I was recently asked by someone what is normal? I understand the positioning that to be normal is to fit in within a standard of acceptance. In fact, this desire to "fit in" and be "normal" is strong within us. Beginning at an early age we begin dressing the same and acquiring the same fads …
Tag: Jesus Christ
Obsessed With Best?
We often hear the advice, "give our best" and pursue excellence in all we do, and we know this is shared with good intent, but to the perfectionist it is like quicksand - advice that sucks us into a deep abyss of endless pursuit. Going for best can be a stronghold that drives stress, condemnation, …
Hardened By Hardship
At an early age, I had to learn to be strong. My parents divorced when my sister and I were young, and as the older bother, I felt I had to be stable for her. It was hard on both of us to travel between our parents homes - leave one to stay with the …
Time Well Spent
My grandmother and uncle recently passed away and we held their memorial service this past weekend. The chaplain over the service shared the beautiful verses of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Many of us recognize these words through the song, Turn. Turn. Turn. by the Byrds. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every …
When Disillusionment Is Good
Have people ever let you down? Have you ever let yourself down? No matter what it is, if it is if the world, we will always be let down - eventually. Why? Because new things lose their luster, new thrills lose their flutter, and eventually, new places become common. This reality can be quite discouraging …
The Surrender Adventure
Can genuine believers in Jesus Christ be saved yet still live worldly? Only God knows our hearts, but I do know I did not fully experience the peace and abundant life Jesus promises believers until I committed to surrendering my mind, heart, and daily life to Him. I was "a believer", but did not choose …
Greener Grasses
My family has taken our first trip to New England, and it has been a whirlwind. Unlike our usual beach trip where we spend lazy days on the beach, this trip has been on the go seeing all the various coastal towns. Although different, it has been a great adventure. Back home in Georgia the …
Spend Wisely
We only have a certain number of days. The trick is most of us will never know how many those are. One of the radical things my family did was too cancel cable TV. I know - extreme, and I didn't think it was possible at first, but it had to be done. We were …
Victory Over Vanity
Betrayal and rejection - none of us like these realities of life. In fact, we often try desperately to avoid them. Perhaps we faced rejection at an early age, either by parents and/or peers. Maybe we never quite measured up, or "fit in". Maybe we never felt like we actually had approval and acceptance. As …
Once bitten twice shy
As a boy, I will never forget the time I was petting a dog laying on my chest. As I began to get up, the dog glared at me with a wild-eyed gaze. Something snapped and he sprang at my face, ripping my upper lip with his front fang. Blood poured everywhere. Thankfully, a skilled …
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