Dear Friends, This past week I led a team of 13 folks on a missions trip to Piedras Negras, Mexico. I love short-term mission trips because they give me the opportunity to get away from the normal routine of life, and see God in a new context. It’s always a great time of seeing God at work, as I step out of my comfort zone, and fully trust Him - walking by faith through a new culture and new experiences. And through that process, God readjusts my perspective on life and ministry to a clearer focus on Him. For me though, the real challenge to these short-term mission trips is coming home and not slipping back into the normal routine of life. In other words, it’s a challenge to remember th

Dear Friends, As I was driving to work today I pulled up at a stoplight next to a 1957 Chevy Bel Air sedan. It was in immaculate condition, painted bright red and white. The 1957 Chevy Bel Air has always been one of my favorite cars because it's the car in which I learned to drive. It belonged to my older brother, and it was a 3-speed manual, shifting on the column. When I was 14, without my folks knowing, he took me out on the back roads of North Carolina and taught me how to drive. To this day I can remember that feeling of accomplishment when we got back. As we got out of the car I told him thanks and that I really liked the car. Then I went on to say that, while it was a nice car,

Dear Friends, This morning I was doing my daily devotional reading, and came across Genesis 12:2, which says: “I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing to others.” For those of you who aren't familiar with this passage, here's a little context: God was speaking to Abram, before he was renamed “Abraham”. God had just called Abram to leave his home and follow God to a new place which God said He would show to Abram, then God outlined for Abram several blessings that he will receive as he follows God. I think that when we read through this particular passage of Scripture, it's easy for us to focus on all the promises that God

Dear Friends, Yesterday I had the opportunity to encourage a fellow believer to be patient in a certain situation he was facing. I finished the conversation by telling him I would be be praying for him in that area, and he responded by saying, “Me too.” Later, as I reflected on the conversation, I was struck by my friend's final comment, and wondered if he had meant he would be praying for patience in his own life, along with me - or if he would be praying for patience in my life. It wasn't clear, but I decided that he must have been saying he would pray for patience in his own life because I hadn't indicated I was in need of more patience. But today, as I sat in an unexpected traffic ja