Blogs I Follow

Blogging has given so many people a voice. I have learned a lot from reading blogs on a weekly basis. It gives us that ability to continue the conversation from all over the map! I thought I'd highlight some of the blogs that I read on a regular basis through email subscription or google reader. Friends' Blogs (people I know personally, not just over the internet)

• Cassidy Robinson - THE #1 blog of all time! (I am a little biased)
• Jeff Robinson - My older brother who is a pastor in Virginia. He is a great brother and friend.
• Justin Robinson - JROB Productions. Justin is more into directing/filming. Check out his youtube channel! 
• Courtney Edwards - My sister-in-"love." She is a great writer and good sister!
• Tod Tanner - Dr. Tanner has invested many hours into my life beginning in college. He is a great leader, friend and mentor.
• Boyd Bettis - Boyd is a friend from college who has a heart to serve God.
• Ben Wiggins - We graduated college together. Ben has a great heart to serve God.
• Tim Flowers - We serve on staff together and he is a great leader and friend (p.s. he needs to blog more!)
• Matthew Creath - We worked Centrifuge camp together and since have stayed connected!
• Michelle Emmering: A friend who is serving in Hungary for 2 years!

Ministry Blogs:

• Terrace Crawford - Terrace is a great blogger. I enjoy reading his thoughts on tech, ministry and leadership.
• Tim Schmoyer - Tim has been a help to me in using technology as a tool to communicate better and more effectively in student ministry.
• Clayton King - Clayton is one of my favorite speakers and has written some great books (besides blogging). I enjoy his humor, honesty and love for sharing the truth of Jesus.
• Ron Edmondson - Ron is an expert on using social networking and blogging as a tool for the kingdom of God. He has great thoughts on leadership and ministry.
• Doug Fields - Youth ministry veteran, writer and now blogger! Doug has been a great voice in ministry for many years.
• Matt McGill - Matt brings great insights into ministry and leadership and has a great sense of humor.
• Jonathan McKee - Jonathan is an expert on answering culture with God's Word.
• Michael Hyatt - He is a great author and writer. I have learned some great tips on writing and leadership from reading his blog.
• Doug Franklin - Great thoughts on leadership in student ministry.
• Joshua Griffin - Joshua has great insights, tips and helps for those in student ministry. He does a great job using technology in ministry.
• Greg Stier - Greg is an excellent writer and even better example for sharing the gospel. I'm thankful for his passion for the gospel.
• Alvin Reid - Dr. Reid has encouraged me a lot over the last few months. He has written many great books and his blog is filled with many gems of wisdom and honesty for life in ministry. He replies to emails too!
• Paul Turner - I enjoy following his student ministry with Lifeway and following him on twitter.
• YouthMin.Org - New blog I recently started to follow. They have offered great insight into technology, student ministry and leadership. It is a good read!
• Tim Stevens - I have read this blog a few times. He has a great blog layout and great leadership content.
• Ben Read - Great blog on intentional student ministry.

I do want to say that there are many more blogs I haven't discovered  yet. One thing is true, we need more people to add to the leadership and ministry conversation. A lot of big name people get most of the attention, but blogging provides a way for all of us to share into the conversation!

If your blog is not listed, I'd like to know so I can follow you! What blogs do you follow? 

Books I'm Reading

Reading. If you ask most people, reading is not on their priority list. Why? Because it takes a conscious effort to focus. We live in a distracted culture. I did not start out as an avid bookworm but over time I realize there is so much to learn and so little time! Outside of my time reading God's Word, I enjoy reading books on leadership, ministry, sports and spiritual growth. Now that I'm done with seminary, it is easy to become lazy and stop challenging myself to grow. My goal is to read one book at least per month.

"Ten years from now you will be the same person you are today, except for the places you go, the people you meet, and the books you read – Jay Strack, Student Leadership University

1.Come Thirsty by Max Lucado. (I am almost done with this book. Max Lucado is an encouraging writer that creatively expounds on God's Word. I would encourage you to read it!)

2. Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian (I just started reading this book. My brother gave it to me for Christmas. I'm already challenged to understand that adding to the gospel is dangerous because it replaces truth with moralism. I'd encourage you to read this one!)

3. Tim Tebow: Through My Eyes (I'm almost done with the book. It is a great personal look at Tim's life and his dedication to God. I'm a Tebow fan (but a Seminole fan at heart!) and I'm thankful that he stands for the gospel despite all of the haters out there. It is a great inspirational book).

4. Dying to Live by Clayton King (I just purchased this book and am looking forward to reading it soon! Clayton is one of the leaders I look up to in my life. I'm grateful for his desire to be real and unashamedly preach the gospel).

5. God and Football by Chad Gibbs (My friend John let me borrow this book and I look forward to reading it).

6. The Hole in Our Gospel (I bought this book at Orange conference and have not read it yet. I know already it will challenge my understanding of revealing the gospel into a lost and broken world).

7. Quitter by Jon Acuff (It is on my "want" list. Dr. Reid told me this book is a must-read so I look forward to buying it soon!)

8. Rescuing Ambition by Dave Harvey (It is on my "want" list. Dr. Reid also endorsed this book as a must-read).

I'm still working on 9 and 10. Do you have any books to add? What are you reading? I'd like to know!

(p.s. I'm in the process of coming up with an outline for my first book or devotional...I'd appreciate any feedback on this endeavor).

Stop the Drama - Part 3

(a blog series on stopping the drama through living through the power of Christ’s forgiveness in relationships).

First, we found in the last few posts we found that we are part of the drama. Second, When it comes to drama, we cannot live with continual conflict between relationships and honor God. Drama is usually started with a desire to be right and make others look wrong. The fastest way to start drama is to gossip. 

What is gossip? It can also be defined as talk or writing about another person or situation with desire or intention to hurt them. Gossip can be the truth or a lie. Gossip literally means, "to whisper."

Why do people gossip?

- Pride (building yourself up while making others look bad) - Bitterness, anger (“vent” to make themselves feel better) - Lower self-esteem - Jealousy - Influence of peers - Must "be-in-the-know"

How to stop the drama? 

(3) Talk to the person and quit talking about the person. If families simply followed this statement, there would be more harmony and love.  Gossip betrays relationships. If they talk about others, they probably talk about you. Proverbs 18:8 says, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts." Gossip reveals the true nature of a person’s heart. If you have a barrier between you and another person, quit talking about them and go talk to them about it.

Parents, either you Influence your children to stop drama or start drama. If you stand by and allow one person to slander another, are you guilty just as well? Character assassination happens when slander is accepted. We will all at certain times be hurt deeply by others, even close friends. If you do not learn to answer the bitterness with forgiveness it can take over your life! We live in a world that celebrates tearing down others to make yourself look good. Are we teaching this verse in the home, “Love keeps no record of wrongs” 1 Corinthians 13:5. Forgiveness forgets but bitterness keeps a detailed list.

Matthew 18, 6:14-15, and Luke 6:45 are one of the most ignored scriptures in all of the Bible.

Jesus said," “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses." Matthew 18:15-16

 Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" Matthew 6:14,15.

Jesus said, "A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart." Luke 6:45 (NLT)

A lot of drama would be resolved if we simply obeyed Jesus.Without forgiveness it leads to a cycle of revenge that consumes our lives. Gossip is the enemy of building trust in relationships.

Overall, our goal should be to be peacemakers. Hebrews 12:14-15, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”