Thankfulness

I know Thanksgiving has passed and Christmas is only 6 days away, but I'm inclined to argue this is a more important time to reflect on what we're thankful for.  And, this is one of the most recent things Jesus is teaching me about how to follow Him and how being thankful effects the condition of my heart (doesn't everything).

It's always funny to me that I can tell my wife something "profound" which, at the time, I think is helpful to her, then the next day I end up sitting across from someone listening to the exact words I said to her.  That happens far more than I can count.  After my conversation with the someone, a line from a song by the band Waterdeep began resonating  in my heart.  It goes, "A thankful heart prepares the way, for you my God."  I've been rolling it around for a couple weeks now and though I don't actually get it, I get it.  The sad part is I've always "gotten" the concept in my head, but haven't embraced it with my heart... (Read FULL POST)

The Weight of Guilt

A couple posts ago (Confessions of a Christian), I said, “One of the things that hold me back [from following Jesus] is the fear of being labeled that, “Hippy, on the fringe, organic, crazy ‘Jesus’ guy”…and the fear of…failing Jesus…” That kind of fear is a heavy burden to bear. As heavy as it is, it may not be nearly as heavy as the other reason I haven’t jumped head long into friendship with Jesus…Guilt.  (READ MORE...)

Jesus is My Friend.

I've always struggled with the idea of Jesus being my friend.  I know Jesus, Himself, says He is (James 15:15), so I don’t dispute it.  For me it always seemed so lowly an idea for Him to be my friend.  I've always known He is for me and the verses like James 15:15 (above) and “lays down His life for a friend”, but He’s God. To say He’s simply my friend always seemed to disregard just how big a deal it was for Him to be born a man.  Nowadays, more than wanting Him to be my friend, I NEED Him to be my friend.  Read more...