I recently had a mentor of mine give me a call. In the call, he lovingly scolded me for not “expanding my leadership” and seeing “God to be too small.” He reminded me that every time he has offered me an opportunity for personal growth, I have made some excuse as to why I couldn’t be a part of what he was offering. Do you know what? He is right. Instead of telling me what I wanted to hear, he told...  Read More

As I write, the date is August 5th, and if you have news or social media at your fingertips, you may have awakened to more headlines and drama from the Olympic games, an update on the political war that rages in our country a day before primary voting, or the crashing stock market that is a result of weak economics in our country and around the world. Maybe the news was more personal: an unexpecte...  Read More

Simple research tells us that sheep were a prominent animal in the Bible, providing many necessities for people in ancient Middle Eastern cultures: Food: milk, meat, and were often used as sacrificial animals; Clothing: Sheepskins were made into clothing and coverings for walls; Income: Sheep were a primary source of income; Other uses: Sheep horns were used as musical instruments or to hold oil, ...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:In his next stunning statement, Jesus declared himself to be the “good shepherd!” In the culture of that day, herding sheep was a relatable profession. Sheep produced a lot of resources, and they were considered valuable for many things. Jesus used the image of a shepherd speaking of his compassion for his disciples. A shepherd gets so close to his sheep that he knows their...  Read More

“When God moves in your life, it will be undeniable!” Does that line look familiar? I borrowed it from Pastor John’s “Main Point and Overview”. Thanks Pastor John! If you’ve been reading along this week, you’ve seen a beautiful theme of the undeniable power of Jesus as he heals physical afflictions and spiritually sickness.1 John 3 is such an incredible portion of scripture. When I’m asked the que...  Read More

At some point or another we all wanted something we didn't have. We have all begged our parents for something we thought we needed. Maybe even as adults we bug our spouses for something we think we need. No matter when or what, the things we long for or the things we think we need, are actually a want! I look back on my childhood and can now see how needy I was as a child. I always wanted the late...  Read More