How would you distinguish a setback from a tragedy? Over the weekend I got sick. Friday night it was fever and raging headache, Saturday brought chills and endless sleep. Sunday it was all of the above, and even in manly denial I had to admit something might be wrong. Arrived at ER per doc’s orders, […]
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Fear And Finding The Right Answer
Does there always have to be a right answer? I’ve had a revealing week. Monday began with a choice regarding the fund raising aspect of the bike ride project. I’m grateful for the feedback I received via comments, email, and personal conversation. As I thought and prayed about this issue, I became clear that I […]
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Do you enjoy the feeling of success? Earlier this week, the University of Connecticut won the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament. Maybe you’re a fan, maybe not. But if you’re a college basketball coach, this is as good as it gets. At age 68, Jim Calhoun is the oldest coach to ever win the championship. […]
Continue readingMore TagServing From Your Sweet Spot
Have you ever lived in your sweet spot? Our pastor used a cool phrase this weekend: serving from your sweet spot. Athletes know about the “sweet spot.” It’s the place where you strike a ball so perfectly that you hardly feel it. In baseball, if you miss it by a millimeter it feels like you […]
Continue readingMore TagGot Doubt?
Do you ever experience doubt? Imagine a man trudging through the desert in search of water. He’s absolutely certain the water’s right over that next hill. Of course, he was absolutely certain the water was right over the last hill as well. The trip didn’t begin like this. When he started, the path was clearly […]
Continue readingMore TagHearing The Voice Of Jesus
Do you believe Jesus speaks to you? I do. I’m not getting all ooky-spooky about this. I don’t hear voices or anything like that. In fact, that’s precisely the problem. Most of the time, I don’t hear anything at all. But I don’t think it’s because He’s not talking. The problem is that I’m not […]
Continue readingMore TagYou: Singular Or Plural?
Side note: I began this piece with a clear idea of its destination. Sometimes it seems that the words have different plans. I started fresh a couple of times, but the intended path never quite materialized. So I share this without knowing exactly what it’s trying to tell me. Perhaps you’ll find some clarity that […]
Continue readingMore TagBlessed Are Those Who Try Hard?
Are you prepared? Are you preparing? Jon Swanson tells a great story from John 1:35-51 about Jesus calling disciples. (Watch Jon’s short video) It’s a story of overnight success. These unremarkable guys are hanging out, fishing or sitting under fig trees or whatever, and Jesus just shows up and invites them into the most exclusive, […]
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Note: I’m honored this morning to be a guest writer at My Escape Velocity. I hope you’ll drop over there and check out a really helpful blog—after you’re finished here, of course. How would you react if you boarded a plane and saw the pilot wearing this button? Personally, I don’t want the pilot who […]
Continue readingMore TagDirty Hands – Clean Hearts
How can you guard your heart without living behind barriers? Two of this week’s articles create a bit of tension. I believe we’re called to engage with our community, so I don’t want to create a protective bubble in which I only interact with people and ideas that never challenge me. I don’t think it’s […]
Continue readingMore TagBirds Of My Particular Feather
Do you tend to hang out with folks who think like you? Last week I spoke to an Optimist Club. I shared A Reluctant Optimist’s Code and invited audience members to add to my list. One guy said that optimistic people tend to associate with other optimists. I suppose that’s true. In general, we’re all […]
Continue readingMore TagA Reluctant Optimist’s Code
Is faith optimistic or pessimistic? I’ve admitted that optimism isn’t my default approach to most situations. Relentless Grace certainly tells of a tug of war between intellectual faith and gut-level despair. As I said in Tuesday’s post, I naturally default to a feeling that The Half Empty Glass Is Leaking. Jesus’ teaching tells me something different. Many […]
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