Trading With No Regrets

Have you spotted the new Trade-It store in town?

This innovative retailer can be found at the corner of Evans St. and Greenville Blvd., and its signage subtitle says it all: Sell it…Buy it…Love it. I was intrigued by this marketing slogan and recently conducted some firsthand reconnaissance.

No great surprise once I got inside. You sell your stuff at wholesale and can buy other stuff at retail, goodies that your peers have previously sold. It’s essentially an upscale garage sale all in one place, and I can see why the place was packed the day I visited. Read more »

Mustard Seed

Again Jesus said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.” Mark 4:30-32 (NIV)

Apparently Jesus understood the power of a small contribution. Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is like a tiny, little mustard seed. It starts small and then becomes a tall and powerful tree. You might remember that Jesus said if our faith is even the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Read more »

Still Learning to Have No Regrets

“If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” Mercedes Lackey

“A man is not old until his regrets take the place of his dreams.” ancient proverb

Our current teaching focus on “No Regrets” is hitting very close to home as Mary Lou and I approach a new season in our lives. In fact, it explains a whole new direction we are taking. Let me explain.

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Lessons

When I woke up on Friday, I knew something was up with my throat. I had not been sneezing or coughing. I didn’t have a runny nose. In fact, I felt fine, but I could feel my throat closing up on me.

AND, it just got worse. I talked with people at the Four:Twelve Event with Tom and Betty Tyndall on Friday night, but by the next morning I was struggling to talk. I gargled with saltwater, drank hot tea and water almost all day, but by the time I got to church, I was hardly able to speak. Somehow, I got through it.

Sunday, though, was worse. Read more »

Pressing On in 2010

I had made it this far; I sure wasn’t going to turn back now!

Several years ago, my son John and I had an awesome time mountain climbing in Colorado. On our last climb, we tackled an 8-miler above the tree line, and it kicked my 50+ tail big time. At three-quarters of the way, we moved above the tree line and stopped for a quick break and a bite to eat. The view was breathtaking, a testimony to God as you can see in the picture I’ve included.

As we rested for a few minutes, I was so pleased by our progress and had great confidence that we would make it. At the same time, getting to the summit would not be easy by any stretch of the imagination; in fact, I knew it would get tougher. While John’s nimble and fit 20-something body was soaring, I was huffing and puffing in the altitude’s thin air. But I just kept quoting a favorite children’s story: Read more »

A Weekend to Remember

A few years ago, Teff and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary by attending a Weekend to Remember gathering in another city. We realized we hadn’t been away alone together since having children. For us, it seemed like there was always a little one in the house to tend to, home school to teach or church work for me to do that continued to prevent it. Finally, however, the time was right, and off we went for four days!

Weekend to Remember is sponsored by a ministry called Family Life, but it’s like many other marriage enrichment weekends. You and your spouse get away together in order to spend time talking and working on your marriage. An experienced couple also leads the sessions, which are both humorous and inspirational.

I must say, that weekend was awesome for us! Our marriage wasn’t necessarily in trouble, but we understood that every marriage can use intentional effort. After our experience, I began then to think about what a delight it would be for Covenant to host such a marriage enrichment event. Guess what? The time has come! Read more »

Getting Christmas

“I get it, I get it!”

The joy and volume of her outburst distracted my attention as I stood nearby, but I was glad. This all happened on Main Street last weekend after our Saturday night service as folks mingled. What I quickly came to understand was that this lady was a new believer, and she had just figured out Christmas. How cool is that?

Apparently she, like a lots of folks, had grown up thinking that Christmas was about Santa, gifts and family. She had never really understood that Christmas was about the Father’s love and pursuit of her. She had not grasped that Jesus had humbly become a human to rescue her from her sins and restore her heart. I wish you could have seen her face beam—from “death to life” was written all over it.

I don’t know all the elements that led to her redemption, but let me suggest the likely scenario—one that is being repeated more and more often at Covenant. Read more »

Faith Acceleration

Share with us how God has been using the InTENtional for 10 focus to accelerate your faith:

“During this 10-week period, I have experienced a tremendous amount of spiritual growth. I honestly feel closer to the Lord than I ever have at any time in my 40 years on this Earth. My children and I are taking to heart each of the 10 elements. The blessings and inner peace that we have enjoyed have been nothing short of amazing. We are closer as a family than we have ever been. During this 10 for 10 period, I have felt the Lord call me to fulfill my His Heart, Our Dream commitment made in 2006. Mind you that when this commitment was made, I was in a double income situation. Since that time, I am in a single income situation, and I have taken a 12% pay cut. Read more »

Waving Gifts

It’s one of the most unusual stories in the whole Bible. Moses has led the children of Israel, God’s people, out of slavery in Egypt, through the Red Sea, and out into the desert on their way to the Promised Land of Canaan. On their way, they camp at Mt. Sinai, and God gives Moses the 10 commandments along with instructions for how the people are to live and worship as God’s chosen people.

One of the instructions is to build a Tabernacle, a dwelling for God and a place of worship. Moses announces that anyone who is willing can give to the building of God’s house. Exodus 35 reports that “all who were willing” gave from what they had. People were thrilled to give a gift to the Lord from what they had: gold, silver, jewelry, expensive clothes, gemstones, spices, olive oil, and perfumes. People wanted to thank God for his provision in their lives, and for the journey so far, and mostly, they wanted to bless God with gifts.

The amazing part of the story is that the people gave so much that Moses had to tell them to stop. That’s right; the Bible actually says that Moses had to restrain the people from giving. That is hard to imagine, isn’t it? Read more »

Who was I today?

I did not know I was that arrogant. (No comments from the peanut gallery, please.)

Having spent the last 48 hours in the Dominican Republic with a team of 10 women (and yes, I still covet your prayers!), I am convinced God has schooled me in a new chapter on what it means to serve others. This is not the first time I’ve been in a third-world nation, nor is it the first time I’ve seen this level of poverty. But it is the first time I’ve recognized the pride and arrogance of my American-culture-driven background like this.

I came here with the team to film and document the story as well as catch images to help cast vision for the DR in the months to come. And I knew that I would be in situations with people here where I could “give” them something or “help” them. After all, since we come from such a blessed nation, surely we have something to offer them. I mean, seriously, don’t we have all the answers?

Slaps in the face hurt. Read more »