Leading Forward

Drama du Jour

2011-11-14T15:22:00.004-05:00

Are you caught up in the drama of social news stories? Kim Kardashian -will she or won’t she return the ring to husband of 72 days? Will Dr. Murray serve the full sentence for Michael Jackson’s death? Lindsay Lohan - will that drama ever end? Did young Justin Beiber really father that woman’s baby? Will these stories continue to add new chapters that will play out in the national spotlight?Are

Surrender

2011-10-30T11:58:00.003-04:00

There’s a cartoon that shows a woman telling her husband, “Your trouble is that you’re living in the past.” He responds, “At least it’s cheap!” Are you living in the past? Are you holding on to something that you need to let go?What do people have a hard time letting go of?· Relationships· Friend or loved one who’s passed away· Old ways of viewing people· Labeling, categorizing people· Children·

Short Stories

2011-10-17T14:29:00.003-04:00

Think of your life as a story – one you have been writing since birth. Some of us have filled more pages than others. Some are good – some are not. There may be blank pages – those periods when we just can’t remember our story! Is there space for a new story? Are you tired of the same old story covering all your pages? Do you want to write a new story? Is there a desire to have new adventures?God

Promises, Promises

2011-10-03T15:02:00.002-04:00

The lyrics to Burt Bacharach’s Promises, Promises from his Broadway musical of the same name reveal some truths about making promises.Oh, promises, their kind of promises can just destroy a lifeOh, promises, those kind of promises take all the joy from lifeOh, promises, promises, my kind of promisesCan lead to joy and hope and loveOften promises people make us are broken and can “take all the joy

The Other Side

2011-09-27T15:13:00.003-04:00

Last weekend I was blessed to attend author Jennifer Rothschild’s Fresh Grounded Faith Conference with 70 women from our church. Jennifer used Mark 4:35-41 as her focal text. In this passage Jesus gets in the boat with his disciples at the Sea of Galilee and tells them, “Let us go over to the other side.”As she shared the account of Jesus calming the waters during the storm, I recalled my visit

Proactive Happiness

2011-07-07T15:10:00.002-04:00

Author Tommy Newberry describes joy as “proactive happiness.” When we’re proactive about anything we become intentional, so we could say that joy is an intentional response. The act of being joyful is a learned behavior. It is actually a display of faith because we called to be joyful in all circumstances even when we’re uncertain of the outcome.Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you

Think on These Things Bracelet

2011-06-23T13:18:00.004-04:00

I have a favorite pair of pants with the manufacturer’s logo sewn into the leg in the shape of a sticker. Every time I wear the pants, someone tells me my sticker is showing and tries to pull it off. Each time I explain that the sticker is really the logo of the pants and then I mention the brand. It’s a great marketing strategy! Along the same lines, have you ever forgotten to clip the tag from

EQ vs IQ

2011-06-16T16:29:00.002-04:00

Neuroscientists now believe that every thought sends electrical and chemical signals throughout your brain, ultimately affecting each cell in your body. Consider then the effects of the thoughts that travel through your mind. The average person thinks approximately 50,000 thoughts per day. But according to some research, as many as 98 percent of them are exactly the same as the thoughts we had

Upgrade!

2011-06-01T16:23:00.002-04:00

I’m in the middle of building a new home and love the process. I’m working hard to stay in the budget and fortunately my builder includes a high quality of materials as his standard. Even so, with every decision there is an opportunity for an upgrade. I’ve resisted those options so that I can stay in the budget.The good news for us is that Christ constantly wants to give us upgrades! I recently

Capture or Kill?

2011-05-09T19:36:00.003-04:00

One week after the raid on the compound of terrorist and master-mind of the 9/11 attacks, Osama Bin Laden, some are questioning whether he should have been killed or captured. I’ve read with special interest these debates in light of the Bible study I taught this week about another terrorist.The account of Sisera appears in Judges 4 when Deborah was a judge of Israel. Deborah was a prophetess and

Rooted in the Storm

2011-05-01T17:49:00.001-04:00

Amid the stories of heartache from the tremendous storms that plagued the southeast last week, I’ve also heard many stories of near misses and miracles. Drew McCallie, our new assistant youth director, shared a tornado miracle with the congregation this morning. In his words…“Last night, my family while celebrating a good job interview for my sister, a panicked a determined voice bellowed from my

UP!

2011-04-24T10:39:00.001-04:00

When is the last time you had a good cry? Has anyone ever found you in a puccled of tears and asked, “Why are you crying?”Yesterday my son asked me to watch a few minutes of the animated movie Up. Coaxing me, he said, “Mom, it’s the best movie ever. If you watch ten minutes, you’ll be hooked.” Ten minutes later I had dissolved into tears. The opening segment shows a couple who fall in love, marry

Defender

2011-04-18T09:21:00.002-04:00

Have you ever been the target of someone’s snide or insensitive remarks? There’s a lot of talk these days about children bullying each other, but adults are often guilty of taunting talk too. Because she was barren beloved Hannah was the recipient of cruel comments. I Samuel records the story of Elkanah and his two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Although this was not God’ original intention for

Treasure Pouch

2011-04-11T15:20:00.004-04:00

My granddaughter Stella was born prematurely and stayed in the NICU for a few days. The wonderful nurses there taught my son and daughter-in-law the importance of swaddling. Little ones are wrapped and tucked tightly in lightweight cotton baby blankets to keep their bodies warm. Bundling keeps babies protected and helps them to sleep well. Josh and Meredith liken the process to making a burrito

What's Your Name?

2011-04-04T08:50:00.002-04:00

Our Sunday School lesson and sermon today were titled ’What’s Your Name?” The question was taken from the account in Genesis when God asked this question to Jacob. By replying that his name was “Jacob,” which means “deceiver,” the patriarch acknowledged to God that he had lived a deceitful life. He had cheated his brother and tricked his father. This moment of self-honesty was a turning point for

Daunting Task

2011-03-27T17:54:00.002-04:00

Have you ever been overwhelmed by a daunting task that you were facing? I have. The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of action, decision, and indecision as I accepted an offer on the sale of my house. After trying to sell the house for nearly two years, I have discovered that decisions about my future come down to just a few short days. I’ve lost my “balance” during this time as my

How Deep Is Your Love?

2011-03-20T18:00:00.004-04:00

"How Deep Is Your Love" is a song recorded by the Bee Gees in 1977. It was ultimately used as part of the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever. The chorus to the pop song actually expresses a question we might ask of God when we’re in our “deepest darkest hour” – How deep is your love?In Psalm 42 the psalmist must have felt the despair of a dark hour when he called on God. He was in the

Where Are You?

2011-03-16T17:24:00.002-04:00

The traditional purpose of Lent is to prepare ourselves for the commemoration of Holy Week. During the forty days between Ash Wednesday and Easter believers spend time reflecting on their lives in order to draw closer to God. Reflection entails that we ask ourselves questions about our relationship with Christ. In his book Questions God Asks Us, author Trevor Hudson marked a turning point in his

Stay Off the High Wire

2011-03-07T10:22:00.001-05:00

Picture yourself 66 feet above the ground on a platform and thousands of faces watch and wait for you to perform. Now imagine taking a step, with only a 1/2-inch metal wire between you and the ground. This is the world of high wire.Circus high wire acts have a long history. In first century China the art of "rope dancing" was performed over knives. In the 1850s, Jean Francois Gravelet received

Count It All Joy

2011-02-28T09:07:00.004-05:00

We don’t have to look far to see people who are struggling in their personal lives. In recent days I’ve learned of the death of a nineteen-year-old girl who died from a virus that overtook her body in a matter of days. I read with heartache about two teenagers who died in a car accident near my house. My dear friend Susan is dealing with constant headaches and a burning sensation all over her

Island of Stability

2011-02-21T13:01:00.002-05:00

American writer and futurist AlvinToffler offers a perspective on the rapid escalation that humans have experienced, with his concept of “eight-hundred lifetimes.” In the introduction to his book Future Shock, written in 1970, Toffler writes that he coined the term future shock “to describe the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much

Margin

2011-02-13T17:24:00.003-05:00

When writing on paper it’s important to leave blank space around the edges so the reader can focus easier on the words. This space is called margin. In printing jargon paper margin corresponds to the physical limits of the sheet. People are supposed to have margins too. In his book Margin Dr. Swenson states, “Margin is the space between our load and our limits.” It is what we hold in reserve for

Star in the Middle

2011-02-07T12:30:00.001-05:00

In his book In Search of Balance Dr. Richard Swenson draws a comparison between balancing our priorities and the balance of the solar system. The planets in our solar system revolve around the sun. These bodies can travel in different directions and at different speeds, but their movement is always in relation to the sun. The orbiting bodies in a planetary system are never the center of gravity.

Follow Through

2011-01-30T18:41:00.001-05:00

When is the last time you heard or saw something that was really incredible? When is the last time you had a “jaw dropping” experience? Last week my jaw dropped when I saw the video of an accident that could have gone terribly wrong. During a performance by the acrobatic team Verve Sol Patrol at the Phoenix Suns game, team member Nick Corrales made the ultimate slam dunk. Not only did the

Change with Benefits

2011-01-24T13:44:00.004-05:00

Having served as a Change Coach for five years, I learned a great deal about the process of change. For many people, change is associated with loss. In order to bring about effective change, the coach must show the benefits of change.Have you ever considered the change that many of the early Christians must have experienced? Many of them had been Jews, and Jesus introduced a change in nearly

Feast of Blessings

2011-01-18T13:10:00.002-05:00

I have hosted Christmas Dinner for my family for the last twenty-five years. It’s been a wonderful tradition that I love. I enjoy decorating the tables, coordinating the menu with the family, and creating a festive atmosphere. I get a kick out of creating games and word puzzles for us to experience during and after the meal.This year was different. Our city experienced a beautiful white Christmas

Wheel of Life

2011-01-10T11:49:00.003-05:00

The Wheel of Life gives you a vivid representation of the way your life is currently, compared to the way you'd ideally like it to be. It is called the "wheel of life" because each area of your life is mapped in a circle, like the spoke of a wheel. The Wheel of Life helps you consider each area of your life in turn and assess what's off balance. Each "spoke" is important because it represents one

Balanced Wheels

2011-01-03T10:05:00.004-05:00

Have you ever driven a car when the wheels were out of balance? A clue that you have a balance problem is vibration. In fact, when my wheels were out of balance, the car vibrated so much, I thought the tires were going to fall off! It was hard to steer the car and keep it going toward my destination. It’s good to know some symptoms of a wheel that is out of balance:• Vibration in the steering

Finding Balance in 2011

2010-12-29T10:51:00.006-05:00

There’s something exciting about a new year and a new start. Each year during the final week of December, I take stock of what I accomplished that year. I begin to think about all the possibilities for the coming year, the new opportunities to grow. I imagine the wonderful adventures ahead: new friends, new books to read, new roads to travel, new things to learn, and a new grandbaby!For the last

Wholly Holiday Eating

2010-12-16T13:33:00.005-05:00

Practice Wholly Holiday Eating and Have a Merry Fitness!'Tis the season for over-indulgence! Fa-la-la-la folly! You can still enjoy your favorite guilty pleasures but follow these healthy tips to bring some balance to the season!Boost your metabolismA healthy breakfast and lots of water will give you more energy throughout the day and prevent you from bingeing on the party buffet in the

Spiritual Christmas Gift List

2010-12-13T13:37:00.002-05:00

Gift giving is a Christmas tradition ever since the Wise Men went bearing gifts to the baby Jesus. While we’ll all continue to give these earthly presents, there’s an even more important blessing to give those in our world.We also need to make a Spiritual Christmas Gift List. Who are the people that you need to show the love of Jesus to during this season? To help us get an idea of the kinds of

Family Blessings

2010-12-06T15:53:00.003-05:00

My favorite memories of Christmas center around family. We’re a very close clan and very traditional as well. We’ve had the same Christmas Day schedule for as long as I can remember. We all arrive at my parent’s house early Christmas morning and enjoy a citrus punch called LeConte Sunrise while we wait for everyone to arrive. Then we gather in the den and Dad reads the Christmas story from Luke 2

Precious Name

2010-11-29T09:17:00.004-05:00

This is a very special Advent season for our family. As we rejoice in the birth of Jesus, we look forward with much excitement to the birth of my first grandchild. My older son, Josh and his sweet wife Meredith will become parents in May. While we still don’t know if we’ll welcome a precious baby boy or girl, the entire clan is buzzing about possible names. Should it be a traditional name? An

Glad Game

2010-11-22T16:02:00.002-05:00

Do you know anyone who could be described as a “Pollyanna?” The name is often used to poke fun at someone who is “excessively positive” or “blindly optimistic.” However, the original Pollyanna demonstrated traits that most of us would want to emulate.In Eleanor Porter’s 1913 best-selling book Pollyanna the title character’s name became associated with someone who had an optimistic outlook. When

Depressed Thinking

2010-11-15T13:37:00.004-05:00

Have you ever “thought” yourself out of a problem? Ever “thought” yourself into a problem? You can do both.There’s the story of an old man who ran a lunch counter during the Depression. He was a little blind and deaf, so he didn’t read all about the horrors of the Depression and didn’t hear all the negative talk. He had a very successful business when most businesses were failing. He even painted

Clean Engine

2010-11-08T14:38:00.002-05:00

A billboard slogan read, “A clean engine always delivers power.” This slogan registered with me because my “check engine” light had appeared on my dashboard, and I knew I needed to schedule an oil change. The oil is the lifeblood of the engine and the quality of the oil is important to make it run efficiently. In the previous oil change, I had used an expensive synthetic oil. However, this time I

Power of Appreciation

2010-11-01T15:49:00.004-04:00

Who doesn’t like to be liked? We all seek acceptance from those around us. It’s part of human nature to yearn for a place in the heart of others. Ask anyone in your workplace what treatment they most want at work. They will likely top their list with the desire to be treated with dignity and respect. As Aretha Franklin says, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T - find out what it means to me.”When Sally Field received

The Thinker

2010-10-25T14:05:00.002-04:00

A few years ago I was able to see the bronze and marble sculpture The Thinker by Auguste Rodin in Paris. I remember puzzling over the replica of this sculpture in our home as a child. What was The Thinker thinking? I had also seen the 1960s sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, which began or ended with Dobie sitting on a park bench posing like the sculpture with a reproduction in the background

Emergency Powers

2010-10-18T10:16:00.002-04:00

A few nights ago I had fallen into a deep sleep when suddenly the phone rang. I sat straight up in bed and my heart began to pound the way it does when my mind tells my body, “An alarm has sounded, get moving…now!” It turned out to be a wrong number but at that point my body was in overdrive and it took a couple of hours for the adrenaline flow to get back to normal.The “emergency powers” of my

This One Thing

2010-10-11T09:27:00.002-04:00

The Information Kiosk in the center of Grand Central Station in New York City must be one of the busiest, most tension-filled ten-square feet of real estate in the world. In line at the kiosk to ask a question Norman Vincent Peale observed the bespectacled clerk with fascination. There was a constant barrage of passengers in need of immediate answers to their burning questions. The clerk showed

God's CPS

2010-10-03T12:03:00.002-04:00

When I was a high school English teacher, one of the classroom objectives was to teach Creative Problem Solving (CPS). This strategy is a mental process of solving a problem independently by using novel and innovative solutions. We all deal with challenges at home, at work, in school, and in community that require creative problem solving. Have you ever considered that one of the most important

A P R P B W P R A A

2010-09-27T13:56:00.002-04:00

The operator of a health club used a clever strategy to promote a positive message to his clients. While he probed his patrons for physical flabbiness, he also probed them for spiritual flabbiness. He placed a sign on his wall with the following letters: A P R P B W P R A A. His goal was to attract the curious who would ask him the meaning. When questioned about the unusual group of letters, he

Vacuum Cleaner Method

2010-09-19T21:04:00.002-04:00

I read a story about a leader who uses the “vacuum-cleaner method” with his staff when they are discussing a work dilemma. Through a series of questions he “sucks the dust” out of his associates minds. He uses this strategy to draw out their negative attitudes. First he presents potential solutions to a problem, then he asks them to share all the possible ways that these resolutions will not work

Flash Prayers

2010-09-12T10:46:00.002-04:00

In his book, Prayer, the Mightiest Power in the World, Frank Lauback, wrote that he had a habit of “shooting” prayers at people as he passed them. He called them “flash prayers” and bombarded passers-by with prayers of love and good will. He proudly swished love and prayers all over the place. These flash prayers send out positive power and good will that passes between human beings.Our brains

Flow

2010-09-07T14:17:00.003-04:00

Did you know that your thoughts affect us physically? If you mind tells your body that you’re tired, your body accepts the fact. However if your mind is intensely engaged in an activity, your body will continue indefinitely. This is what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (chick-SENT-me-high-ee) calls flow.In his work, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Csíkszentmihályi writes that people are most

Remembering Names

2010-08-30T15:12:00.003-04:00

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)Learning names is very important in developing personal relationships with other. Remembering names is often challenging. Try my “Clear” glue strategy for getting someone’s name to “stick” in your memory. Commit – Commit to pay attention. Make a conscious decision to remember people's names.When being

Lincoln's Lesson

2010-08-22T14:59:00.003-04:00

Do you or someone you know suffer from a critical spirit? When he was a young man, Abraham Lincoln took up the habit of criticism. He wrote letters and poems ridiculing people and dropped them along country roads for others to find. Once Lincoln sent a letter to the town newspaper criticizing a politician and ended up with a life changing lesson. Lincoln had been elected to the Illinois state

Smile

2010-08-16T18:32:00.002-04:00

Proverbs 15:13 – “A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.”An ancient Chinese proverb sums up the importance of a smile: “A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.” A smile radiates warmth that draws people in. It sends a message of good will. The effect of a smile is so powerful that telephone companies used to train their employees

In the Name

2010-08-02T15:48:00.001-04:00

Dale Carnegie asserts, “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” One of the simplest ways to make people feel appreciated is by remembering names. Our name sets us apart. It makes us unique. When I was a classroom teacher, I used to play the “name game” on the first day of school. I introduced myself to a student who introduced me to

Overwhelm

2010-07-26T10:02:00.007-04:00

Living in overwhelm can mean having too much to do and not enough time to do it. Or it can mean having limited time and energy to get tasks done. Or it could mean living with the fear that you’re not capable of getting a job done. Overwhelm has emotional overtones of stress and anxiety, and it exhibits itself physically, as well. Chronic overwhelm is one of the major causes of anxiety and

Dumbbells

2010-07-21T16:46:00.002-04:00

Let’s look at problems as opportunities. They are opportunities to grow our faith and often to grow relationships. They’re a lot like dumbbells. The word dumbbells originated in Tudor England when athletes used hand-held church bells to develop their upper body and arms. The bells ranged in weight from a few ounces to many pounds. Since the church bells would have made a great deal of noise, the

Staying Power

2010-07-13T10:30:00.002-04:00

Pancho Gonzalez was the world’s number one professional tennis player for an unequalled eight years in the 1950s and early 1960s. He is still widely considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game. A 1999 Sports Illustrated selected him number 15 in the magazine's 20 "favorite athletes" of the 20th century. In 1948 this virtually unknown player won the national tennis

The Slump

2010-07-05T12:33:00.002-04:00

Josh O’Reilly, manager San Antonio Club in the middle of the last century, had a roster of great players but they were in a slump. They experienced loss after loss. O’Reilly knew he had a team of powerful and successful hitters, but they had lost confidence in themselves. He wanted to help them to regain belief in their ability to hit. O’Reilly asked each player to give him his two best bats.

Bird Waking

2010-06-27T11:49:00.004-04:00

In his book The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale told of a successful businessman who was always in a rush. Each morning he jumped out of bed and hit the ground running. He was in such a hurry to get the day started that he made soft-boiled eggs “because they slid down fast.” Then one morning as he looked outside his window, he noticed a bird waking from his night’s sleep. The

Hole in the Wall Prayer

2010-06-20T20:03:00.013-04:00

Norman Vincent Peale, in his book The Power of Positive Thinking, tells the story of a man who opened a small New York City business and described it as a “little hole in the wall.” In order to grow the business this man vowed to fill the “little hole in the wall” with prayers and optimistic thoughts. He used his own creative thinking and a curious formula that he credits for his very successful

God's Tempo

2010-06-13T19:40:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite family vacations when I was a little girl was to Callaway Gardens. I experienced the thrill of life under the big top watching the “Flying High” Circus show. I was mesmerized by the skill of the swinging trapeze artists as they executed their dynamic tricks swinging from bar to bar. Their movements required precise timing and made me gasp and then “ooh” and “ahh!” These

Divine Energy

2010-06-06T17:48:00.003-04:00

He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength. Isaiah 42:29.You could make a pretty good case that there are really just two kinds of energy: potential and kinetic. Potential energy is stored and ready to be used. It is energy available for work. There is water in the pipes in my house. The water in the pipe is available but not being used. As long as the

Biblical Affirmations

2010-06-01T13:01:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite childhood stories was The Little Engine that Could. In the tale a long train must be pulled over a high mountain. Various larger engines are asked to pull the train, but for different reasons they refuse. Then the request is sent to a small engine, who agrees to try. The engine succeeds in pulling the train over the mountain while repeating the motto: "I-think-I-can." The book

Emotional Strength

2010-05-24T10:26:00.003-04:00

Did you know that if you can master your emotional life, you can produce more joy? Our negative feelings and reactions deplete us of our energy and steal our joy. Emotional strength gives us fuel so that we can experience life the way God wants us to. It is not necessary or even healthy to deny our problems, but if we dwell on them, we become bound to them and they have power over us. Emotional

America's Christian Foundation

2010-05-16T16:44:00.004-04:00

How often have you heard or read media reports that tried to convince you that the foundation of our country was not based on religious principles? Did you know that beginning in the 1960s historians began emphasizing the “economic view of American history” instead of the broad or all-encompassing perspective of our country’s founding which had been recognized for three centuries? It is likely

Faith as a Tool

2010-05-10T13:42:00.003-04:00

Have you ever received a small appliance that you never put to use? Over the years I have had many domestic devices that I thought looked handy and that I would use frequently. However, I used them a time or two and then stored them in the farthest corner of the pantry never to be seen again. Oh, I’d run across them occasionally and put them in a yard sale or give them away. I readily recall

Life is good

2010-05-02T19:55:00.002-04:00

Life is good. When brothers Bert and John Jacobs wanted to do something creative to make money, they didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Brought up in a family of eight in very modest means, the sons give their mother Joan credit for her positive outlook and encouragement. Joan saw the bright side of life even in bleak financial circumstances. At dinner each night, Jean cheerfully asked the

Access Point

2010-04-25T20:39:00.001-04:00

I heard a story recently about thieves who broke into the same house twice. The troubled homeowner asked the police why thieves would return to her house for a second robbery. The officer told her the robbers checked to see if their access point was still open. It was, so they entered for a second time. He warned her, “The thieves will come back as long as the access point is open.”Negative

Ta-da!

2010-04-20T13:17:00.003-04:00

Last weekend I went with 18 women from my Bible study groups to the Women of Joy Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. What a joy-filled, Spirit led experience of renewal we had! We lifted our voices in praise with Charles Billingsley, Michael W. Smith, and Steven Curtis Chapman. Four joyful women of God shared their inspirational and often humorous stories of faith. Each one lifted our spirits and

Weed Killing

2010-04-11T20:35:00.002-04:00

Have you done any weed killing lately? Last week I took on the dreaded task of cleaning out the flower planters on my porch and deck. It was time to get them ready for spring planting. Removing the debris of old plants is key to the long term success of new plants. Donning my garden gloves, I dug into each bed yanking out the scrawny leftovers of last summer’s vegetation. For the most part, I was

Living Hope

2010-04-04T09:29:00.003-04:00

He is risen! He is risen indeed! How do we know this? Let’s look at the record, the facts. Let's see how living witnesses shared the living hope! Jesus of Nazareth, who claimed to be the Messiah, preached throughout Israel, in Galilee, Samaria, and Jerusalem. He was arrested, tried, and crucified. His body was wrapped in linen cloth following Jewish burial customs. Then his body was placed in a

29 Prophecies - 24 Hours

2010-03-28T21:26:00.002-04:00

In the Christian calendar this week, known as Holy Week, is the last week of Lent. We turn our thoughts to the betrayal, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It is mind boggling to think that the events of this week had been prophesied hundreds of years before they occurred. Fulfilled prophecy provides evidence for the truth that Jesus was the Son of God. Some scholars estimate the Old

Burdens

2010-03-21T22:09:00.001-04:00

After a tortuous beating and humiliating mocking, the Roman soldiers led Jesus to his crucifixion. Jesus must have been physically exhausted as he set out for Calvary on that Friday morning. John tells us that Jesus carried his own cross, probably the horizontal beam which may have weighed as much as 100 pounds. The other Gospel accounts tell us that at a certain point during the one third mile

Just Choose Jesus

2010-03-14T19:57:00.004-04:00

During the Lenten season, many of us read or watch films about the last week of Jesus’ life. Inevitably, when I get to the part where Pilate asks the crowd to choose between Pilate or Jesus, I want to shout to the mob, “Just choose Jesus!” Then I wander what choice I would have made had I been there. During the Passover

International Women's Day

2010-03-07T18:48:00.002-05:00

Did you know that Monday, March 8th is International Women’s Day (IWD)? This day is set aside each year to celebrate the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future. While there is little recognition of this day in the USA, there are celebrations around the world ranging from political rallies to conferences to parades to craft markets. Some years the search

3 Faith Shaping Questions

2010-03-01T16:16:00.002-05:00

Finding our God-given purpose in life can be a daunting task, can’t it?God created each of us for a purpose and has given each of us spiritual gifts for carrying out our purpose. He has designed us with a unique personal style of relating to others and to our circumstances. He has created us with a passion or heart’s desire to make a difference. God wants us to continually grow in our spiritual

Perfectly Whole

2010-02-21T14:47:00.002-05:00

I am a recovering perfectionist. I used to be a perfectionist in virtually every area of my life. Now I have selective perfectionist tendencies. The results of the four Are You a Perfectionist? quizzes I took (you see taking 1, 2, or 3 quizzes was not enough! I said I was recovering, not recovered!) indicate that I am a high achiever with perfectionist tendencies. My results say that I am “able

Essential Friendships

2010-02-15T08:58:00.002-05:00

A 10-year study of older people in Australia revealed that satisfying friendships predict long life better than even close family ties. It showed that friendships are good predictors of longevity and can protect against obesity, depression, heart disease, and other health problems. Additional research shows that people who have an extensive network of friends outlive people with the fewest

In the Pits

2010-02-07T21:24:00.001-05:00

Have you ever been “in the pits?” Dan Woolley was in Haiti with his friend and co-worker David Hames when the earthquake hit a few weeks ago. Their work with Compassion International took them to Haiti to document the country’s poverty-stricken children. Standing only feet away from each other in the lobby of their hotel, the two became separated by the quake. Dan cried out for his friend but

2010-01-31T19:52:00.002-05:00

In around 600 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar exiled the Jews from Jerusalem and held them captive on the outskirts of Babylon. They lived a meager existence longing to return to their home in Israel. False prophets were encouraging them to rise up and rebel against the captors. These prophets gave the Jews the false hope that the power of Babylon would be broken and the captives would soon return to

On Bended Knee

2010-01-24T21:36:00.003-05:00

When is the last time you fell on your knees in prayer before God? How long were you able to bend down before him? One of the most heartwarming stories from the Haiti earthquake survivors comes from Mierielle Dittmer. Lying in a hospital bed in Boca Raton, Florida, Mierielle shared that when the earthquake struck, she was in a Haiti market. As concrete and rubble came tumbling down upon her, all

Battle Gear

2010-01-17T22:26:00.002-05:00

I saw a picture in the newspaper recently of the world’s tallest man towering over the world’s shortest man. The 2’5” Chinese man stands just above the knee cap of the 8’1” man from Turkey. Looking at these extremes, I’m reminded of the way the 9’1” Philistine giant Goliath must have dwarfed Israel’s David. To make matters worse, Goliath was armed in full battle gear giving him the intimidating

Slaying Giants

2010-01-10T20:25:00.005-05:00

Most of us deal with obstacles or “spiritual giants” that serve as hindrances to our spiritual growth. These problems can come from something within us like worry, stress, procrastination, control issues, or bitterness. They can be caused by something outside of us like abuse, cultural pressures, unhealthy relationships, or materialism. Or they could be centered on personal distractions such as

Purpose-Driven Thinking

2010-01-02T10:11:00.005-05:00

Did you know that each of your thoughts sends electrical and chemical signals to your brain that can affect every area of your body? Thoughts influence our emotions, sleep, heart rate, and many bodily functions. Just about everything that happens to us begins with a single thought. Research shows that we have 50,000 – 60,000 thoughts per day and most of these are repeats from yesterday. With so

Themes for 2010

2009-12-27T18:38:00.004-05:00

The beginning of each year is a good time to reflect on our lives and select some areas to start anew. A look at the most common New Year’s resolutions reported at http://www.usa.gov/ shows that most are in relation to physical things:Lose WeightManage DebtSave MoneyGet a Better JobGet FitGet a Better EducationDrink Less AlcoholQuit SmokingReduce Stress OverallReduce Stress at WorkTake a

Blessed Christmas

2009-12-20T23:13:00.003-05:00

What do you know about Jesus’ birth? Did Mary ride a donkey to Bethlehem? The Bible doesn’t say. It only says she came with Joseph to Bethlehem.Did Mary arrive in Bethlehem the night she gave birth? The Bible doesn’t say. Mary and Joseph could have arrived there weeks earlier. Luke 2:6 says, “while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.”Did Joseph or Mary talk

Unwrapping Christmas

2009-12-13T20:58:00.003-05:00

One of our biggest stressors during the Christmas season is in shopping for the perfect gifts for our friends and family. Think about the stress the very first Christmas shoppers, the Wise Men, must have experienced as they looked for a gift for the Son of God. As we focus on the actions of the Magi, let’s see how we learn how to unwrap Christmas this year. They looked for him.These wise men saw

For Goodness Sake

2009-12-07T19:16:00.003-05:00

It’s hard to find a city more beautiful at Christmas than New York. I witnessed the glitz and glamour of the Big Apple last weekend. Department stores display extravagantly designed windows. An enormous lighted tree adorns Rockefeller Plaza and stands guard over the ice skaters in the rink below. Little Italy celebrated the season with a parade featuring floats, bands, and performances. Bundled

Self-care

2009-11-28T21:04:00.004-05:00

The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season is well under way. The coming weeks with all the shopping, parties, and Christmas celebrations are typically the most stressful of the year. It’s easy to let unrealistic expectations, bad experiences, frustrations, and overbooked schedules interfere with our focus on the reason for the season. How can we manage the stress that will inevitability

Giving Thanks

2009-11-21T21:59:00.004-05:00

While our country has celebrated a time of Thanksgiving since the Pilgrim days, we are not the first country to recognize the importance of giving thanks. God commanded the Israelites to celebrate seven feasts over seven months starting in spring and ending in fall. Three of these feasts were to honor God for the harvest. The Feast of Firstfruits was the time to present God the first fruits of

Ikigai

2009-11-15T23:56:00.003-05:00

According to research studies over a 30 year period, the Japanese island of Okinawa is the best place on earth for healthy aging. This island has: More people over 100 years old per 100,000 population than anywhere else in the worldThe highest life expectancy for both males and females over 65The lowest death rates from cancer, heart disease, and stroke While healthy eating and exercise have

Thought Power

2009-11-07T20:24:00.003-05:00

“All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts.” James AllenYou might not recognize the name James Allen, but his works have had a major influence on the self-improvement industry. Author of 20 works before dying at the age of 48, his best known work was a booklet entitled, As a Man Thinketh. Published in 1902, the title comes from Proverbs 23:7

All Saints Day

2009-11-01T20:40:00.003-05:00

All Saints Day, November 1st, is a day set aside to celebrate the lives of faithful Christians. It began as a day to honor Christians who were martyred in the Roman persecutions. In medieval England the recognition was called All Hallows Day with the preceding evening known as Halloween. Over time, All Saints Day came to be recognized as the time to commemorate all departed Christians.The word

Cultivating Contentment

2009-10-25T18:33:00.003-04:00

Philippians 4: 11 - I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.The Bible Dictionary defines contentment as “a state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be.” Contentment is a state of mind! Since we can control our thoughts, then we can control our contentment. Contentment is a choice.In this verse Paul expressed gratitude for the gift the church at

Waiting

2009-10-19T09:48:00.004-04:00

I don’t wait well. After all, WAIT is a four-letter word. Whether I’m waiting for the traffic light to change or to see the doctor for an appointment or ….., I just don’t wait well. Last week I was tired of waiting for the rain to stop and my son’s schedule to change so that he could mow my lawn. Friday morning I decided to stop waiting and I mowed it myself. Then I began to look at the overgrown

Worry Warts

2009-10-11T17:16:00.004-04:00

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6Worry and anxiety are mentioned 25 times in the New Testament. The Greek word for worry means to be divided or to choke. The Old English word for worry meant “to gnaw.” Like a dog gnaws on a bone, we gnaw on our problems.50% of us are chronic worriers or “

In Honor of Christ

2009-10-04T20:55:00.002-04:00

I was touched last week when some friends and family walked in my honor at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Among them were my niece Kaiti and friend Cynthia and her daughter Emma who wore signs on their back, “In honor of Cathy Turner.” What a humbling tribute! Years ago my own race for life was almost cut short by breast cancer.In June of 1995 my sister Lori, who worked for my doctor,

Potlatch Giving

2009-09-27T18:35:00.002-04:00

A potlatch was one of the most significant ceremonial events practiced by the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast in North America. Potlaches helped unite villages and were held for important occasions such as, births, weddings, funerals, house building, and the raising of a totem pole. The festivity was marked by music, dance, theatrics, and spiritual ceremonies. The word potlatch

Risk Taking

2009-09-20T21:39:00.002-04:00

What is the riskiest thing you’ve ever done? I don’t consider myself much of a risk taker, but I have taken a few risks over the years. I have ridden in a high powered speed boat in New Zealand with a professional driver going over 100 miles per hour though. Some (my mother, specifically) might have thought it risky to fly with my dad when he was getting his pilot’s license years ago. Oh, and

To Faith

2009-09-13T18:22:00.002-04:00

What does it mean to have Christian faith? Faith is not just a single act of belief. It is not just a belief in a doctrine. It is an ongoing commitment to Jesus Christ. Dr. James Fowler, the foremost researcher on faith development, refers to faith as a verb. He says “to faith” involves continual growth and nurture from less to more mature stages. He states that a person comes to faith through

Passionate and Personal Worship

2009-09-09T09:08:00.002-04:00

For the six years my son attended McCallie school I read the marker at their entrance each time I drove onto campus: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Our primary aim in life is to glorify God in everything we do and say and think and to enjoy our relationship with God forever. Isn’t that a wonderful way to view worship! Glorifying and enjoying God!Warren Wiersbe

Radical Hospitality

2009-08-31T12:20:00.005-04:00

What usually comes you mind when you hear the word hospitality? In modern times we associate hospitality with etiquette and entertainment. Many years ago after a visit to Williamsburg, I began collecting pineapples. The exotic fruit was the centerpiece for the finest of meals in Colonial homes and became the symbol of hospitality and friendship. Colonial hostesses sought to outdo each

Serendipity

2009-08-24T13:22:00.005-04:00

Serendipity: the gift of finding valuable or agreeable things unexpectedlyHow often have you looked for one thing and found another? It happens to me all the time. I look for a favorite recipe and come across a long lost one. I search for a book in a storage box and come across a photo that brings to mind a pleasant memory. These are serendipities.I was a teenager when my father introduced me

My Heart Christ's Home

2009-08-17T10:19:00.004-04:00

What a summer of joy this has been leading a group of 40 women on Wednesday mornings in a study of Nell Mohney’s book, Just Choose Happiness. It was a special treat when Nell joined us for lunch after the last session so that we could fellowship and share with her what the book has meant to us.Nell concludes her book with a chapter on the real source of joy, the Holy Spirit. She describes Wesley

Zapping Problems

2009-08-10T23:36:00.003-04:00

One day last week I wanted to relax and watch a movie at my home. I do this so rarely that I couldn’t remember how to operate the DVD player, so I asked my son for directions. All day I looked forward to a quiet evening at home watching a “chick flick.” That night I loaded the DVD and clicked the buttons I thought would start the movie. When that didn’t work, I clicked some more buttons and some