If You Fall

“It’s one thing to fall, but an entirely different thing to stay there in the mess. “ If your phone fell in a toilet, you’d take immediate and drastic measures before using it. If you stepped in a puddle of vomit, you’d clean your shoes before going out for dinner. But often, we are not as quick to make necessary adjustments when it comes to sin in our lives.   Everyone takes a wrong step at times.  God Himself says we all sin, we all fall short.  So, if you fall, if you step into sin, if the devil wins…

Can you mess up God’s plans for your life?

“God is not caught off guard by your decisions. “ How did I end up here? Maybe I should have chosen a different path… Maybe I shouldn’t have taken this job… Maybe I shouldn’t have dated that person… Maybe I…   There’s a sinking feeling when you start second guessing a decision you’ve made. Sometimes in life, your circumstances might seem like a mess created by choices you made weeks, months, or even years earlier. It’s natural to think… “Did I miss out on God’s plans for me?  Did God have a great plan for my life, but I messed it…

Something More To Be Found In The Mess

“Before the fog had cleared… before the “happy ending” …before Job ever knew he would see a light at the end of the tunnel, he found something priceless. “ When you’ve been beaten to the ground, there is little comfort in hearing that you will be able to help others in the same situation someday.   It is true that one of the greatest spiritual joys in life can be helping others out of the same difficulties you have faced in the past. (More on that here.)  But let’s be honest… In the depths of the messiest moments of life, your first…

Better Than Yourselves

“This is especially critical if you serve in any kind of ministry role.  “   Some people are easy to love. Some people are not.   What does “love your neighbor as yourself” really mean?  Is it more of a metaphorical or figurative mindset?  Or does it really mean that we are to demonstrate love to everyone we come across… waiting in the check-out line, sitting in church, driving down the road, at the family reunion, in the break-room at work?   I believe Jesus called us to really love people.  All people. Openly. Actively. Genuinely. Not just those who you…

The Rearview Mirror: Perspective, Not Direction.

[su_quote]Your journey is not finished; so don’t waste it staring in the rearview mirror.[/su_quote] I’ve wished a lot of time away. …some of it was missed preoccupied with the future. …some of it was wasted trapped by the past.   The rearview mirror is an important tool.  But in order to drive, you need to keep looking forward – only glance at the rearview mirror as needed.   Chained and Restrained Rearview gazing can be dangerous.  It can stir up all the wrong things, and pull you back like quicksand.  Some people waste months, years, or even a lifetime hopelessly staring…