This week, we are memorizing James 1:5. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: James 1:5 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to him. — James 1:5 (CSB) What's the Most Important Word Here? Last week we dove into James 1:2-4: trials, and the… »
This week, we are memorizing James 1:2-4. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: James 1:2-4 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and… »
This week, we are memorizing 1 Timothy 6:11. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: 1 Timothy 6:11 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "But you, man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness." — 1 Timothy 6:11 (CSB) From the Doorpost to the Pursuit Last week, in Joshua 24:15, we learned about… »
This week, we are memorizing Joshua 24:15. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Joshua 24:15 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "But if it doesn't please you to worship the LORD, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship—the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for… »
This week, we are memorizing Matthew 18:15. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Matthew 18:15 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "If your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother." — Matthew 18:15 (CSB) You've Heard This Before I'll start this by being completely honest… »
This week, we are memorizing Colossians 3:14. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Colossians 3:14 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity." — Colossians 3:14 (CSB) The City of Cloth Colossae in the 1st Century was a city whose best days were behind it. Tucked into the Lycus Valley in the Roman… »
This week, we are memorizing Deuteronomy 6:4–7. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Deuteronomy 6:4–7 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them… »
This week, we are memorizing Ephesians 5:31. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Ephesians 5:31 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." — Ephesians 5:31 (CSB) The Wedding Verse You've probably heard this verse before. Maybe at a wedding… »
This week, we are memorizing Proverbs 31:30. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Proverbs 31:30 If you’re new here, see my introduction to this series here. “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD will be praised.” — Proverbs 31:30 (CSB) The Poetic Finale This verse is the second-to-last verse of a beautiful ancient Hebrew poem that spans verses… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 5:8. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 5:8 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus's knees and said, 'Go away from me, because I'm a sinful man, Lord!'" — Luke 5:8 (CSB) A Common Builder Tells a Fisherman Where to Fish Put yourself in their shoes. You've been fishing all… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 4:32. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 4:32 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "They were astonished at his teaching because his message had authority." — Luke 4:32 (CSB) What We Think "Authority" Means When most of us read that Jesus taught "with authority," we picture a confident speaker. A commanding presence… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 4:18-19. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 4:18-19 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 4:4. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 4:4 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "But Jesus answered him, 'It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.'" — Luke 4:4 (CSB) What I Always Thought This Verse Said If I asked you to quote this verse from memory, you'd probably say something like, "Man shall not live by… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 24:6-7. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 24:6-7 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, 'It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day.'" — Luke… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 19:38. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 19:38 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" — Luke 19:38 (ESV) The Triumphal Entry You know this scene. It's one of the most celebrated moments in the Gospels. It's Passover week… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 3:22. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 3:22 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "And the Holy Spirit descended on him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.'" — Luke 3:22 (CSB) A Father's Proud Moment? Most people read the baptism of… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 3:9. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 3:9 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." — Luke 3:9 (CSB) A Way Where There Was No Way John the Baptist was, quite literally, preparing… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 2:52. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 2:52 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people." — Luke 2:52 (CSB) Growing Up in the Rocks Close your eyes for a second and picture Jesus as a young man. What do you see? A clean-faced kid in a… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 2:10-11 (ESV). Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 2:10-11 If you’re new here, see my introduction to this series here. “But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’” — Luke… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 1:50. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 1:50 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him." — Luke 1:50 (CSB) A Young Girl Opens Her Mouth and Out Comes the Entire Old Testament Let's set the scene. Mary has just received some earth-shattering news. An angel… »
This week, we are memorizing Luke 1:17. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Luke 1:17 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people." — Luke 1:17 (CSB… »
This week, we are memorizing 1 Corinthians 13:2. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: 1 Corinthians 13:2 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. “If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.” – 1 Corinthians 13:2 (CSB) What is Love? And… »
This week, we are memorizing Joshua 1:9. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Joshua 1:9 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "Haven't I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." — Joshua 1:9 (CSB) The Weight of Joshua 1:9 A note to readers: WARNING This post discusses… »
This week, we are memorizing 1 Timothy 6:12. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: 1 Timothy 6:12 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses." — 1 Timothy 6:12 (CSB) When we hear the phrase "eternal… »
This week, we are memorizing Romans 12:1-2. Check out my latest Scripture Memorization song here: Romans 12:1-2 If you're new here, see my introduction to this series here. This song, Romans 12:1-2, has a really special place in my heart. When I was young, I remember wishing I could know what God's will was. I remember thinking: “If He's in control, if He's the God who created the universe, the… »
This year, our church is committing together to memorize Scripture, one passage each week. To help myself keep it top of mind as well as build a habit of repetition, I am trying something new. Each week, I am creating an original song, assisted by AI and an "AI persona" that I made, built directly around that week’s memory passage. Starting now, I will be posting a new song every Monday, available… »
Here is the “why” that drives me as I evaluate, encourage, and celebrate teams in regards to their Flow Metrics. Why Throughput matters? When teams work on large tickets that take a week or more, it's hard to spot where time is being wasted. These big chunks of work tend to move slowly, and it's not clear how long each step should take. By breaking work into smaller pieces, we can better… »
In times like this, it is important to step back from all of the chaos and question what our role is going to be in all of this. When violence or injustice happens in the world, it is common to want to slap back, to draw lines around groups or ideas and bring out all of the firepower against the “other side”. It is common to want to hurt those who you have perceived have hurt you, without even… »
Fault can be a trigger word for people. A word that stains you with guilt with even the mention of it. A word that won’t let you go, hold you down and imprisons you where you know you don’t belong but fear you can’t escape. I have learned to look at fault differently. If some result is someone else’s fault, I am completely helpless to affect change. If it is someone else’s fault, they are the only… »
A Life Against So often in our lives, we look for who we should be against. Target is selling Satanic clothes: against! Netflix is promoting sex trafficking of young women: against! Disney is adding sexual identity education to films for minors: against! While these things make sense, and there are much more businesses that I could list or make arguments for, defining ourselves by what we are… »
Anytime a team focuses on volume, the quality MUST suffer. You show more people your bad thing and show them the wrong way. The way to game the quantity problem is to oversell and underdeliver. However, that does not play out well for overall product growth. I know that you “could” account for this with key results, the problem is, it won’t work. Your team is focused on winning and they will do… »
How do we think both Creatively and Critically without tripping over ourselves? It’s so common to be to critical to start or have no “good” ideas. Let’s take a look at the brains that drive how you think and solve problems. The Right and Left Brain Recently, I’ve been leading meetings that need to involve both the Creative (Right Brain) and the Critical (Left Brain). The Right Brain is amazing at… »
“If you faint (slack, stay, be still) in the day of adversity, your strength (firmness, vigor, force, substance, worth) is small (narrow, thin). Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ’Behold, we did not know (see, understand, have awareness of) this,’ does not he who weights the heart perceive (discern, have insight about… »
Next time you're out there writing some code for a custom WordPress theme or plugin, try thinking about adding colons or dots to your hook names. It makes it much more readable and easier to understand the separation between components and the function of the hook. Filter: Action: It's really fun and makes keeping track of what your hooks really do a little easier. Have fun! »
This was inspired by Adam Wathan's blog post here: https://adamwathan.me/2016/04/06/cleaning-up-form-input-with-transpose/ Check out his book here, he's brilliant! The purpose of Adam's blog post was to show the utility of Collections in Laravel. I recently ran into the same problem and solved it on the front-end using AngularJS instead. Dealing with arrays in HTML form submissions tends to be… »
I have been playing around with Laravel 5 recently and it's really looking great. Definitely different, and definitely improved. First things first, I strive to setup my laravel projects with 2 main folders, separating the Public facing website and assets from the Private app, API, and configuration. In Laravel 4 In L4, this was pretty simple: Move the application files Create application_files… »
Just found the best thing ever today! I have been working for so long with code files ranging from PHP to C# to JSON, lots of images in various sizes, zip files for downloads, etc. and I have always had such a hard time getting important information about these types files quickly from Mac's Finder. I would always have to look through my folders and drag one file after another into Sublime Text so… »