If You Can Be Anything, Be Kind

I am not often envious of my daughter’s wardrobe, but she has one shirt that I covet. On the front, it says “be kind,” and on the back, it says “everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” It’s a simple concept that has become my personal mantra as a worship leader and church planter.

I turned 50 in February. I’m not sure how it happened. I’m pretty sure yesterday I had all my hair and it was much darker, I could see at night while driving, and there were more days ahead of me than were behind me.

Did you ever feel like something was just not right in your sphere of ministry? Wade Mullen wrote an extremely helpful book called Something’s Not Right. It was invaluable to me during a very difficult time as a worship director on staff at my church.

I was overwhelmed during a season of life and ministry that felt so heavy. I felt no traction. I wanted a clear, big picture to shoot for and a simple strategy for making daily progress.

“Dad, aren’t you going to use filtered water to soak the oats?” Aspen scolded.

Crack open Ezekiel 37 for a minute. It reads:

The hand of the LORD was upon me,

Growing up in the 70’s as missionaries in Costa Rica, we shared close friendships with several missionary families.

Ever notice how some brothers and sisters seem to over-emphasize God’s “love” and under-emphasize our need for repentance? It’s in our culture. Like high places. High places that need to be destroyed.

I recently mentioned the name “Neo” to a room full of worship leaders, and they knew.

You’ve told your team. You’ve heard your leader say this. I will now lovingly bang the same gong.

Hello, fellow amphibians!

We went to the beach last week, and the singular thing my fifteen-year-old was looking forward to was…fishing!

Worship MUST be your priority because it SETS your priority.

You know that verse about not saying we’re gonna do this and go there and make business happen but rather say, “If God wills, we’ll do this or that”?

I was going to say the last several months have been quite a battle, but honestly, the last five years in Costa Rica have been a battle. What’s been the effect on me?

But what if no one is ministering to the Lord?

Whenever I browse social media, I consistently see posts about “the only 5 magical things that can do everything better…” #clickbait

Have you been hurried into thinking that doing work for God is like being with Him?

“What if where you feel the tension you discover God’s intention for you?”

Seven years ago, my life changed. We added a dog to our family. The idea of getting a dog was not mine.

I was a little naughty.

My college roommate, Troy, was visiting me in Pennsylvania from his home in North Carolina. I had just started getting to know a cute girl (who I later married.)