daddy4ms

Each year, my Christmas list includes lots of books.  So, at the start of each year, I like to share the new books that I received.  Here is one of my new books for 2019:

I have been on Sabbatical since May 1st.  In many ways, it is going so fast.  I cannot believe school is out this week.  Here are a few thoughts from recent days at home or from prayer/reflection days: ABIDE-This word continues to be brought to mind. During this time of sabbatical, I want to spend time in relationship with Jesus.  Some days this includes a nap, other days it is reading His Word, sometimes it is showing love to my family, or bike rides while singing songs of praise. I read John 15:1-17 and was amazed at how much Jesus wants to be in relationship with us.  Do you understand? The God who created the world, the Son who lived, died and rose again, the Spirit who raised Christ from the dead, this Triune God wants to be in relationship with you and me.  What a wonderful gift! What should I be DOING?  When you don't go to work from 8-5 each day and do not have meetings to attend, you have some free time.  As a human, my tendency i...

I am now three chapters into Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian.  So, I wanted to share a few quotes from chapter 3.  "What are you missing in life that prompts you to go after this particular addiction? They're deciding to yield to that addiction, to give themselves to it, to embrace it, because something else they crave is lacking." "Identify where your restlessness is rooted--because that's where a confrontation with the gospel is needed." " In fact, when it comes to Christian life and experience, many of us have understood the gospel as the thing that gets us in, while the thing that then keeps us in (we assume) is our own effort and performance.  We recognize that the gospel ignites the Christian life, but we often fail to see that it's also the fuel to keep us going and growing as Christians." "John Calvin famously said that all our hearts are idol-making factories. . . An idol is anything that's usurping the pr...

Well, I was only able to watch the last 30 minutes of Idol last night. I was completely shocked. Personally, I enjoy Kris Allen's genre of music better, but Adam was the better singer. I do enjoy listening to Kris sing and play guitar and piano. My kids were very excited that Kris won. I look forward to seeing how the final three do following the competition. They both did great throughout the competition. As I was thinking about what to write today, I was reminded of a sermon I did in Iola titled "American Idol." In the sermon, I talk about the Bible's clear admonition against idols in our lives. See Exodus 20:4-6 . An idol is whatever claims that loyalty that belongs to God alone. In Bible times, it was worshipping things such as Baal, Asherah , or the golden calf. We are quick to say, "We don't worship idols like that" so we are OK. However, what idols do we have in 2009? I believe as Americans we have three areas where we are prone to id...