If you’re anything like me, then the holidays are definitely over for you. All the rest that built up over Christmas and New Year’s dissipated in a day. Yesterday it was back to work, back to the routine, back to the grind. Today the schedule is screaming at you, you’re operating on less sleep than you should, and you feel as if you’re in danger of stumbling through the rest of the week. Before you walk out of your door,... Read more
As we start out 2015, we can look around us and quickly see that our world is full of problems: Some of you have been keeping up with that airline that crashed into the sea in Asia. There’s a cyberwar going on with North Korea that’s a bit surreal. Our military is in harm’s way in global hotspots such as Iraq and Afghanistan. If you go back a few months everyone was freaked out by the Ebola virus possibly spreading... Read more
Hold on, it’s January 2nd! Why am I writing about New Year’s Day a day late? Because of what New Year’s represents: a fresh start. Mentally, we see a huge chasm between December 31 and January 1, giving us the margin we need to start again, to make amends, to live right, to do better. But the problem with January 1st is it’s only a day. And the problem with us is that our resolutions, no matter how firm, will... Read more
This is the day of resolutions: I’m going to lose weight! I’m going to eat healthier! I’m cutting up my credit cards! I’m finally quitting smoking! Are they the same resolutions you made last year? What’s going to make this year any different? In his groundbreaking book The Power of Habit, author Charles Duhigg talks through the Golden Rule of habit change: if you keep the same cue and the same reward, a new (better) routine can be inserted. It’s... Read more
Recently I got a chance to practice what I preach in the most unusual and uncomfortable fashion. One of the great privileges I have is working with a group of ladies at an in-treatment facility center in Columbus who are dealing with a host of addiction issues. One of the things I try and do is help the ladies dig deeper underneath their addiction to discover what’s really driving it. We’ve talked through traumatic events, bad-guy boyfriends, abortions, abusive homes,... Read more
Maybe it’s Tuesday and your week has already started to go sideways on you. Maybe you just need to smile. Recently the high school students at Mt Vernon Church hosted a prom for the special needs community. Watch this recap video and be reminded that there still is good in the world. [wpvideo l2gvbRB2] originally posted April 15, 2014 Read more
We ruined church for someone, and we’re excited about it. A few days ago I received a message from an Air Force family that was at Mt Vernon while they were stationed here, but a year ago moved to another part of the United States. Here’s their message: Just thought we would let you know that because Mt Vernon set the standard of how a church family should be we think every church here stinks! We still have smiles on... Read more
Here is the final message in my recent sermon series on Rest: https://vimeo.com/115185177 Read more
I hope you and yours have a great Christmas tomorrow. Here is a video our church produced last year that will hopefully make you smile. See you after the holidays! Read more
Last Sunday I finished off our sermon series on rest by reading Isaiah 40 from The Voice translation as a way to focus our hearts for a moment on the majesty of God. Here is that reading: https://vimeo.com/115187314 Read more
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