Leadership
How to Set Great Goals (that you will actually accomplish)
Recently I did the course by Michael Hyatt, "5 Days To Your Best Year Ever." The content of this course was well put together, efficient and thought-provoking. It was exactly what I needed to get my year started off on the right foot. In this video I share a few of the secrets I use to make sure I...
How to Encourage Yourself in the Midst of Discouraging Circumstances
This is a guest post by Daniel Henderson at www.strategicrenewal.com David, the great Old Testament figure, was no stranger to fatigue, fear, confusion, doubt, bad decisions, and second chances. Like refreshing rain on parched ground, his raw humanity, disarming transparency, and persevering pursuit of God give us encouragement in the occasional, even frequent, messes of our own lives. In one of the...
How to Share Your Heart and Still be Heard
Recently I've had to have some conversations with people that have been hard - to say the least. Truth has had to be spoken, otherwise it would have left a gap in integrity or shared love. I do not like conflict, I'd rather run a marathon than face conflict (and that's saying a lot, because I really hate to run)....
Protect your time because small interruptions have big consequences
One time a mentor casually asked me if I answered the phone on Tuesdays. It took me a moment to process his question but it soon registered; he was asking if I was willing to interrupt my study time for a simple phone call. He knew the Tuesdays were the main day that I used to study for my...
How To Give Your Family More Than Your Leftovers
This morning my mom called. She is sweet and always has a way of sharing truth in love. After we caught up on life a bit, she said, “I need to say something to you, but please hear me out…” I knew right then there was something in my life I’d done wrong—and I had a feeling it was probably...
Why Every Small Decision Matters For My Integrity
I recently did the grocery shopping for our family. It took an hour longer than expected, but the journey was well worth it. When I finished, the lady behind the register told me I had saved $43.49. She circled the savings on my receipt and I left the store with a smile. The whole drive home I couldn’t stop thinking...
3 Keys to Keeping Confidence Without Being Prideful
Being prideful is different than being confident. We are not supposed to be wet washcloths or people without backbones; investing in God’s Kingdom doesn't mean that we walk around without confidence ourselves. In fact, you and I as believers should walk in confidence with Christ in any situation we encounter. Therefore, being all about Christ doesn’t mean we don’t have...
The Importance of Caring For Myself
We were standing in the lobby of the gym as I gave excuse after excuse why working out is so hard for me. Finally, my sister (who is also a personal trainer) said, “It is not a sin to care for yourself, Pastor Josh.” I’ll admit - I am much more inclined to help other people, before helping myself. But...
Dream God-Sized Dreams
When I was younger I used to dream God-sized dreams. It was not rare for me to call owners of large buildings, semi-truck companies, and large traveling tents to see if they would donate some of their assets for God’s use. I would lay awake at night dreaming about what could be done for the glory of God. Money was never...
The Most Important Question I Ask Before a Meeting
The very nature of my position of leadership in the church demands that I spend a lot of time in meetings. "Meetings are toxic," wrote Fried and Hansson in their book, "Rework," and for the most part I tend to agree. However, meetings are a necessary evil in many of our organizations, so we must use them wisely or...
Who I am Drives What I Do (Not The Other Way Around)
When I used to be involved in Gospel magic, I remember a highly acclaimed magician getting up at one of our national conferences and explaining that what he does is not who he is. At first I didn't quite understand what he meant. You're a magician, that's who you are! Are you telling us you are resigning as a magician?! I...
Stop Scourging Yourself
Honesty relieves us of the scourge of self-judgment. So long as we remain in hiding, alone with our sin, it is easy to wallow in guilt and shame. We flog ourselves with memories of every time we failed to live up to expectations—ours or those of others—and cringe with shock and dismay at the depth of our unworthiness. Since...