I am seldom distracted by the meaningless, the paltry, the obvious waste of time. I am quite often, though, distracted by the good. I want to please people. I want to be liked. I want to be be known. And I put off the best for the sake of some really good things, just not… Continue Reading
And we are off and running. The New Year is officially underway. Some businesses were closed yesterday because New Year’s Day was on Sunday. School was still out. Many Christmas decorations are still up. (Of course, this is Tennessee. That could be true in July.) But today, the world is back in full force, holiday… Continue Reading
There are four priorities for the believer, discipleship, fellowship, worship, and prayer. (Acts 2:42) Only one of those can really be done alone, prayer. Our walk with God was never intended to be a solitary event. It is communal. God’s first redemptive act was making clothes for Adam AND Eve. Then He saves Noah’s entire… Continue Reading
On Lasts and Firsts New Year’s Day, 2023 I was cleaning the garage this week. I do my best thinking there. We have a 2-car garage that has not had room for my car for 20 years. There are 2 baby-strollers, a huge box of baseball cards, every old musical instrument that you Jacob ever… Continue Reading
Research says that people that are connected have less anxiety, more self-esteem, and better health. Why is that? This is a brief reflection after a week of being connected to some dear friends. https://youtu.be/J1oiHk2x-Wg Continue Reading
https://youtu.be/lbn5g9g8ExM Using the last month of the year to prepare for a better devotional life makes both this year and next better. Here are 4 things to begin now to make next year the best devotional year ever. Begin reading. Begin reflecting. Begin recording. And begin renewing. Continue Reading
Gratitude is more caught than taught. It is an environment we create more than a thing we do. Thankful living is more art than science. Here is a conversation about the why and how of thankfulness. https://youtu.be/duYa2JDfUaw Continue Reading
There is no greater example of a life yielded to God in the Old Testament than David. It was not his victories that made him “a man after God’s own heart,” but his surrender. https://youtu.be/Gyn9skBvIAs Continue Reading
The greatest mark of spiritual maturity may be a sense of stewardship. Recognition that it all belongs to God and I am the fortunate caretaker seems to be the beginning of joy and peace. https://youtu.be/siu2exdDdhw Continue Reading
My good friend, college professor, Dale McCarver wrote this a year ago. It was meaningful to me then. It’s even mor3 meaningful now. Read it. Think about it. Do it. Even if, like me, you don’t agree with every premise. YOUR OLD ENGLISH TEACHER HAS SOME SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS FOR YOU…. Teaching is one of the… Continue Reading