Some random thoughts from over the weekend. Planning Planning means action.  Action is taking steps to achieve your dream.  I’m thankful for a clear and defined dream for my family and ministry.  We took some further steps this weekend to defining what that would mean for our stewardship this weekend.  It was fun and inspiring…Read more Monday Musings

Good conversation and good coffee build good friendships.  Facebook, Twitter and my blog are helpful places for social networking.  Those tools can never replace face to face conversations about life, dreams, children, marriage, sports, books, politics, faith, whatever.  Some people use them to avoid face to face conversation.  It's a loss for them and others…Read more Conversational Power

A thoughtful review of Jesus’ use of power is absolutely mind-blowing.  He possessed absolute power and he used it to glorify God by helping others.  He famously overcame the temptation to use his power to serve himself.  He is the only exception I know to Lord Acton’s oft repeated truism, “Power tends to corrupt, and…Read more Obtaining Compassionate Power

Saturday I was meditating on this beautiful passage of Scripture about our Lord. "When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said." Luke 7:13, NLT The Lord wasn't saying to her, "Cheer up" or "Buck up." From deep within His sinless and selfless self compassionate love for this suffering woman…Read more Compassionate Power

http://youtu.be/EXOVP3Tk6Lw

Have you ever prayed that God would open a door for you?  If so you were probably praying for an opportunity.  Perhaps you are praying for an open door of opportunity today.  People often ask me to pray that God will open a door for them to __________.  You can fill in the blank.  Looking…Read more Open Doors

Here's a thought from AWAKENING THE QUIETER VIRTUES by Gregory Spencer (IVP) as you enjoy this Sunday evening and prepare for tomorrow's Labor Day holiday here in the United States. "GENEROSITY OF TIME: A WAY TO THINK ABOUT PATIENCE. One of the louder virtues in American culture is efficiency.  It's what makes the clock of…Read more Can You Extend the Open Hand?

EXPECTATIONS The difference between what you expect and what you receive can be very small but is always significant.  If you expect to receive $100 and get $99 you are disappointed and angry.  If you expect to receive $100 and get $101 you are happy and appreciative.  Always give more than expected even if it is…Read more Expectations by Bobb Biehl

“Some men who seemed impossibly weak at the beginning of SEAL training - men who puked on runs and trouble with pull-ups - made it.  … Some men who were visibly afraid, sometimes to the point of shaking, made it too. All the men who survived possessed one common quality.  Even with great pain faced…Read more God’s Will – Be Strong

"God called you to do good." 1 Peter 2:21, NLT Summer means fresh tomato sandwiches, tomatoes and rice, tomatoes and okra and fried green tomatoes!  There is one special couple at church that hangs a bag of tomatoes on the door to my study when their harvest comes in a couple of times per week. …Read more God called you to do good!