What to Do When You’re Tired (and the Battle Rages)
My dents just remind me—all the time—of how much I need Jesus—all the time.
My dents just remind me—all the time—of how much I need Jesus—all the time.
Whatever we take to God and surrender to Him becomes an opportunity for the miraculous.
Oftentimes, we make assumptions either because we’re afraid to acknowledge our deficiency or we’re too proud to own our ignorance and need.
Rather than someday, learn to practice the art of being fully present today.
He looked over at me, tilted his head sideways, and said, “Do you truly believe in life after death? In eternity?”
It’s always about Him and His purposes because He is God and I am not.
One voice pierces through the negative noise and always whispers to my heart, “You are loved.”
The poisoned roots of pride, selfish ambition, slander, and gossip have resulted in noxious weeds that have ruined many relationships, families, and even churches.
Most mentors have lived long enough to know how to avoid mistakes, and you can gain knowledge from their experience.
This moment is the only thing you can control, you can choose to take one more step.
I refuse to be the “old guy” who sits around reminiscing about the good old days as if the voyage were over.
Invest in your future and in the generations who will follow in your wake.
Yes is the scariest word in your vocabulary if you’ve grown spiritually safe and comfortable.
We can resentfully fight the unforeseen, the unexpected, and the inevitable or embrace the fact that we are not all-knowing.
Life and healing come through honest communication with the right person in the right way at the right time.
More than ever, I understand that shadows are evident because His Light still shines in the darkness.
When I see the love of the Father, when I experience it and remember it, no sin or earthly indulgence captivates me more than His love does.
I know that God is far more committed to my character than He is to my comfort.
Transparency is difficult, but that is where your freedom is found.
The young typically have little respect for the old, and the old often are baffled by the generations after them.
God will never reject you no matter what you’ve done or how many times you’ve done it.
Let’s bring light into the dark and good news to a world desperate for hope.
Prayer and diligence not only benefit the offender, but they also benefit you.
Let your saving work of grace and righteousness cause me to lift my hands again in worship to You.
Don’t underestimate the power of thankfulness.
Humans, including all leaders, fail.
Mom and Dad are running themselves ragged trying to keep little Johnny happy, that’s unbalanced and unhealthy.
Knowing why we fail and being honest about the reasons is the only way I know to grow and to keep moving forward.
The respect for a father is no longer granted without question or reservation.
For the first time in his life, he saw a light of indescribable beauty piercing through the darkness.
I want to be a part of another Jesus movement where the Church is known for taking in the messed up with arms wide open and hearts full of love.
As they walked, Depressed could feel her sadness somehow absorbed by the Stranger’s hand.
Love is fine until it costs us something or we are uncomfortable or hurt.
Being under grace does not negate obedience, faithfulness, and gentle correction when needed.
When people are hurt, it’s best to simply humble yourself and take personal responsibility with no “but” attached.
My kids and their kids are an amazing gift to me—a gift I never want to take for granted.
Find a place and time to quiet your heart, mind, and soul every day.
We pray for patience and perspective. But the passing of time is painful.
We are far worse than we ever dreamed and far more loved than we ever imagined.
What if we learned to see others and ourselves through the Father’s eyes?
Sometimes God allows an abundance of struggle because He knows that is the best path to authentic and deeper blessing.
When I ache, moan, and suffer for my many sins, God wraps His arms around me and whispers, “You are still mine.”
Not one of us is ever beyond a desperate need for the ongoing grace and mercy of Jesus.
Every day, my single most significant goal is to make a positive and godly difference in the life of at least one person.
It matters more that your partner feels understood than anyone feeling they won the argument.
Unexpressed and unresolved grief is like a burrowing worm that slips into our hearts and minds.
To be like our Father, you must bless those who once cursed you and do all you can to restore the relationship.
Everyone wants to experience the connection of healthy and meaningful communication.
Resistance to the machine is not futile.
Maybe there will be some folks standing next to me in heaven that I judged unworthy, but Jesus embraced as His.
The emotional cosmetics I use to cover my spiritual blemishes are a waste of energy because His grace covers everything.
God not only accepts and embraces fractured failures like you and me, but He also delights in using us as models of His epicness.
Sunday is challenging for a former pastor who spent the better part of forty years focused on the “big day” every Sunday.
But the words that took her breath away (and stunned the crowd) were, “There’s no condemnation coming from me!”
If you believe nothing is impossible with God, then how can you be content to live a life of mediocrity?
When we argue in favor and support of the lie, it gets etched a little deeper and cemented even more into our minds and hearts.
We all too often live as if we are still in debt and unforgiven.
As long as you’re open to restoration, there’s hope.
If grace hasn’t rocked your world in a while, maybe it’s time for a fresh awakening in your heart.
Whether Jesus returns tomorrow or a thousand tomorrows from tomorrow, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
God has given each and every one of us gifts for the benefit of others.
Words matter more than I sometimes realize.
Somehow in the weeping and wailing before Him, it opens my heart to receive His peace.
You don’t have to be driven by someone else’s agenda or their supposed “emergency.”
What baffled me as a child, and frankly still amazes me as an adult, is how quickly a pastor can go from awesome to awful in the minds of some.
Marriage is not for the faint-hearted. It will cost you.
Despite what may or may not come or what my circumstances might be, I do know change will come.
What if there is a life planned by the Father that goes way beyond your expectations or imagination?
When you trust someone, your mind is at peace, and even the thought of that person brings joy to your heart.
One of the easiest ways to suffer burnout is to lose sight of what truly does and doesn’t matter.
True greatness is seen in washing the feet of others and in dying to ourselves.
God thinks you’re stunning—inside and out—just the way you are right now.
Am I living in a way that demonstrates the kindness and love of God to those around me?
Expect God to lead and direct you by his Spirit.
If you are a man or woman who has loved God and loved people—that beauty lasts forever.
What if each scar told a story of God’s faithfulness?
I want to pour whatever I can into younger men and women who will be leading long after I am gone.
Don’t let the high probability of future growth opportunities (aka mistakes) keep you from the new, abundant, and uncharted life Jesus has for you.
Sometimes we are only one decision away from awesome.
God has a very different view of the small, weak, fractured, and broken.
God will use whatever He must to develop my character and teach me to trust in Him and His control.
Most young people don’t realize how short and precious life is, but your life doesn’t end until it does.
There is freedom in our relationships when we know we are loved regardless of our flaws and apparent imperfections.
When a person knows, deeply knows, they are valued for who they are no matter what they do, they are inspired to respond to that love in kind.
God is more focused on making us holy and always far more concerned with our character than our comfort.
His smile alone was incredible, but what he said blew my mind.
I pray that kindness, selflessness, and honoring others above ourselves never gets old or old-fashioned.
Teach and stand on truth, but please do so in love.
All humans should be treated as priceless individuals because they are created in the image of God.
Maybe it would be better to lean in closer to hear what their latest failure taught them to do or not to do.
Be great today by choosing to lay your life down for someone else.
For Christ-followers, this life is just the practice round for eternity. Death here is a doorway to there.
I suggest that words matter and are best heard and understood in a real, live conversation.
You were made to live in a supportive and encouraging network of relationships.
Profound joy and incredible creativity are found in the white spaces of life.
Nobody gets smarter or wiser by talking.
Deep down, we want to believe that God can do anything, but we’re pretty sure He has limits when it comes to us.
Maybe the best thing we can do for those who need us when their life isn’t so merry is to simply stay close.
As Christ-followers, it would seem evident that what upset Jesus ought to disturb us.
