When God blessed us with three sons, I sometimes wonder if He failed to equip us with the nerves and patience to be their parents. But in His own timing, He has gently reminded us that His strength is perfected in weakness. We find God in the waiting. This week, that reminder was uncomfortably real. ◊♦◊ I was sitting in my upstairs office listening to the normal noise of our house before dinner. The kids’ feet echoed on the hardwood floor […]
I recently read a story about an ambitious dad who decided to trump the Elf on the Shelf tradition by actually dressing up as the elf himself. Apparently, hiding a stuffed elf every night wasn’t challenging enough. His story went viral. Touché elf dad, pictures of you dressed up like a life-sized elf duct-taped to the wall are on every news site in America. Clark Griswold, eat your heart out. But I have a confession. When I see stories like this […]
There has been a lot of upheaval lately in social, political, and religious circles on the topic of refugees. Should we, or should we not allow them to enter the United States? That’s a heavy question. I find myself wrestling with both sides of the equation. Prudence perpetuates one answer, while compassion for humanity perpetuates another. But this morning, in the shadow of another Christmas season, I want to approach the situation from a different perspective. For both sides of the refugee […]
With the constant flood of negativity in our culture, it seems like our world is getting worse and worse. But I want to share a story with you to give you hope in both the power of the human spirit and God’s presence. *** I was in Charlotte, North Carolina getting ready to watch the Carolina Panthers take on the Washington Redskins. Early Sunday morning before the game, I was driving to meet my parents at their hotel when I had the urge to […]
My sons have recently developed a desire that has become quite frustrating. Whether they’re going to school, getting ready for church, or simply playing outside, they want to dress just like their dad—down to the very last detail. If I had one child, that might be a realistic expectation, but with three boys, it has become downright comical. It’s not uncommon for all three of them to be inconsolable with emotion because “my shirt doesn’t have buttons all the way down”, or “dad’s not wearing […]
“Go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” —Jesus Those words seem radical. They don’t make sense. I’d even bet that there’s a temptation for you not to read any further because of how uncomfortable it is to consider their proposition. Would you be willing to sell everything to follow Jesus? The Rich Young Man Of all of the words Jesus spoke, the story of the rich young […]
Someone recently asked me how to experience God more fully—more intimately. They said that God felt distant. And life, well, it was a mess. I know that feeling. And while we fear those moments, while those moments make us feel like a bad Christian, I believe those moments provide us with a unique opportunity to truly encounter something divine. Those moments provide us an opportunity to be present. The question is, will we make that choice? My Greatest Struggle As a […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
