Happy New Year!
(No, that's not the phrase, lol!)
I hope your 2025 is off to a great start. :)
So, I've never been someone who chooses a "word of the year." But for the past two years, I've given it a try. I would say the results have been... mixed.
To be honest, I am not 100% sure what it means to have a word of the year. I understand the concept: you choose a word to focus on. In theory, it's a good idea. But after a couple of weeks go by and the shine of the new year wears off, I usually forget about it. I don't mean I literally forget what word I've chosen. (That would be kind of funny, though. What was my word again?!) I just mean I get swept away in the routine of life, and I lose focus of it for weeks or months at a time.
A Look Back at Past Words
In 2023, my word was simplicity. And ironically, my life seemed to get more complicated! I faced several issues, and one of them was burnout from trying to do too much. I took a sabbatical from writing for most of that year. I got a job helping a photographer friend with client management and social media.
On the positive side, choosing simplicity helped me be okay with taking a break. As I look back on that tough season, I see how God was working. Doing something different gave me the time and space to reflect on my life and how I wanted to move forward. By the end of 2023, I felt renewed and ready to get back to my writing. I am grateful for that time (and for my friend who gave me the opportunity to build a new set of skills).
Then in 2024, I chose the word health. I turned 40 the year prior, and I wanted to make a more conscious effort to take care of myself. This is especially important because of my cerebral palsy. If I am not taking deliberate steps to improve, it is much easier to regress.
I've made some progress in this area. I started seeing a martial arts instructor. He's been working with me on many things, especially my breathing and flexibility. These are two important areas to focus on if you have CP. I am grateful to him. Robert, if you are reading this, thank you, my friend!
At the same time, I've also had some health challenges. I've shared about my fainting episode earlier this year that required me to get some tests. I am still not completely over the hill yet, but I hope to be soon!
I share all that to say this: I think choosing a word of the year can be helpful in some aspects, but it is not anything "magical." It can provide you with direction at the start of the year. But my advice is to hold on to the word loosely because God may have other plans in mind. Or he might have a different interpretation of the word than you do! That was the case when I chose simplicity. The journey was different from what I thought it would be. But in the end, God taught me something.
And, of course, if choosing a word of the year isn't your thing, don't do it. We are all different, and God has different methods of working in us.
My Phrase for 2025
I did not think I would do a word of the year in 2025. But a few weeks ago, I was out on my scooter, and a three-word phrase hit me like a ton of bricks!
I was thinking about how often I am frustrated with myself for not getting "enough" done. If I can be vulnerable for a moment, sometimes I feel like a leaf blowing in the wind. I have so many ideas—so many projects I could be working on—that it's hard to focus.
We live in a "hustle" culture. As 21st-century Americans, one of the biggest idols we are tempted to worship is productivity. There's always a new hack or system designed to help you do more. There are articles written with titles like 7 Things to Do Before Breakfast to Squeeze More Out of Your Day!
I've tried some of these productivity systems. I don't think they are all bad. I like learning new ways to get things done. (One of my favorite podcasts is All It Takes Is A Goal by Jon Acuff. He has a great perspective on goals/productivity.) But the problem comes when we see efficiency as the end-all-be-all (AKA, as a god). We rush through the day like our hair is on fire! And that is a recipe for allowing life to pass you by.
At the end of the day, maybe we've checked everything off our to-do list. But if we keep our heads down the whole time, just trying to "make it through" another day, we miss the opportunities God puts in front of us. Opportunities to love and serve others. Opportunities to reflect and be grateful. Opportunities to rest in God's grace.
As all these thoughts were swarming in my head, this phrase came to me:
Slow but purposeful.
I felt God telling me to slow down. Do less. But when I do take action, make it purposeful.
This is the point of that old "The Tortoise and The Hare" fable, right? The hare runs around as fast as he can but doesn't put much thought into it. The tortoise moves slowly, but all his strides have the same goal. Every step he takes has a purpose.
It's easy to feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. And yet, it's amazing how often I move through the day without purpose.
"I'll just check Facebook real quick before I start writing." Then I look up, and 30 minutes have flown by!
"I'll just watch this one 5-minute YouTube video before I start writing." Down the rabbit hole! One video turns into 5 or 6 more!
I want to become more aware of what I do throughout the day. This is how Jesus lived his life. He was never in much of a rush. But boy, did he move with purpose!
Slow but purposeful.
Goals for This Year
So, what will this look like for me? Well, in my work life, I have two big goals.
The first is to publish my next devotional book. I finished the final chapter last week. But there is still a lot to do to get it ready for publication. It can seem overwhelming, but not if I take small, purposeful steps.
The second is to continue publishing content to my newsletter every week. While I want to focus on the book, I don't want the newsletter to grind to a halt. On the contrary, I would like it to be more consistent!
To do this, I plan to write shorter devotionals and publish them every Friday. On some weeks, I may share something I've been pondering. On other weeks, I may choose a scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary and use it as a starting point for my thoughts. Either way, the content week to week will be less connected than when I am writing material for a new book. I think this will be a refreshing change!
Practically speaking, this will look like writing for two hours per day before doing any other business-related tasks (or checking Facebook/YouTube/etc.). Two hours a day of writing doesn't seem like a lot. But based on my experiences, it's the perfect amount of time before I start to tire out. In fact, it has taken me about two hours to write this newsletter!
Slow but purposeful.
I feel hopeful these three words will keep me moving toward my goals consistently and manageably.
But as always, we will see where God takes me!
What about you? Do you have a word/phrase/goal/resolution for the year?
If so, let me know.
I would love to encourage you as we begin 2025 together!
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The Defaced Dollar Bill Dilemma: A Christmas Reflection
A few weeks ago, I was hanging out with a friend, and he said, "Oh, there is something I've been wanting to show you. I don't know what to do about this."
I was intrigued.
He proceeded to reach into his wallet and pull out a dollar bill. He told me he got this dollar bill as part of some change he received from a fast food place. It was a crisp, fresh bill. But written on it—in some of the best handwriting I've ever seen, by the way—was a vulgar statement about God.
Actually, it was three vulgar statements. I can't repeat them here. I'm not even sure how to describe them in a PG way!
My friend wanted to know what he should do with this dollar bill. He didn't want to spend it and put it back in circulation for others to read. So he wanted my advice. And I confess, I wasn't much help in the moment. I was kind of stunned by it.
Whoever wrote this was clearly angry at God. As I said, this wasn't just a careless scribble. They put time and attention into writing a creative message meant to insult and degrade God. It was, in its own way, a work of obscene art. And the artist wasn't simply apathetic to God as some people may be. No. For whatever reason, they saw God as bad news.
But I started thinking this week... Isn't it interesting that the message of Christmas is the exact opposite of this? When the angel came to visit the shepherds on that first Christmas night, this is what he said:
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:10-12, NIV)
The angel was making a bold claim. In that culture, the Savior of the world was said to be the important guy living in the palace—Caesar! But now this angel says the true Savior is actually a newborn baby who, at this very moment, is lying in a messy feeding trough. And these lowly shepherds get a personal invite to go see him.
I've seen the movie The Polar Express about 100 times. From that statistic, you may think it's a personal favorite of mine. But actually, 99 of those times have been in the past two weeks! We put it on for our 3-year-old son, Emmett, and he became instantly hooked.
There is one moment in the movie that I love. After overcoming a series of mishaps, the Polar Express train has finally reached the North Pole. The conductor has done everything in his power to keep the train on course. And now he can hardly believe they've arrived. As he looks out from the train, he laughs with joy. He then covers his mouth with his hands and begins to weep with relief. It has been a long night, and you can sense how cathartic this moment is for him.
I wonder if this is how the angels felt on the night Jesus was born. Just as the conductor's joy came after a long night of challenges, the angels' celebration marked the culmination of God's plan to bring salvation to the world. God had set this plan in motion thousands of years ago. It had been a bumpy ride (literally for Mary since she probably rode a donkey to Bethlehem!). But now the moment was finally here. No wonder the angels couldn't contain themselves and cried out, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests" (Luke 2:14).
Could this baby really be good news of great joy for all the people? Even for people who see him as bad news and deface dollar bills with vulgar messages?
Yes!
This is the magic of Christmas.
We are all invited to go to the manger and gaze at this helpless baby who will soon save the world—not by force, but by sacrificially giving up his life.
There is hope for all of us.
When I saw what was written on that dollar bill, I didn't know how to respond. Part of me was angry at the person for being so angry at God. My friend and I brainstormed some options:
Maybe he should burn the bill so that no one else would ever have to read it.
Maybe he should do a good deed with the bill and use it to buy food for a homeless person. Kind of a "What you intended for harm, God intended for good" (Genesis 50:20) take on it.
Maybe he should write a positive counter-message on it. Something like, "God loves the person who wrote this."
Maybe he should turn it into the bank and let them decide what to do.
We even decided to consult a higher power about it. And by "higher power," I mean my dad. We were confident he'd know what to do! So I called him up and explained our dilemma. His answer surprised us: He suggested we buy a scratch-off lottery ticket with it. (And, I assume, give the winnings away to charity.)
We weren't sold on any of these ideas. But as my friend and I kept talking, we started to have more compassion for the person who wrote it.
Who knows what this person is going through or what kind of pain they are dealing with? Who knows what they have experienced that made them want to direct so much anger toward God?
If I sat down with them face-to-face, what story would they tell me?
Finally, my friend said, "What if I just keep this and pray for whoever wrote it?"
I thought that was a great idea. Better than anything I came up with! Because no matter how far from God this person may seem, Christmas says there is hope for them.
And no matter how badly I mess up or you mess up, Christmas says there is hope for us.
The crying baby in the manger really is good news for all of us. His cries ring with hope. They remind us that, as the song goes,...
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled."
We sometimes go to great lengths to separate ourselves from God.
But God goes to greater lengths to reconcile us back to him.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Messy Christmas!
—
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How Do We Take Our Thoughts Captive?
Hello,
It's been a little while since my last post. I will resume our Rich Fool parable series soon. But today, I wanted to share a little of what has been going on with me. (And, hopefully, offer you some encouragement in the process!)
The past month has been a bit of a whirlwind for me. Back in August, I had a little "episode" (not sure what else to call it...) where I passed out. I am okay—it was probably a combination of the Florida heat and dehydration. But to be on the safe side, I've been getting a few tests on my brain. (And so far, they've all confirmed that I do, in fact, have one!)
Doctor visits take up time. And, as you probably already know from your own experiences, they also take up energy. Mental energy, emotional energy, etc. And so, I haven't been able to focus much on my writing. It's one of those things where you say, "I'll get a fresh start on it tomorrow." And then four weeks go by, and you can't believe it!
It's easy for me to feel guilty in times like these. I put expectations on myself, then beat myself up when I don't meet them. I am sure you can relate to this in some aspect of your life, whether it's family, work, or spiritual growth. So today, I want to share a little of what's been helping me through this time.
One thing that takes a toll on our energy is the thoughts we think. Lately, I have been pondering these words from Paul:
Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Oh, wait... That's the wrong Paul! And as much as I love that song (I think it's my favorite Beatles song), that's the kind of thinking that can bring us down. Here are the words I've been pondering from the other Paul:
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3–5, NIV. Emphasis mine)
Our negative thoughts and worries weigh us down. But Paul tells us we have access to a divine power capable of completely demolishing them. He tells us to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." But I have to be honest—that sounds so cliche. I have heard that verse so many times. And the trouble is, when you get so familiar with Bible verses, they tend to go in one ear and out the other. I want to tell Paul, "Okay, buddy, that's nice. But I am having real fear and anxiety here. So can you give me some practical steps to take?"
But this week, I've been trying to take Paul's advice. What would it look like to take every thought captive? What does that even mean?
I think it means bringing every thought we have to Jesus and asking him to bring his peace and his truth to it. Every worry we have about our health. Every worry we have about whether we are checking off enough boxes on our to-do list. Every worry we have about tomorrow. If we have any thought that makes us anxious or fearful, we bring it to Jesus.
But this, of course, is easier said than done. I recently read that we have up to 60,000 thoughts per day! How many of those thoughts are bringing us fear, anxiety, and stress?
I am no expert, but I have found two things that may help when it comes to the battle of taking thoughts captive.
The first is to focus on today. Jesus tells us, "Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34). In that same sermon, he tells us to ask for daily bread (6:11).
Sometimes there is so much going on that our goal is to "just make it through the day." And that is a perfectly fine goal on some days. But if we string too many of those days together, then we end up "just trying to make it through a life." And that will be a scary thing to look back on.
Jesus gives us grace for each day. I am trying to find the joy in every moment. I can complain about having to go to a doctor's appointment. Or I can see the car drive to the doctor's as a moment of connection for me and Diana. Grabbing a chocolate cake pop on the way home can be a small reward for getting through the visit. Instead of trying to make it through the day, I am attempting to remain present even in the hard stuff because I know Jesus is in it with me. I don't get this right as often as I would like to, but I am becoming more aware of it, which is the first step.
The second thing is to have a community around you. Community is important at all times, but especially in stressful times. (But the best time to build that community is in the non-stressful times!)
If something is weighing you down, let a friend know. A thought is easier to take captive when we say it out loud. It loses its power. And when said out loud in community, you have a whole team of people ready to pounce on it! They can help you capture it and pin it to the ground.
This is a little of what I have been pondering lately. Thank you for allowing me to share it!
—
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5 Things I've Learned About Making Peace With Others
This year, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to make peace with others. Like everyone else, I have less-than-perfect relationships in my life. The brokenness in this world—and in myself—causes fractures between me and the people I care deeply about.
I believe sin is anything we do that breaks the Shalom (the peace) we have with God, others, or ourselves. (I didn’t make that up myself. But it’s the best definition of sin I’ve ever heard.) Sin divides us. But Jesus offers us a path to restore those broken relationships.
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus unveils a new way of living. He is like a king giving his inaugural address. He shows us what it looks like to live as citizens of God's Kingdom.
Jesus' vision is strange to us because God's Kingdom runs contrary to how humans normally operate. Sure, his ideas may seem cute and cuddly, but it's hard to imagine living them out in the "real world."
But that's the beauty of it all! If we open our imaginations to Jesus' way of life, we can experience a taste of heaven right here and now.
Jesus opens his inaugural address with a series of upside-down blessings. We may expect a king to say, "Blessed are the strong," or "Blessed are the popular." But instead, he says things like this:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9, NIV)
Jesus values peacemaking in his kingdom. And I want to share five things I've learned about making peace with others.
These five things are not "steps" to take. I wouldn't call them "tips" either, because that makes the whole thing sound too easy. You can't systemize peacemaking. It's messy work!
These are just five things God has taught me over the past few months. So please take whatever is helpful to you, and feel free to share with me what God has taught you about peacemaking.
Okay, here we go...
1. Peacemaking is What Residents of God's Kingdom Do
As I said above, peacemaking is a core tenet of God's kingdom. If we are followers of Jesus, then we are peacemakers. There's no way around it!
No, we won't do it perfectly. We won't always get it right. But that's why we need Jesus to guide us.
For much of my life, I was a peacekeeper. I've never liked conflict. So, when problems came up, especially among family, I tried to keep the peace and make everyone happy.
But peacekeeping will exhaust you. It involves managing other people's emotions.
If I know Person A doesn't like Person B, I try to make sure they're never in the same room together.
If Person C and Person D have different views on a topic, I try to make sure that topic never comes up.
If Person E is easily angered, I always agree with them, even if I secretly disagree.
Does any of this sound familiar? I feel myself getting anxious just thinking about these scenarios!
Peacemaking is different. As a peacemaker, my goal is not to manage or change the other person. I know the only person I can control is myself. So, instead of passively trying to control situations, I choose to extend peace to others. This requires wading into tough conversations and acknowledging disagreements. It's difficult work!
In his series of blessings, Jesus also gives this one:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6, NIV)
"Righteousness" seems like one of those churchy, Bible-y words. But all it means is to live in right relationship with God and others. As citizens of God's kingdom, we value being in right relationship with everyone. (Or, as the 13-year-old version of me might put it, being "cool with everyone.")
When a relationship is not right, whether with our spouse or the employee behind the fast food counter, we work to fix it. But we can't control how the other person responds.
It reminds me of Paul's words to the Romans:
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:17–18, NIV)
2. The Other Person is Messy, Broken, & Loved by God... Like Me!
Let's get specific. Think of a person you long to make peace with. You may have several people in mind, but start with one. It could be a difficult family member who makes things tense at every holiday gathering. Or maybe it's a coworker who constantly disrespects you.
I've learned that before I can make peace with someone, I need to reframe my view of them. I need to see them as a person who is messy and broken, and yet deeply loved by God.
This doesn't mean I ignore or overlook the ways they've hurt me. (That would be peacekeeping as opposed to peacemaking.) But it does mean I acknowledge that they have hurt in their life, too. I don't know all the things they're dealing with right now. Their anger may have nothing to do with me.
I also don't know what God is doing in their life. They are on a journey just as I am—a journey that's not in my control. So, before I do anything else, it's wise to ask God for wisdom and guidance.
A simple prayer might be, "God, I long to make peace with this person. But I can't do it without you. You know more about this situation than I do. You know what is going on in their life. You know the struggles they are going through. Please guide me as I attempt to make peace with them."
Along those same lines, I need to recognize I am not perfect, either. I am a broken person who needs grace every day. Thankfully, I, too, am deeply loved by God.
Peacemaking begins with having compassion for both the other person and ourselves.
3. Move Toward the Other Person With Love & Truth
I got this phrase from Tim Tedder, a counselor I saw many years ago. He always encouraged me to move toward others "in love and truth." Recently, I've been reflecting on what good advice this is.
Love without truth is a symptom of peacekeeping. We don't want to "rock the boat," so we hold in how we feel to keep the peace.
But truth without love also finds its roots in peacekeeping. How so? Well, when we hold in our true feelings long enough, we begin to grow resentful. And one day, the cauldron bubbles over, and we spew out words that may be true but are also filled with rage. The other person is taken aback by this. They had no idea we felt like this for so long.
Recently, I was in a situation where I needed to move toward another person in love and truth. They had said some things that I did not agree with. If I tried to ignore it, I knew resentment would build in me, and it would hurt our relationship in the future. So, I decided to be a peacemaker.
It wasn't easy. It took me out of my comfort zone. I even started the conversation with, "Hey, it's hard for me to say this. But I've been trying to move toward others in love and truth..."
In the end, the conversation made our relationship stronger.
4. Be Bold! Be Specific!
As I've tried to move toward people in love and truth, I've realized I can't expect them to read my mind. I need to be specific about what I want. And that means I need to know what I want!
This will entirely depend on the situation. But it's worth thinking about before reaching out to the other person.
Are you seeking forgiveness from someone? Then, when you reach out to them, apologize and ask for their forgiveness.
Or maybe you have been hurt by someone. Part of moving toward others in love and truth is being honest about your feelings (the truth part) while also not thinking the worst of them (the love part).
Imagine your cousin said some mean things about you at Uncle Pete's birthday party. You haven't talked since. Peacemaking might look like reaching out and saying, "Hey, your words at the barbecue really hurt me. But I love you, and I don't want to lose our relationship. I want to hear your perspective on this. Can we meet for coffee next week and talk through this?"
Peacemaking is difficult because it requires you to be vulnerable. And being specific about what you are seeking opens yourself up to be rejected.
That person may never forgive you.
Your cousin may say no to meeting for coffee.
It hurts.
But that's why the final thing to remember is so important...
5. Leave the Outcome up to God (& Keep a Soft Heart)
Earlier, I said that peacemakers don't try to control other people. They recognize the other person is on their own journey with God.
If you've done everything you can to make peace with someone, but it's not reciprocated, trust them to God. They may be fighting battles you don't know about. It may have nothing at all to do with you.
Above all, ask God to keep your heart soft for them. Resist the temptation to grow bitter. Because one day, you may get a phone call out of the blue. And like the prodigal son, what they'll need from you isn't a lecture but a welcome home party.
As we close, I have one more tip I thought of as I wrote this. (Okay, okay, I said these aren't tips... One more thing I've learned.)
Peacemaking is best done when you have a community supporting you. As you begin the process of making peace with someone, tell at least one fellow Jesus follower who you trust. They can pray for and support you through the process. They can be a source of wisdom and encouragement. They can remind you that God loves you no matter the outcome.
And there's peace in knowing that.
—
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The Power of Love (Or, What I've Been Up To...)
I hope your summer has been going great! In my last email, way back in May, I told you I'd be taking June off (kind of). Although I took a break from writing, it was a busy month! Today, I want to update you on what I've been up to...
Staycation
I turned 41 on June 9th (41 seems so anticlimactic after the big hubbub of 40!). I celebrated with breakfast at Cracker Barrel! Then we had a mini staycation for a few days. For those wondering—we didn't go to the waterpark because we had thunderstorms that week. But Diana and I went to the movies one day and saw Young Woman and the Sea. It was about the true story of Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel. We really enjoyed it! It was a pretty faithful retelling with a hopeful message. It's already out of theaters, but if you can find it streaming anywhere, I'd recommend it.
New York Trip
Toward the end of June, I went to New York with my mom and dad. The trip started out a bit rocky. We had a 7 a.m. flight, and when we woke up bright and early at 4 a.m. (though it wasn't bright!), we found out it was canceled due to bad weather. We managed to get on a flight later that afternoon. It was one of the bumpiest rides I've ever been on! Lots of turbulence. Even the flight attendants were required to stay seated for most of the flight. But on the plus side, I spent a lot of the time in prayer! ;)
We had a few reasons for going on the trip. The first was to attend a memorial for my Aunt Alice, who passed away back in March. She lived in California, but most of our family still lives in New York, so that's where we had the gathering.
Aunt Alice was also my godmother and a truly generous person. She loved books. I remember being a kid and receiving those Disney "I Can Read" books from her in the mail. When I got a little older, she'd send me Hardy Boys mysteries. She was one of the people who helped me develop a love for reading!
Although it was sad, I am glad we honored her memory by gathering and sharing stories. I also saw some cousins I hadn't seen in a while.
Me and my cousin, Rich.
While in New York, I also had an appointment with my podiatrist (AKA, foot doctor). It is good to see him every couple of years since he knows a lot about cerebral palsy. He said he saw an improvement in me, which I am grateful for. (This year, I've been focusing on doing exercises that improve my flexibility.) He took my foot braces and is currently refurbishing them. I should be getting them in the mail any day now. In the meantime, I am wearing an old backup pair. They are not perfect, but they'll do. :)
And since we were in the city, I couldn't help but see a couple of musicals! I saw Merrily We Roll Along and Back to the Future: The Musical. I might write about Merrily in a future newsletter. There is a lot I can say about its themes and how it relates to God.
Back to the Future is a fun show, especially if you are a fan of the movie (and it's my favorite movie!). It won't win any awards (in fact, it didn't win any Tony Awards!), but it will make you smile.
The most amazing thing to me was the technical aspects. They drove a DeLorean on stage. At the end of the show (spoiler alert!), it lifted off the ground and flew into the audience! (Okay, technically, it just hovered above the first couple of rows, but it was still pretty cool...) And, of course, they sang "The Power of Love." It was probably the best song in the show, even though they wrote a ton of new ones.
Me and my dad at Back to the Future.
It was a good trip, but I was grateful to return home to Diana and Emmett. I missed them a lot. I brought back some cars for Emmett (he's totally into cars now!), and he seemed to enjoy his souvenirs.
What's Next...
I have missed writing this newsletter! I still have two more parables to write about to finish the next devotional book. But you know what? I don't feel like jumping back into that just yet.
I have been pondering a few things lately, and God has been teaching me a lot. Writing has always helped me process my thoughts and emotions. And so, for the last few weeks of summer, my plan is to share some of these thoughts with you. It may be less polished and more random than usual, but it will be fun. It will be like one of those mystery bags where you never know what you're going to get! (But hopefully filled with slightly more valuable stuff. I once bought a mystery bag of 10 CDs at a music store. When I opened it, it was filled with the most obscure albums on the planet...)
To give you a little sneak peek... Next week's newsletter will be about the challenges of making peace with others. God has been teaching me a lot about this topic lately. I am grateful for the way he is so patient with us flawed, messy humans.
For now, I encourage you to start thinking of people who you long to make peace with... Or maybe people you don't want to make peace with, but they are always at the back of your mind, stealing your joy. It may seem impossible to make peace with them. But our job is to be as faithful as we can to what God calls us to do. We leave the impossible stuff up to him!
In the meantime, please let me know what you have been up to this summer. Have you and your family done any fun things? Hit 'reply' and tell me about it!
Last but not least, I'll be preaching a message about Jonah this upcoming Sunday at a local church. I would appreciate your prayers as I prepare for that this weekend.
Happy to be back (in time!).
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If you enjoyed this devotional and would like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated. It would be much appreciated!
What's That in Your Hand?
Hello, and happy official start to fall!
Today's newsletter will be more of an update on some things I've been doing. But I've also managed to work in some Scripture, so keep an eye out! ;)
Last week, I participated in an online course called the HB90 Bootcamp. HB90 was developed by a self-published author. It is essentially a way to plan out your schedule 90 days at a time.
Now, I'm leery of anything "productivity" related because I've heard all the tips and hacks. I usually come away from these systems feeling guilty for not getting enough done. But HB90 seemed different. It's not about trying to "do more" but about being realistic with the time and capacity you have. Sometimes that means doing "less," but being more purposeful with your time instead of running from project to project like a headless chicken!
The key to HB90 is choosing 2–3 goals for the upcoming quarter. That doesn't mean you only do 2–3 things, but that everything you work on flows out of those goals. For example, tomorrow I may get an idea for a new video series. It may be an awesome idea, but if it doesn't serve one of those goals, I don't act on it. Instead, it gets put on the "Maybe I'll Do This Next Quarter" list. This "restriction" leads to freedom! (How's that for a biblical analogy?!)
The goals then get divided into projects, which in turn get divided into bite-sized tasks and put onto a Kanban Board. (Or, in my case, a digital Kanban Board, because me and sticky notes don't play nice with each other!) Seeing those tasks move from the "Doing" column to the "Done" column is a momentum builder.
One of the goals I've set for this upcoming quarter is to research and write half of my next devotional book. I am excited to reveal that book #4 in the Nobody Left Out series will be about... the parables of Jesus! Woo-hoo!
This week, I started the research phase by digging into a massive, 800-page book called Stories with Intent. It's a pretty scholarly book, so I can only read it for small portions at a time before I need to take some aspirin. But I want a solid overview of parables as a whole before I choose the individual ones to write about.
The biggest thing I'm learning is that Jesus' parables are not like Aesop's fables. Yes, fables and fairy tales can (and often do) contain elements of truth. But they speak in generalities. Jesus told his parables in the context of his ministry in a first-century world. He had a specific intent for each one. It's important to understand what circumstances prompted Jesus to launch into his tales.
My book will be a 40-day devotional looking at 8 of Jesus' parables. As I approach each parable, this question will guide my writing: What does this story teach us about living out God's kingdom in a messy, broken world?
I hope to start writing in mid-October. My patrons will get access to each devotional as I write it. But I will also post a few here in my newsletter for everyone to read!
Beginning a new project is exciting, but it can also be intimidating. I am already feeling woefully inadequate for the task (or tasks, according to my Kanban Board). And that is where today's Scripture comes in.
When God's people return to Jerusalem from captivity, a man named Zerubbabel is tasked with rebuilding the temple. It is an enormous job. Zerubbabel gets the foundation laid but starts to lose zest for the project. That's when God speaks these words through the prophet Zechariah:
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. (Zechariah 4:10, NLT)
A plumb line was a tool that builders used, similar to a level. And God rejoiced that it was in Zerubbabel's hand, even though the work was nowhere near completed.
I imagine God saying to me, "I rejoice to see the work begin, to see that 800-page hefty commentary in your hand."
What is it for you?
What is that in your hand that signifies an endless road of work ahead of you?
Is it a pen and a blank sheet of paper? Is it a new box of fresh diapers you've just opened? Or those expense reports your boss threw on your desk and said, "I need these done by 5!"
Maybe it's job or college applications, a busy weekend ahead, or a long line of sticky notes on a Kanban Board. Or maybe it's a literal plumb line because you have a building project to tackle.
Whatever it is in your hand, if it honors God in some way (and I trust it does more than you probably think it does), then God rejoices over it!
A Roadmap Back Home
In Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son, the younger brother packs up his bags and leaves his father far behind. He has grown up in his father's house, a place of love and care. But now, he wants to know what lies beyond his father's doors. Surely there is a life of adventure he is missing out on.
Back home, the father has trouble sleeping. One night, he crawls out of bed and goes outside. A cool breeze blows by as he looks up at the star-filled sky. Too many to count. But many years ago, on nights like this one, he and his son would try. Hand in hand, they would laugh and count up to a bajillion, pointing at each star.
The father sighs as he thinks back. "I myself taught my son how to walk, leading him along by the hand," he says. "But he doesn't know or even care that it was I who took care of him."
The father begins to pace back and forth. Why does he waste so much time thinking about his son when his son has no regard for him? Why should he even care?
The father can hear the town chattering behind his back. He knows they think he is weak for continuing to lament his son's departure. He should listen to them and just disown his son already!
But then the father stops pacing and drops to his knees. Looking up at the stars, he cries, "Oh, how can I give you up, my son? How can I let you go? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows."
Okay... So, the father doesn't actually say any of these words in Jesus' parable. But, interestingly enough, a father does say these words in the Old Testament.
In the book of Hosea, God portrays himself as an abandoned spouse. He wants to convey this message so much that he tells the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute. When she becomes unfaithful, God tells Hosea to redeem her and bring her back into the safety of his house. This is how much God loves Israel, and the imagery of God as a rejected lover is what the book of Hosea is known for.
But towards the end of the book, the metaphor shifts. God becomes a father who has been abandoned by a son:
When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and I called my son out of Egypt.
But the more I called to him,
the farther he moved from me,
offering sacrifices to the images of Baal
and burning incense to idols.
I myself taught Israel how to walk,
leading him along by the hand. (Hosea 11:1-3, NLT)
As I read these words, I couldn't help but think of the Prodigal Son story that Jesus would tell centuries later. A son moves away from his father to chase after the lifeless idols he thinks will bring him life.
And a heartbroken father. Heartbroken, yes—but not hopeless. Because just when you think he's ready to give up on his child, he continues to keep watch for him.
When my friend Marco and I wrote The Prodigal Musical (a musical based on, you guessed it, the parable of the Prodigal Son!), we wrote a song for the father called "All That I Want." In one of the verses, he sang:
Long ago, my child chose to leave me
Still every day I keep watch on the road
Hoping he comes home and praying he knows
My forgiveness is here
This is the same ache we see in God in Hosea. He longs for his people to return to him. He cries out:
Oh, how can I give you up, Israel?
How can I let you go? (Hosea 11:8, NLT)
God is the father who can't give up on us, even when it makes no sense. He is always keeping watch on the road, ready to run like crazy to meet his children when they come home. And it's not simply a "New Testament" thing. It's always been true.
It was true in Jesus' day. It was true in Hosea's day. And it was true in Adam & Eve's day when God lovingly provided them with clothes to cover their shame. As J. Ellsworth Kalas says in his book The Grand Sweep:
The biblical descriptions of God's relationship to our human race are always at personal, relational levels: lovers, friends, parent-child, husband-wife. At the core of our universe, the Scriptures remind us, is not an impersonal computer but a heart—God's heart of love.
It might be a silly exercise, but go ahead and put your name in the blank:
Oh, how can I give you up, _____________?
How can I let you go?
That is not simply a feel-good piece of news for a Friday. It's a roadmap back home when you find yourself covered in pig slop and don't know the way.
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P.S. I want to thank everyone who joined my Patreon! 32 people have joined the Messy, Messier, and Messiest Clubs this past week. I am truly humbled by your generosity. We are already building a fun little community over there. If you'd like to join, you can do so here!
What I Did (Or Will Do...) On My Summer Vacation (2nd Annual Edition!)
Last June, I wrote a post outlining a few things I wanted to accomplish over the summer. Looking back on it, I could see that it was a good exercise for me, and I was able to get most of it done. So I decided to do a sequel this year!
I spent most of last fall writing my third devotional book, Waves of Grace. And I spent the spring getting it ready for publication. Later this year, I hope to start work on my next devotional. (More details on that to come!) But summer seems like a great time to take a break from (consistent) writing and tackle some other projects. So here's how I'm spending these summer days:
Putting My Audiobook on YouTube
One of the things I worked on last summer was producing the audiobook of Nobody Left Out: Jesus Meets the Messes. I was delighted by how it turned out. But despite the growing popularity of audiobooks, I haven't gotten much traction on it. Of all the formats this book is available in (print, digital, audio), over 90% of the sales come from the paperback. And I think it makes sense for this genre—devotionals are a type of book that people prefer to have in their hands.
Since I don't get many audiobook sales, I've decided to put it up on YouTube for free! I've been uploading one chapter a day for the past couple of weeks. At this rate, all 40 days should be up by the end of July. You can check out this playlist if you'd like to listen along.
And please share the playlist with anyone you'd like! I hope that having the entire audiobook on YouTube will help the channel grow.
Producing a "Bible Tips for Messy People" Video Series
My sister is helping me record a series of ten 2-minute (ish) videos giving some tips on how to engage with the Bible. If you've seen any of my other videos, you are going to see a higher quality in production values, all due to her wizardry. :) I will be using these videos as content for Facebook ads, and they'll be available on YouTube as well. I'll also be putting the content in written form and sharing that soon!
Going "Wide" with Waves of Grace
The third thing I hope to do this summer is make Waves of Grace available outside of Amazon. (This is known as "Going Wide" in the cool world of self-publishing!)
I don't want to go too far down the nerdy rabbit hole, but when I published this most recent book, I did so under my own ISBN rather than the one Amazon assigns. (ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It's that 13-digit number you see on barcodes of books. I fear we are too far down the rabbit hole now!) Having my own ISBN allows me to publish the book with other online retailers like Barnes & Nobles, Target, etc. It also opens the door to the book being available in physical bookstores! Remember those??? (Of course, there's no guarantee a bookstore will stock a particular book, but it makes it a possibility.)
Going wide with a book isn't hard, but there is a learning curve. I haven't made the time to sit down and dig into the process, so I hope to do that over the next month.
And that's about it for summer plans! (Other than getting into the pool with Emmett as much as possible. I'll tell you—that kid is the next Michael Phelps!)
What about you? What are you working on this summer?
Let me know!
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P.S. If you’d like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated and it would be much appreciated.
Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Whenever I skip a week (or two...) of publishing my newsletter, it's usually because I think I don't have anything to say. And that can be a good thing. Even a fool is considered wise if they stay silent, I believe the proverb goes.
Other times, I do have a thought rattling in my head, but I just don't think it's developed enough to warrant a whole email about it. Well, today I'm going to go for it! Here is a brief thought I had this week:
Don't celebrate instead of mourning. Find the celebration by going through the mourning.
Logically, it seems like celebrating and mourning are opposites. But what if they are somehow connected? What if we don't have to see the glass as half full OR half empty? What if we don't have to be defined as an optimist OR a pessimist? What if there is room for both?
When the Jews returned to Jerusalem from exile, they rebuilt the city walls and gates. Then the priest Ezra read from the Book of the Law, and the people wept. I think they wept because they knew how far they had strayed from God. They were reminded of their brokenness.
But then Ezra and Nehemiah tell the people to stop weeping and celebrate.
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, "Don't mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God." For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!" (Nehemiah 8:9-10, NLT)
Yes, the people were told to stop weeping and to celebrate instead. But here's the thing: Maybe the people could only get to a place of celebration because they had first wept. Maybe the weeping made the drinks sweeter and the foods richer. If the people hadn't wept, Nehemiah could not have told them to stop weeping and celebrate. (And in the next chapter, the people do have a time of mourning as they reflect on their collective history.)
We can't celebrate the grace of God until we have wept over our brokenness.
Maybe happy tears can only flow out of sad tears.
It reminds me of a line from a song in The Addams Family musical (yes, they made a musical of that):
Life is full of contradictions
Every inch a mile
And the moment we start weeping
That's when we should smile
Don't celebrate instead of mourning. Find the celebration by going through the mourning. Because God is close to the brokenhearted.
That's my thought for this week, and I'm still unsure what I think about it!
What do you think?
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P.S. If you’d like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated and it would be much appreciated.
Bringing Heaven to Earth
A couple of Sundays ago, I had the privilege of preaching a sermon at my church (you can listen to it here). We were in a series on the book of Colossians, and my sermon was about how to live as mature Christians. I talked about how many things in life can distract us from living as mature Christians. But there is one distraction that might not be so obvious: The destination of heaven.
When we see how messed up this world is, it's tempting to want to say things like, "This world is not my home" or "I'm just passing through." And after seeing multiple shootings over the past two weeks, I'm tempted to lean into these phrases right now. Throw me a life preserver, God, and get me off of this sinking ship of a world.
But the vision of the New Testament is not that we would wait around to get scooped up and taken to heaven. Instead, the vision of the New Testament is that God is bringing his beautiful kingdom down to earth. And while that won't fully be completed until Jesus returns, we can begin the process now. (Or, more accurately, continue the process Jesus began when he rose from the grave on Easter Sunday.)
But how do we do that?
Well, Paul says we do it by putting on "the new self":
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14, NIV)
This is what it looks like to be heavenly-minded in the here and now. And it looks a lot like Jesus.
Yesterday, I came upon a Twitter conversation about Tuesday's school shooting in Texas. One person said, "It shouldn't be this way. It doesn't have to be this way."
To which someone else responded, "Total depravity says differently."
Now, I most certainly believe in total depravity. I write about messy, broken people, after all! But this is an area where we need to embrace some tension.
Total depravity is not a reason to throw our hands up and say, "Nothing can be done; this is just the way it is!"
If that were the case, Paul wouldn't have told us to clothe ourselves with the new self. He would have said, "Yeah, this world is terrible. Do your best to sit tight until Jesus gets back."
The way we treat people in the here and now matters. The way we respond to tragedies, pain, and hurt matters. We will never respond to brokenness as perfectly as Jesus did because we are all broken. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. God can still use broken vessels to do good works.
There is a song in the musical Godspell called "Beautiful City." And this is my favorite verse in the song:
When your trust is all but shattered
When your faith is all but killed
You can give up bitter and battered
Or you can slowly start to build
There are times—like this week—when the brokenness of the world is so palpable. We have no more tears. We just want God to take us away to a better world. And that is a good and right longing to have. But Jesus has called his church to begin the work of making our city (or town, suburb, school, village, ranch, neighborhood, kitchen table, etc.) a beautiful place that reflects his goodness. Time after time in the Bible, we see that prayers lead to action. People pray and then act on who they believe God to be. But we can't even begin the process until we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
We need compassion and kindness as we interact with brokenhearted people.
We need the humility and gentleness to realize we don't have all the answers.
We need patience as we seek to work with others to find solutions.
And, as Paul says, the final piece of the outfit is love, which binds all the other pieces together.
And I know—this is all easier said than done. As I type these words, I feel like a fraud because I fail at this way too often. I can't do this on my own strength. The only way we have any hope of doing this is with Jesus.
I ended my sermon by quoting a famous line from the book The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe. When Susan, Peter, Edmund, and Lucy arrive in Narnia, they are trapped in eternal winter. Things look bleak under the reign of the White Witch. There is no hope to be found. But then Mr. Beaver says, "Aslan is on the move."
Sometimes it's hard to see any hope here on earth.
But Jesus is on the move.
And we get to join him in the work of bringing his beautiful kingdom here.
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P.S. If you’d like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated and it would be much appreciated.