My wife loves to garden. When we bought our house four years ago, one of her “must-haves” was a yard big enough for a garden. Then, our first spring together in our home, I went out to a patch of grass with our tiller, tore up the ground, and built a box around the churned dirt so she could have her garden. There is no question, though, that gardening is work as much as she enjoys it. Prepping the ground isn’t a one-time thing. You have to do it every year: Pull out the weeds, break up the dirt, ready the rows, plant the seeds, provide enough water, pull out more weeds, chase off the bugs, … [Read more...] about Hard Work and Harvest
His Name Is Derek
I was a junior in college, a brand-new student to the University of Oklahoma as a transfer from a school in my home state. I had grown up in a Christian home and given my life to Jesus at the age of five, with as much understanding as a five-year-old can have. Looking back, I don’t doubt the sincerity of that choice, but it took me a while to truly come to own my faith. I wish I remembered where I heard this recently: It was a conversation about how people come to faith. The testimonies we hear are often like Paul on the Damascus Road. The person was walking in spiritual darkness, then … [Read more...] about His Name Is Derek
The Ghost and the Soul Friend
Ghosting, we’ve all experienced it at one time or another. It’s bad enough when it happens with a supposed friend or love interest. It’s even worse when it happens in church. Ghosting is when two people seem to have a relationship on some level deeper than mere acquaintance, and one person seems to vanish. There are no goodbyes, no replies to communication attempts, and no closure. Ghosting hurts. When it comes to church, relationships are meant to be more meaningful. Jesus talked about how true family is more than flesh and blood. It’s about our relationship with him and with each other … [Read more...] about The Ghost and the Soul Friend
Why?
Why? It’s a simple question, just three letters and a question mark. It’s something that my son has started to ask more frequently (he’s two, by the way). Why? In a way, it’s a question that cuts to the heart of almost everything. We tend to be curious. We want to know the reasons behind our realities. We want to know the motives. Why do people do what they do? Of course, if we don’t like something, we will assume they have some nefarious motivation, some evil purpose behind their decisions. Even if we agree but don’t like the person, we assume they’re doing the right things for … [Read more...] about Why?
Rekindle the Gift
You've felt it, haven't you? I know I have. One day, your heart is burning, your soul is on fire—you're alive for God. Jesus is your great passion, and you have faith that you can be like those in Acts who were turning the world upside-down. It's a great mountain-top high. It's a wonderful belief that you have significance and a calling. You have an eternal purpose. But then… But then comes a moment where the flame dwindles, and the fire fades to embers. You still feel a soft heat, but what can you do with that? It barely warms your fingers; how could it set the world on fire? A … [Read more...] about Rekindle the Gift
You Will Die
You will die. Cheerful thought, is it not? But it is the reality we face—we have an expiration date. There will come a moment where we will take a final breath, our passage through this life will have run its course, and we will find ourselves standing before Jesus. (Oh, yes, we always have the hope that maybe Jesus will return before we die. We won’t have to face the veil. If that happens, what an incredible joy it will be, but every generation of Jesus-followers since Paul believed theirs would be the generation of his return. Peter, even writing mere decades after Jesus’ ascension, … [Read more...] about You Will Die
Scriptures and Prayers for Uncertain Times
A reminder of God's greatness: Say among the nations: "The Lord reigns. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken. He judges the peoples fairly." Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound. ~ Psalm 96:10-11 Father, you are the great, awesome, and mighty God. You reign over all creation. The whole earth is yours. Nothing happens that is beyond your control. Nothing surprises you or catches you off guard. Father, we are weak. We are prone to fear. We don't see everything as you see. Help us to remember your strength. Help us to trust … [Read more...] about Scriptures and Prayers for Uncertain Times
I had the flu, and compared to this coronavirus it’s… (or: a plea for wisdom and a defense of social distancing)
A few weeks ago, I had the flu. For sixteen years, I have faithfully received flu shots and every year they worked until this year. By best recollection, I hadn't had the flu in at least 20 years. It was miserable. I hated it. I had forgotten how much worse it is than a cold. Thankfully, I was diagnosed in the window to get an anti-viral medication that helped me get over the flu faster. In a week, I returned to life as normal. I say this, because in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have seen several people on social media make light of the situation. They talk about how many more people … [Read more...] about I had the flu, and compared to this coronavirus it’s… (or: a plea for wisdom and a defense of social distancing)
Book Recommendation: The Money Challenge
God designed us not to be hoarders, but conduits thorough which his generosity flows.[1] Generosity is part of the heart of Christianity. God overflows with generosity toward us through Jesus, as he replaces our debt of sin with the infinite wealth of his righteousness. As God is generous to us, so a heart moved by the love and grace of Jesus longs to be generous toward others. The problem is, many things often hinder us from being as generous as we want to be. If you feel like you struggle with finances or that your money controls your life more than you control it, then The Money … [Read more...] about Book Recommendation: The Money Challenge
Pray for #SBC2020
Over the past few years, I have been challenged in my own life to "pray the Scriptures" more for people and situations, and also just for worshipful prayer. God's word is a breath of life for our souls as God speaks to us, so why not use it to shape and fashion or prayers back to God. (BTW, side note: D.A. Carson has a good study on this topic called Praying with Paul and Don Whitney has an excellent, and short, book called Praying the Bible.) Although #SBC2020 is still several months away, there has been a lot going on in recent days concerning it, and sadly, that includes a lot of … [Read more...] about Pray for #SBC2020