How Cancer Changed the Way I Read the Bible
Cancer shatters illusions, magnifies weaknesses, and strips me of the existence I once knew. Somewhere along the way the lens through which I view each day changed. Though it’s still murky and muddled, I can’t help but notice: To continue reading, pick up a copy of...
The Secret to Making this the Best Summer Ever
Maybe you’ve found yourself crying out to God and all you hear is silence. Maybe you can’t remember the last time you sensed the presence of God. Maybe you’re wondering why God doesn’t make Himself more real in your life, in your situation. Let’s be honest. We all go...
The Bible Says Jesus’ Yoke Is Easy, But Some Days I Doubt
Sitting in the counselor’s office after months of brutal treatment, I felt exasperated by the loss of strength, energy, clarity, sanity. As soon as I finished one treatment, I entered another. Chemotherapy. Radiation. More and more surgeries. The counselor slapped me...
Why Vulnerability is So Hard
All of life is vulnerable. All of love is vulnerable. All of faith is vulnerable. Yet most of us scamper from vulnerability at the mere thought of letting our guard down. Much of my life has been spent sprinting from vulnerability. Sometimes I wonder why. Perhaps the...
7 Signs You’ve Made It As An Author
"Perrier with sprig of parsley, please." Ah yes, people think the life of an author is all glitz and glamor. They have no idea. The private jets. The Bentleys. The New York photo shoots. The summer house in France. Oh wait, that’s someone else’s life. Here’s a...
What’s Your Leadership Made of—Steel or Straw?
“Do you limp?” The inquiry caught me off guard. Popular author Gary Smalley and his team were peppering me with questions, determining if I was the best candidate to collaborate on his next project. “Do you limp?” his mentoree, Ted Cunningham, pressed again,...
One Simple Act that Can Change Your Day, Your Year, Your Life
My stomach plunged when I looked in the empty bag. My laptop gone. How had I allowed this to happen? Again? Leif and I spend more than 180 days per year on the road. This lifestyle means we are strewn about—our bodies, diets, clothes, electronics and possessions. We...
What To Do When God Says No
The Gospel of Mark writer is a master of word economy. Popping verbs. Sizzling accounts. Rampant pacing. In his opening chapter, he omits details of Jesus baptism and temptation, and splices two events side by side in a handful of startling sentences. With cool water...
Hey Small Group Leader, It’s Time For You To Fight Back With Joy
What begins as a gift soon becomes a grind. Endless demands. Pressing deadlines. Unexpected interruptions. The pressure to perform and produce can leave us feeling weary in the marrow of our being. The joy designed to grow into sweet plumpness soon shrivels. Smiles...
What to Do When You’re Ready to Quit, Throw in the Towel, Shout “Enough!”
Jennie Allen convinced me that I had to attend my first ever IF: Gathering in February. “You just have to be there,” she persisted. “I just know it.” One of Jennie’s many giftings is that she’s a persuasive force to be reckoned with. When Jennie knows something deep...
