Making Halloween Memorable

How to make Halloween a memorable event:

#1 Wear a Costume—HELLO! It’s what Halloween is all about. You’ve gone as yourself for the past 10 years. That costume is old and tired (especially if you’re still wearing the same clothes). Halloween is the one time of the year it’s okay to wear a costume (since you should be working on how to REMOVE your mask the rest of the year), so take advantage of it and have FUN!

#2 Go Trick or Treating—you might not get a chance to hang with the neighbors very often, so here’s your chance. Set aside the busyness of life, set aside the stress and worry about whether or not you’ll have enough time to watch SportsCenter or Dancing With The Stars, and get outside. Get around the people who live around you. Meet the neighbor down the road you’ve always MEANT to say “hello” to, but never “found the time” to do it.

#3 Hand Out Candy—and don’t buy the cheap stuff! I’m not saying hand out full-size Snickers, but if you do please notify me of your address. Here’s another great way to introduce yourself to the neighborhood. Have fun! Get excited! Don’t be bitter because you’re too old to trick or treat, now’s your opportunity to SERVE as the candy GIVER not candy TAKER (plus you can always take some out of your own stash… just sayin’).

#4 Throw A Party—this is probably the single BEST option for hanging around your neighbors. Get together. Plan something. Eat dinner. Build relationships. Throw in some candy, costumes, and fun and BAM—you have yourself a Halloween Party! Remember bobbing for apples? Remember how dry ice turned punch into a spooky drink? Be creative. Your kids will have a BLAST and you’ll get to know the people who live around you.

#5 Stock Up on Tums and Pepto-Bismol—stomachs are GOING TO hurt. Accept that as truth NOW, so you can prepare for LATER.

What Calendar?

Remember that thing you were going to do? You know, that thing. What was it? Was it today? Were you supposed to bring anything? Where was it again? When was it? What time were you supposed to be there?

Ever have moments like this?

If so, maybe it’s time to rearrange your schedule, or at least FINALLY MAKE ONE. What’s your calendar look like? Do you have appointments and dinners and trips written down on specific dates as well as times (and possibly locations)?

If you want to be all you can be and do all you can do—in other words, maximize your efficiency and effectiveness as a _____ (insert whatever you’re doing i.e. at-home dad, counselor, pastor, teacher, etc.) create a calendar.

How are you managing your time?

Thoughts From Day 3 of the Revival

Read Matthew 25:14-30 and ask yourself these questions…

#1 What has God given me?

#2 Am I more concerned about the things I DON’T have than the things I DO have?

#3 What am I doing with what God has given me?

#4 Who’s blessing am I stealing because I’ve buried my talent in the backyard?

God has already given you EVERYTHING you need to do EVERYTHING He wants you to do! Stop trying to do it all yourself and place your trust in the God who’s turned the impossible into possible from Day 1.

You Can't, God Can

How many times have the words, “I can’t” found their way out of your mouth. How many times have you given up before even trying? Stop setting yourself up for failure. Stop being your own worst enemy. And start believing in the God who says you can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives you strength.

You CAN’T.
God CAN.

Who or What is Your Top 3?

How are you spending your time? Where are you spending your time? What’s filling your schedule? Is it piling up with THINGS your doing or PEOPLE you care about? Is your job getting more attention than your spouse? Are you spending more time on your phone than with your kids? Oh, here’s a good one, are you spending more time at church than with your family? Oh dang, it’s just got real.

Your job might seem like a GOOD thing because it’s how you earn your living. Your phone might seem like a GOOD thing because it keeps you connect with people (who aren’t in the same room as you) and allow you to play Candy Crush. Your church might seem like a GOOD thing because people are meeting Jesus and lives are changing. But if you’re not careful with how you spend your time and spend energy, you might just exchange a GOOD thing for the BEST things!

Don’t exchange your job, your phone, or your church for your FAMILY.

It’s time to prioritize…

Who or what is your #1? What about #2? #3?

If God isn’t first expect the worst (just sayin’). If married and your spouse isn’t #2 there’s something wrong with you. Kids? If they aren’t #3 then there’s something where they should be.

Your Ear Is Worth More Than Your Opinion

At some point today you’re going to feel the need to be a CRITIC. That person doesn’t need your CRITICISM; they need your CARE and CONCERN. Don’t point a finger, extend an open hand. Make the decision to be FOR someone instead of AGAINST.

5 Things To Do When Faced With An Impossible Situation

Here are 5 things to do when faced with an impossible situation…

#1 Realize You Can’t Do It Alone—one of the biggest setbacks to any situation, regardless of the difficulty, is believing you can do it alone. It’s tricky. You might be one of those people who can get a lot done, like more than the average person, and you can probably do it for a little while, but you won’t survive on your own. You become stressed out, overworked, overwhelmed, burned out, and alone. Save yourself from all the crap and realize you can’t do it alone.

#2 Ask For Help—if you’re a dude, you probably read this point and immediately closed your browser or shut off your computer. Why? We don’t like asking for help. Why? We struggle with PRIDE. Pride is societies measuring stick of manliness. Don’t cry. Don’t show weakness. Don’t ask for help. Do it yourself! Right. See how far that gets you. You weren’t meant to do life alone, so don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help when you need it. Need directions? Ask. Need a hand? Ask. Save yourself from the heart attack and ask for help.

#3 Surround Yourself With Awesome People—remember when you were in Middle School and High School, remember when you surrounded yourself with people who brought you DOWN instead of building you UP? Why? Why did you do that? You need to surround yourself with people who are smarter and handier and funnier (if that’s even possible). You need to surround yourself with people who are going to challenge you and push you and inspire you to think out of the box and chase after your crazy dream. Are you building up the people around you?

#4 Be Willing To Fail—I can’t win, so why try? Really?!? Do you really want to go there? We are raising up a generation of weenies who are unwilling to try, unwilling to put themselves out there, unwilling to attempt the impossible simply because they might FAIL. Their parents never let them fall off the bike or get a bad grade or mess up the cookies. Parents have cushioned kids so much today that failure is no longer an option. They stomped into the classroom and yell at the teacher about how they’re bad at their job and their kid is a genius. Right. Ok. Your kid doesn’t even know how to tie a shoe. HELLO! How will you EVER know what you can do it you don’t TRY? Fail FORWARD! Make PROGRESS! Try and try again!

#5 Believe God Can And Will Bring You Through It—God has always been in the business of turning an IMPOSSIBLE situation into the POSSIBLE. He spoke a word and made the universe. He cause the earth to flood and saved a family (and a bunch of animals) in a giant boat. He caused the walls of Jericho to collapse from power walking and jazz! He walked on water. He gave sight to the blind and made the lame to walk. He raised the dead to life (no, they weren’t walkers, but actually ALIVE!). He did it before and He’ll do it again. He loves you enough to let you fail and loves you too much to leave you in your failure.

Related Posts:

Love is A, B, C, & D; Love is All of the Above

God is in Control

4 Things I Want to Share With You

How To Have An Amazing Day

Your alarm is set for 5:00am.
You wake up and notice the clock reads 4:59am.
What do you do?
Do you get up?
Do you wait?
Do you get up shouting, “CRAP! Why today?!? I NEED my rest!”
Do you try and get that last minute (or less) of sleep (like you’re actually going to be able to fall back asleep in a few seconds)?
The pillow feels so good and the blankets feel so warm.
It FEELS like you’re supposed to stay in bed. It’s so welcoming. It’s so comfortable.
If you get up, you’re mad that you’re up earlier than planned.
If you wait, you’re mad that you’re up earlier than planned AND you had to hear the alarm.

What’s the win?

How about celebrating the fact you WOKE UP?
How about celebrating electricity…
Or your house…
Or you're the fact you have enough money to spend on a freaking bed!

Maybe it’s time for a GRATITUDE check! Stop focusing on the things you DON’T have or how things AREN’T going according to your immediate plans and start GIVING THANKS for the little things that seem to be overlooked time and time again. You just might have the most AMAZING day you’ve EVER HAD if you’d slow down long enough to realize all you HAVE (and it just might follow up with an amazing day from that day on)!

GRATITUDE = win


Related Posts:

Insight Gained From Music

Is Any Gratitude Left Inside the Routine

Who Are These Crazy People

Can I Be A Believer And Still Struggle?

Yes, but it's totally YOUR choice!
 
Meeting Jesus isn’t about IMMEDIATE, radical, miraculous change (I’m not saying it CAN’T happen, I’m just sayin’ that’s not what it’s about). It’s a process. It’s a journey. God wants to change you RIGHT NOW, but He’s willing to work with you, at your pace. It would definitely be easier if God just did it—less work, less stress, less time, less energy. Remember, it’s a process. It takes time. Chances are you’re gonna mess up somewhere in between. Chances are you’re going to slip up and struggle (though you might kinda like it so it won’t seem like a struggle… at least not at first). Paul, the dude who wrote the most books in the New Testament, wrote about this very thing…

For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Romans 7:18-20 NIV

This is INSANITY.

Insanity is doing the same thing again and again expecting different results each time. You might have some things in your life right now that you’re doing again and again believing things will turn out differently THIS time, but they don't. They never have and they never will. It’s time to just stop.

What is it? What do you need to stop? What do you need to quit? What do you need to let go? What’s holding you back and holding you down? You want to experience FREEDOM? Stop TALKING about it and start DOING SOMETHING about it!

Fighting The Stereotype

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
Romans 2:1 NIV

My name is Nick.  I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ that is in recovery from a critical, judgmental attitude.

Too many years I lived in perpetual judgment of others. To put it simply; I was a jerk. I was a hypocrite. For some reason I wanted to climb up on my soapbox, turn on my megaphone, and announce to the world every every speck of dust (Matt. 7:5), every character defect I saw in you. All the while I lived in denial of my own problems. Why do we do this?

Did it somehow make me feel better about myself? I thought I was observant. God had gifted me with the ability to identify sin…in the lives of others. NOT! I was self-righteous. I was arrogant. I chose to demoralize those around me, those closest to me, because I was unwilling to confront my own moral failures.

I was simply condemning myself. I was living in sin and was unable or unwilling to acknowledge or admit it.

I’m sorry. If I ever hurt you in this way, from the bottom of my heart, I am sorry.

In hindsight, I was merely assuming my stereotypical role as a Christian. I wanted to cram sin down your throat and allow my own to fester.

“You who pass judgment do the same things.”

Do we, as believers, understand this verse? It must be one that we ignore or quickly glance over. We parade as good, loving followers of Christ—yet look down upon the very people he came to save.

“Smoker.”
“I can’t believe he had a glass of wine during dinner.”
“It’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.”
“Look at how she dresses. What a slut.”

That is not love. That is sin. We need to move beyond our prejudices. We need to get over ourselves and start loving people. We are not the judge. We are the ones called to plead the case of Christ, his gospel, to the world. 

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have love you, you should love each other.
John 13:34 NLT

He simply called us to love.

Loving The Snooze Button

Ever have one of those mornings when you just FEEL like no matter what you do you’re running behind schedule? The kids won’t get up. The windows won’t defrost. The traffic light won’t change. That car won’t go the speed limit. If it isn’t one thing it’s another. And when you’ve finally moved passed that one there’s something else.

Insert scream here.

Slow down. Take a deep breath. It’s going to be ok. You’re going to reach your destination. You just might not get there by the time you originally planned.

If you want MORE time, get up EARLIER. MAKE time. Stop blaming everyone else for your inability to manage time wisely. Set an alarm. Set two. Make preparations the night BEFORE so you’re not stuck doing everything in the morning. Oh geez, did I just say that? Yes, I did. Somebody needed to tell you. Heck, I needed to tell me!

The people around you aren’t hindering your schedule, you are. You’re also the only one who can improve it. It’s time to suck it up, make some apologies, and then make some changes in how you manage your time.

Saturday Morning Laughs

Here's something my kids think is HILARIOUS. I didn't get it at first until my wife said something along the lines of, "Whatever Nick, that's TOTALLY something you'd do!" She's right. I can't deny it.

Five Lies of Denial

Here are five lies that could potentially destroy your life:

#1 I’m Good—no you’re not, nobody is.

#2 I Got This—ok, then please explain why your life is a complete mess.

#3 I Already Know How To Do That—if you already KNOW how, why aren’t you DOING it?

#4 I Could Write The Book On That—why haven’t you?

#5 I Don’t Need Help—just know I’m here for you once you step out of DENIAL.

Praying for a Miracle, But I'll Settle For a Sandwich

God is GENEROUS. He gives and gives and then He gives some more. I believe there are times when He gives without being asked, like He just knows BEST and wants us, His children, to HAVE the best. And it’s because He is so generous, because He is a giver, that it’s so darn easy to take it all for granted. Think about it…

How do you pray?
What do you pray for?

God is a BIG God. He spoke a word and everything we see and know came into existence (in case you were wondering, that means He’s POWERFUL). He can do the unthinkable, the unimaginable. He has the ability to turn fantasy into reality (talking donkeys, walking on water, resurrection).

Do your prayers reflect your belief in a BIG, POWERFUL God?
Or do you prayers treat God like He’s your maid?

Is your prayer life full of BIG dreams and BIG goals and BIG aspirations? Are you asking for God to do the IMPOSSIBLE in your life? Or are you simply asking God to do everyday, mundane tasks that you just don’t want to do?

You can lay on the couch and pray for God to make your dinner all you want. “God, I’m hungry. I know I just ate 30 minutes ago, but I could sure go for a snack right about now. Will you please make me something to eat? You know where the microwave is. You know how long it’s gotta be cooked for. Thank you for doing this for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”

Ok…

When you pray for the LITTLE things you lose sight of the BIG things. God’s not trying to hold your hand and walk you through life. God’s not going to feed you and change your diapers forever. GET UP! GET MOVING! DO SOMETHING! Stop praying for God to do the little things and realize He’s provided everything you NEED to do everything He wants you to do! Stop asking Him to complete the task that He’s entrusted to YOU!

Stop asking God to make your dinner and realize He’s the one who provided you with the food in the fridge, the fridge containing the food, the microwave to cook the food, the house that’s holding it all… all so YOU can do it yourself.

3 Ways to Experience Financial Freedom

In case you missed it, read yesterday’s blog post, “If God Isn’t First, You’ll Be Under A Curse.” Why? Isn’t reading today enough? Yes, but it’ll give you the backstory to this idea of the CURSE.

If GREED is the problem, GENEROSITY is the solution.

Here are 3 ways to effectively break FREE from the curse (Malachi 3:9):

#1 Tithe—tithe is a church word. I don’t think I’ve heard it used anywhere else in life (sorta like geometry and algebra). Tithe simply means tenth or 10%. “Of what?” you might be asking. Tithing is GIVING BACK 10% of your gross income to God. Notice I said GIVE BACK. God is the SOURCE of financial blessing. Seems crazy, right? Last time I checked it wasn’t God who was sitting at the computer or answering the phone or building houses or teaching kids or whatever your job might be… it’s YOU doing the work. So, where does God enter the picture? God is the one who GIFTED you. God is the one who created the OPPORTUNITY. God is the one who BLESSES you. God is the SOURCE of it all! God entrusts us with our finances and, in exchange, He simply asks for us to RETURN 10%. It’s not because He NEEDS it, He simply wants to ensure that money doesn’t take His place as #1 in your life (read “A Heart Divided Is A Heart Undecided”). Malachi 3:9 tells the story of a group of people who REFUSED to tithe and therefore came under a CURSE; tithing breaks that curse.

#2 Offerings—offerings are anything above and beyond the tithe. If I make $100 I would tithe $10. If I gave back $20 or $30 that would be considered an offering because it’s ABOVE and BEYOND the tithe. Offerings not only bless YOU (God talks about pouring out to much blessing you won’t know what to do with it in Malachi 3:10), offerings bless OTHERS around you!

#3 Extravagant Offerings—here’s where things get a little bit crazy. Here’s where we start talking about ridiculous generosity. Have you ever purchased a gift that was insanely expensive, yet TOTALLY WORTH IT because of the reaction of the person who received it? Maybe you bought your wife a new ring (please don’t let my wife read this). Maybe you bought your kid(s) a new car. Maybe you bought me a cruise (shameless plug, I ain’t afraid). There are times when the amount of money you spend doesn’t make sense, but it doesn’t matter because you LOVE that person and you want to BLESS them! That’s an extravagant offering! Extravagant offerings are over and above the offering. If I have $100, I’ll tithe $10, and instead of putting in $20 or $30, I might reach into my pocket and trust God with $70. Why? Because #1 God wants FOOD in His house and #2 God says, “Test Me in this,” so I’m gonna test Him and #3 I want to make a SIGNIFICANT difference in the lives of others.

You can’t outgive God. You CAN’T. I don’t dare you to try, God does! Just read Malachi 3:10…

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

Whether you’re stepping out in faith and trust God with the tithe, offerings, or extravagant offerings, GOD’S GONNA BLESS YOU! It’s what He does! It’s what He WANTS to do!

Are you tired of living under a financial curse? Are you tired of bills stacking up, debt piling higher, and always wanting MORE? Are you ready to TRUST God with your finances and BREAK FREE from the curse? Step up. Step up and put God #1 in your finances. Step up and do your part to ensure there’s FOOD IN HIS HOUSE! And then get ready, get ready for God’s blessing to spill out OVER your cup!!

If God Isn't First, You'll Be Under A Curse

Raise your hand if you’ve ever experienced financial difficulties. Raise your hand if you’re experiencing financial difficulties right now. I’d be willing to suggest that most people, if not all people, have experienced financial difficulties at some point in their lives. Maybe there was a stretch of time when you didn’t have a job. Maybe there were a few months when you had to rely on your credit cards and debt just stacked up. Maybe there was a time when disaster after disaster struck your family and money was leaving your hand as soon as it got there. Needless to say, financial difficulties are REAL and they SUCK!

I grew up with codependent parents that wouldn’t allow their son to fail, wouldn’t allow their son to fall, wouldn’t allow their son to hit rock bottom. I got a job so I could party and I partied until I lost my job. I was an idiot (let me stress the word ‘was’). Even after losing my job, even after the money was gone, I STILL had a place to stay. So, at this point in my life, there was no lesson to be learned about finances other than—don't party so hard that you LOSE your job! It was a lesson I soon forgot.

Around two years later I was kicked out of the Army for failing a drug test. Yes, once again life in the fast lane resulted in the loss of a job. The difference? This time I was on the OTHER side of the country, with no friends, no family, no money, no car, no place to sleep, and no way to get home. Financial difficulties were FINALLY a reality. Why am I sharing this?

I’m writing this to let you know that I’ve been there. I’ve experienced BROKE. I’ve experienced the stress of not knowing how I was going to EAT or where I was going to SLEEP. I’ve experienced the CURSE! 

You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.
Malachi 3:9 NIV

This isn’t one of those verses in the Bible that leaves you feeling all warm and cozy inside. This isn’t one of those verses that gets people jumping up and down and shouting with excitement. This is one of those verses that slaps you in the face. This is one of those verses that punches you in the gut. This is one of those verses that’s easier to OVERLOOK than it is to TAKE A LOOK.

Now, at that time I didn’t BELIEVE in God or have a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. I didn’t have the HOPE of eternity. I thought GRACE was the girl down the street. So, how could I be robbing God? I mean, could I if I didn’t know Him? I don’t have an answer for that, but I do know one thing… I was UNDER A CURSE!

If you’ve experienced financial difficulties, if you know what it’s like to struggle to keep your refrigerator full or your pantry stocked or clothes on your back or a roof over your head, than you’re probably familiar with the CURSE.

If God isn’t first, you’ll be under a curse.

Read that again. If God isn’t first, you’ll be under a curse.

When God isn’t #1 your focus and passion is misplaced. In case you missed it, we discussed how a “Heart Divided Is A Heart Undecided.” Money is constantly battling God for first place in your heart, and like Jesus said, you can’t love both. They can’t share a space. God is a hater like that. He wants ALL of you, not the LEFT OVERS. And as long as God is pushed down to #2 or #3, you’ll never TRUST Him with your finances (which is when we start to ‘rob’ Him).

Tomorrow I’m going to talk about THREE WAYS you and I can start to trust God with our finances, THREE WAYS you and I can BREAK FREE from the curse.

Until then, take some time today to evaluate your current financial situation. Are you struggling? Could you use just a little bit more money? Would you consider yourself someone who TRUSTS God with you finances?

If God isn’t first, you’ll be under a curse.

A Heart Divided Is A Heart Undecided

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Matthew 6:24 NIV

This is one of those verses in the Bible that’s easy to overlook. I’m not saying it’s unimportant, I’m just saying it’s easy to overlook. Why? Because of its straightforward approach to money, that’s why. People don’t like to talk about money and people DEFINITELY don’t like it when money is talked about in church.

“How dare you talk about my god that way!”

Right…

God doesn’t say money is BAD, He simply says don’t let it be #1 (God reserved that seat a while back). God says you can’t serve both. God says you can’t love both. At this point, I want to shush God. I don’t LOVE money; I just really REALLY like it! Money puts food on the table and clothes on my back and a roof over my head. It’s easy to find SECURITY in money and that’s where many of us go wrong.

God is the SOURCE of everything! Money isn’t the source it’s a RESOURCE. And when you place your FAITH in money, believing it to be the source of your security, where does that leave God? He’s not a middleman. He’s not a distributor. He’s the SOURCE! You came into this world with NOTHING and God gave you SOMETHING!

Jesus warned us that we cannot serve both God and money. A heart DIVIDED is a heart UNDECIDED. You cannot believe SOME of the Bible and not the OTHER. God was either telling the TRUTH or He wasn’t. Maybe you’re struggling with finances. Maybe you don't quite trust God with your money. Maybe money is your god. Who knows; only you know. It’s easy to trust God with your ETERNITY, but please don’t touch me FINANCIALLY (unless you’re bringing an increase)!

Are you UNDECIDED? Have you yet to trust God with your finances? Are you still teetering between the two? What’s holding you back? What’s keeping you from believing ALL of God’s promises (and not just the ones dealing with salvation)?

A Crazy Kinda Love

God’s love is BIGGER and GREATER than anything you’ve ever experienced or known to be possible! God’s love is FOR you! God’s love is WITH you! God’s love SURROUNDS you! God’s love PICKS YOU UP! God’s love CATCHES YOU when you fall! God’s love CAPTIVATES! God’s love EXHILARATES! God’s love is MORE THAN ENOUGH!

I know… that’s a LOT of exclamation points… God’s love is that EXCITING!!!

Today, remind yourself that God LOVES you! He loved you THEN, He loves you NOW, and He’s gonna love you TOMORROW! His love NEVER FAILS! His love NEVER FALLS!

God IS love.
His love is YOURS (which means He gives Himself to you).
And YOU are His.

People Are Without Excuse

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Romans 1:18-20 NIV

This block of Scripture answers a question that has periodically resurfaced since the day I received the gift of life: “Are those who don’t hear the name of Jesus Christ held accountable before God?”

I’ve always wanted the answer to be, “no.” I mean, after all, God is just and wouldn’t or couldn’t do such a thing. It wouldn’t be fair. It wouldn’t be right. These people have no choice. However, according to Scripture they are “without excuse.”

God chose to reveal himself through the work of his hands, that is, the beauty and majesty of creation. He placed the starts in the sky in a particular order and design. He provides radiance for the sun. He crafts the unique patterns of each individual snowflake. He filled the world with a million different colors. He created us, you and I. Yet, in spite of all this, in spite of everything he has done and continues to do, we reject him.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:21 NIV

It becomes easier to ignore who God is and what he has done with each passing day. Think about it! Believers struggle with faith; how much more difficult it must be for those that reject God! It is a stumbling block that we continually trip over and over and over again. This is why faith is the foundation of Christianity. Good works are simple tasks, but faith challenges us to believe in the invisible God, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Father.

We have no excuses. We are all accountable in the eyes of God.

The need to share his gospel message is urgent. Silence is not golden.

Read a similar article, "Silence is Golden, Right?" here.

The Holiday Season

Oh it’s getting to be that time of the year again. That time of the year when consumerism kicks into high gear and everything else seems to fade to the background. First, we get hit by Halloween. We send our kids out to collect as much candy as possible and then when they get home, we send them back out to get some more. Gimmie. Gimmie. Gimmie. Then, it’s Thanksgiving, a time when we get together with family and try and consume as much food as humanly possible (and then a little bit more). Finally, it’s Christmas. Sometimes there’s snow. Sometimes there’s not. But one thing you can always guarantee is a lot, and I mean a LOT, of shopping and spending. Gimmie. Gimmie. Gimmie.

We’re entering the season of GET, I say we flip it around and make it the season of GIVE! Let’s not be TAKERS, let’s be GIVERS! Instead of CONSUMERISM, let’s choose GENEROSITY!

Purpose Is Found In Your Passion

What keeps you up at night? What gets you up in the morning? What gets your heart pumping? What gives you goosebumps? What gets you out of your mind EXCITED?

As you’re reading those questions chances are you started to answer them negatively. What keeps me up at night? Bills. Sick children. Issues at work. Right? I’m not talking about that stuff. I’m talking about the thing(s) you’re PASSIONATE about! I’m talking about the thing(s) that BREAK YOUR HEART. I’m talking about the thing(s) you can’t stop thinking about because you want to make a DIFFERENCE in them!

Purpose is found in your passion.

God created ON purpose, WITH purpose, and FOR a purpose! God created you with a specific purpose in mind. God created you to fulfill a specific purpose, to meet a specific need. Created you created you to be YOU (and only you can be YOU)!

Whatever that thing is, whatever it is that grabs your heart and won’t let go, whatever it is that races through your mind all day and all night, chances are that’s your PURPOSE, that’s your CALLING. Some of us share a COMMON purpose (we weren’t meant to do life alone). Your THING might be providing shelter for the homeless, rescuing men, women, and children from sex trafficking, helping kids find homes through foster care and adoption, getting addicts into recovery, providing education, drilling wells for clean water… the list goes on and on. It’s WHAT you were meant TO DO. It’s WHO you were created TO BE! It’s the DIFFERENCE you were designed TO MAKE!

Sadly, many of us forego our purpose in exchange for chasing after STUFF. We get so caught up in what we HAVE and what we WANT that we neglect WHO we are.

Purpose is found in your passion. Check out what Jesus said about it…

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
Matthew 6:21 NIV
 
Where’s YOUR treasure? What are you CHASING AFTER? When did you give up on yourself? At what point in your life did you decide to walk way from your dreams? What made you think you needed STUFF instead of a SAVIOR? Here are some things to remember:

You can’t take it with you (click to read).

Stuff matters until it doesn’t (click to read).

God created you to be a WORLD CHANGER! You have a place SOMEWHERE in His plans! The things you want might satisfy for the moment, but ultimately you’ll be left wanting MORE. Why? It’s not who you are. It’s not what you want. Your heart desires something MORE and you know it, you just might not want to admit it. Stop wasting your life. Stop wasting your time. Stop wasting your energy. Stop wasting your resources. Start chasing after your PASSION!!!

Stuff Matters Until It Doesn't

Stuff matters until it doesn’t.

Doesn’t that seem so simple? I read that and want to shout, “duh!” Bu it’s true. Stuff matters until it doesn’t. Think back to Christmas morning as a child or a birthday party; think back to a moment when you were about to receive gifts and presents. Can you remember the EXCITEMENT you felt? Can you remember the ANTICIPATION? Can you remember how you felt as you ripped open each gift eagerly making your way to the treasure hidden inside?

Clothes?!? Really? No! You got some kinda toy that, at least in that moment, you thought was the GREATEST THING EVER! You probably didn’t want it or ask for it, but since you got it, it was THE BOMB! And that battery operated robot that moved, sorta, and had flashing lights and blew smoke out of its gun was AMAZING… until you forgot about it… until it spent more time in your toy box than it did on a shelf in the store.

Stuff matters until it doesn’t.

You’ve probably already thought of a few things like the robot. You’ve probably already thought of some things gathering dust in the garage or basement (possibly your Bible… just sayin’). At one point in your life these THINGS seems really important. You just HAD to have them. You couldn’t go another moment WITHOUT them. You were convinced they were going to MEET A NEED in your life, FILL A VOID (ok, that might be overly dramatic, but you get the point). And that thing, whatever it is, that once seemed so great, is now forgotten and untouched. What happened?

We have a tendency to ascribe importance to things of little or no importance. We convince ourselves that this thing is somehow going to make our lives BETTER. We get it. We enjoy it. We get tired of it. We set it down. We look for something new. We look for something different. We find that new something and then the cycle just repeats itself. Stop. Break the cycle. End it now.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:20 NIV

God says stop chasing after all that mess. God says stop looking for FULFILLMENT in things that only leave you feeling EMPTY. God has something BETTER for you. Things might make you feel happy NOW, but only God can satisfy your NOW and LATER! God offers you grace, mercy, forgiveness, hope, love… God offers you the things your SOUL desires, not just your stomach (I’m not just talking about food, work with me here).

In your pursuit of THINGS, have you placed God on the shelf (in case you missed it, read "You Can't Take It With You")? Is your relationship with Jesus gathering dust in the garage? It might be time for a change. If all that stuff was as important as you think, why didn’t it keep your attention and hold your affection? You KNOW you didn’t really need it, you just wanted it. Stuff matters until it doesn’t.

God hasn’t given up on you. God wants the best FOR you. It’s time to prioritize.

You Can't Take It With You

Call me rebellious, but when I’m told to NOT do something, I immediately start planning how I CAN do it. I know. I have issues. I’m working on them, please don’t judge me. Even when it’s God telling me, even though I know He KNOWS best and wants the best FOR me, I still fight it. I still gotta try my own thing, my own way, my own plans. Then, once I’ve experienced a little bit of pain and frustration (and potentially a broken relationship or two) I finally ask, “Ok God, what do you want me to do?” Just writing that makes me feel like an idiot. 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Matthew 6:19 NIV

Here’s one. God says, “Do NOT store up for yourselves treasures on earth” (emphasis mine). Why not? I LIKE stuff. I might even go so far as to say I LOVE stuff. Seriously, I do and I’d be willing to suggest you do too (you just might not be ready to admit it yet; we call that denial). I like my house. I like my van. I like my clothes. I like my bed. Yes! I LOVE my bed!

Weekends are notorious for family trips. All week long I look forward to Saturday, a day of rest and relaxation, a day with no commitments. And each week Saturday always seems to be booked up with some sorta trip to somewhere to see someone or do something. Now, it always works out for the best. I always end up having a great time. And at the end of the day, when I’m driving back home at far too late o’clock, my bed is all I can think about. I think about how warm and soft and comfy it is. I think about my pillow. I think about how my wife better stay on her side and now crowd me. Someone needs to invent a bed divider that works like one of those windows in a limousine, just sayin’. I LOVE my bed! Why? It meets a need. It satisfies. It’s mine.

You can’t take it with you.
I can’t take it with me.

In the grand scheme of things, what purpose does my bed serve? What purpose does any of it serve? Sure, my house provides shelter. Food provides, well, food. My van provides transportation. My clothes provide, well, clothing. It all serves a purpose, but what then? What happens when I die? What happens to my stuff then? What happens when something NEW comes out? What then? What happens when the NEXT BIG THING hits the market? What then? What happens when my neighbor or someone else I know needs help and I can’t help them because I’m so wrapped up in debt with my own stuff… what then?

The love of STUFF is a dangerous game to play. It feels like it satisfies, but leaves us wanting more (sounds like an addiction, doesn’t it?). But it meets a need… does it really? At what point do the things you want and the things you have become more important than your relationship with Jesus? At what point does the CREATED become more important than the CREATOR? I believe many of us, probably most of us, need to adjust our priorities.

Your neighbor just got a new pool. Your friend just got a new car. Your cousins just bought that new HUGE house. Where’s yours? Where’s mine? Why do THEY get that stuff and I don’t? It becomes a race and competition to get more, to get bigger, to get better. We start trying to KEEP UP with our neighbors instead of REACHING OUT TO our neighbors.

You can’t take it with you.

If you know JESUS, you now something BETTER. God says, “Do not sure up for yourselves treasures ON EARTH” (emphasis mine) because He has something BETTER in store for you!

Jesus + nothing = everything
Everything – Jesus = nothing

That’s some radical math. It’s time for an eye exam. It’s time for a realignment of the heart. It’s time to let go of the STUFF you want so you grab a hold of the SAVIOR you need!

Silence Is Golden, Right?

Silence is golden (or so I’ve heard). What do you think? Personally, I think this saying needs an amendment. Here are some recommendations…

Silence is golden…

…as long as I want silence.
…when my jam comes on the radio.
…at the movies.
…while enjoying my bacon cheeseburger (all the way) at 5 Guys.
…when I’m done listening to you.
…when lying down for a nap.
…when I’m speaking.
…unless I’m feeling lonely.
…until someone is being bullied and nobody speaks up.
…until someone needs to hear my story.
…except Jesus said, “Go and tell people about me.”

Silence is situational. Sometimes I want quiet, other times I KNOW I’m supposed to talk, speak up, tell somebody something… or just sing really REALLY loud! What about you? Chances are you’ve picked SILENCE over OBEDIENCE… ouch. I know I have. It sucks.

You might need to speak up today, will you?

Give Me Faith

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith,'"
(Romans 1:16-17 NIV).

I often choose silence when faced with the opportunity to share the gospel.  I make a conscious decision to ignore the fact that eternity is at stake. Why do my lips remained sealed? What am I afraid of?

The dictionary defines 'ashamed' as: unwilling or restrained because of fear of shame, ridicule, or disapproval.

I am ashamed of the gospel, or at least that is the message conveyed through my actions, or rather, lack thereof. I freeze. I remain silent. I try to hide. I avoid the situation. I search for a way out. I am afraid. I don't understand why. Why am I fixated on the views and opinions of other people? I should be empowered and encouraged, but instead I am timid and disheartened. God, break my heart for the lost.

The stakes are high. Paul states, "it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." It is the power of God. Let me say that again, it is the power of God. It doesn't end there. It gets better. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. It's not about me. It's not about my fear. It's not about my anxiety. It's all about God's plan of redemption.

Give me shame. Give me ridicule. Give me disapproval.

I need to put it in perspective, a moment of discomfort in exchange for an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ; that is worthy dying for. God, give me words to speak.

I need to relinquish control.  I need to embrace strength, courage, and confidence—the products of knowing how my story ends. I have already won. Paul makes reference to the book of Habakkuk (2:4) in the final verse (v.17), "The righteous will live by faith." I desperately need to do the same.

We desperately need to do the same.

Daily Inventory

Celebrate Recovery’s Principle 7 says, “Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.”

Daily time? Like EVERY day? Come on. Really? Who has time for that? I barely got time to remember to put my kids to bed at night, let alone set time aside every morning for what? Self-examination? What is that? Bible reading? I don’t even read the newspaper. Prayer? Why? Things aren’t that bad. And for what? All this to know God? Why would I want to do that? What’s the point? What’s He going to do for me?

And that’s it. That’s it right there, isn’t it? WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? Sound familiar? It’s ok. That’s why we’re here. That’s why we’re at Celebrate Recovery; to work on me, to work on you, each of us is here to work on ourselves (unless you’re here to support someone else, which means you just don’t know yet that you need help too). Don’t worry about it, give it some time. Ok, back to Principle 7.

Principle 7 is a strategy for healthy living. Principle 7 is planning for successful living (after all, failing to plan is planning to fail). Principle 7 leads to the freedom you’ve always dreamt of, but never thought you’d find. It’s not about SOBRIETY, it’s about living a BETTER life.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m willing to bet each and every person in this room, each and every person in this city, in this county, in this state, in this whole flippin’ world wants a BETTER life. Even people who think they have it all, people who have the big house and nice cars want more, want something BETTER. Principle 7 helps us get there. Principle 7 says, “Here are these 3 things, do them on a regular basis and your life won’t just get BETTER, it’ll be the BEST POSSIBLE life you can live.”

Let me say that again, “the BEST POSSIBLE life you can live!”

I want that and if you don’t, let me know because I’ll take your share too. Trust me, I can use all the help I can get.

So, what’s the big deal about spending time on a daily basis with God? Easy, He wants the BEST for you. You’re His kid, maybe a tired, irresponsible, bad-mouthed, rebellious kid, but you’re still His kid. God knows where you’re at, God sees what you’re going through, and He doesn’t want you to stay there. Remember, He wants the BEST for you and He’s willing to help you get there. THAT is why consistent time with God is so important. Now Bible reading and prayer ARE important, but right now I want to focus on the first thing: self-examination.

Who here likes to look at themselves in the mirror? Now, come on. Be honest. Most people have mirrors set up all over the place. There’s a mirror just outside your shower. There’s a mirror just outside your bathroom. There’s a mirror on your closet door. There’s a mirror on your stairwell. There’s a mirror in your living room. Face it; you like to look at yourself. You might not like WHAT you see, but you definitely like to LOOK. What are you thinking about while you’re looking at yourself, chances are you’re thinking about how this looks and that looks and what you’d like to change here and change there. You’re EXAMINING yourself. Now, apply that to your spiritual life and everyday living. You gotta look at the parts that you LIKE and the parts you want to CHANGE. You gotta take the GOOD with the BAD. How do you do this? Here are 3 ways you can evaluate your life, 3 ways you can examine WHO you are and WHAT you’re doing.

Ongoing Inventory—what’s this? This is an ongoing, never-ending, what the heck am I doing, saying, and thinking examination. Hence the name: ongoing. This is the BEST and the most DIFFICULT of the three. In an ongoing inventory you don’t just let things slide. You don’t set things aside for later. You handle it right now. Got made and said the wrong thing to your wife or kids or boss? Own up to it and make amends on the stop. Remember, holding that stuff in is what brought you here in the first place.

Daily Inventory—why is this one necessary? Ok, maybe there was something that you missed. Maybe there was something you did that you didn’t catch. Maybe you like me and sometimes you just don’t quite catch a social queue—what’s that? Maybe you didn’t notice that your wife was hurt or your kids were crushed or your boss was offended. Call it being naïve; sometimes I just don’t SEE it. Sometimes I need you to be straightforward and TELL me what I’ve done. This doesn’t mean you have an out, no, it means later in the day, when all has calmed down and you’re watching your favorite show or eating your favorite meal and all of the sudden you remember something happened, write it down (so you don’t forget) and call that person to make amends.

Periodic Inventory—what’s the deal? Why would I need to do a PERIODIC inventory if I’m already doing an ongoing AND daily one? Ok, let’s face it. I’m human. You’re human. We’re not the best at letting things go. I can apologize to you all day and all night and hear you say “I forgive you” again and again and STILL not get over it. Guilt and shame are a pain in the butt. They will HAUNT you. They will HOLD YOU DOWN and KEEP YOU IN PLACE! Why do a periodic inventory? Because sometimes you just gotta get away and get your crap out. Set aside a few hours or a few days (vacation always sounds nice doesn’t it?) and share your junk with someone you trust. Confess it, let it go, and DON’T pick it back up again!

There you have it. 3 ways to evaluate your life. 3 ways to examine WHO you are and WHAT you’re doing. Isn’t that recovery? Isn’t that why you’re here? Isn’t that why we’re all here? You and I reached a point in our lives when we asked, “Who the heck is that staring back at me in the mirror?” You didn’t recognize yourself. You couldn’t figure out why you did the things you did and said the things you said. I don’t want that again, do you?

God wants the BEST for you. I want the BEST for you (and me, too). I don’t want to keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result each time. I don’t want to keep coming back to group talking about the same problem. I don’t want to continue going through life without a care in this world. I don’t want to give up. I don’t want to throw in the towel. And I want you ride there beside me. I want us to do this TOGETHER so we can show everybody else that hope is real and freedom is possible.

Grab a friend. Grab a partner. And do Principle 7 together. Ask the difficult questions, “Are you setting time aside each day for self-examination Are you doing an ongoing inventory? A daily inventory? When’s the last time you did a periodic inventory? Are you reading the Bible? Are you praying? Are you chasing after a BETTER life?” What will you do? I can’t make you do it and nobody can do it for you. Do you want it? Do you want a BETTER? Are you willing to work for it?

The Past Has Passed

So then, if we do not do the good we know we should do, we are guilty of sin.
James 4:17 GNT

Ok. Let’s be honest for a moment. Nobody WANTS to read that, but somebody NEEDS to. Today is a new day. Yesterday is gone. The past has passed. Today brings a whole slew of new opportunities (and potential repeats of missed ones). Will you do what you’ve always done? Will you repeat the bad decisions of yesterday, today? Will you neglect to do the things you know you should?

Today, I WILL be different.
Today, I’m embracing NEW.
Today, I’ve been given another CHANCE!

What about you?

3 Of The Deadliest Words You'll Ever Say

Here are 3 of the DEADLIEST words you’ll ever hear or say…

“I got this.”

Do you really? Do you REALLY got this? Are you sure? You have things under control? You handling things? You sure you don’t want help?

Experience tells me that’s a load of crap. Crap may help your lawn grow nicely, but it’ll ruin your life. Things might be going well. Your lawn might be nice and green and growing (which, by the way, is awesome), but when you go to mow it your lawnmower breaks because you’re not taking care of business. Now you’re out a lawnmower, your lawn is jacked up, and you can’t do anything about it. If you’re not careful, this will be your LIFE.

You might have experienced freedom in your life from something and it might be a while since you last struggled with whatever that something is. Now, because so much time has passed, it’s easy to convince yourself that it’s no longer a problem, no longer an issue, no longer a struggle.

One drink won’t hurt.
One bet won’t hurt.
One cigarette won’t kill me.
One nigh at the club…
One bite…
One kiss…
One email…
One click…
One…
One…
One…

“I got this.”

No, you don’t. You never did. If you did, you wouldn’t be here. If you did, you wouldn’t have almost lost your family (if you didn’t already). You caught a glimpse of freedom and convinced yourself that you had reached the top of the mountain. Problem is, once you reach the top the only place to go is DOWN. It’s a PROCESS. That means you KEEP CLIMBING! You DON’T STOP! You DON’T REST! You DON’T BACK DOWN! You DON’T GIVE UP!

One drink won’t hurt… it’ll KILL YOU.
One bet won’t hurt… it’ll BREAK YOU.
One cigarette won’t kill you… the rest WILL.
One night at the club… will turn into ANOTHER.
One bite… leads to ANOTHER.
One kiss… leads to the BED.
One email… leads to DIVORCE.
One click… leads to ANOTHER.

The moment you start to say “I got this” slap yourself in the face and get a grip. The only thing you got is a need for help and the willingness to work for it. It works if you work it.

Love is A, B, C, & D; Love is All of the Above

Have you ever taken a multiple-choice test? I can’t stand them. I don’t like’em one bit. I’d even be willing to go so far as to say I HATE them (fully knowing it’s not good to have hate in my heart… but what if it originates in my brain?). Every answer looks the same. It’s stupid. It’s like someone designed a test to trick you, not test you. Like I said, I do NOT like multiple-choice tests.

I sit down, I grab my #2 pencil, and I open the test. I read the instructions (hoping they say something like, “If you’re reading the instructions, congratulations you WIN! Close your test and turn it in right away! You get an ‘A’!”). Then I start. I begin reading each question and, because of the way my brain works, I reread the question probably 3-4 more times. My body starts to tense up as I start to become overwhelmed with anxiety. I lose focus. Every answer looks the same. I want to get up. I want to leave. I want to be done. I want to…

QUIT!

Wow. I actually started to feel a little bit anxious writing that. That, to me, is love. So many choices. So many options. Go left. Go right. Turn here. Go there. Stop. Go. Walk. Run. Sit down. Stand up. A, B, C, D… all of the above! Which way? Which one? What’s the answer? My apologies, test anxiety was coming back again.

Here’s the thing about love… love is ALL OF THE ABOVE. Matthew, a dude who hung around Jesus while he was performing miracles and teaching and all that, recorded Jesus saying these words…

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:40 NIV

What two commandments? Love God and love people. That’s it. That’s all. If the Bible was a multiple-choice test love would be A, B, C, & D; love would be all of the above!

Love is.
Love does.
Love wins.

How you are doing with this test? Are you trying to scratch out love and write something else in? Maybe you crumpled up the test and threw it away. Maybe you haven’t even turned it over yet to start. Maybe you’re trying to sharpen your pencil. Maybe you’re looking for some other excuse I didn’t list. Jesus has already given you the answer: LOVE. How will you respond?

In case you missed it, I wrote about the two commandments here:

Love God

Love People

Love Hurts, But It Doesn't Have To

Chances are you’ve experienced a difficult relationship. If you haven’t, I’m not pointing fingers, but you were probably the difficult half of the relationship. Just sayin’. She said something that offended you. He cheated on you. She left without saying goodbye. He ate the last bite of cheesecake. SOMETHING has happened. I don't know your story; you do, so you can fill in whatever it was.

If you’re anything like me you’ve held on to that offense. You’ve stored it away for safekeeping (so you can bring it up later and then again sometime after that). Instead of letting it go, instead of moving forward, instead of forgiving, you got mad and stayed mad and now you’re bitter and full of resentment. How could they do this to you? Look how they’ve made you feel! Sound familiar?

Unhealthy relationships are the result of an unhealthy view of love. Let me say that again… unhealthy relationships are the result of an unhealthy view of love. You probably asked, “Ok, what’s a HEALTHY view of love?” (I wrote about it yesterday. If you missed it you can read it here). When we have an unhealthy view of love we look for it in all the wrong places, not because we WANT to experience bad relationships, we just don’t know where to look. We’re constantly searching for love in a WHAT when we should be looking for a WHO (and that who just so happens to be God… read 1 John 4:8).

Love hurts, but it doesn’t have to.

Let’s dig a little deeper. When you have an unhealthy view of love you will set unfair expectations on love. Each of us has a God-sized hole within us that only God can fill (hence the reason it’s a ‘God-sized’ hole). Nothing measures up. We try and fill the hole and always come up short. Think about it, that’s a BIG hole. Nothing and no one meets our expectations. Nothing and no one satisfies us the way we want or need. Nothing and no one’s ever good enough. So we point fingers and fight and fuss. This is the point where you go, “Aha! Love hurts!” Yes, it does, but it doesn’t have to.

As our view of love starts to transition from unhealthy to healthy, from placing value in a person or a thing to placing value in God, our ability to love and be loved changes too. We’ve been looking for a person to complete us (thank you, Jerry Maguire) when it’s God who makes us whole. We’ve been stressing because we thought we had the ability to do the same for our spouse and kept coming up short (now you know why). Love hurts and continues to hurt when you think you gotta do God’s part in the relationship (which is BE God). God doesn’t say complete the other person; God says to LOVE them.

39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:39 NIV

Because so many of us, if not all of us, have an unhealthy view of love, we struggle to love ourselves. How can you love someone else when you don’t even love yourself? How can you GIVE what you don’t even HAVE? How can you love someone else when you don’t even know WHO love is? An unhealthy view of love leads to unfair expectations and those unfair expectations make it REALLY hard to love your neighbor because they just fall short time and time again. I can’t love my neighbor I don’t even LIKE them! I don’t believe that. I think you struggle to love your neighbor because you don’t even like you! Maybe those unfair expectations that we tend to place on others have been placed on YOU by YOU. Maybe YOU’RE not living up to your own expectations and let yourself down time and time again. And if you let yourself down, how could you possibly trust someone else?

Doesn’t this all seem a bit crazy? Yes! It does because IT IS! Love hurts, but it doesn’t have to. It all begins and ends with a HEALTHY view of love and a HEALTHY view of love is this: GOD IS LOVE! Throw all your expectations out the door, realize we’re all just hurting people, and love them because God loves you.