Avarice is commonly used to define greed or selfishness in terms of wealth. However, I want to open a dialogue of some lesser known ways where avarice might present itself. Recently I was caught in between a dream and waking up thinking about the story in Mark 10 where Christ is talking with a man … Continued
A couple weekends ago I went on my own self-led weekend sabbatical. I wasn’t totally sure of my plan — or even my final goal of my getaway — but come Friday evening I took off. With my cell phone off and an empty house in Indiana awaiting me, my journey began. My intent for … Continued
It is amazing to consider how it is that God made us to be so attracted to people who are different from us. In fact, most of our early attraction includes a decision to find people who are not like the parts of ourselves we least like. Back in the beginning of your relationship, the … Continued
In our work, we hear the word “blessing” thrown around a lot. So let’s talk about blessing. Blessing is love — but love applied in a very specific way. Blessing is love and unconditional positive regard, given to someone (or part of someone) who hasn’t been experiencing it. And as small as that might sound, … Continued
“God comes to you disguised as your life,” says Paula D’Arcy, an author, retreat leader, speaker, playwright, and former psychotherapist. When I first read this, I was puzzled. I wasn’t sure what she meant. And yet I was intrigued and kept pondering her thought. In Luke 7, that lonely widow from the tiny village of … Continued
“No man is a leader until his appointment is approved by the people that he leads.” John Maxwell How often do we hear someone complain that teens lack respect? There is an expectation that they should listen to and respect us because we are adults. We draw from our own experience. When we were younger, … Continued
A few weeks ago, I had to run an errand and drop off dry cleaning. I had all four of my kids in the car with me. I pulled into the lot and aimed my car between two parked cars on either side of me. No problemo. One of my sons came inside with me … Continued
One of my favorite movies is the Godfather. My favorite scene comes near the beginning of the film. Vito Corleone (the Godfather) is recovering in a hospital from an assassination attempt. Michael Corleone (his youngest son) goes to visit him, but when he notices the guards are missing, he realizes a second assassination attempt is … Continued
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (New Living Translation) I have been thinking quite a bit about GRACE lately. In fact, I … Continued
Last year at this time I had written about reflecting on your year in order to step into the New Year. That article can be found here. In order to step forward into setting expectations for the new year, it is important to pause and reflect beforehand. Be sure and take a day or so … Continued
