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The Upward Call of God
“Not that I have already obtained this—that is, I have not already been perfected—but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14). I started the year 2024 with new goals and plans. That was six months ago. The thing is, I also began the year bringing along everything from the…
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Welcoming the White Space
It’s quiet now. That time of the year when we finally catch our breath. The Christmas parties and family gatherings have mostly concluded. It isn’t quite time to ring in the new year. It’s the white space. I used to think the week between Christmas and New Year’s was one of the most boring of the year. All the excitement of one holiday wrapped up. The anticipation and planning for a new year not quite here yet. But over the past few years, this week has become one of my favorites. Our family lets out a collective exhale. We sleep in and make cinnamon toast. We clean out and deep…
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Our Greatest Work
As we continue to emerge from a long season of uncertainty and isolation, we eagerly look ahead and begin envisioning new goals and even new dreams. How do we find re-energizing purpose in our everyday life, regardless of circumstances?
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How To Build Your Log House and Lose it too; Finding perspective for 2022
Once upon a time, circa 1955, my Dad fell in love with log houses. While he loved log houses, he loved Jesus too. This is a story of love, loss and life but mostly about eternal perspective. Along the way I interviewed him about his encounters and experiences with log houses, and that interview is hiding somewhere in a journal. So, what is left feels like the things that have been most impressionable. In the mid 1960s my Dad purchased about 30 acres of land in a rural area an hour outside of Atlanta, Georgia. It was the beginning of a life long dream of his, to actually use his…
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Disney Pixar’s Soul: A Spiritual Review
Disney Pixar’s latest feature film, Soul, follows the unassuming life of Joe Gardner. ( Caution, if you haven’t already seen the movie this blog includes spoilers.) He is a middle school music teacher with dreams of making it big. The character’s angst to accomplish his life’s dream drew me in as I sat and thought of my own unfinished goals. Joe’s desperation to become a successful Jazz performer highlights humanity’s struggle with meaning and purpose. While the movie Soul may not be a biblical guide to life, it echoes biblical principles without even knowing it. Joe Gardner’s search for purpose and fulfillment is reminiscent of the book of Ecclesiastes. After…
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New Year’s Resolutions and The Slow Process of Change
I have a love-hate relationship with New Year’s Resolutions. On the one hand, I’m enamored by the idea of a fresh start and a clean slate every time that big, jeweled ball drops in Times Square. Reflecting on the past and looking to the future with anticipation and hope – who wouldn’t enjoy that euphoric sense of optimism? And yet – I’ve been around the block for enough countdowns to know that, though I may have my sights set on a handful of goals in the new year, life has a tendency to distract me from those ideals, often before Ryan Seacrest wishes us all goodnight. Apparently I’m not alone.…
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Eyes on Eternity
Perspective is everything. The lens we use to see will determine how we prioritize our activities, our necessities, and our indulgences. Recently a friend shared with me an illustration used by Francis Chan. He pointed to a rope on the stage where he was standing. It began on one side of the stage and extended across the stage and off the other side as though it went on forever. The beginning section of the rope was dyed red. It was just a tiny little section of a very long rope. He asked the audience to imagine that this was the extent of their life on earth. The rest of the…
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The Pursuit of Success
I’m delighted to see women using their gifts by serving in more prominent positions in public life. The UK, Denmark, Thailand, Trinidad, Iceland and Bangladesh all have female prime ministers. The 116th U.S. Congress includes a record number of women. Women serve in more diverse ways within the Christian community as well. As opportunities for women broaden, a batch of books geared toward helping women live up to their potential currently fills the shelves of book stores. Three of the five non-fiction hardbacks on the New York Times best seller list are written by women. Girl, Stop Apologizing, by Rachel Hollis, a pep talk for women’s success, is number three…
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New Year: New You or Old You? — Actions vs. Resolutions
It’s January and as expected, class attendance exceeds the maximum room occupancy at the gym. These (will prove to be non-faithful) newbies are bubbling with excitement to start their “New Year’s Resolutions.” They start with high hopes that this will finally be their year to change. But after years of observing this New Year’s phenomenon, I know the gym will return to normal by the end of February (if not earlier). It’s easy to make resolutions. It’s sticking to them that’s the problem. When asked to speak about his book, Put Your Dream to the Test, John C. Maxwell, internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, coach, and best-selling author, gave me…
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Expectations!
2015 was quiet the ride for me and my family. With the number of ups and downs we had I’d swear we were on a roller coaster. So much of this last year has been about adapting to new situations and overcoming challenges. It was both rewarding and defeating and was filled with overwhelming joy and unbelievable sadness. Overall 2015 wasn't all that we hoped for or dreamed of but then again perhaps our expectations were a little too high and maybe we set ourselves up a bit for failure by putting too much weight on what we thought the year should look like. Don’t we all do…
