following – Page 11 – 300 words a day

Stop

Sometimes the best way to start over is to clear your plate. The most vibrant church Heather and I were part of did just that. They wiped all their ministries off the plate. Small groups, worship teams, drama, Sunday school programs. Everything. And they let God rebuild the church slowly. They lost a lot of […]

by Jon Swanson

I’d rather have a fresh start.

I bought Andrew a new Moleskine journal. He wants to write about the trip he’s about to start. I almost bought one for myself. I didn’t. Two-thirds of the one I started at the beginning of the year is still blank. I have a couple blank little ones on the shelf. But I love blank […]

by Jon Swanson

Done with solitaire.

Picture this. You are sitting in a room. Solitaire is on the screen in front of you. You are clicking on the cards, getting the numbers lined up, getting the board cleaned off. Except it you have some cards left. So you try again. Someone walks into the room. The person stands for a moment. […]

by Jon Swanson

8 ways to get better at following – part two

(Read part one yesterday) 5. Stop for a bit. Most of us have heard about sabbaticals. A sabbatical is a break from something. It could be taking a day each week with electronic devices turned off or six months away from work. The idea of sabbatical is rooted in the idea of sabbath. God told […]

by Jon Swanson

8 ways to get better at following – part one

What if one goal this year is to learn more about God this year? Or maybe, to get to know God better. What are some of the things you could do that would be helpful? 1. Stop hedging your bets. We want a backup plan to following God. If he doesn’t come through, if he […]