Category: Catalyst (Page 4 of 35)

A catalyst is one that sparks something. The catalyst speaks from experience and enables others to move forward more freely. These articles are written to act as a catalyst in your life.

“This Flag Still Stands for Freedom”

July 1, 2025 / / 0 Comments

There’s an American flag flying outside my home, and it doesn’t just go up for holidays. It’s there most every day, through wind, rain, snow, and sun. It flies for the men and the women who stand for me. It flies for my family, my cousins, my grandfather, my brother, and even my son – who have all served this country in one branch of the military or another. And it flies for the ideals that make this nation worth defending: liberty, responsibility, faith, and the freedom to live without fear of tyranny, either foreign or domestic.

The Fourth of July means something to me. It always has. But in recent years, I’ve noticed a shift. The cookouts and fireworks are still there, but so are the protests and hashtags and rallies with slogans like “No Kings” and “Eat the Rich.” It’s as if some folks think July 4 is just about throwing off authority and making noise.

But that’s not what this holiday is about. At least it shouldn’t be.

The Fourth of July is about building something, not just tearing something down. It’s about declaring that people can govern themselves, that our rights come from God and not the government. It’s about vision, courage, and commitment. The men who signed the Declaration of Independence weren’t just rebels. They were founders. They weren’t looking to replace one tyrant with another. They were standing for something better. Something higher. A system rooted in law, liberty, and the recognition that freedom is fragile but worth fighting for.

That’s why the flag matters so much. It’s not just a decoration or a photo-op. It represents the blood, sweat, and sacrifice of generations who believed that freedom isn’t free. That includes the men and women in my family who answered the call to serve. Those who’ve stood and still stand watch for this country every day.

When I look at that flag, I don’t see perfection. I see perseverance. I see a country that’s struggled, stumbled, and sacrificed, but always come back stronger. I see the First Amendment, the right to speak freely even when we disagree. I see the Second Amendment, the right to defend ourselves and our families because liberty must be guarded.

Freedom is not a trend. It’s not a talking point. It’s a way of life. It’s what makes America different from every other nation on earth. It’s why we defend our borders, protect our Constitution, and take pride in our national identity.

I love this country. I’m not embarrassed to say that. I won’t apologize for standing for the flag, teaching my kids to respect it, and raising them to understand that liberty is a gift and a responsibility. You can disagree with policy, criticize leaders, and demand justice that’s part of the beauty of this nation but don’t mistake liberty for lawlessness. Don’t turn the Fourth of July into just another excuse to gripe.

Because this country still stands for something.

So this Independence Day, while I’m grilling with family and sending projectiles vertically and horizontally, I’ll be thinking about what it means to live in a place where freedom still has a home. I’ll be praying for our leaders, for our troops, and for a nation that remembers who we are and what we’ve been blessed with.

Let’s teach our kids the truth about this day not that we just broke away from something, but that we stood for something. And we still do.

Happy Fourth of July. God bless America. Let freedom ring.

We Forgot How to Talk to Each Other

June 17, 2025 / / 1 Comment

Have you noticed it?

How quickly everything turns into a fight.
How often people talk past each other instead of to each other.
How even simple conversations feel like walking through a minefield.

We’re surrounded by noise, not connection.
By opinions, not understanding.
By constant talking, but not much listening.

It’s not just politics or big debates either. It’s in family group chats. School pickup lines. Online threads. Holiday dinners. We’ve forgotten how to talk to each other like human beings instead of headlines.

And here’s the scary part: When we stop listening, we stop seeing each other. And when we stop seeing each other, we lose our capacity for compassion.

But it doesn’t have to stay this way.

What if the way forward isn’t about winning arguments but rebuilding conversations?

1. Get curious, not combative.

When someone says something you don’t understand or disagree with, try this: “Tell me more about that.” Not everything needs a rebuttal. Sometimes people just need to be heard. And sometimes you don’t know the whole story, so ask more assume less.

2. Lead with stories, not stats.

Arguments rarely change hearts, but stories can. Share your experience. Listen to theirs. You don’t have to agree to connect.

3. Assume complexity.

Most people are carrying more than they show. Don’t reduce someone to a label, category, or soundbite. You’d want the same grace. Maybe there’s more to the situation than you realize.

4. Stay offline when it matters.

Social media is not the best place for nuanced conversations. If it’s important, have it face-to-face or voice-to-voice. Real tone. Real eyes. Real humanity. So much of communication is nonverbal, so don’t have hard conversations that could be taken wrong in a venue that doesn’t communicate nonverbally.

5. Choose connection over being right.

You can “win” an argument and lose a relationship. That doesn’t mean you compromise truth, but it does mean you prioritize love. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is, “I’m still here, even if we don’t agree.”

You don’t have to shout louder to be heard.
You don’t have to prove your point to prove your worth.

We need people who know how to talk and even more, how to listen.
People who bring light, not heat.
People who choose dignity over division.

Let’s be those people. And it won’t hurt if we start today.

You don’t need all the answers just an open heart and a willingness to stay in the conversation.

You Don’t Have to Do It All

June 10, 2025 / / 1 Comment

We live in a world that subtly, and not so subtly, says the same thing over and over:
You should be doing more.

Work more. Be more involved. Cook from scratch. Get ahead. Stay informed. Stay fit. Stay positive. Stay available.

And if you’re tired? That’s just proof you need better habits. Or a better planner. Or a better version of you.

But maybe that voice is wrong.

Because here’s the truth most of us need to hear on repeat: You don’t have to do it all.

You are not required to carry every need, fix every problem, attend every event, or please every person. Your worth is not measured by your output. And your value isn’t proven by your exhaustion.

The badge of burnout is not a badge of honor. It’s a warning sign. And maybe it’s time to pay attention.

So how do we live in a world of MORE without losing ourselves?

1. Drop the invisible expectations.

Whose standards are you living by? Take five minutes and list the expectations that weigh you down. Then cross out anything that’s not life-giving, sustainable, or aligned with your actual purpose or calling.

2. Choose your “yes” on purpose.

You can’t say yes to everything, so say yes to what matters most. Protect time for people and priorities that bring peace, not pressure.

3. Practice saying “not right now.”

You don’t have to say no forever but you can say not this season. Saying no to one thing is often the only way to say yes to what really counts. Every yes to one thing is a no to something else. Choose your yes carefully.

4. Rest without guilt.

Rest is not laziness. It’s resistance to the idea that your value is tied to your productivity. Take a nap. Read for fun. Watch the sunset. And don’t apologize for needing to take a break.

5. Accept help before you break.

You were never meant to carry everything alone. Ask for support. Say, “I can’t do this right now.” Let someone step in. That’s not weakness. It’s wisdom.

Doing less doesn’t mean you care less.
It just means you’re human, and you’re finally living like it.

So take a breath. Let something drop. Give yourself permission to be a person, not a machine.

You don’t have to do it all.

You just have to do the next right thing, with heart.

Grace over grind, every single time.

Praying Past Pathetic

June 9, 2025 / / 1 Comment

Let’s be honest: most of our prayers are weak. They’re soft. Safe. Domestic.

“Help me have a good day.”
“Please heal Aunt Carol’s bunion.”
“Let the traffic be light.”

We toss these up like God is our cosmic butler, here to make life smooth, not holy. And when Paul drops to his knees in Ephesians 3:14-21, he blows that kind of praying to pieces.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father… that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being…” (Ephesians 3:14,16 ESV)

Did you catch that? Paul isn’t praying for a good day filled with sunshine. He’s begging God to dig into the deepest parts of your soul and rebuild you from the inside out. That’s not a Hallmark holiday wish. That’s spiritual surgery.

From Pathetic to Powerful

When Paul prays, he’s not tossing up spiritual fluff. He’s down on his knees, pleading for real transformation. Not circumstantial tweaks, but a soul overhaul. He’s praying for a strength that doesn’t come from inside, but from the riches of God’s glory.

That’s not pathetic. That’s powerful.

And it raises a question: Why are we so content to pray small when God offers so much more?

Paul’s prayer gets right to the core:

  • That you would be strengthened with power.
  • That Christ may dwell in your hearts.
  • That you’d be rooted and grounded in love.
  • That you’d comprehend the height, depth, length, and breadth of God’s love.
  • That you’d be filled with all the fullness of God.

Let’s not miss it. Paul is praying for interior transformation that leads to explosive faith and love. He’s asking that believers wouldn’t just know about Jesus, but that Jesus would dwell, that means make his home, in their hearts. Not as a weekend guest, but as the owner of the house.

More Than Surface Fixes

Most of us pray like we’re asking for God to wash the windows. Paul prays like God is tearing out walls and rebuilding the foundation.

We say: “Help me not be stressed.”
Paul prays: “Lord, fill them with Your Spirit so they stand strong no matter what hits them.”

We pray: “Fix this annoying person in my life.”
Paul prays: “Root them in love so deep that even enemies feel like neighbors.”

This is not about better behavior. This is about spiritual transformation.

What Are You Settling For?

Paul closes the prayer with one of the most powerful doxologies in the Bible:

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us…” (Ephesians 3:20 ESV)

You know what that means? Even your wildest prayer is still undershooting what God is capable of. We pray weak because we think weak. We ask small because we dream small. And God says, “I can do more. Infinitely more.”

It’s not about getting everything you want. It’s about becoming everything He created you to be.

So Here’s the Challenge

Stop praying like God’s only job is to keep you comfortable. Stop praying like the deepest work God can do is make sure your Amazon package arrives on time.

Start praying like Paul:

  • On your knees.
  • Asking for power.
  • Expecting inner transformation.
  • Begging to know a love that surpasses knowledge.
  • Craving the fullness of God, not the convenience of life.

Because the Spirit of God didn’t come to make you nice. He came to make you new.

So next time you pray, skip the traffic updates. Get real. Get honest. Get deep. And pray with power. Then the traffic updates, grandma’s broken toe and your disobedient kiddo will take up different head space.

More “?” Than “.”

June 6, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Let’s talk about punctuation.

Yeah, that’s right punctuation.

No this is not grammar class. It’s not middle school English. I have no right to teach anyone about proper grammar – just ask my wife!

I’m talking about the way we speak to each other in real life. And if we’re honest, most of us are walking around throwing out periods like we’re dropping final judgments from the throne of Mount Know-It-All.

“She’s just lazy.”
“He never listens.”
“They’re obviously lying.”
“She meant to hurt me.”

Period. Drop mic. End of sentence. End of conversation. End of understanding.

But what if we traded some of those “.” for “?”
What if we stopped acting like we knew and started wondering again?
What if we paused long enough to ask before we assumed?

Lean in so you hear this fully: When we stop asking questions, we start making enemies out of people who might just need a little grace.

Look, I get it. You’re tired. You’ve been burned. You’ve been lied to, ghosted, manipulated, even taken for granted. So now, instead of wondering why someone did what they did, you just decide why! Then it’s all wrath. It’s time to punish them accordingly.

But here’s the problem: your story might be wrong. And now you’ve built a whole emotional prison based on a bad guess. It’s like the old adage about don’t assume.

Maybe she didn’t text back because her dad’s in the hospital.
Maybe he didn’t show up because he’s drowning in shame.
Maybe they didn’t invite you because they assumed you were busy, not because they hate you.

But you didn’t ask, did you? You just wrote the script, cast them as the villain, and hit “Publish” in your mind.

We do this all the time, even in the church.
We talk about people instead of to them.
We speak for people instead of asking from them.
We judge motives we never took time to understand.

And it needs to stop.

You want to build real trust in your marriage? Ask more questions.
You want to lead people better at work or in ministry? Ask before you assume.
You want to stop being chronically offended? Trade your periods for question marks.

“Help me understand why you said that?”
“Can you help me understand what you meant?”
“Is something going on that I don’t see?”
“What happened from your perspective?”

Those kinds of questions are not weakness.
They’re strength. Humble strength.
The kind that seeks truth more than the thrill of self-righteousness.

Here’s the raw truth. Some of us would rather be angry and wrong than humble and informed.

We cling to our pain because it makes us feel justified. But what if your story isn’t the full story? What if the “truth” you’re holding is only half of it?

That doesn’t mean everyone’s off the hook. It doesn’t mean you never confront. It doesn’t mean you pretend people didn’t hurt you. But when you do confront, do it with a question mark, not a gavel.

Accusations harden hearts. Questions open them.

And if we’re serious about being people of grace, if we actually believe in redemption, reconciliation, second chances, then we better get really comfortable with asking:
“What’s the rest of this story?”
“Is there more I don’t know?”
“Before I draw conclusions, can I hear your side?”

Start using more “?” than “.” and watch how your relationships shift.
Watch how your defensiveness drops.
Watch how healing and inner peace begins to sneak in.

And maybe, just maybe, you’ll stop losing good people to bad assumptions.

So go ahead ask the question. It might just save you from a thousand regrets.

What If Success Isn’t the Goal?

June 5, 2025 / / 0 Comments

We’re all running.
Maybe we’re chasing the next win.
Striving for the better job, the cleaner house, the bigger impact, the more impressive version of ourselves.

It’s exhausting and somehow never enough.

The world’s voice is loud: Do more. Be more. Prove your worth. Be perfect. And it’s easy to believe that if we’re not constantly climbing, we’re somehow falling behind.

But here’s question with which we need to wrestle: What if success isn’t actually the goal?

What if being present, grounded, kind, and faithful right where you are is enough? What if you’re not behind, you’re just looking at the wrong scoreboard?

Maybe we’ve confused success with significance.
Success chases numbers.
Significance shows up for people.
Success aims to be impressive.
Significance aims to be intentional.

And intentional living doesn’t always look flashy but it does last.

So how do we shift from chasing success to choosing significance?

1. Redefine your win.

Ask yourself: What really matters to me? If your life was a garden, what would you want to grow? Joy? Peace? Connection? Focus on growing that, not everything else.

2. Notice who you’re trying to impress.

Would your calendar, habits, or stress level look different if you weren’t trying to prove anything? Be honest, and then get brave enough to choose freedom over performance.

3. Embrace small, steady impact.

Raising kind kids. Listening well. Loving your neighbor. Leading with integrity. These don’t trend online, but they change lives in quiet but long lasting ways.

4. Resist the highlight reel.

Life isn’t a competition. Your pace, your progress, and your purpose don’t need to match anyone else’s. You’re allowed to grow slower if you’re growing deeper.

5. Celebrate quiet victories.

Did you rest instead of pushing through? Apologize instead of defending yourself? Choose presence over perfection? That’s success. Start naming it.

Maybe success isn’t something you chase.
Maybe it’s something you live on purpose, in love, at your own pace.

You’re not falling behind. You’re learning to walk forward in a world that only knows how to sprint.

And that, my friend, might be the most countercultural success of all.

Until next week, keep choosing what matters.
The scoreboard doesn’t define you. Your soul does.

The Shadow Side of Leadership

June 4, 2025 / / 1 Comment

Leadership has a spotlight. People see you on the platform, hear your words, watch your decisions, and feel your energy. They see the meetings, the prayers, the big ideas, the vision cast into motion. But behind that spotlight, there’s a shadow few people talk about. It’s the part of leadership that doesn’t make it into the highlight reels or Instagram stories. It’s quiet. It’s invisible. And for many of us, it’s achingly personal.

For me, the shadow shows up when I walk through the door at home.

After pouring myself out all day listening, guiding, teaching, and carrying the emotional and spiritual burdens of others, I often come home on the verge of empty. Not because I don’t love my family deeply, but because I’ve already spent everything I had to give. My family often doesn’t get the version of me who stood strong at the funeral or prayed boldly in the hospital. They get the version who crashes on the couch, struggling to engage in conversation, completely zoned out to the world around me, and often too tired to really be present.

It’s a strange contrast: I can rally the energy to lead a meeting of twenty or preach to a crowd of hundreds, but when I’m in the comfort of my home with my family I’m sometimes disconnected and have a hard time holding down a real conversation. I know the right thing to do. I want to be fully present. But sometimes the cost of being “on” all day means I end up emotionally “off” at home.

There’s guilt there. And a bit of shame too. And then there’s the quiet wondering: Is this what they signed up for?

This is the shadow side of leadership where passion meets limitation, where strength in public masks weariness in private. Most people don’t see the pastor who silently prays on the drive home just to have enough energy left to be fully engaged when he gets home.

But here’s what I’m learning: acknowledging the shadow doesn’t make me a failure. It makes me human.

And more than that, it makes space for grace. Not just from others, but from God. His power is made perfect in weakness, not in performance. My family doesn’t need the best version of me; they need the real one. The one who admits when he’s tired. The one who asks for help something I don’t do very well at all. The one who chooses to show up even when it’s hard.

Leadership in the spotlight may inspire people. But how we live in the shadows, that’s where real integrity is forged.

So to all the tired leaders, the weary parents, the ones who give their best in public but feel spent in private: You are not alone. Your shadow doesn’t disqualify you. It just means you’re carrying more than most people can see.

And maybe today, that’s the place where God wants to meet you. Not in your strength, but in your surrender.

The Lost Art of Showing Up

May 29, 2025 / / 0 Comments

We used to just… show up.

To the game. The dinner. The awkward backyard birthday party. We brought a dish, stayed longer than we meant to, and lingered on front porches just because we could.

Now? We RSVP “maybe,” scroll past the invite, tell ourselves we’ll catch up sometime. We’re busy, tired, behind, and convinced we have nothing left to give.

But we’re losing something sacred.

There’s a quiet magic in just being there. Being physically, emotionally, and relationally present. Not with a perfect gift or polished words. Just with your presence. In a world that’s over-connected and under-committed, showing up is a radical act of love.

And maybe the people in your life don’t need a fixer, a genius, or a social media-worthy gesture. Maybe they just need you to show up.

So how do we reclaim this lost art?

1. Stop waiting for perfect conditions.

You’re never going to feel fully ready, rested, or caught up. Life rarely clears the runway. Show up anyway. Show up with your messy hair, tired eyes, and half-baked casserole. Your presence matters more than perfection.

2. Make it local, not epic.

You don’t need to fly across the country to prove you care. Text a neighbor to grab coffee. Walk across the street. Bring someone a plate of cookies just because. Community starts close to home.

3. Let it be awkward.

Not every connection feels natural at first. That’s okay. Real relationships take time, silence, and a little discomfort. Keep showing up until awkward becomes authentic.

4. Say yes to small things.

Not every moment needs to be a grand gesture. Say yes to the lunch invite. The volunteer spot. The walk around the block. Small presence plants deep roots.

5. Check in, for real.

A 30-second “Hey, just thinking about you. How’s your week?” text can change someone’s day. Don’t underestimate the power of a simple nudge that says, You matter. I see you.

We don’t have to be everywhere. But we can be somewhere. Fully. Intentionally. Present. One philosophy I’ve tried to live for years is to do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.

We’ll never be able to be all things to all people. We can’t help everyone. But what if you can make a difference for one person. Start there and see where it goes.

Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for your family, your community, your world is to simply show up and stay.

You don’t have to fix the world.

Just be in it, with love.

So keep finding common ground, one small act of presence at a time.

The Price of Your Picnic

May 24, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This weekend, grills will fire up, flags will wave, and kids will run through sprinklers while parents kick back with a cold drink. Memorial Day, for many Americans, has become synonymous with sunshine, burgers, and an extra day off. But behind the laughter and leisure lies a blood-stained history too sacred to ignore. It’s time we faced it.

Your picnic came at a price.

Not a price paid at the grocery store or gas pump, but in trenches, in jungles, in deserts, and stormed beaches. It was paid in letters home that would never be answered. It was paid with dog tags and folded flags, with tears on gravestones and children growing up without their parent. Memorial Day is not just a holiday. It’s a holy reminder that freedom isn’t free.

We’ve gotten too casual about it. We slap “Happy Memorial Day” on store signs and social media posts, as if this day is about celebration instead of solemn remembrance. But Memorial Day is not Veterans Day. It’s not about thanking the living. It’s about honoring the dead. Specifically, the men and women of the armed forces who gave their lives so you could enjoy yours.

Think about that for a moment.

While you’re biting into a hot dog, someone else’s son bled out in a field in Normandy so that tyranny wouldn’t rule the world. While you’re laughing around a bonfire, a father died in the sands of Iraq so your kids could live free of fear. While you’re scrolling on your phone, a young woman took a bullet in Afghanistan and never came home to her dreams, her wedding day, or her family. And we’re worried about overcooked burgers?

Memorial Day is the most sacred secular holiday we have. And it should feel weighty.

Yes, go ahead and gather with your family. Yes, enjoy the beautiful day and the blessings we have. But do it with reverence. Let your children know why school is out. Let your conversations remember the cost. Pray for the families who don’t get to picnic because they’ll be at a cemetery. Fly the flag, not because it’s festive, but because it’s a symbol of lives laid down.

Jesus once said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, ESV). Memorial Day reminds us that some among us have lived and died that very truth. Whether they believed in Jesus or not, their sacrifice reflects the greatest love we’ve ever known.

So as the grill sizzles and your kids laugh and the sun shines down, take a moment. Pause. Reflect. Thank God for the freedom you enjoy and the fallen who paid for it.

Because that picnic?

It wasn’t free.

Why We’re All Tired (and What to Do About It)

May 22, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Over the next 8 weeks we’re going to pause on Thursdays for what I’m calling a Common Ground Project. It’s a reflection on what we have in common in life. This week it’s exhaustion. Yeah, you’re not alone. It’s not just you.

You’re not imagining it. You’re not weak. And you’re definitely not the only one who wakes up more exhausted than when you went to bed, even if you technically “slept.” Something deeper is going on, and everyone feels it.

Sure, life is full. But this is more than busy. This is like a soul-tired kind of feeling. Deep in your core you’re just exhausted.

We’re trying to carry everything from work stress, to endless news cycles, to aging parents, to demanding schedules, to that invisible weight of trying to be okay for everyone else. Even our “free time” feels like another item on the to-do list. And somehow, we still think the answer is to do more, be more, hustle more.

But what if the answer is actually less? What if less is more?

Here’s the truth: We weren’t made to live like machines. Constant output, zero margin, endless comparison. We were made for rhythm. That ebb and flow, work and rest, noise and silence. But somewhere along the way, we replaced rest with scrolling, and silence with streaming.

So what do we do?

It’s actually far easier than we might think. So for starters don’t overcomplicate it. Here are four small but powerful ways to start fighting your soul-tiredness today:

1. Name It

Take 10 minutes. Just you and a notebook and your favorite pen, and ask yourself: What’s actually wearing me out right now? Is it physical? Emotional? Mental? Relational? You see getting honest about the source helps you stop blaming the wrong things. And when we stop blaming the wrong things we’re able to tackle the right ones.

2. Build Micro-Margins

You might not be able to take a two-week sabbatical, but you can create 15-minute moments of calm. A walk without your phone. A slow cup of coffee. Sitting in the car in silence before going inside. Don’t underestimate the restoration that can come from tiny moments of peace.

3. Let Something Go

Not everything needs to get done today. Seriously. Choose one thing this week you can stop doing. Maybe it’s a social obligation, a load of laundry, a screen time habit, and simply trade it for breathing room. Rest takes intention. It’s a choice, not an accident. You can accidentally fall asleep but you can’t accidentally rest.

4. Ask for Help

You don’t get extra points for doing life alone. Tell someone what you’re feeling. Ask a friend to take your kids for an hour. Let your partner know you’re running on empty. Community doesn’t fix everything, but it keeps you from falling apart alone. Remember even the Lone Ranger had his trusty friend Tonto by his side.

Here’s the good news: This tired doesn’t have to be forever. You can rebuild rest into your life. No, not the kind of rest that’s just sleep (though that matters too), but the kind that lets your soul exhale. The kind that reminds you that you’re human, not a machine.

You’re not broken for being tired. You’re just human. And being human means learning how to live at a livable pace again.

So maybe today, you don’t need to push harder.

Maybe you just need to breathe.

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