Status Updates From Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: A...

"Here is the gospel: Because of God, everything created is good. Because of us, everything created is marred-including our responses to everything created. Because of Christ, everything created can be redeemed."

"We do not live in a world where God posts "Keep Out" signs wherever he put something we might enjoy. If the Creator isn't offended, neither should we be."

"We are surrounded by displays of God's created glory, and we ourselves are displays of God's created glory. But we stubbornly hold back from our gracious Giver, like he's our problem. But God's heart loves to thrill our hearts with who he really is and who we really are. Why suffer deprivation one moment longer?"

"The Christian journey is not you timidly avoiding sin. It's you bravely following Jesus-in exactly the ways you were born for."

"...this world wants to squeeze us into its soul-crushing mold. And we have played along many times. But we don't want that anymore. We want Jesus now. We are setting our hearts on his promises."

"The book of Ecclesiastes helps you stop waiting for what you might achieve and start enjoying what God is giving." 

"Your heart, confident in Christ, can grow into a happy force. "Let your heart cheer you" is emphatic, even defiant. Grab onto that wisdom!" 

"The word rejoice keeps your heart alert to what God is giving you. And the one caring for you today will be caring for you tomorrow. The risen Christ above is not tired, and he's not tired of you."

"God is calling you, especially as a young man or a young woman, to receive gratefully and enjoy fully the human adventure he himself is setting before you. You need to stop holding back. It's time for you to live boldly. If you'll hold onto God's word, it will hold onto you, and you will not regret following it's counsel."

"Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes to help us do  two things on our journey through this life: accept the shortness of it and enjoy the goodness of it."

"What drains the life out of us is not God. It's this glittering, f;ashy, fraudulent world with its never-ending 24/7 gradiose hoopla and vulgar sensationalism and cheap spectacularization. It's exhausting. God doesn't rob us of life. His grace restores us." 

"Life is good. Life is short, and life is good. It's not an either/or. It's a both/and. And what makes your short life good is the grace of God giving you life to you, moment by moment. Your part is to receive it. Not deserve it, or achieve it or control it. Just receive it and enjoy this good gift from God that is your life."