Society loves to keep track of all the “firsts.” From the first person to take a road-trip in a private car to the first person to tightrope across Niagra falls – they’ll be recorded in history forever because they were first. But while everyone celebrates those who accomplish firsts, I’ve got my own heroes – … More Why I Like Being 2nd
How could I suddenly praise God? I barely even knew Him by the time Sunday arrived. I didn’t feel comfortable acting like a saint. Where was the worship service for sinners? … More Joy Comes in the Mourning – A Worship Set for the Broken and Weary
Recently I was taking a walk when I had an encounter that made me wonder, What makes a man? And do I have what it takes to be one? A weathered middle-aged man sat on the steps in front of his apartment smoking a cigarette. Smoke and ash swirled around and settled across its captive like a … More What Makes a Man?
The Odd Couple My 8th grade friend Chad was everything I was not. He was confident, boisterous, profane, and cool. We were the odd couple in our class. Me with my glasses that were two sizes too big for my face and him with his bad-ass attitude. We formed a friendship earlier that year with … More My First and Last Time at a Batting Cage
Sometimes I wish everybody had a DEFCON warning system displayed on their shirt. For those unfamiliar, DEFCON is an alert system the U.S. military uses. It communicates the level of readiness needed to match a perceived aggression. If we all wore our DEFCON meters it could help me know when to keep my head down. “Do … More Avoid Being a Hot Mess by Using This Device
Pew and Far Between After dropping off our toddler in the church nursery, my wife and I walked into the crowded church service to look for a seat. I walked up to a pew that had one man sitting on the outside and an empty space that could fit 4 or 5 people. “Excuse me … More Getting Forrest Gumped at Church
Are you ready to Drain the Swamp? Let’s begin Week 4 with… Breath Prayer THE PRACTICE Notice when you feel off balance this week. Repeat a prayer as you breathe in and out (examples below) The Call of Shame A couple of years ago I was looking for office space to rent in Los Angeles. … More Stop the Game of Angry Hot Potato by Using Breath Prayer
Are you ready to Drain the Swamp? Let’s begin Week 3 with… Fear & Frenemies THE PRACTICE Be mindful this week of any fear, anxiety, or anger you feel while on social media or news sites. Notice the people that might be stoking this emotion within you. For ten seconds, hold these people up before God. … More What Can I Do With My Fear and Frenemies?
Are you ready to Drain the Swamp? Let’s begin Week 2 with… Pray as You Go This week I’m focusing on the practice Pray as you go. OK, maybe it’s more of a podcast than a practice, but I forgive it. THE PRACTICE Download the Pray as you Go app for iPhone or Android. … More Reading the Bible When it’s Boring
What do you get when you Drain the Swamp? Why, an alligator of course. Let’s start off Week 1 with… A Moment of Gratitude A couple of days ago I spent 2 ½ hours listening to the song Opus Number 1. Give it a listen and see if you recognize this hit song. I … More Finding God in the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Sacred Badge of Courage 