The Unscheduled Appointment

child plane

Every Thursday we’ll post something to do with relational or emotional concerns. Hope it helps. — The Unscheduled Appointment I love what I do for a living, and count myself hugely blessed when I remember how rare it is for your work and your first love to be the same. I come alongside men getting serious about their holiness, I write on subjects that matter to me, and I speak to churches and conferences, all of which I’d do as a volunteer if I had to do something else for income. My work is my passion, so I’m a pathetic brat if Continue Reading

Facing The Fire

faith

Every Wednesday we’ll post something to do with doctrine and recovery.  — Facing the Fire “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire ---” I Corinthians 3:11-13 Any Christian feeling a call to service should get a good grasp on the parable of stewardship in Matthew 25:14-30. It describes a master commissioning his servants with differing amounts of money, then taking a Continue Reading

Getting the Sound Bite Right

gold apple

Every Thursday I’ll post an article having to do with either relational or emotional matters. Hope it helps. — Getting the Sound Bite Right “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a picture of silver.” -Proverbs 25:11 My lovely wife gets all the breaks. She’s warm and inviting, a friendly woman who extends herself easily. I’m reserved, somewhat shy, not good at small talk and, according to feedback I’ve gotten since I was 3 months old, not friendly looking. So everybody loves Renee, and wonders what she’s Continue Reading

Releasing My Wounder

forgive

Every Thursday I’ll post an article having to do with either relational or emotional matters. Hope it helps. — Releasing My Wounder We’ve all got them – wounds, past injuries of the soul that still show themselves, either in current pain or current behavior. They can show themselves in current pain through memories that just won’t die. Sometimes a mental picture of a traumatic event, like a childhood humiliation or tragedy, keeps intruding into your thoughts. Maybe you let yourself relive it, and all the pain of the event Continue Reading

The Greater Condemnation

casual Christians guy with open bible

Every Wednesday we’ll post something having to do with doctrine and purity. Hope it helps. — The Greater Condemnation My brethren, be not many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. - James 3:1 James didn’t write a very nice book. In fact, apart from Proverbs, I think his epistle’s the biggest “kick in the butt” you’ll find in all of scripture. He gets right to the point: Don’t whine when life’s hard, give yourself no excuses for sin, abhor double-mindedness, shut up and listen, keep Continue Reading

The Dark Plunge

plunge dive

Every Thursday I’ll post an article having to do with either relational or emotional matters. Hope it helps. — The Dark Plunge “--- a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan sent to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.” - I Corinthians 12: 7 I’ve wrestled with depression since I was a teenager. I mean real depression, mind you, not the occasional “blues”, moodiness, or sadness we all experience from time to time. Depression is to a blue mood what a migraine is to a headache, which is to say Continue Reading

Of Morsels and Birthrights

freedom

Every Monday we’ll post something about maintaining your sexual integrity. Hope it helps. — Of Morsels and Birthrights Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. - Hebrews 12: 16-17 I used to think Esau got a raw deal. He was a young man of the earth, skilled in hunting and physical prowess, Continue Reading

Default to Darkness

man artistic blur

Every Monday we’ll post something about maintaining your sexual integrity. Hope it helps. — Default to Darkness God’s blessings flow this month like lava. My client load has nearly doubled in the past few weeks; I just spent the weekend in Roanoke with 540 awesome students from Young Life and Inter Varsity discussing sexuality and holiness; my beautiful wife is looking lovelier than ever; my oldest son’s career is forming; my youngest son is getting more paid gigs for his Christian band; our new roof just went up; I have a new Continue Reading

Random Ramblings #48: Gun Control, Lance Armstrong, Jodie Foster and The Impossible

Photo Credit: ABC News.

Every Friday we’ll leave the topic oriented post, and instead post some personal comments. — A Cuppa Joe Gun control seems to be on everyone’s agenda or hit list, depending on which side of the aisle you root for. The restrictions Obama’s proposing, in light of the Newton tragedy, look innocuous enough, and I personally am not afraid of background checks for gun owners or limits on sales of automatic weapons. What does have me nervous is the trend, which I doubt will end with these initial proposed laws, regardless of the fact Continue Reading

Doing It Right

Happy Thanksgiving from Joe

Every Thursday we’ll post something having to do with relationships and/or emotions. Hope it helps. — Doing It Right “Bless the Lord oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” -Psalm 103:2 “Blow, blow thou winter wind”, Shakespeare said. “Thou art not so unkind as Man’s ingratitude. Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky. Thou dost not bite so nigh as benefits forgot.” Not me. I want to do it right today, in five particular ways. Before all the hoopla starts, I will set aside time for focused prayer and Continue Reading