Prayers on the Vine
When I think on the life of Jesus and areas I would like to be more like Him, yet still have tremendous room for growth, it’s in the area of prayer. Prayer was vitally important to Jesus in making disciples. In fact, the night before Jesus selected the twelve men whom He would disciple, Luke tells us He went up on a mountainside and spent the night in prayer (Luke 6:12-13). This was not a decision Jesus made lightly; the call to be His disciple was bathed in prayer.
Battling the Lie… and the Other Lie.
Discipleship is a delicate dance, as we help people follow Jesus in real-time. Often, the real-time work is to be done between the ears. Not just theology, but often it’s a Spirit-led exploration of our inner world. Jesus clearly and bluntly lays out His premise as recorded in the latter part of John 8, that He is a truth-teller and the enemy is a liar.
Make Time, Make Disciples!
Have you ever heard yourself say that 4-letter WORD? Maybe you said it with disgust, frustration, or disappointment. I find however that we often say it with a sense of pride. Someone asks, “How are you?, and we quickly reply: “busy”.I’ve noticed that in recent years, the pat reply of “fine” has been replaced.
The Value of Self-Evaluation
Throughout the Hill Country area of Texas, close to where I live, many homes are on well water. The average depth of wells in this area is 600 feet and can be as deep as 1,200 feet. With much of the water trapped beneath granite and limestone, the process of drilling a well can be both time consuming and costly. Yet, it is worth the time and expense as the water these wells provide is not only refreshing, it is truly life giving.
Healthy Environments
While I was in Jr. High and High School, I had the best job that any kid growing up in rural western Nebraska could ask for, spending countless hours farming and ranching for my grandparents. I would spend most summer days operating farm equipment through the fields, working cows, fixing fences, or even from time to time, going to town to get milkshakes! I think about this time often and wonder, what made this job the best job?
Healthy Disciple-Makers Establish the Right Boundaries for Rest
One of the hardest things to explain to people is the mental and emotional whiplash that ministry leaders endure daily.
Trying to explain that burden often sounds like complaining, but we really aren’t complaining! Honestly, we are just trying to process what we are experiencing…
The Intentional Parent
Parenting can quickly become about survival. Let’s be real. For most of us, that’s how it starts. You are a sleep deprived, diaper changing, baby burping machine! The survival mentality only intensifies when you later add in high school baseball games and cheer practice. No matter the life phase of your family, there is a gravity to just trying to get by.
Broken Mirrors
What to do when you realize you’re broken…
Step #1 – Justify yourself.
Step #2 – Marginalizes the person showing you your brokenness.
Step #3 – Counterattack with your list of hidden offenses against them.
Step #4 – Feel sorry for yourself.
Step #5 – Offset your liabilities by highlighting all the good things you do.
Do You Believe What You Are Capable Of?
Worship music hummed in the background, the Bible lay open, kids finally asleep, and my heart prepared to receive something profound. Do you ever have those quiet times when it seems like everything has fallen into place? A Jesus moment where one waits expecting a radical encounter with the Lord? Postured in that space, I was faced with a question…
Walking through Pain
Did you know that the Cape Buffalo is considered to be one of the most dangerous animals in Africa to hunt? I have a good friend who just returned from an African hunt and was bestowing his wisdom to me on the African culture and species. He spoke specifically about the Cape Buffalo, and I found it intriguing, so of course I went down the rabbit hole and researched all I could find on the interesting animal. Their main predators are usually lions, hyenas, large Nile crocodiles, and of course humans.
