In high school science class we learned one of Newton’s laws: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I think this can teach us something about relationships as well. Imagine a time when someone said something that really upset you. You probably had an emotional reaction. …it may have been really powerful. … Continue reading Reactivity skews reality
inspiration
A rest… from screens
Writer Lettie Cowman tells about a traveler who visited Africa and used a group of guides and carriers to carry their supplies as they hiked and explored. On the first day she was impressed because they went a huge distance. But the next day the carriers refused to move. The leader said that on the … Continue reading A rest… from screens
Things that renew you (not drain you)
Learning how to rest. That’s something I’ve been teaching and talking about lately. Why? Because of what it says in Exodus 20:8: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” But this can be hard. Many of us know rest is important, but we don’t do it as much as we should. Life gets busy, … Continue reading Things that renew you (not drain you)
Why doing nothing is doing something
Rest. It’s something many of us think is a good thing… but don’t do as much as we should. Even though it’s a command. Yup, God commands rest. In Exodus 20: 8-9 God says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day … Continue reading Why doing nothing is doing something
Smashed trophies
I heard a story about a college student who REALLY wanted to be the school tennis champion. It was all he wanted. He focused exclusively on that goal to the detriment of his relationships, grades and everything else. And he did it. He won the championship! And the trophy was prominently displayed in the school’s … Continue reading Smashed trophies
Being a Christian would be easy if it weren’t for this
I remember having a conversation with someone who said, “Being a Christian would be easy if you didn’t have to deal with actual people.” He was being funny, of course. But what he meant was that following Jesus and God’s commands are easy… until you have to put them into practice with actual flesh and … Continue reading Being a Christian would be easy if it weren’t for this
Priorities: Where the rubber meets the road
Yesterday I talked about setting priorities. Hopefully you were able to think it through and name some of your non-negotiables. But let’s take the next step: Start to adjust your weekly routine to better reflect those priorities. Friends, this is where the rubber meets the road. Why? Because it involves change. Maybe a priority for … Continue reading Priorities: Where the rubber meets the road
When you think everything is important
When you think everything is important you live like nothing is important. If that sounds confusing, here’s what I mean. If you think that everything in your life is a priority, you’re not actually making anything a true priority. Imagine your time and energy divided up into a pie chart. If you say your relationship … Continue reading When you think everything is important
The privatization of free time
Harvard professor Robert Putnam has researched how communities are changing. One of the significant shifts is something he refers to as the privatization of free time. In previous decades, people would generally come home from work or school and spend their free time with other people as a part of their wider community. For example, … Continue reading The privatization of free time
When you don’t FEEL God’s presence
There’s a compelling passage in 2 Chronicles 32:31 about a king named Hezekiah. It says that “God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.” Many things happened when Hezekiah was king. But in this verse we’re told that God “withdrew” from him. It was a … Continue reading When you don’t FEEL God’s presence
