“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34 ESV) The word tomorrow has stirred up more excitement than a free trip to Disney Land and struck more fear in the hearts of mankind than a Freddy Krueger movie marathon. Tomorrow... Continue Reading →
Promises
“Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV). Christmas time is upon us once again. Homes across the city are decked out with lights, nativity scenes, inflatable Santas, and beautiful Christmas trees. If... Continue Reading →
Presents
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17 ESV). I like getting presents. I like giving them too, but I think I like getting them even more. Some gifts are disappointing, except for the... Continue Reading →
Simplify
"Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction." --Proverbs 29:18, NIV I'm too busy. Well, at least that's what I keep telling myself. If I'm being honest, I probably have a lot more available time than I might let on. I find myself scrambling... Continue Reading →
Fishers of Men
"While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' Immediately they left their nets and followed him" (Matthew 4:18-20... Continue Reading →
Word for the Weekend: Hunger
I think that we all can agree on the simple definition of hunger: the feeling of weakness or discomfort caused by a lack of food/nutrition. But do we really know what it means? In the relative affluence of western society our working definition of hunger is dramatically different from that in third-world countries. We toss... Continue Reading →
Mindful Monday: Armor Pt. 4
Last week we looked at the Breastplate of Righteousness. Like Roman armor of the first century, the Breastplate of Righteousness protects the vital organs. But like the Roman version, righteousness doesn't keep you completely safe. It's not a cure all piece. We are still vulnerable to attack, but the righteousness we have in Christ is... Continue Reading →
Our Greatest Call
They say that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line; and in this fast-paced, instant-gratification-seeking world everyone seems to be in such a tremendous hurry to get where we are going that we don't care who gets stepped upon in the process. We are anxious to climb the ladder of success as... Continue Reading →
Thoughts for Thursday #9: Perseverence
That day is drawing nearer. The day when we have promised ourselves we are going to do better. Be better. Some make their vows (and break them!) all year long. Others push them off until the new year. It's a fresh start, after all, right? For as long as I can remember it has been... Continue Reading →
Mindful Monday #9: Busyness — Short & Sweet
Growing up in a military family meant that Christmas was always away from "home," where all of the extended family lived. As a result, we only had one "Christmas" with our nuclear family. I never really gave it any thought that this probably wasn't how "normal" people celebrated Christmas. When my wife and I became... Continue Reading →
Skipping Stones 