Daniel Im's Blog, page 8

The Unintended Consequences of the Gig Economy

In our culture today, doing has become a badge of honor.

It’s become a status symbol and the way to define ourselves.

The same is true with the rest of the lies of the gig economy that I breakdown in my new book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

Doing has become a badge of honor. It’s become a status symbol and the way to define ourselves.
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Our sense of meaning and significance have become tied to our experiences, our relationships, our knowledge, our stuff, our children and our past. However, the thing with each of these lies is that they all have unintended consequences.

A life of doing leads to a life of worryingA life of experiences leads to a life of comparisonA life seeking acceptance from others leads to a loss of selfA life focused on the pursuit of knowledge leads to a life of despairA life amassing stuff leads to a life of imprisonmentA life that revolves around your children leads to a life of narcissismAnd a life lived in the past leads to a life of regret and pain

When we actively resist these seven lies and instead pursue the alternative path that I propose in my new book, we’ll begin experiencing what true freedom and flexibility feel like, which, ironically, is the very thing that our culture falsely promises through these seven lies:

You are what you doYou are what you experienceYou are who you knowYou are what you knowYou are what you ownYou are who you raiseYou are your past



This is the kind of resistance that chooses love over hate, light over darkness, forgiveness over shame and generosity over greed.

It’s the kind of resistance that uncovers who we aren’t, so that we can begin the journey of discovering who we really are.

We need to uncover who we aren’t so that we can begin the journey of discovering who we really are.
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And this kind of resistance begins here with the truth that you are not what you do, you are not what you experience, you are not who you know, you are not what you know, you are not what you own, you are not who you raise and you are not your past.

Cauliflower, Podcasting, and Amazon Prime

(The following is an excerpt from the Introduction of my newest book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love)

If there’s anything constant in life, it’s change.

Just consider how commonplace cauliflower, podcasting, and Amazon Prime have become—and how quickly it’s happened.

If there’s anything constant in life, it’s change.
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Growing up, no one ever talked about cauliflower, let alone wanted to eat the tasteless and smelly thing.

Yet recently, you’ve probably tried (or heard of) cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower buffalo wings, or cauliflower tots. And if you haven’t, your friends have. Now just to give you a sense of its meteoric rise, in a short span of three years, Green Giant has gone from harvesting five to thirty acres of cauliflower each week. That’s 100,000 heads of cauliflower every single day! And they are just one of the many companies that have hopped on the cauliflower bandwagon.

A similar thing has happened with podcasting.

When I started listening to podcasts in 2008, it was a multistep process that required a computer. Today, however, with the ubiquity of smartphones, listening to podcasts has become so commonplace and normal that the question has shifted from “Have you heard of podcasts?” to “Which podcasts do you listen to?” In fact, in the last five years, close to half of all Americans and Canadians tuned into their first podcast episode.

And let’s not forget the explosive growth of Amazon Prime.

Now that more than half of all American households are subscribing members, isn’t it odd to meet someone who doesn’t have it? It’s definitely become the exception, rather than the norm.

Imagine going to the grocery store and half of the produce was rotten.

Would you notice? If you were driving home from work, would you notice if half of the cars were off the road? And what if you ordered a burger from your favorite restaurant and half of it was missing?

By the time something reaches the 50 percent mark, wouldn’t you have to be living in a hole to miss it? Unfortunately though, noticing doesn’t necessarily lead to action.

Noticing doesn’t necessarily lead to action.
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Noticing the negative grade around your house doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll fix it right away. Seeing the check engine light go off doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll drop everything and take your car into the shop. And realizing that your pants are fitting tighter than before doesn’t mean that you’ll immediately go on a diet.

Moments of change happen when things shift from being a problem to being my problem.
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Moments of change happen when things shift from being a problem to being my problem. These are the moments we transform into action mode—moments when we find water in our basement, are stuck on the side of the road, or realize that nothing we have fits anymore.

While this might be true for the things that are happening to you, what about all the change that is happening around you—around us in society today?

With trends like the ones mentioned above, rising and falling so rapidly, is there a way to tell the difference between fads and fundamentals? Between the passing and permanent? Between fidget spinners and artificial intelligence?

Things Have Changed

When I moved to Nashville in 2014, I noticed something. I didn’t realize how critical of a trend it was going to become, the extent that it was going to impact everyday life, the rapid rate at which it was growing, or how it was going to become the new normal, but it seemed like everyone had a side hustle or a gig.

Okay, maybe not everyone, but close to half of the people I met. And for the majority of them, these gigs weren’t their main source of income—a lot of them were hustling, contracting, and moonlighting on the side to earn some extra cash, pay down debt, or save up for a vacation.

It was kind of like cauliflower, podcasting, and Amazon Prime—no matter where you went, it was hard to miss. Heck, even I was a part of this trend with all the writing, podcasting, consulting, and speaking I was doing on the side.

At first, I thought this was an American thing, since I had just moved to the States, but after talking to friends in Canada, reflecting back on the time my wife and I lived in Korea, and doing some research, I quickly realized how much of a global trend this was becoming—and how rapidly it was growing.

While there’s no consensus on what to call this new normal—gigging, freelancing, contracting, side hustling, moonlighting—the important thing is to know what it is and how it’s affecting you because it’s here to stay. Some experts refer to it as the gig economy, but don’t let that scare you. It’s just a label. This isn’t a book on finances, economics, blockchain, or getting rich off of cryptocurrency—it’s actually quite the opposite.

The gig economy is here to stay. Do you know how it’s affecting you?
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As long as you haven’t cloistered yourself off from the rest of the world in an isolated “off-the-grid” commune where you’re stuck in time and nothing ever changes, you will find this book helpful. Just think of it as a pair of glasses that will bring this new normal into focus, so that you can see all the subversive ways that it’s trying to change the way you approach work, life, and love.

To continue reading, click here to download the rest of the Introduction and Chapter 1 of my new book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

The New “Normal” and Why It Matters

Our definition of “normal” has changed—seemingly overnight.

For example, working a steady nine-to-five job isn’t normal anymore. And waiting until you’re retired to explore the world, try new experiences, eat delicious food and enjoy life isn’t normal either—if retirement is even a thing anymore.

What’s now “normal” is this desire that we all have for freedom and flexibility, which conveniently is exactly what the gig economy promises.

A desire for freedom and flexibility is the new normal—and this is exactly what the gig economy promises.
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And contrary to common belief, this is not just something that affects those in their 20s and 30s. According to the research, there are people in every generation who have side hustles because this desire for freedom and flexibility has become our new oxygen. It’s the air we breathe and the water we drink. In fact, it’s become so commonplace that it’s no longer the exception—and it’s affecting everything and everyone.

You don’t even need to be working in it for it to affect you.

Just think about the last time you bought something off of Facebook Marketplace, rode in an Uber, ordered food using Grubhub, slept at an Airbnb or got your IKEA furniture assembled by a Tasker from TaskRabbit. That was all possible thanks to the gig economy and someone else’s side hustle.

The same is true even without an app, because every time you get a haircut, hire a contractor, have your lawn mowed or hire a babysitter, you are also funding the gig economy.

This is why I wrote my new book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

I wrote it because I wanted to examine the ways that this new “normal” is affecting everyday work, life and love. And as I was digging into the research and examining the ways that this new “normal” was affecting the people that I interact with on a regular basis, I discovered seven lies that were subtly and subversively affecting us right to our core:

You are what you doYou are what you experienceYou are who you knowYou are what you knowYou are what you ownYou are who you raiseYou are your past

In You Are What You Do, not only do I show you how to recognize these everyday lies in your life—and why it’s sketchy to build your life upon them—but I also unpack the truth on the other side.

There’s truth on the other side of these lies—the kind of truth that leads to freedom.
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The truth that leads to freedom. The truth that will move us from surviving to thriving. And ultimately, the truth that will unlock a life of purpose, adventure, meaning and destiny.

Learn more about the new “normal” and how this affects your everyday work, life, and love by picking up a copy of my book here, or wherever books are sold.

You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love

Two years ago, the editors from B&H Publishing Group sent me a text message:

That’s it. That’s your next book.

I wasn’t planning on writing another book this soon, nor did I ever envision writing one on this topic, but once they sent me that text message, I couldn’t get the idea out of my head.

I was at a conference speaking on the implications of the gig economy for the church and for church leaders.

And that’s all it was supposed to be—a talk that was birthed out of research that I stumbled onto.

But once I started to think through (and research) the implications of the gig economy on everyday life, I was convinced. This book had to be written—and I guess it was going to be by me.

In the last few years, there’s been a significant shift in the way that we approach work, life, and love.

And it’s all because of the rise of the side hustle—or the gig economy as experts like to put it. It’s become the new normal. In fact, these days, if you don’t have one, you’re likely funding someone else’s.

The side hustle—or the gig economy—has become the new normal.
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But here’s the thing, this is not some sort of neutral and harmless shift in culture. There’s actually a complex and fragile web of lies holding it all together, leading to a devastating pile of unintended consequences.

In my book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love, my hope is to shed light onto these lies and their unintended consequences so that everyone can see the truth on the other side.

The truth that leads to freedom. The truth that moves us from surviving to thriving. The truth that will unlock a life of purpose, adventure, meaning, and destiny.

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.
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This book is for…

So if you’re a mom who’s rediscovering herself as her children are growing older, this book is for you.

If you’re a dad who’s wrestling through the tension of being present for his children, while also trying to make ends meet and provide for his family, this book is for you.

If you’re a student who is not convinced that a traditional nine-to-five job is right for them, this book is for you.

If you’re someone who wants clarity around your purpose and identity, since there’s such cultural confusion about who we are and where our worth comes from, this book is for you.

And lastly, if you are tired of the hustle, grind and go of life and want to experience something different, this book is for you.

You can learn more about my book here, or pick up a copy wherever books are sold.

Church Leader! The Gig Economy Matters and This is Why

The gig economy is the new normal and it’s changing everyday life.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can read last week’s article for context. But last week, I addressed seven ways the gig economy is affecting everyone in our culture today—especially those in your church.

In short, the gig economy is changing the way that we view ourselves—and it’s not for the better.

Here’s the thing though. The gig economy not only affects everyone in your church—whether they’re Christian or not—but it also affects your leaders and how you should approach leadership in the church.

Let’s start with your changing congregation.

On a practical level, since the gig economy is the new normal, this means that close to half of your congregation is probably working more than one job.

Close to half of your church is probably working more than one job.
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So have you considered how this should affect:

Your approach to streaming your service?Attendance patterns and measuring engagement in your church?Preaching on and discipling your church on issues of faith and work?When and how you offer leadership development and training?

On a side note, if you haven’t read chapter three of my book, No Silver Bullets, where I talk about the shift that we need to make “from being the sage on the stage to being the guide on the side,” you’re going to want to pick it up. In that chapter, I illustrate how you can flip the classroom and offer both a high tech and high touch approach to leadership development

There’s also the issue of money and multiplication.

If you’ve read anything on movements—particularly church planting movements—you’ll know that money and education are two massively stifling factors to movemental energy.

So if you want to reach your city with the gospel, it’s critical that you not let theological education or salary influence your strategy for church multiplication!

Theological education and salary (or the absence thereof) should never be a leading factor in your strategy for church multiplication.
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In the gig economy, the idea that your church needs to pay you full-time for legit ministry to happen is changing. In other words, bivocational ministry (which is what we’ve traditionally called pastors who have another job, or who are gigging out of necessity), is ceasing to be a last-resort option.

It’s NOT about doing two things poorly anymore. Bivocational ministry is actually about leveraging all of your life into one calling!

Bivocational ministry is about leveraging all of your life into one calling!
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So what if you need to hire another staff member for growth, but don’t have the money for it?

What if, instead of trying to raise full-support, you created training and development to help that future staff member raise part of their salary, but then also helped them find a gig to fill in the gap?

And instead of seeing this as a punishment, what if you created a culture where this was actually an opportunity for evangelism, for community engagement, to raise up leaders, and to release all of your people into ministry, rather than holding onto the keys of ministry yourself?

Now what if you’re a pastor and your church is paying you full time? How does the gig economy affect you?

If that’s you, what if you considered gigging for evangelistic purposes and to have a closer pulse on your community?

What if every pastor had a side hustle for evangelistic purposes? And to have a closer pulse on their community?
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Just imagine what would happen if every pastor began driving Uber of Lyft at least 10 hours a week?

Or put up a room in their house on AirBnB?

Not only would that provide an additional source of income, but more importantly, it would offer you an opportunity to pray for your city as you’re driving through it, as well as opportunities for evangelism and spiritual conversations!

Friends, the gig economy has arrived. What are you going to do about it?

If you’re interested in unpacking and learning more about the gig economy and the way it’s seeped into our culture and our everyday work, life, and love, be sure to pick up a copy of my new book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

The Gig Economy and Leadership in the Church

When I moved to Nashville in 2014, I noticed something.

I didn’t realize how critical of a trend it was going to become, the extent that it was going to impact everyday life, the rapid rate at which it was growing, or how it was going to become the new normal, but it seemed like everyone had a side hustle or a gig.

Okay, maybe not everyone, but close to half of the people I met.

And for the majority of them, these gigs weren’t their main source of income—a lot of them were hustling, contracting, and moonlighting on the side to earn some extra cash, pay down debt, or save up for a vacation.

It was kind of like cauliflower, podcasting, and Amazon Prime—no matter where you went, it was hard to miss.

Heck, even I was a part of this trend with all the writing, podcasting, consulting, and speaking I was doing on the side.

At first, I thought this was an American thing, since I had just moved to the States, but after talking to friends in Canada, reflecting back on the time my wife and I lived in Korea, and doing some research, I quickly realized how much of a global trend this was becoming—and how rapidly it was growing.

Have you seen it? Do you know anyone with a side hustle? Or gigging?

Where they’re working multiple jobs? Where at least one of those jobs is them working for themselves?

Perhaps they’re selling things on Facebook Marketplace?Doing a side job as a contractor?Driving for Uber or Lyft?Freelancing?Delivering food for Grubhub or Skip a Dish?Renting out their place on Airbnb?Or how about someone who has quit their full-time job, with guaranteed salary and benefits, to start their own thing?



It’s called the gig economy and it’s become the new normal.

In 2019, 35% of the American workforce was a part of the gig economy—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!

The gig economy has become the new normal because of the way it’s changing everyday life.
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And what’s so surprising about it all is just how rapidly the gig economy has grown.

I mean, can you believe that 68% 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 work, life, and love.

Just check out this one infographic on what the gig economy looks like in America and some of the implications.

The gig economy has quickly become the new normal because of the way that it’s changing everyday life.

You don’t even need to be working in it for it to affect you. Just think about the last time you bought something off of Facebook Marketplace, rode in an Uber, ordered food using an app, slept at an Airbnb, or got your IKEA furniture assembled by a Tasker from TaskRabbit.

That was all possible thanks to the gig economy and someone else’s side hustle.

The same is true even without an app, because every time you get a haircut, hire a contractor, have your lawn mowed, or hire a babysitter, you are also funding the gig economy.

Now you might be thinking, what does the gig economy have to do with me as a Christian? Or as a pastor or leader in the church?

The quick answer is way more than you might realize. But here’s the longer answer, and I’ll address it two ways:

1) How the gig economy affects everyone in your church
2) How the gig economy affects church leaders

How The Gig Economy Affects Everyone In Your Church

While I was researching the implications of the gig economy on everyday life for my new book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love, I noticed a loose thread.

Initially, I ignored it, thinking that it was probably nothing. But the longer I spent investigating how the gig economy affected everyday life, the more the loose thread seemed to stick out. It kept jeering and taunting me to pull it. So I did. And that’s when things began to unravel.

The glitz and glamor of the gig economy came undone the more I pulled. Stitch after stitch loosened and fell apart, until I was eventually left with a mangled heap of lies:

1) You are what you do
2) You are what you experience
3) You are who you know
4) You are what you know
5) You are what you own
6) You are who you raise
7) You are your past

The rise of the gig economy has made each of these seven lies so compelling because the gig economy promises us freedom and flexibility….it gives us the illusion of control.

The gig economy gives us the illusion of control.
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“You have unlimited earning potential,” says the gig economy, “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.”

Underneath the allure of the freedom and flexibility that the gig economy promises, are these 7 lies that are trying to change the way that we approach work, life, and love

No wonder these lies have become the new way to view ourselves!

They are the means to an end, since believing in them, and living our lives according to them, is apparently the “promised” path to freedom and flexibility.

Apparently, believing in these 7 lies is the “promised” path to freedom and flexibility.
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And here’s the reason it’s so easy to fall into the trap of believing these lies. It’s because they are half-truths! Not the kind that are outright harmful, evil, or unjust. They’re the kind of half-truths that mingle truth and falsehood with the subtle and deliberate intent to deceive.

And in our day and age of fake news where half-truths are everywhere, these ones don’t actually seem too bad—which is precisely why they are so deceptive.

So if that’s just a glimpse into how the gig economy affects everyone in your church—whether they’re Christian or not—how does the gig economy affect leaders in the church?

That’s the topic of next week’s post.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in unpacking and learning more about the way these seven lies have seeped into our culture and our everyday work, life, and love, be sure to pick up a copy of my new book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

Why Micro Goals Are Better than Resolutions

Stop setting New Year’s resolutions. They’re too vague, too lofty, too idealistic, and nearly impossible to accomplish.

In fact, studies have shown that after 30 days, less than 25% of people stay committed to them, while only 8% will actually accomplish them.

So what’s the better way? What do you need to do to make this next year a year of progress, development, growth, and impact? The answer is to abandon your resolutions and adopt micro goals instead.

Abandon your resolutions and adopt micro goals.
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I’m not talking about S.M.A.R.T. goals, which if you’re not aware of the topic, I’d highly recommend you listen to this episode to learn more and download the template.

I’m talking about micro goals, where you break your S.M.A.R.T. goals down into small and immediately actionable tasks. This is the only sure-fire way to accomplish your greatest dreams.

Let me give you two examples: working out and writing a book.

1. Working Out

After moving back to Canada last year, the one thing that I knew I had to change was my exercise routine. For my entire adult life, I’ve never been able to figure out how to work out more than twice a week—if I even went at all. And with my metabolism slowing down (and love for food increasing), I had to crack this code.

Enter: Micro Goals.

I joined a gym on the way to work. I then made the personal resolve that I wasn’t allowed to go into work until I first worked out. To make this realistic and achievable because of my workload, the goal was a 30 minute workout every workday. I also had to make sure not to schedule any early morning breakfast meetings. And since I’m a night owl, I had to make sure that my gym bag was always packed the night before, so that I couldn’t make any excuses in the morning.

That’s it. It’s that simple. The genius of the micro goal is its simplicity and size.

The genius of the micro goal is its simplicity and size.
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And several months into this new rhythm, I can confidently say that I’ve cracked the code. Obviously I’ve missed days, but overall, I’ve never felt stronger, fitter, healthier, or sharper than today—and it’s all because of these micro goals.

2. Writing a Book

In less than one month, my third book will hit the stores. It’s called You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love. It’s simultaneously frightening and exciting to await the release of this concept that’s taken two years to ideate, develop, write, edit, produce, print, and release.

Two whole years.

I’ve discovered writing books is not for the faint of heart. Nor is it for someone who gets bored easily. And since most of us are procrastinators by nature—including yours truly—micro goals were the only way that I was able to get this project complete.

Once I set a deadline to write the book proposal, I created a series of micro goals to make sure that each section in the book proposal had a due date. Once I signed the contract with my publisher and agreed on a delivery date, I created a system whereby each chapter got written through a series of micro goals that I had to accomplish.

Opening up a fresh word document with a blinking cursor is daunting. However, checking off a series of micro goals isn’t. So instead of focusing on the end goal of a finished chapter (which takes weeks) or a finished book (which takes years), I focused on the task immediately in front of me (which takes hours)—the micro goal.

What can you do to break down your greatest dreams into easily accomplishable micro goals? Micro goals and micro tasks that will take minutes and hours, rather than weeks and years?

Launch Team Application for My New Book

I can’t believe it, but the book that I’ve been working on for the last two years is finally here, and I’m looking for help getting the word out.

We only have 100 spots available, so I’d be honored if you would consider joining the launch team for my next book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

If selected, you’ll receive a free paperback copy of the book once it’s released, a copy of the ebook to read early, and a free downloadable poster.

Here’s the application form. Thanks for considering!

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A Lonely Christmas

Every year, classics like The Grinch, Elf, and Home Alone make their rounds in homes decorated with tinsel and Christmas cheer.

And while nostalgia might be the primary reason we have these films on repeat, many of us don’t often take the time to examine how these story lines might be shaping us.

Let’s take Home Alone as an example.

Beyond the laughs, gags, and slapstick comedy, have you ever considered the underlying narrative that this movie is trying to communicate?

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not about to boycott Christmas movies—they are some of my favorite films. But there’s a big difference between watching them with a discerning eye and passively letting them shape our minds and hearts.

Underneath it all, Home Alone is celebrating and shining the spotlight on the age old lie of self-sufficiency.

Just consider the fact that Kevin McAllister decides to take on the two cat burglars himself. He doesn’t call for help. Instead, he takes matters into his own hands and outsmarts the burglars. Remember how he put a life size cutout of Michael Jordan on a train? And a mannequin on the record player? Genius.

And even later on when the cat burglars realize that Kevin is all by himself, Kevin still decides that he’s the king of his castle and the master of his own destiny.

If you’re interested in digging deeper, you can watch the sermon that I preached on this movie here to see how the parable of the rich man is a fascinating response to this age old lie of self-sufficiency.

But here’s the thought regarding self-sufficiency that I want to leave you with: Isolation is the end result of disconnection.

Isolation is the end result of disconnection.
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I love how King Solomon puts it, “One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound wisdom” (Prov. 18:1).

The more disconnected and isolated we become, the more we’ll turn inward and grow obsessed with ourselves.

I wonder if this is what happened with Kevin McAllister in Home Alone? He became so disconnected and isolated from others in his family, that all he could think about was himself—and how life would be better if everyone just disappeared.

Everyone in this family hates me. I don’t want a new family. I don’t want any family. Families suck. I don’t want to see you again for the rest of my whole life. And I don’t want to see anyone else either.

Let’s stop believing the lie of self-sufficiency because isolation is the end result of disconnection. Or to put it another way, the end result of self-obsession is isolation. So the more disconnected and isolated we become, the more we’ll turn inward and grow obsessed with ourselves.

In Chapter 3 of my newest book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love, I elaborate on this idea further when breaking down the lie, “You are who you know.” Here’s an excerpt:

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 pay 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.

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 mind-set, 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.

The more you disconnect from others, the more you’ll see life through the lens of giving and taking.
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Friends, stop letting this lie of self-sufficiency seep into your heart and mind. Because when we believe the lie that we are the king of our castle, the master of our own destiny, and in full control of all things, we’ll get the consequence we deserve: we’ll end up alone—home alone.

If you would like to dig deeper…

…and examine the seven lies that so many of us have come to believe about work, life, and love, be sure to pick up a copy of my newest book, You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

The Tension of Not Having “Enough”

These last couple of weeks, the following lyrics have been playing on repeat.

So let all that I am
Be consumed with who You are
All the glory of Your presence
What more could I ask for?

The phrase, “What more could I ask for?” is such an apt phrase to describe the tension that December holds.

Everywhere we look—especially since we’re in the throes of Black Friday, Bright Friday, Cyber Monday, Happy Tuesday, or whatever it’s called now—we are being conditioned to believe that we don’t have enough. Even this past week, I went online to make sure that I didn’t “miss” any deals. And after browsing for a bit, I ended up buying batteries on Amazon because they were 30% off.

Everywhere we look, we are being conditioned to believe that we don’t have enough.
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Did I really need them? Perhaps in a month or so, but definitely not now…

When we are consumed with the glory of God’s presence, there is nothing more we need. There is nothing more we have to ask for.

When we are consumed with the glory of God’s presence, there is nothing more we need.
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That little voice inside that says we don’t have enough will fade away because our God is a good Father! When we ask for bread, He doesn’t give us stones. When we are consumed with the glory of God’s presence, everything else fades in comparison, since Jesus is enough.

He is MORE than enough.

Is this true for you? Or do you feel that tension of not having “enough?”

If so, take a few minutes to read through these passages and worship our King of Kings and Lord of Lords with this song, “With You.”

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life-span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you — you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat? ’ or ‘What will we drink? ’ or ‘What will we wear? ’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:25-34 CSB)

“Our Father in heaven,
your name be honored as holy.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one. (Matt 6:9-13 CSB)