I endured much pain (self-inflicted) earlier in my life because I did not know about God’s “Even if” and “Even Though” promises. My ability to be strong through the adversity of life back then was pathetically weak. I can see now that it was because I had done nothing to develop a relationship with Christ to learn what he would have me think and do when the going got tough.    That meant...

Of course they are!    The problem is that we have unwittingly created a wall between pastors and lay leaders that is sometimes defined by the use of “theological bonafides.” What can be an impenetrable barrier keeps a believer’s calling and suitability to serve at bay.    Throughout my 20 years as a Christian leader and Marketplace CEO, I repeatedly heard about believers from...

“MR. GORBACHEV, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!”    Ronald Reagan in West Berlin, Germany, 1987.    Even though the concrete wall between East and West Berlin turned to dust nearly 30 years ago, it still offers a powerful metaphor for this story about a figurative wall that exists between the church and Christians working in the marketplace.    What divides the two “sides” in my...

Stewardship of the talents and gifts God gives us can be gauged by how much of our time is spent on the day-to-day bustle of life, and how much is spent on spiritual growth and service.    “Make the most of your chances to tell unbelievers the Good News.  Be wise in all your contacts with them.”   Colossians 4:5    OK, great…what can I do to check how I’m spending...

We all try SO HARD in life when God says TRY EASY and trust him.    Many of us occasionally view the notion of keeping our life in balance as a low priority. I know I am susceptible to that wayward thinking when things get busy and I shift into the “try harder” gear.    CAUTION!    We’re playing with fire when we convince ourselves to just try harder when times are tough,...

What?! Glorious uncertainty? C’mon, you are kidding, right?    Nope. No kidding. It’s definitely possible and I want to share with you how God brought me to its peaceful state.    Our culture has taught us that fear and worry, just like stress, are part of the package we get in life. We are told to endure the constant pressure of life’s uncertainty and to keep trying hard so we...

I’ve caught over 20 Marlin in my life.  Some big.  Some small.  One 610 pounds off the rugged Kona Coast on Hawaii’s Big Island.  Memories of peering into the deep cobalt come rushing back to me often, usually when I’m having trouble being EXPECTANT.    You see, I was ALWAYS expecting to catch a marlin when my dad and I went out on the hunt.    When I’m having...

That’s me in the middle of my career as a corporate CEO chasing success.  A horrible picture to be sure. But it’s a perfect picture, too, because it is EXACTLY how I felt.  How I was.  How I was destined to be.    Thankfully, the story took a turn in a different direction. Let me tell you the story.    I roared out of college and attacked my business career with...

It’s all about margin.    You are no doubt thinking that what’s coming next from a “full-speed-ahead CEO” like me is that margin is all about striving for a life balance and taking time to smell the roses…right?    Wrong.    For me, creating the margin necessary to live a committed life following Jesus is a matter of generating “breathing room” for an intimate relationship...

Why do so many believers lack the confidence needed to activate their faith, utilize their gifts, and live out their purpose for Christ and his Kingdom? Indeed, why are we afraid of our own shadow?    The parable of the wise and the foolish builders illustrates how important it is to build one’s life on Jesus and activate our faith. There are two kinds of people whose hearts reveal...