Sometimes the most significant thing you can to do care for someone else is staring you right in the face… Literally. Here’s what I mean. “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Romans 13:9) Remember that one? Yeah, it’s pretty huge. Well, most of us read that principle like this: “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR (as yourself).” But what … Continue reading Your love for someone else can’t be big IF
You go nowhere by accident
Psalm 139:16 "all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (NIV) Today's Thought This week in the Up! devotional I’ve been offering super-practical ideas about how to love and connect with people, even people you just don’t like. But if you're going to be a person … Continue reading You go nowhere by accident
These grow up into oak trees
Philippians 2:4 "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (ESV) Today's Thought Imagine a child trying to put together a barbecue from scratch. All seven hundred and thirty-nine pieces laying out on the back lawn... and a 4-year old scratching their head. That’s actually how … Continue reading These grow up into oak trees
The cliffs just started moving closer
James 1:19 "let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger..." (ESV) Today's Thought When I was young we would go back to the cliffs behind our house. There was a tall cliff on this side, and a tall cliff on that side. In the middle was a vast expanse. We’d … Continue reading The cliffs just started moving closer
Your Crazy Button
2 Timothy 1:7 "God gave us a spirit... of power and love and self-control." (ESV) Today's Thought The band Family Force 5 has a song called “Cray Button.” They’re talking about a “Crazy Button,” something you push and... well, go crazy! Here are some of the lyrics: “A lunatic, a time bomb just got dropped … Continue reading Your Crazy Button
Do you make decisions… or reactions?
A woman from Texas kept having her car vandalized. At first she discovered dents in the side. Then it was “keyed.” Someone ran their car key down the length of the vehicle ruining her paint job. So she had it fixed. And then it happened again! After an all-night stakeout she discovered that the culprit … Continue reading Do you make decisions… or reactions?
When they shook she got jabbed with the pin
In 1911 a psychologist named Edouard Claparede was treating a woman with no short-term memory. As you can imagine, her life was drastically altered because of this condition. One day Claparede tried an experiment. At the start of every session they would shake hands. But this time, he hid a small pin inside his hand. … Continue reading When they shook she got jabbed with the pin
What working at McDonalds can teach you about God
I know I shouldn't start with a negative, but I'm going to do it anyway: Don’t retaliate or take revenge. That’s God’s job, not yours. Let me explain. The summer after grade nine I worked as a cashier at McDonalds. I was glad to get a job. But I was also… PETRIFIED! As soon I … Continue reading What working at McDonalds can teach you about God
Missed (or skipped?) opportunities
Ephesians 5:15-16 “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity…” (NIV) Today's Thought Every single day opportunities come our way. They are often disguised as hum-drum conversations, daily routines, or things people tell you. A lot of these daily details are just that—details. But tucked … Continue reading Missed (or skipped?) opportunities
What Lent can mean to you
Today is Ash Wednesday. It starts the 40-day journey to Easter (excluding Sundays) that we call Lent. Lent is a time of preparation. I like to think of it as spiritual training. It’s just so easy to let laziness creep into our faith. So we use Lent to hone our spiritual muscles as we get … Continue reading What Lent can mean to you
