Breaking Secret Agreements – Collusions
Unconscious collusions in relationships harm people in families, friendships, church staffs, and work partnerships. In this case “collusion” does not refer to a conspiracy or…
Couch Time for Couples
At the beginning of our marriage, Kristi and I were both working full-time jobs and going to graduate schools in psychology. Obviously, we didn’t have…
Good Shepherd is Looking for You!
You long to be pursued in love. So do I. “How are you… really? What do you need? What are you hoping for? How can…
Dysfunctional Family Roles as Spiritual Formations
Today “spiritual formation” means many different things. Self-help. Learning Bible doctrines. Inner spirituality. Being like a monk. But Jesus’ idea is simply to “love one…
Be a Leader — Sit Down!
God says to us, “Sit down,” but a lot of us have trouble doing this! It’s especially difficult for those of us who are leaders,…
The Soul of a Leader Needs Shepherding
When the shepherds in our churches and Christian organizations are depressed, overstressed, or struggling with compulsive behavior, then the sheep they care for suffer. If pastors…
Chasing a Rabbit
Have you heard about the greyhound races? Those dogs are fast! They run so fast because they’re chasing a mechanical rabbit. A friend told me…
A Sweet Aroma
Don’t just read the Bible to get through it—let the Word of God read you and get through you. Learning to pray the Scriptures from…
A Depressed Boy Follows a Monk
When I was a teenager I used to go to the Christian bookstore with my mom. Why would an adolescent boy hang out with his…
More of Jesus… Less of Me
Do you ever become jealous? Or get competitive? Most people do. These are problems of insecurity that come from trying to find our value in…
Gasping for Air with Ray Ortlund Sr.
Much of who I am comes from my spiritual mentors. The same is true for you. The men or women who you have looked to…
Learn from the Plumber
Discipleship to Jesus changes how we live. We gain a new perspective and new resources — a new life takes over our life. We learn to…
