Breaking With The Past

Breaking With The Past

“It goes like lighting.” That’s the way a guy described his new electric car to a group of us who had casually gathered. “The car is so heavy; I can’t punch the accelerator too often or it will ruin the tires,” he said.  He went on to extol the joys of driving...
The Most Important Thing About You

The Most Important Thing About You

Late one Sunday night, I received a phone call from a woman I had never met. I’ll call her Hannah. She had been receiving some information from the church I was serving but had not attended either a small group or a worship experience. She asked a few questions...
Are You Desperate Yet?

Are You Desperate Yet?

She knew nothing about God. Raised in a non-religious home, she attended a secular school nestled in a post-Christian culture. Church had absolutely no place in this 17-year-old’s life. Out of the blue, she had a vivid dream one night. God came to her and said, “You...
What If I Don’t Have Enough?

What If I Don’t Have Enough?

It’s a deep-seated fear. We may not say it out loud, but it runs through our minds with amazing regularity. We often ask it regarding time or talent or experience. But the fear that lurks on a deeper level involves our resources. Of course, we’re not the first. The...
How to Handle Your Slowest Hiker

How to Handle Your Slowest Hiker

It always happens this way. On a recent family trip to Glacier National Park, seven of us decided to go on a 11.3 mile hike to Grinnell Glacier. We all started together, but naturally, some people were faster than others. In short order, our group was strewn across a...
Does Accepting Mean Approving?

Does Accepting Mean Approving?

While traveling with one of my kids’ sports teams, I found myself in a room one night with several other guys shooting the breeze. One of the other dads began sharing sports stories, telling off color jokes and using some offensive language while drinking a few beers....
Got Needs?

Got Needs?

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NLT) Have you ever had to trust God to supply your need?   Years ago, my parents helped to put me through...
How God Chooses Leaders

How God Chooses Leaders

I knew her story, but I had no idea how God had used it. At age 17, Joni Erickson Tada dove in shallow water and didn’t come up. She survived near drowning only to discover the accident left her a quadriplegic for life. Her physical pain was immense, but her emotional...
Permission to Obsess

Permission to Obsess

What do you obsess about? Is it your grades, your performance review, your kids, the cleanliness of your car, or your favorite sports team? For years, the holy grail of self-help has been balance. “Avoid the extremes. Don’t overdo anything,” was the mantra. Good News...