Social distancing is terminology we have all become familiar with. It is a necessary strategy to take to help reduce the spread of Covid-19. Though this can help with Covid-19, it also presents challenges emotionally and spiritually. We are social creatures. We were created by our Creator for connection. Thankfully, an activity that is still […]
Walking with God: A Social Distancing Strategy Read More »
Have you ever experienced anxiety? If you have you are not alone. It is the most common mental disorder affecting an estimated 18% of people in the US. That only includes those who have been diagnosed; most of us experience seasons of anxiety and it is not a fun place to be. This may be
Hearing God When Anxious Read More »
We live in stressful and scary times. We are all currently impacted by a worldwide pandemic with lots of uncertainty. With 24 hour-a-day news cycles and social media, we are confronted with constant updates and opinions that keep this potentially deadly virus at the forefront of our minds. In addition, the financial and economic world
Hearing God Amidst Fearful Events Read More »
Do you ever feel stuck in life? Do you feel restless, struggling to find meaning and purpose? Do you feel like no matter what you do it never seems to be good enough? Do you feel a disconnect with God? You know in your mind that God loves you, but in your heart He seems
Experiencing Your True Identity Read More »
Have you ever tried to do something like play a musical instrument, act in a play, or participate in a sport and struggle with how difficult it is to be really good at it? Or maybe you have some natural ability and it takes you so far but then you plateau and cannot seem to
Practice Righteousness Read More »
The Rest of the Story was a popular radio broadcast by the legendary Paul Harvey from 1976-2009. Paul Harvey would tell a story about a historical figures or events but not let you know who or what it was until the end of the story. He would share all kinds of interesting information that we
Marriage and the Power of Mourning Read More »
Do you ever struggle with your walk with God? Does it seem at times like you hit a spot where you feel close and other times God seems so distant? I certainly have over the years. Underneath the struggle to know God more deeply, I sense something at the depth of my soul like the
Would you like to grow in your relationship with God? What if I told you about a course of study you could take that would help you improve your relationship like none other? Does that sound good to you? If it does, read on! This course of study is part of a unique school. The
Marriage: The School of Spiritual Formation Read More »
When I was a kid, one of my favorite shows was “To Tell the Truth”. If you are too young to know what I am talking about, below is an episode from 1967 in case you are curious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0sdv_DXB_g This was a game show where a panel of 4 celebrities would ask questions of 3
Happy New Year! Have you ever set some resolutions as you start a new year, only to have them fizzle out by February? I know I have. So why bother? Yes, January 1 is just another day in the calendar but as a marker in time it is positioned as a starting point or to
Have you ever had your plans change? Have you looked forward to something only for that event to be changed or cancelled? How about travel plans impacted by weather? We recently went to Ohio and Pennsylvania to visit our families over the Christmas holiday. We had our son Ben, our daughter Rachel, and her daughter,
Who am I? This is a question that human beings have been seeking answers to from the very beginning. Actually, in the beginning while in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve knew the answer to that question. However, when they chose their own way and were banished from the garden, the answer to “who
Wendy and I love Thanksgiving. We intentionally hold off decorating for Christmas so we make sure we don’t miss this season. We put up some decorations with a Thanksgiving theme just as a reminder. I have some wonderful memories growing up around Thanksgiving. My mom would host Thanksgiving family meal with her parents and her
The holiday season is well underway. As I drive around town, decorating for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas season is evident at homes, store fronts and places of business. I learned a new word recently; festoon. Festoon can either mean a decorative chain or can just mean to adorn or decorate. One of the monthly
Festooning the Lord’s Prayer Read More »
In a previous blog, we talked about how Jesus described the Gospel as the Kingdom of God having come. We are invited to make a turn away from the kingdom we are living in and following Jesus to a life in the Kingdom of God. This amazing life is available to everyone who is willing to
Living Out The Good News Read More »
Jesus described the good news as “the Kingdom of God is at hand.” He meant that the kingdom is not only when we get to heaven, but it is available to us now. He even encourages us to pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. We experience the goodness
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on
The Gospel of Sin Management Read More »
We sure live in turbulent times! A quick scan of a newspaper, a news website, or a cable news show will provide ample evidence of a broken world. Then there is social media where everyones’ emotional worlds are on full display. Have you seen cartoons with thought bubbles, where we got to see what a
Need Some Good News? Read More »
Who is God? What is the Gospel? Who am I? These are the three questions we are working through in the first semester of the Renovaré Institute Charlotte Cohort. Last month, most of my posts centered around Who is God? This month, we will focus on What is the Gospel? Of course, when we think
What is the Gospel? Read More »
I love a good mystery. My entertainment habits support this passion. Whether it is movies, TV shows, or books, most of the time I am pondering some kind of mystery. There is something challenging in piecing together the clues to solve the puzzle of the mystery. By the way, I love to do puzzles too!
Contemplating the Trinity Read More »
“Our picture of God is the most important thing about us.” This quote from A. W. Tozer was the theme of the previous post where we explored this statement and the impact that an incorrect picture of God can have on our lives. So, what do we do if see that our view of God is distorted?
Healing Our Picture Of God Read More »
There are certain fundamental questions of life that deserve our undivided and purposeful attention. We spent three days on three very important questions. Our first full day, Tuesday, we explored the question “Who is God?”. Our answer and understanding of this question profoundly effects how we live our lives. Prayer and Worship To prepare our
Have ever experienced something that was incredibly meaningful to you and when you tried to explain it to someone, there were just no words that seemed to adequately describe your experience? Well, that is where I am at this moment. Ever since I returned from Hickory, NC and the Renovaré Institute retreat I have been
When’s the last time you received an invitation? Maybe it was to attend a wedding, a birthday party, or a family event. Invitations are exciting because there is something going on and we have been thought of to be part of that event. Invitations mean we are important to someone and they request our presence.
Invitation to Retreat Read More »
Jack has been a Christian for most of his life. He regularly attends church, likes to volunteer to help others, tries to read his Bible, but feels a strong disconnect with God. Have you ever experienced this? I am reading a book called Life in the Trinity by David Fairbairn. This book does a good job of
The Heart of the Message Read More »
False Narratives If you were to take out a piece of paper and jot down a summary of thoughts you have had in the past 24 hours, what would you see? Now focus for a minute on your thoughts about God, how do you view Him? In a previous post, I shared about the Triangle
Accepting Jesus Narratives Read More »
I’m Not Sure! “I’m not sure I have that kind of faith!” I wondered as my Friday Men’s group was diving into Acts 23 and seeing what awaited Paul. Acts 23:11 states “the Lord stood near Paul and said, Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you
Did you ever have anyone tell you “practice makes perfect” when you were growing up? Perhaps it was your mom encouraging you to keep working at your piano lessons. Or it was teacher or coach trying to help you be the best you could be. Whatever the situation, the message was the same, if we were
Practice Makes Perfect Read More »
Introduction Do you ever feel discouraged that your real life doesn’t quite match up with the Christianity you profess? Despite your best efforts of being a good Christian and having regular quiet times and worship, the abiding peace the Scripture talks about seems outside of your grasp? Or if you are not a Christian,
Is There More To Life? Read More »
Do you ever feel out of balance? The pace of life, constant demands for your attention, and the 24/7 information overload can keep us off balance and searching for something more. This can happen even when we immerse ourselves in doing good things. John Ortberg, in his book, Soul Keeping, gives a great illustration of how to
