I’ve been thinking a lot about fear over the past few days as Hurricane Florence hovers off the coast, massive and deadly. I’ve watched as fear has set people in motion. The interstate was jammed with travelers last night as I made my way home. They were all heading inland. I pray that fear does […]
“I saw the angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free.” Few artists in history can rival the talent and skill of Michelangelo Buonarroti. His sculptures and paintings adorn some of the most renowned museums and cathedrals in the world. Perhaps Michelangelo’s greatest gift was his vision. Not only were […]
My son Carter turns 2 today and it’s caused me to look back over the past two years and reflect on how things have changed in me and in my family. Here is what I’ve learned: Colic is real. Carter wasn’t big on sleep for the first six months of his life and did […]
In his 1858 U.S. Senate campaign Abraham Lincoln quoted Jesus in a speech by saying that, “a house divided against itself cannot stand”. That statement is as profound as it is simple. It was as true for America during that time as it was when Jesus spoke those words to religious leaders almost 2000 years […]
I’ve hesitated to write this post. I have wrestled for many days over these words because I do not want to join the masses who show up to throw rocks at anyone and everyone who stumbles. That being said, I believe that the years of the Conservative (Fundamentalist) takeover in the Southern Baptist Convention have […]
Everyone’s life is shaped by limitations. We all have them. The limitations that people most often blame for their struggles are in the areas of money and talent. “If only I had more money” or “I am just not as fast, smart, or artistic as they are”. These limitations are, however, areas that can be […]
One of the most frustrating things about being a pastor are those moments when you teach about things that you struggle with the most. I actually believe that our most powerful teachings come from our most honest struggles, but it’s still no fun. I experienced this last week, when a small group gathered and we […]
“One of our greatest needs today is for people to really see and really believe the things they already profess to see and believe.” This brief quote sets the tone for Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23, a posthumous release of material from Dallas Willard. The book was gathered from a […]
Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing. Andrew Peterson is a singer, songwriter with an unusual voice, and deep, thought-provoking lyrics. In “The Silence of God” Peterson sings, “if a man is forced to listen to the voices of the mob, who are reeling in the throes of all the happiness they’ve got”. In our world, […]
Love is gentle. Gentleness may be one of the most misunderstood attributes of love. Most people equate gentleness with weakness and assume that loving others means being subservient to them. They believe that loving someone means allowing them to dominate you. Love, however, is not weak. It takes a great deal of strength to love […]