John 6: It’s Free
God isn’t asking me to be perfect in order to receive salvation and relationship with him.
The text says that the only work required of us is to believe.
John 5: The Right Focus
If I fully embrace the truth of who Jesus is and what he wants for each person, I will spend more time loving people than judging their actions. If I stop focusing on how I think God should act, I will be able to recognize more of what he is doing all around me.
THE KKK IS COMING TO TOWN
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. I recently heard the news that the KKK is coming to Charlottesville, VA this summer. My first response was anger. I don’t want them here. I don’t want them to have the right to come […]
OUT OF FOCUS
I like action and results. I can’t stand when I see things being done wrong, and I am almost always convinced I could do it better, unless of course that thing is parking a car or building something.
This is a problem because I end up trying to do way more than I should. Even my blog is a reflection of this. I write about teaching, church planting, parenting, and running. I can’t even stay focused on one topic for the blog!
My tagline is grace and imperfection because I need a lot of grace for all the areas of imperfection.
So, here is my latest confession of an area in which I need to give and receive grace.
NAKED WITHOUT SHAME- AN EASTER STORY
Easter is the climax of a story about mankind’s complicated relationship with nakedness and shame. A fateful fall Adam and Eve had open community and access to God in the Garden of Eden. They also had freedom of choice. When they chose to eat forbidden fruit they became ashamed of who they naturally were. They had been naked all along, and […]
UNFINISHED
I don’t want to join the front lines of attack, and I don’t want to hide in bunkers. I want to talk about your kids’ birthday parties, laugh at your story about falling down the stairs in front of everyone, or roll my eyes at cat memes.
I want you to give me room and grace to be wrong, and I want to do the same for you. I want to hold a different opinion without being seen as uneducated or hateful.
STILL NOT PERFECT
That is the internal battle I fight and lose every day. The battle to be better than….well, I don’t know what I am trying to be better than other than better than me.
JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS
No make up, frizzy hair, up six more pounds, and dog poop scented shoes- I was so hot today. I made a drastic and bold decision today. I chose not to wear make up to work. I’d love to say it is because I am liberated and confident in my natural beauty. The truth is I am trying to solve […]
CONFESSIONS OF A POTTY MOUTH
I’m a pastor, and I swear sometimes.
I try not to, but sometimes there are no other words that can quite express exactly the sentiment I want to convey.
For example, I might let a word or two slip when I am out running with my dog, Bruiser. …This is when I lose my sanctified mind!
DOUBT- WHERE WISDOM BEGINS
James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. Why are we here? What is the point? Does life have meaning and value? These questions intrinsically reflect doubt. They implicitly challenge the notions that there is a reason for life and that each one of us is significant. […]