When I made a minor alteration on a marriage license I had to pay the price for second chances, but I didn’t let this judgment dampen the joy of our son’s wedding. Instead, I thanked God that Jesus paid he price for our sins!
Burnout is a huge problem for pastors and leaders. The way to prevent burnout is to draw life from God, not our own self. Then God overflows from our life, to our good works, to our ministry, to our job. We burnout when we rely on our own strength and abilities and give too much to our job and ministry.
You may not think of yourself as a “leader” but if you serve God and care for others then you are a Christian leader, a spokesperson for Christ. Spiritual leadership is not just for the church or ministry — it’s also for the family, community, and business. The people in your sphere of influence, those…
The heart of the Brother Lawrence writings, his letters and conversations, is his personal story of practicing God’s presence. Here are a few of the best excerpts from “Practicing His Presence.”
Cuando estaba en la escuela primaria jugaba juegos de pelota en el recreo. Dos capitanes de pie miraban a un grupo de unos quince de nosotros para decidir quien estará en su equipo. Cada uno de ellos se turnaban escogiendo quien pensaban era el mejor jugador (o que les caía mejor). “¡Tu no… Tu no…
En mi tiempo de quietud y silencio esta mañana oraba para que Dios me ayudara a amar a alguien por quien me he sentido heridor. Esta ha sido una lucha libre durante muchos meses. Jesús nos enseña: “Bendecid a los que os maldicen. Dar a los que les piden. Sed misericordiosos [con los demás] como…
In the later years of high school I learned about Brother Lawrence’s classic book Practicing the Presence of God. Immediately I was won over to the beauty and goodness of a life devoted to praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). But he was a monk from the 17th Century! Could an ordinary person like me in the modern…
Recently Kristi and I were walking through a grove of ancient cedar trees in Montana. I stood next to this GIANT tree. Wow! For hundreds of years it’s been stretching higher and higher into the heavens! I felt so small next to this huge and magnificent creation of God and yet at the same time…
If we let Jesus ravish our hearts will develop crazy love. A fun way to practice this is to skip and sing, “I’m the disciple Jesus loves!” Some people think I’m crazy but it’s the most sane way to be.
Mientras escribo estoy sentado en una silla en un rancho de Montana en el límite de un bosque rodeado de montañas donde Kristi y yo nos quedamos en una cabaña que tiene 100 años de antigüedad. Veo que no hay personas o edificios. No escucho maquinaria, automóviles o aviones – sólo el canto continúo de…