The Cry of My Heart

Some things I long for...

1. Real Conversion. Not just that people would go to church or do some nice things, but that they would encounter a risen Christ. That people would come to know the Son of God who bled and died to take away the sins of the world. That such an encounter would redeem their past, transform their present, and give purpose and real hope to their future.

2. That people would not be baptized into a lukewarm faith that has grown at ease in Zion and is riddled with complacency; but that they would be baptized with water and fire! That a holy zeal would overtake the church. That we would refuse to accept a form of Godliness but not the power (anyone can have a form, but only the Spirit gives the power). That we would grow tired of church services where people are not keenly aware of God's presence.

3. That people would wrestle and ultimately crucify the flesh with its lusts and desires so that they would no longer live, but only Christ within them! O that people would receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit's cleansing work in their heart to rid them (and really deliver them) from a desire for the things of this world! That their whole heart, soul, mind, & all their strength would be devoted to their love of Christ!

4. Send a great revival in my soul! May my love for Jesus eclipse all other loves in my life. May my love of neighbor be a compelling force for action in my life. May my spirit be stirred whenever I think of Jesus. May my desire for holiness be greater than my desire for this world.

5. May the glory of God descend on His people again. May we encounter God as Moses did on the mountain in the wilderness! May our churches shake as the Holy Spirit blows through our lives radically forming us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

6. May the Church dictate to culture the Way again! Help us to stop looking to the entertainment industry, the politicians, or the celebrities for us to take our cues. Let the church look again to Christ (His Way, His Holiness, His Standard) as our example. Let us be His Body again.

7. May the church be marked by purity and power again. Not political power, financial power, or technological power, but power to live a holy life. Power to minister effectively in a culture and time that is increasingly difficult and even detrimental to holy living. Power to overcome. Power to stand against compromise and liberalism. May the church be undefiled by the worldly desires and shifting moral landscape. May the Bride be ready when the groom returns!

Even so, come Lord Jesus!


Check out the following articles:

Signs of a Good Church

20 Signs You are in a Dying Church

Stop Saying this at Funerals

How to Lead Your Church into Apostasy

"We're All Winners"

I've participated in or at least been a spectator in enough church leagues to get a sickening feeling from that phrase. We especially do it in children's church leagues.

I'm sure the idea in promoting the "no one loses" mentality is full of good intentions, but what is it that they say about good intentions? ("Good intentions pave the way to [the bad place].")

I think it actually cripples our children. We are actually harming our kids by trying to prevent them from ever "losing." Failure is a natural part of life. Some of the things you attempt in life will end in failure. Therefore, the sooner you learn to deal with failure the sooner you will be able to use failure to improve or better your life. That's right, I think that an appropriate response to failure can actually better your life.

Don't we want kids to be able to cope with failure in life? Or do we want them to face the surprise of failure for the first time as an adult?

Everyone will fail at things in life. You will compete for things and lose in life. You will sometimes be at the bottom 3 percentile of the activity you are participating in. What are you going to do then? Have a nervous breakdown because in the T-Ball league at church you were a winner even though you never made it to first base? Are you going to fly into a rage because in the church basketball league you were not considered an "all-star" even though you never learned how to dribble?

Failure may not be the most enjoyable thing in the world but I think it does a few positive things in life that we all need!

(1) It keeps you humble. Nothing helps you to get a big juicy bite of 'humble pie' like failure. The bigger the crowd watching your failure, the bigger the piece of pie! Ever met someone so high on themselves that you wished they would fail? (That's not a Christian feeling.) Failure has the uncanny ability to bring you down to earth. There's nothing worse than observing someone doing a really bad job at something, but feeling like they are great!

(2) It reminds you of your shortcomings. Failure is a sober reminder of your inadequacies. Failure resounds with the words: "You are the weakest link... goodbye." It can bring to the forefront some of the places in your life you are the weakest for your observation... as well as the observation of others. Failure can help you to realize that you are not cut out to sing a special at church because you cannot sing. Failure helps you to see that you cannot play football in High School when you are a runt. No one can be the master of everything.

(3) It helps you better understand yourself. Generally speaking, we tend to be blind to our weaknesses. Sometimes we are blind to our greatest weaknesses. Failure brings those to the surface not only so that you can see them, but so that you can assimilate that information into a better understanding of who you are. In order to understand who I am, who God has called me to be, and what His call on my life will mean in the ministry; I must have an understanding of my strengths and my weaknesses.

(4) It serves as a learning experience. Not only do I learn about myself, but I will also learn about others. Sometimes you will learn who your real friends are. Failure tends to drive away the fickle. People want to be around successful individuals, not individuals that fail. People want to be around individuals that can help them, not individuals that they will have to help. You learn the nature of those close to you when you fail. How will they respond? How will the react? You can also learn a great deal about your own character. Are you a sore loser? Are you arrogant? etc.

(5) It makes you appreciate others. Failure may just be the greatest tool in helping us to realize we need others. (Remember I am speaking from a Christian perspective so the 'others' I am referring to are the church.) There are no Lone Rangers in the kingdom of Heaven! There are not really any rogue Christians that masquerade outside the body of Christ. So when I fail and my brothers and sisters are used by God to catch me, I realize how much I need them and I appreciate them more.

(6) It gives you direction in life. Failure is like a "Dead End" road sign. It lets you know you're heading in the wrong direction or going in the right direction but by the wrong means. For example, if people 'boo' you at church when you sing the special you should take that in one of two ways... either I am not gifted with the ability to sing or I have not practiced this song nearly enough. (I'd lean toward the 'not gifted to sing' just to be on the safe side for the rest of us.) Failure can be like that road block that is saying "cliff ahead, turn back, this is not the direction your life needs to be going!" Hey, do us all a favor and listen to failure!

So, let's be honest with our children. Let's just be honest as Christians and not tell our kids: "Everyone is a winner."

That's not true. Frankly, some of us are just "out and out losers" when it comes to certain things. Let's use failure as a learning tool and not something to try and hide from everyone!

...but, that's just my opinion!

What do you think?


Check out these other articles....

A Running Missionary

A New Year's Resolution

Some Things You Need to Know.

Re: Kanye West

The world is in turmoil over Kanye's newest album, but most of all his insistence that he now works for God. 

Where do you stand? Or do you even have to have an opinion? Before you finalize your opinion about Kanye West and his conversion: Pause.

My problem concerns our need to have an opinion at this moment. If he has truly been born-again we [Christians] are doing a severe injustice to him by prematurely criticizing, on one hand, or vying to get him in our pulpit and instantly become a "poster child" for the church, on the other hand. We need not rush him into sainthood or expose him as a fraud. Time will give Kanye the opportunity to share the fruit of a life in Christ. Until then, no need to jump to any conclusions. 

Even if you're good at jumping to conclusions, you'll only ever maybe be as accurate as a meteorologist. Let's give time and space for K. West to work out his salvation. 

It would have to be difficult figuring things out as a new Christian while the media is micro-examining everything you do. Time will tell. Just a thought.

Signs of a Good Church

Ever wonder if your church is one of the good ones? Here are some signs!

1. There are people regularly being born-again. It is evident that people are repenting and thus turning from sin to make Jesus their Savior. Lives are really changing! Transformation is taking place on regular basis as people come to Jesus.

2. There are people being sanctified wholly. After becoming Christians, the Holy Spirit draws people to a place of full surrender. People are going "all in" when it comes to issues of faith. A second definite work of God is evident as people have hearts that are purified and lives empowered for service. It's the difference between Jesus disciples before Pentecost and after Pentecost.

3. People in the church want to come more often. There is a sense of anticipation about what God is doing when His people gather together to worship Him. They become more than "once a week Christians". Worshiping God is not something given "lip service" but is actually done with eagerness an vitality.

4. People bring other people to church with them. Bill boards, radio ads, and internet advertising is not the driving force for the growth of the church... people are. Empowered by the Holy Spirit people that worship on Sunday are ministering at work, school, home, and in their neighborhood. Their lives are attractive because of what God is doing and people are coming to see the source of their spiritual vitality!

5. Baptisms occur often. People are being baptized who have committed their lives to Christ. They are ready for next steps and for God to do more things in their lives. There is a contagious and celebratory feel to these baptism services. 

6. There is a spirit of excitement and enthusiasm in the times of worship. Worship is not boring because it is heart felt and passionate. This is not about a certain style or a certain kind of instrument. This is about a people who have been forgiven and recognize the great price Jesus paid for their sins on the cross. They are thankful and even overwhelmed at the love of God.

7. People in the church have powerful testimonies of what God is doing in their life currently. God's work in their lives is not only past tense. Their testimonies are "up to date." It is evident that God is not done in the lives of the people because He is still doing new things in their lives!

8. Individuals in the church are developing their own personal lifestyle convictions as the Spirit leads them. It is a serious thing to seek God's will and how it impacts daily life. Vibrant churches are full of people who are willing to draw the line about sinful activity, but also flee from the moral "gray area". 

9. People are willing to do and be uncomfortable for the sake of God's work. Moving forward in faith is rarely done in comfort or even earthly security. Risks are taken to obey the Lord's leading and fulfill His will for the church. Victory's price is often action taken in faith that God is about to do something big.

10. Church becomes less about activities and form, and more about presence and power. While a thriving church is very active, the focus is not on activities, programs, or entertainment, but on the glory of God ministering to the real needs of people present. There is a marked difference between a church with God's glory and one without.

So, what do you think are some signs of a good church?


Also check out the following articles:

Why I Still Have a Sunday Night Service

Get a Back Bone

20 Signs You Are in a Dying Church

Navigating Social Media

20 Signs You Are in a Dying Church

Just a few warning signs that the church in which you worship is heading to closure...

1. There is more concern about how many people are in attendance than how many people have been baptized. (As a side note have you ever noticed that church leaders don't seem to be concerned about a lack of believer baptisms, but do get concerned when attendance goes down?)

2. It has been a long time since you experienced conviction (the Holy Spirit speaking to you about sin or direction in your life) during a service.

3. There is constant worry that the church will run out of money. Thus, decisions are made based on whether "we can afford" it or not instead of whether it is God's Will. (God is faithful to "fund" what He wants done.)

4. There is constant worry that people will leave the church. This is probably as a result of the slow (or sometimes rapid) decline of attendance.

5. There is more concern about the property than lost people. Dying churches are in despair that their property is running down instead of the fact they are ineffective in spreading the Gospel.

6. Most people are not aware of the central focus of the church (or why the church exists). A vast majority of the congregation has never lead another person to faith in Jesus.

7. Everyone is scared that someone might be offended about something. The preacher refuses to deal with anything controversial from the pulpit (which accounts for about 90% of Biblical teaching) and the church refuses to take a stand on anything controversial probably due to #4 of this list.

8. The Pastor dreads getting into the pulpit to preach and generally views the worship service (probably only one) as more 'work' for the week. The pastor has maybe grown weary in well doing or burnt out or just doesn't care anymore. There is a no passion in the pulpit.

9. People come out of duty or routine rather than expectation or anticipation. They come so they will make it to Heaven instead of a love of Christ. (I've been to some churches that were pretty painful to sit through.)

10. Visitors are viewed as "fresh meat" that can keep the "ministry" going.

11. The old people are blamed for causing the church to die or the young people are blamed for causing the church to die. (Generational conflict.)

12. People fight over small petty things. People gossip about each other instead of love each other.

13. No one shows up early for service or prepares to sing, teach, or preach. It's obvious to a visitor that everything was "thrown together."

14. There are power struggles between the people who want to change everything and the people who don't want to change anything.

15. Standards of leadership are in decline (less accountability, less personal integrity, and less convictions among leadership). The line between holy living and sinful living is blurred.

16. No excitement among the people. No passion and no real desire to participate in worship. 

17. Prayer request time is long and mainly about physical needs. Answers to prayer are rarely mentioned.

18. Testimonies and conversation before and after services are generally negative in nature.

19. No one greets visitors unless they know them personally. Everyone thinks they are friendly, but (if they are) it's only with people they already know.

20. "Conversions" and "baptisms" may take place but there is no significant life changes among "new believers."


Also check out the following articles...

Stop Saying this at Funerals

Women Preach!

16 People Every Church Needs

The Funeral God Attended

Stop Saying This at Funerals

I've been to more than my fair share of funerals. As a Christian, I come to these moments with a powerful sense of hope and faith in those things which are to come. As a pastor, I come as one seeking to point others to Jesus and praying that the Holy Spirit will serve as the comforter during this time.

I have found that some people say some really dumb things at funerals. Yes, a lot of insensitive things are said, but also a lot of unbiblical things are said. A vast majority of the time there is no ill intent in the one speaking. They are typically awkward about what to say to bring comfort and thus fumble the moment with their words. Here are a few you need to not say at the next funeral you attend.

1. "Everything happens for a reason." Maybe it's true if we spoke about things in terms of cause and effect, but to assume some things are part of God's master plan is to imply that evil things or tragic things are orchestrated by God. The reality is that God can work in the midst of the tragic events, but that does not mean that He caused them. 

2. "Heaven is a better place because he is there." It just doesn't get any better than Jesus. And he is already there. My presence in Heaven does not make it better than it already is with God sitting on the throne. Saying things that exaggerate or even contradict the truth are often said to play upon the emotions of the mourning family. 

3. "I know she's an angel now." No one becomes someone or something else when they die. Angels are not dead people they are heavenly beings like cherubim and seraphim that God created. No one gets wings or becomes an angel after death. It is just not true.

4. "He looks so good/natural. Just like they're sleeping." In reality, anyone in a coffin looks dead. Commenting on their physical appearance is a tribute to vanity that is not helpful to mourning family. They are suffering because of the loss of their family member not the looks. To any family member, the appearance of their deceased loved one is not a "good" or pleasant sight. 

5. "I know how you feel." Chances are... you do not know how they feel. And even if you have experienced something similar, you still do not know exactly how they feel. Just do not say something so bold when someone is having some pretty intense feelings. It is never a good idea to make someone's time of mourning about you or your past sorrow.

6. "Don't cry." How someone expresses their sorrow varies from individual to individual. Some of it is influenced by the culture that a person is raised in and others should be sensitive to the fact that there are varied ways one experiences sorrow at different levels. Encouraging someone to not cry is at best insensitive and at worst harmful to the mourning individual who needs to go through the process of mourning. This is no time to expect someone to be emotionless.

7. "How are you holding up?" By the time the funeral arrives the family members of the deceased are usually emotionally numb. Some of them have cried continuously for the last couple of days and are emotionally drained from the intense emotions they have experienced. Asking them how they are holding up is a question that they will not be able to answer with any real clarity and they should not be pressed to in those moments anyway. "How are you doing?" is also a dumb thing to ask someone at a funeral.

8. "She's in a better place." The assumption is made frequently often with out regard to the truth of the situation, but more than that it is an irrelevant comfort. While the statement is not always inappropriate, it is when it is used flippantly, errantly, or in an attempt to push a mourning individual to move beyond their sorrow. 

9. "You'll get over it eventually." The loss of a loved one is not something someone "gets over". It is a cold and callous response to a hurting individual that deeply loved a person who is now gone to insinuate that they will "move on" eventually. Our world may rush on like nothing happened, but when someone has suffered loss they realize more and more that their world will never be the same.

10. "If you need anything, just let me know." Has anyone actually called you up and let you know that they needed something? Probably not. Why? Because for the immediate family that are mourning a family member who has died, there is no time to even think about what you might need. Immediately following a death of an individual a host of decisions need to be made: arrangements for the funeral/viewing/wake, contacting family & friends, legal documents, financial concerns, medical bills/issues (especially if there was a long illness or a hospital stay immediately preceding death). So do not just offer help, do something that would be helpful. Prepare a meal, provide for child care, assist in preparation, or help in some practical way. 

The Point. I've been in enough funerals to have heard many of the things above. My goal is not to intimidate anyone from showing love to those grieving, but to give insight that often the "cliches" we have heard others say are not helpful, but actually harmful to the ones we are trying to comfort. Presence is more powerful than proclamation sometimes. Your presence is not needed to fix the person mourning or remedy the sorrow they are experiencing. Your presence is most blessed when it is about solidarity with the grieving person.

Rev Nathan Neihof "Any cheap statement concerning grief or death does more harm than good. If you don’t know what to say, don’t say anything, just show up and love on people."

Betty Land Bond Smith "Let’s face it, we are super sensitive when we lose a loved one. Just give hugs and be quiet."

What about you? What things were said or done at a funeral for one of your loved ones that was especially meaningful?


Also check out these other articles:

Navigating Social Media

How to Know God's Will for Your Life

Why I Stopped Giving to the Poor

Women Preach!

I believe God calls women to preach. And I believe this because the Bible is careful to clarify God's call and the Holy Spirit's anointing upon women. I happen to be part of the Church of the Nazarene which has, from it's beginning, affirmed the calling of God in the life of women to preach, teach, and lead in the church. They were committed to this not because of cultural trends or popular fads, but because it was Biblical truth.

As you read Scripture, it is clear that the frequency of women preaching, prophesying, or leading is less than that of men. There may be many factors that would influence that trend, but you cannot deny that God calls and speaks through women. The issue has never been about certain quotas of men vs women prophesying, but whether or not God does in fact speak through women in that way.

Some examples of women who ministered...

In the Old Testament there were women who served in various types of leadership positions. From Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, to Deborah who led the Israelites into battle, the Bible is clear that women were both leaders and called by God. What is worth noting about both of these women is that they were also referred to as prophetesses (see Exodus 15:20 and Judges 4:4). They were women who prophesied. They were preachers. They spoke on behalf of God. It's a bit troubling to note that they would not be allowed to fulfill their calling in some churches and denominations though it is clear in God's Word that they obeyed the leading of the Holy Spirit. Biblically God often combines positions of leadership with preaching/prophesying.

Jesus' ministry is rife with teaching, instructing, and inclusion of women. Although he does not include a woman among the twelve disciples, this is poor evidence for Jesus seeking to exclude women from a call to be His disciples. His homogeneous group of male disciples is an indication that Jesus' concern for a sense of spiritual affirmative action concerning women is non existent. The kingdom of God obviously includes all people, of all races, of every economic level and social status in the world that have acknowledged Jesus as Lord. However, it may be that our push and emphasis on the "diversity" of our clergy is more in line with culture than with Christ.

Controversial or not, God clearly used women in every facet of the early church as well. Though culturally this may not have been accepted, the early church did not regard the gender of an individual as a determining factor for the filling of the Holy Spirit and God's ability to speak through them. In Acts 1, we are specifically told that, in addition to some of the men in the upper room, women have gathered for the prayer meeting too.

Peter's sermon at Pentecost refers back to the Old Testament prophet Joel's promise that in the last days God would pour out his Holy Spirit on men and women. This outpouring/anointing of the Holy Spirit would enable men and women to prophesy/preach!

Acts 18 gives us another glimpse of a husband and wife named Aquila and Priscilla who heard Apollos preach and took him aside for further teaching. A woman and her husband were instructing another preacher.

In Acts 21:9 we are told that an evangelist named Philip has four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

In Romans 16:1, Phoebe is referred to as a deacon of the church in Cenchraea. While some translations use the word 'servant' instead of 'deacon' the Greek word is literally deacon. The issue that can be debated here is whether the 'Deacon' is a formal title or a general service that every believer is to give to church.

A woman named Junia was commended by Paul in Romans 16:7 as someone who was imprisoned at the same time he was, but was "outstanding among the apostles" or, some translations say, "of note among the apostles." A female apostle.

Phoebe Palmer, a teacher and preacher in the holiness movement of the 1800's.

Some objections to women preaching...

There are some who are already referencing the verses that forbid women to do certain things in the church. To be Biblically true to Scripture, we must embrace all of God's Word. Let's look at them too.

1 Timothy 2 is among the most often referenced and quoted when arguing for the exclusion of women preaching or teaching in the church.

1 Timothy 2:11-15 (ESV) "Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. [12] I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. [13] For Adam was formed first, then Eve; [14] and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. [15] Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control."

It's a pretty straight forward passage that plainly says "I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet."

The problem arises when we take this one passage as definitive interpretation of all circumstances in every church at every time. If it is read and interpreted in the context of all of God's Word (as every passage of Scripture should be), then we come to what would seem to be a paradox. Sometimes the Bible highlights, encourages, and even promises the coming of the Holy Spirit for women to preach/prophesy, even giving specific examples. Other times, as in Paul's first letter to Timothy, the Bible forbids women the ability to teach/lead in the church. Because of these seemingly contradictory passages we are forced to hone our interpretive ability.

The Conclusions we must come to is as follows:
There are times when God specifically calls and works through women. There are also clearly times when God requires their silence. The issue of women preaching, prophesying, teaching, leading, etc. is not a blanket statement of every woman (or every man for that matter) allowance or restriction to preach. There are times when women are called and utilized by God to speak and lead in His church. There are other times when God requires their silence.

We must acknowledge...

1. In the Old and New Testament, the Bible gives us examples of women who prophesied, led others (including men), and did so under the leadership of the Holy Spirit (at God's calling).

2. There were some instances when women in particular circumstances were not allowed to lead or teach in that setting. Only Conjecture could come up with reasons why Paul tells Timothy to forbid it, but the fact remains, there are some circumstances where women preaching or teaching was restricted.

3. The fact remains that there are many more Biblical examples of women who prophesied and were used by God than there are restrictions. Neither the restrictions to teach or the encouragements to preach apply to every woman. Not every woman is called to preach in a the formal sense, just like not every man is called to preach. There are some men who are not called to preach. There are some women who are not called to preach. There are some women who are called to preach. There are some men who are called to preach.

4. The responsibility of the church, the body of Christ, is to identify those people, whether male or female, who have the call of God on their life. Do they have the anointing of the Holy Spirit? Do they have the gifts & ability to communicate the Gospel? Do they themselves live holy lives that are evident to all around them?

Ultimately we must conclude from Scripture that someone's gender is not, in itself, either a qualification or a disqualification for the calling of God. God continues to pour out His Spirit on men and women today just as He promised through the prophet Joel. 

So ladies, if you are sensing God's call... preach! Preach always under the anointing of the Holy Spirit!


Also check out the following articles...

Why I like the Church of the Nazarene.

10 Reasons I Became a Feminist.

My Ordination Means Something.

Navigating Social Media

A few guidelines that may help you to navigate Social Media.

1. If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Be careful about clicking on mysterious messages or forwarding things on to all your friends. No legitimate message requires you to forward to everyone on your friends list! (Also note that forwarding a message with a picture of Jesus on it does not really qualify you for Heaven.)

2. Don't share false news stories. Promoting obviously biased articles about some outrageous thing that a politician did (who happens to be in a different party than you) is at best lazy and at worst dishonest and deceptive. Don't share wacked out stories. You are part of the problem when you share that stuff! Google or another search engine can be of great assistance in verifying the truthfulness of something you see on social media. Take the time to research.

3. The nature of social media is one of telling, not listening. While I'm sure many people are influenced by what they see on social media, debates that take place on posts rarely convince anyone to come to the other side of any issue. "I won the argument online" ...said no one ever! Reign in the debates. Use a little wisdom. Face to face conversations about differences of opinion are generally more civil and more productive.

4. Traumatic news of death, serious injury, natural disaster, dead bodies, pictures of people in distressing situations, etc do not need to be posted on social media. No one wants to find out that they lost a family member via social media (make sure all immediate family and relatives are aware of the passing of a family member before it reaches social media). No one wants to see their child in a painful situation because you posted the picture first. You are not helping anyone, you are harming people when you rush to "get it on Facebook." Do not succumb to the voyeurism of the hour in which we live.

5. Keep family discord off of social media. (This includes your church family too.) Having a disagreement with your family is, in many ways, a normal part of having family. While differences of opinion will no doubt rise among family members, the need to post issues of personal conflict in marriage, among family members, between co-workers or friends is not acceptable or even helpful. Problems arise from the fact that long after you have worked out your differences, you have social media voyeurs wondering what will happen in the next episode of your family's version of a soap opera.

6. Don't post your drama. It has never helped someone to post their frustration on Facebook. "Venting" on social media is a prescription for added chaos, not less mess. Typing out your frustration in work relationships, difficult days, or other drama simply doubles down your mind on the negative and frustrating elements of your situation. You become less thankful and more bitter the more drama you put on social media.

7. There is always someone who takes it upon themselves to become an online counselor. Many people assume their psychology degree comes from a keyboard. It is worth noting that on social media everyone has an opinion. The problem with that opinion is that it may be coming from someone who has problems more difficult than yours from which they have been unable to navigate themselves. For example, what if they are giving you marriage advice when they are in their 5th marriage? Do not become the person who thinks you can solve everyone else's problems. If you really want to help, meet the person in real life.

8. Get rid of your "know it all" tendencies. Ever noticed there are some people who seem to live on social media and quickly comment with their opinion whenever there is a need for advice? Some people to have all the answers, but it is often little more than a prideful attitude masked through the world wide web. Have something that can really help someone? Make an effort to personally invest in that person outside of a screen on your phone or computer.

What might you add?


Also check out the following articles...

Some Questions for the Pro-Choice

Get a Back Bone!

I Sin Every Day