When you choose the narrow way, you don’t know what you’re actually agreeing to. And you don’t know what the fruits of your obedience will be. And you cannot manage it. That’s part of the deal.

If you ask for the Lord to transform a falling leaf into a feather, or if you ask Him to move that leaf a millimeter, it’s still a miracle. A request to altar reality is a request for a miracle. Any appeal for a divergence from the status quo is a request for the miraculous. And that request moves you into the arena of the supernatural.

If you’ve had a loved one in the hospital, or if you’ve been in the hospital yourself, you’ve seen the tell-tale signs of appetite. Appetite is an indicator of health and trajectory. When a patient in the hospital regains their appetite, appetite signals that they’re regaining health and getting back on their feet. When a patient does not regain appetite, it is a sign of trouble.

But if you proceed with your faith and the Shepherd, sooner of later, you’re going to have to put all your weight onto a verse. You’ll have to take it from the coffee mug, internalize it, and stake your life on it. Eventually, you will be forced to step off the platform and trust the verse with your life.

When you practice guitar thinking that you’re going to be famous, you may not become famous, but you are practicing guitar! You’re doing it. And the reps will change you. Writing the first verse and hammering out the chords will change you.
Work on the reps with this change in mind; that as you go, you will become different. Practice will have its effect on you.

When you see other people's workouts, be wary of the judgments that might arise. You don't know what's going on with their fatigue, their iron levels, their gallbladder, or their knees.  There is so much we don't know.  

We will believe no one, no product, no car, no fire. We will be left numb, with the feeling that everything was probably created with video AI.


And the greater lesson will be that truth is not discernible and will be more malleable than ever. Indiscernible and undiscoverable.

What are things you're naturally good at? Today's a great day to take inventory and see what you're exceptional at. And keep going down that road. Practice not because you need it, but precisely because you're good at it. Not because you're bad at it, but because you're exploring the edges of how far that skill could take you.

When a press secretary has to lie, they themselves will know. If you have to lie at your job, you’ll know. It will have its effects on you. Like heavy metal poisoning that gets in your system and quietly does its poisonous work, the lies will live on.
And others may not know, but one person will. You’ll know.

Life's biggest temptation is a call to long for the things away from this. The sacred is this moment and these people and this God.

In today’s fast, fast world, we’re not used to walking. We drive fast and we fly fast and things are delivered to us fast.

But in many areas, the only way to get out is to walk out. There’s no driving, flying, or sprinting. Just walking.

You walked in. Walk out.

The challenge is to do what you know you should do even when it feels bad, to put in the reps with the faith that something will come of it.

In other words, better to be active with a few mistakes than dormant and "perfect."

I have a firm belief in this one idea: Nobody knows what will be a hit. And, really, nobody really knows what they're doing. If experts knew what would be a hit, then authors would only write hits. Your favorite band would release only hits. And your favorite director wouldn't come out with that horrible movie that tanked at theaters.

Sometimes I’m tempted to think that if I had more information, that I could make better decisions. And, sometimes, that’s true. In an abundance of time, I can research all the best options. However, in today’s world of instant everything, I rarely have that luxury. The scarcity of time creates scarcity of information. With emergent medical issues, with wedding photographers, with a plumbing leak, and with choosing the right spouse….the best you can do is do your best.

Every accident and every coincidence changes shape under the weight of this question. When someone unexpectedly shows up at your house—What if it’s provision? When you are late to leave or you get stuck in traffic—What if it’s provision?

But you want lions around. People follow lions. They get things done. They’re not afraid of challenges and they’re dangerous and strong.
Additionally, they’re difficult because lions challenge the leader’s tactics. It’s a challenge for the leader to have lions around. Recruiting a lion will reshape leadership.

But prayer is different. Jesus clearly and unequivocally uses the command, "Do not worry." In my opinion, it's one of the boldest commands in the Bible. Don't worry? Seriously? Like….ever?

Now is the time we need to think and rethink college.

But seriously….What is college?

In the absence of a leader, one will emerge. In other words, there is never not a leader. There will always be a leader.

How do you save 10% of your energy for exploring the future? Even if you love your job and your job doesn’t change, maybe YOU change. What if you no longer love your job? What if another season of your life finds you as a different person who is not fit for your current profession?