You're stronger when you don't try to lead on your own I see you. You're there—you're always there—working hard and getting it done. First to arrive and last to leave, carrying the weight of the world, speaking wisdom that sustains the weary. I see you there, gathering the pieces of broken hearts and delicately, patiently piecing them back together. Sharing creative ideas with your team, leading with the kind of wisdom that will shape your department, and ultimately, people's lives.  You lead the way. Maybe you're the counselor who listens to countless stories every day. The pastor who invests hours of preparation for the weekend ahead. The teacher who guides and trains young minds in the classroom. The entrepreneur with the exciting new startup. The mom in the neighborhood whom everyone turns to for advice. The community leader who serves, not because he or she believes in endless committee meetin

  Both secular and Christian research suggests that one of the most important traits in a good marriage is humility—actually the opposite of being consumed with yourself. A good husband or wife demonstrates empathy, compassion, forgiveness, and a desire to grow and learn. If qualities like humility and kindness make for stronger relationships, why do we gravitate toward the advice that tells us to “look out for number one”? Why do marriage counselors encourage people to abandon a marriage if it doesn’t help them “become the best you”? A focus on loving yourself never prepares you to love someone else. In fact, it actually sabotages your capacity to love.   We have always been susceptible to Satan’s appeal to our prideful and sinful nature. In the Garden of Eden, he convinced Eve that her way was better than God’s. He fed her pride and her desire to be the god of her own world. His lies haven’t changed that much, yet we still sink our teeth into the apple

Your church needs you to … 1. Be Humble If you want to learn humility, you need to act humble. There is no character quality more important than humility. While humility does not come naturally to any of us, it can be learned, because here’s the thing: Humility isn’t a feeling or an attitude—it’s action.  If you want to learn humility, you need to act humble.  Here are three quick tips on becoming humble: a. Find mature Christians who exemplify humility and spend time around them. Learn from them and learn to be like them. b. Volunteer for the lowliest of tasks. Don’t ask to be in the public eye when you serve, but be content to stay in the back. Find joy in doing the lowliest jobs and do them when and where only Jesus will see. c. Get to know Jesus. It was Jesus who said, “Whoever exalts himself will

                                                                                          Good Bible teachers make lessons relevant. Good Bible teachers make lessons relevant. We use media, games, personal stories and pop-culture to connect the Bible to our students’ lives. But in our desire to be relevant, we can inadvertently water down our Bible teaching. And none of us want to do that! That’s why it’s important to position the Bible in a way that the text leads our conversations. What Do I Mean? For many of your students, the time you spend in the Bible is the most meaningful time of Bible study they’ll encounter in a given week. Making sure we let the richness of the Bible text lead our time together is vital. So what does this look like? Here are a few thoughts on how to make sure the Bible leads your conversat

Realness It’s sometimes hard to believe being “real” is attractive to a man. It’s easy for women to look at the billboards and magazines that fill our minds with airbrushed beauty and enhanced bodies and think that being “real” makes you less than the others. But I’ve found that real men are attracted to a woman who reveals her natural self. This “realness” manifests itself partially in physical ways. Obviously, looking good is not a bad thing, but there is something about the beauty of a real woman that far exceeds the plastic Barbie version of ourselves so many women strive for and believe in. Of course, men are not simply looking for a woman who is real with her appearance, but real with who she is. When it comes to attracting a real man, there is no need to pretend. They’re not looking for a woman who pretends to be into sports, cars, sex or anything else she thinks her man wants. They are looking for a woman to be fully herself—personality, quirks, deficits a

How to develop an attitude of gratitude, no matter what life throws at you. "Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Did you thank God today? For what, you may ask? For anything other than your last meal. Sometimes I can go an entire day without remembering God even once, much less thanking Him for His many gifts. It is so easy to forget in the relative safety of the Western Church just how dependent on God we really are. No one is trying to kill or imprison us for our faith. Comfort can breed complacency. We need to combat this potential with the truth of God’s Word. The right perspective One of my favorite verses when thinking about being thankful to God is the first part of Acts 17:28: “For in Him we live and move and e

Do you feel pressure to change who you are so you will be accepted? Have you ever tried to be someone else just to fit in with a group of people? Have you ever tried to do something impressive, just for the sake of others’ approval? I'm sure many of us would probably say 'yes' to at least one of these questions. But why do we do it? Sometimes it's simply because we feel the need to fit in and be accepted. This is a struggle faced by both Christians and non-Christians. The dangers of trying to fit in Some may ask, “ Is it okay for a Christian to become friends with a non-Christian?” The answer is yes. It is important to have fellow Christians in your life, but that does not mean you should limit your friendships to only Christians. Sometimes becoming friends with a non

It's easy to love our friends, but much harder to love those who hate us. Jesus said some tough things from time-to-time, but one of the hardest commands he gave his followers is found in Matthew 5:43-44... You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. Of course, it's easy to say this to other people, but when we're asked to do it in our own lives, that's when things get tricky. What about that bully at school? What about that girl that says mean things about you? What about those so-called 'friends' who keep talking about you behind your back? Does Jesus say I have to love them too? Yes, he does. God cares for the evil If yo