My definition of living a full life is changing as I age.

I once thought it meant a fast car, a bulging bank account, a big house, exotic vacations, and filling every extra minute with an adrenaline rush.

Now, it is a quiet night in my old house, watching a movie with a woman who has loved me through the best and worst seasons of life. It is having meaningful conversations with my adult children. It is sharing a delicious meal with the people closest to me and having a good laugh. It is living each day with faith and the hope of Jesus, along with my family.  

I may not have received the full life I once dreamed about, but instead, I have found something better. And I thank God for that.

Some Sundays, it feels like my efforts to serve the Lord are a waste of time. The sermon didn’t seem to connect, and I received no positive feedback. The worship time sounded like barely anyone was singing. The devotion for communion was meant to have a touch of humor, and no one laughed. My conversations were awkward, and I struggled to overcome my introverted tendencies. The activities of the day felt like wasted efforts in trying to make an impact for Jesus in the world.

I come to the office on Monday morning and pour out my heart in prayer, asking God a simple question: “What am I doing here?” I plead with him to show me something positive that happened, and that our time together for the weekend was not a waste.

Through the years, it is at this moment that God whispers into my soul, “There are no wasted efforts when you are serving me.”

He reminds me that his kingdom is like a garden, and some days are about planting seeds that will not see a harvest until some future season. Some Sundays are about pulling weeds and helping people to remove sins that have sprouted in their hearts quietly. There are other Sundays when people are being watered, and that will enable growth into the future.

On top of everything else, even when no one else is growing or changing, I am. I need lessons on humility, trust, patience, and grace. Sometimes those come during dry seasons, where it looks like things might be dying.

I tell you this because I know I am not the only one who feels this way. Every Christian leader, teacher, small group leader, and everyone who has attempted to do anything for God has thought it at some point. And I want you to hear the voice of God speaking into your life, “There are no wasted efforts in my kingdom.”

Thanks for all you do. You are a blessing.

I am writing this on a beautiful, sunny fall afternoon. It is perfect weather outside, and I do not want to be sitting in front of my computer. On top of that, I didn’t sleep very well last night. I had a difficult time falling asleep, and I woke up early to exercise. Beyond that, I do not feel very creative today. I have more creative ideas in the early morning when I am fresh and not in the late afternoons. Finally, I will not publish this post for a couple of weeks after I write it, so there is no pressure to complete it today. It would be far easier not to write anything today.

One lesson I have learned in my professional life is to stay at the computer and do the work, even when it is not the perfect time or place, and even when I don’t feel like it. If you wait for the perfect moment when every condition is ideal, you will rarely take action.

When I don’t feel like crafting a sermon, I still sit down and start working. Whenever I don’t feel like writing, I sit at the computer and start typing. Whenever I am not in the mood to do something, I don’t just sit down and quit; I start doing it. It always amazes me how I find inspiration while doing more than I did before.

The older I get, and the longer I serve as a Church leader, the more I have to fight against becoming cynical. I have the opportunity to see the best in people as they live for Jesus, but I also get to see people at their worst as sin takes over. It is easy for me to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest, and I become hardened by hearing every sob story.

Cynicism often creeps in as we get older. Life’s disappointments, broken promises, unmet expectations, and repeated struggles can tempt us to harden our hearts. A hardened heart feels like a shield, but it distances us from God’s love and the joy of His creation. As followers of Christ, we are called to guard against bitterness and keep a spirit that reflects God’s hope.

There are numerous ways to push back against this type of thinking. Do a Google search or type the question into an AI tool, and you’ll find all kinds of practical steps to help you combat the hardening of your heart. They will tell you to focus on scripture or draw near to Jesus through the spiritual disciplines. Living in community with positive people and doing self-care will help to keep your heart soft.

My suggestion was not something I found on any list during my search. I think you need to learn to laugh and laugh a lot. My favorite preacher, Fred Craddock, used to say that laughter was the best sign of God’s grace. It shows us that we do not take ourselves too seriously and that we can let go of the burdens that weigh us down.

Personally, I look at memes, watch funny reels, listen to clean comedians and their podcasts. I read things that make me smile and bring me joy. I try to spend time with people who enjoy laughing and can find humor even in the darkest of times. I think that if you take a few hours and belly laugh at the craziness of this world, it is hard to then become angry and jaded at the junk you experience from a handful of people who are driven by their selfish desires.

A few times in my life, I have laughed at what some might call an inappropriate moment. That is only because I felt the walls of my heart growing cold, and I needed to crack the shell forming around it before it became permanent.

I had sworn that I would never say that again. I told myself that behaving that way was wrong, and I promised to change. But today, I did it again. I said and did those terrible things again.

In our walk with Christ, we often strive for perfection, hoping to live a life that reflects His love and holiness. Yet, the journey of spiritual growth is not a straight path. It’s filled with stumbles, missteps, and mistakes. The good news is that each one is an opportunity to draw closer to God.

Often, growth occurs through our imperfections. These mistakes fill us with guilt that breaks our hearts, allowing grace to pour into our lives. Our mistakes humble us, teaching us to rely on God’s strength rather than our own. They provide us with an opportunity to start over with more knowledge and a greater trust in the word of God.

Learning from missteps requires reflection and repentance. It’s about recognizing where we’ve gone astray, seeking forgiveness, and allowing God to reshape us. On the wall in my office, I have printed off this passage: “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.” (Proverbs 24:16) Each fall is a chance to learn resilience, trust, and dependence on God’s guidance.

Embracing mistakes as part of spiritual growth doesn’t mean excusing sin. Instead, it’s about trusting that God uses even our failures for His purpose. Like a child learning to walk, we stumble, but God’s hand is always there to lift us, teaching us to take stronger steps toward Him.

My wife and I enjoy getting up in the middle of the night and walking for miles in the dark, so that no one sees us, there is almost no traffic, and the temperature is cooler.

One of the most enjoyable things I do each week is listen to my two favorite clean comedy podcasts. When I finish them both on YouTube, I re-listen to them through Apple Podcasts. Twice, every week, always twice.

Every Saturday night, I read through my sermon at least three times. Three times is usually the sweet spot. I practice it in my mind and memorize the location of the material on each page, so that I can close my eyes and visualize each one in my mind when I preach. Then, I get up on Sunday morning and walk at the local track and preach it to myself before I do anything else.

I call my mother every Wednesday afternoon and we talk for about an hour.

Most evenings, sometime before I go to bed, I browse through a handful of Facebook groups that share memes and giggle.

My life is simple, and it is difficult to explain to people. I like to work, love, and laugh, all while having routines that make other people scratch their heads. It is just who I am. Often, I think of Romans 9, where in verses 19-21, Paul uses the analogy of the potter and the clay. The potter, who is God, has the right to make things however he wants. Some items he makes for special purposes, and others are for common use. I am a common, ordinary man with quirky habits, but I believe God shaped me this way, and this is who I am today.

Another ritual I observe is that I come to my office every morning and pray. I ask God to use my life and quirkiness for his glory. It is an odd gift, but it is all I have to give.

As Christians, we are called to build each other up in love, not simply to point out flaws. There is a big difference between telling someone, “You’re wrong,” and showing them a better path forward.

When all we do is point out errors, we leave others feeling stuck and defeated. Correction without direction rarely produces growth. When we take the time to offer a godly alternative, we give hope and guidance.

If we want to reflect Jesus well, it’s not enough to say, “That’s wrong.” We need to add, “And here’s a better way that honors God.”

I preach, teach, and write about many biblical topics. I share instruction, advice, and practical steps to help people live out their faith. I encourage people to share Jesus’ message through both words and actions.

Most of the time, I feel like people ignore what I’m saying. When they do listen, it barely goes beyond surface level and gets forgotten quickly.

However, I’ve noticed that people respond differently when the message becomes personal.

A sermon on marriage hits differently when your own marriage is struggling and you need help.

Teaching about welcoming guests on Sunday morning means more when your own family visits church for the first time.

Words about resurrection hope carry greater weight when someone you love is battling cancer.

The challenge for followers of Jesus is to take His words personally at all times. To read and listen, knowing that there is something that can apply to us right now.

What Jesus says and what the Church teaches matters to you personally, whether you realize it now or not. This weekend at worship, as you listen to people explaining the Bible, ask yourself, “Where can I personalize what I am hearing?”

Behind my house sits a small shed with an old wooden privacy fence about three feet beyond it. Over time, vines had entirely overtaken the space between them.

A few weeks ago, I decided to reclaim that area. With fall approaching, it seemed like the perfect time to free some stored items and restore order to the chaos.

I spotted wasp nests along the shed’s back wall, sprayed them, and waited before starting work. I was tearing out vines when I turned to clear the fence as well. Without warning, a swarm erupted from a metal gate stored there. I only noticed them when the stinging began.

They hit me at least three times, and the one on my forehead seemed particularly aggressive, stinging repeatedly based on the lasting welt. Over the following days, I endured a massive headache, swelling around both eyes, and pain, along with embarrassment.

This experience reminded me of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, where he writes about resurrection and Christ’s return. He describes how death will be “swallowed up in victory” and quotes the prophet Hosea: “Where, O death, is your sting?”

Death brings momentary stinging pain, much like a wasp’s attack. It hurts both physically and emotionally, but there’s hope. One day, death’s stinger will be removed forever.

I hate wasps. I hate death even more. But I’m grateful that someday, both stings will be gone.

We live in a world that craves instant results. We want quick answers, immediate success, and fast fixes. But the Christian life is about faithfulness over time. Scripture constantly reminds us that God works with an eternal perspective, shaping us slowly, deeply, and purposefully.

The Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” The Christian life is a marathon. Growth in faith, relationships, and character takes time. The seeds of the Gospel don’t bloom overnight, prayers may not be answered immediately, and faithfulness may not seem to yield quick rewards. Following Christ means embracing patience.

God is always at work, even when we can’t see it. Playing the long game means trusting His timing, investing in eternal things, and believing that our perseverance will bear fruit. When we sow with patience and faith, we can be confident that God will bring the harvest in His perfect season.

Don’t lose heart. Keep sowing. Keep trusting. Keep running the race. The long game yields eternal rewards.