Why Does Jesus Ask for So Much?

December 4, 2012

“Why would Jesus say that to the man? It seems a bit unreasonable doesn’t it? Why is Jesus making it so tough on the guy?”

That’s what I honestly find myself thinking every time I read the story of the Rich Young Ruler – found in Mark 10:17-22.

The guy came to Jesus and asked a very reasonable and well intentioned question – “what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

His request wasn’t bad. I’d love for more young people to be asking the same question. He wasn’t asking how to get rich or how to be famous or how to marry a supermodel. He wasn’t asking for anything material or earthly at all. He asking how to inherit eternal life – which seems like a question that would make Jesus really happy.

So why then did Jesus eventually answer the man this way?

Hungering for God - Fasting Part 1

December 3, 2012

"Usually I start a new series by telling you guys that I am really excited about what we're going to talk about. But today I have to say that I am NOT AT ALL excited about what we're going to talk about. Why? Because our topic is FASTING."

That's how I started my message yesterday - the first message in a new series about fasting. Fasting may not be what we want to hear about, but I believe it is what we NEED to hear about. God has a lot to say about fasting in the Bible and I invite you to delve deeper by listening to Part 1 in this series on Fasting, titled HUNGERING FOR GOD.

Graditude + Humilty = More GOD

November 30, 2012

“These two virtues – gratitude and humility – are important because they dispose the heart of man to open wide to God”

This simple sentence buried deep within the chapters of an amazing book absolutely rocked me. It totally transformed the way I have started to approach God, and I realized just how true it was as I kept thinking about it. Even the Church Fathers seemed to understand that both gratitude and humility are incredibly important in anyone's relationship with God because the Agpeya, our personal trainer when it comes to prayer, begins every hour with the Thanksgiving Prayer and Psalm 51.

The Gift That Every Heart Longs For

November 29, 2012

What do you NEED for Christmas? That’s the question I’m asking this year. Forget about "what do you WANT for Christmas – what you want isn’t as important as what you need (ie, chocolate fudge brownies vs spinach & broccoli for dinner). I want to know what you think is your #1 NEED this year for Christmas.

For me, the answer is simple. It’s the same topic I spoke about the other day and that I will continue to speak about till the end of my days. Any time someone asks me what I want, I give the same answer. It’s the one thing that you can never get enough of and if I could find a way to sell it in a bottle, I’d be a ba-zillionaire.

What is it? The one thing that every single person on this planet desires and needs more than anything else is REST. R-E-S-T.

It's Good to Be Back

November 26, 2012

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving week. I certainly did. One of the best Thanksgivings in recent memory. I can't wait to tell you all about it and I will do that tomorrow and throughout this week. But today is a "catch-up-on-life" day so no post for today.

Just wanted to let you all know though that I'm back now and I'll be back to posting regularly starting tomorrow morning. See you then!

The Anger Within Me

November 16, 2012

Let me start off by saying: YES. I am a Christian. But you wouldn’t necessarily know it by looking at the last few days of my life.

I’ve experienced an anger/rage that I’ve never felt before. I’m not sure exactly where it came from, or how it developed, but I know it was there – one of the most “present” emotions I’ve felt in a long time. It wasn’t necessarily directed at any one specific person – but rather several. That’s the best kind of rage, isn’t it? The kind that doesn’t discriminate. The kind that devours any and everything in its path without a second thought. That’s the sort of rage I’m talking about, and it was alive and well in my heart.

The worst part isn’t that I was so angry; it’s that I nurtured that anger as if it was necessary to my survival.

Do You Know Who’s Watching You?

November 13, 2012

Few things in life are more nerve-racking and anxiety-causing than becoming a parent for the first time. All of a sudden, you are entrusted with the responsibility of raising a child and you are responsible for the development of that child – physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually.

Recently, I was conversing with someone who is about to become a parent for the first time and he was asking my advice.

“What’s the most important thing I need to know as a parent?” he asked.

How would you answer that question? What would you say? What is the most important thing that a person needs to know before entering parenthood? How to change diapers? How to drive a car and break up a sibling fight simultaneously? Where to get cheap babysitting? What?

Stay Pure - For Better or For Worse Part 4

November 12, 2012

Yesterday's message is such an important one for every single person to hear. It speaks about the plague of our era - sexual immorality - and the devastating effect it has on both single and married alike.

It's the 4th part of the series we're doing right now called FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE - 5 commitments to fail proof your marriage. Take a look at the message below and may God help you (and me) to keep this important commitment to Stay Pure.

Post-Election: Where Do We Go From Here?

November 8, 2012

In light of the recent election and extreme divisiveness that it brought to our nation, I found an article that I wrote more than 5 years ago that I am reposting today. The article was originally written for the monthly newsletter of Good Shepherd Christian Academy, but it is the perfect message for Americans now after one of the most polarizing and divisive Presidential elections ever.

The election is now over and regardless of who you voted for, it’s time for us to move forward as a nation UNITED. "United we stand, divided we fall," right? That’s what we always say. Jesus said something similar:

“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark 3:24-25)

I believe that our response as a nation going forward will ultimately determine what direction our country goes in. It isn’t the guy in office that is going to either save us or ruin us. It’s our job – we the people of the United States of America – to stand up, join hands and work together to build this nation of ours. That’s the spirit of America and that’s the spirit of Jesus as well.

Take a look at the article below and let me know what you think by leaving a comment. If you’re with me, go ahead and say so and spread the word as well.

My Opinion on Today’s Election

November 6, 2012

Well, it’s finally here. Election Day 2012 – one of the most highly anticipated election days ever. President Obama vs Governor Romney. Who will win? Where is this nation headed in the next four years? What happens next?

Those who know me know that I am not at all into politics. As I wrote about before, this was the first year I’ve ever actually watched a presidential debate. I’ve always been more interested in my local sports team than in my local government (and speaking of which, please send up a prayer for my Redskins – they need it these days!).

But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a strong opinion on this election and where our nation is headed after it’s over. My opinion this year is very strong and I couldn’t let today go by without expressing it and making it abundantly clear.

One Nation Under God (sermon video)

November 5, 2012

A little perspective to keep in mind as we approach Election Day tomorrow. Below is a sermon that I gave 4 years ago on the day after the Presidential election in 2008.

Regardless of whether you're right wing or left wing, liberal or conservative, Redskins or Cowboys, we all must adhere to certain Biblical principles about the role of government and politics as ordained by God. Take a listen and hopefully it helps us all keep a little perspective as we approach tomorrow.

The Unveiling

November 2, 2012

These days, Fr. Anthony is talking about marriage in his series, For Better or For Worse. So that got me thinking… how does all of this sound advice for married people apply to me? I’m not married, but somehow I should be able to apply this to myself spiritually. Right?

As I thought about this more, I started thinking about my wedding day (yes, every girl does) so naturally the first thing that came to mind was the dress. And with that, THE VEIL. Tradition teaches that the veil is worn by the bride as she walks towards her groom and the father of the bride unveils her before giving her away. I’ve also seen it where the groom is the one who unveils his bride. Interesting thought.

To me, that’s a symbol of the oneness the bride and groom share when they are finally married; she walks to him veiled, and then she becomes unveiled before him – like a precious gift. I’m not sure how you feel, but for me, THAT’S A SCARY THOUGHT!

My first reaction to this unveiling business was “NO THANK YOU!”

Happiness is not a feeling, it’s a choice

November 1, 2012

What would make you happy right now? If you could have anything in the world, what would you ask for right now to make you happy? New car? New house? New job? New kids? New wife? What would it take to make you happy?

Once there were two twin boys celebrating their 8th birthday. One boy was always very chipper, upbeat and positive; he always had a “half-full” view of life. The other was the opposite – pessimistic, melancholy, depressed, lived with a “half-empty” view of life. The parents of these twins became worried about the extreme discrepancy between their children. They wanted to balance them out a little so they came up with a plan.

For their 8th birthday, the parents were going to fill the room of the second child – the “sad” one – with toys. Floor to ceiling, wall to wall toys! All the toys a kid could ever wish for. And for the other child – the “happy” one – they were going to fill his room with horse manure. Once again, floor to ceiling, wall to wall manure.

They filled each room with the appropriate “surprise” and then sent the kids up after school. They waited 15 minutes and then went up.

Fight Fair - For Better or For Worse Part 2 (sermon video)

October 29, 2012

Here's part 2 in our latest sermon series called For Better or For Worse.

In it, we're talking about 5 commitments that we need to make to fail proof our marriage. This week's topic was FIGHTING FAIR. You can check out the sermon below. Enjoy!

The One Thing No One Tells You About Pain

October 26, 2012

"Those who sow with sorrow reap with joy," he said. The words kept running through my mind.

For the past few months, I've been doing just that. Sowing in tears at a dream and plans I've watched crumble before my eyes. The one thing no one tells you about pain is that it seems like you’ve forgotten how to swim in an endless, cold ocean with no hope of a rescue boat in sight. To put this in the theological zone: everything you once believed and clung to fervently about God does not make much sense anymore.

Oh my soul, let hope arise!

We cannot see God through our situations but we must see our situations through God.

Are You Satisfied with 50%?

October 23, 2012

50/50. How do you feel about those odds? If I offered you a sandwich and said you have a 50/50 chance of contracting cancer after eating it, would you take it? How about if I offered you a business opportunity and asked you to invest all your time and money into it and then I told you that the odds of you losing everything are 50%. Would you take it?

How about if I told you that there is a man-eating bear outside your house and your chances of getting eaten by him are 50% if you go outside, would you be up for a walk tonight after dinner?

50-50 isn’t good enough for me. And it shouldn’t be good enough for you. No one should be satisfied with 50-50 when it comes to any area of significance in life.

For Better or For Worse Part 1 (sermon video)

October 22, 2012

We kicked off a new series yesterday called FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. In it, we're talking about 5 commitments that we need to make to fail proof our marriage. Above is Part 1 from the new series. Hope you enjoy!

The Power of a Plastic Straw

October 18, 2012

One day an investigator was walking through the storm ravaged streets of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Amidst the rubble and destruction, he found a plastic straw – a flimsy plastic drinking straw. But this flimsy plastic drinking straw caught his attention. It was unique in a way that he had never seen before. This straw had done something that probably very few straws in the world have ever accomplished.

It was embedded in a thick wooden telephone pole – probably about 2-3 inches deep – and was sticking straight like an arrow shot from a bow.

Can you imagine how much effort it would take you to do that?

Do I Really Need to Go to Church?

October 16, 2012

How important is it to go to church on Sundays? Give it a number, from 1 to 10 – with 10 being “vital, most important part of my week, can’t live without it” and 1 being “optional activity, not really a big deal, I’ll survive without it.” Where would you rank church attendance? How important is it to you?

Recently I read an article about the current state of Christianity and the Church in America. Granted the study was published back in 2007, but the results are still valid as they speak about a trend which has continued in our country. The main finding of the study was this:

The percentage of people that attend a Christian church each weekend is far below what pollsters report. On surveys, 40% of those polled say they go to church every Sunday; but in actuality, less than 20% actually make it to church on Sundays.

Are You Living Too Comfortably?

October 12, 2012

Comfort: ‘relief in affliction; consolation; solace; a state of ease and satisfaction of bodily wants’

Comfort. Sounds nice doesn’t it? Whether it’s mom and dad, the puppy that nuzzles you in bed, a great meal, an afternoon with friends, or a morning reading at the lake, comfort is something we all make sure to have. This idea of comfort plays a HUGE part in our society and it’s been on my heart for some time now.

Being in a new place has shown me exactly how much I rely on this comfort factor. Here I am, miles away from the comfort of my home. I moved approximately 1,874 miles away from home to pursue a graduate degree, but all I can think about is Chicago. The food, the people, the lake, the lights, the music, the tourists, and the sweet sights of the city lit up at night. Chicago is a place of life, of love, of opportunity in every corner. Sometimes it takes traveling 1,874 miles away to really embrace these facts.

It feels like my comfort zone has been completely taken away. I want to briefly paint a picture for you on my canvas. In our life we go through stages and changes. For example, we transition to different levels in school: first high school, which seems so glamorous at the time, and then to college, where I believe reality starts to hit.