Dealing with Manipulative Critics

I love Christians. I love the Church. But believers can be some of the most manipulative and controlling people you will meet. Not all. Not even the majority. But there are enough of them and their actions so heinous that they seem to be everywhere. I’ve had worship leader friends see this. One in particular…

Scarcity Mentality

Do you have a scarcity mentality toward ideas? I used to. When I first began blogging, I was also working full-time at my church. I had to come up with great ideas at home and at work. I was frankly worried I’d run out of good ideas. So I hoarded them. I had an idea…

The Guy I’m Jealous Of

I have a friend who seems to have all the luck. He gets floor seats to Laker games. He’s been on TV multiple times. People fly him all over the country just to hear what he has to say. He’s not really a public figure, but he’s treated like he is. It’s hard not to…

The Misery of Doing Good

On Sunday, I decided to take a few weeks and give up coffee—all caffeine, actually. A friend at church actually begged to buy me a cup of coffee because he thought I looked horrible. Apparently I’m more addicted to coffee than I might care to admit. That manifest itself further on Sunday night when I got…

Risk or Regret

Have you noticed the difference between people who have followed their dreams and those who live with regrets? Sit in a room filled with retired people. You’ll instantly be drawn to the ones who share the risks they’ve taken. You’ll generally avoid the ones with regrets over all the things they didn’t accomplish. Let me…

I Am a God

In a sense, I am a god. Before you pitch stones at me, let me explain. I am the center of my universe. Everything I do is about me. I receive prayers in the form of emails and tweets—people asking me to do things for them or thanking me for things I’ve done. If someone…

Your Voice Must Speak

One of the biggest myths I’ve seen perpetrated in people’s heart is this: The things that break my heart break yours. Now, I’m not talking about genocide or poverty. Those things should affect all of us. I’m talking about a passion unique to you. I’m talking about your unique voice. It’s easy to think everyone…

Where is Your Voice Going?

On Friday I told you that you have a voice that needs to be heard. Here’s the next question you need to ask yourself: Who’s hearing my voice? My voice is primarily one of encouragement and counter-intuitive thinking—with a few nuances here and there. And I’ve been working hard at writing from that voice. At…