Monthly Archives: April 2024

#inspiration, #spirituality

Headcount

At sporting events they announce how many are in attendance that day. I’m not sure why because the stadiums always look full to me.

I know pastors who are obsessed with headcount. But their effectiveness isn’t measured by how many people hear the message. The question is, how many people heard the word and then did something with it. Those were the ones who were moved.

Audience size doesn’t matter. Remember, God had the people there who were supposed to be there. That is the best measure of headcount…

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#inspiration

Procrastination

Everyone procrastinates. Literally everyone. In her autobiography, Condoleezza Rice admitted to being a procrastinator. If the former Secretary of State does it, what exempts us?

Putting things off just makes them worse. You can change your attitude about procrastination with very little effort. Just make the decision.

Don’t wait! Do it today…

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#inspiration

See What?

When you look at someone, do you see their outer appearance or do you look deeper? Looks are one thing, but there’s so much more.

I encourage you to see through to the heart of others. Everyone has a strong desire to be seen, heard and understood. Let them. Making things about yourself might cause you to miss some things. Some important things!

Take time to get to know people. See what makes them tick. When you let your guard down, you encourage others to do the same…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Rules Rules Rules

We are a society who has been told to “play by the rules.” Rules can sometimes be subjective, open to interpretation.

Games have rules. In football, you are allowed four plays to advance the ball ten yards. If you make it to the end zone you are awarded six points. There are many other rules, but you get my point. Teams have been caught cheating, breaking the rules to try and tilt the game in their favor. There are stiff penalties for cheating, and hopefully those who cheat get caught.

One of the best rules is called the golden rule. The golden rule says to treat others in the same way you want to be treated. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone followed it?

Remember the golden rule as you go through your life. Remember it even more when you encounter difficult people…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Interview With Darrell Scott

This Saturday we will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Columbine massacre. From this unthinkable tragedy came an organization dedicated to creating safer, better connected schools: Rachel’s Challenge. Named for Rachel Joy Scott, the first child killed that day, Rachel’s story has started over 30 million chain reactions of kindness and compassion worldwide since her untimely death.
Catch my interview with Darrell Scott, Rachel’s father, and learn about this remarkable girl and how her story is saving the lives of our young people and reducing/eliminating bullying. #columbine #bullyingprevention #kindness #compassionsion

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#inspiration

Tax Day

On April 15th, Americans file their income taxes for the previous year. Or they have the option of extending the deadline to October 15th. Either way we pay.

I’m happy to pay taxes to support our military and keep our border secure. Our tax dollars should be used to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves, along with our veterans. These are legitimate expenses.

But Congress wastes tremendous amounts of money. They appropriated $3.5 million dollars for parade balloons in Michigan, and they sent $10 million to Pakistan for “gender studies.” Seriously.

Michigan can fund their own balloons and Pakistan can fund their gender studies without our money. It is our money. Government doesn’t produce revenue.

If you agree these are wasteful practices, write your Congressional Representatives. If they hear from enough people and believe they might not get reelected, then their behavior will change…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Power

Power. Everyone wants power, or do they? Perhaps they are seeking control and their perception is that power and control go hand in hand. They don’t.

First, let’s talk about control. The only thing we can control is our attitude. I can’t control what you think about me, and I can’t control whether you like me or not. Attitude is key to everything. It gets us through hell and keeps us going when things are tough.

Power comes from ceding power. That’s right. When we give up our quest to be powerful we actually gain power. Meekness is the best definition for gaining power. Meekness means strength under control. Doesn’t that sound a lot like power?

What we give, we get. And that includes power…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Useful Metaphors

Some things are said so often we can start to believe they are real. I call them “useful metaphors”

“Separation of church and state” is one of those metaphors. Nowhere in any of our founding documents will you find those words written. Yet, there are people who would swear in court that they are there. They are not.

“Follow your heart” is another one. It sounds nice, and it even has a spiritual ring to it. The Bible tells us that we should guard our hearts. The heart is deceitful. We should pursue our dreams, which might be a better way of saying follow your heart.

A true useful metaphor isn’t really a metaphor at all. That one says, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is…”

Stay mindful…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Church

Church is kinda weird. Every week a group of strangers get together, sing, put money in a basket that goes who knows where, listen to someone speak, sing a little more and go home. And people do this voluntarily!

When life gets tough, when the shit hits the fan many people seek refuge in a church. This tells me they believe in a deity, and they believe he can do something about their situation. They are right on both counts, but the solution might not be what they want. Whatever it is, it is good.

Church should be a genuine, welcoming place. A desperate drug addict should feel as welcome as a guy in a suit. If there is a hierarchy of acceptance, I’m not sure God would go for that.

I encourage you to find a church home that allows a lot of margin for the sinful. And remember, that’s all of us…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Greatness

Our world is full of superstars. Athletes, celebrities and public figures catch our attention daily. People revere them. But I ask you, what is greatness and how do you achieve it?

Let’s consider the life of Jesus. He was born a baby. Infants must rely on others to care for them. When Jesus became an adult, he performed countless miracles, but not a single one benefited himself. He redeemed and restored the forgotten, the oppressed and the sick. Jesus did most of his work quietly, not seeking attention. Word spread, even without the aid of the internet, and his popularity grew. Yet, Jesus never made it about himself. His life was focused on glorifying God. That’s it. Through this, Jesus started something that’s affected billions of people for over 2,000 years.

Greatness, true greatness is achieved through service to others along with humility.

Do you want to be great? Follow the example of Jesus…

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