We, the Least: on Honor

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NO PARKINGIn light of recent national (& for my family, somewhat local events) I thought it important to re-publish this post. Honor comes a result of recognizing God’s image in everyone…

Have you ever spent time with someone & afterward just felt very happy to be you? You knew you were loved, no matter what, & your name was “safe” in their mouth? It’s true of all of us: when I like being me around you, I like you. This is the natural impact of a person of honor. Considering the sorts of people who were drawn to Jesus, & how many were, I think it’s fair to say that Jesus was a person of honor.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Character, Encouragement, Kingdom of God, Resource, Shannon, Theology Tagged With: , , , , ,

How to Wait

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HowToWaitI’m sure you’ve been there. Keenly aware that “the next” is right over the horizon, but you recognize that all of your strivings can’t make anything happen. It can turn into a place of great frustration – even bitterness – if we let it. The good news is this: you don’t have to let it!

Over the years I’ve discovered a few practical steps that have helped me maintain focus during those seasons that it would have been easy to let discouragement sink in: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Character, Encouragement, Resource, Shannon, Theology, Tutorial Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Worship Pastors pastor Worshipers

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icecreamIt’s easy as worship leaders to clock-in on Sunday mornings, and pour all of our effort into the “performance”; pulling for an impassioned & expertly played set of epic corporate anthems & ballads, familiar to all in attendance, & sung at the top of our lungs. And there’s nothing – in & of itself – wrong with that: God deserves our best. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Character, Encouragement, Musicianship, Shannon, Theology, Tutorial Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Hey now, you’re a Rockstar!: A review of Stephen Miller’s “Worship Leaders, we are not Rockstars”

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WorshipLeadersWANRIt’s hard to keep up sometimes with the deluge of new music & books, so sometimes one gets overlooked. In this case, it was my loss. Worship Pastor/Artist Stephen Miller has penned a helpful little gem with Worship Leaders, we are not Rockstars – one that will be added to my “must read” list for all beginner worship leaders, & a suggested read for anyone in worship ministry in general. Two added bonuses: it’s a speedy read, & the price is RIGHT!

As a baby believer in college, a local campus ministry realized I was 1.) a Christian & 2.) a musician, so I was given a prominent roll on the worship team. Don’t bother that I had only arguably been a Christian (that’s a long story in itself for another blog) for a few months, & had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what worship WAS (“You want me to spice up these awful songs with a few friends in front of 400 college kids, 65% of which are girls? I’M IN!” the young college me responded wholeheartedly), I was encouraging fellow students to sing along, while – quite literally – going to FISTS with others on the team in the hallway before and after our set. It was a mess. I wanted to be the next Bono, or Sting – if you gave me a platform, I’d take it. But I wasn’t a “worship leader”, at least not in any Godly sense. How I wished this book had existed back then. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Books, Character, Shannon, Theology Tagged With: , , , , ,

Waging War on our Poison Tongues

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PoisonTongue
I once had an acquaintance state an observation they’d made about me that seemed out of the ordinary (they could take their pick, I suppose – “ordinary” is NOT something I’m often called). They said, “You are almost completely without sarcasm, and that’s refreshing.”

Oh how the mighty have fallen. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Character, Encouragement, marriage, Shannon, Theology Tagged With: , , , , , ,