Setting aside time for daily devotional of Scripture reading, prayer, meditation and reflection has become a habit for me. Along with working out, these are the two things that make my day begin the right way. It has not always been that way but over the course of the past ten years this has become my reality. I am so glad that I didn’t give up on these practices after years of stops and starts. I am so glad that in these two areas of my life my past hasn’t defined my future. Today is the first day of school … Continue reading A new day for a new start

I am continuing in the book of 2nd Chronicles and noticed how often the kings rise and fall based on who they have around them and who they listen to. When the kings’ trusted advisors are the prophets, the nation prospers and the king does well. Of course, the opposite is true when the advise of the prophets is rejected. It matters who we have around us and who we allow to speak into our lives. There is a social theory that we are the average of the five people that are closest to us. Therefore, cultivating friendships is one … Continue reading Who do you listen to?

I spend a fair amount of time waiting. Hospitals. Funeral homes. Meetings. When you wait you are expecting something to take place. You are poised for a time of action. In that sense, waiting is one of the most hopeful practices. As followers of Christ, we are always waiting. For his return. For the kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. For promises to be fulfilled. For faith to produce fruit. So it’s not a matter of if we wait but how we wait. Patiently. Expectedly. Productively. These are the mainstays of waiting. They don’t come naturally. … Continue reading Waiting

Here are three things that I’ve read, thought about, or am contemplating this week. #1 – “Focus on process instead of goals to initiate momentum. ” War of Art Incrementalism is more realistic and controllable than giant leap forwards. Those who know this and are willing to be a bit boring develop forward momentum over time by sticking to their process. My problem is that I fear I’ll choose the wrong process and that I’ll have momentum in a direction that is not where I want to go. My guess is that comes from fear and not from freedom. Trust … Continue reading top3 for August 2, 2019

Paul encourages the people of Corinth to “be imitators of me as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11.1). That is a bold statement by a man, who in many ways, was full of faults and with a past he could not have been proud of. And yet, he still asks the people to imitate him. I subscribe to the belief that people belong before they believe. Look at statistics of Christian conversions and you will find most people “grow up” in church and then continue to persists in their faith. They are raised in the environment and then one day … Continue reading Thought for the Day – 8.1.19 – Imitation as Plan A

Here are three things that have made an impact on me this week. It’s my weekly (sort of!) practice of reviewing and reflecting. #1 Faith is not believing without proof, but trusting without reservation. William Sloane Coffin Oh wow…still pondering this quote. Trusting without reservation demands action(s). What in my life am I saying with my lips that I believe in but my action(s) say something very different? #2 You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. [Psalm 16:11 NRSV] Being satisfied. Having fulness of life … Continue reading top3 for June 28, 2019

Here is a quick review of the top three things I’ve been reading or thinking about this week. #1 “Trust was Bill’s superpower.”   TRILLION DOLLAR COACH The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Campbell We talk about trust a lot around the office. It is the fuel in our engine as well as the oil to keep things moving smoothly and it provides longevity. But quite frankly, I never had a way of describing how it is built. I knew it went I had it, but I couldn’t tell you how it came to be. How DO we build … Continue reading top3 for June 7, 2019