Tag: Friendship (Page 1 of 2)

Grace Is the Antidote

August 4, 2025 / / 0 Comments

(Part 4 of 4 in the “Performing or Belonging?” series)

Here’s the truth we keep forgetting: Grace breaks the performance cycle.
Not self-help. Not good vibes. Not “trying harder.”
Grace.

You can’t earn it. You don’t deserve it. And you can’t fake your way into it.

That’s why it changes everything.

Because for all our pretending, performing, curating, and impressing we’re still empty. Approval from others can’t fill the ache inside. Belonging built on performance is not real. You know it. I know it. We’ve lived it.

We’ve dressed up our shame in Sunday clothes. We’ve spiritualized burnout. We’ve convinced ourselves that if we do just a little more, serve a little harder, believe a little stronger, maybe then we’ll be enough.

But grace doesn’t play that game.

Grace doesn’t need your résumé.
Grace doesn’t require a filter.
Grace doesn’t say, “Clean yourself up first.”

Grace walks into the mess, locks eyes with you, and says, “You’re loved. Right now. As is.”

If that doesn’t make you uncomfortable, you’re not hearing it right.

Because deep down, we think we have to earn it. We want to earn it. It would feel safer, more predictable. But grace doesn’t reward the impressive, it rescues the desperate.

Jesus didn’t die for your performance. He died for you.

Not the cleaned-up version. Not the leader you pretend to be. Not the parent you wish you were. You. The real you. The you as you are. Warts and all.

The cross is proof that God knows the real you and still chooses you. The resurrection is proof that He didn’t just forgive your past. He’s giving you a whole new way to live.

So breathe.

You don’t have to perform anymore.
You don’t have to hustle for love.
You don’t have to keep pretending that everything’s fine.

Grace means you can finally be honest.
Grace means you can finally rest.
Grace means you can finally belong.

And now? Now we build from that place.

Not out of fear but freedom.
Not to earn love but because we already have it.
Not to impress but to invite others into this same grace-drenched reality.

This is the final part of our Performing or Belonging? series.

We’ve called out the exhaustion of faking it.
We’ve faced our addiction to approval.
We’ve named our deep hunger to truly belong.
And now we end where real life begins: grace.

Not cheap grace. Not watered-down theology.
But the gritty, costly, cross-shaped grace that dismantles our illusions and sets us free.

So here’s your call:
Take off the mask.
Kill the performance.
Step into the grace that says, “You are mine.”

It’s time to stop striving.
It’s time to belong.

We’re Starving for Something Real

July 28, 2025 / / 0 Comments

(Part 3 of 4 in the “Performing or Belonging?” series)

We were made for connection.
Not Wi-Fi. Not group texts. Not “likes.”
Real connection. The kind where someone sees you, hears you, and stays.

But let’s be honest: that’s rare. And that rarity is saddening.

Most of us walk through life surrounded by people but are suffocating from loneliness. We go to parties, small groups, even worship services and still feel like nobody really knows us. We crack a joke, scroll some memes, post a photo, and call it “community.” But deep down, we know we’re starving.

Starving for real conversations.
Starving for safe places.
Starving for the kind of love that doesn’t flinch when we get honest.

Why? Because we’re wired for belonging. It’s not a wish or a pipe dream. It’s built into our soul.

God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” And He wasn’t just talking about marriage. He was naming a core human need: to be seen and embraced in the context of relationship. Being alone was the first not good thing mentioned in the Bible.

But somewhere along the way, we stopped believing that was possible. So we settled.

We settled for surface-level friendships.
We settled for performative “community” where image matters more than honesty.
We settled for churches where connection ends at the door and vulnerability never makes it past the welcome team.

And that’s not just sad. It’s dangerous.

Because when we don’t belong, we break. Not all at once. Slowly, over time.
We isolate. We numb. We drift. We start thinking something’s wrong with us when really, the problem is we’ve been faking intimacy in systems built for applause, not authenticity.

And the church has sometimes made it worse.

We’ve taught people how to serve before teaching them how to connect.
We’ve emphasized theology without embodying hospitality.
We’ve built programs but neglected people.

But there’s good news: belonging is still possible.
Because Jesus didn’t just save souls. He built a family.
He took tax collectors and zealots, doubters and sinners, introverts and loudmouths, and said, “You’re mine. You belong.”

And if there’s one place in the world where masks should come off and stories should get told, it should be the church.

Not a church full of shiny people pretending everything’s fine.
A church full of real people with real baggage and real grace.
A church where someone says, “I’ve been through hell,” and the reply isn’t silence, it’s “You’re not alone.”

That’s the kind of community the world is longing for.
Not another event. Not another doctrinally packed sermon.
A place to belong before you believe, behave, or have it all figured out.

So here’s the question: Are we brave enough to build it?

Not perfectly. Not instantly. But intentionally.
With small steps, awkward moments, honest stories, and persistent love.

This post is Part 3 of 4 in the Performing or Belonging? series.
Next week we’ll dive into: “Grace Is the Antidote” discovering how Jesus dismantles our need to perform and gives us a better way to live, love, and build something real.

You don’t have to settle for shallow.
You were made for more.
Let’s stop pretending. Let’s build belonging.

When Approval Becomes a Drug

July 21, 2025 / / 0 Comments

(Part 2 of 4 in the “Performing or Belonging?” series)

Let’s be honest, most of us are addicted to approval.

We don’t call it that. We call it being “driven,” “motivated,” “on our game.” But underneath the hustle is a hunger: Please notice me. Please like me. Please tell me I’m enough.

And if you think that’s not you, ask yourself this:

  • Why did you rewrite that text three times before sending it?
  • Why did you say yes when everything in you wanted to say no?
  • Why did that one piece of criticism stick in your head for a week straight?

We perform because we’re afraid.
Afraid of not measuring up. Afraid of being forgotten. Afraid that if we stop doing, we’ll stop mattering.

This world teaches us that worth is earned. That people only love winners. That image is everything. And that grind? It sneaks into every part of life including the church.

Somewhere along the line, we confused Christian faith with Christian performance. “Be a better spouse. Be a better parent. Read more Bible. Serve more. Smile while you do it.” It starts to feel less like grace and more like a spiritual rat race.

And people are tired of it? They are leaving the church over it. Not because they’re rejecting Jesus, but because they’re drowning in pressure they think He put on them.

But He didn’t.

Jesus didn’t say, “Come to me, all you who are killing it and crushing your goals.”
He said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, ESV)

Rest. Not reward for achievement. Not applause. Not another list of tasks. Rest. The kind that sinks deep into your bones and tells your soul, “You can stop performing. You’re already loved.”

That’s the gospel. And it is absolutely scandalous.

Because it means that the addict doesn’t have to hide.
The burned-out mom doesn’t have to fake it.
The guy battling depression doesn’t need to pretend he’s fine.
The believer with questions doesn’t need to perform certainty.

God doesn’t love the cleaned-up version of you. He loves the real you. The messy, insecure, unfinished, struggling version.

When we chase approval, we end up exhausted and empty. But when we root ourselves in grace, something radical happens. We start living from love, not for it.

And that changes everything.

You don’t have to prove your value. You don’t have to earn your belonging. You don’t have to perform your way into community. Not here. Not with Jesus.

Let’s call it what it is: performing is easier than being real, but it’s a prison.
It gives quick hits of affirmation and long stretches of isolation.

But belonging? That’s the long road to freedom. It’s messy, vulnerable, and sacred. And it’s worth every ounce of the effort.

This is Part 2 of 4 in our series on Performing or Belonging?
Next up: “The Longing to Belong” because every one of us is wired to be fully known and fully loved. And it’s time to stop settling for shallow substitutes.

At Least They Didn’t See You Naked!

February 9, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Ok so this one is a bit of an out there kind of comment and I get it, but bear with me. No pun intended, well sort of.

I was recently chatting in a bible study group on the book of Luke in the New Testament. It was the story of Jesus healing the man with many demons. If you don’t know the story, it’s found in Luke 8. But the gist is that a man was possessed by many demons. Those demons did everything they could to try to kill the man. They gave him some unique abilities that we would call supernatural. But they also made him a tad out of his mind to the point that he would often be found running around town stark naked.

I know that would be a tad embarrassing to say the least, right? Well, after Jesus healed this man of his demons and cast them out of him, the man was in his right mind again. And all he could do was tell everyone around him about the man who healed him. And yes he was fully clothed.

As a pastor I hear a lot of people saying how uncomfortable they are with the idea of telling their friends and family what Jesus has done in their lives. We call that evangelism in the church world. We get a little apprehensive because we don’t have all of the answers. We aren’t sure we have the courage to speak up. We’re embarrassed about the idea of it. And what if people talk about us like we’re some kind of weirdo or freak?

Ok so I get it. The idea of sharing your faith is something that’s a bit abnormal. And I also agree that it can be a little unnerving at times. But at least the people you’re telling about Jesus didn’t see you naked!

Could you imagine being that man walking around town telling the people all that Jesus had done knowing that just yesterday he was running around town in his birthday suit? Now I get it. This isn’t the most normal way to think about this passage. And I’ve never really considered myself normal, so take that for what it is.

It’s really not that hard to do when you have had the experience this man had. He knew how much Jesus did for him so even his embarrassing naked escapades didn’t stop him. Do you know how much he’s done for you? Can you see the difference he’s made in your life?

Jesus isn’t calling you to streak through town. He’s just telling you that if you’ve experienced something that he’s done for you, then have the courage and boldness to talk about it. It’s really that easy.

Life Lesson

February 2, 2023 / / 0 Comments

I’ve been accused of having a strong personality. Some call it a charismatic personality. Others call me loud. Some say I am far too outside the box for their liking. And if I’m being honest with myself and the world around me, they’re right.

My personality isn’t for everyone. As a matter of fact there are some people who feel threatened by the questions I ask or the challenge I give. In a recent study of the book of 1 Samuel I came across a line that said insecure people feel threatened by successful people.

Wow I really like that one! But I think it can go even one step further. I think that insecure people feel threatened by confident people. I by no means would consider myself wildly successful. As a matter of fact, I have failed at far more things that I have accomplished in life. But in failure I believe that I learn and grow and to me even a failure is a success if I learn from it.

Confident people are scary. Not because they are arrogant or know it alls but when a person is confident they aren’t afraid to try something even if failure is a real possibility. I recently have requested to have a conversation with a group about a direction of an organization of which I am a part.

Remember I’m not everyone’s favorite and I’m actually not offended by that. The challenge however is that the people with whom I’ve been speaking want nothing to do with having a hard conversation. I wonder if there’s something about this principle to blame for their unwillingness? Insecure people feel threatened by confident people. I may never know the reason but the principle remains.

Let’s get back to that whole 1 Samuel reference. This book contains the famous story of David and Goliath. Part of the story that is often overlooked is what immediately follows. Saul, a very large and powerful man, is King over Israel. But David is a young boy who really wasn’t respected even though he was confident in what the Lord could do through him. Saul hated David in part because David was successful.

There’s a verse to a song found in 1 Samuel that claims Saul killed his thousands but David his tens of thousands. Saul was not happy. He wanted to be the answer man. He wanted to have all the keys to success for being the best King and ruler and protector of the people. But here’s this confident little twerp who just killed the biggest threat to the Israelite people and he’s gaining popularity.

Instead of thanking David or praising the God who gave David this ability, Saul wanted to kill David. Man success and confidence of character don’t always prove helpful when it comes to friendships.

So life lesson for today. It’s ok to be confident and successful, but know that not everyone will like your confidence and success. As a matter of fact people that once called you friend will likely dismiss you because of your confidence or success. Don’t let someone else’s insecurity stop you from living a life of confidence and doing what you are called to do.

Can You Really Have Your Best Life Now?

October 4, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Let’s get this out of the way right from the start. This is not an outright knock on a religious best selling book or its author, well not exactly. If someone told you, however, that you had the ability to have your best life in this moment, would you listen? Or like me, would you think there was some crazy catch, gimmick, or sales pitch coming your way? If you bear with me for a few minutes, I hope you are able to see that your best life really is possible and there’s no gimmicks, sales pitch, or any bait and switch attached to it.

Simply put I believe the message of Jesus in the Bible is one of having your best life right now. Don’t believe me? Read on.

The message of your best life now is often seen through the lenses of prosperity, wealth, power, and fame. All of those things that we can stock pile in our lives to elevate us above someone else are considered ways to have our best life right here and right now. But what about having our best life in some of the crappier moments in life?

The message of the Bible is one that totally throws the whole prosperity message on its head. Essentially, Jesus says that we can have our best life in the midst of the most fearful, dangerous, heart breaking, painful, lonely, hurting moments we could ever imagine.

It’s really less about circumstances and more about perspective. When Jesus came onto the scene the message of who God was, and what God wanted for his people, had become distorted at best. The idea of grace, goodness, mercy and forgiveness became things worked for and earned instead of free gifts given and received. It’s no wonder some people thought, and still think this way today, that we need to work harder for God’s blessings. It’s no surprise that we tend to think our best life only happens when things are going the way we want them to go.

So what does it take to have our best life now? I think it takes a change of heart. A different perspective. A less selfish approach to life. An others mentality. It’s really not important how you word it. The idea is simple. The way to have our best life now is to put someone else’s needs before our own. I know that it’s super counterintuitive, but that’s why it works so well.

Have you ever done something nice for someone else, like really just out of the goodness of your heart helped them? Then somewhere down the road some sort of blessing, benefit, good deed is done to you? Some call it karma or the universe repaying us. Others just call it good luck. But what if that’s the idea behind the real best life? What if the best life isn’t about amassing large amounts of things for ourselves and it’s really about serving those around you? What if our best life isn’t found in a padded checkbook but instead in the smile on a homeless man’s face when he receives a meal? What if it’s found in the gratitude of a widow when her needs are taken care of anonymously? What if our best life is found in spending time with a friend when he’s lost his wife, or she’s lost her job, or their child is ill? What if our best life is found in serving those around us with no strings attached and with no expectation of repayment?

I am a firm believer that we can and should have our best life right now. And to not have our best life now, in my mind is a misplaced understanding of who Jesus is and how he’s called us to live. The best life is a gospel filled life. The best life is a life that has its priorities straight. The best life is a life that keeps the main thing the main thing and doesn’t let personal ambition take the place of genuine love for those around us.

I think our best life isn’t just possible, it’s the only way to really have an enjoyable life.

Just Be Real

April 1, 2022 / / 0 Comments

One thing that I absolutely cannot stand is people being fake. It shows a massive lack of integrity and I quite frankly don’t have space in my life for fake people. So why in the world do people pretend to be one thing in one group and then act totally different in another? What would it take for you to just be real, all the time?

In my nearly 46 years of life, I’ve met a lot of people. Some of those people have made an indelible mark, but not all for good reasons. There are some people who come across your life and just make a special handprint on your heart. You can’t really describe it. Something they say. Something they do. There’s just something about them. But what happens when those kinds of people turn out to be, well…fake?

There has been a trend in the past couple of years in many levels of relationships that has been startling. People have abandoned who they were for some new version of who they are today. People have given into some version of change that has shifted their entire being and made them less real.

Now some will say maybe this is who I was the whole time. But that’s rubbish. Which brings me to my first point. The person you really are is the person you gravitate toward internally, not the person you feel you have to be in order to be welcomed into a crowd. All too often we let the crowd determine who we are. We change who we are based on the company we keep. If you have to change to be accepted, then frankly those people aren’t worth your time.

This is where our second point comes in. Be very careful the company you keep. If the company you keep is bringing a significant shift in character or lifestyle, then you might want to give second thought to those so called friends. A real friend is one who is there for you even when you don’t act like them. If you have to change who you are and what you find acceptable to be welcomed into a specific group of people, then it’s pretty likely they don’t care about you at all. They just want something from you. Or they welcome you because of what you add to the group dynamic. When you have served your purpose, they’ll quickly set you aside.

Another aspect of this whole just be real idea is that many people are just weak. If you’re feeling the need to do something you never before would have done or that is questionable relative to your morals, then you’re probably a pretty weak person. Look I know this is going to hit some people the wrong way, and that’s ok. Sometimes you need someone to tell you the truth, even when you don’t like the message. But seriously get some guts.

Something we have tried to instill in our children is the realization that you don’t need to be liked by everyone. There will be people in your life who won’t like what you do or say just because it’s different. That’s ok. Just be you. Be true to who you are. Don’t shift your character because you want to be included, or you’ll end up with a compromised character and no friends in the end. Don’t be one person in public and another in private or you’ll soon not even know who you are anymore. And for crying out loud man up a bit, or woman up works too. Be confident in who you are. You’re not a spineless piece of clay that everyone can mold.

The long and short is that people change over time and that’s to be expected. But when the person you are becoming is the polar opposite of who you once were, then you’re likely headed down a road that will lead to loneliness, destruction, and embarrassment. So how about you just be real and save everyone, including yourself, the trouble.

When Silence Speaks

March 30, 2022 / / 0 Comments

There’s an old saying that reminds us silence is golden. Sometimes that is more true than you might realize. There are moments in life when keeping quiet is the best thing you can do. Silence isn’t about having nothing to say, it’s about knowing when to say something and when words will have little effect.

I’d like to challenge you all to take some silent time. Now I know that if you’re anything like me, the idea of sitting in absolute silence is unproductive and honestly terrifying. I just don’t do silence well at all. But it’s so important.

I’m currently reading a book on the power of silence. Ok so it’s not really on the power of silence but there’s a chapter devoted to silence and how essential it is. It’s not a churchy book or a book on spiritual exercises either. It’s actually a book on hostage negotiations of all things.

Some of you are probably rolling your eyes on the topic of the book but we’ll talk about that another time. The real reason I am reading this book is because it was referred by a friend when we were talking about the power of silence in sales and negotiations. You have no idea how powerful silence really is.

A former chapter in my life story was spent in the car sales world. And this is where I learned the ultimate power of silence. I won’t go into the psychology behind it or anything but silence was the difference between a car sale and a flop sale. The moments when you stay quiet, on the buying or sales side, are the moments when you win big in the car buying world.

But silence is more than just for car sales. As a matter of fact silence should be a part of all of our lives, but we’ve become so addicted to the inaudible noises in life that silence can’t even be heard or experienced. So what is the power of silence?

Think about when you were a child, or the last time someone treated you like they were a child by giving you the silent treatment. Why did the silent treatment work when you were a child? And why doesn’t it work when you’re an adult?

Silence works for children because they haven’t been trained on how to fill their minds with all sorts of noises that can distract them. This is also why it doesn’t work for you and me as adults. We’ve mastered the art of filling our lives with noise. But silence is so important.

Even though I wouldn’t want to go back and do it over again, some days I really wish the power of silence wasn’t so lost on me. I wish I could sit in a room with low lighting and empty my mind of all the distractions but it’s just not possible.

There’s a story in the bible where silence is the key player. Ok so stick with me for a second and this won’t stay super “churchy”. Throughout the Bible there’s sound. God even starts the whole creating process with the spoken word. No silent treatment there. But two times in biblical history was there a moment of silence from heaven. The first time was when Jesus was praying in the garden. He wanted to be with the Father. He wanted to have his voice heard but in that moment was silence. It was deafening. It was awful. It caused his heart to break to be sure. The second time wasn’t any better either. He was on the cross and the world was hurling insults and lies and hatred at him. He just wanted His father to be close. Instead…silence. Not a single solitary word. Silence was all he heard.

You see silence is powerful because silence is more than a noise heard or a word spoken. Silence is broken in the presence of a friend. The glance across the room from someone who cares has the power to shatter the terrifying grip of silence. Sometimes our friends and loved ones have the power to unlock our moments of silence without a singe audible word.

You see silence from audible noises is really important. And I would honestly encourage you to find moments when you can sit in still and silent spaces. But more importantly remember that you don’t always have to say something. As a matter of fact you can say far more through your presence than your words will ever be able to say. The long and short is simple. Enjoy the silence when it’s there. But know you have the power to rescue someone from silence without even saying a word.

Grief Sucks

March 22, 2022 / / 0 Comments

We’ve all experienced it. We’ve all seen it. Felt it. Went through it. We’ve all had the taste of loss put in our mouths. Maybe the loss of a loved one to cancer. Maybe it was the loss of a job. Maybe we didn’t get the promotion and feel as if we lost out on something big. Maybe it’s the feeling of loss we have when a child moves out of the house. Maybe it’s the loss of a friend or even a spouse. All of these losses cause us to go through a time of grief. And to put it mildly, grief sucks.

Grief sucks because it’s hard. Grief is hard because there’s no clear cut path to make our way through it. And when we’re in an uncomfortable place, our number one priority is to get through it. We don’t want to be in a challenging situation any longer than is absolutely necessary. Grief is no different.

Everything around us tells us that we need to get over our grief. Sure people don’t say that but when you listen to their words, it’s pretty evident. We don’t like being around crying people because we don’t know what to say or do. So we try to give some feel good platitude that makes us feel like we’re doing something, but it really isn’t helpful in the least to the person grieving.

Grief is hard because it’s like quicksand. When we fall into grief, the more we resist it the more it sucks us right into its awful grasp. We become so tunnel visioned on the loss and the pain associated with it, that we can’t see anything positive around us at all.

Grief is suffered in moments, but is meant to be lived out in stories.

Think about it for a minute. The last time you were in a place of grief, what was your focus? It was the loss and only the loss. We become so tunnel visioned that we can’t see beyond the loss and the feelings of pain and abandonment associated with grief. It’s as if grief is all that’s left in life. But grief isn’t the end of the story, at least it doesn’t have to be.

When we realize that grief is acceptable and that there are stages of grief that allow us to move through it and not get trapped in the middle of it, we can soon see the power of baby steps. First of all, don’t hear what I’m not saying here. Grief is not something you need to get over. But you do need to move through. We all need to make progress walking through the darkness and loneliness of grief but we don’t do it alone.

As a pastor, I look at life a little different than some. I believe that grief has a very important purpose in our lives. Grief is a way to check ourselves on what’s important. Grief helps us see who and what is around us to walk with us through challenge. Grief, although awful, doesn’t get the final word.

I’ve suffered some pretty significant losses in life. From losing two grandparents in less than a year, to losing close friends, having to close a church and leave the people behind that I loved dearly. Loss is hard. It sucks to be honest. But grief is part of a story that is being written, but it doesn’t have to be the final chapter.

Another way to look at grief is to not let it have the final word. When we keep staring our loss in the face, day in and day out, we’re letting the pain and loss and grief consume us. The moment is becoming the story. It’s as if grief is getting to put a period, hard stop at the end of our joy. But that’s not healthy and it’s not even true!

Grief isn’t a period. It’s a comma. The purpose of a period is to show an ending. The purpose of a comma is to help you pivot to a new line of thought taking into account what just happened. This means that the loss you are experiencing right now can lead you to something next that could only be experienced with the taste of grief in your mouth. I know that’s hard to swallow because we just want it to end, but that’s not how grief works.

Grief has to run its course. For some it’s days. For others it takes months or even years. You’ll never get over the loss. But you’ll grow through the grief. The point is simple. Don’t let grief have the final say. Don’t let grief be a period where God intends a comma. Don’t let the moments of grief prevent you from experiencing the fullness of the story of your life. Grief sucks, but it’s not the end of your story.

Please note: if you are suffering from a loss and feel massive burdens of anxiety and depression, I would encourage you to find a professional to help you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with talking to someone who can help you process the grief and find healthy tools to aide in coping with the weight of grief. You’re not in this alone.

Healthy Relationships

January 18, 2022 / / 0 Comments

There’s a rhythm that needs to be established in the relationships we hold. There needs to be boundaries and some freedoms at the same time. But it seems in out culture today we’ve lost something important in our relationships. We’ve lost the depth in our relationships. We’ve become shallow.

We’re culture that wants our friends as long as they tell us what we want to hear, do what we want them to do, and go where we want them to go. And if we don’t get our way, then we run away or dismiss that person altogether. It’s a shame that we’ve fallen prey to the division that is happening in our world. And the worst part of this is that it’s happening in the church too, with people who claim to follow the ways of Jesus. Well that’s not Jesus’ way.

Relationships that can’t endure the hard moments demonstrate a lack of depth. Whether it’s a friendship or a dating relationship or neighbors or even a marriage, there needs to be a willingness to have hard conversations. Part of the issue we’re facing in our shallow lives today is that we can’t have hard conversations. We’d rather run than do something hard. But running has never been the plan God had for us. Running isolates and causes us to be alone.

We need to suck it up and do the hard things in life and have those hard conversations instead of cowering, running, or dismissing people with different views than we have.

Something that’s become extremely common in our lives especially as of late is isolation has become the normal. Whether it’s for health purposes or just our inability to deal with challenging circumstances, people are running away from everything and everyone that is important to them and isolating themselves. The Bible is clear that isolation is not a good thing! Not by any means is it good for a longterm strategy for life.

Sure we can back away to gather ourselves before we say something off color. We can take a little time out, so to speak, to gather our thoughts and heal a bit. But isolation is a longterm kind of thing. This is not God’s design. And frankly it is not healthy at all!

This week we talked about isolation, friendships, and how healthy relationships are critical to how we live out our faith. Some things to wrestle with as you consider your relationships.

Are you distancing yourself from someone in your life just because you don’t see things eye to eye? How can you move past that disagreement? What part of the disagreement is on you?

You see when we can claim a piece of the pie of our relationship breakdowns, we have a harder time blaming the other person. The point is that it takes two to have a problem. What part of the problem do you need to own up to?

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