Transparency – Manton’s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119 – Part 1
In this first of a three part series, we consider transparency with God. It comes after studying Dr. Thomas Manton’s 27th sermon on Psalm 119. Manton is relatively unknown today. However, the preacher and theologian of the 1600s was prominently known and...
Ask Why When You Find You’re Conflicted
I’ve always encouraged my kids to ask why. Most parents get frustrated at that oft-repeated question, myself included. However, being able to question and interrogate a situation or circumstance is a skill of vital importance. That’s because, in seeking...
The Secret to Building Character Traits on Purpose
Purposefully building character traits may be one of the underlying reasons for embarking on this grueling study of Jonathan Edwards’ resolutions two years ago. As I enter into the home stretch of it, this may be the only time I have directly acknowledged that fact....
Check Yourself – There’s Never a Wrong Time for it
It’s important to check yourself on occasion. It’s a way to know what’s going on in your head and in your heart. I say this knowing full well there is a sinister vibe that likes to flow through my own soul. It’s not something I am proud of. And, truth be...
Frog Stew Seasoned with Procrastination, Complacency, and a Bit of Mediocrity
I’m no stranger to procrastination and complacency. You may not be either. But, what you may not realize is that the two are very complementary to one another. Heck, you might say the two make up a weird stew that’s seasoned with bit of mediocrity. In Brian...
The Profound Connection Between Food, Communion, and Wellness
The funny thing about wellness is the fact that we all can agree that it’s good, but few of us can define it. Fewer still can say they have it. And, if we are being brutally honest, even fewer are willing to relentlessly pursue it. Even as I type this, I’m...
Is it Possible to Live (and Die) with No Regret?
I’d like to say I have no regret in life. But that would be a lie. I am human, so it’s inevitable that I will have wished I had done some things differently. For instance, I once thought it might be fun to throw marbles into a nest of ground bees. I immediately...
Finding True Virtue in a World Full of Empty Virtues
I belong to an organization upholding virtue is a core value. But I bet it’s not a word any of hear all that often, let alone speak of it. So, it begs the question, what exactly is virtue? A simple definition of virtue from Dictionary.com points to strong moral...
Purposes of Self-Discipline and Impact it Produces
Self-Discipline is a missing proficiency in many lives. And that’s tragic. I’ve found that much of Jonathan Edwards resolutions – and life in general – can be boiled down to this single, hyphenated phrase. Self-Discipline. Surely Ewards revered it. He held...
Let’s Restore Charity Back to its Fruit-Filled Roots
Benevolence is a word for charity that we hear less often that we once did. It’s usually in the context of an organizational benevolence fund created to help people during distressed seasons of life. Today, though, I think we just commonly lump everything into...