Early in my faith walk I was afraid of everything. My shadow. Other people. And God. I was NOT afraid on the outside, hiding behind the façade I created with my success and wealth. It was on the INSIDE. I was afraid to be alone with myself–and my thoughts—and that’s what drove my lustful chase for things and the addictive (though always temporary) distractions they offer.    It’s...

The world’s denizens—you, me, all of us—are living on a planet STARVED FOR SOLITUDE and connection that transcends the transactional and life-less living we step through day after day after day.    That reality produces a compounding pain: These people are largely UNAWARE of how this STARVATION FOR SOLITUDE is consuming their soul and many of them will never be alone with God and feel his...

I think about STRENGTH a lot. Always have. Always will, I suppose. It’s an important appendage of my personality and deeply embedded in my DNA and character. I am wired to be strong in everything I do. I played football through college and strength of body and mind were my stock-in-trade. I was a corporate CEO and strength of leadership was my pathway to success. And I have committed to be strong...

When Christians around the world read that headline—Solitude With God? No Way. I’ve Got A Mortgage To Pay—very few, if any, will have ever uttered those words. In fact, I may be the only soul on earth—ME—to have that exact line ping-pong through my mind. I remember it vividly today, even though it was early in my faith walk when my lust for success had me chasing mansions and sports cars. But I do...

People all over the world are on a frantic search for some “ALONE TIME” with themselves. They want to find a happiness lane that muffles the unwelcome noise ringing in their head and messing with their heart. They want to tame the tension that slices through their relationships like a chainsaw eating a tree. They want to escape the challenges (and pain) produced by those pesky “demons” called reality...

Seeking SOLITUDE with God is a spiritual imperative, right? Yep. But recognizing that truth is the easy part. Actually pulling it off is extremely difficult while we all swim in the world’s slipstream. So let’s bust through one of the biggest barriers between many Christians and finding SOLITUDE with God:    Looking at SOLITUDE with God as a destination in and of itself; instead of realizing...

The hot wind of July has flipped the calendar’s page to August and brought us a new topic to explore–SEEKING SOLITUDE WITH GOD. I begin this journey with much anticipation and high expectations for what God can do in our lives. IF, that is, we are not too DISTRACTED.    “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and...

Everyone wants to experience the spine-tingling and euphoric RAIN OF JOY in their life. Sounds easy, right? So what’s the problem? Why does the world seem, largely, joyless and incapable of finding its elusive destination? And why in the world do so many Christians struggle mightily to understand the meaning of joy and search unsuccessfully for the pathway to its well of wonder?    The answers...

We’re about to wrap this month’s dig into GOD’S PROMISES and I want to include a message that has a profound and deeply emotional meaning to ME personally. It’s God’s FREEDOM PROMISE and it dramatically and forever changed my faith walk. Re-racked my identity in Christ. Transformed my life on earth. And yes, it ended with a tattoo.    It all started when I was in the throes of a personal...

This just in from our global tribe of 1.4 Million online followers: I am confused by the “payment to God” we are to make in Psalm 116. I thought Christ died for our sins and we can never repay that debt.    The writer of Psalms 116 does ask the question of repayment:    “What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on...