Settle Down Son-

Fixated on things that are already fixed

Disturbed by matters already dealt with

Stressed by a trap that’s already sprung

Worried about a battle that’s already won

Settle down, son, I’ve already settled this.

To Be the Best

I’ve always wanted to be the best

a childhood dream

an admirable quest

a deep desire

for success

In sports

In school

In family

In life

As an athlete

a student

a husband, a father

a brother, a friend

and a God-fearing man

A dream I’ve chased

a desire misplaced

it seems in this race

I’m always outpaced

I’ve always wanted to be the best

a wish more than a dream

a never-ending quest

a deep ache—

never reaching my standard of success

Intense insecurity

performance anxiety

comparison

defensiveness

The side effects of the substance

I thought would solve

my scarce sense of self-worth

High off praise, a basket made

drunk off admiration, a job well done

buzzed by applause, a sermon well preached

intoxicated by achievement, a birdie on eighteen

Then comes the crash

Needing more likes (refresh notifications)

more affirmation (check the comment section)

obsessed with the score—I always want more

only to be attained by another accomplishment

Only for a moment

until the cycle starts again

a never-ending loop

unless I make the acknowledgment:

If I want to be the best

I will never rest

I will always come up short

in one way or another

I will feel ashamed and inadequate

I will envy others

But there is another way

a better goal to strive toward

that sounds insane

but truly wins the game

It’s what every coach said not to do:

“Give up.”

Stop trying to be the best. You don’t need to be.

You’re already loved.

You already belong.

You’re already a child of God.

And you didn’t achieve that—

you received it as a gift.

Be excellent.

Give your best effort.

Work, love, and play with your whole heart.

But do it from love, not for it.

And give God all the glory.

Don’t try to be the best.

Instead, rest.

You’d be surprised how He makes you

the best that you can be.

I dare you to try it.

Put it to the test.

A Poem: A Holy Fog

What if

What if the shifts we long for don’t always happen when the fog lifts?

But rather, when we make the decision,

to worship,

no matter how clear our vision.

I don’t just mean sing songs,

I mean to move at the pace of God, even when the place into which we wander is clouded with fog.

So often we wonder when the haze will clear, but what if we were amazed by it before it disappears?

Sometimes we get the clear skies we ask for,

Yet other times we are called to meander in this, mysterious mist.

Then when the fog lifts,

Even a glimpse is…

bliss

God knows what He’s doing whether or not we understand it,

His Goodness is not dependent on the weather, should our trust in Him be?

His guiding hand provides the next step, without showing the whole story in advance, we may only get a glance but…

Maybe that’s all we can handle,

Maybe there is a Holy Fog, that calls upon our courage, demands our trust, and blesses us beyond belief.

Maybe this fog is a path to freedom.