Most evenings involve the routine of walking our dog Buddy. He loves his walks and being a big dog needs a lot of exercise. I must admit that my wife does a majority of the dog walking but I have also come accustomed to going with her or taking him myself. He is rather demanding when it comes to his walks so he lets us know when he is overdue.

Most evenings involve the routine of walking our dog Buddy. He loves his walks and being a big dog needs a lot of exercise. I must admit that my wife does a majority of the dog walking but I have also come accustomed to going with her or taking him myself. He is rather demanding when it comes to his walks so he lets us know when he is overdue.

I was watching the President’s state of the union address this past week. I am drawn to speeches like that since they provide an overview of where we are and the leader’s thoughts on where we should be going. If done well the leader should be able to cast a vision that people can see and understand enough to get excited about and support.

Recently I was talking to a guy who was unemployed. Like so many others he had been searching for so long and felt frustrated and even hopeless. I asked him what the most challenging thing about his situation was. I thought he would say the financial challenges. He told me it was his feelings of worthlessness. His sense of worth had been stripped from him when his job was lost.

Lately I have given much thought to my view of God’s grace. I believe that my salvation is a gift from God. For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, it is not from works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 Can it be any more clear?

Christmas is upon us and so is the pressure to over buy. I love the season but each year I am more aware of how we all can get caught in the materialistic whirlwind that is gift giving. At the core of our giving is love but what also exists is the belief that love must be shown though material gifts.

Why is gratitude a struggle for most of us? As a Pastor I have plenty of conversations with people in good and bad circumstances of life. I have seen some of the most genuine expressions of gratitude from those who have the least of what this world has to offer.

He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.

He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God. Micah 6:8

Have you been confused about someone’s expectations for you? Maybe a boss, a parent or even a spouse have placed unrealistic expectations on your relationship with them. This happens all the time and keeps us from enjoying our relationships to the fullest. Marriage is a great example of how differing expectations can cause disunity and confusion.