Don't confuse being a fast talker with being a deep thinker. Speaking quickly signals confidence, not complexity. Don't mistake volume for expertise. Speaking loudly reflects conviction, not credibility. Sometimes the best ideas come from the least assertive voice in...
01820 – Hope & Love are Everywhere in Our Lives
The signs are all around us. We can see them springing up like wildflowers after the prairie rain. People who had fallen asleep are waking up. People who had been content to watch are wanting to join. People who never said a word are speaking out. The tipping point of...
01798 – Fear of Abandonment
Our deepest fear is that we will be abandoned, left alone. When Christ-followers say, "God be with you" or "Peace be with you," they are speaking directly to something primal, addressing one another's fear with strong reminders of God's abiding presence.
01776 – A New Friendship
Many new friends have come into my life...Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, New Agers, and others—including lots of atheists and agnostics, too. One of the most dramatic of those friendships began in the aftermath of 9/11/2001. Like a lot of churches, our little...
01183 – Service when the Limelight Disappears?
You know, Lord, how I serve you with great emotional fervor in the limelight. You know how eagerly I speak for you at a Women's Club. You know my genuine enthusiasm at a Bible study. But how would I react, I wonder, if you pointed to a basin of water and asked me to...
01101 – What is Belonging?
Belonging is belonging to yourself first, speaking your truth, telling your story, and never betraying yourself for other people.
01024 – What Will You Say?
The trouble with pastors is we are called on to speak more often than we have anything to say.
00984 – Daughters and Sons of God
You are not what you do, although you do a lot. You are not what you have collected in terms of friendships and connections, although you might have many. You are not the popularity that you have received. You are not the success of your work. You are not what people...
00970 – Strive for Total Love
Pray that God will empty you of everything that isn’t love. Speak an extravagant word of grace to someone. Look for words so lavish that their face and yours will turn red.
00750 – Creating Space for God
If we create space in which God can act and speak, something surprising will happen.