Blogs
God’s Ministry of Disappointment
“Our journey to one day having children has not been blissful, innocent, joyous, or as easy as I expected it to be. It has been a journey of loss, heartbreak, delay, doctor appointments, test results, delays, stress, frustration, more appointments, more delays. Hope seems to be a liability too expensive to carry in the face of so much disappointment.”
Hobbies of Highly Effective People
“Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is one of the most relentlessly competitive leaders you’ll ever encounter. That doesn’t mean he’s burning the midnight oil (even if some of his employees are). “Eight hours of sleep makes a big difference for me, and I try hard to make that a priority. For me, that’s the needed amount to feel energized and excited,” he told Thrive Global.”
How a Genealogy Changed My Life
“Constantly worried about what people thought of me, and living a selfish life thinking I was the center of the universe. I loved myself so much and expected everyone else to love me as much as I loved myself, but, sadly, they were too busy loving themselves.”
3 Tips for Coping with Today’s Biggest Threat to Mental Health
“Research also shows that loneliness and social isolation are major contributors to addiction and other psychiatric disorders, recovery from which, we now know, largely entails supportive relationships of love and connection.”
Preaching the Psalms to Ourselves
“Preach the Psalms to yourself. As you do, your confidence in the Lord will soar. The result? Your knowledge of Him will grow and you will respond in worship and right living before the Lord. Open your Bible to the Psalms and begin today, preaching the Psalms to yourselves.”
Guns & the Future of Ministry
I own guns and have a CPL, but this is a thought-provoking reflection on the impact guns are having on ministry. Lots of questions but no easy answers.
“”Over the last 10 years,” he said, “the number of guns in our community has exploded. We’re a rural town. People have always had hunting rifles and shotguns, but now everyone has handguns and they carry them everywhere. Even to church.” He warned me before speaking that at least 80 percent of the congregation would be “packing” during my sermon.”
Why We Can Rejoice that Marriage Will End
I find this harder to imagine than my wife does.
“When marriage someday ends, we will agree that God has not subtracted anything, but only added. He has not divided, but united us in an even deeper way. Marriage is a wonderful gift and today we thank God for it. But in that day we will praise him for bringing it to an end so we can experience something even better, the very thing it has been pointing us toward all along. Until then, the joys of marriage direct our eyes to the joys to come.”
Kindle Books
Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds by Chris Brauns $3.99. First class book that may change your life.
The Book that Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization by Vishal Mangalwadi $2.99.
Bringing the Gospel Home: Witnessing to Family Members, Close Friends, and Others Who Know You Well by Randy Newman $3.99.