you willing to change? Change isn’t easy and it can be quite scary, but growth is impossible without change. When you are willing to focus on your own strengths and weaknesses,  you can make the sort of changes that make you stronger, and when you are stronger, you will have more consistently stronger relationships!

Readings For Advent - Hope

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.1

Advent is the season of waiting and expectation that leads up to Christmas Day. During that time many churches pause to remember all that Christmas meant and all that it still means. One of the meanings of Christmas for followers of Jesus is the presence of hope.

First century church planter Paul wrote the words above to remind the people living in Galatia that the time they had all been waiting for had come. In a small town, a small baby was born as the Old Testament Scriptures had foretold. That fragile baby brought with him unbreakable hope for all of humankind. Our deepest hope that somehow we are not alone, was fully and forever confirmed. While our sins are great, God’s mercy once again proved to be greater. God had come to earth to be with us.

God’s people had waited for that day for hundreds of years. They waited in hope that God would do as He promised. People love to twist the Bible to make it promise things that it never intended. Flip through its pages all you like, there are no promises of earthly wealth. We are not promised health or a life free of conflict. We are not even promised our next breath, regardless of how closely we try to follow its teachings. But, God did promise to never leave us alone. In Jesus, He promised to be everything we couldn’t be ourselves. That promise brings with it unsinkable hope.

Today we wait, much like the people we read about in the Old Testament. During his short stay on earth, Jesus promised that He would return to earth again one day at which time everything would be set right. No more sorrow. No more wars. No more poverty. All of the misery that we inflict on others and on ourselves will be broken. That’s the hope that we live in. Our hope is in Christ who kept his promise over 2000 years ago, and who we believe will keep his promise to return to us again.

This Christmas season, our hope is also that Jesus would visit our hearts in new ways. Hope is essential to our lives as Christians.  May we all maintain our hope in the God who is with us, Emmanuel. 

1 - Galatians 4:4-5 (ESV)

Believing Drives Doing: How To See Yourself Honestly

I lost.

I am a loser.

Those statements seem to go together.  If you lost you are a loser right? They may seem similar, but those statements have very different consequences when deeply believed. One is a description of our performance, the other is a statement about who we are.

I’ve become hopelessly addicted to the GPS app on my phone. I use it anytime I travel any distance from home. I even use it when I’m close to home just to make sure I am taking the quickest route to where I want to go. Even with GPS it’s easy to miss turns and get lost. We lose focus, turn a bit too early, or get caught up singing Taylor Swift songs to the top of our lungs and don’t hear the notification to take the next left. (not that I’ve ever done the third one).

Taking a wrong turn is different from having a malfunctioning GPS. If we simply take a wrong turn, our GPS can “recalculate” a new route that will get us to where we want to go. It may take a bit longer, but we will eventually arrive at our destination.  If our GPS is broken, however, it will continue to give us wrong information, and we will never arrive at our intended location.

We all make mistakes, fail, sin, or lose at times in life.  Even though it’s not enjoyable, we can learn from our missteps. We pick ourselves up and try again. Believing that we are a loser or a failure is very different. What we believe to be true about ourselves directs every turn we make in life. Like a malfunctioning GPS, false beliefs will lead us off course.  If you believe that you are broken or a failure or unlovable, then you will live a broken life.

The message of the Bible is that God doesn’t believe that you are unlovable or irreparably broken. The Christian life is one in which we daily attempt to believe the truth that God is telling us about life and ourselves. We are loved, and God wants to repair our brokenness and then employ us to reach other broken people. It’s almost too good to believe. The question that I often return to may be one that you need to ask yourself as well: “Is my GPS broken?” Have I begun to believe things about myself that aren’t true? There are lots of voices in the world trying to make us doubt our value. We have to block out those toxic voices and listen for the true voice of God speaking into our hearts.

Eugene Peterson writes, “All the waters in the ocean cannot sink a ship unless it gets inside. Nor can all the trouble in the world harm us unless it gets within us.”  You can lose your job, fail in a relationship, get passed over for a promotion, and a thousand other things in life, but none of them will crush you if are able to remember that your identity isn’t the same as your performance. Your performance will fluctuate, but what God thinks of you will never change. So, keep an eye on your inner GPS, and remember that the God of the universe is for you.

Excerpt from "A Long Obedience In The Same Direction" by Eugene Peterson

The Middle Of Your Story

I hate the middle of a good book.

Don’t get me wrong, I love good books. I think one of the greatest satisfactions in life is to settle down with a good book on a rainy evening. The beginning of a good book always offers intrigue and excitement. You are quickly meeting new characters, immersing yourself in a different time and place. You get a glimpse of the hero’s hopes and dreams. You can’t wait to see where the story goes. For a while, in most stories, things seem pretty good, but then somewhere near the middle of the story, things go wrong. The mother dies or the bank forecloses. Sickness sets in or the relationship crumbles. Things break down and for a while, and it’s hard to imagine any way this story could have a happy ending. If you stopped reading the book at this point, you would live in constant depression and frustration. But we keep reading, because we hope things will somehow find a way to turn around.

Your life is a story, and you are probably somewhere in the middle of it. We all face days, weeks, or even months when things go wrong. People we love die. Jobs end. Our health fails. In those dark times, it’s hard to imagine that our story could have any sort of good ending. It’s hard to imagine that things could work out or even that we’ll survive. It’s during these dark moments that we begin to wonder if we have failed or somehow let God down.

This is when the words of an early church planter named Paul mean so much for Christians. Paul wrote in a letter to the church in Rome that God takes everything that happens in our life and shapes them to lead to a good place. (Romans 8:28). Your story as a Christian has a good ending. You are a part of a story that is more amazing than you could ever have imagined. I know that the middle parts can be discouraging sometimes, but there is more to your story than what you are enduring today.  So hang in there, and keep living your story. Dark moments today can give way to incredible victories tomorrow.

The One Thing People Need From You (And How You Are Depriving Them Of It)

We need you.

Your friends need you. Your spouse needs you. Your kids need you. Your co-workers need you. People in your community that you have yet to meet, need you. They don’t need tons of your time or money or help, although those things are nice. What they need most, is something only you can give.

They need your experience.

You have made tons of decisions in your life, some good and some not so good. You have succeeded and failed. You have loved and possibly even been hurt in a relationship. As Christians, we believe that God is wrapped up in all of those events in life. He’s in the good. He’s there for us during the bad. The story of how God has interacted with you during those times in your life is a valuable gift that can be shared with others. When Moses was encouraging the nation of Israel before they entered the land of Canaan to live, he told them to love and serve God, “For your eyes have seen all the great work of the Lord that he did.” (Deuteronomy 11:7). Some wisdom isn’t found it books, it comes from a life lived, from what our eyes have seen and our ears have heard. Sadly, most of us never pass on (or sometimes even notice) the amazing things that we have learned. If you want to give your most valuable resource to the people that need it most, here are three things you need to start doing:

1)Watch

Sometimes life happens to you without you even noticing. It’s easy to get so caught up in the frantic pace of our lives, looking ahead to the future, that we forget that God is up to something here and now. There is something He is wanting to show you on even the most ordinary days. If you don’t watch for it, you might miss it. The large, dramatic events of our life aren’t the only time that God shows up. He’s always with you, which means there is always something new for you to see and learn.

2)Reflect

Setting up a time each day to look back and reflect on what happened is one of the most overlooked spiritual disciplines. Reflection is hugely important. It’s our chance to wrap our mind around our day, and to sort out all that went on, and all that it means. St. Ignatius set a time each evening to look back over his day and to talk to God about the good and the bad. Not only does setting a time of reflection sort out our own thoughts, it allows us to package the information that we hope to pass on to others.

3)Tell

It’s easy to believe that people don’t really care about what you have to say, and sometimes they don’t. That doesn’t change the value of what you have to offer. The ways you have seen God interact with you in your life is a valuable story for others. Some may ignore it, but others will cherish it. So, tell your story, and let others decide what they will do with it. All you can do is share, the rest is up to them.

You have a story to tell, and there are people who desperately need to hear it. So, take some time today and make a call or schedule a visit and share your heart. You’ll be glad you did.

Don't Judge Me! On Second Thought Maybe You Should....

Coming off of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, one of the greatest quotes of all time is still ringing in my ears….

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

I can’t imagine what it must have been like to hear those words echo down from the Lincoln Memorial out of the mouth of Martin Luther King Jr. The words are heartbreaking and beautiful and were a motivating call to a generation of people to commit themselves to justice. The imagery of the first half of the quote is so powerful and emotionally evocative, however, that I fear it has led us to ignore the second half.

No one should be judged by the color of their skin.

                                                Or by the amount of money in their wallet.

                                                Or by their religious affiliation.

                                                Or by their political leanings.

                                                Or by educational background.

But they are to be judged.

I know that phrase sounds insane and critical and heartless, but it’s actually a powerfully honest statement, and it’s part of the beauty and genius of the above quote by Dr. King.

We should be judged. I need to be judged. You need to be judged, and that judgment should be on the content of our character. A world that does not judge on the content of character breeds injustice. It willingly throws its people to the wolves.

In our haste to not judge people unfairly, we have thrown out judgment altogether, which is not only short-sighted, but incredibly dishonest.  Let’s be honest with ourselves for a second and admit it: we all judge.

If you are looking for a daycare for  your precious two year old child that you love and care for dearly, you had better be a very critical (in the best way) judge. You would never just drop your child off anywhere that had a daycare sign in the window. You would judge. You would meet the staff. You would talk to other parents at the daycare. You would ask around and visit multiple places. In short, you would judge the daycare centers, and rightfully so.

We are all constantly judging, all the time. We judge the employees we are interviewing to hire, we judge the restaurants where we eat, and the hotels where we stay on vacation.

And that’s ok.

It’s more than ok, it’s critically important.

After all, if the restaurant where you are having dinner has left their chicken out on the counter for the past 8 hours, its ok to judge them for that and avoid the Chicken Caesar Salad, or better yet, just leave.

So, what areas are safe to judge?  How do we judge honestly and in a healthy way?

We judge the content of character.

Judging the content of my character, where it is weak, and where it is strong is what allows me to develop my character more fully. Better character means a better life, better for me, better for my family, and better for the community and nation I live in.  Dr. King knew that his children would be judged, he just hoped they would be judged on things that truly matter, things they could control. You may not have a lot of control over your skin color or financial standing, but every day we all have the opportunity to develop our character, and when we do our homes and nation are better off for it. So  embrace patience, generosity, mercy, forgiveness, and courage, and partner with others who do the same. It’s not easy to build our character, and it doesn’t develop overnight, but  years from now when you look back, you’ll be grateful for every minute that you chose invest. 

Photo Courtesy of Death To Stock Photo

My Favorite Reads From 2014

I love books, and I love reading posts about books. I have stumbled upon some amazing works by amazing authors by reading blog recommendations from others. It struck me that taking advantage of this great benefit without offering up my own thoughts was a bit selfish, so this is my attempt to share recommendations on books I have enjoyed.   I try to read books from set categories each year, in an attempt to be balanced in my reading. The following books reflect some of those categories.So, here are some of my favorite reads from the last year, I heartily recommend them and hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Also, if you have recommendations from your reading, I would love to hear them!!!!!

Novels:

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

I had only known Doerr from his collections of short stories which I had enjoyed. So, when I saw his novel pop up on Amazon, I thought I would give it a try. I am incredibly glad I did. Doerr tells a hauntingly beautiful tale about love and loss among the less fortunate during World War II. Doerr’s prose is straight forward and melodic at times. He draws you in and engages not only your mind, but your heart.

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

In order to avoid his upcoming 100^th birthday party at his nursing home, Allan Karlsson climbs out of his window and embarks on an absurb and humorous journey through some of the most seminal events of his time. Think Forest Gump as a centenarian. Sometimes in life you just want to get lost in a book with a likable character on an enjoyable journey. This book was that and more.

Inspiration:

Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis by Lauren Winner

We live in a literary and blog world filled with people recounting the events of their daily lives. Mostly they are tedious, (my attempts included). This is an odd thing to admit, but I keep expecting to be disappointed by Winner’s writings. Instead, I have loved everything she has written. Still was honest and moving, covering a difficult time in Winner’s life with great humility. It made me think, feel, and I believe encouraged me to be better person.

Seven Men by Eric Metaxes

I actually have a subcategory of Inspiration that is just Biographies, because I find them so inspiring and encouraging. It try to read 3-4 biographies a year, and this year it was Seven Men that stood out. Metaxes recounts short and very readable insights into the lives of George Washington, William Wilberforce, Jackie Robinson, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Pope John Paul II, and Chuck Colson. The link below is a short video promo of the book.

                Promo for Seven Men

Personal Growth:

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

This book should be required reading for all church, business, and civic leaders. I sought out this book after seeing Sinek’s talk on TED Talks. The power of fully embracing why you do what you do or are attempting to do was driven home in understandable and enjoyable language. I encourage you to read the book and watch the TED Talk!

Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey

I honestly don’t fully understand why this book was so addictive, I just know that I couldn’t put it down. Currey compiled brief excerpts into the daily work habits of prominent writers, musicians, architects, actors, and countless others. It was a fascinating glimpse behind the process of so many skilled and successful artists. It’s a book I will return to from time to time when I get derailed and discouraged.

Other great books that crossed my path in 2014:

Simply Jesus by NT Wright (Theology). Everyone should read one book by NT Wright each year.

Sabbath As Resistance by Walter Brueggeman (Theology)

Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey (Inspiration)

Balzac And The Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie (Novel)

Ferguson, New York City, and Justice

One of the most hated words in civilization today is injustice, and rightfully so. When this nation’s founding fathers declared that this should be a nation of “liberty and justice for all”, they weren’t just tossing out random ideals that seemed good for our nation to have. They were tapping in to the very fabric of every person in existence. The hunger for justice is woven into each of us from birth. No one has to explain to a two-year old why it’s unjust for someone to steal the toy they are playing with. They instinctively know that something is wrong the second the teddy bear is snatched from their hands. We all crave justice and we all rebel against injustice, or at the very least we rebel against the injustice that affects us. The big question facing this generation, a question raised by the events in Ferguson, MO and by the recent police and civilian deaths in New York City is simply: how do we effectively fight for justice in our homes, communities, and world? Here are a couple of thoughts:

Be Driven By Justice Not Emotion

If you’ve ever been around a playground full of kids you know that eventually some version of the game Tag will break out. The kids run from each other, turning left, then right, then back left again. They duck and spin, jump to the side, lean forward and back, all in an attempt to avoid their pursuer. At the end of their running, they are normally not very far from where they began. The only purpose of their running was to avoid their pursuer. Being driven by emotion works the same way.

When we are driven by emotion we often have no real direction or purpose other than to act on the intense emotion we feel, to vent it. Emotion isn’t bad, in fact, it’s very good. We should feel strong emotion when we encounter injustice in our world, but that emotion should not control our actions. Our emotion must always serve intentional and deliberate plans to battle injustice. Emotions make great servants, but lousy leaders, or to put it another way, emotions can fuel our car, but should never be allowed to drive it.  We’ve seen our share of protests this year, and they can often be a catalyst to change. As a Protestant, my entire religious heritage is packed full of protests that led to change. Any actions, however (protests included), that are blindly driven by our emotions (normally outrage) are ineffective and normally create more injustice than they alleviate. Take for example, some of the protesters in Ferguson, MO who in their outrage trashed and destroyed small markets and stores in the town. Many of the businesses were owned and run by people who were simply working hard to carve out a life for them and their families, none of those who lost their livelihood had caused any of the injustice of the previous weeks. The attacks on them were incredibly unjust. What is even more baffling and sad is that the damage was inflicted in the name of battling injustice. Undirected emotional outbursts do not lead to justice.

Injustice is an insidious creature. If we are not careful we ourselves can become unjust in our attempts to battle it, and at that point we add to the problem rather than offer a solution. We must seek justice not just for our own emotional satisfaction, but for the good of the people around us. It’s pointless to cry out for justice, if you aren’t willing to care for your neighbor next door. Marching for justice is pointless if your children feel ignored and unloved at home.  The fight for justice must be a proactive marathon, not a reactive sprint that dies out when the emotion dies down. Our fight for justice begins with our passion for the welfare of the people all around us each day at work and home. At its best the battle for justice is a passion that seeks to mirror God’s very own passion for us. Although we will fall short often, our commitment to love people well will keep our mission for justice on the right track. I prayer for greater justice in our world in the coming year, and I pray that you and I might be a part of bringing it to life. 

Photo Courtesy of Clayton, Mackenzie, Lauren, Morgan, and Bailey

How To Have Hope When Everything Around You Seems Dark....

They are showing Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel.

Gingerbread Latte’s are now available for your consumption.

And, I swear I heard Jingle Bells while in a store the other day. It can only mean one thing....

Christmas is officially upon us. 

I love Christmas, and odds are you do too. I love almost everything about Christmas, but one of my favorite things to enjoy every December is Christmas lights. The world just seems more at peace with Christmas lights strewn from pillar to post. Thousands of people load up cars and vans each year to just drive around and see the holiday lights.

You know what’s not beautiful? Christmas lights in the daytime. (see picture above) Horrible. Not impressive at all. Some things only make sense in the dark. Christmas lights at night are almost magical. They pierce the darkness and flood the faces of onlookers in blue, red, and golden hues. Their brilliance can be most appreciated in the absence of light. The darker the night, the more beautiful the lights.

That’s a pretty close reflection to real life. So many of us are dealing with dark things in our lives; depression, sickness, fractured relationship, stress at work. Most of the time it seems that there is more dark out there than light. As discouraging as it can be, however, we were made to shine into the darkness. Our hope, love, and forgiveness does it’s best work in places filled with hate, pessimism, and bitterness. I don’t think any of us are grateful for the difficult times that we have to endure, but it can bring a bit of peace to know that your light is all the more brilliant in those times. Don’t give up, even if it feels like your light isn't being noticed at all.  The light you bring could be the one thing that someone else desperately needs!

Your Limitations Are Tearing You Down But They Don't Have To!

There is something that each of us possesses that drives us crazy. It creates anxiety or it can leave us feeling defeated. It leads us to over-work at times, and to be apathetic at others. We do what we can to forget this truth about ourselves, but it continues to show up day after day after day. What is this troubling truth?

We have limitations.

We are imperfect.

We are incomplete.

No matter how much effort we put into our parenting, we say things that should have remain unsaid. We miss opportunities that we should have acted upon.

No matter how hard we work at our job, there are things left undone at the end of the day, projects that could have benefited from extra time. There are endless promotions to pursue that would challenge us more and compensate us better.

Even if we do our best and attain near perfection, there is always more to be done, more great things to be seen, more people to meet, more challenges to conquer.

Ancient Israelite king, Solomon, put it like this:

                “…the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing”

                                                                (Ecclesiastes 1:8)

One of my favorite artists of all time is Johannes Vermeer. As closely as we can tell there are 35 paintings done by Vermeer still in existence today. Two of those are, for a limited time, in a new exhibit at the NC Museum of Art. It’s an excellent opportunity to see something rare and beautiful, but my enjoyment of those paintings is clouded with something else. In the midst of enjoying the paintings in front of me, there's a little voice in my mind that says, “I really wish I could see some of his other works…”

The gift I have in front of me is never enough. There is more to see, and more to do. If we are not careful, we can allow our limitations to depress us or drive us into chaotic overdrive, neither of which are very enjoyable. Perhaps the most important thing to know about our limitations is:

It’s All Part of The Plan

You were never created to be able to do it all. We are hardwired to need other people and to need God. In other words, relationship flows out of our limitations. Your limitations are on purpose, and are there with your best interest in mind. Accomplishment is meaningless without relationship. To do our best at what's in front of us, and to enjoy, embrace, and lean on other people is the key to a wonderful life. When we surrender our need to get it all done, see it all, experience it all, or do it all perfectly we can slow down and fully embrace the moments that are right in front of us. Our minds won’t shoot of into thoughts of what we haven’t seen or haven’t done, and we can enjoy the beauty that we are blessed with right now.

So, be grateful for all you can’t do. It’s the secret to enjoying what you are fortunate enough to be able to do!

Photo courtesy of Mindi Holt

Praying With Flannery

Prayer is less a skill and more of an art. You don’t learn to pray by reading a manual on prayer any more than you learn to ride a bike by reading an instruction manual that might have come with it when you purchased it. We learn to pray by being around those who pray. We hear their words and feel their emotion. When we are very young or new to the faith we often parrot the words of other prayers until we can find words of our own. That’s why I was so excited when I stumbled across a recently released prayer journal kept by Flannery O’Connor. Journals like this one allow us to pray alongside people that were seeking God before many of us were even born. I have decided to document my journey through this process in case you also want to pray with Flannery.

                Please help me to get down under things and find where You are.

This short phrase from the opening entry we have in O’Connor’s journal is beautiful and a good reminder that God is all around us in the people and the things He has created. Sometimes our hectic pace of life hides beauty from our eyes. Behind each person, regardless of their behavior, is a glimpse of the God who created them. Each gust of wind, drop of rain, and lazy cloud are ours to enjoy. I pray with Flannery that I will indeed be able to get down under things and find where God is today.

Excerpt from A Prayer Journal by Flannery O'Connor

How To Truly Conquer Your Fear

Fear feeds off of the unknown. All good filmmakers know it. It’s the thing behind the closet door that scares us the most. It’s that person out in the dark just beyond what we are able to see. When we can’t see what  out there to get us, our imagination takes over and fear floods our minds.  The only way to send the fear scattering…..is to turn on the light. When we see what we are up against, it’s not so scary. The deepest fears that haunt us, however,  aren’t generated by what’s under the bed or in the woods or behind that closed door, it’s inside of us. The things that we’ve hidden deep inside of ourselves, the doubts and insecurities, the assumptions about life we’ve made because of how we’ve been treated by others. That stuff is truly scary, and we very rarely turn the light on to have a good look.

If you really want to be free from the fear that has been beating you up for so long, here’s a few things to remember:

The truth about you is much better than you imagine.

Most of us don’t take a close look inside of ourselves because we are afraid of what we might find. Your imagination is actually part of the problem. When you think about you, you almost always spend more time thinking about the bad stuff, the words you shouldn’t have said, the relationships you shouldn’t have held on to. Most people assume that God is the little voice in your head reminding you of all the bad you’ve done. In truth, it’s just the opposite. He is there to remind you that He has better plans for you than you could ever imagine for yourself.

Get some help.

We pay people to fix our cars, to wire our houses with electricity, and to clear those viruses out of our computer that makes Facebook run so slowly. But, when it comes to the incredibly complex inner working of our minds and bodies, we feel that we have it all figured out. Not even close! Getting help, whether from a close friend, counselor, or mentor is a life-line that should not be ignored.

You are not alone.

When you turn the light on and have a good look inside of your heart and mind, you will realize that God is there to face whatever you fear with you. God does not ask us to solve our own problems or conquer our own sins. We’ve all tried, and we’ve all failed. God wants to work with us as we deal with our junk. He loves us fully as we are and at the same time He never forgets all that we can become. 

Photo Courtesy of Death To Stock Photo

Friday Finds - September 12

This week's Finds are all in video form! It's been a long week, kick off your shoes, curl up with your laptop and be inspired by some truly amazing leaders!

N.T. Wright should be mandatory reading for all Christians. He is intelligent, compassionate, and is able to write and speak in ways that are guaranteed to make you think.

          N.T. Wright - Look at Jesus

Miroslav Volf has spoken more passionately and with greater conviction about forgiveness than any theologian on the planet. His incredible book , Exclusion and Embrace is one of the best on forgiveness ever written.

          Miroslav Volf on Forgiveness

It’s hard to imagine a better coach or more powerful leader than John Wooden. His TedTalk is one I return to often. It is worth every second of your time….

          John Wooden - The Difference Between Success and Winning

Have a great weekend!!!!!

Photo courtesy of Death To Stock Photo

Friday Finds - August 8

Here's a few inspiring thoughts from talented bloggers around the web:

We all want what we want, but getting it could be easier than you thought. Allison Vesterfelt over at Storyline has an excellent piece on the art of getting what you want…

     The Easiest Way To Get Exactly What You Want

To live with courage and conviction is all anyone could hope for. Maximilian Kolbe was that and more. Follow along as author of One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp recounts his story…

     How To Get Really Living Instead of Merely Existing 

We all mess up, and most of us do it hourly. Check out Carlos Whitaker’s take about improving your skills when it comes time to say “I’m sorry”.

      Carlos Whitaker's I'm Sorry Skills

If you are looking for an intelligent and insightful piece from a very gifted pastor, take a few minutes and read why Nadia Bolz-Weber hated her pastoral care classes in seminary…

     Nadia Bolz-Weber

               Have a great weekend!!!!!

Today

Today someone is sitting in a sterile doctor’s office on a paper-covered bench, hearing for the first time that cancer has begun to attack their body

Today someone is hearing their child say her first word

Today someone is filing for divorce

Today someone is burying their father

Today someone is moving into their college dorm

Today someone is wondering where they will find money to feed their kids dinner tonight

Today someone will taste chocolate for the first time

Today….

I don’t know what your day has in store for you today, but I pray that you will embrace every moment of it’s goodness, and find peace from God for every moment of it’s pain.  After all, today is all we have.

Photo Courtesy of Death To The Stock Photo

Friday Finds - August 1

In his letter to early Jewish followers of Jesus, Paul encouraged the people to remember other followers who were suffering as a result of their faith. (Hebrews 13:3) The following article and many others on the web concerning the suffering of Christians in Iraq reminds us that Paul’s words are as applicable today as they were 2000 years ago. I encourage you to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering as you read this.....

Christian's Persecuted in Iraq

If you haven’t been spending hours watching various Ted Talks, then I apologize for introducing you to what will no doubt become a new addiction for you. If you are in need of a bit of inspiration this weekend, watch Benjamin Zander’s (pictured above) wonderful talk about his passion for classical music.

Benjamin Zander: On Music and Passion

You may not be up to date on all of the conversations flying around the Christian blog community about Mark Driscoll as of late. I have thoughts about Driscoll and all that is going on, but this is not the time, nor is this blog the space for it. You don’t have to know anything about Driscoll, however to appreciate Matthew Paul Turner’s timely reminder about the true nature of grace. Read and then re-read Turner's post!

Matthew Paul Turner On Grace

I am so proud of this new blogger! I was proud of her when she was a student in a youth group I worked with, and she continues to amaze! Follow DeAnna and Jonathan’s journey into adoption here:

Truths From a Joy Filled Very Tired Mama

 Photo courtesy of poptech.org

Travelling Into The Unknown

Today is my last day speaking and sharing with an amazing group of students in Savannah, GA. These incredible students have braved the insane heat and humidity while working on roofs all week for families who could not normally afford repairs to their home. We’ve talked about the following prayer written by Trappist monk, Thomas Merton this week, and it applies to me directly today. I hope it connects with you as well!

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following 

Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, 

though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be 

lost in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for You are ever with me, 

and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.

As you travel down your unknown paths in life, I hope that you will find comfort in knowing that you never travel alone!

Inspiration (Part XIII)

"Fight one more round. When your feet are so tired that you have to shuffle back to the center of the ring, fight one more round. When your arms are so tired that you can hardly lift your hands to come on guard, fight one more round. When your nose is bleeding and your eyes are black and you are so tired you wish your opponent would crack you one on the jaw and put you to sleep, fight one more round - remembering that the man who always fights one more round is never whipped."     -James Corbett (Heavyweight Boxing Champion, 1892)  


Some days are a grind from sun up til sundown. If today is one of those days for you, I hope you will find the courage to fight one more round! Hang in there! When everything else breaks down, persistence wins!

Friday Finds- May 9

Woo-Hoo!!!! It's Friday! Time to find something worth your time on the internet....

Just in time for Mother's Day! Kevin Durant's MVP acceptance speech was both humble and inspiring. The last two minutes were dedicated to his mom, who received a standing ovation after the talk.

Kevin Durant Accepts MVP Award

Travis Reed, over at The Work of the People creates amazing inspirational clips from some of today’s leading spiritual thinkers. Check out fellow UNC-Chapel Hill alum Erwin McManus as he talks about the importance of dreaming and taking risks:

Dream.Risk.Create

All Sons and Daughters have released a new album. If you haven't listened to All Sons and Daughters, it's time you did! It’s hard to find music that is both thoughtful and beautiful, and this duo combines both. Check them out here:

All Sons and Daughters

One of the foremost voices in leadership today, Michael Hyatt, talks about leadership and labradoodles, and it's well worth your time:

Michael Hyatt

Good Friday Inspiration

Posted by Michael

In keeping with National Poetry Month, I could think of no better poet for a Good Friday post than William Cowper, and no better poem than the one listed below:

God Moves In A Mysterious Way

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform

He plants His footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines 

Of never-failing skill

He treasures up his bright design,

And works His sovereign will

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, 

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan his work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,

And He will make it plain.

Cowper battled deep depression throughout his life. His mind lived in dark, hopeless places more than it enjoyed the light and joy of life. It is for that reason that I am blown away that He speaks of God by saying, “Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.” For all of life’s pain and troubles, for all the hope that he seemed to lack, Cowper still believed that behind all of the darkness and pain, God cared for him and meant him well. I pray that if this Easter finds you discouraged or confused, that you will know that behind the troubles and challenges of life, God is there, He cares, and will not leave us in our pain forever, but will turn it into something beautiful.

Picture courtesy norfolkliterary.co.uk

Poem courtesy poemhunter.com