2018. How would I define this year? I hesitate to use the word ‘change’ as that is too simplistic. ‘Growth’ might be a bit better, but even yet, that word does not bring full color to what this year has entailed. I knew full well, as 2017 came to a close, that the new year was going to be one of adjustments, new beginnings, and even growing pains. As I sit here today and reflect back, I am able to play “Monday-morning-quarterback” and I am so amazed to see how God’s purpose and plan has been intertwined throughout this year. Admittedly, and quite intentionally, I have been quiet here on my blog. I have spent the greater part of this year in quiet reflection with God. Sorting through things I believed and trying to make better sense of who God is, what the true purpose of the Gospel is, what …
Author: Paul
We call this Holy Week. And what a week it was. From a triumphant entrance into the city, to a farewell dinner with dear friends, to the gruesome walk down the Via Della Rosa, to death and finally, to an empty tomb and a promise kept. I have always been simply amazed by the turn of events in such a short week. One week. A lot can happen in one week. For me, I think about the emotions of those around Jesus. On Sunday, they enter the city and are treated like royalty. They must have felt proud. Almost a rags to riches kind of story. A ragtag group of fisherman and tax-collectors, guys who were not exactly at the peak of the social scene, have finally “made it”. The man they have been following and learning from is now being treated like the king he said he was. And …
Marvel. What did you picture when you read that word? It is a powerful word. One that we do not tend to use lightly. As a verb, its definition is “to be filled with wonder or astonishment”. What have you been “marveled” by in your life? I, personally, can only think of a handful of things and/or times in my life when I have stood truly marveled. There is a place in the Bible that uses this term where seems almost out of place and we find it in the book of Luke. Shortly after Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph bring him to the Temple and we read in the second chapter of Luke that Simeon, who was told he would see Christ before his death spoke over the baby. Then in verse 33: And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which we spoken of Him. Think about that …
Once! Only one time have I posted in this blog this year. Shame on me. Something I set out to be diligent about and here we are concluding 2016 and I have simply 1 post. I am looking back and this year and am truly confused on how it went so fast! The end of any year is always a great time to take stock of things and begin to plan out the path for the upcoming year; and for me, this year is no different. It is hard for me to sum up 2016 in a word much less a sentence. Heck, I don’t think I could write a book explaining this year. From difficult closures of one season to the new beginnings of another 2016 has been scattered with so many different experiences. When you sum them all up together, this has been one crazy year. One thing that …
Don’t blink. You will miss it. Honestly, that is how I feel right now. Time has a sneaky way of moving so fast that it is not until you pause to look back that you realize just how much of it has passed. Looking back could be filled with regret over lost time, or filled with excitement over what has been accomplished. Today it is hitting me differently. Today we celebrate my first born’s 3rd Birthday, but four years ago…he was simply a prayer (and quite frankly, a prayer that we felt was never going to be answered). Four years ago, we were finalizing our final round of torture (otherwise known as fertility treatments) and we had began our shift to adoption. Just a few months later…but God… Then, I blinked and here we are celebrating this little man’s 3rd Birthday with a little 7 month old brother at his side. …
It is absurd to think that someone would consider stepping into a war zone as a solider without being fully equipped to fight. The old saying of never bring a knife to a gun fight holds some great merit. Know the tools you have at your disposal and use them wisely. Yet, each and every day, Christians march off into battle and fail to use the one tool that stands superior – their sword, the Word of God. We compromise the battle before we step foot onto the battleground simply due to a lack of understanding. Our enemy, the devil, would have it no other way. He doesn’t fear the one who doesn’t know the word – he fears the one who knows it and applies it. The Bible doesn’t mess around on this topic: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, …
I had the privilege recently of speaking a message regarding honor – specifically with respect to honoring our Pastors at my home church, Without Walls Church. Lucky for me, I have the greatest Pastors on the planet! They make the task of honoring them to be a very simple one. They are a true demonstration of Christ as a Servant Leaders. I can’t say enough wonderful things about them. Yet, there is an important message to be heard regarding honor and what can manifest through honor. Our society is plagued by a culture of disrespect towards those in authority. God’s word is very clear, there is a reward that comes through honor. This does not mean just honoring those in Spiritual Authority, we are also called to honor those in the Government, our workplace and elsewhere. Watch the video below and chime in on the comments to start the discussion! …
Let me start with the moral of the story: Your past does not dictate your potential. In life, we are trained to believe that your accomplishments and your past define your worth. You almost always have to prove yourself before you are taken serious. I take comfort in the fact that we are in good company. Even Jesus had to overcome His past and in a viable sense, “prove” Himself. And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Phillip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:46 NKJV) This statement was made by one who would become a disciple. Instantly, Nathanael judged the book by its cover. Ironic that the book he was judging was the King. Have you had that happen to you? I know I have experienced this. First impressions are key. It is said that people form their opinions within the first 30 seconds …
Today’s post is a guest post courtesy of my amazingly talented wife, Alisha Anderson. You can follow Alisha on twitter at: @AlishaAnderson7 There seem to be a sweeping attitude in our American culture today that upholds, admires, and respects individuals for their extreme commitment to science, industry or work accomplishments. However, when put in context of ones religious or spiritual beliefs, that is held lightly. You see this all throughout popular culture; in our films, newspapers, magazines, etc. Characters and individuals are praised for what they do – but not what they believe (ironic, considering what they believe is likely at the core of why they do it). We have become focused only on the earthly and temporal and have not given credit to God. This attitude says, “I’m a Christian, but if that offends you, I won’t act like one around you.” Or, “I’m a Christian, but that’s just …
“The only constant is change.” “If you are not growing, you are not changing.” “The only guarantee in life is death and taxes.” We have heard all the various phrases and jokes regarding the consistency of change. It’s never ending and always guaranteed. There is no shortage of motivational snippets in the world today written to help us push through change, good or bad. Yet, we all like our “status quo.” There is something so enticing and intoxicating about comfort zones. We all have our places, foods and even clothes that just make us feel safe and comfortable. When life starts to get a bit overwhelming, we tend to retreat to those safe spots. As Christians, however, we are called to constantly change. We are called to grow in every meaning of the word. I was having a conversation with my ever-wise 93 year old grandfather the other day. He …
This week, after the Supreme Court decision, Christian bloggers from across the globe took to the internet to express their opinion. Social media lit up with a flood of cheers as well as an onslaught of groans. I would venture to say the hashtag of #lovewins is likely one of the most trending topics on the internet. I don’t know that I have anything new or unique to add to this topic, yet I feel compelled to chime in. As I read many of the blogs over the past few days, my heart just broke. It broke for 2 very distinct reasons: 1. My heart broke for those who call themselves Christian and spew such hatred and venom in their rhetoric. No matter your opinion on the subject, we are to always walk in love (now, that doesn’t mean we don’t express our opinion – we just need to have a better …
