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 himself to...
As I write this, I am suffering. I have had a cold for a good week. It has left me tired and unmotivated. Also, it has me much less productive than I would like to be. Though my suffering is relatively minor, it has me eager to experience a time when I am again...
It’s good to lament. Or maybe not. Who knows? Maybe we better back up and first ask “what does it mean to lament?” To answer that, let’s consult Got Questions, where they say: To lament is to express deep regret, grief, or sorrow. We can lament through words or...
A post about Christian death is a hard one to draft. As is the case with most, this post culminated in much more than I intended when I started studying it, praying over it, and observing society around me. I also find that I have been in a very gray season of life....
This resolution speaks directly to being in a spiritual rut. Further, it points to our recurring need for revival of personal dedication and zeal. While reflecting on Edwards 42nd resolution, my own testimony came to mind. Something else that stands out about this...
At its core, the Year of Listening Up is about developing character. It’s an annual project that’s an outgrowth of a book I wrote for my daughters, largely centered on the same ambition. Since Edwards made developing character a primary goal of his life, it made great...
When it comes to prayerful confidence, most think in the context of God’s willingness to answer. However, we must keep mindful of our own actions and intentions. To that end, I can’t count the times I’ve failed to make a prayer I told someone I would. Or the times...
We often speak of a heavenly reward. It's usually said in relation to the phrase “you can't take it with you.” The “it” in this case is all the stuff we acquire in life. Our homes, cars, clothes, gadgets, toys… even our money. This stuff is stuff we gather, collect,...
I don’t know how it goes in other countries, but the U.S. culture certainly has an interesting relationship with the concept of shame. On the one hand, it seems that nobody has any shame. In addition, people are constantly thrusting themselves into attention seeking...