Category Archives: Life

Insights: The Heart of the Issue Part 1

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This is Part 1 of 5 parts focusing on the Heart of the Issue in relating to people.

When my daughter, Katy, was a little three-year-old girl, I learned an important parenting lesson from my wife. In the winter time, when it was time to go to church, I told Katy, you need to put your coat on. She was (and is) a very bright gal, but on that day, she was very slow to put on her coat. She was still playing with her dolls and standing by the door ready to walk through the snow in order to get into the car. I thought I would reason with her, so I said, “Katy, it’s cold outside, so don’t you think you should put on your coat?” Continue reading →

Insight: Time – August 2014

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This is the newsletter portion for the August newsletter from Grace Evangelical Church.

Did someone say it was August? Where did Spring go? School is already beginning for students? I know that one second today is no quicker than one second 50 years ago, but the days seem to go faster! I remember when I was young, the time was reasonable, but now the days are rippling by like a stream rushing down a mountain! Continue reading →

Insights: Biblical Soul Care

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Starting June 1, 2014 at Grace, one of the Adult 9 am “Summer Selectives” options is “Biblical Soul Care”. You can be a part of the healing, rejuvenating, restoring and strengthening process of Grace to counsel and help others overwhelmingly overcome and mount up like eagles in the Christian life!

Over the last forty years, wonderful saints of God have written and provided excellent resources for helping people approach difficulties from a Biblical perspective – or “God’s way” of dealing with situations. I’ve taught many times the importance of the three spiritual ingredients for growth, which are always discussed in counseling sessions – God’s Word, God’s Spirit and faith. These provide the basis for any person to grow in his relationship with Jesus and overcome (with His help)  every problem in life. Continue reading →

Insights: Character far exceeds Ability in God’s View – Part 2

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In the previous article, I discussed the importance of reaching the heart over forcing the hands to complete tasks. In other words, you can force behavioral change in a person, but if you don’t reach the heart, the change will not be long-lasting and the task completion will be done out of duty rather than a desire to please. Continue reading →

Insights: If I Wanted

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I was blessed to have a few days to drive over with my bride to North Carolina this last week. We enjoyed a few hours walking through the Biltmore Estate, spending a few quality hours with our nephew at Fort Bragg, a few hours with a seminary friend and pastor in Fayetteville, N.C and then a few hours with Barbara’s cousin in Raleigh, N.C. The time spent with family and friends was a greater blessing than the miles driven and the three different places to sleep!

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Insights: Long Winters

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Indiana has long, cold winters, but they are few and far between compared to 2013 – 2014. I’m used to the Jet stream trends that draw cold air down from the north, but  I hadn’t been familiar with the term “polar vortex” until this year. A polar vortex1 is an area of low pressure in the upper atmosphere that has centers near Canada’s Baffin Island (NE Canada) or over northeast Siberia. You know it as “cold temperatures!” Here in Indiana our winter has been longer and colder than usual. I’m sure there are some who would love to take a nap and wake up in the Spring! Continue reading →

Insights: The Holiness Factor

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Our God is an awesome God and He reigns from heaven above. Here are the words to a great hymn:

  • Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
  • In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes,
  • Most blessed most glorious, the Ancient of Days
  • Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise

I love those words! There is no one like God. He is perfect, infinite and sovereign over all the details of life. Yet, He also allows situations, though they are in His control, they seem like they are out of our control. That causes foolish responses and actions. Continue reading →