All of My Recent Writings
Below are articles I’ve written on my other websites or across the web. If you want to see only posts I’ve shared here on my personal blog, click here.
A Tribute to My Dad, Ronnie Cox (1948-2023)
I loved my Dad. He passed away just a week ago (June 2, 2023) at the age of 74, peacefully in his sleep. I’ve written a bit of a tribute post about that good arm and what it taught me about taking a leap of trust over at the Walk Humble blog.
The Goal of the Christian Faith
It isn’t about being right in all the fine points of our theology. It’s about discovering a relationship with God. And Jesus, as God, is the Way through which Christians come to experience God in a moment-by-moment relationship.
Walking Humbly While Waiting for Your Moment
Humility isn’t denying your value, worth, or ability. Humility is serving the highest possible good for yourself and others while holding onto a realistic picture of who you really are. You’re capable of more than you think you are.
13 Words from a Father to His Son on His 13th Birthday
A letter written from my to my son, Sam, on his 13th birthday in which I share wisdom about life in the teen years and on into adulthood.
Why 2022 Was the Year of My UNdoing (and Why I Want More Of It in 2023)
In our western, modern culture, we’re productivity-oriented. We add. We rarely subtract. Subtraction isn’t normally used as a measurement of growth for us. For many of us, the most important question we can answer isn’t ‘what should I be doing?’ It’s what should I UNdo?
10 Books That Have Reshaped My Faith
These ten books are highly recommended for those who may be exploring their faith more deeply or walking through a season of deconstruction and doubt.
You Are UP to the Task Whether You Feel Like It or Not
Deep in the heart of every leader I've ever met lurks a daunting question that casts a shadow over every major challenge we ever face: Am I up to this? When I went to take the test for my driver's license... When I enrolled in college... When I bought the ring to...
White Supremacy is a Fatal Disease
White supremacy has infected every area of society and culture and as more people become willing to discover it, root it out, and replace it with real equality, the more we will enable the true flourishing of the whole human family.
Does Your Work Serve Your Wellbeing? 5 Questions to Ask
The bottom line is that you should be intentionally steering your life toward that which fulfills you deep in your soul. It might take a lot of time and effort to get there, but any worthy goal will come with a cost.
You Can’t Multi-Task, But Can You Multi-Career?
There are plenty of books and speeches recommending that you focus in on only one career or purpose. But what if you are wired to do multiple things well?
How to Avoid Hitting People When You Feel Angry
Slow down your body! To put it simply, when you feel insulted, attacked, or offended, your body speeds up. It’s like pressing on the gas pedal to escape a pursuer. And the faster your mind works, the harder it is to control.
14 Tips for Reducing Your Fear Over Finances
Your real wealth and value as a human being never comes from what you do, no matter how successful you are. And it doesn’t come from what you have, either. It comes from within. From deep in the soul where you and God alone commune about your identity.
Is All Debt Evil? 5 New Rules for Borrowing Money
You’ll need both wisdom and generosity to live a meaningful life no matter what your net worth is on paper, so exercise your wisdom and generosity muscles by saving and giving rather than just consuming until you die.
How to Cultivate Authenticity In Your Leadership Culture
Be real with people, or be prepared to lose them. It's hard. As Pastor Rick Warren wrote once, we all fight against three particular fears: the fear that we will be exposed for who we truly are the fear that we will be rejected the fear that we will be hurt again. We...
5 Ways to Spend Your Leadership Equity Wisely
Respect people who trust you. It takes a lot for people to trust you, so treat their trust like precious porcelain. It’s part of being a good shepherd.
The One Thing I Miss Most About Being a Pastor
The common thread I noticed over and over was that so few people believed they were loved and valued. In those moments, it was my privilege to look people in the eyes and tell them that God made them for a purpose, that he loved them unconditionally, that their worth and value are infinite, and that there is always hope.
The Power of Believing in People, Starting with Yourself
There is tremendous power in believing in people and telling them so.
The Valley of Transition: 7 Lessons from 6 Months of Radical Change
Whatever transition you may face, know that God is presently, actively, and personally working in, around, and through you. He is always worthy. You are always valuable. And life is meant to be lived, not merely survived.
I Don’t Know Yet, But I Can Tell You What I Think
We’re all finite. We have limits. I would never assert that nothing can be truly known. Some things are sure and steady. But my understanding and interpretation of everything around me — the world, God, other people — is always limited by my finite way of seeing things.
Letting Go of Your Biggest Limitations
When we talk about being “strapped,” we’re normally talking about our financial expenses and debts being larger than our income and our assets. But are there other ways we get stuck, burdened, and stressed out? Of course!
It’s Time – We’re Stepping Away from Grace Hills Church
God doesn’t ever give up. He loved the people of this sin-scarred world so much that he gave us the gift of his Son, Jesus.
White Privilege, Social Justice, and the Humility Required to Move Forward
Join me in being quick to listen to those who have experienced racism first-hand, slow to speak rebuttals, and slow to get defensive or angry. In our culture, we’re experiencing the slow death of empathy. Let’s reverse that trend. Listen and love and lay down your defensive arguments.
Lead with Excellence Birthed Out of Passion, not Perfectionism
When we’re passionate about Jesus and helping others to come to know him, we desire to perform at our very best for an audience of One rather than for the watching crowd.
The Power of Moving from Blaming Others to Solving Problems
The pathway to success will never be easy. It will always challenge you, and that’s not a bad thing. Grow and keep on going!
The Unstrapped Life: The Wrong Ways, and the Right Way, to Think About Money
Money is emotionally weighty for us. Most people don’t talk about money much, but when they do, they almost always feel something. Guilt. Shame. Embarrassment. Pride. Joy. Longing. Contentment. Discontentment. This is actually pretty understandable. Most people work...
Two Wrong Ways to Think About Money, and the One Right Way
Here’s the challenge… decide today that money won’t own you. It won’t rule you. It won’t hold your emotions hostage any longer. Instead, money will be owned, managed, used, and invested by you for good purposes.
Learn Affiliate Marketing from The Affiliate Guy, Matt McWilliams
Affiliate marketing is a fun hobby. It’s a fantastic way to earn extra income, somewhat passively, while serving and helping people. Matt McWilliams is doing something you might be interested in taking advantage of. He’s teaching some free online workshops and giving away a special report about affiliate marketing.
Blogging for the Leadership Influence Of It
Starting a blog could possibly make you famous. Or it might not. It doesn't really matter. Fame isn't the point. And, after all, how many people to you know who are famous simply because they started blogging? Okay, there are a few, but still... The point isn't fame....
$870 Billion in Credit Card Debt
Fight the cultural norm of instant gratification and choose the long term reward of financial peace and living an unstrapped life over the short term reward of an over-priced meal.
The Positive Side of Leading Under Pressure
As I write this, we're three days from our church's big Grand Opening at our new location. Our church is seven years old. We've met in an office, a hotel, a college campus, two movie theaters, and for the last three years, a leased location. Almost a year ago, we...