In any given story, there will always be characters with whom we resonate more than others. This is true of your favorite television show, movie, or book. I’m fairly certain we could each provide numerous examples of characters whom we wish we could emulate. Undoubtedly, however, there exists an equally robust corpus of characters whom, for better or worse, serve as accurate examples of our own...
I AM, I AM NOT, and NOT YET
Whether or not you are a “dog person,” it is very likely you have seen the head tilt. If you haven’t experienced it in real-time, it’s more than probable that you’ve observed it through the lens of pop culture via memes, movies, or social media posts. When a person begins talking to a dog, the animal will often fix its eyes on the speaker and tilt its head slightly to one side. We generally...
Playing the Victim: Finding Strength through Sacrificial Service
It is an unavoidable fact of life. We will all, at various times and ways, be mistreated and misused by others. As a pastor, a good portion of my week is spent trying to help people navigate the hurt and heartache in their lives resulting from these realities. There is a shocking shortage of civility, compassion, and grace in our communities and our culture at large these days. Division and...
Breathe
A constant refrain for me is the statement, “I hate technology.” Few things create more immediate and unfettered stress than the sound of my phone ringing, pinging, tweeting, or vibrating to announce an incoming message or call. More often than not, I utilize technology, and many of the tools for communication that it provides, out of necessity rather than desire. I often wonder if the technology...
Nothing to Fear: Facing the Unknown
I have an incredibly hyperactive mind. It is constantly spinning and processing. I actually feel a good deal of sympathy for my computer, mixed with increasing doses of rage, when the little pinwheel pops up, indicating that my computer is trying really hard to get its act together and get things moving in a productive direction. As a general rule, I believe this to be a positive thing. I tend to...
No Need to Panic (God is Still Working)
At what point can we push the proverbial panic button? Just when it seems we’re beginning to turn a corner and things seem like they are getting a little bit better, a brand new anxiety inducing issue emerges. Watching, listening to, or reading the news has become an extremely dangerous adventure. Good news seems exceedingly sparse these days. And, when we do find some good news, it is often...
Just ONE Thing (By Grace Through Faith)
Following our worship service at FBC on Sunday morning, I had a very thought provoking conversation with one of the resident thinkers of our assembly. This gentleman has a gift for posing questions that put your mind into motion. As we stood at the church welcome center he asked, “If God gave you 10 things to do in 2022, and you truly believed they were directed by God, do you think we would do...
But, Did You Die? (Grace to Give)
There are few things that will develop faith and test patience like having a new teenaged driver in your house. Putting a student driver in the captain’s chair and taking the passenger’s seat is a demonstration of faith in them that often develops faith in God. The second your car pulls onto the road with your precious cherub driving, your prayer life immediately and drastically improves! Even...
Authenticity: Being and Becoming
I was a big fan of professional wrestling growing up. By God’s good grace, I experienced the golden age of what was then known as the World Wrestling Federation. Many of the personalities in the WWF at that time were able to parlay their popularity in the ring into more mainstream entertainment opportunities. Guys like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and the Macho Man Randy Savage all became...
Let the Light Shine In
Out in front of my house, there is a streetlight. A few years ago, whoever is charged with the upkeep of said streetlight installed a new light bulb. I don’t know the wattage on the new light bulb, but the company that produced that particular light bulb deserves some sort of award (a medal, a cookie, a cuddle… something). They have functionally harnessed the light of the sun itself! It is, quite...
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