John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.” New Living Translation The word ‘surrender’ makes us uncomfortable and it is probably not the first word that comes to mind at Christmas! We associate surrender with loss, quitting or throwing in the towel. No one wants to put their hands up in the air, wave the ...
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What’s your family’s favorite Christmas Tradition? That’s a question I always ask in artist interviews around this time of year. Mark Hall, of Casting Crowns, gave me one that is absolutely theft worthy. When his children were younger, he started the Christmas Tradition of hiding pieces of their Nativity Set. The family would then search for the pieces like an Easter Egg Hunt! Here’s where it gets really creative: whatever piece you find, you ...
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My dog, Oakley, would play tug-o-war and fetch 24 hours a day, 7 days a week if we played along with her. She especially loves the tug-o-war part. The moment we come and sit down in the living room…there she is with her favorite toy, ready to play. And as soon as you take ahold of the end that she offers you – it’s on! She will twist, pull, tug, ...
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"I'll wait with you at the hospital." "I want to see your performance." "I'll come hang out with you." There's magic in those three statements, don't you think? The gift of your presence is a treasure, especially in a world that values independence, and where we know more people via social media than face-to-face. One of my favorite themes at Christmastime is the fact that Jesus was called, Emmanuel, which means, "God with us." ...
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My 14-year-old, very perceptive son, Elijah, remarked after my mother, his grandmother, passed just a few months ago. “ Dad, how can you be so strong?” His question came from his observation of my attitude and actions during the illness leading up to and death of my mother. While everyone was weeping over the loss of Mother, my mind was focused solely on getting My Dad and family comforted and ...
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Two weeks ago today we were waking up to hear the tragic news about Las Vegas. It took our breath away, broke our hearts and if you're like me, caused you to question, "why?" Why did one person feel so much hate toward innocent people, many of them splurging on a trip and concert to celebrate big life events, anniversaries, Birthdays, etc.? What happened Sunday October 1st sent a lot of us ...
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If you’re a parent, and especially a parent of multiple children, you know what an exhausting, thankless job it can be. It seems like someone’s always upset, complaining, or just plain whining about something. And it almost seems like the kids get together and coordinate their timing so you don’t get much of a rest period. But hopefully, at least one day a year when Mother’s Day and/or Father’s Day ...
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After battling stage four breast cancer for a year, my 80 year old mother passed away. I know death is a part of life but it still feels a little surreal. For as long as I can remember, she would send an email and it would be waiting in my inbox every morning. I would always respond briefly and then go about my work day. When we found out about a year ...
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”What do you want to be known for?" My Pastor Andy Stanley asked that from the Catalyst Stage, and provoked thought inside both myself and an arena filled with others. Leaders young and not so young were all taking the time to invest in themselves, and their team, to gain clarity and multiply their impact. This message resonates with me daily, and as I prepare to attend my seventh Catalyst Conference at ...
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“No raging storm can ever defy one word of faith My heart remains sure in the wind, sure in the waves You are the anchor for my soul You won't let go” With all of the literal storms around us these days, those words about Jesus’ character remind us of His faithfulness. That’s from one of my favorite Michael W. Smith songs and while I have played so many great songs by Michael throughout ...
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