“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all...
Don’t Let Fear Keep You From Your Calling
Did you know fear can actually distort our perspective and keep us from our God-given destiny? If we are not careful, we can make decisions based on fear – fear of the unknown, fear of repeated negative past experiences, fear of what people think of us, fear of...
You Can Make It
Over Thanksgiving break, my buddy and I had the privilege of hiking the third-tallest peak in the Smokey Mountains - Mount LeConte. The path we traversed was called Alum Cave Trail, an 11-mile strenuous round-trip trek. It wasn't for the faint of heart, that's for...
Producing Lasting Fruit
My grandfather was a farmer. Growing up, I remember him telling me stories about the challenges and successes of planting crops. If there was a drought and little rain that year, the crop wouldn’t yield much corn or soybeans. But when the conditions were just right, a...
The Trials & Pressure Are Preparing You
Have you ever noticed God cares more about our spiritual growth than He does our comfort? That's right. God is more interested in developing us into mature Christians who can make a positive difference in our world than walking through life as infant Believers. This...
Just Look Up
No matter what God did for His people when He brought them out of the land of Egypt, they complained. They were upset because the path to the Promise Land was more difficult than expected and was a longer route than what they would have chosen for themselves. They...
Overcoming Insecurities
Did you know every person on the planet deals with insecurities, including your parents, your siblings, your mentor and those you admire most? Even the president of the United States, iconic pop stars, academic professors, doctors, professional athletes and pastors...
Persevere
I recently was playing basketball with one of my nephews; he was so excited to shoot hoops with Uncle Cory (me). He ran around the concrete patio with the basketball in hand, trying to score on the mini rim. Great excitement and determination filled his little heart!...
God Is Faithful
God is faithful. From cover to cover of Scripture and throughout history, we see God keeping His promises to His people, individuals and nations. According to Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, faithful means: Steadfast in affection or allegiance – loyal Firm in...
Overcoming Discouragement
Discouragement is a feeling that comes to all of us from time to time. But what do we do when it latches on and won’t let go? If we aren’t careful, discouragement can cause us to look at life through a distorted lens and can even keep us from experiencing God’s best....
Be Fruitful, Not Busy
Have you ever felt overwhelmed, stressed out and full of anxiety? Maybe it’s because you feel like there aren't enough hours available in a day to accomplish the things you want to get done? Work deadlines, family get-togethers, birthday parties, grocery shopping,...
Staying Afloat No Matter How Difficult The Storm
Boats are designed to float on top of the water. Even in the roughest seas, they will remain afloat as long as they don’t take on H2O. Why? Because the density of water is greater than the density of a boat. However, all that changes when a boat takes on too much...