Just this week alone I’ve found myself in the path of a wide variety of people — people in my office, people on the street, people many states away via phone or internet — people who are . . .

. . . questioning the existence of God

. . . struggling to know He cares

. . . dealing with the reality of death

. . . grieving a complicated loss

. . . seeking to connect with God

. . . processing impending unemployment

. . . celebrating a newborn baby

. . . asking tough questions of God

. . . working to save their marriage

. . . dealing with rebellious kids

. . . contemplating the purpose of life

. . . hoping for the best

. . . expecting the worst

Sometimes there are no words.

Sometimes there are no actions needed.

Sometimes the tears just come. And I realize that no words are required. Only love. Only compassion. Only tenderness.

It’s at those times that God takes over, and I sense His Holy Spirit at work in me and around me.

And I know that He is good . . . faithful . . . completely in control.

And I remember that He is love.

And that His grace is enough for me . . . just as it is for you.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who controls our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. — Romans 8:26-27

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Men do it. Women do it. Children do it.

Even in the presence of good company, worry can leave you feeling restless and alone.

It has been said many times that most of the things we worry about never happen. And that may be true. But those of us who struggle with worry somehow feel a sick sense of control over those things that often top our ‘worry’ lists. Things like health, finances, relationships, death, war, intergallactic collisions. See? It’s just the little things that keep us up nights.

In His teaching on worry, Jesus said this:

This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: they don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? – Matthew 6:25-26 (HCSB)

Paul, in writing to the church at Philippi, said:

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 (HCSB)

That wonderfully devoted missionary, Corrie Ten Boom, not only influenced the lives of those with whom she shared Christ personally, but even in her death, her words come alongside believers today, reminding us of the importance of simplicity in the Christian life. Her common-sense approach to worry puts it in an everyday framework: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”

Whatever it is that concerns you most today, lay it down at the feet of Jesus. Place it in the hands of the One who already knows the anxious state of your heart and feels compassion for the burdens you bear. Spend some time thanking God today for His loving care. And whatever you do, don’t let the worries of your tomorrow ruin the quality of your today.

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What things cause you the most worry/anxiety? How do you handle those concerns?

There are so many things in life that cause us to feel rushed, harried, torn in a million different directions. There are people who place demands on our time and energy. There are causes for which we feel passionate. There are projects to complete, lists to check, calls to return, emails to read . . . and on, and on, and on.

I’m finding it particularly true that in these hectic days, if I’m not careful, I can find myself getting my priorities all out of whack. I respond to the demands of those who are loudest — not out of genuine care and concern, but rather, to simply get them to stop talking. I find myself allowing the naysayers and chronic complainers to have my ear more than those I claim to love the most. I find myself feeling guilty when the typical 24-hour day doesn’t allow enough margin for me to take action with regard to those causes that tug steadily at my heartstrings.

Yes, life in the 21st century moves at light speed. Unfortunately, if I’m really, really honest, I must admit that sometimes my struggle to adequately manage my time not only short-changes my family . . . it also short-changes God.

There. I said it.

I’m a full-time minister at a church . . . working hard to help others connect with God, and yet somehow even I fail to adequately connect with Him. Sure, I know He’s there . . . just like the friend or neighbor at Wal-Mart who I acknowledge with a mere wave or nod. But I’m busy doing something else. I see Him calling . . . just like that other person who’s always phoning, texting, or emailing — never seeming to get the clue that I’ve got important things going on. I hear Him attempting to get in a word with me, just like my kids when I’m on the phone . . . or visiting with someone who happened to catch me on my way out of the church.

Why is it that the One I say I love the most is also the one I put on the back-burner until the right moment comes along?

It’s probably just me. Most of my readers are pretty solid Christian people who have their act altogether. They manage their time well. They have their priorities in the proper order. They always give God first place and never ask Him to wait.

The good news is that God doesn’t hold grudges . . . unlike the ‘best friend’ I may have dissed. God doesn’t seek retribution for my immaturity or downright disobedience. He doesn’t hover over me like a parent whose child made a really bad choice. Rather, He waits patiently for me to make time to connect with Him in a personal, meaningful way. He forgives me for my inattention to our relationship. He accepts me just as I am. He delights in the time we have together, whether long or short. He’s the perfect picture of patience, kindness, and love. More than all that, He makes me a better person for the time I spend getting to know Him and following His example.

And I am . . . well, me. Guilty. Self-centered. Wholly undeserving of such a Friend.

Just for today I pray that the words of this song would paint a picture of my heart’s deepest desire:

Jesus, draw me close,
Closer, Lord, to You.
Let the world around me fade away.
Jesus, draw me close,
Closer, Lord to You,
For I desire to worship and obey.

Jesus, thank you for being a friend to sinners like me. Help me this day to take the time to be with You and know You more fully. Amen.

For many of us, the price of freedom has come at great cost to our families. While I have not lost any immediate family members through military service, I have worked with those who have not been so fortunate.

I have worked closely with a number of military families during times of great emotional pain and sorrow — the kind of anguish that comes when young lives are, in our estimation, cut short. I have also had the privilege of knowing people who never really had the chance to know their parents or grandparents due to the casualties of war. That is the reality for one of our church staff members. Her father died while serving in Vietnam when she was just a little girl.

This day hits me hard every year as I think about the stark ambiguities that seem to be magnified on the evening news. A day that has been specifically set aside to remember those fallen men and women is marked less by memorials and more by boating and backyard barbecues.

On this Memorial Day, I urge you to interrupt your celebration of summer long enough to give sincere thanks to God for those brave soldiers who have made it possible for us to live in the land of the free.

However you choose to spend this day, say some special prayers for those families who are daily reminded of the sacrifices of their loved ones. For them every day is a memorial day.

May we never take our freedom for granted. And may we never ever forget that its price is paid in human lives.

Within the context of Christianity, discipleship has to do with the process by which believers in Jesus Christ are transformed into His likeness. That is no small task, to be sure. Fortunately, the process of discipleship is not left entirely to us or to chance. When we cooperate with the Holy Spirit and seek to allow God to mold and shape us according to His plan, then discipleship takes place.

Discipleship is a concept not unlike that of a mirage. We have some idea what it looks like, but we’re never able to fully reach it — until we cross over from earth to eternity through that much-dreaded, much-feared bridge called death. It’s frustrating to realize that the closer we think we are to being ‘complete’ — or as they say in the South, ‘done’ — the more elusive our desired destination becomes.

That’s because humility is one evidence of the discipleship process. As such, it stands to reason that if ever we begin to think we’ve arrived, then we can be sure we haven’t!

Like the Apostle Paul, each of us has some sort of sinful thinking or behavior that serves as an all-too-familiar reminder that our journey of discipleship is not yet complete. Isn’t it interesting that we will not be completely like Christ until we are with Him?

I think that’s one of the reasons that personal time with Him through devotional reading, prayer, and meditation is so important in the life of a believer. Think of your best friend. This is a person you can share your heart with — even if it’s ugly — and still be loved and accepted. This is a person who knows your hurts, habits, and hang-ups — and still wants to be with you. This is a person who often knows what you’re thinking even before you say a word.

Of course, it didn’t start out that way, did it? Every friendship has a Day One . . . a beginning point at which somehow an introduction of sorts was made, and a relationship began to grow.

Discipleship is not just about doing good things (although those deeds may serve as evidence of your faith). Discipleship is about living a life of faith and trusting in the only One who has the power to know you even more than you know yourself.

There are many facets of discipleship — and many vehicles to help us grow in knowledge of Him. For me, the clearest evidence of discipleship is the quality and quantity of time I spend with Christ. You see, discipleship is not about rules; it’s about relationship.

I thank God today that His amazing grace clears the way for me to enter into the presence of the very One who took my sin, my shame, and my blame . . . . on my cross.

I’m finding that in those times of difficulty, it is important to take time to reflect on the blessings of life. And I have many of them. When discouragement comes, we have a choice to make. We can focus on the negatives, or we can focus on the positives.

For example, no matter what I may be facing, God has blessed me with a wonderfully supportive wife, two incredible kids, and a thriving ministry in a church that I love dearly. These are truly blessings from above, and when I pause to recognize them as such, I help any feelings of discouragement to diminish.

You know, I’m a lot like the apostle Paul. He was a man who knew how to make good choices — but that didn’t necessarily mean he always made them (Rom. 7:15). He was a man who was passionate, zealous, and strong-willed. He knew what it was to have plenty and to be in want (Phil. 4:12). He struggled with weaknesses and a ‘thorn in the flesh’ (2 Cor. 12:7), yet he trusted God to reveal His power even through those things (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

Paul knew the joy that comes from putting others first and considering them better than himself (Phil. 2:2-3). In fact, many of us understand the truth in those words as well. When we serve through a ministry or volunteer in our community, we are exposed to needs that make ours seem less urgent.

For today I will seek above all to follow Paul’s instructions in Phil. 4:8:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.”

No matter what your struggle or state of mind, may you find strength for today as you focus on blessings, as you pray with thanksgiving, and as you rest in the shelter of His unfailing love.

That’s a statement used today to describe everything from relationships to technology. Those of us who readily utilize computers for work and play are always seeking out simpler means to achieve our goals. We want software and apps that are intuitive. We want our calendars and contacts to sync. We want shortcuts to even the most menial tasks.

Ten years ago email was the way to go. These days it’s all about tweets and text messages. People today want the biggest reward with the least effort possible. Which works fine . . . until it doesn’t.

Many things can’t be simplified without jeopardizing quality.

I think about such food items as popcorn and sun tea. The microwave just doesn’t do justice to either.

I think about reading. A brief synopsis written in Cliff’s Notes just can’t fully capture the full power of a novel.

I think about healthcare. I’ll take a thorough physical exam any day — complete with several stops in waiting rooms and labs – before I’ll go for today’s doc-in-a-box medical drive-through.

Some things simply aren’t, well, simple. Some things are worth waiting for.

Sometimes I think we rush through life like a kid on a timed test. We may get the answers right . . . but what have we really learned?

People skills must be learned in the context of relationships. Character must be developed through discipline and accountability. Patience must be learned by waiting. To circumvent any of these processes is tantamount to making queso dip without cheese. It just doesn’t turn out right!

I’ve heard older people say many times that the older you get, the more you learn there is to know. I’m finding that’s a truism worth taking to heart.

As a child I remember working extra hard to develop a mnemonic device to help me remember key points in school. Of course, there were plenty of times when I spent more time perfecting the memory trick than I would have spent to just memorize the actual points!

In your quest to find simplicity, be sure that the things you seek to simplify are really worth the investment of energy. And make sure the integrity of the desired product is left intact.

Some things in life aren’t meant to be simple. Sometimes the biggest payoffs come in realizing you navigated stormy and complicated waters yet made it safely to the sandy shore.

Give thanks today for those complicated people and situations in your life that allow God to conform you to His image. Discipleship is a process that can’t be rushed.

It will require time. It will require sacrifice. It will require self-denial.

But it will result in personal holiness — which is, after all, simply priceless.

I’m in the process of becoming what Christ wants me to be.

Rather than spending a lot of time focusing on what I want to do in the year ahead (even though I have a few things in mind), I think my energy would be better served seeking what God wants to do through me.

This world is such a chaotic place, and as I’ve alluded to a number of times before, sometimes that gets me down. I’ve learned through the years that there’s no shame in expressing emotions. There’s no shame in being real, authentic, transparent. There are risks involved with all those things — but I find that the joys far outweigh the vulnerabilities — and the opportunities for heart-to-heart ministry are found most readily at the intersections of our weaknesses. Even the psalmist dealt with emotional highs and lows, as evidenced in his writings. And I seriously doubt that he’d care much about playing the role of ‘perfect Christian’ that our culture seems so eager to cast — all for the sake of tearing down later in the theatre of public opinion.

I’m not the only one with doubts and fears either. In fact, what would a Christmas play be without an angel to say, “Do not be afraid”?

I’m not the only one who sometimes ventures off-course in my daily time with God. In my walk with Him, sometimes I lag behind . . . sometimes I wander ahead.

I’m not the only one who sometimes says things I shouldn’t say and does things I shouldn’t do. It’s called sin, and Scripture clearly tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

I’m not the only one who sometimes wrestles with priorities and suffers the physical, spiritual, and emotional consequences of an unbalanced life.

No, I’m not the only one. But there’s still not much consolation in that fact.

Here’s something different though: I am the only one who can moment by moment make the choice to surrender my will to that of the Father . . . to allow myself to just sit with Him awhile . . . to be still and know that He is God.

I’ve heard it said that the longer you live, the more you realize you don’t know. As I cross over into a new year, I will view it as a new beginning of sorts. But more than that, I will choose to view each day as a precious gift in which the God of the universe allows me to know Him more fully and share His message more freely with those who need to hear.

I’m not a cookie-cutter Christian. Instead I am hand-crafted by the Master, called according to His purposes, and fearfully and wonderfully made to bring glory to Him alone.

That, my friends, is what I want to do best in the year ahead — in whatever form it may take.

I pray God’s richest blessings on you in the new year. More than that, I pray that you will know how wide, how long, how high, and how deep is the love of Christ. (Eph. 3:18)

In that context, “Do your best” had certain connotations. And those words really covered more than just test days. “Do your best” meant:

• Pay attention in class
• Do your homework thoroughly
• Take your time and don’t make careless mistakes
• Ask questions for clarification

I guess that in spite of short-comings that all parents have, mine did a pretty good job of instilling that principle. While I deeply appreciate that fact, it sure makes it difficult to be tolerant of those who don’t do their best work.

Take customer service, for example. When I worked in retail sales, the reigning mentality was “the customer is always right.” I would submit to you there are very few businesses who operate by that principle today. Now, granted, we know that the customer is not always right. But I think the main point of that mantra is that as a business person, it is important to always treat even the most difficult customer with a measure of dignity and respect. Through the years I’ve come to think of it differently — more along the lines of “I’d rather be paid than be right.”

It pains me to see that today’s fast-paced productivity-minded culture encourages quantity over quality. So many people simply do not seem to care to do their best.

In ministry, doing our best means many things. It means taking the time to listen; following through on what you say you’ll do; being intentional about changes and transitions; hurting with people in need; being diligent in preparation, no matter how large or small the crowd may be. The church is a place where good principles of ’customer service’ can be readily applied. I still think of myself as a salesman of sorts. Of course, the main difference is that I have the most important thing to offer — and I’m giving it away!

Because I represent Jesus Christ, it is essential that I do my best. That means lots of attention to not just the big picture but also to the details — those little things that are extremely time-consuming but that make all the difference in the world.

Colossians 3:23 says this:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

As you go through your routine today, I hope you will give life your best — every aspect of it. Give your family your best. Give your employer your best. Give your friends your best.

I’m frequently reminded that God gave His best for us; we owe Him nothing less.

Just gone. Vanished. Without a trace.

How would your community be different without the influence of your church? Here are some questions I’ve been pondering in recent days, regarding such an event:

• Would my community be a darker place due to the abence of light emanating from the lives of our members?
• Would more people be hungry . . . homeless . . . poorly clothed?
• Would community organizations miss the involvement of our people?
• Would far fewer people be subjected to the life-changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
• Would people sense a loss of hope? A loss of spiritual healing? A loss of help during times of trial?

Or would most people go right on about their lives with no notice . . . no mention . . . no care about what happened to that church?

If the church is to be relevant to a lost and dying world, then these are questions that must be asked — and answered in a way that brings glory and honor to the name of the One who gives life . . .Jesus Christ himself.

What kind of questions are the driving force at your church? The questions we ask determine the answers we find.

Spend some time this week thinking this through . . . and take a moment to share your thoughts.