10 must-read posts [from the first half of 2010]

Dude… This year has brought way more so far than I could have imagined, and it’s really just the beginning! I had a feeling that this year would take me (and many more of us) into new places and new experiences, and what we accomplished so far certainly didn’t disappoint.

We had 95 posts that got over 23,500 pageviews during the first six months of 2010! While I look forward to some incredible stuff coming up in the second half of the year, I wanted to take a quick look back at some of the posts that really stood out in the first half…

[dillon burroughs] on evangelism (colossians 4:2-6)

Author Dillon Burroughs joined my Evangelism Ministry class via Skype, and we were able to record the session and share it as a series here at BibleDude.net. This post was the main teaching that he shared with the class, and was a great lesson in developing a personal evangelism strategy.

can you give me a ride? [a question in christian ethics]

Who knew that a woman asking me for a ride would turn into such a dynamic discussion? This was apparently an issue that LOTS of people had some really strong feelings about. I feel it’s important to toss around potential ethical dilemmas like this so that we can better prepare ourselves to handle these situations next time they come up.

perfect love, imperfect fear

I love it when great ideas come out of group Bible studies! This Spring I taught a Homiletics class where we had some incredible conversations about various Bible passages, and this post is the result of one of those conversations.

[real-time connections] chapter 2: hearing God’s call

I also love the group blogging projects that we host here, and the one we did on Real-Time Connections was no exception! This post by Marcus Goodyear made me (and many others) really think. Marcus has a way with asking challenging questions in a way that makes you want to engage them.

google maps images of #haiti

My heart broke when the earthquake devastated Haiti earlier this year. And I’m excited to be making the trip there soon. Among all of the other images of Port-au-Prince, it’s difficult to even look at the Google Maps images of the area after the catastrophe.

god just wants your heart [an interview with tom davis]

One of my favorite interviews this year was with author and president of Children’s HopeChest Tom Davis. It was challenging, inspiring, and empowering. Just when you think Tom would tell you how you can help him, he turns it around and shows us the heart of God in affecting change around the world.

[the mystery of the cross] part 6: ways to worship

Another one of our group book blogging projects was on The Mystery of the Cross. In this post, BibleDude.net project newcomer Crystal Rowe asks us an important question about the simplicity of the cross and worshiping the amazing awesomeness of our God.

10 must-read posts [from @thehighcalling blogs network]

Okay, okay… so this one is another ‘top 10 list’… But if you check out the links on this one, then you’ll understand why I couldn’t leave it off of this list. It’s simply some of the best Christian content on the web!

where you are [by jeremy horn]

During my Skype interview with Ardent Records musician Jeremy Horn, he played a song for us from his upcoming album. I had to add this one to the list not only because I like the song, but also because it’s just cool to have an ‘exclusive music video’!

[the 72 project] churches, zoos, and salt shakers

Special contributor Andi Shaw hit the road this Summer on a road trip to minister to the homeless. Along the way she’s been sharing her stories here, and this one is an incredible reflection that should (and will) challenge all of us to reach out to those in need no matter where we’re at.

the shirt [that says it all]

Let me start by saying that I’ve never been a huge fan of Christian ‘witnessing shirts’. There just seems to be something about them that doesn’t generate the kind of response that they’re supposed to.

I’ve even heard a story once about a zealous young Christian man who became discouraged when his witnessing shirts didn’t have the effect that he had hoped. Then one day he put on (something like) a Harley Davidson t-shirt which prompted an awesome conversation that even allowed him to share his faith with someone.

So, imagine my surprise when I put on a Christian t-shirt that got some people talking to me.

The first was a lady at Target. She said to me, “That’s great! It’s nice to see that kind of message out there these days!” It took me a moment to realize she was talking about my shirt, and by the time I caught on she was walking away giving me the thumbs-up of approval.

Then I was waiting at a restaurant for my take-out, and the hostess kept looking at me and smiling. At first I thought she was flirting, but then she said something. “I like your shirt. That’s really cool.” Umm… wow dude.

Since then I’ve received several other comments, and I’ve noticed many more doing the double-take to make sure that they saw it right.

I’m still not sure exactly why this shirt is generating so much more conversation than I’m used to seeing for a Christian t-shirt. Maybe it has to do with the authenticity and simplicity of the message. Maybe because people see it as much less evangelistic, yet still carrying a boatload of truth. Whatever it is, it seems to be working.

I just never expected this response when I designed it.

What do you think? How does the message of this t-shirt strike you? Why do you think this one resonates so well with people? Comment below with your thoughts on the message on this shirt.

If you’re willing, then I challenge you to try it. If you do, then I’d love to hear about your experience! Are you getting the same kind of reaction that I am?

Buy the read. serve. pray. t-shirt now~

Shop for other [wear bibledude] gear~

the strongest boy i know

Every day he endures pains and discomforts that I cannot comprehend. Well, maybe a little bit… but I can only relate in the short-term. He has to endure this stuff with no end or relief. I’ve often wondered why so many give up simply because they’re tired of the rigors involved, but when I humbly put myself in their shoes I begin to understand.

It just never ends…

He’s only seven years old, and he’s already taught me a lot (see also broken). Specifically, he’s taught me more about strength than I’ve been able to learn in my entire life.

His name is Samuel, and he is my son. He was diagnosed with Type 1 (a.k.a. Juvenile) Diabetes when he was 17-months old. Since that earth-shattering (at least for us) day in the children’s hospital, our most important responsibility is to manage his blood sugar levels. That requires…

• 6-8 finger pricks every day to check his blood sugar levels
• counting of every carbohydrate that enters his mouth
• wearing an insulin pump (about the size of a pager/cell phone) 24/7
• changing the insulin pump’s infusion set (with a big needle) every 2-3 days

The scars on his body are a constant reminder to me that this is something that he will never grow out of. No change in his diet will ever cure him of this. This is his routine for the rest of his life.

I see the marks from the pricks on his fingers and wonder if he lives with constant pain in his hands. How does it feel to have to pick up a pencil at school with sore fingers? Or a knife and fork at dinner time?

I have a tough time fully comprehending what his life must be like. But I do know that he does it anyway without any end in sight.

That makes him the strongest boy that I know.

Until we can find a cure for this disease that destroys his precious little body inside and out, it is my job to minimize the damage as much as possible by keeping his blood sugar levels under control. And it’s this very work that causes the external scars that remind me that I must do something.

YouTube Video :: 2010 Walk for Samuel

Every year, we join the Walk to Cure Diabetes in our area. If you would like to sponsor me in the 2010 Walk, you can do so here.

You can also watch our videos from previous years on the Walk for Samuel channel on YouTube.

[scouting the divine] project wordle

Wordle (visual representation) from the complete text of the group blogging project on Margaret Feinberg’s Scouting the Divine. 

 

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