Just Another Blog

There is an overwhelming desire to quit that can often accompany life. There is also that urge that lurks in the back of our mind to go back, do it over, start again, or try it one more time. I know that I often look back on what I have or have not done, said or did not say, and think that it should would be nice to get a do over. And, while our God is a God of second chances, He is not a God of the past. That is the beauty of being one of His children: I know that what I was is no longer. What I have done has been undone. What I said has been forgotten. The hardest part of this is learning to let go of that which He has promised to carry for us. We are trained from the beginning to be responsible, clean up after ourselves, manage our problems and care for those who are near us. While all of these are important, it instills a mindset of self-reliance that leans toward a lack of reliance on God. The problem is that God wants us to lay all of our burdens and cares at His feet. ...

I know I am going to light some fires on this one. Several years ago, my wife and I visited a new church for the first time. I knew little about this church. I had friends who were from this denomination, had even participated in an Easter musical at one of these churches, but beyond that, I knew nothing else about them. What made them different? Were they special? Did they know something I did not know? When we visited that church for the first time, several of my questions were answered. No, they were not really any different than me; no, they were not special in any way; no, they were not aware of things I was not aware of already. Now, having said that, there were some differences in how I was raised, but the fundamental theology was alike and the core beliefs that I hold dear were in agreement with the church. After committing to be a part of the church and eventually serving on the church staff all the way to today (full time ministry with the church), I have become full...

This past Sunday night I had the opportunity to speak for our not so regular Plugged In service. Like most times I am tasked with speaking for a service, I find the preparation exciting, yet difficult at the same time. I really struggled with this particular message - most likely because it really hit home with me. In Luke 10:38-42 you can read about the story of Jesus visiting the home of Mary and Martha. Many are probably familiar with this story. I, too, am familiar with the story but had not really looked at it from the perspective I chose to share with the group on Sunday night. Looking at this story, we know that Martha was very preoccupied with the preparation surrounding the visit of Jesus. Jewish tradition and social requirements of the time dictated that Martha open her home to Jewish guests that might be traveling through the area. In this case, it happened to be Jesus, which must have surely raised the stakes for Martha. It's possible that she had been prepari...

From as early as I can remember, I have been told that I would be in ministry. Despite my greatest efforts, these predictions were true. The road to where I am now has been an interesting one. I have made mistakes, I have had successes, I have hurt people, I have been hurt, I have run from God and to God, I have quit and I have endured. A good friend of mine recently told me that the best thing I can do in spite of circumstances as I perceive them is be faithful. Interestingly, he did not specify what I was to be faithful to. He simply said "be faithful." 1 Samuel 12:24 says to "fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart." The fear of God in me spurs me into a sense of awe and wonder of who He truly is. He is more than God - He is my Father, my Friend, my Confidant, my Lover, my Savior, my Redeemer. Because of who He is, I choose to serve him and be committed to Him - with all that I have to give. So when my friend tells me to be faithful, ...