



It’s pretty incredible how easy it is for me to slip into a slow burning rage over something without considering for a moment if that anger is actually helpful in any way. There is a time to be angry, but at some point I’m just replaying a situation over and over again in my head to keep reaffirming to myself how right and justified I think I am.
Anger is a powerful emotion, but it’s also a subtle deception. We can deceive ourselves into thinking it’s okay to keep feeling angry about something because we were in the right. Whether or not we were wronged in some way, anger is only useful when it identifies a wrong. Once that wrong has been identified, anger has nothing to offer but over-zealous responses that we’ll regret.
Anger can cloud our judgement to the point where we’re just enjoying the feeling of being enraged. That sort of addiction to feeling justifiably angry is incredibly unhealthy. Feeling angry about the same issue over and over again isn’t therapeutic; it’s just a way to feel good about being upset with someone or something.
I know that anger has been an idol in my life. I idolize people who get furious in a self-righteous kind of way. Characters like Dr. Cox from Scrubs emboldened me to enjoy being angry if it was for a noble cause. The truth is, there is nothing noble about being angry for the sake of enjoying the feeling of rage.
Be angry, then get over it. Remember that anger, like any emotion, can be controlled. Forgive and then forgive again when the hurt and the annoyance comes back.
@jmartken is so rude.
Also, the roof was definitely my idea.
It seems like almost every iOS 7 mockup has to have some form of gaudy widgets on the lock and home screens. iOS users, trust me, widgets aren’t that amazing. Since I’ve switched to iOS I’ve never missed them. If you feel the urge to be constantly turning Bluetooth and WiFi on and off then you might want to consider that your problem isn’t a lack of widgets. I think one can make an argument for widgets in Notification Center, but the home screen should stay simple.
This is me every day.
Last Sunday I decided to go to the park. I had been reading at a Starbucks and had a meeting in just over an hour, so I decided to get some fresh air and go for a walk. I used to like going to the park to read or go on the swings, but I hadn’t done any of that in a long time.
As I was…

When leading people in worship there is a balance between making sure the music sounds good and making sure your heart is in the right place. If the music sounds terrible then it can be distracting and people will focus on you, not God. If your heart is in the wrong place and things are going well musically, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking about how good of a job you’re doing instead of worshipping yourself.
I find myself constantly trying to find the middle of these two extremes when leading people in worship. It’s easy for me to fall into the motions of leading and not be intentional. If I’m supposed to lead people in worship then I need to be the example by worshipping God myself.
I haven’t been leading worship for very long, but I think I’m beginning to find the balance. A huge part of it is making sure I take time to prepare my heart. If I haven’t spent time in prayer and Scripture before leading, then I have a harder time focusing my heart and mind on God. It becomes too easy to just focus on the music during rehearsal and that state of mind can bleed into the actual worship service.
When my mind is in the right place it also helps for me to focus on sensing God’s presence. God is present everywhere, but he is present in a more palpable way when we gather together, at Eucharist, and I think during worship. During worship we should be letting the music guide us into deeper communion with God and recognizing his presence.
Recently my pastor told me that he wants to see me become a worship leader that is able to lead people into God’s presence in a very palpable way. He wants to see me lead people into deeper worship with God. He wants to see miracles and healings take place and God’s presence is thickened by our worship of him.
It’s a high calling to try and lead people into that. God certainly doesn’t require a worship leader to act in our midst, but I think he does like working through people. I’m trying to let God work through me and to prepare myself to be a vessel for his glory. I don’t know what this process will look like, but I’m excited to see God continue to transform me and lead me into becoming a better worship leader for his people.

Sharing Yourself
We share massive amounts of information about ourselves to others every day through social networking. We share images, videos, links, thoughts, blogs, jokes, music, locations, and so much more. We share all kinds of data about who we are, what we’re doing, who we’re with, things we find interesting, and who we want to be. At the core of most social networking is the idea that you can share yourself.

Why We Share So Much About Ourselves
Self-Esteem

I’ve been helping lead worship at a new contemporary service at an Anglican church. Amidst struggles of assembling a band when all of my contacts live an hour away and learning how to lead in a liturgical context, I’ve seen God working. Specifically, I’ve seen God working in the people. They are being lead in songs that they mostly have not heard and often the ideal number of people to try to hide your voice behind isn’t there, but still I hear them singing. It’s one thing to hear a seasoned congregation singing loudly in praise to God, but there’s something special about new believers and people who are coming back to church for the first time in years and those who have remained faithful all join their voices. I love hearing the people of God singing louder than the guitars and the drums. That sort of thing kills distractions and apathy and envelopes you with the fragrance of the Spirit.
“I could sing a song for you, my God, with everything I have in me, but it’s never loud enough.”