The Best Christmas Ever

Christmas was a big deal at the Ladd house and provided memories to last a lifetime. Plus it was one of only a few times per year that we felt like a real family.

Mom made it a big, unifying, and memorable event, even before we had money. Christmas Eve would be spent watching the news to track Santa’s movements, listening to music, watching movies, playing games, and swapping stories. The food was spicy and the beer flowed like wine. Whether it was tamales or a pot of chili, you could go outside naked after eating and still break a sweat.

Dad and his buddies would play guitars and sing until midnight before the kids were sent to bed and the house grew silent.

My brother went all-in to sell the Santa deal to me including the warning that Santa would sprinkle pepper in my eyes and take my gifts away if I got out of bed. I always stayed awake anyway to sneak a peak or spot the reigndeer outside.

There were two childhood Christmases that played a larger role in shaping my adulthood.

The first was in 1972; I was 10.

Christmas morning started out great because I was the first one awake. Waking up first is critical because Santa doesn’t put names on the gifts, so first up gets first pick. I was first up every year.

Most of the time, we all knew what was ours because of what was on our list. But sometimes, like this particular day, there were two versions of the same gift.

That day it was model cars: one for me and one for my brother. Being first up meant that I got to pick, which I did. By the time my siblings were up, my pile was parceled out and I was enjoying my booty.

Now it's important context that my brother is three years older and a hellofa lot tougher. He ruled our 10X10 bedroom with an iron fist. He terrorized me regularly, though he never actually hit me. The idea of hitting me was all he needed to control me. The threat was far more terrifying than reality, and it worked like a charm.

The dialog went like this on a weekly basis:

Joe: “Give me the rest of your candy.”

Me: “No.”

Joe: “Now.”

Me: “No, it's mine. Go get your own.”

Joe: “I'm going to count to three: One. Two.” and then I would rapidly comply to avoid the dreaded, “3”.

When Joe arrived that morning he pronounced his ruling that I had stolen his model. He demanded I give it back and settle for the one Santa clearly intended for me.

I refused.

The countdown began.

I gave in.

When the parental units finally joined the party they greeted us with the annual query: "Was Santy Clause good to you this year?" I didn’t want to sound like an ungrateful whiner so I snuggled the crime report in a blanket of gratitude.

Every word from that moment forward is locked inside my mental archives:

DAD: "Well, punch your brother in the face and take your car back."

ME; "No way, man. He will kill me!"

DAD; "Joe, if you touch him, I will end you with my bare hands. Now, Jimmy, punch your brother in the face and take your model back."

ME: "Your crazy man. He will wait till you're not around and then kill me."

DAD: "Joe, if you ever retaliate, I'll kill you."

Then Dad laid Joe on his back and sat on his chest, placing his knees on his helpless outstretched arms. "Now, Jimmy, hit your brother in the face and take your damn model!"

I reared back, punched him as hard as I could, and took my model. It was the greatest moment of my first decade.

Christmas at the Ladd house continued to be a grandiose and deeply connecting time. The house full, the music thumping, the mexican food on fire, and gawdy numbers of gifts. Once we all outgrew Santa, gifts were properly labeled and opened on Christmas Eve. Only our stockings were reserved for Christmas morning. It was always glorious and the best moments in the entire year.

Until Dad died.

He was 36 when he died and the kids were 19, 18, 16, and 14. Dad died on September 19, but he still managed to plan ahead for one more unforgettable Christmas eve.

After we had eaten, played games, and swapped stories, we opened all of our gifts. We were sitting around the fireplace with our dates, spouses, and buddies, when Mom surprisingly announced that we each had one more gift to open. Then she grabbed four more packages from her room and broght them to us.

They were each possessions of my father’s that he had told her to deliver on our first Christmas without him. We opened them one at a time and cried like babies.

My brother got dad's Saint Christopher necklace and I got dad's watch. It was a thin gold Bullova with diamonds on each hour, which he had won at a recent poker game. It instantly became my most prized possession. It was a night none of us shall ever forget.

It's no wonder I am the way I am.

What About Your Story?

- Reflect on your family holidays, traditions, and events. What stands out to you? What were the systemic dysfunctions of your family? Which family member controlled the emotional thermostat and what technique did they use to do so? How did the years of these experiences make you feel? How have they defined your place in the family? What needs reconciliation?

- Traditions are an effective way to anchor values and meaning into every family member. Get creative and establish rituals and traditions at every opportunity. What are your current traditions? What is one tradition you could add immediately?

- I deeply want to be the kind of person who thinks of others first, even when I’m battling cancer and my own mortality. Dad did this like a champ and it continues to blow my mind. How can you process your own pain faithfully and focus your energy on being able to bless others even while you are in pain? What is your skill and weakness in this arena?

Learning to Develop Your Inner Life

In Episode 135, Jon and I discuss the power, necessity, and discipline of developing an inner life. It is, in fact, our conviction that God made us to live from the inner life outward, rather than an outward life that feeds an inner fulfillment.

Happiness, fulfillment, and existential meaning are an inside job.

As we have continued to learn and live from this inner life space, we are learning so many things about ourselves and about how to anchor ourselves in Jesus. To be rooted and established in love - God’s love - as a lifestyle and foundation of life.

And it is wonderful!

Our discipleship group is using a workbook called, “The Workbook on Lessons from the Saints” by Maxie Dunnam. This workbook is no longer in print and is hard to find, so let us know if you want some inside tracks on acquiring one.

Day 3 of Week 2 in the workbook is about the disciplines necessary to be “alert and self-controlled” as described in 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11.

Stick with me, cuz this is gold.

During COVID and the cultural chaos of the past 2 years, I have had, as I’ve shared on the podcast, increased episodes of anxiety. I have learned some practices and thinking patterns that have helped immensely. Now I have found, in this workbook, a distilled list of ideas that helps clarify some ideas best. This list is from Francois Fenelon in his book, “The Seeking Heart”.

Here is the list of 8 suggestions:

When outward distractions and a wayward imagination hinder you, bring yourself back to God by an act of the will. (This practice was vital for me, which I’ve discussed in other places)

On a regular basis, stir up your deepest desires to be fully devoted to God.

When you want anything too much, stop yourself - turn away from your desires.

Seek to discover what God expects of you in every situation, and concentrate on that.

Get rid of everything that hinders you from easily turning to God.

After you complete an action, let go of it; don’t fret about what you have or haven’t done.

Think only of the tasks at hand. Don’t exhaust your mind by trying to figure out God’s will before the right time comes.

Make a habit of bringing your attention back to God on a regular basis.

Whether through these practices or others, the essential lesson here is that a simple desire to want what is right and important is useless without the kind of life practices and discipline that will produce that action.

Give some intentional effort to the top 3 or 4 on this list and let us know how it goes for you.

Wages vs. Gifts

Romans is one of the most quoted books in all Scripture, and with reason. Personally, it’s a book that feels impossible to skim - every verse has so many implications and raises so many questions. All that being said, some verses do get less play than others. Recently one of these lesser-quoted ones stood out to me:

“Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.” - Romans 4:4-5

Go ahead and read that again, just to make sure you know what he’s saying. I had to for sure. This passage is part of a throughline where Paul is breaking down how exactly our human flesh interacts with the Law, and in contrast how that differs from a life in the Spirit. What our relationship with God looks like while under the old covenant of works, and how it can look now; under the new covenant of grace.

The reason this passage leapt out at me this go around is that it perfectly captures the mindset of the faithful Jews of the time. In the old model, if I was found to be righteous under the law it would not be because God gave me anything. I wouldn’t owe Him a ‘thank you’ any more than I owe one to my boss every time I get paid, because I worked for it. I earned it. This is in contrast to the way of grace, which is a perfect gift. It is mysterious in this way, and completely out of our hands.

Now in my experience, and I’d bet this is common, these options are most often presented in sermons as if there is a clear winner between the two. That the new covenant is obviously preferable to the old. And this is very much the case - we are blessed beyond belief that we can be reconciled to God through grace. But the people to whom Paul is writing don’t necessarily see it that way. To them, who included the religious Jews of Rome, the old way was given to them by God and is sacred. Holy. This new way is unfamiliar, controversial, and it takes all of our control away.

Someone asks if you would rather receive a gift, or put in eight hours of labor and get paid. You probably choose the gift. But if instead they tell you that the most important relationship of your life can either be on your terms, or one where you must instead give up everything that even looks a little bit like control, you may be tempted to pick a relationship of works.

In Luke 5:39, Jesus says, “no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” The old and new wine represent the old and new covenants. To be under the new law of the Spirit is a beautiful thing, but to not acknowledge the new covenant for what it is - not just a bath for your earthly flesh so you can live your selfish life better, but the true and utter end of your life as you know it - is incorrect. The decision to enter into this covenant might not be as much of a no-brainer as you thought it was.

Have you held onto the reigns of your life, white knuckled, and begged Jesus to help you out as best He can? Then you’re mixing the two wines. There is better for you. I have had to learn this lesson a dozen times, and I’m sure I’ll have to learn it again and again still. When that happens, I guess I’ll come back to Romans.

Good Posture in a Storm

Alert! Flood Warning: 

In our culture today, there is an ongoing and powerful flood of topics, environments, platforms, and expectations to share your opinions with others. The volume of weighty topics, the intensity of debate, and the mandate to have an opinion that clearly categorizes you is just exhausting - or exhilarating, depending upon your personality. And it seems that being silent or having no opinion is socially unacceptable and even offensive.

One of the great challenges for Jesus-centered Christians is the complexity of knowing if, when, and how to enter the fray on any given topic, issue, or debate. How do you know when to prophetically take a stand, compassionately offer love, professionally mediate conflict, or wisely exegete the culture? Or even when to sit this one out and remain silent?

It seems to me that there are four postures to consider that might help us discern how to engage any volatile discussion or debate in real time:

• Pilgrim: Jon adopts this posture as a lifestyle. It is the position of a life-long learner who simply does not have the experience, education, or comprehensive perspective to offer a definitive opinion on a matter. It is the posture of wanting to listen and learn to all perspectives without committing to any of them. This provides others with the opportunity to articulate their views and think out loud without the need to declare war.

• Professional: This is the posture of offering guided facilitation to all participants, ensuring that everyone’s views are heard and explored, everyone has equal opportunity to be listened to, and standards of honorable discussion are maintained. This is a frequently a very unpopular person in the room because people inherently believe someone else got special treatment. Remember two things: 1) road kill is almost always in the middle of the road and 2) the person who says they will meet you half-way is always a terrible judge of distance.

• Prophet: This is the posture of being a mouthpiece for God, clearly articulating what God would say if He were physically present in the moment. Prophecy is for exhortation, edification, and comfort. When done well, people sense that God’s perspective is clear and compelling.

• Priest: This is the posture of observing and attending to the matters of the heart and soul inside each participant. To the discerning eye there will always be both verbal and non-verbal evidence to indicate pain, wounds, and worries in the soul. This is the role of soul-care and love.

Perhaps choosing your posture prior to choosing your words could give you the wisdom and courage to engage with efficiency and impact.

Personal Assessment Tool - “The Church is a Corpse”

In Episode 130, we detailed the death-state of the Church in the West and what we believe to be the symptoms and causes of this death. We also discussed what we believe Jesus can use to bring “the church” back to life.

Summary of the problems: 1) Church growth strategies of the flesh, 2) narcissistic Pastors and 3) consumer Christians. Therefore, the answer is a new kind of church, a new kind of Pastor, and a new kind of Christian.

We then offered a personal assessment for you to discern whether you are part of the problem or whether you are part of the solution. These standards of evaluation are taken mostly from the Book of Acts. For each of the nine items, give yourself a score of 1-11, with 11 meaning, “I am crushing this!”. (99 is a perfect score) Here we go:

Devoting yourself to the Word of God: You read it, meditate upon it, listen to it, think about it, study it, and love it. It is a consistent and meaningful part of your life.

Giving and receiving fellowship: Having close and connected relationships and community within the Church. You don’t attend only 1.8 times per month and you have time with other Christians during the week. This is close giving and receiving of community.

Participating in Christ: You break bread and pray - that is communion as participation in the body of Jesus and you participate in the divine nature of Jesus with Him. You abide in Him.

Knowing and using your spiritual gifts: Every Christian is given spiritual gifts at their time of conversion and are called by God to know and use them in their traffic patterns and life. You can find those gift discussions in Ephesians 4, Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12.

Choosing unity in Christ and rejecting division in the church family: You refuse to allow division in the community of faith and you seek to build and experience unity in Jesus. One in heart and mind with others.

Sharing and caring for your brothers and sisters: You see needs and respond to them. You share your resources with your community of faith as needs arise, and you do so sacrificially. You pray for and reach out to those in need and offer encouragement and support.

Sacrificially sharing your wealth: Giving beyond God’s tithe and sacrificing financially for the sake of others, both inside and outside the Church.

Gathering faithfully: The average attendee goes to church less than two times per month. You do not forsake the gathering of yourself with the church and it is a habitual and joyful part of your faith walk.

Enjoying meals with other believers in our homes: You go to people’s homes and you open your home to others in the Church. You break bread and fellowship together around the table.

We would love to hear your experience with this assessment and hear what God is saying to you on this matter. Do not be discouraged because of the outcome of this assessment. Rather, see where the Lord may be calling you to be a part of the vibrancy of His Church in the future.

Abundance vs Anxiety

I don’t have to tell you that there is an epidemic of anxiety in our world today. You know it and I know it.

I’m not talking about a diagnosable, physiological condition. If that is you, this will be helpful, but please do not feel called out as faithless because you have that battle. But please, read on.

I’m talking about the kind of anxiety that is a cultural normality now. I have experienced anxiety attacks, for the first time in my life, over the past 24 months. I’m talking about anxiety, despair, a restless and relentless sense that all is not well, etc.

What strikes me is that Jesus promised something totally different to us: Abundant Life - a full and fulfilling life. He promised the exact opposite of what so many of us are experiencing these days.

We love Jesus and we welcome Him as Lord of our lives - and yet we frequently, and maybe even consistently, feel anxious, afraid, and overwhelmed.

What gives?

What I offer here is not expert analysis, but personal witness and testimony. I am finding victory and consistent abundance in my soul and I want you to as well.

First things first: Abundance in Jesus is a promised fact. It is, in fact, available to us. That is not a pipe dream or an experience reserved only for a few. It is intended to be the reality for all who call on Jesus with a whole heart. But; and if you read my stuff often you know how I love big “buts”; abundance must be applied to our lives. We must participate in the abundance of Jesus and His Spirit in us.

This is not an availability of resource issue. It is a consistency of participation issue. We have been baptized into Christ Jesus and the invitation, yeah command, is to abide in Him so that we can bear much fruit. Any branch that does not abide in the vine dies from malnutrition - and malnutrition might be the perfect description for what so many of us are actually experiencing in our soul.

Nourishing resources do you no good if you don’t pick them up and eat them.

And the secret to experiencing these resources for the soul? Abiding in Jesus through the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

Consider these descriptions from Jesus:

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (John 7:37-39)

To the woman at the well: Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”” (John 4:13-14)

‭‭““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

And God, through the Prophet Jeremiah, perfectly diagnosed the breakdown we are experiencing: ““My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jeremiah 2:13)

I will write more about the practices of abiding in Jesus and drinking deeply of the river of life, but for now I encourage you to do this exercise: Get alone in a quiet place with no distractions and no technology. Quiet your mind and breathing. Imagine Jesus in the space with you, enjoying you enjoying Him. Tell Him that you are thirsty and you have come to Him to drink. Ask for the living water to flow from your inmost being and for the Holy Spirit to preside over your mind and heart and emotions. Thank Him for His faithfulness to do so and enjoy His Presence and work for a few minutes.

I have become convinced that the difference maker for followers of Jesus today is this very real practice of participating in Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, and drinking deeply of His abiding Presence and peace.

Come on in! The water is fine!

Bad Eyes and Sore Hips

Most of us have an assumption about a life with God that is simply untrue. Not only is it false, but it feeds great confusion in our minds and hearts about where God is, how He views us, and how well we think we are performing at this whole Christian thing.

The assumption is this: If I am fully forgiven and in good standing with God, then my life will simply work better and I will be flourishing.

I know, like many of us you are probably arguing that you do not have this assumption. Then why do we struggle when things are difficult and ask, “What is wrong with me, Lord, that You won’t fix this, bless me, or give me favor in my pursuits?”

Consider two men, both of whom are heroes of faith, and see if their stories don’t encourage you - I know they encourage me.

First, Jacob. He was a mess, raised in a family where his brother was dad’s favorite and he was a momma’s boy. He also had a tendency to manipulate situations to his own advantage. One day, he got serious about wrestling with God and going “all-in” on trusting Him. That wrestling match lasted all night (how many times have we been willing to do that?) and by morning the Angel of the LORD wanted to be done. “I won’t let you go until you bless me!”, Jacob insisted. The Angel then wrenched Jacob’s hip socket so that he would let go, and then He did, indeed, bless him.

For the rest of his life two things were true: Jacob had the favor of God and he walked with a limp.

I have no idea if he experienced hip pain or not, but he never recovered from that “touch of God” on his life.

Consider the Apostle Paul. His name was Saul and he was traveling town to town, killing Christians for their belief in Jesus as Messiah and he was on a mission. Jesus graciously met him on the Road to Damascus and blinded him with the bright light of His Presence. Then He called Saul to new life in Jesus and to a life on mission for His Kingdom. He not only changed his life, but also changed his name to Paul.

Paul was blind for three days before he gained his sight, but apparently his sight never fully recovered. His poor vision was widely known and he wrote his letters with extra large print because of it.

Paul loved to read and cherished his library of scrolls which included the Old Testament and academic books. However, he could hardly read them ever again. Most scholars believe that Paul called this loss of vision a “messenger of Satan sent to torment me” and wrestled with the lack of completely-restored vision. Finally the Lord convinced Paul that this weakness was actually a powerful tool of God’s strength, so much so that Paul actually boasted about his weakness!

Here is my point: sometimes our weaknesses are not at all a sign of God’s negligence or frustration with our lives. They may be, in fact, an ongoing work of God in us that equips us, calls us, and colors our witness of His great saving work in the world.

Bad eyes and sore hips may be just what the Lord has ordered to use us more greatly for His name’s sake.

Lean in on this. Consider that the weaknesses that remain in your life are not a sign that you and God are not fully connected. Rather trust that they are an ongoing part of His work and calling in your life.

How can God use your weaknesses for His glory?

Strut that limp, and squint those eyes - and watch God be even more powerful in and through you! If you hide your weaknesses in shame, God cannot use them powerfully for His glory in the lives of others.

Draw the Sword, Die by the Sword!

The phrase, “Draw the sword, die by the sword” comes from the lips of Jesus when Peter draws a sword and cuts off the ear of a man in the crowd arresting Jesus on the night of His betrayal.

I realized that this is the best leadership advice for Christians I have ever heard. This counsel is brilliant whether you are being attacked, mistreated, neglected, or challenged directly in any way. You will never find better and clearer counsel for those settings than right here. It is in Matthew 26 and here it is:

““Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”

‭‭Hey, lover of Jesus - you who claim to trust in the Sovereignty and goodness of God - listen up!

Put your sword away! Whoever draws the sword will die by the sword. Maybe not immediately. Maybe not even in this current conflict. But sword drawing people always die by the sword. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Grace and humility are the power weapons of a believer. We triumph through trust in the goodness and Presence of our God. Put that sword away!

Remember that you can call on your Father and He will at once dispatch more than 12 legions of angels on your behalf. That is the military manpower of 72,000 angels!!!

Trust in your Father! Whenever you draw the sword, you declare that you must protect yourself, fight for yourself, destroy your enemies, and power up. This is the opposite of the nature of Jesus! Entrust yourself to Him who judges rightly.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Trust Jesus and suffer wrong rather than destroy your brother, for whom Christ died. Jesus will defend the justice of your cause and make your righteousness shine like the noon-day sun!

This is a game changer and requires you to practice great faith and trust in God. But remember, Jesus cannot be your defender if you won’t put your own sword away and quit defending yourself!

Why We Love Kings More Than Priests

I’ve been listening to the most impactful and emotional podcast in my life and I think it may be important for all Christians to hear. It is called, “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill”. It is produced by Christianity Today and documents the birth, life, and death of the Mars Hill church and campuses, and their leader, Mark Driscoll.

It is both impactful and emotional for me because it explores some of the underlying dysfunctions of the church world, leaders, pastors, and church culture itself.

Note: There are some broad statements and assumptions expressed in the series with which I do not agree, along with some sweeping generalizations. However, it could still be considered essential listening for us all.

I’m only in episode 2 and I became overwhelmed with the human desire to have Kings to rule over us, rather than to have God rule over us. This is a troubling reality for us and worthy of some brief reflection.

The first King in Israel’s history was Saul. Prior to King Saul, Israel was governed by God Himself, through Priests. The reason God gave them a King is that the people wanted to have a King,  “like all the other nations”. 

Here is what is interesting to me. 

God has always used human beings to help groups, nations, and communities to discern His will and guidance. Moses, Noah, Abraham, Joseph...I mean the list is endless. So what is the big deal about asking for a King?

When the leader is a Priest, his duty is to discern God’s leadership for the people. It was a Theocracy, articulated by God through human instruments. But when the leader is a King, the people are subject to the will, desires, and guidance of a King - for whatever purposes or motives he may possess. In other words, when following Priests, people were following God, but when following Kings, people were following men.

Many pastors today operate like Kings, CEO’s, and celebrities. They shamelessly declare their vision for the church, their “brand” for the marketplace, and their authority as imminent. Why do christians go for this? Because we love Kings more than Priests. We love to follow men (and women) because that is easier than following God. And because we love celebrities. We love charismatic leaders who appear confident and have all the answers. We love not to struggle or have tension.

So what Priests should we be following today? None. We are a Kingdom of Priests! And so our leadership structures in the Body of Christ are to be based on spiritual gifts and mutual submission, not on authority structures or Kingship. We are brothers and sisters who make up the Body together, with each member doing its part, mutually submitted to and serving the whole.

I don’t think the New Testament would recognize modern church leadership practices at all. And that is a sober warning that we need to re-think this entire thing.

The Prayer of Examen

The Prayer of Examen

This prayer was the subject of discussion in episode 113 - Learning to Let Jesus Lead. Check it out!

Christians are Confused, Ineffective and Exhausted

Today, we are posting a blog from Bill Haslam, the former Governor of Tennessee, and his book: “Faithful Presence”. It says what we want to say better than we can!

Jesus’ message in the Sermon on the Mount was very clear: be different. The salt was supposed to be different than the meat. The light was supposed to be different than the dark (Matthew 5:13–16). In case we missed it, Paul reinforced the message when he told the church at Rome,  

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. — Romans 12:2 

As the world becomes angrier and more divided, our path in the political arena is not always clear. But it is clear what we are not supposed to be: like the rest of the world.  

Something has gone terribly wrong. When it comes to our engagement in the public square, Christians are not very different from everyone else. We, too, have become immersed in outrage stories. We, too, have become outspoken advocates without taking time to understand the arguments of the other side. We, too, are always ready to doubt the motives of our opponents and speak with contempt about their policies — and just as likely to take a shot at the other side on Facebook or Twitter. Too often, Christians are empowering these trends rather than resisting them.  

And, most critically, we seem to be more worried about losing our country than we are about losing our God. Too many of us see the public square as a place where we can use God for our own desires and ends rather than be used by God for His desires and ends. Too many of us have sold our birthright as citizens of the city of God, choosing instead to bear up our swords to battle for our piece of the city of man. What is needed in America today is a group of people who are different, who are walking in their birthright as citizens of the city of God — a movement powerful enough to push the country in a new direction.  

I cannot count the number of times I have seen wonderful examples of people of faith using their talents and treasure to bring about a better society. When I was mayor of Knoxville, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. As it became apparent that more and more residents of Louisiana would need to be evacuated, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) put out a request for cities to host evacuees. Almost immediately the churches in our city — urban, suburban, and rural — volunteered their people and buildings to welcome those who had lost their homes.

As governor, no matter where I went in the state, it always seemed that it was the church that was taking the lead on issues ranging from unequal education opportunities to health care in underserved areas.  

Unfortunately, I have also seen how easy it is to hurt our cause by our political actions. When our politics direct our faith, rather than our faith directing our politics, we end up in the wrong place.   

We have not thought through what we believe and why we believe it; we have only built a fear of what the other side might do and what we might lose. Fear is always a bad beginning place. As Nietzsche said, “He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster.”2   

Not only have we not taken time to understand the other side’s arguments, we have no understanding of our own blinders and misconceptions. Driven by the passions of today’s political debate and inflamed by media focused on cultivating outrage, our language and actions look just like everyone else’s. The polarization of politics has tempted all of us to pick sides in this increasingly bitter battle. What has been lost is the people of faith asking ourselves the hard questions about whether or not our politics match what we say we believe. Do our political actions match our theology, or has our theology been taken captive to our political beliefs?

God's Simple Strategy for a Life That Prevails

Most things in life just are not that complicated. Truly the hardest thing is not usually to know the right thing to do; it is to actually do that thing! Sport championships reveal this every single time - the teams that do the fundamentals of the sport the best will win. It truly is, usually, that simple.

Think of accumulating wealth. People often dream of being wealthy one day, but do not practice the simple fundamentals that insure wealth accumulation. God’s “get rich scheme” is very simple: Spend less money than you make and do it for a long time.

Simple.

It occurred to me that God’s strategy for a life that prevails is simple, too. What I do not mean by “prevail” is to have no downs, disasters, or disappointments. I mean that the graph will have peaks and valleys, but will trend up and to the right over time and, more importantly, you will not lose yourself or your wisdom in the difficult times.

Ready for the simple strategy?

It contains only three elements. Here it is:

Trust

Submission

Co-mission

Trust is to learn and live the secret of the light burden and easy yoke. (Matthew 11:28-30) It is to trust the Sovereignty and goodness of God - all the time. It is to anchor the self in the character and fidelity of God rather than the unreliable platforms of the self and the world.

Submission is accepting the ownership of Jesus on your life and surrender self-governance. “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.” (1 Corinthians 7:23)

Co-mission is the commitment to love what God loves and to love them like Jesus loves them. It is to join Jesus in His redemptive mission on planet earth - to seek and to save those who are lost. It is to do your vocation, whatever it is, as unto the Lord and not unto men or yourself. It is to give your life to serving your Oikos (the 8-15 people whom God has strategically and supernaturally placed with a front-row view of your life. It is the New Testament Greek word for “household” which is far more than your biological family)

As you live daily in Trust, Submission and Co-mission with Jesus, you will find your way, one step at a time, one moment at a time, one day at a time at God-speed. Doing life at the speed of God is the pace that is just right for our limited skills and wisdom!

Digger, Beggar, or Steward?

In Luke 16, Jesus tells a parable about a lazy steward or money manager, and the owner informs the steward that he needs to get his affairs in order because he is being fired. “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg—I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’”

The Truth about you is that you have three choices, when it comes to money:

• Digger - work your tail off and do it for a long time, to acquire the resources you need. Work hard, hold on, and don’t waste anything. And hopefully - and it is hopefully - it will be enough

• Beggar - View life and others like they owe you something. Beg life, work, family and others to give you what you yearn for, without having to earn it yourself.

• Steward - And this is the cool part - Jesus shows us exactly what it means to be one who views all of your resources as on loan from God, and yourself as a steward of those resources on His behalf. Back to the story:

The steward then calls in clients and cuts their bills to save them money. Some get 50% discounted, others less, but everyone gets a deal, and they are grateful!

The owner actually commends the steward for being so shrewd.

What?

The owner recognizes that the steward is now thinking like a business person! Trading one thing for a thing of greater value. He is actually proud of the steward for choosing business practices that achieve a greater end. It is this principle that Jesus is applauding and trying to communicate to the audience and to us.

Jesus added, “For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

It strikes me that the whole point is Jesus teaching us how to be good stewards of the resources that have been entrusted to us, but which actually belong to God. We cannot serve both God and money, so Jesus is teaching us how to use God’s money, entrusted to our care, God’s way. This is how to submit your money to the will of God. It is also the way to make God smile and applaud your shrewd use of resources. This is how to demonstrate yourself as trustworthy to God..

You ready?

Use your money and possessions in such a way that people will want to welcome you into their homes and lives.

That’s it.

It really is that simple. It is also that brilliant!

• If I view my money as God’s money

• And I use God’s money entirely in ways that make people want to welcome me into their lives and homes

• Then I will be generous, open-handed, and empowering to others.

• This will loosen the grip money has on my heart and free me from the fears of having no money

• This will demonstrate something powerful to others

• This will turn my life into a steady flow of resources from God, because He can trust that I will pass them on

• This will change the world and prepare me for eternity.

All of that from one simple guiding principle: use your money in ways that make people want to welcome you into their homes and lives.

This is financial and stewardship genius!

How To Bless Your Neighbors

One of the most adventurous, faith-building, and impactful things you can do in your life is learn a lifestyle of blessing your neighborhood or apartment complex. This will add awareness to the people around you and their stories. It will grow your prayer life. It will inspire you to walk closer to God. And it will lead you to the joy of working with the Holy Spirit to see someone’s life completely transformed - an experience you will never forget and that will make you hungry for more!

And it’s a very simple process. So simple a caveman could do it!

First, practice focused prayer over your neighbors. Walk the property or the neighborhood and pray specifically for the people who live there. Notice their yard, look for birth announcements, pray for the kids if there are bikes or toys around, pray for hearts to become aware of God’s drawing them to Himself. It all begins with extraordinary prayer. Oh, and pray two things for yourself: Ask God to create opportunities for you to meet new people and connect to their lives, and ask Him to lead you to what many call a “person of peace” among the neighbors.

A person of peace is someone who does not know God yet, but whose heart is drawn to the quest, they are open to the conversation and they have favor and influence among the other neighbors.

Be courageously kind and gracious toward all your neighbors, always watching for the person of peace to appear. When they do, and there may very well be more than one, take the next four steps in whatever order opens up to you.

Listen to their stories. Watch for signs, both verbal and non-verbal, that give you a window into their story. Show great curiosity and empathy as you seek no other goal than to know and love them. This is not a scalp for your wall, this is a friend to welcome into your life.

Eat with them. Invite them to a meal in your home and feed them. Meals are a powerful way to connect with one another. Walls fall down, more stories are shared, relationships are built and hearts open up.

Serve them. Look for needs in their life and meet those needs. I had a new friend in my life years ago who did this for me. We played a round of golf together, at his invite and expense, and he just got to know me. On the drive home I mentioned that it was one of my son’s birthday the next day and I could not find the video game that he badly wanted. Within 15 minutes of dropping me at home, he called to tell me that he had found the game at a store about 40 minutes away and that he would have it to my house within two hours. I was blown away!

Share your stories with them. Tell them what makes you who you are. Weave the journey of your faith formation into those stories when appropriate. Be vulnerable and welcome them into your life.

Then, when the Holy Spirit reveals the perfect moment, share Jesus with them and invite them to explore a relationship with Him too. You don’t need to be a Bible scholar. All you need to be is a person who “was blind but now I see”. All you know about Jesus is what you know about Jesus - and that is enough to share with a friend.

Then, when and if it is ever a good idea, bring them to your faith community. That could be a Sunday gathering at the church you attend or it could be your Oikos, small group, or other friends who love Jesus. Connect them to the larger Body of Christ so they can develop a support system for their faith journey.

See how easy that is? Just B.L.E.S.S. them!

Believe for them in prayer

Listen to their stories

Eat with them

Serve them

Share your story with them

And watch the Holy Spirit empower you, speak through you, and deepen your community of faith while transforming a new friend and their Oikos, too.

Rhythms That Give Life to Your Soul

Nature teaches us the importance of rhythms. There are seasons throughout a year. There are growth cycles, breeding cycles in animals, and patterns that repeat themselves.

I have found that this approach to rhythms in my own life have played a huge role in my own emotional, spiritual, and mental health or development.

Here is a pattern that has been profoundly fruitful for me, when I’ve remained disciplined enough to maintain it: Divert Daily, Withdraw Weekly, Calibrate Quarterly, and Abandon Annually. Here is how this works in my own life:

• Divert Daily: multiple times throughout the day, take small breaks to change the pace, pattern, or environment of the day. I love 17-minute naps, with a timer, or short walks, or standing in the sunshine when it chooses to arrive. Other ideas are short YouTube videos about your favorite hobbies, a chapter of a book, a snack, or a drive. Break up the day with little diversions that are also life-giving.

• Withdraw Weekly: Jesus said that God created the Sabbath for our benefit, not His. It is a powerful discipline to have an entire day that has zero work obligations, the freedom to nap or reflect, and community joy with family or friends. I have found that the Jewish idea of sunset to sunset makes this an even easier habit to accomplish.

• Calibrate Quarterly: For this I take a quarterly prayer and study retreat of at least two nights and three days. Sometimes, coming out of a very busy or stressful season, I sleep almost an entire day of it. Other times, I have tons of energy and hit the floor enthusiastically listening to God, learning from reading, or practicing other forms of worship and meditation. Change of place + change of pace = change of perspective.

• Abandon Annually: This is the full week to three weeks (if you can get at least two back-to-back it’s best) of completely vacating your vocational responsibilities. This is for fun, relaxation, family connection and experiences, etc.

When I have practiced this pattern of rhythms, I have not experienced depression or despair, and my fears and dreams receive appropriate leadership from a healthy sense of self.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes! If I can help you with some ideas, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Help With Despair

We all experience a wide range of emotions that are in the normal range. And sometimes we experience emotions far greater than seem normal. Their intensity seems inappropriately intense and we don’t know why.

That, too, is normal in that it is common and normative in the human experience.

One of the helpful responses to our emotions - or the deadness of no emotions - is to discern first if they are appropriate to the situation or seemingly more intense than appropriate for some reason. Becoming mindful of what I am facing, what I am believing, and how I am feeling (or not feeling).

One of the questions to consider is, “Do I need coping mechanisms or healing?” The answer is, of course, Yes! I need both.

When we are in the pit of despair, we need both short term and long term solutions and strategies in order to move forward and find healing.

Today I want to offer a guide for the immediate relief portion of that journey.

King David wrote in Psalm 42:5 “Why my soul are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

Meditation #1: Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed?

Consider these questions and reflect on all the possible answers. Write them out. Give them a weighted score, in terms of their individual intensity or pain. Name them and reflect on their impact on you.

Meditation #2: Put your hope in God.

Take each thing on your list and tell it to God, one at a time. Declare your hope in God for each item. Confess that hope, even if you’re not feeling it. Hope is not about how you feel, it is about what you choose. Your feelings will eventually catch up.

Meditation #3: Praise Him, your Savior and your God.

Spend a few minutes praising God. Thank Him for His Presence, for His forgiveness of your sin and His patience with your human frailty. Praise Him for fighting on your behalf and for His Spirit that lives within you.

David continues in v7 “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.”

Meditation #4: Just sit in God’s Presence, trusting that His Spirit is working deep within your spirit. Imagine Him working in the depths of your soul, and His waterfalls of love and protection washing over you.

Here is the Truth: You belong to God and your emotions cannot always be trusted. Bring your battle to the Lord and fight - with whatever limited energy you have - and watch God wrap His powerful and loving arms around you!

Change Your Narrative, Change Your Life

We are constantly talking to ourselves and that self-talk is framed and fueled by a narrative we have adopted about the significant moments, impactful relationships, and deep wounds of our lives. But what is interesting is that there are at least two versions of every story we tell ourselves and both of them are accurate, though they are radically different.

The story you choose to embrace determines a great deal about your mental and emotional health, your optimism, and your sense of personal confidence.

Story one will be fairly negative: it will major on the things you were owed, but never received. It will envision the people who betrayed you. It will show highlights of your own personal failures, mistakes and lapses of judgement. It will be a sad story and one that drains your energy rather than inspires you.

The other story will include the same pain, loss, failures, and disappointments, but it will be framed by the personal power you held and continue to hold, the backstory of the ones who hurt you, the redemption God is offering in your process, and the desired future that lies ahead.

Both stories are true.

Choose the good story. How do I know which story is the good one? It will always include three items:

• Personal Responsibility. You will see the role you played in the story you tell and you will see the opportunity you have to leverage the pain for good, with God’s help.

• Grace for Others: You will see the backstory of those who hurt or disappointed you and will recognize that they are flawed, wounded, depraved individuals just like you. This will not excuse their behaviors or release them of responsibility, but it will explain it.

• Hope for the Future: You will see that God is at work in the redemption of your story and that you have a bright future ahead, no matter how painful the past.

Think of a story you keep replaying in your mind - one that has pain or disappointment in it. Now tell the story differently, including those three elements and see how your feelings change in the process.

Remember, both stories are true and accurate. Two things can be true at the same time. Your parents can have failed you, hurt you, and deprived you; AND they could have been the product of horrific tragedy or betrayal in their own history as well.

Your spouse can be neglecting, hurting, or abandoning you AND you have played a role, their behaviors are probably a logical extension of their own story, and God will walk you forward with power and redemptive hope.

Articulate both stories. That is important. But cling to the power of the good story and allow that one to point you forward.

A Guiding Principle for Helping in the Homeless Crisis

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights...” (The United States Declaration of Independence)

The problem with unalienable rights is that someone has to protect those rights and, at times, provide for them. When complexities occur that make the protection and provision of these rights unclear, obstacles, agendas, and conflict abound.

Take, for example, the disastrous outcomes in the homeless crisis. It is not news that ground continues to be lost on this issue in spite of the robust investment of passion, creativity, and dollars.

The missing ingredient is a True North that has the ability to calibrate the compass of everyone navigating these complex issues and guide all stakeholders in alignment, in spite of passionately held and diametrically opposed views.

That simple True North? Human Dignity.

I believe that all people really are created by God and bear His image, possessing the mysterious, beautiful, and eternal glory of their Maker. Truly there is no such thing as a “mere mortal”. Therefore, every solution to every aspect of community development, and especially the development of our most vulnerable citizens, must be guided by the commitment to human dignity. This can provide amazing clarity in confusing times.

For example, our housed citizens cannot simply insist that we push our vulnerable citizens back into the woods where they can exist out of sight and out of mind. That lacks human dignity. Neither can we allow glorious human beings to defecate on public sidewalks, live like animals, and create serious health hazards for all. This lacks human dignity. Not one of us would allow our children to live this way. Why? Because we love them and want to empower them to live up to the potential they have, whatever level of potential that turns out to be. 

Here is an idea: Let’s require program, partnership, investment, and solution for our vulnerable neighbors to be developmental in nature. That is, they empower people to move towards greater autonomy and dignity, at whatever step is possible for that citizen.

Ironically mistaken is the notion that protecting the residence of tent cities and allowing disastrous and dangerous living conditions to prevail is thoughtful, helpful, or honoring to these citizens. Allowing human beings to live in squalor with rats, sewage and trash is the furthest thing from human dignity. It is instead a passive declaration that these people are a lower class of human who cannot be expected to take even one tiny step toward personal development because they are incapable of any personal responsibility and growth. 

This is the height of personal insult.

To be sure there are among our homeless populations people with life controlling problems and debilitating issues that grossly limit their capacity for successful autonomy. The dignified answer for these friends is residential care, developmental treatment and effective transitions into an empowered life. Letting people live like animals fails the dignity test.

It is simple, but not simplistic, to apply the dignity test to every solution considered. Non-developmental assistance creates co-dependence, not independence. Everyone knows this, yet we keep ignoring it in the case of homelessness. Co-dependence is not a dignified solution for any human being, unless their best life includes living in an institution or community for those who cannot provide for themselves.

Our most vulnerable neighbors have unalienable rights and we must provide for them in developmental ways that increase dignity, pride, and personal growth. It is time to stop sabotaging their progress with toxic and undignified charity.

Renewing Your Mind (and Soul)

The Bible is the greatest psychology textbook ever written! 

“Psychology” comes from the word, “psuche”, which means, “soul”. And who knows the human soul better than its Maker, God, Himself? The Word of God provides master guidance on soul-care and soul-health. Here is just a small sample:

Paul urges us in Romans 12 to fight being conformed to the patterns of this world and to, rather, be transformed, or morphed, into a new “form”. That form is the form of Jesus, which is what God graciously predestined us for. How does that happen? Well, Paul continues, “by the renewing of your mind.”

The word “renewing” literally means, “renovating” or “remodeling”. 

In other words, we have to knock out some walls, move some things around, and renovate the way we use our minds, in order to experience transformation. This requires intentionality, discipline, and a clear process.

Which brings us to Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13 about the seed and the sower.

Jesus said that some seed fell on the pathway and was quickly snatched away by birds. Some landed on rocky soil and could not take deep root, thereby making it vulnerable to heat and drought. Some fell on weed-infested soil that choked out the seed, and finally, some landed on good soil, reaping a harvest of 30, 60, and 100 fold.

Consider Jesus’ explanation of this parable as a great starting point to assess your own process of renewing your mind:

• The path is ground hardened because of being frequently walked upon. Some of us have heartened hearts as a self-preservation strategy, or as a debilitated response to being trampled on by people we trusted. Some of us continue to allow toxic people to violate all reasonable boundaries and continue to trample upon our hearts. This keeps the Word of God from penetrating our soul and freeing us. What trampled soil has hardened in your own heart?

• The rocky soil prevents deep roots from the seed of God’s Word because of what lies beneath the surface. These rocks can be unforgiveness, resentment, bitterness, blame, narcissism and more. Are there any rocks beneath the surface in your life that are keeping you from experiencing the transforming power of God’s Word and Spirit?

• The weed-infested soil represents three particular weeds that choke out God’s Word in our lives: the deceitfulness of wealth, the worries of this life, and the desire for other things. Reflect on these three, for they are each powerful and yet subtle. In these three areas we have a natural ability to self-deceive and rationalize.

• Notice that even the good soil produces a variety of harvests; some 30 fold, some 60 and some 100. The reality, like the parable of the talents, is that we each have a variety of health and strength to produce a harvest. Reflect on this and consider how to grow your potential. What is keeping you from being a 100-fold producer?

Here’s the deal: God is at work in you to want and to do His good pleasure. And you have to participate. As you do the tilling of your own heart and mind - as you tear down flawed walls of thinking, belief, and desires, and rebuild new structures with God’s Word, you will experience whole new levels of soul-health and fruitfulness!

Let’s get to work, shall we?

The Question of Truth

Our cultures, both sacred and secular, are blinded by a high-volume of sources who all claim to be true, producing content with blinding speed, and with no clear and reliable source for separating the fake news from the real news. It’s quite maddening!

The classic question is, “What is Truth?” but I think there is another question that is equally defining for us: “Where is Truth?”

Does Truth exist outside of us? That is, is there a God, a law of nature, a governing force, or some authoritative source of Truth, from which all people must rightly calibrate our own understanding and practice in order to align with both the Truth and its source?

OR

Does Truth exist inside of us? That is, is Truth individualistic in nature and is determined exclusively by the owner of that Truth?

If Truth exists outside of us, then human beings have a head-start on uniting ourselves around some basics. We can more easily build our personal, moral, social, and political systems and behavioral expectations with some sense of clarity. Guardrails are easier to build and thousands of questions already have a starting place to guide our answers.

If, on the other hand, Truth exists inside of us, then no one ever has the right to claim authority for an absolute Truth and we are each left to shape, define, and practice our own Truth. Hopefully, with dignity and love for one another, we can do so in cooperative ways, but that has yet to be demonstrated in any lengthy and consistent way.

And here is the kicker: our world insists that Truth comes from inside of us, yet wants to hold us to some expectations that simply cannot be defended or known when there is no external source of Truth. 

For example: Truth comes from within us and, therefore, all Truth is acceptable and should be tolerated lovingly by everyone who disagrees. UNLESS your Truth is, say, Christian, where your Truth believes there is One source for Truth and that all Truth submits to that Truth. Now, the heretofore gracious and open-minded Truth-holders become militantly against your Truth, even though they claim absolute tolerance for all beliefs.

See the problem?

If there is no absolute Truth, then one cannot be expected to believe any particular thing - ever. But, if there is absolute Truth, then we must all submit to its authority and align our thinking with it, which is socially unacceptable these days.

And here is the deal: our children are being baptized, pickled, and evaluated by the insistence of no absolute Truth.

We have much to do, as believers, and we must get to work! Not defining our Truth in ways that overcome doctrinal error, but in ways that overcome secularism.

The secular world has identified the enemy and we are it. I think that is precisely where the Church does its best work. 

I hope we are ready for it.