Work. Sometimes it's a place where you're cranking out ideas and projects like a well-oiled machine. Other times, you're squeaking through the day, easily distracted. And trust us, we know it's tough to get everything done. With the workplace in a constant state of change and many companies forced to consolidate job responsibilities to keep down costs, there's typically more work than seems possible to accomplish. But before you let out a sigh or start screaming, “Is it Friday yet?” for the third time in an hour, there is hope for a … [Read more...]
I Don’t Want to be One of the Ten Spies
Fear does not advance the kingdom of God, but faith does. Numbers 13-14 has been on my mind a lot over the past few days. If you’re not familiar with the story (or if you need a quick refresher), let me sum it up for you: The Israelites are standing on the edge of Canaan, the land that God had promised to give them years before. These people had experienced firsthand the delivering power of God when He set them free from slavery in Egypt, the sustaining power of God as He provided for them during their journey through the … [Read more...]
The Easy Way Out
Last week as I was on my way to pick up my son, traffic was even worse than normal. As I sat through a stoplight that changed three times before I got to go through the intersection, I had the brilliant idea of taking a shortcut. Bad idea!! I drove down a small street through a neighborhood only to find it was closed for utility work. I turned around and took another route just as another school in the neighborhood dismissed. I was suddenly in the middle of that school’s afternoon traffic. My shortcut idea was not a wise … [Read more...]
It’s a Good Thing to Wait
I can’t say that I’ve ever run into anyone that has the hobby of waiting. Yet, there are so many parts of life that require us to take a deep breath and wait our turn. A trip to the DMV wouldn't be complete without a wait. Doctors seem to build a wait time in the waiting room as a part of our visit. Waiting is a part of life that most of us simply don’t enjoy. However, I’m convinced that waiting can make us better! As young adult ministry leaders, we have the opportunity to help those in our groups understand and embrace the … [Read more...]
Don’t Worship at the Altar of Your Feelings
Gustave Flaubert, the French writer most famous for his first published work Madame Bovary once said, “One can be the master of what one does, but never of what one feels.” In other words, you can exercise some control by sheer will over your actions, but feelings? Well that’s a different story. You can’t control what you feel. And it wouldn't be a problem, except for the fact that our feelings are not to be trusted, because our hearts will lie to us over and over again. As Christians, we understand why this is so. We … [Read more...]
Are You Distracted? (Part 2)
Editors note: This is part 2 of a series. Read Part 1 here. Are you distracted? I recently wrote an article in which I said, "If I could pick one word that I think best describes this generation it would be the word, distracted." So, how about you? Is your focus easily pulled from one thing to another? If so, you're not alone. And, distraction is more problematic than you may initially think. Distraction is doing a lot more than just keeping us from being able to hear God speak. Distraction is keeping us from effectively … [Read more...]
Are you distracted?
If I could pick one word that I think best describes this generation it would be the word distracted. I debated whether or not I really needed to take the time to argue my case, so instead of me writing about it, just look up at the people around you. What are they doing? Where are they looking (or not looking)? The next time you're at a restaurant, watch the people at the tables around you. The next time you're in class, at work, at home, or at the airport, take a minute to notice what the people around you are doing. Between … [Read more...]
Do Something
We live in a word-saturated world. We don't have to look far to find opinions; they find us. Glance through a blog, read a wall-post, scroll through your tweets, or flip through a textbook and you'll hear hundreds of voices clamoring to persuade you. Friends, professors, authors, coworkers, and the media argue controversial issues. Don't misunderstand; communication is great—we're wired for it. But something powerful happens when we replace talk with action, debating with doing, and speaking with serving. So, how do we do this? … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Stick With Your Daily Bible Reading
So you'd like to begin spending time with God daily? It's a noble goal and one that every Christian should strive for. Whatever it is that has moved you to act, you'll have a better chance of developing a daily habit of time with God if you follow these seven tips for nurturing a daily devotional time with God. 1. Pick a time. Make it a priority by calendaring it as you would any other important meeting. We set appointments for much less important things like oil changes, haircuts, and lunches. Set a specific time to meet with Him … [Read more...]
Advent: A Season of Long-Suffering
"Long suffering”—one of the fruits of the spirit—is a phrase that strikes the modern ear as more than a little odd. Today in North America, “to suffer” calls for immediate intervention: a financial stimulus, a pill, a new job, a new relationship. Anything to relieve our pain (however great or small). In fact, most of us wonder how suffering could ever be good, especially over a long period of time. Yet in Scripture, things happen on a different timetable, and terms take on new meanings. With God, a rapid response might take decades … [Read more...]