Like many people, waking up early is a challenge for me. I'd love to wake up earlier in the morning so that I can spend more time with the Lord in prayer and meditation. But wanting to do something and actually doing it are two different things. As Jesus said…

"There is only one Messiah and I am not He." These words were typed on a piece of paper that was taped to the wall of a cubicle. The cubicle belonged to a pastor that I knew who had such a humble attitude. I only knew him for a few years before he passed away. But I think about that note on his cubicle wall often. The statement on the page was a regular reminder…

Life can be quite unpredictable. Life can throw you a curveball that you never expected. You lose your job. A relationship that you thought would last forever is broken. You come face to face with a health issue. A financial crisis occurs. You lose a loved one. There's no telling what the future will hold. Only God knows. Where can we find strength to go through these unpredictable crises in life?

Here's a tip: don't try to go intense every single day. I've found this tip useful for a wide variety of stuff in life. If a person does things intensely every single day, there's a high chance of them burning out and quitting the activity involved altogether.

One of the reasons I spend ample amounts of time in prayer and contemplation is to hear from God and receive as much direction as I possibly can from Him. It's my goal every day to move in step with what God desires. I may not get it perfectly right all the time, but I do hope that I'm getting better at it every single day. I believe that God knows the game plan for…

There are days when I can go a whole hour or more of simply being in the presence of God, thinking about Him, and saying very little. It's taken a while to acquire a taste for this and to build up the spiritual stamina to actually do it. But after months of practice, it's now becoming a very enjoyable spiritual activity for me. Sometimes, I can't wait to just be…

I have a son who is currently a two-year-old toddler. He's at the stage right now where my wife and I are teaching him to have good public manners. Greeting people with a "hi" and leaving by saying "bye." Learning to be gentle with other people. Asking for something with the word "please." Saying "thank you" when something is done for him. It's a struggle at times, but…

The other day, my wife and I had a medical appointment to go to. Before we left the house, my wife asked me if I wanted to bring a book along with me. She informed me that the appointment could take a while. I said that I didn't need to bring a book and that I had my phone with me anyway. Now most people use their phones to kill time with things that are inherently entertaining. They'll watch…

I use rituals to help cultivate my spiritual life. Rituals are simply activities a person does on a regular and consistent basis. Having a coffee every morning at 9 AM can be considered a ritual. Brushing your teeth before bedtime can be considered a ritual. Reading a book to your child before they sleep can be considered a ritual. We have rituals for…

I bought some fake LED candles the other day. I use them to enhance the space that I'm in when I'm praying to God. I particularly like to pray on the floor with a prayer mat. The battery-operated candles are a nice addition to make the space more conducive for prayer. I find that they simply enhance the atmosphere.