Archive | Spiritual

If I’m Honest… | The One Thing Our Lives Desperately Need

Rampant, subtle dishonesty ruled my life for many years. My business was booming although it stressed me out, my social media feed showed the smiles instead of the meltdowns, my marriage appeared pure despite the fact that it wasn’t and my conversations delivered what I thought people wanted to hear instead of what was true. With the best intentions I ever-so-gently positioned my life to seem better than it was. It was a vicious cycle that robbed me of authenticity and […]

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Billy Graham is Dead. Evangelism Isn’t.

This week, we celebrated the passing of a man known affectionately as “America’s pastor”. Billy Graham was one of the most prominent figures of this generation, and I would argue that he bridged the gap between religion, politics and popular culture better than anyone in history. But there are others who would disagree. In fact, a scathing article ran in Rolling Stone calling him a “shameless sycophant” and credited him with “transforming evangelical Christianity into a patriotic corporate entity”. Opinions […]

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Wooden Owls, A Flock of Seagulls and Refusing to Live in Fear

There isn’t much to like about seagulls. They’re noisy, obnoxious and invasive. But this weekend, as I found myself wrestling with how to navigate the news, resolve my fears and hold on to joy, a flock of seagulls taught me a fantastic lesson. On Sunday, my wife and I took our four children on an adventure to a neighboring beach community. After a cold weather snap and an above-average flu season, we needed some time out of the house. As […]

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God Isn’t Fair | A Reminder About Imperfection at Christmas

One of the most powerful things about the Christmas story is that it reminds us that God isn’t fair. For years I overlooked the lineage of Jesus. In haste to meet the baby in the manger, I skipped over the long list of too-difficult-to-pronouce names and jumped right to the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But in doing so, I missed an integral part of the story. Matthew’s account of Jesus’s genealogy, includes an incredible description that, I have never […]

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It’s About God

A couple of years ago, I was sitting on an airplane striking up a conversation with the guy beside me. Come to find out, one of his college buddies was a childhood friend of mine. As we continued to chat, he asked where I was headed and I shared that I was going to give a talk to a business group. When he asked what I was speaking about, I mentioned my book. My overview included words like, perspective and […]

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What to do When the Boat is Sinking | Thoughts on Honesty, Control, and Letting Go

You’re in the middle of the ocean. You’re the only person on the boat. And, the boat is sinking.     This is my greatest fear—complete isolation in the middle of the ocean. Yet I have purposefully been visualizing this fear. While some may see it as unnecessary or unproductive to emotionally assume your greatest fear, I have found it empowering. By placing myself in this scenario and choosing to feel the emotion, it has helped me realize that I […]

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Confederate Statues and Taking Sides

There is a fierce battle raging in our country. The events in Charlottesville and the backlash that followed have sprouted bitter fruit from a crippled seed planted long ago. At a quick glance, the conversation is about Confederate statues, racism, and taking sides. Like a schoolyard fight, we line up on one side holding fast to our stereotypes, anger, and hatred for those across from us. But is that really the issue? In a moment of clarity, I feel like God […]

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