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You are what you eat. This phrase may have started with a dietary understanding, but it has developed a more generalized truth in our culture. You become the things or ideas in your life you pursue with the most effort. If you spend most of your time being angry, you
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Secrets are meant to be shared. Isn’t that why we all enjoy hearing secrets in the first place? We like being in the know. We also like being the one who lets other people in. We like sharing juicy gossip. We like telling punchlines to jokes. We like explaining
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Good soil produces a good harvest. As someone who frequently struggles to grow plants, I always raise an eyebrow at this thought. I cannot tell you how many times I have planted things only to watch them not grow. If I am being fully transparent, though, I’m not the
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Failure is always an option. This was one of the catchphrases from one of my favorite television shows, Mythbusters. In that context, it was understood that whenever you are trying something new, or experimenting, things can always go sideways. It is impossible to foresee every possibility and circumstance. Sometimes you
There is a fine line between success and failure. Often, that fine line begins with how we respond when given an opportunity. A proper response opens the door of opportunity and helps turn it into something greater. An improper response closes the door and the opportunity is missed. As Jesus
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Good mentors use parables all the time. Parables open doors for conversation. Parables reveal social dynamics in community. Parables give room for interpretation. A good parable may be one of the most effective tools in a mentor’s toolbox. When Jesus was alone with the disciples, He asks them about
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Choices have consequences. Everyone is in love with the freedom to make their own choices. Most people aren’t quite as enamored with embracing the consequences of their choices. The two go hand in hand, however. You can’t have the freedom to choose without also embracing the consequences of
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Are you ready? Are you willing? Is your mindset right? Did you prepare? Do you believe you can? These are all important questions to ask whenever we set out to accomplish something. It can be a small something like making breakfast or a large something like passing a major exam
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Family is those who have a parent in common. Family can be blood related. Family can be made through adoption. Family can be tight. Family can be loose. Family comes in all shapes and sizes. When the crowds tell Jesus that His mother and brothers are outside, Jesus gives what
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Jesus has patience and wisdom like no other. How many times am I the victim of other people’s sinfulness and I want to lash out and expose how violated I feel? How many times do I want to turn around and gossip about how wrong the other person was?
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To receive forgiveness, relationship must exist. If I do something wrong and hurt another person, unless I have relationship with them, I cannot apologize to them. Likewise, unless they have relationship with me, they cannot express forgiveness to me. Relationship is not forgiveness. Relationship is the conduit through which forgiveness
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Jesus doesn’t mess around. One might say He came to take the world by storm. He knows there is no question about His role as teacher, disciple maker, and savior. The Father sent Him to accomplish a particular mission and nothing is going to get in His way. Jesus