America is becoming more “post-Christian.”

In cities across the nation, a growing secularism is widening the divide between Christians and those who don’t believe in Jesus. 

The results of a survey published this month by Barna, Chico/Redding areas rank the 19^th highest “post-Christian” city in America.  To qualify as “post-Christian,” individuals had to meet nine or more of the following factors. “Highly post-Christian” individuals meet 13 or more of the factors (out of these 16 criteria).

When I was a kid I would wait in line for the high dive at the public pool.  I would climb up to the top, look down from the edge, and more than once I backtracked and climbed back down to afraid to jump. 

Have you ever come right up to an important moment but were too afraid to move ahead?
Did you intend to ask someone on a date? Fail to drop off your resume for a job opening? Did you have every good intention of having that really hard conversation? 

Jesus came to destroy death!

This is what we read in 2 Timothy 1:10.  

But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 

Jesus came to bring life and immortality to light through the gospel.  In order to do that, “Jesus had to defeat death”.

I love playing on a winning team that works together well and plays for each other more than ego driven selfish gain. 

As we watch the Golden State Warriors go after their fourth championship in five years, the thing I have enjoyed the most about what they do on the court is their teamwork.  Their coach has said that one of their core values is joy, and relationship drives this group of young men to work together more than a lot of other teams in the league. 

Jesus exemplified selflessness that was not false humility.

When I heard the bride recently say to her groom, “You will be my forever person, who won’t leave me” I immediately thought of those in my life who are the same way. 

After thinking of Linda, my bride of 26 years, I thought of Jesus, who promised he would never leave us or forsake us. 

When I think about Jesus being my “Good Shepherd” as promised in John 10, I think of Him as my forever person who won’t leave me.  The larger analogy of God being our shepherd who will protect us from wolves and thieves and those who would try to hurt us is beautiful.  Jesus isn’t taking a day off or coming late to work to walk with us – he is always there.  He is the same today as He was back in the first century and we can count on Him not changing tomorrow.  Like a Shepherd who is willing to lay down His life for the sheep, He is totally committed to staying with us. 

Jesus is a leader

As the Good Shepherd in my life, I can tell you that He is always faithful to lead me forward, I’m just not always good at following Him.  In John 10, Jesus echoes the Old Testament where it says that God is our shepherd…

“Tell me what you see Andy?”

As a 4^th grader attending Marigold Elementary School, I was assigned to spend one on one time with a student at Loma Vista Elementary School who was born blind. Our schools shared a playground and during recess we would sit together on the grass.  “Andy, tell me what you see?” Was the question he would ask.

These are my Irish friends

Robert and Gloria Kearney live in Downpatrick, Ireland and practice hospitality in the very best of ways.  Linda, Michael and I enjoyed an evening in their home for a cup of tea and some sweet treats.  They shared their lives with us, pictures of their kids and most of all cared about hearing our story.  As we sat by the fire and laughed about a hundred different things, I thought to myself, there’s no where in the world I’d rather be than here right now. 

“Where are you from?”

As I traveled throughout Ireland this past month everyone seemed to ask me this question.
When I told shopkeepers, receptionists and waiters that I was from California – all of them had an opinion about what that meant.  Some asked me if I surfed all the time, others asked if I ever saw movie stars walking around and the people who pay attention to the news asked me about the fires this past year.

When you sit down to read the word of God, what does it look like?

Is it a powerful time of revelation, a time of sweet refreshing, or, like so many others, is it a time of confusion and feeling all to unequipped to do it on your own? Over the last few years, I have been on a personal journey of re-discovering the word of God in a way that brings Hebrews 4:12 to life.