Links & Quotes

link quote

Some good reading from today…

A good laugh— Al and Lois go to a counselor after fifteen years of marriage. The counselor asks them what the problem is. Lois goes into a tirade, listing every problem they’ve ever had in their years of marriage. She goes on and on and on. Finally, the counselor gets up, embraces the surprised Lois, and kisses her passionately. Lois shuts up and sits quietly in a daze. The counselor turns to Al and says, “That is what your wife needs at least three times a week. Can you do that?” Al thinks for a moment and replies, “Well, I can get her here Mondays and Wednesdays, but Fridays I play golf.”

“It becomes every man who purposes to give himself to the care of others, seriously to consider the four following things: First, that he must one day give an account to the Supreme Judge of all the lives entrusted to his care. Secondly, that all his skill, and knowledge, and energy as they have been given him by God, so they should be exercised for his glory, and the good of mankind, and not for mere gain or ambition. Thirdly, and not more beautifully than truly, let him reflect that he has undertaken the care of no mean creature, for, in order that he may estimate the value, the greatness of the human race, the only begotten Son of God became himself a man, and thus ennobled it with his divine dignity, and far more than this, died to redeem it. And fourthly, that the doctor being himself a mortal man, should be diligent and tender in relieving his suffering patients, inasmuch as he himself must one day be a like sufferer.” —Dr. Thomas Sydenham, known as the father of English medicine

“It is a poor thing to strike our colors to God when the ship is going down under us; a poor thing to come to Him as a last resort, to offer up ‘our own’ when it is no longer worth keeping. If God were proud He would hardly have us on such terms: but He is not proud, He stoops to conquer, He will have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to Him.” —C.S. Lewis

“Prayer is never an acceptable substitute for obedience. The sovereign Lord accepts no offering from His creatures that is not accompanied by obedience. To pray for revival while ignoring or actually flouting the plain precept laid down in the Scriptures is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble.” —A.W. Tozer

These articles aren’t just for coaches, but for anyone who works with youth: Jameis Winston & The Fine Art Of Enabling from Mark Atteberry, and The Secret To Hard Conversations With Today’s Athletes by Tim Elmore.

A great question: Where Do Others Fit In Your Schedule?

Not A Glory-Stealer

Not A Glory-StealerNot to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness. (Psalm 115:1)

  • You are Love; I struggle with selfishness.
  • You are Faithful; I can be fickle.
  • You are Just; I am short-sighted.
  • You are Mercy; I can be petty.
  • You are Grace; I keep score.
  • You are Forgiveness; I remember hurts.
  • You are Perfection; I am flawed.
  • You are the Potter; I am a pot.
  • You are God; I am man.

Not to me—not ever to me—be any glory, but all to You. I extol You both now and forever more. Despite my flaws, may no one ever be able to say of me that I tried to steal Your glory.

The Furious Longing Of God (book review)

Furious Longing Of GodBrennan Manning at times seems to tap into dimensions of our relationship with God that I had never considered before, and his book The Furious Longing Of God is a great example of this.

It is almost foreign in a Christian’s vocabulary, or even understanding of Scripture, to think of God furiously longing for a relationship with the people He has created. But God does long for this, and Manning pulls out those biblical passages and weaves them together with his own life story to create a hunger in us for more of God.

Each chapter builds on the previous chapter, creating in me a longing to experience God’s longing. This book is not difficult to read, but it is confronting. I doubt you can read Manning’s words are remain unmoved by God’s passionate, relentless, furious longing for you.

If you too long for a deeper relationship with your Creator, this is a great book to help you on that journey.