Cheering for a Patriot

There is quite a bit of excitement around the upcoming Super Bowl.  I know I plan to be watching.   Patriot's wide receiver, Matthew Slater, is not only a leader on the field, but off the field as well.  He is outspoken about his dependence on Jesus for everything important in his life, and was bold enough to be featured in this video supporting his position.  While it is hard for me to cheer for the Patriots due to their ridiculous dominance of the game, there is one Patriot that I can't help but cheer for.   Thanks for being a stand-up guy, Matthew.

Against the tide

The ConnectGroups at our church are starting up in a  couple of weeks.  I am leading a series called "Against the tide",  and it is based on Paul's letter to the Colossians.   Paul had never been to Colossae, but he had received reports that people in the church were creating and worshiping false Gods.   The purpose of his letter was to hammer home the supremacy of God and the deity of Jesus.  In doing so, he describes the nature of God and the required response from those of us that believe in Him.  Often times, it may feel like we are swimming against the tide, and if the tide is taking us out to sea, that can be a very good thing.   I can't wait to interact with our group to see and hear their perspectives.  I am quite sure I will learn more than I will teach.

Music For Life

We raised our kids in South Gwinnett outside Atlanta.   We were active in our church and were introduced to Ben Smith and Pat Barrett who started a Christian Band called Unhindered.  They gained some local notoriety by playing at Youth Retreats and other events.   That grew into some national touring.  Unhindered is not together anymore, but I have had the joy of watching Ben and Pat continue to make and perform music that honors God.  This week, I was delighted to hear Pat Barrett on SiriusXM with his performance of "Build My Life".  Check out the video here if you haven't seen it yet.

Mental Help

David Mandani grew up in a normal home and went to normal schools, but when he went away to a Christian University, his life started falling into pieces - he was diagnosed with Schizophrenia and contemplating suicide.  David's story could have ended like so many others that we hear in the news almost every day: people with mental illness killing themselves or others.  While many churches are not equipped to help people with mental illness, David's church was.  He attends Saddleback Church which is led by Rick Warren who wrote Purpose Driven Life.  Saddleback has trained leaders who are equipped to help people with mental illness, and David gives credit to the church for getting him the help he needed.  David is now a social worker helping others through their struggles with mental health.   Read more about his story here.   If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness, please find someone who can help or feel free to contact me directly.   Praise God for churches like Saddleback that have invested in helping people with the devastating disease.

Streaks

I look forward to the New Year because it gives me a chance for closure with the previous year, a chance to evaluate how things went and the opportunity to set new goals for the new year.   I can put disappointments behind me and refocus on what I need to do to make the next year better.  One of the tools a friend showed me is an app called Streaks.   It allows me to define new habits and track my progress on a daily basis.  You can track personal non-fitness goals kind of like you would track health goals with a fitness tracker (and the app will sync with most fitness trackers).  Whether or not you choose to use the app or not, I encourage you to take some time to think about things you can do that will make this year better for you and the people around you, make a commitment to yourself, and keep it.   It's one of the best feelings in the world.