Over the years, I've had to overcome having a tendency towards perfection. I probably acquired this tendency from my schooling days—personally having an internal drive to ace every exam or paper. Of course, I didn't ace every test. But I certainly tried my darndest to. Surprisingly, it…

I'm not much of a fan of hugging. I used to be part of a church where people hugged all the time. Honestly, it could get a little bit annoying but I eventually got used to it. I was known as the person who didn't like hugs (a reputation I didn't mind having!). And if…

I used to like seeing that I had a packed schedule every day on my calendar. Back-to-back meetings. Events. Phone calls. I liked always being "on the go." It made me feel important and productive. But it also stressed me out. I would have so many things going on that…

I woke up unusually late today at around 7:30 AM. Normally, I wake up around 5 AM so that I can get a head start on my day with exercise, prayer, and reading. It feels great to kick off the day early. But today, I slept right in.

Several weeks ago, I presented a workshop on evangelism (sharing the gospel) to a group of students. I shared plenty of stories about my attempts to share Jesus with people who work at a local coffee shop I go to. One of the students asked an astute question…

We're going to make mistakes in life. In fact, we're going to make a lot of them. Nobody is going to go through life perfectly (the only person who ever lived a perfect life was Jesus). We should accept this fact early on so that we're not misled into thinking that our growth as humans and as followers of Christ is going to be perfect and without faults.

Every morning, after my exercise routine, I take some time to think and journal. The first thing I usually think about is the day that's ahead of me. I can have some very busy days. It's a worthwhile exercise to consider what the day will look like, take stalk of it, and prepare for what's to come. I try to imagine the…

For several months now, I've been starting my day with exercise (a mix of cardio-vascular workouts and strength training). Regular exercise is a way for me to take care of my body so that I can serve God with it well. Exercise is the first thing I do when I wake up. In the past, I tried…

I want to be like Jesus. I want to be like Him in my thinking. I want to be like Him in my behavior. One of the key ways for me to become like Christ is by knowing God's Word and applying it in my life. God's Word is a gift to us. It contains…

I spend quite a bit of time each day in the practice of contemplation. I define contemplation simply as "holy thinking." In contemplation, I deliberately reflect on God and on my life. God often speaks to me (not audibly, of course) through my times of contemplation. He may give me an encouragement that I need to hear. He may…