My parents did not condition me to be a survivor. There are messages that I received as a child and growing into those developmental years of the teens and 20’s. Some of those messages from the culture I absorbed and some from the parents who did the best they knew to create an environment for […]
Read More JJ 24 #10: Thrive vs SurviveOne of the worst ways to describe someone is, lazy. There’s an equally dangerous extreme to address where someone is so devoted to working that it consumes all their time and everything else is relegated to just working. That’s something not always addressed or obvious because there’s a sort of understanding of the value and […]
Read More JJ 24 #09: Rest to WorkIt was not unusual that they were men in suits. Suits were the dress code for men in that gathering. What marked them out, though, was that at a given time during the singing, these select men would pick up their briefcases and file through to another room in the building. Then after a while, […]
Read More JJ 24 #08: The Value of CounselIf we get the problem wrong, then the efforts we make to address it are efforts to address the wrong thing and the real problem will never truly be addressed. What pride, the world and the devil concoct brilliantly is the wrong problem. Over-emphasis on one aspect of life. Complete detours to address inconsequential things […]
Read More JJ 24 #07: The ProblemMy Dad was not a storyteller. Not in my recollection anyway. I don’t remember particularly for being a wordsmith whether in written or spoken terms. In the church, his role as a deacon saw him do more than he said and he appeared very content with that. There were opportunities where he’d speak in moderating […]
Read More JJ 24 #06: The Story on the JourneyTo a degree, everyone conscious and capable, is on a journey. Working out how life should be, experiencing various issues from day to day, coming across matters big and small and being shaped by their response to what they come across. Committing to the journey of following Jesus requires a distinct turn in our journey. […]
Read More JJ 24 #05: The TurnIt is refreshing to know what the mission is. It won’t be expressed in the same way in all locations, at all times. It will necessarily be presented differently as determined by the context. There will, however, be key similarities in the expression. It will revolve around demonstrating and declaring God through His Son, Jesus […]
Read More JJ 24 #04: This is the Message, “This is the Mission.”Aaron going with Moses was not a concession by God. I can see how it looks that way. Moses gave reasons why he couldn’t do what God called him to do, and God finally said, “OK, how about your brother, Aaron?” Yet the reasoning that God outlines shows something more than a concession. It shows […]
Read More JJ 24 #03: Not On Your Own You Won’tAfter his encounter with God on what would be referred to as the mountain of God, Moses goes down to his father-in-law and asks for permission to take his family back to Egypt. As Moses heads out, he gets some key instructions from God. “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform […]
Read More JJ 24 #02: Instructions and ForesightIt’s a bit like dusting off the old books on the bookshelf that haven’t been referred to for a long time. I’m referring to this here entry on the blog. Almost three whole months since the last entry. It’s been quite the season for activity. One that hasn’t seen intentional time for entries of the […]
Read More JJ 24 #01: Dusting Off the Dust To Return
Life With CD 