I read an interesting quote today from psychology expert and best-selling author John Archer. He writes, “90% of long-term happiness is based upon how your brain is processing the world you find yourself in.” In other words, happiness is an inside job. The only question is, what lens are we viewing our world through? Take a photo with the wrong lens, and you could end up with all kinds of issues such as distorted images, blurred subjects, and dull colors. That’s why it’s important to have just the right lens. Optimists have a knack for seeing things from a different perspective. They can be put in the exact same situation…

Have you ever thought about the names of our Lord, and how much they say about God? He’s The Redeemer, Savior, Bread of Life, The King of Kings, Lamb of God, and Lord of Lords… He’s Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. The list of names goes on and on, as one could not suffice when describing the loving and powerful God that we serve. When the angel appeared to Mary in Matthew 1:23, he said that her son would be named Immanuel. It’s a wonderful name, because it means that God is with us. Even on the darkest days when we can’t see the light for the…

Drawn from my archives Philippians 2 tells us to put on the mind of Christ Who took on the form of a servant and humbled Himself before God and man. We’ve read how our Savior washed 24 dirty feet on the night He was betrayed. We read how He went to the cross like a lamb to the slaughter, and how He gave up His life for ours. Strong’s concordance defines the word servant (doulos) as: a slave or devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests. (Strong’s 1401) The key here is the disregard of one’s own interest. In the same chapter, Paul writes, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition…

I’m not a big car fanatic, but I do enjoy my VW Beetle. It’s a place where I can hit the road and clear my head. It’s time alone to listen to music, and run errands. It’s a comfort blanket of sorts. Not to mention the fact that I use it to visit my friends. And so, when the engine died this summer I missed it a lot. I could use Michael’s Jeep, but the thing is I can barely reach the pedals, and so I’d rather be safe than take it out on the road. As such, Michael’s been driving me around for six weeks. That wouldn’t be so…

Drawn from my archives Today was a beautiful day for a ride. The sun was shining, the car windows were open, and I was enjoying a little alone time with my daughter. It brought me back to a day, long ago when I sat in the front seat of my dad’s 67 Chevy Nova, with a toothless grin that only a father could love. And he did love me–unconditionally, patiently, and endlessly. The relationship between a parent and their child is an incredible bond of warmth and affection, and yet it’s merely a glimpse of the love between God and His children. I’ve often heard parents say that they looked…

I was reading Nehemiah Chapter four today, and every time I read it I’m in awe of his ability to complete his work in the face of adversity. If you’re not familiar with the story, Nehemiah was a cup bearer for the king who had a burden to repair the walls of Jerusalem after the Israelites returned from Captivity. As they start building the walls, we see that the enemies are furious, and so they start attacking the Jews both verbally and physically. The Bible tells us that the opposition to their work was so bad that they worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other. Nehemiah…

Reading the book of Nehemiah, I turn to Chapter 1 where I see a man with a deep desire to serve God. He heard about the Israelites who returned to Jerusalem, how the gates of the city were burned and the walls broken down. He fasted, he mourned, and he prayed. He wanted to go to the Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, but it would take both courage and faith. The Bible tells us that he was a cupbearer to the king. This wasn’t a job you could simply walk out of as service in the king’s palace was a serious matter back then. As such, Nehemiah had a decision…