Encouragement

I Need a Reason to Sing.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on May 16, 2014May 16, 2014

“Where words fail, music speaks.” -Hans Christian Anderson Mid way through my yard detail duties yesterday evening, my ears were filled with a random shuffle to a song by All Sons and Daughters called, “Reason to Sing”. …

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The Heart of the Matter.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on May 14, 2014May 14, 2014

In 1 Samuel 16, God tells the prophet Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” The current …

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“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.”

by Mark Sorensen May 6, 2014May 6, 2014

So woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites! You tithe from your luxuries and your spices, giving away a tenth of your mint, your dill, and your cumin. But you have ignored the …

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“One more time!” Easter reflections.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on April 21, 2014April 21, 2014

When my oldest son was little, his favorite superhero was Superman. I know this because of one simple truth: he loved to fly. Literally. He would climb up on the furniture, on plant stands, anything that …

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Condemned.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on April 9, 2014April 9, 2014

Have you ever gotten into a situation where you found yourself over your head? I’m not talking a little over your head. I’m talking WAY over your head. I can certainly confess that a few …

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Slamming the door to the Kingdom

by Mark SorensenUpdated on May 10, 2014April 4, 2014

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.” (Matthew 23:13 ESV) My wife and …

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Stuffed.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on March 26, 2014March 26, 2014

I’ll just go on the record and say it: I’m a terrible cook. Now, let me clarify. I wouldn’t say that the food I prepare is bad, per se, but here’s where I seem to …

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Not Ashamed.

by Mark Sorensen March 7, 2014March 7, 2014

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16 In the forty minutes it took to wind through the streets …

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One wonder greater.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on March 4, 2014March 4, 2014

In my short little lived life, I can proudly confess that I’ve witnessed a lot of pretty great things. A few examples come to mind. The birth of my children. Seeing Star Wars, Episode IV, …

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“He simply sees His people.”

by Mark SorensenUpdated on March 3, 2014March 3, 2014

The morning started early for many in the group. Thanks to a combination of excitement, jet lag, and sleeping schedules messed up, many of us awoke early this morning ready to start the day. Breakfast …

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Headphones Off.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on March 2, 2014March 2, 2014

The Lord has a funny way of keeping me centered. Hundreds of seats on this jumbo 777 and I get the seat with the non working headset therefore allowing me to watch the images I …

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Giants, Battles, and Squirrels, Oh My.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on February 24, 2014February 24, 2014

“What’s up with the squirrel, dad?” This was the greeting we received from our son as he walked in the door of our home having traveled back from the University of Memphis for Christmas break …

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Missing the Party.

by Mark Sorensen February 17, 2014February 17, 2014

Is there anything quite like a really good story? You know the elements of a good story, right? We meet a character, the scene is set, conflict arises, our hero struggles through the conflict and …

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Lessons Learned from Flappy.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on February 11, 2014February 11, 2014

Have you ever been at your favorite Mexican food restaurant and the waiter warns you, “Don’t touch the plate. It’s extremely hot”? Ok, honest show of hands. How many of you actually touch the plate …

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Between the Alarm Clock and the Feet on the Floor.

by Mark SorensenUpdated on February 4, 2014February 4, 2014

Some mornings are just harder than others to get out of bed. Ever have those mornings? Actually, it’s those two or three minutes after the alarm clock goes off and before you actually make your feet hit …