Finding the Reflection of God

One of the highlights of Yosemite, is seeing the reflection of towering granite cliffs in the water of the valley. In fact, one of the lakes in Yosemite earned the name “Mirror Lake” due to the beautiful reflections upon it’s surface. While not technically a lake, visitors enjoy seeing in its smooth surface the mirror image of the cliffs towering above. Mirror Lake it actually a man-made lake, from a time when sand and ice were exported from the area for use down in the coastal cities. Today, it is being allowed to return to it’s natural meadow conditions, so each year this once famous lake reflects less – and becomes filled with more grass and rock as the surface drops and widens into a meadow. Nevertheless, a creative photographer can still find places to capture a reflection of Half Dome that rises majestically above it. The reflections can be amazing… but to be seen, something is required. Without this one thing, there can be no reflection of the grandeur above. Waterfalls and flowing rivers and creeks pour over rocks and around bends throughout this incredible park, all working their way to the Merced or Tuolumne Rivers and ultimately to…

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3 Quick Tips When You Are Stressed Out

OK, you don’t have a lot of time for this post – because you have a zillion other things you really should be doing, need to do, should have done, and ought to do. So I’ll get to the point – ready? 1) Don’t make any Big Decisions while you are stressed out. Stay the course, time for reflection and evaluation and possible changes will come. Put off reactionary changes/decisions until you can calmly and objectively think clearly. As my dad used to say, “Bad decisions can always be put off to make later. Good decisions take time.” 2) Walk away for a few minutes. Pray. Breath. Ask what can go? What can be left undone? Usually something can. If you’re not sure, ask your spouse. Then, stick it out and do whatever you got yourself into (that can’t be dropped) but remember how you feel now. You’ll need that for evaluating later. 3) Look at your calendar and look ahead. Find a breather spot. Plan something refreshing and enjoyable NOW. Even if it is weeks away, you’ll have something to look forward to. Give yourself a light at the end of the tunnel. A date? A day off? A…

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If Angels Could Sing…

Before you watch this incredible new video from Pentatonix, I’d like you to consider something. A professor of mine in Bible college suggested an interesting theory he had about angels based on a textual study of the Bible’s original languages. An interesting fact, that while we often talk about “angelic choirs” or say someone “sings like an angel,” nowhere in Scripture are angels ever recorded as singing. But often, the saints are and we are commanded to! Keep in mind, this is a theory based on an argument from silence. So while we can’t say the Bible says “angels can’t sing,” – there is no evidence that they can in the original languages of the Bible. As Dr. James used to say, I will also say, “I sure hope they do! I bet they are amazing.” The point is simply that perhaps singing was a gift given uniquely to humans as a means of worship? Note, in Job 38:7, states that on the first day of creation, the angels “shouted for joy.” Consider that the classic Christmas play scene of children dressed as singing angels (as adorable as it is) doesn’t match the biblical text where the angels were “praising…

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Be God’s Man in God’s Place

I’m at MBI right now for a children’s ministry conference being put on by the seniors in the Children’s Ministry Major program. A major not available when I was a student. They are doing an incredible job. It is such an honor to be here. As I walked around the campus yesterday posting pictures to Facebook of the campus changes, and what’s still the same – it brought back a lot of great memories. It was actually pretty significant that I was here on May 2nd. 24 years ago, on May 2nd, 1990 – I got to go out to take the President of Moody Bible Institute one on one. I had valet parked his car a few weeks earlier and left a note inside asking if I could treat him out to a meal. When he called my dorm room a few days later, my room mate answered, and shocked said, “It’s the Presdient!” I answered, “Bill Clinton?” And he said, “No, Joe Stowell!” We scheduled our meal, and I picked him up at the “Arch” in my little Chevy Chevete and took him to the Rock n’ Roll McDonald’s, where I was the ‘house magician’ – and where…

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Old Gospel Tools – Same Timeless Message

I’ve been creating ministry tools for as long as I can remember, even before I had a “job” where that was part of what I do. I’ve been going through some “old stuff” and came across some old ministry tools I created back in the type, tape, and photo-copy days of old! These were Gospel Tracts that I made to give to people I met along the paths of life. I’ve removed my address/phone from them (since they are defunct and don’t want anybody being called and bugged!), but the Message in them is as true as ever! Let me encourage you to check them out and consider creating your own evangelism tool. People always responded well to something I had written myself over mass-produced Gospel tracts, because they seemed to see I cared enough to make it and then give it to them. So they would often read it and engage in conversation, even if I wasn’t able to persuade them toward my faith – they opened up dialogue, and that is always a good thing! They learned what I believed, and I learned more about them. I had three versions for three levels of relationship and gave them…

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