It’s a fact: God detests all sin. Seven sins, in particular, He hates the most. Proverbs 6:16 says, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him” (NIV). The term describing God’s hate towards these sins, saanee, is one used in Hebrew for “foe.” God views The Hated Seven as an enemy.…
Kayla paused as she removed the last picture from the office wall for her move to the suite upstairs. The photo of her and her college friends on graduation day was ten years old. I’ve changed so much, Kayla thought. Back then, she was only interested in passing classes and getting the frat guys to…
Jessica, an operations manager, had an unresolved issue with a vendor and knew she must address the conflict. “It’s time for a ‘Come-To-Jesus Meeting,’” she told her staff. Jessica’s team had seen their boss in action and knew what that term meant: the vendor would be on the receiving end of a blunt confrontation. Would it be…
Change invites choice. You can choose to view change as a pain or as a gain. You can choose to focus your mind and heart on what causes the change or Who gets you through it. You can choose the lie about change (you are vulnerable) or choose the truth (you can be victorious.) And…
In the 1987 film Wall Street, Bud Fox is a young stockbroker desperate to succeed. He finds a mentor and hero in Gordon Gekko, an unscrupulous corporate raider, and uses Gekko to measure himself and his job performance. Although Bud becomes very wealthy, ultimately he is deceived and betrayed by his idol and convicted of insider…
A filter separates what you want to discard and what you want to use. Think water and coffee grounds. A water filter removes impurities to cleanse water for drinking, irrigation, swimming, bathing, or cooking. An oil filter removes contaminants that may affect an engine or machinery. A software filter screens incoming data to protect your…
Burnout is a danger in serving – both in occupational ministry and for volunteers. In a recent Francis Institute survey, 71% of pastors stated they were burned out. Further, one national report documents that just 25% of volunteers contribute 77% of volunteer hours, placing them directly in line for what’s now known as “volunteer fatigue.” Serving need…
You know the signs: the darkened screen … a slash through the “Charge” icon … a background beep. Your cell phone battery is dead! And usually it happens just as you were about to make or take an important call. Keep Your Cell Phone Charged and Updated Fortunately, the lithium ion battery in your cell…
Stress is your body’s response to change. Yet the term “stress” conjures us all kinds of negative images of danger, calamity, conflicts, and difficult situations – hence the term, “distress.” But stress can also be positive: a wedding, a new job, a thrill of discovery, a vacation trip – even Christmas. Positive stress, also called…
Can you keep your core balance and stand on one foot, not fall over … and stay that way for a good while? In athletics, that ability is highly valued. Good athletes in every sport work their “core” (their trunk) for strength, adding balance drills for agility and flexibility. Without core balance, athletes are incomplete,…