Continue to Pause and Pray

Continue to Pause and Pray

From the book Equilibrium: 31 Ways to Stay Balanced on Life’s Uneven Surfaces. The night before I wrote this chapter, I arrived early at a church facility for a prayer meeting. The time with others would be encouraging. The time alone before they arrived would...
Praying With Others

Praying With Others

From the book Equilibrium: 31 Ways to Stay Balanced on Life’s Uneven Surfaces. Most of the biblical instructions about prayer are sent to communities not just individuals. The Psalms were poetic journal entries which turned into national hymns. Prayer isn’t just...
Comments To Students

Comments To Students

As we started the new school year at Emmanuel University, I asked faculty and staff to offer their suggestions to students. I’m including their words here. No matter your age or educational experience, read these thoughts. They apply to each of us. Whatever...
Emmanuel University: Where We Meet God Together

Emmanuel University: Where We Meet God Together

[2] There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. [3] So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” [4] When the...
Be Careful

Be Careful

Be careful about what’s playing in your mental station. Be careful about hitting replay or turning up the volume.  Pursue better thoughts.  Refuse dependence on the applause or approval of others.  Do not rely on feelings.  Trust your Creator rather than all those...
Words From Others

Words From Others

In this blog I’m including words written by other authors. I’m selecting quotes I’ve already used in my books.  I thought about my favorite authors and their books as we had to move all of my many, many, many books to a new office.  A few times I had to open the books...
Pursuing Help

Pursuing Help

From the book Equilibrium: 31 Ways to Stay Balanced on Life’s Uneven Surfaces You might be reading this thinking, “I tried.” You might be reading this thinking, “Nothing worked.” I am sorry.   Sometimes our hurts are so deep the wounds never seem to heal. I...
Thoughts on New Book by Tracy Reynolds

Thoughts on New Book by Tracy Reynolds

I begin most of my mornings writing comments to Tracy Reynolds and reading comments from him. Though miles apart, our early thoughts and words draw us together. Thoughts and words can do that. In Second Chair Leadership: Thriving from Where You Sit in the...
Guests

Guests

Some guests surprise us with a visit. Some guests surprise us when they return for another visit. Some guests surprise us when they don’t run away, but stay a little longer than expected. On a recently Saturday, a guest surprised us. That morning and that afternoon...
An Old Sanctuary

An Old Sanctuary

Some things aren’t very popular these days. Some things have lost their color, their thrill, their demand. But as I sit in an old sanctuary and pray for our church service tomorrow morning, I sense a new appetite for the ancient, the outdated, the bland. What do we...