Rachel is sitting in your parking lot this Sunday. Last week, her husband was arrested. He was dealing drugs. It was a long time coming, but this time he risked their son. Rachel is done. She adjusts the rear view mirror to smile at her son. “Well buddy, it’s you and me. I don’t want you […]
Yesterday, I explained why you need to organize a community event. Today, we will look at how you can make this event happen without burning yourself out. 1. Take 5 business leaders in your community out to lunch. Get to know them a bit, and develop an idea of what a community event will look like. […]
It is summer time, and you wonder – should you create an event for your community? It is just a bunch of hoopla, or will it have lasting impact? You need to spend time investing in your community. Here are 3 reasons why: 1. Gracefulness. “Put your feet and your face in the same direction.” When […]
Sometimes the stress is so bad that when you close your door and try to focus on God, all you get is noise. Your neck is tense, your back feels knotted, and even though you’ve turned off every electronic, there is still noise – the noise in your mind. How do you pray when you […]
Don attends your church every week. He is faithful and friendly. Yet when he leaves on Sunday, he faces 166 hours before he comes back. Lately, his family has been facing health issues. He doesn’t feel 100% most of the time. The stress on his job is increasing, and his wife has been sick quite […]
I was talking to my friend Jen Roach the other day, and she said the most interesting thing. Jen is an Anglican pastor. We were talking about communion. She said: “Of course, we would never be able to take communion without thinking of our baptism.” (that might not be a direct quote, but it is […]
Ever felt like your congregation (or family) was a pressure cooker, and you were the dead meat? Exodus 16 shows us how Moses handled a similar situation. Moses and the Israelites found an oasis not too long after seeing God drown Pharaoh and his chariots. This oasis was called Elim. However, you can’t stay at an oasis […]
Day after day, she goes to work. She has to work to pay the bills, and besides, that is what people do – they go to work. On Monday, she arrives to work, somewhat groggy, but determined to meet the day. Her teammate was apparently partying all weekend, so now she is on her own. […]
One of the hardest things we do is to love people who are mean to us. Even if they aren’t mean, there are people who just ooze dislike. We know they don’t like us, and it is no fun to be around. Our natural reaction is to run away. Once, I worked in an office […]
This winter, I went on an adventure. I decided to meet with women in ministry in the Puget Sound area. One day, I got to sit with Krista Dunk. As I listened to Krista’s story, a marvelous outline arose. Krista has an amazing story. She is a wife and mom of two. She has interpreted […]