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My hero will always be my dad
No matter how I think about life, or the biggest influencers, or who has had an impact on me in my ministry, my family, etc., the one that will always come out on top will be my dad. He has lived simply all his life. He taught me hard work, deep loyalty, great joy, love for family, and above all,…
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Being a DAD helps make me be a better MAN
Whether or not you have kids, there are some things that apply here. The main thing is this: responsibility. There is a big difference, gentlemen, between being a “baby daddy” and being a DAD. We have too many “baby daddies,” (and we seem to be very proud of that these days) and very few DADS. Being a DAD helps you to…
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The mistakes I hope I haven’t made as a father
I was thinking about Father’s Day and my boys and how much I have loved watching them grow. It’s easy for me to count the ways I could have done things better. But I was also thinking about how it’s nearly impossible to be selfish AND a father. Narcissisism and father are not good partners. I hope I have NOT…
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Saul and the Witch at Endor
Spoiler alert: 1 Samuel doesn’t end well for Saul. In Chapter 28 we have the story of Saul visiting the witch at Endor. He visits a medium to conjure up the spirit of Samuel. There are so many side issues to explore in this story, which is why I like the voice of Walter Brueggemann when it comes to Old…
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Today is a day to walk and pray
Today is one of those prayerful days. I will actually take more time by walking my way to work, praying each step of the way. We have a neighborhood party tonight at our church and I want to walk through the area and bless it with prayer before we bless it with fun! Lord, help me to take more time…
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The Bitter in Soul Welcome Here
2 And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.(1 Sam. 22:2, ESV) If there is anything I could tell anyone at any time it is this: your discontent is welcome at our church. The…
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We Get the Leaders We Deserve
I am referring to Saul in 1 Samuel, but I don’t mind the parallels it might draw to our present day politics. 😉 Israel rejected God as “king” and wanted what everyone else had. Okay, I can’t help but think of parallels to the American Church as well… Israel got the king they deserved. He looked like a king (or “presidential” as…
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Snapshots of 1 Samuel
I wanted to jot down some quick observations of the characters in 1 Samuel: Hannah — the picture of desperation. This is a woman who wouldn’t let go until God answered. We need Hannah’s in our day. Eli — a man losing control. He couldn’t get his sons in line and favored them over the duties of his job as…
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The Mark of a Leader
2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him. (1 Sam. 22:2, NIV) The mark of a great leader isn’t that they seem to be able to hire great people. The mark of a great leader is that they take the people they have…
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The days we flee to Gath
1 Samuel 21 David was on the run from Saul. There is a show on cable I’ve not watched but a friend of mine loves it. It’s called “Dog the Bounty Hunter.” This guy named Dog is a bounty hunter in Hawaii. My friend loves that plotline because if you’re a criminal who jumped bail… where do you go? You’re on…
