I was fortunate tonight to have checked my Twitter account right at the time Don Miller was doing a little interactive web event. I so appreciate Don's genuine personality and how he answers questions in a way that convinces the listener that he is saying what he believes rather that what he thinks you might want to hear.
Don is like a breath of fresh air - if you haven't had a chance to read one of Don's wonderful books, go to Amazon and have a look at his offerings, they are all very good.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Worlds Worst Blogger
Without a doubt I am one of the world's worst bloggers - not necessarily from a content point of view but from a consistency standpoint. I love to write, but as much as I love to write I love to have first-person human interest stories to write about.
One exciting piece of news that came my way this week was that I found out "for sure" that our ministry, Pastors Retreat Network, was confirmed as an exhibitor at the upcoming Catalyst conference in Atlanta this October. If you are unfamiliar with Catalyst and all that they have going on here is a link to their site.
From now on I will do my best to keep up with my responsibility as a blogger. I will try to post something meaningful everyday - let's see how I do! Peace and Blessings to All
Monday, August 10, 2009
Headlines
Do you ever read USA Today, the online version specifically? I have USA Today set as my homepage in my Safari browser. I like to get my day started by taking a quick look at the headlines as they relate to news, both national and international, what's going on in the world of finance, sports and all the other major areas covered within USA Today online.
One of my favorite stops is the news subsection covering religion. I this section because it deals with a broad range of issues that are important to the church, or should be important to the church.
Today one of the articles dealt with the "hot" topic of homosexuality. In the work that I do I have the great privilege of talking with people who might be considered "professional" Christians. In other words they get paid to work for the church or para-church ministries.
Within these groups of professional Christians, there are as many opinions as there are people when it comes to topics like homosexuality. Because the church has made homosexuality one of their "acid test" issues, I thought there might be interest in reading what some psychologists are saying about how best to deal with the issue of homosexuality within the confines of the counseling area.
Here is the link to that article
One of my favorite stops is the news subsection covering religion. I this section because it deals with a broad range of issues that are important to the church, or should be important to the church.
Today one of the articles dealt with the "hot" topic of homosexuality. In the work that I do I have the great privilege of talking with people who might be considered "professional" Christians. In other words they get paid to work for the church or para-church ministries.
Within these groups of professional Christians, there are as many opinions as there are people when it comes to topics like homosexuality. Because the church has made homosexuality one of their "acid test" issues, I thought there might be interest in reading what some psychologists are saying about how best to deal with the issue of homosexuality within the confines of the counseling area.
Here is the link to that article
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Funding Secured
Yesterday I learned that the grant request proposal I submitted to a Wisconsin-based Foundation was approved. I have never given birth so I have no idea how painful that experience is for new moms, but I can tell you for sure that writing a detailed grant request is like having your hand slammed in the door repeatedly.
It is funny how all the pain seems to fade away once you have the grant approval letter in your hot little hand.
I am really thankful that this approval came when it did, this has ben a tough year fundraising-wise; the economy has not been helpful, but we still believe we will raise everything we need to keep the ministry fully funded.
Needless to say, the grant that we've received will be very helpful. Now on to the next funding project! We have to keep the retreat space available for all the pastors and spouses that have been requesting this much needed time away.
Monday, July 20, 2009
So Many Words . . . So Little Communication
Being a writer and communicator, I spend a lot of time reading and listening to other people. I especially enjoy learning from others as I read their work and listen to their oration.
One thing I've noticed that runs contrary to the desires of most people who find themselves in a conversational exchange is that the majority of people would rather talk than listen. It's such a simple rule of great conversation, yet it's so often disregarded . . . listen more than you talk.
I have made a living by being willing to listen far more than I speak. The dividends of being patient enough to be an interested listener are huge. Not only do you learn far more than you ever dreamed possible, but you also win the goodwill of the people to whom you were willing to listen.
If you ever take time to read through the Book of Proverbs (Bible) - you will be amazed at how often, and how pointed, the references to speech, to conversation and to attitude within conversational exhanges are.
Reading Proverbs would be a very good starting point for anyone who is seriously interested in becoming a great interpersonal communicator - take a few hours and have a look - I guarantee you won't be disappointed
One thing I've noticed that runs contrary to the desires of most people who find themselves in a conversational exchange is that the majority of people would rather talk than listen. It's such a simple rule of great conversation, yet it's so often disregarded . . . listen more than you talk.
I have made a living by being willing to listen far more than I speak. The dividends of being patient enough to be an interested listener are huge. Not only do you learn far more than you ever dreamed possible, but you also win the goodwill of the people to whom you were willing to listen.
If you ever take time to read through the Book of Proverbs (Bible) - you will be amazed at how often, and how pointed, the references to speech, to conversation and to attitude within conversational exhanges are.
Reading Proverbs would be a very good starting point for anyone who is seriously interested in becoming a great interpersonal communicator - take a few hours and have a look - I guarantee you won't be disappointed
Saturday, July 11, 2009
The Art Fair
This afternoon my wife and I went a few miles to the west to join in the festivities at the Lake Country Art Festival in Delafield, WI. I have to say the one thing that stood out to me the most was the collection of people that make up the artist community. It was somewhat humorous for someone like me who sees things through a cartoon imagination most of the time.
It was probably just me, but I could have sworn that the artists and the art that they were displaying started to look like one another. Sort of like the old notion that people and their pets begin looking like one another after a time.
As I turned my attention from the artist community, I began noticing the other people around the festival grounds - the people who were there just like me, simply to see the show. I couldn't help but notice how the faces of the people passing by so clearly reflected the affect of their body language and the conversation or lack thereof with the people in their company.
The entire exercise in observation was entirely unscientific and purely subjective, but even an untrained eye can tell the difference between overt joy and barley able to hang-on to the day.
The sad summation of this whole experience is that even within a festive event, there are so many people that look like the last thing they really want to do is to cope with another day of what it is that life keeps bringing their way.
So herein is my question to the church. How many people walk through our churches with the same look of desperation that I saw today at the art fair? What do we do to speak life and hope into their lives? Or, do we let them walk through the church just like the fair goers walked through the festival grounds - they came and they left with same feeling of discouragement and despondency that they have been carrying around for . . . who knows how long.
I just know that there is something wrong with me when I see someone that needs a friend and I make no attempt whatsoever to become that friend. I guess I have a long way to go in the quest to be like Jesus.
It was probably just me, but I could have sworn that the artists and the art that they were displaying started to look like one another. Sort of like the old notion that people and their pets begin looking like one another after a time.
As I turned my attention from the artist community, I began noticing the other people around the festival grounds - the people who were there just like me, simply to see the show. I couldn't help but notice how the faces of the people passing by so clearly reflected the affect of their body language and the conversation or lack thereof with the people in their company.
The entire exercise in observation was entirely unscientific and purely subjective, but even an untrained eye can tell the difference between overt joy and barley able to hang-on to the day.
The sad summation of this whole experience is that even within a festive event, there are so many people that look like the last thing they really want to do is to cope with another day of what it is that life keeps bringing their way.
So herein is my question to the church. How many people walk through our churches with the same look of desperation that I saw today at the art fair? What do we do to speak life and hope into their lives? Or, do we let them walk through the church just like the fair goers walked through the festival grounds - they came and they left with same feeling of discouragement and despondency that they have been carrying around for . . . who knows how long.
I just know that there is something wrong with me when I see someone that needs a friend and I make no attempt whatsoever to become that friend. I guess I have a long way to go in the quest to be like Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)