It’s been one year since I had Lasik surgery performed on both of my eyes. That’s twelve months without glasses, not having to worry about walking in the rain, and being able to read the clock while lying in bed. I spent thirty years wearing glasses. To tell the truth, it still seems hard to believe.At first, it was strange to not have glasses. I would put on a t-shirt and reach for my glasses -- and they wouldn’t be there. But after a while, old habits begin to loosen their grip as they’re not needed anymore.The same is true in our spiritual lives. We form habits which have the potential to enslave us. Many people are held hostage by the sins of bitterness, worry, addictions, anger, or lies. We become used to having them around, so much so that we adapt the rest of lives around them. It’s like…
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In my life with coffee, there have been several significant hinge moments. The first was being given my very own Mister Coffee maker when I went away to college (thanks to my brother, Rod). I could brew my own coffee in the convenience of my dorm room. Thankfully the water from the sink wasn't toxic. The second hinge moment came when I discovered a coffee grinder and began grinding my own beans - first with the aforementioned Mister Coffee and then with a Krupps machine. The next hinge moment in my coffee story was the birth of the coffee shop and espresso drinks.Thanks to a friend of mine (Tina), the most recent improvement in my quest for the perfect cup of coffee has been the use of a french press. She came to a Bible study at our house for LifePoint and nearly fainted when she saw me using a…
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I was a youngster in elementary school when several Americans were taken hostage in Iran. It was the late 1970’s and I didn’t pay much attention to the news. I was drinking coffee, but watching the news was not high on my list of things to do.But I do remember when the hostages arrived back on American soil after being freed by their captors. I remember watching them and wondering what it must have been like to have been help captive for so long -- and then to be set free.There are hostages all around us. In fact, you may be a hostage and not know it. Or maybe you do ... but don’t know what to do about it.The type of captivity I’m talking about is spiritual captivity. Although there are no visible chains around our ankles, the captivity is just as real. That’s why we’ll be starting a…
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I've been thinking a lot lately about how to jump start things at LifePoint and have been brainstorming ideas. As I was in the midst of typing out an email to someone about LifePoint, I received a phone call on my cell phone from a young lady who works with Acquire the Fire, a ministry geared towards teens. My first thought -- Uggg, a telemarketing call.Instead, she simply asked if there was anything they could be praying for in regards to our church. I shared two things and she asked if it would be alright if she prayed right then! Who can turn that down?I hung up the phone and nearly cried. God's timing is always perfect.
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