To have lasting changes in our lives, we need to refocus our minds. Specifically, we need to change our thought patterns away from what we don’t want—from what we have been focusing on-- toward what we do want to focus on. Because whatever we focus on is what we move toward.
Read MoreJesus doesn’t let us coast in life. Just when we think we are doing well, He raises the bar.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matt 5:43-45)
Read MoreThe second law of thermodynamics states that all things move toward disorder if there is not additional energy put into the system. If you don’t believe that, just go into one of my kids’ rooms! Day by day clothing is shed and dropped on the floor, beds go unmade, and clothes that were tried on but not used get shoved haphazardly into drawers. And the room will only get worse unless some concerted energy is put into it. The same is true
Read More‘I love you’ is not just for lovers to say but for friends, family, and colleagues. Many people (men especially) have a hard time saying ‘I love you’ because it has been relegated to the area of romance. But love – caring for a person as a person and being committed to their good - is much bigger than that.
Read MoreThere is an interesting story in 2 Kings 5 about an Aramean general, Naaman, who goes to the prophet Elisha in Israel to be healed of leprosy. Elisha didn’t even come out of the house to greet him. Instead, he sent his servant to Naaman who conveyed the message that Naaman should wash himself seven times in the Jordan to be completely healed. Naaman was indignant.
Read MoreIn the business world, “margin” is what is left over after expenses. Increasing margin is the goal so that more can be invested in the company, paying workers, and serving clients. However, margin is not just for businesses, we need margin in our lives. We work so that we can rest, so that we can be refreshed for more productive, life-giving work. Without margin in our lives, productivity plummets. With the advent of all the
Read MoreThe week we now call Holy Week began with the first day of the week, which Christian’s hail as Palm Sunday. The excitement of Passover rippled through the Jewish community near and far. As one of the holy days that Jews were to present themselves before God at the Temple, Jerusalem swelled from 50,000 inhabitants to 150,000 with pilgrims everywhere. Early Sunday morning Jesus boldly and publicly entered
Read MoreWe are to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, strength and soul. The ‘heart’ is the seat of the will, volition. It is what makes you uniquely you. It is what you are committing yourself to. We can commit ourselves to all kinds of things. Jesus asks us to commit ourselves wholly to God. The ‘mind’ is what we think about. It shapes how we understand God, the world, and ourselves. Jesus asks us to set our minds on
Read MoreOur bodies are fundamental to who we are. We are creatures in time and space. If someone were to ask who Jonathan Beck is, they would describe what I look like, who my family is, where I work, my hobbies, favorite restaurants, and more. Every descriptor has to do with my body and the use of my strength. When we think about the totality of our strength, it puts new light on Loving the Lord our God with all our strength (Jesus, Mk 12:30). What we do with our bodies is important. It reflects the inner state of our beings, our
Read MoreMental health is critical, if not central, to a person’s wellbeing. However, many people don’t know how to address the issue and don’t have the tools to deal with it. My wife and I were in that situation. Six years ago we moved to Metairie, and my daughter started eighth grade at a new school. She had always struggled with ADHD which became more pronounced that year. We tried counseling and medications to help her
Read More