Do you feel like you are just not cut out to carry the load that you have been burdened with? Feel like you’re too old, not smart enough, too young, not experienced enough… Name the excuse and we can all relate. I am currently in several roles — roles I didnt seek out. They are leading people and projects and important things and money. And more often than not, I want to pull back and just follow. Responsibility has a... Read more
“What’s the difference between ignorance and apathy? — I don’t know and I don’t care.”— Mother Goose and Grimm “I the devil, will always see to it that there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to provide me with the people who do not care.” — The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis I am finding that I’m slowly tuning out, turning off the world around me. The political world and leadership on all sides is simply bizarre. I don’t even know what... Read more
We all love to hear words of praise. I don’t care how self-effacing you are, there is still a welling of pride that comes when others recognize the works of your hands. We like praise. We love praise. We crave praise. It started as children when even the worse drawing with a blunt crayon was hung on the refrigerator. Proudly beaming for days, we sulked when it finally had to come down. Something inside of us wants our efforts to... Read more
You just never know You never know where an interest will lead You never know what a passion will inspire You never know who else you motivate You never know … You might just change the world Let me tell you a short story about a man named Milt He was a pastor by trade, but he spent his early morning hours watching warblers, spotting starlings, and tracking terns He had a fascination with birds. He studied them with... Read more
This isn’t an article about modern vs. traditional church music. It isn’t about steeples or Sunday School. It isn’t about vain repetition or the need to bring back hats in church. It isn’t about any of the silly stuff that should have left a long time ago. It’s an article about why Christianity needs to be set apart if we are going to survive. I’m a direct product of 40 years of bringing the traditional church into contemporary society. I remember... Read more
You might remember the story. I told it just a few months ago, when I thought the world had peaked in it’s insanity. I was wrong. The story was about a Syrian family that I met. They were pushed out of their ancestral home by war and violence. If you don’t remember Albert Sayegh specifically, you might remember the smiling son – Jack. Finally, this is one Middle East refugee story with a happy ending. When I met Albert... Read more
The dots on the map are growing. Like magnets, people are clumping together, ready to #Resist. They are plotting out days to march, to stand, to protest. The stage is set for a Summer to remember. The 2017 season will be a long one, as these peaceful protests will grow increasingly violent. The rallies will turn into demonstrations and then into riots. Mark my words. There will be a shooting by a madman and we will be collectively outraged. There... Read more
In a competitive world, keeping information close to the vest is viewed as a business imperative. Products, strategies and tactics fall under the tent of “Intellectual Property” and are closeted until just the right time. For example, Apple is famous for secrecy. Prototypes, plans and ideas are carefully stove-piped so no one working on them has the whole picture until the product is ready for launch. The recipes for Coca-Cola, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies are... Read more
I sat in the church as a visitor, invited by a loving friend. I initially felt oddly out of place, but that was dispelled by the warmth of everyone towards me. The music started and the choir swayed. It seems that everyone in the congregation was swept up. Then the message began. And I was gripped by energy and passion. But then, in the middle, a politician was introduced from the crowd. He was brought to the stage, preacher’s arms... Read more
That Saturday is a day I won’t forget. It was the day I lost my mind. You see the day before I found an unexpected bounty. It happens a couple of times a year, you know when there are three paydays in a month. No mortgage payment. The power bill was paid. No car payment. I had a whole paycheck — extra! I was going to live large. I sauntered through Lowe’s like I owned the joint, buying tools I didn’t really need. And then I went to Foot... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In