Ggrace is God's best idea - it's His decision to ravage people by love, to rescue passionately, and to restore justly.

And we need to share our story. Not with everyone but with someone. There is someone who is like you were. And he or she needs to know what God can do. Your honest portrayal of your past may be the courage for another's future.

Christmas begins what Easter celebrates. The child in the cradle became the king on the cross. And because he did, there are no marks on my record. Just grace. His offer has no fine print. He didn't tell me, "Clean up before you come in." He offered, "Come in, and I'll clean you up." It's not my grip on him that matters but his grip on me. And his grip is sure. So is his presence in my life.

The path marked Humility will take you to the manger of the Messiah.

As long as you hate your enemy, a jail door is closed and a prisoner is taken. But when you try to understand and release your foe from your hatred, then the prisoner is released and that prisoner is you.

Creativity has got to be the warp and woof, the heart and soul, of our sermons.

I would guess that about 75% of my stories are like that - personal experiences that I probably over-milk.