Paths are all around us. Ways to walk, places to be, lives to experience. But with every single day comes the difficult decision of which path to choose; one that prospers or one that does not...

Fall is beautiful. Think about it. The cool and brisk sunrise, the birds that chirp and sing, the dew that glistens in the light, the color of the trees, the leaves everywhere, the grassy fields blowing in the wind, the clouds that soar in the blue sky, the warmth of the sun's rays, the afternoon breeze, the colors of the sunset, the clarity of the stars, and the array of noises in the night...

Whether I see it - or even believe it at times - the Lord fights for me. As I wake up, get in the shower, eat my morning breakfast, feel the stress of the day, fear that I won't have enough time, get bombarded with emails and tasks, and finally end it all with plopping on the couch and feeling exhausted. All day, He fights for me, calling for me to see Him, recognize Him, and join Him...

When I was a kid... I struggled a lot with white lies. For some reason, it always seemed "easier" to tell a short lie than explain a long truth. It was as if my quick "fix" enabled me to still do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it...

Never shaken...Never moved. I do not know about you, but these are two things that my faith could really use. When I stress, I shake. When my days are full of worry, my faith seems rocky. And when I get too comfortable, my faith feels idle - it becomes easily overlooked...

I can remember my first bike wreck in vivid detail. I was pedaling as fast as possible down my Memaw's rocky driveway when out of nowhere it came. A rock, a tad bit bigger than all of the others, decided to take up occupancy right in line with my front tire...

Do you have a go to, fix-all in life? I instantly think of the crazy grandpa in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and his obsession with spraying Windex® on literally EVERYTHING. If you haven't seen it...it's a good one...

This time of the year provides us with so many avenues out of our daily life. Think about it: weekend trips, long vacations, weddings every. single. weekend... new jobs, shopping excursions, camps, you name it...

Have you ever trained for something? A long race. A beloved sport. A desired weight. A better grade. A new position at work. Or any other personal goal?...

I have never been surrounded by an army. I have never been physically attacked by enemies. But I have known war in my heart and spirit. I have felt the spiritual attacks. I have felt evil around me. I have been discouraged and disheartened. I have experienced trials that I did not know how they would end...

Mondays, Mondays, Mondays... Unlike the majority of human beings, this day is - without a doubt - one of my favorites. Yes, feel free to take some time and judge me for this...

I hate blowing up balloons...for six very logical reasons: One, it takes forever. Two, I despise the taste and smell. Three, I hate the feeling it gives your cheeks...so much pressure. Four, I am too much of a perfectionist: I want it "just the right size" (which is BIG - a tad smaller than "popping size"). Five, my fingers are too big to tie perfectly big balloons. And six, my endeavors almost always end with a pop or that nasty spit-filled spewing noise...

Sometimes I feel like I am the weird guy walking around in a bunny suit...Yep, a bunny suit. I am just there - strutting along - limited by what I can do, see, and experience... while all around me are the giggles and smirks at my fluffiness; my "cute-ness;" my goodness. While they live "freely," I am in a stuffy, bunny suit...

Do you remember making the first joke that broke the ice leading to a now deep and meaningful friendship? 

Do you remember moving your fingers further and further off of your seat in the theater only to feel the electricity of intertwining them in your first crush’s hand? Do you remember receiving your first real compliment about your amazing performance in that dance recital…that basketball game…that one “thing” that has now become your passion?...

The sun was setting and I was running. My jaws were clenched, my annoyance was heightened, and my music was blaring. It was one of those days where everything felt dark and gray, and all I wanted to do was get outside - away from everything and everyone - and clear my mind...

The majority of people today hate face-to-face confrontation. Think about it. When there is a problem with a family member, a co-worker, or a friend, our typical first response is never to go to them with an honest portrayal of our thoughts and feelings. Instead, we try to blow it off and "let it slide..."

Have you ever noticed how powerful family stories are? Think of your grandparents when you were younger. How many good family stories did they tell you that you can still remember today? Whether they displayed humor, heart-ache, trouble, or joy, you can remember them because they - in some strange way - related to you...

It is easy to get lost in our own world. To be overwhelmed with the endless to-do lists. The endless parading of others success on social media. To look around and wish things were different. To long for a better future - when hopefully we will be more secure and more confident...

What do you wish to gain in life? If you think about it, there is so much for the taking: popularity, possessions, success, fame, money, and satisfaction...

 Indifferent. Cold. Numb. Passive. Without care. Indecisive. Desensitized. And hardened. All of these are powerful temptations and lures from our enemy...

Here I am….on my couch, curled up in my favorite blanket, watching one of my favorite TV shows. Normally, this would be a pleasant, relaxing, and restful experience. However, it’s not…because I have an ambiguous sickness that even a steroid shot to the booty could not overcome...

When I hear the word fire, two main things come to my mind: camping and destruction. If you think about it, aside from a campfire, bonfire, or cooking fire, almost every other kind of flame is involved in destruction. Forest fires, building explosions, kitchen fires...these are just three of the many ways in which fire can destroy and bring about pain, loss, and chaos...

What if someone offered you a $100 bill? Like no joke. What if today, a stranger approached you with $100 and said "I want you to have this and I am not leaving until you take it." What if it was just their opportunity to bless you...a random stranger?...

Let's do a quick exercise...Wherever you find yourself at, I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself at a family dinner with your whoever you consider family (friends are most definitely included).

Distance in a relationship is never a fun thing. I can remember the dating years when Kate and I lived almost an hour away from each other. Communication was difficult, face-to-face time was minimal, and of course there was the monthly tension due to unmet expectations...

I am a cranky and clumsy person at nighttime. It does not matter how clean our room is or how much sleep I am getting...If I am awaken by a child - which happens more often than not - I will be cranky and I will trip and stub my toe on everything possible...

We are going to start this morning off with a little bit of Bible History 101. Now hear me out in this...I promise that it will help make sense of this Psalm. So first off...know that the Psalms, as a whole, are one big hymnal for the people of Israel. And the neat thing is that every Psalm - every song - has a story of its own...

Everybody wants peace. No, I am not talking about peace as the "opposite of war" or the 1970's "hippie" movement. Instead, I am talking about peace on an individual, familial, and personal level. Peace is the freedom from disturbance; completeness; safeness; and deliverance...

I am incredibly stunned by how beautiful today's Psalm is.

It is an earnest prayer from David, one that starts off in the first verse with him proclaiming that he is "poor and needy" - a phrase that he has used before in previous psalms...

Imagine standing in a wide, open field. The grains around you blow around in the wind. There are no trees or structures in sight.

However, you are not alone...