A story is told from the Vietnam War. A platoon was hunkered down in some rice paddies in the heat of a firefight. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a group of six monks started walking through the middle of the field between the two sides. David Busch recounts the scene: “They didn’t look right, … Continue reading The monks were clearly playing by different rules
proverbs
Control issues about the future?
If you have a personal and authentic belief in God you are going to have fewer control issues. I realize this is a work in progress for a lot of you. Oops, typo. I meant to say “we”! We like to control our schedules, our calories (sometimes), and our sleep patterns, playlists and posts. We … Continue reading Control issues about the future?
Keeping confidences and lifebuoys
William White tells a story about two men who went from house to house seeking funds to help with someone who was sick. They went to the house of a rich man hoping he could help. The rich man wanted to know who the sick man was. He was willing to give a financial donation. … Continue reading Keeping confidences and lifebuoys
Ships don’t sink because of water around them
Recently during a Sunday message Jeff Walther shared one of those quotes that makes you think, think again, and then think some more: “Ships don’t sink because of water around them. Ships sink because of water that gets in them. Don’t let what’s happening around you get inside you and weigh you down.”* We’re all … Continue reading Ships don’t sink because of water around them
A distracted lifestyle vs focus
Someone told me they had a squirrel’s attention span, meaning that their focus ping-ponged from this to that, regardless of what this or that was. Unfortunately, distraction is the air we breathe these days. It’s hard to avoid. We are continually interrupted, bombarded with information and advertising, or the next shiny new thing. Alan Noble … Continue reading A distracted lifestyle vs focus
When you don’t FEEL close to God
“Pastor, I believe in Jesus and I’m trying to serve God. But I don’t always feel close to him. Is there something wrong with me?” I’ve been asked some version of this question a few different times. Even though the individual is a believer, they wonder if there’s something wrong with them because they don’t … Continue reading When you don’t FEEL close to God
Integrity and mini-putt
Craig Groeschel played on his high school’s tennis team. One evening at an out-of-town tournament, the team went mini-putting. At the end of the round, each of the players stole their golf balls as a memento, including Craig. Back at the hotel, the coach saw Craig with his ball and realized he had stolen it. … Continue reading Integrity and mini-putt
Sticks and stones
I’ve heard it. You’ve heard it. We’ve all heard it: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” But of course, it’s a lie. A more accurate rendition might go something like this: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may forever hurt me.” We’ve been talking about the … Continue reading Sticks and stones
Be a California Redwood
The California Redwoods are massive trees, apparently the biggest living things on earth. Some are higher than 360 feet, and some are more than 60 feet around. Many are over 100 years old, and some are even over a thousand years old. Some of them have even been somewhat burned in forest fires—but they still … Continue reading Be a California Redwood
The prudent give thought to their… clicks
This week I wrote an article for The Gospel Coalition Canada titled: “God Cares About Your Well-Being, Even Now.” [If you want to read it, click the link below.] It highlights several ways you can be proactive about your well-being in this crazy time, including this: Adopt a realistic approach to social media. Here’s why … Continue reading The prudent give thought to their… clicks
The Up Devotional 