TAKE 5 | The Impact of Authenticity
Jesus transforms the quality of our life. Have you seen this in your life or been inspired by this in someone else's life? Today we can continue this transformation in ourselves and draw others near to Christ at the same time. Let our lives reflect Him!
TAKE 5 | One Important Way to Strengthen Your Leadership
Christ is the light that transforms our leadership and our life. How are you leaning into God so He can continue to transform your life? Just as we are transformed by Christ, please be praying our camper's hearts will be transformed this weekend at the February Spark Change Retreat!
TAKE 5 | Embracing Unhurried Ways: Discerning True Rest from Counterfeit
How has your true rest been? Has it been refreshing, refilling, and reviving or stale, draining, and tiring? When you evaluate you rest are you scoring well or in need of some accountability?
TAKE 5 | Wisdom: Living in Touch with Reality
The Bible is chock-full of wisdom. Today, Gem draws our attention a particular piece of advise that is easy to skip past - to be very careful. The word reminds how we are prone to rush and make careless decisions and prompts us to keep in touch with will the of the Lord instead.
TAKE 5 | 4 More Reasons We Don't Rest Well
Research indicates that it takes 18-66 days to cultivate a habit. Today Alan shares how we can overcome 4 common reasons that discourage the development of growing good rest habits. Let's walk toward the road less traveled and enjoy the freedom of rest together!
TAKE 5 | BREATHE: A Spiritual Practice
What’s something you take for granted? Maybe its time with a loved one or your health or your job. Today Gem reminds us of how we can take our breathe for granted and uses our precious breathe as a way in which we can rest in and experience God.
TAKE 5 | 3 Reasons We Don't Rest Well
My wife, daughter Rebecca, and I spent MLK Jr. weekend up at Lake George for some R & R. Although the weather was not ideal for our typical outdoor activities, it enables us to enjoy peaceful walks alongside the lake and cozy nights besides the woodstove. While it was not what we expected, it helped us all to rest well and be intentional to rest well like Alan reminds us today.
TAKE 5 | Soaking in Scripture
We just got our first snow here in the Poconos. While the snow is stunning, sometimes we can get distracted by the shoveling, snow-blowing, or de-icing instead of soaking in the glorious wonder of snow. Sometimes we can do this with scripture and skim through it rather than soaking in the words of our Creator.
TAKE 5 | There's a First Time for Everything
My younger daughter Rebecca went on her first missions trip to Nicaragua to serve as a camp counselor this past week. Serving these girls gave her a new perspective on how God has blessed her life and she can have joy in all circumstances just like the girls she served at the camp. The more we learn about and experience God, the more we know Him and see His presence. How have you experienced God's presence?
TAKE 5 | Resting in Busy Seasons
Both of my daughters just finished up their fall semester at Grove City College. Even though finals week was busy, they still took Sunday off to relax, spend time in God's word, and catch up with us, practicing their habit of taking a Sabbath as Alan encourages us to do today.
TAKE 5 | A Vibrant Connection
God works in and through us through the Holy Spirit, crafting and shaping us from the inside out. We are connected internally so that we can externally represent, glorify, and shared Christ with others. How is your connection internally and externally?
TAKE 5 | God Values Rest
We are created to work and rest, one can't exist without the other. But even when we practice good rest ethic and good work ethic, are we truly valuing rest as good and fulfilling gift that is is from our Heavenly Father?
TAKE 5 | The Myth of Balance
Life is complicated. Our attention and energy is pulled in all directions to family, friends, church, work, hobbies, trips, appointments. We seek balance in this chaos, but real life is unpredictable. Today Gem gives us some thoughts on how we can cultivate a rhythm that is Real.
TAKE 5 | Working on a Good Rest Ethic
As Christians we are called to work diligently and do good to those around us, but have you considered that good work ethic should be paired with a good rest ethic? Work and rest are both equally important gifts from God that both bring Him glory, but oftentimes it can be difficult to give both ethics equal importance and attention. How is your balance?
TAKE 5 | 4 Ways to Connect to God Soulfully
Today I was writing devotions for a friend's ministry to summer camps, character building ministries. One of the topics I got to connect soulfully on was God's Holiness as I considered Psalm 99:5 “Exalt the LORD out God, bow in worship at his footstool. He is holy.” How is God inviting you to connect?
TAKE 5 | The Fruit of Leadership Journaling
Have you journaled yet this week? This month? This year? And, no, I am not talking about reading the Wall Street Journal. Why not try writing a journal entry today?
TAKE 5 | The Practice of Leadership Journaling
Like Alan, I too have kept a journal for most of my life, but it is more sporadic, saved for times when I can pull away and really reflect more deeply. I can thank Ms. Wilson, my 10th grade English teacher for this habit. I prefer pen and paper - steno notebooks, and most recently a prayer journal by Jarrett Culver which helps me to pray, reflect on Scripture using the SOAP method, and list three things I am grateful for today. It is a great habit to have.
TAKE 5 | The Problem with Discontent
This week's reflection hit me deep in my gut. Henri Nouwen calls it the 'temptation to be spectacular' in his little book, really a speech, In the Name of Jesus. Gem calls it the sauce. What we really are talking about here is the feeling that what we are, or are experiencing, is not enough. Yet, we all know in Jesus we are enough, and that the life He leads us in is enough.
TAKE 5 | Vacare Deo: Making Space for God in Our Lives
I took two years of Latin in high school, so I geeked out a little on this week's Latin lesson. Hope you appreciate its meaning too!
TAKE 5 | Enjoying the Unexpected
I like a good plan, and I must admit at times I get rattled by last minute changes. But what if that last minute change was a 'God-incidence' where He is interrupting us to provide a greater opportunity?