Reading Time: 4 minutesIn my last post, Singles Are Not Unfinished Business, I encouraged singles to embrace their singleness as a blessing and not a curse. Not only should singles embrace singleness as a blessing, but I believe there is a second courageous move that will allow singles to celebrate and maximize their singleness.
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe church has not served singles well. Sometimes we communicate the subtle message that “You are incomplete if you are not married or, you haven’t lived, or can’t be fulfilled until you’re married.” This kind of thinking is not God’s view at all. If you are single, I want you to know that you are not unfinished business.
Reading Time: 4 minutesIf someone asked you to describe the worship gathering at your church, how would you respond? Some will immediately describe it with the “B” word – Boredom! We can all admit that the weekend worship gathering can be dull at times. Consequently, we find ourselves disengaging and going through the motions. Sometimes, it feels like our worship of God is empty and a complete waste of time. I want more, and I know you do too. How do we overcome boredom in the worship gathering?
Reading Time: 4 minutesIf you believe that a task cannot be completed well without your involvement, that people can’t make good decisions without your input, or that you work long and hard to make others dependent on you, it could say one or two things about you. You think everybody around you is incompetent. Or, you could be a control freak.
Reading Time: 3 minutesOn Monday, I talked about the responsibility of the betrayer to rebuild trust in a broken relationship. But, what is the responsibility of the one betrayed in rebuilding trust?
Reading Time: 3 minutesCan a relationship be restored once trust is broken? I am sure D’Angelo Russell, point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, is asking this question after he broke an unspoken locker room code – you don’t gossip about a teammate’s personal business. Where do you begin if you want to rebuild trust when you are the one who perpetrated the damage?
Reading Time: 3 minutesRecently, I did a graveside funeral for a baby. After carrying the baby for nine months, the mother delivered the baby stillborn. Comforting parents and leading a service like this is one of the most painful responsibilities of my job as a pastor. Words seem so empty and inadequate. In addition to practicing the ministry of presence, here is what I said to the family at the graveside service (I have not used the real names of baby and mother in this post):
Reading Time: 5 minutesThough Tonia may not ever verbalize it (Most times she doesn’t), I believe she still wants, needs, and expects me to fight for her, rescue her, sacrifice and spill my life for her, in some very particular ways.
Lord, we awakened this morning, shaken by to another senseless bombing. This time the coordinated violence occurred in Brussels, Belgium. More than 30 killed and hundreds injured. This breaks my heart in so many ways.
Lord, I trust you, but I have to admit, I don’t understand. I am baffled and disturbed by this event and others around the world. I have questions. Lots of them. I struggle to make sense of the sorrow, pain, and violence. I feel like my prayers aren’t enough for what happened in Brussels today.
Lord, I need you to calm the quakes and stabilize the shifts. Yet, even in the wrestling, I will praise you. I will still believe you are a good God. I will trust you to make right this wrong and bring gospel redemption. I believe but help my unbelief.
So, in their darkness, pain, suffering, have mercy and be a refuge and strength and a very present help in this time of trouble.
Amen!
Reading Time: 2 minutesWhen Tonia encourages me, she breathes new life into my soul. This relational breath makes me feel like I have the strength to knock down mountains for her. Her words and affirmation of who I am and who God created me to be are like water in dry places. Over the past 21 years, Tonia has encouraged me in some particular ways.