2010 Archive

2010 Intersections Article Archive

December 28, 2010 Snowflakes and DNA (Part 1)
I spent the week after Christmas 2010 with family in Nebraska and we were eagerly anticipating a little snow toward the end of the week. However, I was watching the coverage of the East Coast Christmas blizzard which made me thankful that I was in Nebraska rather than New York. All these thoughts of snow did get my brain working on the miracle of God’s creation and how intimately creative He is.
December 21, 2010 Safe and Secure
I am always interested to hear all the prayers offered around the holidays for safety for holiday travelers. I share in the desire for God to always keep us safe and secure as we travel. However, let’s not go overboard on the desire for safety and security. Read Safe and Secure to see what I mean.
December 14, 2010 Impressive Stonework
While visiting Geneva, I was able to tour the magnificent St Pierre’s Cathedral. It is a beautiful building. With origins dating all the way back to the 4th century, it is also a building full of history. St Pierre’s is probably most famous for it’s role in the Protestant Reformation as the home church of John Calvin. I wonder what Calvin would think of his home church now?
December 7, 2010 Thinking of legacy…
December 6th is my Grandpa Craig’s birthday and although he went to be with the Lord almost 17 years ago, I still feel his presence in my life. Lately, I have been thinking of the concept of legacy and making more of my existance than just the sum of the years I live. Grandpa blazed a trail for me and I hope you will take the time to share a treasured memory and perhaps share a lesson learned.
November 30, 2010 Ready, Set, Shop?
Christmas is a joyous time of year but it can also be a stressful time of year. Do you ever look at the picture perfect Christmas card families and wonder what their secret is? Perhaps you secretly wonder of things aren’t a little out of control? Even if this is your favorite time of the year, today’s article should make you think!
November 23, 2010 I Thank God for You
As I reflected on the Thanksgiving holiday, I was reminded of how interconnected we are and how dependent I am upon each of you for strength and encouragement. In this article, I take a lesson from Paul as I acknowledge my interconnectedness and express my gratitude for your involvement in my life. Thank you!
November 16, 2010 Here am I…
“Here am I” – These simple words begin a powerful commitment the prophet Isaiah made to respond to God’s calling as he said “Here am I! Send Me.” Perhaps you have sung these same words in a hymn or praise song. Perhaps you have felt the need in response the Great Commision to make the same commitment. I had great difficulty singing the song and praying the prayer until I took the time to confront a long-time struggle.
November 9, 2010 You have the power!
I sometimes forget the power of the spoken word as I interact with those around me everyday. I have the power to be a tremendous source of encouragement to those around me. I also have the power to be very destructive with just one intentional or unintentional comment. We all have a choice how we use our tongues for good or for bad! I hope this Intersections article reminds you of the power you have to encourage!
November 2, 2010 No Authority Except from God!
For U.S. Citizens, every election day is a reminder of the precious right we have to self-determination under our Constitution. For Christians who are obligated to submit to the governing authorities, the stakes are high when we select new leaders. This Intersections article contains an election day message that is worth remembering.
October 26, 2010 Confessions of an iPhone Addict
Ever have a love/hate relationship with someone or something? I love my iPhone but I don’t care for the way I have allowed it to intrude into my life. It took a little cold-turkey therapy to point out the extent of my addiction and the need for some changes. Funny story, but a serious subject of self-control.
October 19, 2010 Having an Eeyore Day?
We’d probably all like to be super-optimistic Tiggers every day, but sometimes even the most positive folks can have one of those Eeyore days! Is it OK for a faithful Christian to have one of those gloomy pessimistic days when grumbling and complaining seems to be the most natural thing to do?
October 12, 2010 Work-Life Balance? (Part 2)
Do you ever struggle with the demands of a crazy schedule as you try to balance competing claims for your most precious commodity – your time? Join the club! Would it surprise you to know that Jesus also struggled with a crazy schedule and competing demands for his time? Maybe we can learn from his example and see balance return to our lives. I hope this article speaks to a need in your life today.
October 5, 2010 Work-Life Balance? (Part 1)
Do you ever feel like work is consuming more than it’s fair share of your time, attention and resources? The lines between professional life and personal life are getting more and more fuzzy and the result can be a life that feels out of balance. Perhaps its time to reconsider old conventions and ideas about the separation of work and life. I think the Bible has some wisdom to help us with a very modern problem.
September 28, 2010 My Friend Mulligan
Here’s one for all of my golfing friends! I think the rest of you will also like My Friend Mulligan. Jesus frequently used analogies to illustrate complex subjects. Sin, mercy, grace and forgiveness are complex subjects. Perhaps this simple little illustration will hit home with you. It helps me get it!
September 21, 2010 Winding Roads
This article takes a couple of lessons from the biblical story of Ruth. Do you ever feel like you are “off the grid” as you travel on the winding road of life? Maybe you feel like you have left the road for the ditch! I know I have felt that way. Ruth and her mother-in-law probably felt that way, too. See how Ruth and Naomi responded to a very challenging situation and see if there is a lesson for you. There was for me!
September 14, 2010 Story-Telling
This Intersections article was a lot of fun for me as I reflected on my own rich heritage of family faith. I hope my positive experience will entertain and challenge you to be purposeful in talking on responsibility for passing active faith onto the next generation through whatever opportunities you have to encourage parents and children. Parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, mentors, youth workers, ministers, shepherds and anyone else who has influence in a child’s like – this article is for you!
September 7, 2010 Still Spitting into the Wind
This Intersections article was inspired by a newspaper report I read in a Hong Kong newspaper while traveling in China. It definitely shows “there is nothing new under the sun” and we continue to seek happiness in all the wrong places.
August 31, 2010 Celebrating a New Work Ethic
For a world that is jaded by repeated news stories of corporate greed and government waste, this story serves as a refreshing reminder that good business is good for people in need. The focus of my article this morning takes this to a whole new level.
August 24, 2010 My Word is My Bond
I have found over the past year that I write many of these articles for myself first and my readers second and that is certainly the case today. Today’s piece includes my reflections on the watering down of the concept of personal commitment and the integrity that should accompany a promise made.
August 17, 2010 Forgive and Forget in Any Age
This Intersections article is a follow-on to last week’s Forgiving and Forgetting in the Internet Age. I wondered if some of you would notice something missing from my thoughts. Some of you did notice and commented on that missing element. I hope you enjoy this message of hope and the challenge that goes with it!
August 9, 2010 Forgive and Forget in a New Age
In this article, I’m commenting on a very good New York Times article I recently read on privacy concerns on the Internet. There are many practical and spiritual lessons to be learned from this issue and I’m confident I have only scratched the surface of a big topic. I think you may know others that can benefit from thinking about these concerns (especially our hyper-connected teens) so please forward my link to anyone that may benefit.
August 2, 2010 One Day at a Time…
Many times I have told friends who are going through tough or stressful times to remember to “take it one day at a time.” As I heard myself say these words, it occurred to me that I’m making a big assumption that they understand what I mean by that advice. You’ve all probably heard this advice in the past but have you ever thought what “taking it one day at a time” actually looks like?
July 27, 2010 Foreign Travel
My international travel experiences over the past two days made me think about our travels here in this life. Nothing like spending some time in a foreign land to make you really appreciate home!
July 20, 2010 Faith = Fun?
Since I wrote this article while on vacation, my thoughts naturally turned to the fun times of vacation. What does fun have to do with faith? Read my article and see what I think about the connection between fun and faith.
July 13, 2010 Why?
Those of you who have raised toddlers will probably relate to the frustration that can build from the endless series of “why” questions. I wonder how God feels about my endless series of “why” questions?
July 6, 2010 Focus!
Focus! is a follow-on from last week’s article on living a high-fidelity life of faith. Hebrews chapter 12 has something to say about what it takes to “run the race” and one of my friends provided a perfect illustration for this lesson. I hope you enjoy these thoughts and are encouraged by my friend’s example.
June 29, 2010 Hi-Fi Faith
Hi-Fi Faith contains a little 1970s music reminiscence on my part and some personal transparency concerning my journey to become the disciple God wants and expects me to be. I hope my experience and lessons learned are helpful to you or at least make you think.
June 22, 2010 Be Prepared
The week I wrote this article, we had packed our youngest son, Jackson off for his first week at Boy Scout camp. Our preparations for scout camp reminded me of a spiritual lesson from I Peter. I hope you enjoy reading about Jackson and as a side benefit, I hope you appreciate the lesson!
June 15, 2010 Features vs. Benefits
This article draws a spiritual lesson from one the most foundational sales lessons I’ve learned in my career. People don’t buy features, they buy benefits! See if you agree with the application of this sales principle to the church.
June 8, 2010 Dirty Jobs!
Dirty Jobs! is a humorous look at the very serious topic of grace. I think God has a sense of humor (any parent would surely have to agree) and I hope you appreciate the story telling in this article.
May 31, 2010 Greatest Love
Greatest Love is a serious look at a holiday that to often means sales at the mall, cook-outs and trips to the lake. For Americans, this day is a solemn reminder of the lives given to keep us free. For Christians, we have our own memorial day every Sunday to remember the one who give his life to make us free.
May 25, 2010 A Word to the Wise
For many of us, our grandparents were a source of wisdom has we were growing up. Hopefully we soaked some of that wisdom up as it was poured out upon us. Feel like you could use a little more wisdom from time-to-time? This article may help you in your search for wisdom.
May 18, 2010 Who Are You (Part 2)
Jesus came to give us abundant life but he also has high expectations for us and the life that we should lead. I sometimes struggle with how to respond to the high bar that is set before me. Do you ever feel this way?
May 11, 2010 Who Are You (Part 1)
This article asks the question, Who Are You? and are you the same person in each area of your life? Are you ever tempted to try to be a different person depending on the scene or setting? I know I sometimes struggle with this.
May 4, 2010 Stay the Course
This article is a little different take on the April flap over Judge Barbara Crabb’s ruling that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. There are certainly many different ways we can react to this ruling. Is there a way we MUST react?
April 27, 2010 Funny Name, Serious Concept
If you have ever sung the hymn, O Thou Fount of Every Blessing in church, you will have stumbled across the funny name. It’s an old hymn with an ancient name in the second verse, but the idea is just as valid for us today as it was for Samuel and the Israelites thousands of years ago.
April 20, 2010 Go Fish!
What makes a person of faith distinctive? How do you know a Christian when you see one? Go Fish! deals with the topic of Christian distinctiveness and what really sets us apart. Many of you are stellar examples of Christian distinctiveness and real inspirations for me. Thank you for your loving testimony!
April 13, 2010 Forest for the Trees
Are there days where you just can’t seem to be able to see the forest for the trees? I know I have days like this! This article deals with the primary reason why we many times lose perspective of the big picture and as a result find peace and joy leaving our lives. I hope you find it helpful in seeing the forest even when you are surrounded by the trees!
April 6, 2010 Open Doors
Open Doors deals with the question of opportunity and which open doors are God’s will for us to pursue? Wouldn’t it be nice if, as part of our evaluation of an opportunity, we could know what God’s will was with regards to that opportunity? Romans 12 says it is possible to know God’s will. Do you believe it?
March 30, 2010 Thank you, Lord!
This article is a very personal note of thanksgiving for God’s protection and providence. I hope you will join me in being thankful for all the blessings we enjoy in this life.
March 23, 2010 How Are You? (Part 4)
This article is the final in a short series from the life of Elijah on the topic of the importance of taking care of our complete selves. I think this is a very important topic for all of us as we can’t be Always On for our companies or our families unless we are taking care of ourselves. The focus is on taking emotional care of ourselves.
March 16, 2010 How Are You? (Part 3)
This is the third article in a short series from the life of Elijah on the topic of the importance of taking care of our complete selves. I think this is a very important topic for all of us as we can’t be Always On for our companies or our families unless we are taking care of ourselves. The focus is on taking spiritual care of ourselves.
March 9, 2010 How Are You? (Part 2)
This is the second article in a short series from the life of Elijah on the topic of the importance of taking care of our complete selves. I think this is a very important topic for all of us as we can’t be Always On for our companies or our families unless we are taking care of ourselves. The focus is on taking physical care of ourselves.
March 1, 2010 How Are You? (Part 1)
This article is the first in a short series from the life of Elijah on the topic of the importance of taking care of our complete selves. I think this is a very important topic for all of us as we can’t be Always On for our companies or our families unless we are taking care of ourselves.
February 22, 2010 Do Not Fear – Lean on Me
This article is the final in the Do Not Fear series. The series is about how to conquer fear and doubt in your life. This article focuses on a the most powerful gift God gives us to conquer fear and uncertainty. I hope you enjoy this series and find something to help you live a life of faith.
February 15, 2010 Do Not Fear – Touch My Body
This article is the third in a series entitled, Do Not Fear. The series is about how to conquer fear and doubt in your life. This article focuses on a very personal and intimate gift God gives us in order to conquer fear and uncertainty.
February 8, 2010 Do Not Fear – Hear My Word
This article is the second in a series entitled, Do Not Fear. The series is about how to conquer fear and doubt in your life. I know with our crazy topsy-turvy lives, conquering fear and uncertainty may seem impossible. However, I believe God gives us the tools to be victorious.
February 1, 2010 Do Not Fear – Witness My Power
This is the first article in a series entitled, Do Not Fear. The series is about how to conquer fear and doubt in your life. I know with our crazy topsy-turvy lives, conquering fear and uncertainty may seem impossible. However, I believe God gives us the tools to be victorious.
January 25, 2010 Worth Doing Right: Part 3
This article is the final installment of my Worth Doing Right series. Thanks to all my Always On PFSweb associates who model a great work ethic every day!
January 18, 2010 Worth Doing Right: Part 2
This article is part two of my Worth Doing Right series and deals with the topic of work ethic. Thanks to all my PFSweb associates who model a great work ethic every day!
January 11, 2010 Worth Doing Right: Part 1
This article should be of interest to anyone who works for a living or contributes his or her time to any worthwhile cause. That should just about cover everyone!
January 4, 2010 Uncommon Courtesy
Ever wonder what happened to “common courtesy?” In this article, I share an uncomfortable self-realization resulting in a new resolution I had for my family for 2010. I hope you find something in my words to help you and your family.

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