Daniel Im's Blog, page 7

What Hurry Does To Your Soul

A few weeks back when Christina and I were sabbathing (I’m not sure if it’s a verb, but it should be!), I was reading Soul Keeping by John Ortberg.

Let me share a quick excerpt from the book that floored me. It’s an interaction that John Ortberg had with Dallas Willard, when John was serving at Willow:

Many years later I had moved to Chicago. Entering into a very busy season of ministry, I called Dallas to ask him what I needed to do to stay spiritually healthy. I pictured him sitting in that room as we talked. There was a long pause — with Dallas there was nearly always a long pause — and then he said slowly, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” I quickly wrote that down. Most people take notes with Dallas; I have even seen his wife take notes, which my wife rarely does with me.

“Okay, Dallas,” I responded. “I’ve got that one. Now what other spiritual nuggets do you have for me? I don’t have a lot of time, and I want to get all the spiritual wisdom from you that I can.” 

“There is nothing else,” he said, generously acting as if he did not notice my impatience. “Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”

Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. – John Ortberg
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Do you feel hurried?

It’s important to understand that the state of your soul has as much—if not even more—to do with your feeling of hurriedness, as the work awaiting for you on your desk or in your inbox.

So today—and everyday—make sure you have moments where you’re breathing out the stress and hurriedness of your soul and work, and breathing in the life giving presence of the Holy Spirit.

Breathe out the stress and hurriedness of your soul and work, and breathe in the life giving presence of the Holy Spirit.
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To dig deeper, I want to encourage you to pick up both of these books:

Soul Keeping: Caring For the Most Important Part of You , by John Ortberg The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World , by John Mark Comer

Money, Conflict, and Marriage

A few days ago, my wife and I launched a weekly FB Live show called After Hours with Daniel and Christina Im!! It is an opportunity to connect, to ask your parenting and marriage questions, and to be reminded weekly that we are in this marriage/parenting marathon together! 

This week, we discuss:

How knowing your money personality can save you and your spouse a lot of heartache, tears, and frustrationHow the Enneagram gives you the language to both express how you feel and understand how your spouse is feeling during a conflictAnd we answer a listener’s question: “What advice do you have for online/long distance dating?”

Watch this inaugural episode, “Money, Conflict, and Marriage,” on our brand new YouTube Channel! (and please subscribe too, since we’re just getting started

How Our Brains React in Crisis

Yesterday on a podcast, I heard Dr. Henry Cloud share a profound insight on the way our brain reacts during crisis—like the global pandemic that we’re all living through at the moment. Here’s my attempt at a summary and paraphrase.

Generally speaking, our brains make maps about how to do life.

For example, when we are hungry and want to eat a sandwich, our brains have a map that will show us how to get out of our chairs and walk to the fridge. But let’s say, someone rearranged the furniture in your living room over night, and the next time you were hungry, a couch was blocking your way. In this instance, your brain will actually register this as an ERROR according to neuroscientists.

Generally speaking, our brains make maps about how to do life.
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When this happens, your whole system amps up. And for a moment—when your system is really amped up—you lose emotional, spiritual, psychological, and physical functioning and you are thrown off. However, once you recognize that it’s just a couch and that you can walk around it, your body begins to go back to normal. 

Right now, we are living in an ERROR.

Because of this global pandemic, our entire lives are registering on our brains—with red lights twirling around and sirens blasting—ERROR ERROR ERROR.

As a result, our bodies have quickly amped up and our normal everyday functioning—emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, and physically—is off kilter. And when we are amped up, according to research, our IQ actually goes down about 30 points, which means that our decision making, planning, and ability to emotionally regulate is all negatively affected.

There’s a reason your decision making, planning, and ability to emotionally regulate might feel off kilter at the moment.
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So if you’re feeling off kilter, that’s actually normal. No one is exempt from this. We’re all in this together.

During a crisis, according to Henry Cloud, we need to find a way to hit the reset button.

Here are the five areas where we need to hit the reset button:



Connectedness: We need to get incredibly intentional about connecting with God and with others to reset our system, since all the previous ways we had to connect with others—in particular—have been disrupted.Structure and Routines: We need to create new schedules and routines to reset our system, since the previous ones have been disrupted. The more you can organize your day and structure it, the more your brain is going to be able to calm down. Control: We need to outline the things that we can actually control in order to reset our system, since many of us have lost control of what we can and can’t do on a daily basis. Mental Space: We need to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor 10:5, CSB) to reset our system, since the stress hormones in our brains are creating thoughts  that aren’t actually our thoughts. The stress hormones in our brains are creating catastrophic reactions that panic attacks are made out of. Spiritual practices: We need to practice the spiritual disciplines to reset our system, since only Jesus can give us rest.

5 areas where we need to hit the reset button: Connectedness, structure, control, mental space, and spiritual practices.
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I love what Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Let’s offer this ERROR to Jesus and ask him to lead us in finding reset and rest from all that we might be feeling right now.

Do You Believe These 3 Lies of the Side Hustle Culture?

The side hustle. 

To some, it’s something to do in your spare time that’s more productive than binging on Netflix or Disney+. To others, it’s the new credit card. And for everyone else, it’s become the new normal. After all, if you don’t have one, you’re likely funding someone else’s.

The allure of the side hustle is that it promises a life of freedom and flexibility—or control.
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The allure of the side hustle is that it promises a life of freedom and flexibility—or control. It goes something like this:

“You have unlimited earning potential, so if you want to go on a trip, just gig for a few hours.”

“Want that new outfit? Sell a few things.” 

“Want the latest phone? Hustle for it. After all, everyone has free time that they waste, so just use that time and earn some extra cash. Be productive! You’re in control, so make it happen—rise and grind and get it done.”

Experts are calling this the gig economy and in 2019, according to a study commissioned by Upwork and Freelancers Union, 35 percent of the American workforce was a part of it — up from five years prior. That means 57 million Americans were self-employed in a part-time or full-time capacity getting paid for their time, skills, possessions or expertise. To give you some perspective, that’s more people than the entire populations of Canada, Liberia, Greece and Puerto Rico combined! 

57 million Americans are a part of the gig economy.
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What’s so surprising about it all is just how rapidly the gig economy has grown. I mean, can you believe that 68 percent of all gig workers surveyed joined the gig economy in the last five years? You see similar trends in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, where the growing gig economy continues to affect normal everyday life.

Although the news is covering how the gig economy can be both positive and negative to your mental health — or how Uber and Postmates are suing the State of California to stop the new AB5 Gig-Worker law — no one is talking about the unintended consequences that this rapid shift in culture is silently ushering in.

On the surface, the glitz and glamor of a side hustle lifestyle sounds great.

After all, you’re in control and are the master of your future. But underneath the surface, it’s a different story. The gig economy is changing the way we think about work, life, and love by feeding us a series of lies about ourselves. Here are three of them:

You are what you doYou are what you experienceYou are who you know

Although these lies seem harmless because they’re not outright harmful, evil or unjust, they are actually quite dangerous since they mingle truth and falsehood with the subtle and deliberate intent to deceive. Here’s how:

1. You are what you do

As children, we’re asked what we want to do when we grow up. As adults, we’re asked what we do for work. And at the end of our lives, we’re measured by what we’ve done. It’s not surprising, then, that we believe this lie that we are what we do. But there’s no end to a life of doing. Doing does not result in done. It only leads to more doing. In fact, there is no badge of honor in a life of doing — only exhaustion and despair.

There’s no end to a life of doing. Doing does not result in done.
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2. You are what you experience

Experiences have become the new currency. Amassing stuff and getting things aren’t as valuable anymore. Even when we buy those new things, we’re often buying them for the experiences that they’ll help create. The problem is that experiences are temporary, and a life driven to get more, do more and have more experiences will only lead you further down a path that you might already be familiar with — a life of comparison that’s filled with jealousy and envy.

Experiences have become the new currency.
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3. You are who you know

This lie that you are who you know is so deceptive. On the surface, while smartphones and the Internet appear to be increasing our connection with one another, they’re actually doing the very opposite. They’re exacerbating problems of disconnection, isolation and loneliness. The fact is, we are more disconnected than ever before. And a life built on this lie doesn’t lead to the thing it promises: greater levels of meaningful connection with others. Ironically, it actually produces the exact opposite: isolation.

We are more disconnected than ever before.
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What you do, what you experience, and who you know all hold a critical role in the way that you see yourself and approach work, life and love, but they are not the way to view yourself because they all come up short. They’re incomplete precisely because they’re half-truths, or lies.

There’s nothing wrong with having a side hustle.

Heck, I have multiple! But to go around thinking that you’re immune to the unintended consequences of it is incredibly naïve and harmful—both to yourself and those around you.

So before you head back to your side hustle, take a moment and reflect on the subtle ways that it’s affecting your work, life and love.

*My article here was originally published on February 5, 2020 on Entrepreneur.com

Bold Confidence

I love seeing the world through the eyes of my 5 year old son.

When we’re together, he feels like he’s invincible. When he’s with me, he has the confidence to stand up to anyone—regardless of their size or age. It’s like he thinks he’s superman or something.

It’s like something inside of him changes when he knows that I’m there. He stands a bit taller, walks with his head up, and isn’t afraid to speak. It’s as if there’s this bold confidence that seems to well up from within him when he knows that I’m there…together with him.

I think this is what the David is referring to here in Psalm 27. Here are the first six verses.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,
my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army deploys against me,
my heart will not be afraid;
though a war breaks out against me,
I will still be confident.

4 I have asked one thing from the Lord;
it is what I desire:
to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
gazing on the beauty of the Lord
and seeking him in his temple.
5 For he will conceal me in his shelter
in the day of adversity;
he will hide me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.
6 Then my head will be high
above my enemies around me;
I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy.
I will sing and make music to the Lord.

The reason David here is saying “Whom should I fear? Whom should I dread?” and then everything else in verses 2-3 isn’t because he’s some testosterone filled machismo guy with a moustache and no neck who’s trying to prove himself!

No, he’s saying all of this because he realizes—just like my son—that regardless of what comes his way, there’s always someone there with him.

Regardless of what comes your way, there’s always someONE there with you.
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His confidence is not in himself or in the size of his bank account, his retirement funds, his job, or his ability to weather whatever virus or unexpected circumstance comes his way.

No, David here in this Psalm is able to say all of this because his confidence is in his Heavenly Father.

His confidence is not in things…it’s in God who owns all things, is over all things, and is the one who has created all things.

Is your confidence in things? Or in the God who owns all things?
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So if the first part of this Psalm is a declaration as to where David has placed his confidence, the second part is his prayer and it’s likely how he was able to place his confidence in God—regardless of whatever storm he was facing.

When’s the last time you prayed a prayer like this?

4 I have asked one thing from the Lord;
it is what I desire:
to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
gazing on the beauty of the Lord
and seeking him in his temple.

If someone were to have listened into your inner thoughts over these past weeks, what would they say your “one thing” is? What would they say is your desire above all else?

Safety from this virus?Protection from job loss? Finding a new job? That the stock markets would go the other way? To go back to normal? To press the reset button on 2020?

Or would it be David’s prayer here to “dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of your life? To gaze on the beauty of the Lord? And to seek him?”

When our eyes are on the here and now, our confidence follows suit, and is accordingly in the here and now as well….with all of its ups and downs. BUT when our eyes and confidence are on God, we’ll find ourselves concealed in his shelter in the day of adversity as it says here in verse 5. We’ll be hidden under the cover of his tent and he will set us high on a rock because he is our Lord and our Protector.

Friends, let’s pause and place our confidence in the only one who is trustworthy enough to hold our confidence!

Be Rooted

Doesn’t it feel like everything’s different?

I know everything isn’t actually different, but doesn’t it feel like it is? In this season of uncertainty, it sure feels like we’re dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, AND a tsunami. Not OR a tsunami, but AND—all of these things put together.

I wonder what God’s up to?

Doesn’t it kind of feel like He is exposing our roots? That he is exposing what kind of soil we’re planted in? Exposing where we are getting our nutrients from? And exposing how deep our roots actually are?

What is God doing in your life? What is He exposing? What is He up to?
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For some of you, everything’s been turned upside down. You’ve been completely pulled out of the soil, thrown up into the air, beaten around and around and now you are lying bare on the ground. Finances, work, school, children, relationships, loneliness.

For others of you, yes things have obviously been shaken, but by and large, you’re still smooth and steady. And the rest of us are somewhere in-between.

In this season, as your roots have been exposed, I pray that you would look to Jesus.

In this season, as your roots might now be laid bare, I pray that you would dig deeper into the Word. Because when we dig deeper and daily plant ourselves more and more into the living word of God, here’s what will happen.

WE WILL be more firmly established in love, as it says here in Ephesians.

I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19 CSB)

And when we do this, we will better be able to comprehend the length, width, height, and depth of God’s love. But here’s the cool thing. This won’t just be a comprehension of the mind…it’ll be a comprehension of the heart!

When we dig deeper into the living word of God, we will more deeply feel and experience the depth of Christ’s love that surpasses all knowledge. And the result is that we will be filled with all the fullness of God.

Fullness of his love. Fullness of his joy. Fullness of his peace. Fullness of his patience. Fullness of his kindness. Fullness of his goodness. Fullness of his gentleness. Fullness of his faithfulness. And fullness of his self-control.

SO THAT we can recover from the storm that has passed, endure the storm that is still here, and withstand the storm to come.

Friends. Let’s be rooted deeply in Jesus.

God will help you recover from the storm that has passed, endure the storm that is still here, and withstand the storm to come.
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A Vicious Cycle

Are you familiar with the parable of the rich fool? I’d tell it myself, but Jesus does it better.

A rich man’s land was very productive. He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”

What I love about Jesus’ parables is that they’re as applicable today in the 21st century, as they were in the 1st century. And what’s amazing is that the more you dig, the more you’ll find—this is true for the entire Bible. For example, while the crowds listening in on Jesus would’ve been shocked by the story, it’s likely for different reasons than us. Here’s why.

On the surface, it seems foolish that the man would first tear down his barns before building bigger ones. Perhaps his older barns were dilapidated? Or maybe he didn’t have enough land for additional barns? Both seem unlikely because this man was already rich, even before his year of plenty, which means he likely took care of his property.

And it’s not like we’re talking about Manhattan here, so the fact that he already had more than one barn shows us that he likely had room to build more. So why didn’t he just add on to his additional barns? And if he was already rich, why didn’t he give some of his crops away?

While these are the questions that naturally come to mind for a 21st century reader, Jesus’ initial listeners would’ve been shocked for different reasons.

Try reading through the parable again and counting how many times the rich man uses the personal pronoun. And did you notice to whom he was speaking?

In Jesus’ day, this is not how people functioned.

Ancient Near Eastern culture was not individualistic; people didn’t grow their own fiefdoms and keep their wealth to themselves. Rather, life was lived together, with one another, and in community.

So why is this rich man isolated and making the decision by himself? Especially when his decision would affect everyone else around him. How long has he been isolated and disconnected from those around him? How long has it been since he’s trusted someone else? And how long has he lived inside of his own vacuum of reality?

No wonder he’s become so obsessed with himself. Isolation is the end result of disconnection. I love how King Solomon puts it, “One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound wisdom.”

Isolation is the end result of disconnection.
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The more disconnected and isolated you become, the more you’ll turn inward and grow obsessed with yourself.

Eventually, my current needs, my future needs, and my contingent what-if needs, will be all that you can think of. Even when you’re “helping” others, it will always be in view of what you can get out of it, or for that time when they can repay you back. And instead of recognizing and being grateful for the role that others have played in your life, you will reframe and reinterpret reality through the lens of me, myself, and I.

The more disconnected and isolated you become, the more you’ll turn inward and grow obsessed with yourself.
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This is how it happens. After getting a promotion, you begin thinking to yourself, “I got this because I deserved it,” rather than recognizing the role your boss and teammates played. Or after receiving an admissions letter, you begin saying to yourself, “Wow, all those years of hard work paid off,” instead of being grateful for the sacrifices that your parents made, and the role that your teachers and mentors had in your education.

It’s a vicious cycle.

The more you turn inward and reinterpret the past through this self-centered obsessive way, the more disconnected you’ll become.

And the more you disconnect from others, the more you’ll see life through the lens of giving and taking. Your relationships with others will turn into meaningless consumeristic transactions. And instead of viewing life with an abundance mindset, you’ll begin seeing everything through the lens of scarcity. Instead of living a life of generosity, you’ll scrape by with greed. And on and on it goes.

To learn more about the truth on the other side of this vicious cycle and lie that it’s rooted in, pick up a copy of my new book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

In Doers We Trust?

Blank stare. Tossed hair. And a longing to be elsewhere.

If you’re up for it, let’s play a game of “Guess Who?” It’s simple. Just try and guess who I’m looking at right now.

Hangry, irritable, and unable to focus.

Is a picture of someone forming in your mind? Here are a few more descriptors: Piles of dirty laundry, protein bar wrappers in the trash, and a cup of coffee that’s been warmed up one too many times.

If you guessed a prisoner, an executive, or a working parent, you’re close, but not quite there yet. If you guessed yourself, you’re closer, but that probably means one of two things—you’re either sleep deprived or a doer.

Recently, one of the largest online marketplaces for freelancers ran an ad campaign in New York subways plastering up headshots of doers and excerpts from their interviews. They called this campaign, “The Year of Do,” with the catchy tag line, “In Doers We Trust.”

Here’s the excerpt from the ad I’m looking at, “You eat a coffee for lunch. You follow through on your follow through. Sleep deprivation is your drug of choice. You might be a doer.”

Apparently doing has become a badge of honor. A status symbol. And the way to define ourselves.

Apparently doing has become a badge of honor. A status symbol. And the way to define ourselves.
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Freedom and flexibility

When traveling, one of my favorite things to do is talk to my Uber driver. I’ve been driven around by college students, graduate students, cyber security analysts, insurance agents, retired veterans, full-time moms, an HOA president, and a guy in finance who had just lost his job because his CEO and CFO went to prison.

Although they all have different reasons for driving, a common theme I’ve heard over and over again is a desire for freedom and flexibility—regardless of age, ethnicity, and whether they were doing it part-time or full-time. Since freedom and flexibility are hallmarks of the gig economy, this makes complete sense.

Freedom and flexibility are hallmarks of the gig economy.
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One of my favorite conversations was with a fifty-something full-time mother, who for the first time in 30 years was earning a paycheck outside of the home. Since she could drive whenever she wanted to, Uber was a perfect fit for her to earn “spending money.” So several nights a week from 9 pm to 1 am—since by that time everything has settled down at home—she gets in her car, opens up the app, and starts her side hustle.

I remember this other conversation I had with Melissa, a single mom who, after putting in a full day as a cleaner, would drive for Uber in the evenings and weekends to support her three teenagers. Her dream is to start her own cleaning company one day, but in the meantime, driving an extra 20 hours a week does the trick to pay for those “dang expensive pizza pockets,” in her words.

I could go on and on and tell you about the number of dads I met who were driving for Uber, as a side hustle, to pay for extra expenses. Others who were driving to save up for their children’s college tuition. And still others who would rather earn some extra spending cash than relax with their family on the weekend.

I’ve even met individuals who see their side hustle as the new credit card. Instead of going into debt to go on vacation, they just gig a few hours a week to save up. This is the new normal.

The side hustle is the new credit card.
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Let’s get back to the “Guess Who?” game. It’d be one thing if the lady on this poster looked happy, but she doesn’t. Sure, by doing more—or gigging—she might have earned some extra cash, but was it worth it?

She looks miserable, scattered, anxious, dehydrated, and emotionless.

If this is the end result of doing, I don’t want it. It doesn’t look like much of a status symbol to me. In doers, I don’t want to trust.

To learn more about the gig economy and why freedom and flexibility is the core lie of our age, pick up a copy of my new book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

7 Lies The World Tells Us, 7 Biblical Truths That God Tells Us

Did you know that there’s a YouVersion Bible Reading Plan to go along with my newest book?

It’s seven days long and a great way to dig deeper and reflect on the 7 biblical truths that are on the flip side of the 7 lies that the world is shouting at us.

I want to invite you to start this reading plan today, and perhaps you can invite a few friends to join you while you’re at it!

Click here to get started.

A New (or Ancient) Way of Addressing the Lies of our Culture

The gig economy affects everyone and everything. It’s the new normal and it matters.

But as I’ve been sharing over the past few weeks, it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. The seven lies of the gig economy all hold a critical role in the way that you see yourself, but they are not the way to see yourself because they all come up short.

They’re incomplete precisely because they’re half-truths. As a result, there are unintended consequences behind each and every one of them.

This is why you can’t let any of these lies become the primary lens through which you view yourself, and also why we’re so particularly vulnerable to these lies.

Living according to the lies of the gig economy is like living in chains.

It’s tiring.

It’s a grind and a hustle just to try and keep up. And it’s actually a fool’s game because you will never feel caught up.

Living according to the lies of the gig economy is like living in chains.
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However, following Jesus leads to freedom because following him is a decision to follow the truth. It’s a decision to walk out of darkness and into the light.

He said it himself: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), and “anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light” (John 3:21).

Following Jesus leads to freedom because following him is a decision to follow the truth
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It’s fascinating how Jesus addressed the lies of his culture.

In the Sermon on the Mount, he would point out the lies and half-truths by saying, “You have heard it was said…” and then he would respond with the truth, “But I tell you…”

“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” (Matt 5:21-22)“You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt 5:27-28)“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” (Matt 5:38-39)“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Matt 5:43-45)

and on and on he would teach…

What if, 2000 years later, we followed the ancient ways of Jesus and taught and interacted with our culture in the same manner?

Where, using the lies and the corresponding truth from my book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love, we say:

You heard it was said, “You are what you do,” but I say to you “You are a child of God.” (John 1:12)You heard it was said, “You are what you experience,” but I say to you, “You are a new creation” (2 Cor 5:17)You heard it was said, “You are who you know,” but I say to you, “You are known by our loving Savior, Jesus” (John 10:27)You heard it was said, “You are what you own,” but I say to you, “You are complete in Jesus” (Col 2:9-10)You heard it was said, “You are who you raise,” but I say to you, “You are God’s masterpiece” (Eph 2:10)You heard it was said, “You are your past,” but I say to you, “you are free from all condemnation in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1-2).



This is the truth on the other side of these lies.

And when our culture sees this and hears the truth as we share it with gentleness and respect (1 Pet 3:16), their status will change from slave to child.

From enslaved to free.

From no inheritance to full inheritance.

From worker to heir.

And from being defined by what they do, what they experience, who they know, what they know, what they own, who they raise, and their past, to being defined by what Jesus has done for them.

Essentially, from ashes to beauty.

What an opportunity to present the truth of the gospel.

To learn more about each of these lies and the truth on the other side, pick up a copy of my new book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.