HOW DO YOU SPIRITUALLY PREPARE FOR A NEW CHAPTER IN LIFE?

Earlier this week someone asked me about what I do to prepare spiritually for a deployment. I think he was looking for a profound answer or some three step program. But as I thought about how to answer his question I realized that my response was more of a "back to basics" kind of idea. It isn't anything complex or deep but it is vital for a Christian's everyday life and for anyone going on deployment or any other kind of life adjustment.

4 WAYS TO RIGHTALIGN YOUR "WAY TOO CRAZY" LIFE

My wife and I are busy. We have 3 little kids at home (5, 2, and 3 months), we move coast to coast at least once every 18 months (7 moves in 8 years of marriage), my work hours are not typical (active duty US Navy), my wife is an avid runner (marathons, triathlons, trail runs, etc), and we like people (church, Navy, neighbors, etc). As a result of all that, we tell ourselves almost nightly that something has to give.  But what is that something?  

HOW YOUR STORY CAN MOTIVATE AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS

Last week one of my Christian co-workerstold me about how God had been working in his life at work. He had a discussion about what Christmas means to him with one of the people in his class (a muslim international exchange student). The man went on to ask him to share one story from the Bible. My friend shared a short story from the New Testiment. After that, the muslim man asked my friend to share one Bible story with him every day. Since then, my friend has faithfully shared a story with him daily. The muslim man went on to get a Bible in Arabic so he could read for himself. He has not become a Christian yet but it is clear that God is working in his life. I was excited and encouraged to hear his story and thanked him for sharing it.

DOES YOUR LIFE SITUATION MAKE YOU FEEL DISTANT FROM GOD?

I work offshore in the Gulf of Mexico for a company called Otto Candies. I work 28 days (12 hour shifts each day) and then am off 28 days. My schedule makes it challenging to stay focused and grow in my relationship with God (especially when I'm at work). I feel like I am often spiritually bogged down and just can't get traction. And I feel even worse about my relationship with God when I have been sinning or when I am personally making bad choices. 

ENCOURAGEMENT TO KEEP BUGGING GOD IN PRAYER

I sit at work / school with the same ten people everyday for grad school at the Air Force Command and Staff College. We are about half way through the year and have gotten to know each other pretty well. I have been thinking a lot about how to be a good ambassador of Christ to the group. Recently, I decided to start praying for each of them individually. I put each person's name on a separate notecard and try to pray over one of them daily.  

HOW TO HAVE RELIGIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT BEING AWKWARD

I used to be extremely uncomfortable with how to share my faith with co-workers (or anyone, for that matter) or even how to bring up the topic of religion. I was afraid of talking about religion because I thought people might have a closed-of or even hostile response. But I also knew that as a Christian, I am supposed to be a bold ambassador for Christ. Still, it took a lot of courage for me to do it...and when I did do it, it felt clumsy and awkward.

Since those days, I have learned that I'm not the only one; many Christians struggle with how to evangelize. It shouldn't be so hard to talk about something we believe is true and life giving.  Nevertheless, it is very difficult for most of us.

HOW TO GET PLUGGED INTO CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

Because of my job in the navy, I have moved four times in the last four years. It has been difficult to build friendships and a sense of community when I spend so little time in any place. Fortunately, I have always been able to find social connection with other Christians.

HOW TO DO YOUR WORK IN AND OUT OF THE CHURCH

Many of us see the importance of allowing our faith to follow us through the church doors on Sunday and into the rest of our life. It is a struggle at times, no doubt. Many also see the importance of courageously making room for our faith to enter into the doors of the workplace. God at Church, no problem, God at home – yeah that can happen, God at work?  Now that is taking some personal risk. Many workplaces aren’t exactly faith friendly – despite the politically correct company line and the first amendment, there is a great deal of social pressure to be lukewarm, fit-in, and avoid upsetting the apple-cart. Nevertheless, despite the challenges, many acknowledge the virtue of moral consistency - to be true to your values and faith no-matter where you are.

ONE WAY TO BE PURPOSEFUL ABOUT THE INFLUENCES IN YOUR LIFE

I can't seem to find a way to keep from being influenced by things at work, home and in culture. So many things are part of our lives in America: TV, books, Facebook, magazines, radio, billboards, family and friends (to name a few). Some of these we can limit and some of them we will be exposed to whether we like it or not. 

HOW TO BE A CHRISTIAN AT WORK WITHOUT FRATERNIZING

When I started doing Bible studies with people from work, I was concerned that I might be engaging in the activity that everyone emphatically said to stay away from: FRATERNIZATION (frat). One document from my workplace says this about frat: personal relationships between officer and enlisted members which are unduly familiar, do not respect differences in grade or rank, and are prejudicial to good order and discipline are prohibited. Your workplace may have similar policies or expectations for personal relationships between co-workers. 

I'M TIRED OF BEING AN HGTV CHRISTIAN

Several years ago I read a book about how to find, fix, and sell (FLIP) houses; shortly thereafter, I bought my first FLIP property. Though I am still very novice, I am on my third house and so far they have all been successful. Since I started doing this, it feels like everyone seems to know about FLIPing houses and everyone has advice for what to do and how to do it. When I ask if they have ever done a rehab, they often say something like "no, but I love watching it on HGTV." 

AMERICAN WOMAN JAILED FOR HER FAITH-WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Last week I was listening to one of the podcasts I subscribe to (The Briefing by Albert Mohler) and heard about Kim Davis, a County Clerk in Kentucky, who was recently jailed because she would not issue marriage licenses to homosexuals. Because of her faith and in obedience to God, she was unwilling to issue any licenses with her signature on them. And for that, a federal judge sent her to jail.

Whether you agree with this woman or not, it is significant that we are culturally in a place where an American can be sent sent to prison for matters relating to faith.

Gay is ok?

Once homesexuals were allowed to be open about their sexual preference in the navy I found out that one of the females who worked under me was engaged to marry another female. As someone who believes that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin, I thought about the topic a lot.

Why pastors shouldn't work...

Yesterday I read a passage in the Bible that made me realize that I have been thinking a little bit backwards.

Is it ok to talk about religion at work?

When I started my first grown up job about a decade ago, I knew I wasn't supposed to "leave God behind" when I went to work, but I felt an unspoken social pressure to not do or say anything that would give anyone any hints that I might be a Christian. I'm not sure why, but I was terrified to talk

Most people make this retirement plan mistake early in their career.

Since I was a kid, I have always given a lot of thought to finance and investments.

I have usually thought of my career and finances from the perspective of how many years I have been working versus how long until I can retire.

Is this one thing holding you back?

A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to encourage a fellow believer and co-worker as he started a lunch break Bible study at work. Like most of us, he was concerned about details, who would show up, and what it would look like. He wasn't sure what kind of material to cover or exactly

My work is holy too...

As someone who grew up in a religious family that attended church regularly, I had the unspoken understanding that if I wasn’t a pastor or someone serving as a volunteer in some critical role in the church, I was of lesser value within the Christian community pecking

Work is Not a Curse

People (including me) are always complaining about work.  

But when I read the Bible, I see that work was part of God's original plan for paradise in Eden.  God put Adam to work before Adam and Eve got thrown out of the garden and fell under the curse.  However, because of the curse, many workplaces have become unhealthy and perhaps even demoralizing; as Christians, God can use us to reverse the effects of the curse in the workplace.

Come to my Church Evangelism

At work and other places I often invite people to come to my church or bible study or other Christian thing.  After I have invited someone once, I tend to keep asking (nagging) every time I see that