The 2nd Mile Podcast

We are on the verge of one of my favorite times of year - it is the Thanksgiving long weekend. Regardless of your specific traditions, these days are often characterized by food, family, and football, but for many of us, it's also known for frustration. It's time to go the second mile in having a peaceful family gathering.

We are all in unique spiritual places. While we all need to be encouraged, we all don’t need to be encouraged in the same way. Depending upon how we are wired and what is happening, we need something different from those around us. It’s time to go the second mile in offering intentional encouragement.

Children in today’s culture have numerous forms of opposition against them. The challenges seem to increase by the year. But out of all the sources of stress, sometimes it is their parents who should provide support and actually create more issues. It’s time to go the second mile in helping our children.

You cannot avoid criticism in this life. Even if you seek to follow Jesus well, people will have issues with you and discuss it with others or confront you. How should we filter through these critics? We must decide to learn from some and ignore others. It’s time to go the second mile in filtering criticism.

If you are trying to make progress in your walk with Jesus, you will often find that the opposition increases. We tend to think that good intentions should remove any unnecessary obstacles, but we often experience the exact opposite. It’s time to go the second mile in addressing increasing opposition.

Humanity has been pointing fingers at others since the Garden of Eden. We rarely want to take responsibility for our actions but would rather blame someone else for our issues. At some point, each of us must decide how we will own up to our dilemmas. It’s time to go the second mile in taking ownership.

You don’t mean to let your temper take control. You never wanted to lash out the way you did, but you did it anyway. And you did it again. Maybe you feel like you are stuck in a cycle of regretting temperamental outbursts. It’s time to go the second mile in taming your temper.

Sometimes my mind is like a nonstop whirlwind of audacious ideas, nagging reminders, and unfortunate regrets. While my brain is on overdrive of varying thoughts, I lack clarity on what it is exactly that I need to do and am unsure of what to do next. It’s time to go the second mile in writing yourself clear.

If you undertake a massive project, you must create some reasonable steps along the way. If you don’t, you will get overwhelmed with the immensity and never make any progress. Don’t allow the project to keep you from the next task. It’s time to go the second mile in making a big project manageable.

Jesus taught that before you build a tower or wage a war, you better count the cost. When it comes to tackling a major project, like planning sermon series one year at a time, you have to put together a plan that is workable and scalable. It’s time to go the second mile in planning a year’s worth of sermons.

Each of us experiences temptation throughout our lives. We have an intentional enemy who knows where, when, and how to attack us in vulnerable areas of weakness. Ignoring his tactics will not make you impervious to personal setbacks.

Your past doesn’t have to define you. The mistakes you have made or those that others made and caused you to suffer consequences don’t have to determine your future. But to avoid that, you must consider how you must pivot as a result. It’s time to go the second mile in rerouting tragic legacies.

Your closest relationships will direct your most pivotal decisions. That’s why it is so important to consider the type of people you give the right to speak into your life. Have you ever considered how your relationships are encouraging you? It’s time to go the second mile in considering peer standards.

You can’t make it far in life without having wise guides pointing out good directions on uncertain paths. I pray you have had parents, pastors, coaches, teachers, and bosses who have guided you, but are you following their instructions? It’s time to go the second mile in adhering to wise counsel.

Good, bad, or indifferent, we all have learned lessons from our parents. Yours might have been intentional or even estranged, but you can’t deny that their life has made an impact. Have you ever considered what to do with what you’ve learned? It’s time to go the second mile in learning from parental examples.

We have all faced the looming decision that increased our anxiety. When we have to make the call, our values will come to the forefront without warning. So, before you make that next decision, have you ever considered what God desires you to do? It’s time to go the second mile in prioritizing God’s direction.

Any event that you make it to in your life is one you put on a calendar. We arrive where we plan to go. We meet with who we schedule to see. The same is true in your relationship with Jesus. If you want to know Him better, you must make the time. It’s time to go the second mile in putting Jesus on the calendar.

We often see friendships as a benefit but rarely a necessity. The reality is that we were not meant to live life alone. For many of us stalled out in our faith, the problem is not that we don’t love Jesus, we’re just not surrounded by others who do as well. It’s time to go the second mile in needed friendships.

It’s that time of year when camp is happening, and many students are praying that the change lasts this time. Don’t waste the momentum. If you or your student ministry is growing in Christ, it doesn’t have to stop once you go home. It’s time to go the second mile in camp commitments.

Most aspiring individuals attempt to exalt themselves into higher positions of leadership. Jesus breaks the common paradigm by teaching that the humble wait to be exalted. Servants allow God to do the placement and timing. It’s time to go the second mile in patient placement.

Many of us struggle with a poor image of ourselves because we live in a culture that constantly showcases everyone’s filtered, glamorous snapshots of what seems to be perfect lives. It’s dangerous for our souls. It’s time to go the second mile in controlling comparison.

Many of the teenagers in our churches aren’t pursuing Christ passionately because we have not expected them to do so. Instead of lowering expectations, we ought to expect sincere followers of Jesus. It’s time to go the second mile in raising student ministry bars.

We are often unable to enjoy God’s gift of relationships now due to disappointments from failed connections in the past. If we are not careful, past letdowns will rob us of present possibilities. We must deal with the pain and not continue to overlook it. It’s time to go the second mile in confronting bitterness.

In our age of pseudo-community provided by digital technology, we are missing out on the connection we were designed to meet and need. If you struggle to find your footing right now, it may be because you aren’t standing beside others. It’s time to go the second mile in seeking community.

If we want our lives to inspire others, we not only need to provide motivation but also clarification. We must learn to teach others simply so that they know what needs to be done next, among a host of options. Make it clear for others. It’s time to go the second mile in providing simple steps.

If we do something well, we ought to do it not to be flashy, but because we want to be faithful to whatever God has called us to do. We are working for Jesus on behalf of the people for whom He died, so we should give our absolute best. It’s time to go the second mile in living with earnest excellence.

To be a disciple of Jesus Christ implies that you ought to be thinking of how your life can impact others. We must have a next man and next woman up type of mentality. In all areas of life, how can we lead that extends beyond ourselves? It’s time to go the second mile in creating multiplication mindsets.

It’s hard to help others out in life if you give off an aura that you don’t want to be bothered by them. Christians ought to have the most open-hearted attitude toward others. Are you willing to be available for others as Jesus was? It’s time to go the second mile in developing approachable attitudes.

If you desire to live life according to Jesus, you can’t ignore His book. The Bible has to be more than an honorable mention in your life to be a disciple of Jesus. All of your beliefs and behaviors must originate from the instructions in the Bible. It’s time to go the second mile in keeping a scriptural standard.

If you have ever wanted to simplify your organization but are unsure of where to start, I want to help. It’s a biblical ambition to live your life wisely, but we all need practical help to know where to start. Maybe these considerations can encourage change. It’s time to go the second mile in intentional daily plans.

While we have plenty of examples of ambitious people eager to succeed for all the wrong reasons, that shouldn’t discourage you from being ambitious for godly motivations. Desiring to make your life count for God is as noble a motivator as possible. It’s time to go the second mile in developing godly ambition.

If you are like me, there are days when I feel like my life is spinning out of control. There are so many expectations, and I sometimes struggle to do the bare minimum, let alone what I desire to get to do. If you feel like me, decide to make some changes. It’s time to go the second mile in reorganizing your life.

As much of the world pauses this week to remember Jesus’ death on the cross and celebrate His resurrection from the tomb, have you ever considered how to best prepare? Following these simple steps can help you grow and reach others this week. It’s time to go the second mile in preparing for Easter.

You remember that situation you never thought you would survive? Well, you did. You are still standing today. And part of that reasoning is so you can help others who have fallen down in similar situations. Your example may be a lifesaver to another person. It’s time to go the second mile in offering personal stories.

The average Christian would admit to having little to no counseling training or experience, but that doesn’t mean that you couldn’t provide helpful counsel. Even if lacking in expertise, you can take some simple steps to help others continue through trials. It’s time to go the second mile in providing helpful counsel.

We often pray that God would use people to reach our family and friends, but what God wants to answer that prayer request by sending us? You have a relationship with people who need to have a relationship with Jesus. Starting is not as difficult as you think. It’s time to go the second mile in inviting someone to church.

Each of us sins, but we all struggle differently. While you might be prone to wander in certain ways, you are most likely more susceptible to temptation in particular places and at specific times. You’ve got to evaluate your habits to find victory against temptation. It’s time to go the second mile in avoiding sinful opportunities.

There’s nothing wrong with how God made you. This world will tell you that your insecurities reveal that you need a change, but what you actually require is sacred contentment as you acknowledge God’s blueprint. If you could use a renewed perspective, it’s time to go the second mile in praising God’s design.

Each of us has varying levels of fear of saying the wrong things, so much so that we can become mute, unwilling to speak at all. Instead of trying to find something clever to say, base your speech on God’s truth. If you desire to have a new way to communicate, it’s time to go the second mile in filling your speech.

No matter how much progress you make in life, there will always be those telling you how far you still have to go. Fear of others immobilizes us. We must learn to listen to God’s perspective on us over our critics. If you want to discover a new stride in life, it’s time to go the second mile in handling your critics.

When we focus on our perceived inabilities, we miss the opportunity to watch God work through us. To remedy our immobility, we must focus on what He can do rather than obsessing about what we cannot. If you want to experience God working, it’s time to go the second mile in addressing your insecurities.

We often contrive neat and tidy ways in which we expect the Lord to work, but He often surprises us. Instead of growing frustrated with these turns, have you considered that maybe He is bringing together a better plan than your own?  It’s time to go the second mile in embracing God’s unexpected plans.

Were we designed intentionally, or did we appear accidentally? That debate has been going on for quite some time. Nowadays, the more intense disagreement arises from not if we were made but how we were made. What does the image of God mean? It’s time to go the second mile in embracing God’s design.

INTERVIEW WITH CHUCK LAWLESS – Disciples of Jesus have a real enemy who desires to hinder us as we seek to follow Jesus. While his tactics are time-tested and successful throughout many lives, we don’t have to surrender. We don’t have to live defeated. We must engage in the battle. It’s time to go the second mile in engaging spiritual warfare.

INTERVIEW WITH CHUCK LAWLESS – Spiritual warfare is one of those topics we mention in church, but we rarely unpack it to our detriment. A battle is going on; just because you fail to acknowledge it does not mean you are immune to it. We must pick up our spiritual armor and go to battle. It’s time to go the second mile in acknowledging spiritual warfare.

It’s a new year that guarantees exciting opportunities and unexpected challenges. To ensure your life is heading in the right direction, it’s appropriate to evaluate your headings right now. More than making resolutions, we need to make changes. It’s time to go the second mile in evaluating new adjustments.

The Bible is not a book to cram information into your mind. It is God’s Word for you to study as it studies you. As you prepare a plan with which to read the Bible, ensure that you know how you should be reading the Bible in the first place. Consider what God is saying. It’s time to go the second mile in reading the Bible.

Since God is the most forgiving relationship in our lives, it is easiest to neglect our obligations to Him over other people. But neglecting His Word affects our lives greatly. If you have a plan, you need to decide when you will make time to meditate on God’s Word daily. It’s time to go the second mile in reading the Bible.

The Bible is a big book full of complicated stories, challenging situations, and complex settings that often seem foreign to us. Most of us never finished reading the Bible because we never started in the wisest place. It is important to know how you ought to progress. It’s time to go the second mile in reading the Bible.

With the growing exposure to bite-sized social media updates and quick exposure to news, we are losing our ability to read long and read well. While there is a great danger to this for many facets of life, none is as dangerous as what it means for our ability to handle Scripture. It’s time to go the second mile in reading the Bible.