How often do you see people more concerned about getting a job done right than they are about saving their necks? Too seldom, right?  But when we do—when we see a gutsy human taking a few risks—ah, now that’s a person worthy of a pat on the back. So…

Here’s to the woman whose husband left her with a nest of kids to raise and bills to pay, but who somehow tells me every Sunday that God has never been closer.

Here’s to the single father of two girls who learned to braid their hair.

Here’s to the girl who was told to abort the baby but chose to keep the baby.

Here’s to the doctor who treats more than half of his patients for free.

Here’s to all of you reckless lovers of life and God.

So what if you forgot about pleasing the crowd. Most of us aren’t even in your league.

From In the Eye of the Storm

Worship happens when you are aware that what you’ve been given is far greater than what you can give. Worship is the awareness that were it not for God’s touch, you’d still be hobbling and hurting, bitter and broken. It is the glazed expression on the parched face of a desert pilgrim who discovers the oasis is not a mirage.

We have tried to make a science out of worship. We can’t do that! We can’t do that any more than we can sell love or negotiate peace. Worship is a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to the Savior, by the healed to the Healer, and by the delivered to the Deliverer. If you and I can go days without feeling an urge to say “thank you” to the One who saved, healed, and delivered us, then we would do well to remember what He did!

From In the Eye of the Storm

When you recognize God as Creator, you will admire Him. When you recognize His wisdom, you will learn from Him. When you discover His strength, you will rely on Him. But only when He saves you will you worship Him.

It’s a “before and after” scenario. Before your rescue, He was high on your priority list, but He shared the spot with others. Then came the storm, the rage, the fight. Despair fell like a fog. Could you turn to your career for help? Only if you want to hide from the storm, not escape it. Lean on your status for strength? A storm isn’t impressed with your title. Suddenly you’re left with one option–God. And when you ask, genuinely ask, He will come. And from that moment on, He is not just a deity to admire, or a master to obey. He is the Savior.  The Savior to be worshiped!

From In the Eye of the Storm

Would you buy a house if you were only allowed to see one of its rooms?  Would you buy a car if you saw only its tires and a taillight? Good judgment requires a broad picture.

One failure doesn’t make a person a failure. One achievement doesn’t make a person a success. “The end of the matter is better than its beginning,” penned the sage. “Be patient in affliction,” echoed the apostle Paul. We only have a fragment. Life’s mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgment on life’s storms until we know the whole story.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” He should know. He’s the Author of the story, and he has already written the final chapter.

From In the Eye of the Storm

Sometimes I wonder…how can our world get so chaotic? And I sometimes wonder why so many hearts have to hurt? Do you ever get doubt storms? Do you have turbulent days when the enemy is too big, and the answers too few? Every so often a storm will come, and I’ll look up into the blackening sky and say, “God, a little light, please?”

The light came for Jesus’ disciples. A figure came to them walking on the water. It wasn’t what they expected. Maybe they were listening for a divine proclamation to still the storm.  One thing is for sure, they were not looking for Jesus to come walking on the water. “It’s a ghost,’ they said and cried out in fear.” And since Jesus came in a way they didn’t expect, they almost missed seeing the answer to their prayers. And unless we look and listen closely, we risk making the same mistake!

From In the Eye of the Storm

Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, “Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

The world rams at your door but Jesus taps at your door. The voices scream for your allegiance but Jesus softly and tenderly requests it. Which voice do you hear? There is never a time that Jesus is not speaking. There’s never a room so dark that the ever-present, ever-pursuing, relentlessly tender Father is not there, tapping gently on the doors of our hearts—waiting to be invited in.

Few hear His voice. Fewer still open the door. But never interpret your numbness as His absence. He says, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).  “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Never.

From In the Eye of the Storm

The plane arrived late and folks were mad. I got off the plane with a cramp in my leg, an empty stomach, a bad attitude and three more hours of travel to go. I skipped lunch and called home. Denalyn answered.  She’s always glad when I call. We made no decisions. We solved no problems. We just talked and I felt better. I can handle being a pilgrim as long as I know that I can call home whenever I want.

Maybe that’s the rationale behind Matthew 14:19. “Taking the five loaves and two fish, Jesus gave thanks.” Jesus was surrounded by people who wanted food and disciples who wanted a break.  He needed a minute with someone who would understand. He needed to call home. Maybe you should call home, too.  God will be glad when you do—but not half as glad as you will be!

From In the Eye of the Storm

As I look around, I find more and more things that I had labeled “to be expected” that deserve to be labeled, “Well, what do you know!”

There was a time, at the end of the day I’d step into the bedrooms of three little girls. Their covers were usually kicked off—so I’d cover them up. Their hair usually covered their faces, so I’d brush it back. And one by one, I’d bend over and kiss the foreheads of the angels God had loaned me. Then I’d stand in the doorway and wonder why in the world God would entrust a fumbling fellow like me with the task of loving and leading such treasures.

But I’ve learned not to take these everyday miracles for granted. If I open my eyes and observe, there are many reasons to look at the Source of it all, and just say thanks! Well, what do you know!

From In the Eye of the Storm

When Jesus saw people, He saw an opportunity to love and affirm value. When we see people, we often only see thousands of problems. What did Jesus know that enabled Him to do what He did? He knew how people felt, and He knew that they were special. I hope you never forget that.

Are you under the gun at work?  Jesus knows how you feel. Do people take more from you than they give? Jesus understands. He knows what that’s like. Your teenagers won’t listen? Believe me, Jesus knows how you feel. You’re precious to Him. So precious that He became like you so that you would come to Him. When you struggle, He listens. When you yearn, He responds. When you question, He hears. He loves you. He understands you. And He paid a great price to take you home.

From In the Eye of the Storm