Conntecting the Dots

Posts Tagged: relationships

Imitate God by Loving Others

Watching my two-year-old granddaughter engage in a church service helped me understand what it means to imitate God. Here’s how it happened.   When the worship team began playing their music, I picked Lexi up so she could see the goings-on. She didn’t miss a thing. She noticed when someone clapped, and she did likewise. She… [ read more ]

Jump to Conclusions and Judge, or Extend Grace?

For years I’d heard the story about the Samaritan woman. You know—she’s the one who’s famous for interacting with Jesus at the water well. She’s also the one with the reputation for being promiscuous. What else would you call a woman who’s had five husbands and is living common-law with a sixth? (John 4:4-30)  … [ read more ]

Who’s Really the Greatest?

I recently met someone whose ministry and reputation I’d admired long-distance for years. Circumstances surrounding our meeting, however, shattered that admiration. When things didn’t go as she’d planned, this esteemed leader inappropriately placed blame and verbally filleted those who tried to assist her, myself included. The episode stunned me and left me feeling physically ill… [ read more ]

What Do Marriage, Communication, and Jesus Have in Common?

The release of One-Minute Romance for Couples only two weeks prior to Valentine’s Day has brought a flurry of radio interviews. Because the book consists of conversation-starting questions, the media interviews inevitably turn to the importance of communication between spouses. One statistic says most couples spend only three to four minutes in meaningful communication each… [ read more ]

Selfish. Who–Me?

I spent Wednesday flying home from Eastern Europe. The first flight, from Budapest to London, was filled to capacity. Due to limited overhead storage space, an airline employee cruised the crowds lined up at the airport check-in and put yellow tags on backpacks, purses, computer bags, and the like. “These tagged items must be placed… [ read more ]

The Beauty of Unselfishness

I recently came across this Chuck Swindoll quote:   “Being unselfish in attitude strikes at the very core of our being. It means we are willing to forego our own comfort, our own preferences, our own schedule or own desires for another’s benefit. And that brings us back to Christ. Perhaps you never realized that… [ read more ]