Connie and I lived in the Permian Basin oil fields of West Texas for twenty one years. Our church family were nearly all, transplanted, temporary residents in Midland, Texas. Just like Connie and I and three kids. Their careers in the oil industry brought them to the city. Youth Ministry brought Connie and I there. With our many new friends we met, unlike Kentucky, where our families lived for generations, the people we met moved a lot. Their oil career promotions would take them to larger cities every 3-4 years. Then families often returned to Midland, two or three times, with higher level ..read more

Do not let go of your God-sized dreams. Gather new courage, wisdom, and energy before running out of steam. God promises to resupply our spiritual energy when our tank runs low. If you are a parent or grandparent you probably need a couple days each month to catch your breath. Raising healthy, happy, thriving children is a full-time gig! Family life, happy life, even when terrific is often exhausting. What’s your plan for refueling? In addition to taking short naps and short trips, finding places to retreat, here’s a key part of every good plan for renewal. Search out the Bible for a few goo ..read more

As I type a few words for this blog today my goal is to encourage with wise words. I just got off a conversation with a friend living out of state. They have been longtime supporters of my ministry and our mission at Journey Community Christian Church. I’ve helped them as pastor and friend during several life changing events. Today I learned, my friend is seeking a job change. They are hoping to find a more satisfying employment with a healthier workplace environment. This search has been months going on for months. The piece which seems to be missing in their current job is positive reinfor ..read more

What do you believe? How do you make important decisions? What might you tell someone else the “secret sauce” in life is about? I would say to others the single greatest factor for being more effective in our dreams, ambitions, and career choices is having God at the center of it all. Does this sound too simple? What if joy, happiness and peace is not so complicated after all?    I am a minster/pastor; you would expect me to say something like this. What if it really is true? You don’t have to be a professional clergy to find Truth. I BELIEVE Jesus changes everything. Mor ..read more

Are you planning to join a worship gathering for Easter this weekend? Many people have penciled this in on their calendar for weeks now. I just spoke to one of my friends who said they were scheduled for work this weekend but asked to take the day off. Other people I know are traveling this Easter to be with family and friends; some far away. What about you?     If you are local and nearby to Journey Community Christian Church in Cynthiana we would love to host you as our guest for Easter 2024. We’ve spent weeks trying to prepare for your arrival. We are hoping to make your Easter e ..read more

This is our week before Easter and the excitement has begun. On the calendar it is called Palm Sunday weekend. The 1st century Jerusalem was also filled with the excitement and buzz of Jesus coming to town. Much like people today, people were making plans for family and friends to be together. Many people in Jesus day were unclear who He actually was. This continues to be a reality in our modern world. Have you made your plans and decisions about Easter 2024? Are you a committed follower of Jesus? Are you inviting family and friends to join you for worship and celebration of Jesus Resurrectio ..read more

Do you find yourself pulling for the underdog in a good TV drama or feature film on Netflix? Are you a sucker for feel-good motion pictures at the theater?  Do you cheer for the character who overcomes obstacles? There is something about rooting for the come-back-kid. Ever since Sylvester Stallone ran up those steps triumphantly in Philadelphia in the 1976 original “Rocky” film, people are cheering for the underdog in the boxing world. The Bible is filled with those kind of stories where the unexpected happens to the most unexpecting person. If you’ve felt like you were listening to a le ..read more

Life has some moments with feel good vibes, hard to explain. There are games your team is not playing their best. Suddenly, a turn-around, momentum shift begins and your favorite player wins the game at the buzzer. Let the celebration begin. I’ve been doing this thing with God and people for a long time. I’ve seen this pattern before. In our everyday life God is setting us up. He loves guiding people who are struggling in the worst kind of game-time situations — into unexpected blessings—victory. Temporary setbacks often become a forever setup for something good. I call that a God wink. This ..read more

What are you doing this morning? I’m doing mission work out front on the Journey sidewalk of where we call home. Today, I have been greeting our neighbors. Auto Zone is on the left and Central Kentucky Recovery drug clinic is on the right. Our weather is amazing. Birds are singing and people are moving around outdoors again. It is bright and sunny with an expected high of 62 degrees. This is my favorite time of year. I want to be neighborly and friendly to everyone I meet today. Just a moment ago, I handed off a half-dozen cup cakes to our friends at the drug clinic. We had a few snacks  ..read more

Having a critical spirit is a bad habit. Everyone has a few. Criticism often becomes contagious, spreading negativity. Social media is one of the worst places for bad vibes. Too much online time, reading critical comments, just ruins our day. We can carry this home each day after school and work. Complaints which lead to constant criticism ruins the mood around our dinner table. What is the answer? Many people have decided to screen their online activity during the day. Some are choosing to limit the number of hours spent scrolling through information. In some instances, less media time is be ..read more