Philippians 2:15b “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky."

I do not remember reading the above verse before, but I know I probably have countless times. I felt like God highlighted it for me recently.

Do you wonder what proceeds this promise of shining like a star?

Is it how many Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter followers you have? Is it how many likes or retweets you get?

Maybe the condition for this to come true is based on how educated you are or how many credentials you have.

No? Well, it must have something to do with the way you look, the car you drive, or the house you own.

Again, that would be a “No.” This passage isn’t talking about any of those things.

In our culture, you may assume you need to accumulate possessions, or titles, or followers on social media in order to “shine among them like the stars in the sky.”

You may think of yourself as unworthy or “less...

Have you ever wanted a Starbuck's coffee drink so badly that you just won't give up until you find one? Well, I can relate. Plus I learned a couple of great lessons along the way. Watch the video above. 

How many times have you stopped yourself from doing something because you were afraid of what other people were going to say or think? Or least what you imagined them saying and thinking?

“Oh, what will people think if they see me walk into a gym to workout? It’s been so long.”

“What was I thinking saying I would speak at that event? What are they going to say behind my back when I’m finished speaking?”

“I can’t ask for help. People will think I’m weak.”

If you are like most people, this happens more times than you would like to admit. It may even happen when you are not conscious of it. An idea may come to you and you just as quickly dismiss the idea for being “silly, or stupid.” What you don’t stop to consider is that the reason you may be dismissing that idea so quickly is because you are actually worried that someone else is going to think it is “silly or...

Falsely Accused; Live out your Purpose no matter your Circumstance

Have you ever been falsely accused of something? It is a terrible feeling. If you’re like most people this infuriated you and you did everything possible to set the record straight. You probably felt judged and hated that people were making these judgments based on wrong information.

In the 16^th chapter of Acts we find Paul and Silas unfairly accused of disturbing the peace. They get arrested and thrown in jail and kept in the maximum security cell. All they were doing was living out their purpose. They were teaching people about Jesus.

The way these two react is dramatically different than what most people would do. They were so locked in to their purpose that they didn’t bother worrying what others thought. In the midst of their terrible circumstances, they were singing praise songs to God. They didn’t complain, or try to tell all the other prisoners of their innocence. Instead, they were praying...

          A major roadblock for many people, when stepping into their purpose, is comparison and feeling “less than”. You may have some idea of how God would like to use you but you get stuck when you start comparing yourself to others. Satan loves to see this happen. If the enemy isn’t bringing comparisons to mind, he will bring all your shortcomings to mind. Often this is done with such subtlety that we don’t recognize we’ve let doubt creep in the back door. When it comes to our calling or when God is asking us to step out into something new, the enemy can often slide in undetected. The thoughts and doubts may just be fleeting, but they are enough to get us “stuck”.

          You may stay busy doing this and that. You may even be doing some things for the Lord but keep wondering why you aren’t getting the other things done. You may be keeping yourself busy because you have unknowingly...