I had an idea the other day. I was talking to a young friend who is having a difficult time establishing and making boundaries in his life. He gets into trouble because he hasn’t decided where his life begins and other peoples ends. Paul says in Ephesians 4:14 that when we are like that we… Continue Reading
You Get To Pick
Red sweater or jacket? Coffee with cream or pumpkin spice latte? Do I drive today or take the metro? We are inundated with choices. My guess is that we make more choices in our western society in a day than some cultures make in a lifetime. Everywhere I go, about most things, I get to… Continue Reading
Before The Beginning of Time
Doris was pregnant while we lived in a mobile home in Augusta, Georgia. I was the youth pastor there and we lived on the parking lot beside the church. It would get so hot during the day that everything not metal in our little trailer would melt, Doris’s makeup, big fat Christmas candle, the glue… Continue Reading
What Do You Do With The Old Stuff?
I get this question a lot. Does God not heal the addict completely? Am I doing Him a disservice by bringing up that old stuff all of the time. I got an email today just as I was getting ready to write. Never one to waste effort (translate that..lazy) I decided to kill two birds… Continue Reading
John 3: It’s Hard (and Easy)
Nighttime visitors are always a concern. Are they there because they are in trouble? Are they there to cause you trouble? What brings them out at such an inconvenient hour? When Doris and I were youth pastors living in a mobile home on the parking lot of the church in Augusta, Georgia, we had a… Continue Reading
Step 1: Angry Birds
We celebrated Jon-Mical’s birthday this weekend. He turned 5 on Friday. It was an Angry Bird affair with Angry Bird banners, Angry Bird paper plates, Angry Bird napkins and even a big green cake with towers to knock down, a slingshot to use, and a fierce red cardinal glaring up from the middle of the… Continue Reading
Empty Pots and Perfect Joy
The morning sun rises hot but beautiful over the good-sized village of Nazareth. The whole town wakes up in celebration and anticipation of the day ahead. Nowhere is that excitement more vibrant than in the two homes of two young people, Benjamin & Sarai. Today is their wedding day. Their fathers have been friends since… Continue Reading
New Years Step 1
We are two weeks into the New Year. For most of us the holiday weariness is just passing and we are starting to get our traction again for the winter days ahead. Maybe we are reevaluating our New Year’s resolutions or 2013 goals. I was going to read through the Bible this year but I’m… Continue Reading
John 1: I Love You!
(This is a VERY long blog. Last week we began a Sunday night worshio/Bible study in Lebanon at Bates Ford. It was really neat. This is the message from that. Each week we are taking a story from the Gospel of John. I don’t know that I’ll post each week because they are long but… Continue Reading
Timing and Mr. Tumbles
Mr. Tumbles is my little hideaway cabin in the woods of Tennessee. It’s not much to look at and pretty austere on the inside. There are bunkbeds, a propane heater (nice to have), a tiny bathroom (even nicer), a kitchen area with a little gas stove, and a bookcase full of some of my favorite… Continue Reading