That afternoon, we drove away from their house. We had been in a difficult conversation. We met with a woman whom we both liked and admired but found difficult. She seemed self-assured and almost smug. I told my wife that it seemed as if she perceived herself to be an expert on most subjects. Yet,… Continue reading Can Others Tell When You Are Afraid?
Tag: Fear
When You are Afraid
“Were you afraid?” she asked. Of course I was. We were moving across the country after living in Waco for twenty years. We were leaving the known and entering the unknown. Yes, I know fear. Typically I become afraid of what could happen. After all, “What if?” Meanwhile, early this morning I sat at a… Continue reading When You are Afraid
The Real Me (and perhaps the real you)
The real me is a guy who sometimes spends too much time wrestling with fear and worry. Does this sound familiar? If not, you may want to skip the rest of this post. Like you, the real me is more than fear. There are other qualities that I hope I’ve grown and matured in over… Continue reading The Real Me (and perhaps the real you)
What Has Helped You Feel Less Self-Conscious?
I never intended to be a minister. Never. I grew up in a church. Over the years, there were probably a half-dozen ministers who preached at this church. As a child, I really didn’t know much about them. I only saw them from a distance. Yet, most of them seemed “different.” Not different in a… Continue reading What Has Helped You Feel Less Self-Conscious?
How to Ruin a Good Relationship
Lots of people are looking for the right relationship. Yet, so often these same people will then contribute to the demise of what otherwise might have been a very good relationship. A few examples: A woman thinks she has found a new friend. She becomes acquainted with another woman at work who is about her… Continue reading How to Ruin a Good Relationship
Much Fear in Many Churches
Fear. It is everywhere! No, I am not talking about the fear of the Lord. Nor am I talking about any sort of healthy fear. No, I am referring to another kind of fear — an unhealthy fear. She sat just outside the main doors to our auditorium (sanctuary, worship center, etc.). She was in… Continue reading Much Fear in Many Churches
Are You Worried?
Sometimes I worry. I don’t think that I live each day in worry. But — I do know how to worry. Sometimes I notice that these worries seem to stand in line waiting for me to examine each one. One by one they parade in front of me, each one of them demanding… Continue reading Are You Worried?
Having the Nerve to Follow Christ (Part 2)
"Well of all the nerve!" I’m not sure where I first heard that expression. It may have been from my grandmother in Searcy, Arkansas, who used to utter that phrase quite often. Whenever I have heard that expression, the context is usually the same. Someone is expressing shock or disbelief at someone’s behavior. It really… Continue reading Having the Nerve to Follow Christ (Part 2)
Having the Nerve to Follow Christ (Part 1)
It takes a lot of nerve to follow Christ. It takes a lot of nerve to minister to a church and to a community. No matter who you are and what your vocation might be, if you are going to follow Christ, it will call for courage. Before the late Edwin Friedman passed away a… Continue reading Having the Nerve to Follow Christ (Part 1)