While it’s true that a marriage can last a lifetime, the success of a strong marriage isn’t about the number of years; it’s about the depth of the relationship. There are plenty of long marriages that have survived solely on routine. The couple is just used to being together. That’s not the defining characteristic of … Continue reading Remembering the Big Picture
I mentioned yesterday that I used to teach at a Christian school for special needs children. Many of the kids who came to us had known only failure and frustration. Most had suffered bullying and taunting in other places they had gone to school. Our school offered them an environment where they were loved and … Continue reading Focusing on the Endzone
Most fans of American football know the name Vince Lombardi. He coached the Green Bay Packers and won the first two Super Bowls, among other things. He is considered the greatest football coach of all time. So much so that in 1971 the NFL renamed the “Super Bowl Trophy” the “Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Trophy.” … Continue reading Getting the Right Things Right
People put confidence in a lot of temporal things. I realize that sometimes it’s necessary, especially if you’re applying for work. People need to know what you can do, and they would like to see the credentials and experience you have to see if what you’re saying about yourself is legitimate. It’s understandable, but in … Continue reading Confidence in the Right Things
Yesterday, our dog Dawson put himself to bed. Usually, when it gets late, I walk toward our bedroom and the routine is for Dawson to go to his kennel for the night. It used to be a tug-of-war to get him to do that. Then I started using treats as a reward every time I … Continue reading Put Legs on Your Faith
Have you ever noticed how much it affects you when someone you deeply respect rebukes, or encourages you? If they rebuke you, it shakes you to your core and convicts you to do some serious soul searching. If they encourage you, the words can impact your whole life. But when someone you don’t respect says … Continue reading Living the Mind of Christ
In his remembrance of the Philippians’ faith, Paul prays that their love would abound. Increased love in the world is something everyone wants to see. It’s also something everyone thinks they understand, but Paul’s understanding of what love is goes completely against how the world recognizes it. If you follow Hallmark’s or Hollywood’s description of … Continue reading If love were a profile on a dating site, would you recognize it?
People who restore old cars do it because they appreciate the craftsmanship and the story behind them. A classic car is like a work of art. A restored classic car is like a work of art you can drive. Try that with the Mona Lisa the next time you’re at the Louvre and see where … Continue reading Be remembered well
Paul equated Jesus with God in all his epistles, usually in the greeting. When you consider that Paul learned at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the greatest rabbis in Jewish history and that Paul (then Saul) was trained to be a Pharisee, an elite sect of the Jewish religion of the time, equating Jesus … Continue reading Paul’s Radical Greeting to the Philippians
You know those concrete barriers you see on the highway that divide one side from the other? The ones with the skid marks on them from people who got too close? And you know that guy who thinks he can drive in the fast lane until he sees how close the barriers seem to be? … Continue reading Keeping Your Life out of the Hay Bales
Grace in Waves 