Growth in the natural world is all about looking forward. A sapling becomes a large oak tree by growing slowly over time. An infant grows into a child, who eventually becomes an adult. Hope works in the same way – it looks forward. When a person has hope, they can imagine a better future. It is hope that allows you to look past your present circumstances and see through faith a better future. Without hope, a person feels stuck. A spiritually vibrant life is the result of faith-filled anticipation.Watch more videos at the Mountainview YouTube channel. Looking for a Speaking Coach? The most successful people are not always the smartest people. But they have one thing in common: they communicate well. I'd love to help you become a better communicator. Click here. Professor at Warner University church planter with Stadia former former president, Church Planters of the Rockies masters in…
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Having worked in the people business for nearly 30 years, I've come to believe that shame is one of most destructive forces in our culture. Unlike godly sorrow, which is based on truth, shame is based on lies. Guilt is believing you did a bad thing. Shame is when you believe you are a bad person. Believing this lie then leads to all sorts of faulty thinking: I’m a failure I’m not important I’m unlovable I have seen shame drive a 14-year-old girl to an eating disorder because she didn't like how she looked. I've also seen shame keep middle-aged men from relationships for fear of self-disclosure. I believe there is only one permanent, lasting solution: The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Only the gospel can remove our shame and restore our proper identity as children of God. My freshman year of college, I signed up for a class…
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Jesus promises he will never leave or forsake his followers. Cigna Health surveyed 10,000 people ages 18 and older. 61% reported feeling lonely. Among 18-22-year-olds, the number jumped to 79%. The survey was released in January of 2020 – before COVID-19 and three months of having to stay at home. We had an epidemic of loneliness before the pandemic arrived. But loneliness isn’t a modern problem; it’s a human problem.Watch more videos at the Mountainview YouTube channel. Looking for a Speaking Coach? The most successful people are not always the smartest people. But they have one thing in common: they communicate well. I'd love to help you become a better communicator. Click here. Professor at Warner University church planter with Stadia former former president, Church Planters of the Rockies masters in business administration (mba) helped start 2 for-profit tech companies Need a Speaker or Presenter? Interested in having me speak…
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It is human nature to want to be in control. If you think about it, does anyone really like to be out of control! Those are the people we avoid. Everything is fine until we land on something we can’t control. Even then … if it’s only one thing, we can usually muddle our way through it. But what if it’s not one thing but two or three or ten? What if they all happen at same time? Making matters worse, our anxieties are increased in a culture where we have information overload. We live with 24-7 news cycles and social media feeds that never sleep. Then we begin to wonder … What will the future look like? When will things be normal again? Is this the new normal? It’s OK to be uncertain about the future. But we have to be careful that our reasonable uncertainties don’t grow into…
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For a number of years, I have been fascinated by neuroscience and how it applies to our daily lives. In particular, I'm interested in the connection between the brain and how habits and faith are formed. It wasn't that long ago that scientists believed that once the brain was fully developed, it became fixed and didn't change. We now know that the brain is more plastic and neural pathways are capable of being reshaped. Neuroscientists talk about neuroplasticity -- the brain's ability to fashion new circuits. Without getting into the weeds (or the neurons), the bottom line is this: we aren't bound to following old habits and patterns. Through intentional effort and with practice, we can overwrite old maps and create better, healthier ways of thinking. Which brings me to the idea of mindshare. Our minds have limited square footage and we need to be vigilant about what we allow…
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