Stoked
One of my very good friends, Daniel Day, has recently written a book. Stoked is aimed at helping Christian students maintain their passion for God while in college.
I am particularly excited to recommend this book because Daniel himself played a huge role in helping me to maintain spiritual vibrancy while in college. For more info about the book and how you can get a copy, visit thestokedbook.com.
Pastor’s Meeting
This morning I met with a group of pastors from our MCM-Pittsburgh network. We try and get together weekly to encourage one another and share ideas. I really look forward to these gatherings. It’s great to be able to meet with other pastors who can invest in my life and sharpen me like iron sharpening iron.
It’s so true that “he who walks with the wise grows wise”. It’s so important for us to surround ourselves with people who build us up and encourage us in our walk of faith. I’ll never forget what one of the pastors I served under used to say:
“Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future“
There’s definitely enough things in life that tend to pull us down and drain us. I’m thankful for this gathering of pastors that I can hang out with and be strengthened by.
What are some things you do to surround yourself with people who build you up?
JRA Friends
Had a great time last night attending the prayer service at James River Assembly, the church I attended while in college. After the service I went over to the Realife Student Center and reconnected with some very dear old friends.
A significant part of my college years was spent helping the the Junior High ministry leading worship, a small group, and Sunday school. I’m so thankful for the years that I spent there. Really learned a lot during that season of my life.
So good to see some of the former students I used to teach who are now high school students! So good to reconnect with so many great people!
JRA Friends
Had a great time last night attending the prayer service at James River Assembly, the church I attended while in college. After the service I went over to the Realife Student Center and reconnected with some very dear old friends.
A significant part of my college years was spent helping the the Junior High ministry leading worship, a small group, and Sunday school. I’m so thankful for the years that I spent there. Really learned a lot during that season of my life.
So good to see some of the former students I used to teach who are now high school students! So good to reconnect with so many great people!
In the Nick of Time!
Today I had the awesome privilege of hanging out with my friend Nick Poole. Nick and I went to college together. He was actually my RA the second semester of my freshman year!
Now Nick is on staff at Allison Park Church as a church plant coordinator. His job is basically to help resource the various APC church plants.
In the Nick of Time!
Today I had the awesome privilege of hanging out with my friend Nick Poole. Nick and I went to college together. He was actually my RA the second semester of my freshman year!
Now Nick is on staff at Allison Park Church as a church plant coordinator. His job is basically to help resource the various APC church plants.
Good Friends
Jess and I had a great time this weekend hanging out with good friends Bobby Hawk and Nick Poole. We all go way back to college. Never thought I’d be saying that… Must be getting old! Bobby is a Senior Pastor in Pontiac, Michigan and Nick is on staff at Allison Park Church. Great guys!
Good Friends
Jess and I had a great time this weekend hanging out with good friends Bobby Hawk and Nick Poole. We all go way back to college. Never thought I’d be saying that… Must be getting old! Bobby is a Senior Pastor in Pontiac, Michigan and Nick is on staff at Allison Park Church. Great guys!
Friendships Part 2
I’ll never forget what one of my mentors in the past would always say: Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future. That truth has always stuck with me.
I remember when I was in 4th grade. I was a really quiet kid that wasn’t able to make very many friends except with some of the bad kids. I never really quite fit in with that group though, but I remember how powerful their influence was on me. One friend in particular invited me one time to go throw rocks at a neighbors house. Not one of my best moments:)
I have since learned the importance of having the right friends. While having the wrong friends can drag you down, having the right friends can lift you up. In college I was drawn to with people who had a similar passion in their heart for God. I typically avoid churchy phrases, but for the sake of discussion I made friends with people who I found to be a “kindred spirit”. That’s not to say that I didn’t have any other friends, but my primary friendships, the ones I allowed to influence me, were with people who were serious about God.
Proverbs 13:20 says, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
All of us are influencers, in one way or another. We are constantly influencing others and allowing others to influence us. I believe that this Scripture teaches us that surrounding ourselves with wise friends and counselors has a profound effect on the shaping of our lives. The people that we align ourselves with, identify ourselves with, and allow to influence us, will have an undeniable effect on our development.
Friendships are critical and vital, and the deepest friendships are truly a gift from God. Even more important than having friends is the quality of the friends we choose. I’m so thankful for the many wise friends whom God has sent into my life.
Friendships Part 2
I’ll never forget what one of my mentors in the past would always say: Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future. That truth has always stuck with me.
I remember when I was in 4th grade. I was a really quiet kid that wasn’t able to make very many friends except with some of the bad kids. I never really quite fit in with that group though, but I remember how powerful their influence was on me. One friend in particular invited me one time to go throw rocks at a neighbors house. Not one of my best moments:)
I have since learned the importance of having the right friends. While having the wrong friends can drag you down, having the right friends can lift you up. In college I was drawn to with people who had a similar passion in their heart for God. I typically avoid churchy phrases, but for the sake of discussion I made friends with people who I found to be a “kindred spirit”. That’s not to say that I didn’t have any other friends, but my primary friendships, the ones I allowed to influence me, were with people who were serious about God.
Proverbs 13:20 says, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
All of us are influencers, in one way or another. We are constantly influencing others and allowing others to influence us. I believe that this Scripture teaches us that surrounding ourselves with wise friends and counselors has a profound effect on the shaping of our lives. The people that we align ourselves with, identify ourselves with, and allow to influence us, will have an undeniable effect on our development.
Friendships are critical and vital, and the deepest friendships are truly a gift from God. Even more important than having friends is the quality of the friends we choose. I’m so thankful for the many wise friends whom God has sent into my life.
Friendships Part 1
Yesterday I got a call from a college friend that I have not talked to in a really long time. It was so refreshing to reconnect with someone who had been a huge blessing to my life in college. It got me thinking about the importance of friendships.
As humans, we are created with a need and desire for friendship and relationship. When God created man in the garden he said that it was not good for the man to be alone. If he said that before sin entered the picture how much more important is it that we be connected with one another in healthy relationships.
One of the most dangerous traps that a Christian, or anybody for that matter, can fall into is isolation. Isolation is a subtle, yet deadly pattern.
Isolation is dangerous for at least 3 reasons:
We are more susceptible to discouragment and depression
See Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. When we have close knit friendships we can lift one another up in the midst of failure or suffering.
We are more vulnerable to temptation
See James 1:14. This is true because the more isolated we become, the less accountable we are to anyone.
The power of sin is in its secrecy
See James 5:16. We can’t be truly healed without confession. We need people with whom we can make our struggles known so that they may pray for us and stand with us for victory.
We need friends who can speak into our lives and we need friends whose lives we can speak into. When we are connected with one another in true friendship we will be there to support one another in moments of greatest need. We need to be surrounded by those people who can lift us up when we are down and strengthen us when we are weak. We need to look for those that we can invest in and inspire to go higher.
We were not created to live in isolation. We were made for relationship with God and with one another. Regardless of how introverted or extroverted we are, we cannot afford to live in isolation from other people. We would be wise to follow the counsel of 1 John 1:7:
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Comments?
Friendships Part 1
Yesterday I got a call from a college friend that I have not talked to in a really long time. It was so refreshing to reconnect with someone who had been a huge blessing to my life in college. It got me thinking about the importance of friendships.
As humans, we are created with a need and desire for friendship and relationship. When God created man in the garden he said that it was not good for the man to be alone. If he said that before sin entered the picture how much more important is it that we be connected with one another in healthy relationships.
One of the most dangerous traps that a Christian, or anybody for that matter, can fall into is isolation. Isolation is a subtle, yet deadly pattern.
Isolation is dangerous for at least 3 reasons:
We are more susceptible to discouragment and depression
See Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. When we have close knit friendships we can lift one another up in the midst of failure or suffering.
We are more vulnerable to temptation
See James 1:14. This is true because the more isolated we become, the less accountable we are to anyone.
The power of sin is in its secrecy
See James 5:16. We can’t be truly healed without confession. We need people with whom we can make our struggles known so that they may pray for us and stand with us for victory.
We need friends who can speak into our lives and we need friends whose lives we can speak into. When we are connected with one another in true friendship we will be there to support one another in moments of greatest need. We need to be surrounded by those people who can lift us up when we are down and strengthen us when we are weak. We need to look for those that we can invest in and inspire to go higher.
We were not created to live in isolation. We were made for relationship with God and with one another. Regardless of how introverted or extroverted we are, we cannot afford to live in isolation from other people. We would be wise to follow the counsel of 1 John 1:7:
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Comments?
Welcome to Bloggerdom
Everybody welcome my friend Nick Poole to the blogosphere! Nick and I both went to school together. He was actually my RA the second semester of my freshman year. I’m looking forward to following his thoughts and ponderings!
Welcome to Bloggerdom
Everybody welcome my friend Nick Poole to the blogosphere! Nick and I both went to school together. He was actually my RA the second semester of my freshman year. I’m looking forward to following his thoughts and ponderings!
