tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-325811652012-02-16T04:41:42.608-06:00The official blog of Mark Simpson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Director of LifeChange Counseling Centers.Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.comBlogger1251100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-32397136751296394532008-06-08T22:08:00.003-05:002008-06-08T22:12:06.976-05:00

“In the beginning was the Word and it was with God and was God. Before an eye had seen or an ear had heard, there was the Word. I know the Bible is God’s Word, His written promises to earth. The Word is Perfect Truth. The Word is what I cling to.”Lyrics to “The Word” used in Outrigger Island Vacation Bible School material.Those words sung by hundreds of children, including my eight-year-old

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-59791613220804979182008-04-14T20:07:00.003-05:002008-04-15T08:32:11.981-05:00

I was leading a Bible study Sunday night and we were looking at John 16. In particular John 16:26-27. Here is what it says:26 "In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God."Do you see that? Jesus is telling us that the Father does not have to be

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-8638265775691883902008-03-23T07:41:00.002-05:002008-03-23T08:02:35.363-05:00

Why do we say ""Happy Easter"? Why is this day supposed to be so "Happy"? For me, it is found in the following passages:John 3:3-73. Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again ". 4."How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5. Jesus answered, "I tell you

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-23412062022125289962007-09-12T22:00:00.000-05:002007-09-12T22:38:53.232-05:00

Yes, I've been accused of being dangerous once again by someone who has never met me, talked with me or heard me speak. The gossiping guardians of religion are trading in a lie that some power-hungry, religious pharisee has chosen to spread about me. What are the lies? Here they are:Lie No. 1) Mark doesn't believe in hell. (somewhat true - I'll explain in a moment)Lie No. 2) Mark thinks everyone

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-90017399292612494632007-07-24T21:25:00.000-05:002007-07-24T21:54:11.582-05:00

A while back I was playing a round of golf with a buddy and friend of his. (Yes, I play golf... it has a hook and a handicap in it doesn't it?) The friend of my buddy was very interested in my work as a counselor and told me how he wanted to go into Christian counseling as a second career.Now this fella was a religious goober. You know the kind that can just suck the life out of a good round of

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-79643783824034506932007-07-16T21:54:00.000-05:002007-07-16T21:57:26.564-05:00

I just finished reading "Love and Respect" by Emerson Eggerichs (www.loveandrespect.com) and watching the video seminar of his with 4 other couples. Fantastic stuff! I will review the material soon (yes soon!) and let you know how this can revolutionize your marriage.

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-58460182133137660962007-07-16T21:42:00.000-05:002007-07-16T21:53:02.945-05:00

I am excited to announce that LifeChange has been contracted by Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson to oversee their counseling ministry. Christ Church has a rich history of ministry and service to Jackson and we are pleased to partner with them in ministry.Counseling appointments are available to CUMC church members at a discount and we are able to meet with people from all across the

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-76680178923463164462007-03-22T23:06:00.000-05:002007-07-16T21:42:37.400-05:00

Do you remember the Vulcan mind meld that Mr. Spock would perform on Star Trek? Mr. Spock could place his hand on the temple of another and meld his mind with that person and they would experience his memories in the first person. The mind meld would allow the memories of Spock to be the memories of the person. It wasn't like they were watching his memories on a screen, they were reliving them as

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-370683401540216952007-03-20T22:06:00.000-05:002007-03-20T22:22:08.181-05:00

Imagine what it would be like if there was this huge, global collections scam that preyed on the unsuspecting. The Fraudulent Collections Agency continually harasses everyone, sending them notices of delinquent accounts, demands payment and threatens with imprisonment.An uninformed public pays up and continues to buy the lie that more is owed. They take the harassing calls, buckle to the threats

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-48665225411793976852007-03-06T07:54:00.000-06:002007-03-06T07:55:47.833-06:00

I'm going to take a few weeks off writing to regroup and bring fresh material. Please register for updates and when I start writing you will receive an email notice of new articles.Thanks!

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-34677259726608094842007-02-26T08:54:00.000-06:002007-02-26T09:17:15.517-06:00

When Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 he declared that all slaves "from thenceforward shall be forever free". He also stated that anyone holding slaves would be in rebellion against the United States.Now I'm sure there were many freed slaves who did not know of the their freedom and there were rebellious slave owners who did not want their "slaves" to know the truth.

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-57851361157961672972007-02-20T08:19:00.000-06:002007-02-20T12:32:55.343-06:00

I know it is a crazy question, but are you in your big toe? Did your big toe have to invite you into it in order for it to be alive? Did your big toe have to recognize that it was always getting stumped and confess that and then pledge to stop hitting the couch in the middle of the night in order for you to enter into your big toe and give it life? Has your big toe confessed, committed, been

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-34776064515588475762007-02-16T09:34:00.000-06:002007-02-16T09:35:13.348-06:00

Have you pinched your spouse lately? If you haven’t, you might want to! So many times we get into fights with our mate and we are convinced that THEY are the problem. With contempt in our hearts and minds, we see our mate as a buffoon and if they would just get their act together we would be happy. The problem with this is that we are failing to see what the real problem is. The scriptures tell

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-25427002210669518152007-02-14T07:54:00.000-06:002007-02-14T08:14:18.114-06:00

"Moreover, as it was the death of all mankind that the Savior came to accomplish, not His own, He did not lay aside His body by an individual act of dying, for to Him, as Life, this simply did not belong; but He accepted death at the hands of men, thereby completely to destroy it in His own body."Athanasius It is amazing how quickly we have moved from salvation accomplished to salvation possible.

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-19048805594854883192007-02-13T08:13:00.000-06:002007-02-07T08:37:05.998-06:00

Imagine a vine with countless branches growing from it. The branches draw their life from the branch and are alive in the vine. Some branches are heavy with fruit, others slightly, and yet others not at all; but, all live and grow and have their being in the vine.The branches do not generate life in themselves but have the life of the vine in them. If the branches were to be cut off from the vine

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-26190878649119370022007-02-07T08:15:00.000-06:002007-02-07T08:37:06.030-06:00

The most powerful way to transform yourself or others is through acceptance. When you find yourself struggling with hiccups and hangups, do you beat yourself up with negative self talk? When those around you are acting out in ways that annoy you, do you respond harshly?We are most open to correction from those who are accepting and affirming. We have all had those authority figures in our lives

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-2105523156997604052007-02-05T08:00:00.000-06:002007-02-04T20:55:48.560-06:00

Jesus told us to do the taste test when it comes to religious teaching. Bad fruit comes from bad trees and good fruit comes from good trees. One of the ways that we can determine whether or not to swallow what we are hearing is to ask this question:"Does this throw me back on myself or does this have me coming to Jesus and resting?"Religion is full of calls to mount the hamster's wheel. Do this.

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-51471455063274082972007-02-04T13:29:00.000-06:002007-02-04T13:58:24.005-06:00

"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." John 5:39-40It seems to me that the scriptures, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, would point people to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is always pointing to Jesus and is determined that we know the Father's Son. The

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-512330920742785952007-02-01T08:14:00.000-06:002007-02-01T08:43:06.832-06:00

As I reflect on the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, it seems to me to be more like a molestation than anything else. A molester always places themselves between the innocent and the protector and sets themselves up as the new friend. In doing so, they then hurt the innocent and it sets off a cascade of pain.Adam and Eve were not created perfect - they had limitations. They were created "very

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-55171932179089409582007-01-31T15:03:00.000-06:002007-01-31T15:06:01.298-06:00

My wife, Robin, shared this quote with me that she read today as she has been reading the following book: From Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala: One Sunday about 20 years ago, back in our days in the YWCA, I said something impromptu while receiving new members into the church that has stuck with us ever since. People were standing in a row across the front before me, and as I spoke,

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-87797771249591876082007-01-29T08:37:00.000-06:002007-01-29T09:26:53.964-06:00

Life is short and I have come to the conclusion that it is too short to belabor points and try to convince those who don't want to be convinced. There comes a time in everyone's life when, like the Apostle Paul, you have to shake the dust off your feet and go on to new fields of ministry. For four years I ministered at a church as Associate Pastor and taught openly, plainly (some would disagree)

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-9606966448946816012007-01-26T07:41:00.000-06:002007-01-26T07:42:40.949-06:00

I am swamped with phone calls and emails with the launch of Marathon Makeover this weekend. I will be back to posting on Monday.

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-73288530115000588572007-01-24T08:01:00.000-06:002007-01-24T06:50:18.439-06:00

Thanks Billy Watkins for a great article on Marathon Makeover!Click Here to Read.

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-34078910876306473752007-01-24T08:00:00.000-06:002007-01-23T23:12:26.712-06:00

When God created us, He created us out of nothing. We were given a share in the life of the Word - that is Jesus - and in union with Him we have existence.When Adam and Eve sinned, they began back down the path toward nothingness. This was the plight of humanity that Christ took upon Himself to undo. Life Himself secured our existence by taking into Himself our non-being death and destroyed it,

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-82906593830843504452007-01-23T08:08:00.000-06:002007-01-23T08:17:13.792-06:00

I was interviewed for an upcoming article on our Marathon Makeover and the reporter asked me what life applications I had learned from training for and training others for a marathon. For me it was easy. The thing I have learned the most is that a marathon isn't 26.2 miles - it is one mile 26.2 times.Whenever I have run a marathon, I have not been able to focus on the whole picture, that is too

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-58365113524647114242007-01-22T07:10:00.000-06:002007-01-22T10:32:31.414-06:00

"For God is good - or rather, of all goodness He is Fountainhead, and it is impossible for one who is good to be mean or grudging about anything. Grudging existence to none therefore, He made all things out of nothing through His own Word, our Lord Jesus Christ; and of all these earthly creatures He reserved especial mercy for the race of men."St. AthanasiusI read those sentences over and over

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-263581546705906872007-01-19T10:07:00.000-06:002007-01-19T11:43:37.483-06:00

The thing about truth that is amazing is that truth is truth regardless of whether or not anyone believes it. Long before anyone believed that the world was round... it was. While others believed the moon was made of cheese... it wasn't. Truth is truth.Somehow we have come to believe in the Christian faith that our belief in something is what determines the veracity of it. Unless you believe in

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-84308338905123308102007-01-18T15:36:00.000-06:002007-01-18T15:49:20.600-06:00

At this time of year, I start my Marathon Makeover training program with which I will train others to finish the Chicago Marathon. This is my fourth year to do this and I have seen 125 people cross the finish line after 26.2 miles and most of them were couch potatoes when they started.What is interesting to me is that every year I have to contend with participants who are being counseled by their

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-69852228099791614792007-01-17T07:47:00.000-06:002007-01-17T07:53:21.758-06:00

Salvation is coming home to the truth that in Jesus Christ you already are (and always have been) home in Jesus Christ!"It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-57565257338473668382007-01-15T08:00:00.000-06:002007-01-15T15:03:37.777-06:00

Have you heard the Carrie Underwood song, "Jesus Take the Wheel"? It's been all the rave and has done well for her career start. I wish her well!But the song has gotten me to thinking about the notion of asking Jesus to take the wheel. When we look at our lives as though we are the ones in the driver's seat it would naturally stand to reason that when in trouble we will ask Jesus to take over. "

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-39438480581261687062007-01-12T08:01:00.000-06:002007-01-11T21:39:59.110-06:00

Here's an article in the Clarion Ledger Newspaper on affairs that I was interviewed for:http://clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070111/FEAT05/701110359

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-46426179815363413042007-01-12T08:00:00.000-06:002007-01-11T21:35:36.185-06:00

Becoming community is not an easy process! Whether it is a community of two - marriage - or a community of many - church - becoming community is like making sausage. It is not a pretty process.There are four developmental processes on the way to community. The first stage is:1) Faking it. In this stage there is pseudo-community. A whole lot of pretending is going on in this first stage. Think of

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-91912759028756209542007-01-10T14:04:00.000-06:002007-01-10T14:06:18.635-06:00

Here's a link if you have a little time to watch or listen. Sent to me by my friend Stacy Wills.http://www.lifestream.org/fatheraffectionplay.html

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-12272088803287783172007-01-09T07:29:00.000-06:002007-01-09T07:53:44.848-06:00

I've found a number of people that I counsel do not have a backbone. Usually this surfaces in the counseling session when they present themselves as overloaded, overwhelmed, full of resentments, and ready to quit life. They are mad!I usually say, "You are ticked at them because you don't have a backbone!" I get a confused look, but I continue. "You wouldn't be so ticked if people wouldn't take

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-8688996049237037392007-01-08T06:22:00.000-06:002007-01-08T06:30:18.692-06:00

I sat down last night to read a few minutes from one of my favorites, The Ragamuffin Gospel, and receive some comfort, encouragement and as always passion. I almost missed this paragraph in trying to find where I last left off. I'm glad I looked back to the top of the page and read this:Eugene Kennedy writes: "The devil dwells in the urge to control rather than liberate the human soul. One can

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-56390246812799222812007-01-05T06:46:00.000-06:002007-01-05T17:15:36.348-06:00

I just finished reading Carlyle Marney's Priests To Each Other and although I haven't understood everything in it, it has ministered to me at this point in my life. As some of you know, I am going through a battle of sorts at the place where I was associate pastor for 4 years.There are a handful of people who are attempting to replace the Gospel of unconditional grace in our Lord Jesus Christ

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-72549501716150486902007-01-04T08:00:00.000-06:002007-01-03T22:15:45.944-06:00

Elephants are always popping up in the living spaces of community. They are big, awkward and very present BUT people are so prone to act as if there are no elephants. If I look at you with a blank stare and smile maybe we won't have to deal with the pachyderm in our midst."Let's move forward and not look back. I just don't have permission to talk about that. Now is not a good time to deal with

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-14512815493586870012007-01-03T09:00:00.000-06:002007-01-03T09:08:17.686-06:00

Whenever the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ advances, it does so by storm. As you look back over the last two thousand years, you will see the repeated attempts by lesser gods to silence and put out the news of God's unmerited favor for sinners.To realize that in Christ there is no longer Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, nor any other class distinction but that Christ is all and

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-63407204289765272942007-01-02T20:46:00.000-06:002007-01-02T21:44:37.998-06:00

Recently someone told me that they had a hard time believing in God. "I grew up in the whole Baptist thing and I kind of got the impression that God was saying 'love me or else'."What he was saying is that the the way the Gospel is so often presented the message that comes across is this:"Love me or I'll punish you!" or"I'll love you unconditionally IF you will confess your sins, repent of them,

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-2339276764865996402006-12-29T11:35:00.000-06:002006-12-29T12:09:17.733-06:00

One of the major maladies of people is a preoccupation with guilt. Shame, embarrassment, depression, and anxiety are just a few emotions that come from being burdened down by guilt. This leads to endless attempts to hide, blame shift, or atone for one's own sins.Remember, it was the serpent that whispered to Adam and Eve that they should be like God. That is the way the whole mess started -

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-43750896589900970402006-12-27T08:00:00.000-06:002006-12-27T00:00:13.336-06:00

I was teaching a Sunday morning lesson on the power of Jesus on our behalf, explaining what it meant that Jesus has accomplished all the work of salvation and has rested from the work. Our response to his success is to rest!As I was expounding on this, I made note of the following verse from Hebrews:"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-70556730300324324812006-12-26T22:59:00.000-06:002006-12-26T23:13:19.348-06:00

I dropped my wife's car off at the shop this morning for new tires and a brake job. I thought I would wait around and let them do the job quickly. Fat chance! Instead, after waiting about 45 minutes I was told that the car wouldn't be ready until late this afternoon. What did I do? I walked home.The nice man offered me a ride home, but I only live about a mile and a half away and I hated to miss

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-34383307512473870222006-12-25T21:31:00.000-06:002006-12-25T21:41:22.324-06:00

"You must understand why it is that the Word of the Father, so great and so high, has been made manifest in bodily form. He has not assumed a body as proper to His own nature, far from it, for as the Word He is without body. He has been manifested in a human body for this reason only, out of the love and goodness of His Father, for the salvation of us men. We will begin, then, with the creation

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-81811374225991758942006-12-22T07:53:00.000-06:002006-12-22T08:03:04.858-06:00

From Robert Farrar Capon's book - Kingdom, Grace, Judgment: Paradox, Outrage, and Vindication in the Parables of Jesus."But the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is precisely Good News. It is the announcement, in the death and resurrection of Jesus, that God has simply called off the game - that he has taken all the disasters religion was trying to remedy and, without any recourse to

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-26975652216156922472006-12-21T08:03:00.000-06:002006-12-21T07:24:14.217-06:00

Nature is full of lessons if we have eyes and ears to see and hear. When I think about the sexual relationship of a man and woman, there is much to learn about how relationships need to work.A woman's reproductive system is an open system - a man's is closed. An open system is the most vulnerable, for the sexual experience occurs within her body and is most susceptible to harm. The closed system

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-64158815902801261932006-12-18T18:06:00.000-06:002006-12-19T20:02:02.181-06:00

If you come to the Lord's table with a physical appetite, the little cup and the small bit of bread will sorely disappoint; however, if you come to table with a spiritual hunger you will be more satisfied than what a ten-course meal could provide. Communion is a sacrament - a sacred physical experience with a spiritual experience or demonstration of grace.Marriage is a sacrament, too; and, just

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-72009776599777683942006-12-15T21:45:00.000-06:002006-12-12T17:00:58.130-06:00

Now you can subscribe to LifeChange Daily and each day you will receive an email of the most recent posts on LifeChange Daily. Look to your right at the top of the page and enter your email!

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-81452096233226726682006-12-15T08:00:00.000-06:002006-12-15T07:27:12.715-06:00

For starters, read John 3:1-21Religious people are always thinking that they have what it takes to impress God and gain His acceptance. They like how they are "can do" types that live up to all the religious requirements to earn salvation or secure their place in heaven.Nicodemus was one of those types. He was a Pharisee, a religious marine, who came to Jesus at night to get the scoop on just

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-56649610877654146862006-12-14T08:00:00.000-06:002006-12-13T22:20:27.170-06:00

As a Marriage & Family Therapist, I hear people say all the time "I don't believe in divorce!" and they are usually people whose marriage is falling apart and are facing divorce. It's almost as if they think that if they declare their disbelief in divorce they can avoid the whole subject.I believe in divorce! I see it all around me and know too painfully that it is an all too common event in far

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-75750800402583515812006-12-13T08:00:00.000-06:002006-12-12T21:29:59.688-06:00

What does it take to master a given topic? Believe it or not, if you will read only twenty pages a day on any given topic, in five years you will be in the top 5% of those who know something on that topic.Read twenty pages a day for five years on the subject of landscaping and you will know more than 95% of the population. OK, maybe you're not interested in landscaping but what about marriage.

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-33510357533085174212006-12-12T08:00:00.000-06:002006-12-12T10:03:50.621-06:00

I heard a preacher recently teaching about the "real" Christian life and boy was it interesting. He went to great lengths to talk about the deeper, more mature life "in the Word" and how, when we were ready for it, he would let us in on the meat. This preacher talked as if he had arrived and he wasn't quite sure if we had. There was what I interpreted a spirit of superiority.What confused me was

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-37732987748169239542006-12-11T08:00:00.000-06:002006-12-11T14:42:09.302-06:00

The Apostle John wrote to his church that he pastored three recorded letters in an attempt to heal that Christian community. It seems that little church was experiencing a break down and love was not flowing freely anymore. What was the cure?John tells the people to get real and to quit acting as if they had it all together. It seems that the only way to experience healthy love in community is

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-40772034801081911292006-12-07T07:21:00.000-06:002006-12-07T07:23:06.556-06:00

These are crazy days for me and I am trying to catch up. I will resume blogging next Monday.

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-21507427785831393472006-12-01T22:19:00.000-06:002006-12-10T22:22:09.066-06:00

Have you ever seen one of those car bumper stickers that states, "Get right or get left!"? The sticker is a feeble attempt at saving souls by scaring the hell out of people by threatening hell, or better, getting left behind in the rapture. The message that these "ambassadors for Christ" are spreading is a fear-based one.My question is just how do we "get right"? I'm guessing we are supposed to

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-65898874355934929942006-11-30T21:53:00.000-06:002006-11-30T22:50:56.733-06:00

What do people say about God? Have you ever been told that God can't have anything to do with you because your sin has separated you from Him and He can't tolerate sin?People go to great lengths in telling others about how they can have a relationship with God. But instead of being newsboys we become bread men. Instead of sharing Good News we market a product of salvation that we can hand out

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-51722211492188565682006-11-29T08:00:00.000-06:002006-11-30T22:51:16.582-06:00

What lenses do you look through when you look at another person? Do you see their skin color? Do you hear their dialect? Do you observe their economic standing? Do you judge whether or not they are a beautiful person?We all bring a pair of glasses to our relationships. We look and judge and generalize our findings into nice, neat little categories. We do this so we can esteem some and demean

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-32410286533214600692006-11-28T08:00:00.000-06:002006-11-30T22:50:30.509-06:00

Yesterday I began my discussion of II Corinthians 5:14-21 by discussing the driving force and conviction of Paul - love and the belief that ALL died in Christ. I finished the discussion by sensing that some of you may have been champing at the bits to have some folks excluded from the work of Christ. I've heard the questions before:"Are you saying that all are saved and going to heaven?""Isn't

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-32406267533612464432006-11-27T07:48:00.000-06:002006-11-30T22:50:16.618-06:00

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is II Corinthians 5:14-21. This week I am going to tease out my understanding of this passage and its implications for life. "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, thatone died for all, therefore all died;" II Cor. 5:14Paul is the author of this letter to the church in Corinth and the two things that jump out to me is motivation and

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-63018611804736992902006-11-20T09:16:00.000-06:002006-11-20T09:29:20.792-06:00

Saturday night Robin and I went to see the latest James Bond movie - Casino Royale - and had a great evening... except the popcorn. I took out a second mortgage for a small bag of popcorn and a 20 ounce bottle of water.As I watched the 15 minutes of previews (actually one of my favorite parts of the movie experience) I dove into my bag of popcorn, "Boy! This is some salty popcorn!" I said to my

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-79121283249170334392006-11-16T09:37:00.000-06:002006-11-16T09:41:40.384-06:00

"I'm sorry, I already have something on my calendar."Do you ever wish you could respond that way truthfully when someone asks you to do something that you would rather not do? Do you find that time you wish you could carve out for yourself or your family always gets dumped to satisfy someone else's request?Here is an easy solution! Go through your calendar and determine what times and dates you

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-68910689085310623942006-11-15T07:24:00.000-06:002006-11-16T09:37:03.074-06:00

Give - Jesus gave the bread to His disciples.Jesus takes what we bring to the table, blesses it, breaks it and gives it away to the world.Most of my life I thought that my Christian journey was about my ability to perform the Christian disciplines that I had been taught. Efforts to produce the fruits of the Spirit always seemed to fall short and never flowed from the center of who I am. The

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-8261147067356754572006-11-13T07:42:00.000-06:002006-11-13T08:15:52.592-06:00

Speaking of Break - I needed a break last week and took one.Break - Jesus Broke the bread.Not only does Jesus take what we bring - sin, brokenness and failures - and bless it - offers it to the Father for us as an appropriate offering - He also breaks it in His sacrificial death and transforms it into the currency of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Currency may not be the best word to use here but is the

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-43868320435447538762006-11-08T08:21:00.000-06:002006-11-08T08:45:41.791-06:00

BLESSAs I mentioned yesterday, it is the material we bring to the table that Jesus uses in salvation. Five loaves and two fish are taken by the Lord and transformed into a meal with twelve baskets left over. Jesus takes what we bring and calls us to come just as we are.But what does He do with our hodge-podge ingredients of sin and brokenness that we bring to the table? He blesses!Our High Priest

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-10060221107901527202006-11-07T12:57:00.000-06:002006-11-08T08:20:54.732-06:00

I'm reading a great book by Eugene Peterson (translator of The Message) entitled Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, and in this powerful book Peterson discusses how Jesus follows a similar pattern when dealing with people and meals."When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them."Luke 24:30Take - Bless - Break - Give! Jesus did this at the

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-33284932522514790812006-11-06T08:00:00.000-06:002006-11-07T13:59:20.996-06:00

We've heard it said that confession is good for the soul. It's true! However, we really don't buy it. We hide ourselves behind masks and performance to cover over our hidden shame. Like Adam and Eve, we are skilled at the art of fig-leave deflection - "Look over there! - whew, I thought you might see me."God's call to confession is not for the purpose of beating us down and embarrassing us into

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-58783321955239391462006-11-03T08:00:00.000-06:002006-11-03T16:37:44.560-06:00

Q. How do I get back to a point where I love my husband?A. That is a great question, many couples face the painful awareness that they have drifted apart and no longer have those loving feelings for their spouse. At the point that it becomes obvious to you it can really scare the bejeabers out of you. What do you do? Do you believe the Righteous Brothers and just accept that it’s gone, gone, gone

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-64775040950147794852006-11-02T09:02:00.000-06:002006-11-02T09:03:00.581-06:00

Q. What do I do when my husband wants me to forgive him and drop an issue but in order to do so I need to talk through it first?A. Many times it is hard to move on with an issue until things are sorted out and we have a sense that things will change. For many guys it is hard to discuss things and you may hear him pull the FIDO maneuver –you know - Forget It and Drive On. But it may seem next to

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-8969254196039733182006-11-01T09:00:00.000-06:002006-11-02T09:02:22.351-06:00

Q: Mr. Simpson, I was listening to your online "Help I have a Teenager" and I have a different dilemma than most parents. I've been smoking pot with my son and feel so guilty that he has no respect for me now. What should I do?A: First of all, good for you that you are taking steps to make amends for past unwise decisions. That is the hardest step!Your son has looked for you to set limits and

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-25678788266492164642006-10-30T23:06:00.000-06:002006-10-31T14:54:46.588-06:00

As a child I learned the following scripture verse from Luke 2:52:And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. It seemed the perfect verse for a child to learn that helped me see that Jesus, like me, grew up, too.Somehow my idea of Jesus growing up always left me with a vision of Jesus primarily floating through the life stages, sans pimples and temptations of lust, and

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-74771372479018076282006-10-30T14:56:00.000-06:002006-10-30T15:29:33.227-06:00

I was reading a while back in Robert Farrar Capon's Book on parables about the difference between right-handed power and left-handed power.Right-handed power is the way the world uses power. Win through intimidation - might makes right - management techniques of Attila the Hun. This power is effective and so easily picked up. It is the road that people continued to push Jesus toward and is the

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-88972810309151042672006-10-30T10:36:00.000-06:002006-10-30T23:51:00.050-06:00

It's time for you to fill the suggestion box and let me know what you want me to blog about.Your input will be appreciated! Comments welcome.

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-70490162981798469942006-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-26T22:01:30.594-05:00

What does it mean for husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church? Just what does it mean for a man to live out the calling of Ephesians 5? I think this is an important question. Over the years I have had the opportunity to ask many men what it means to love their wife as Christ loves the church and almost without fail I hear an answer that sounds like this. “Well, I’m supposed to be

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-1541585514353378392006-10-26T10:47:00.000-05:002006-10-26T10:58:23.070-05:00

Do you know how some tribes capture monkeys?They take a hollow log, cap the ends, drill a hole in the top and take it into the jungle. As they walk into the jungle, they make a lot of noise and draw the attention of the monkeys in the area. Finally, they drop nuts into the hollow log and move away to wait and watch.Monkeys are curious animals and before long they come down from the trees and see

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-58108534944973798902006-10-23T20:46:00.000-05:002006-10-23T21:05:15.754-05:00

I'm always amazed at what we are able to do when we decide to do something. Two weeks ago, I was unsure if my leg was going to let me run the Chicago Marathon. Yesterday I ran all 26.2 miles of the Chicago Marathon and finished in 5:26:19 (5 hours - 26 minutes - 19 seconds).What was the most rewarding part of the marathon? Having 55 of 56 people we trained through our Marathon Makeover program

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-51405148645918327412006-10-20T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-23T20:44:32.522-05:00

Did you know there are two primary emotions and all other emotions spin off of them? It's true! All emotions flow from one of two wells.What are they?Love and Fear.When you begin to understand that all emotions and reactions are rooted in one of these primary emotions you will be able to respond to your own and other's experiences in a much healthier way.Is your husband controlling? Which well

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-75755756678817097512006-10-19T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-19T08:53:23.278-05:00

The third commitment to successful couples is the commitment to love your spouse. Now, I know that may sound obvious, but in reality it is not an easy task given the culture we live in with its warped definition of love. Just what is love? Well, there are different types of love. Let’s look at those. When it comes to relationships and mate selection there are 4 different types and stages of

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-82830923682994991762006-10-18T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-18T06:26:04.726-05:00

The second commitment of successful couples is the commitment to Truth.Marriages can be severely damaged by dishonesty. Usually when I mention the issue of dishonesty, people run in their mind to infidelity. Infidelity, of course, involves dishonesty but a more subtle form of dishonesty destroys more marriages.In the Song of Solomon, the writer says, “Catch for me the little foxes, the little

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-87879001369018152272006-10-17T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-16T23:11:29.998-05:00

In order to understand a commitment, let me remind you of a common childhood practice. You and a friend are at a pool and decide that you want to jump in the water, but there is something about doing that alone that has made you hesitant. You strike a deal with your friend and decide to run together and jump in the water together. On the count of three the two of you will run and jump in together

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-36873136067583403382006-10-16T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-16T08:04:25.498-05:00

This week's blog will be a 4 part series on The Three Commitments of Successful Couples (Single people can benefit from this, too!)For over fifteen years I have worked with couples as a Marriage and Family Therapist and have been able to see up close and in a very personal way, how these marriages work. I have observed those couples that can’t seem to get it together and those that really

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-72875469981512639002006-10-13T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-12T21:40:02.618-05:00

What keeps us from experiencing life and freedom? Why is it that we are more prone to live out of toxic waste instead of rivers of living water? I think it is because we have neglected soul mechanics. We are not aware of how we work from the inside out. We have swallowed the lie that life is external. Change behavior and you have a healthy soul. This isn’t just something thought up by humanists,

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-12270847093666436822006-10-12T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-11T21:55:32.980-05:00

“Metanoia” is a Greek word that happens to be one of my favorite words. The word is rich in its meaning and gives us great insight into how change comes about. “Meta” means to change, turn or transform and “noia” means mind, knowing. The force of this “knowing” isn’t “I know that two plus two equals four.” It carries a meaning more in line with, “I know my wife and we have three daughters.” It

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-51702492428483475832006-10-11T08:12:00.000-05:002006-10-11T21:48:57.861-05:00

How do you explain humans? There have been many attempts to explain humans and I guess the definition that I like the best is one that I have come up with in the context of connection with my life group that I get to meet with most Thursdays. My life group is made up of several guys, some pastors, some theologians, some business guys, but all real, down-to-earth fellows who are interested in one

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-10687019431032251802006-10-10T08:01:00.000-05:002006-10-11T08:05:10.149-05:00

Things you'll NEVER hear one guy say to another guy:Does my rear look fat in this? I'm tired of football. What say you to flipping the channel to that figure skating competition? I can't stop fantasizing about Dr. Ruth! I think those big, jacked-up trucks look ridiculous. There's nothing I like more than a quiet evening at home, watching a movie on Lifetime about some woman who gives up her baby

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-21933891673357225112006-10-09T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-08T19:32:53.865-05:00

I want you to read the following email from Don Barr. Don is a young man just out of high school on a six month mission to India. He is working with an orphanage and a leper colony. Please pray for him and his team of twelve amazing young people.Dear Friends and Family,It is great to get to finally e-mail you all. Its only been about a week and a half here, but so much has been going on.. many

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-37440225392195314992006-10-06T08:00:00.000-05:002006-10-05T08:39:40.327-05:00

Having been in a little crazy mood I decided to go in a little fun direction and look at The Top Ten List of Ways to Really Make a Fool of Yourself.Whatever you do, don’t ever go on a reality TV show where you are supposed to pick a marriage partner.Whatever you do, don’t ever go on a reality TV show where you are supposed to be picked as a marriage partner.Whatever you do, don’t ever go on a

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-77125910141020176872006-10-05T08:15:00.000-05:002006-10-05T08:24:59.811-05:00

1. Set Your Priorities. Take the time to decide what is important to you. Don’t over commit because you are afraid to say “No”. The Scriptures tell us that “each of us should give what we have decided in our heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God love’s a cheerful giver.” Write down your priorities -you must stay true to your basic principles and priorities for your life to

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-72957060662600915172006-10-04T08:52:00.000-05:002006-10-04T08:55:40.105-05:00

Many people mistakenly think that the goal of life is to be happy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Now don’t get me wrong, I like being happy. But many people confuse the subject and begin to pursue those things that make them happy at the expense of being healthy. A good life, one well-lived will not always be a life of constant happiness. But many people, in the pursuit of happiness

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-49105811441149279022006-10-03T07:53:00.000-05:002006-10-03T08:05:43.745-05:00

Believe it or not I have three rules for sex in marriage that, if they are followed, will lead to a great, healthy, fulfilling sex life.What are they?Rule 1 - When both of you want to have sex - GO FOR IT!This rule is rarely if ever hard to keep. When the two of you are in the mood the fireworks usually begin.Rule 2 - If you can - DO!In other words, if one of you wants to and the other is

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-16742188876345900642006-09-29T08:00:00.000-05:002006-09-28T08:59:51.227-05:00

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. --John Fitzgerald KennedyOne of the most important ways to be grateful is to let your actions reflect your gratitude. Many people are quick to express gratitude but are slow to live a life of gratitude. The old saying, “I can’t hear what your saying because your actions are

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-25923937621466230392006-09-28T08:01:00.000-05:002006-09-27T08:02:26.408-05:00

1. The common welfare of the marriage should come first. Personal fulfillment depends upon marital unity. (WE vs. ME)2. For our marriage’s purpose there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as He may express Himself in our joint understanding. The husband leads as a trusted servant; he does not rule.3. The only requirement of each spouse is a desire to have a successful marriage.4. Our

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-47897506165063772062006-09-27T07:47:00.000-05:002006-09-27T07:48:49.931-05:00

What do you do when your daughters leave their room messy? Give them a CD of Pop Daddy!Listen

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-11981753933725183422006-09-26T07:55:00.000-05:002006-09-27T07:57:45.208-05:00

Here is a free E-book I wrote called "Help, I Have a Teenager!" You can download the book and pass it on!I hope it helps!Download Here!

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-9146874920734661312006-09-25T07:11:00.000-05:002006-09-25T07:59:22.545-05:00

Growing up in a large church with a dynamic pastor had a huge impact on me. It shaped the way I understood ministry and for the longest time shaped the way I viewed my path as someone called into the ministry.When I sensed God was calling me into the ministry, the only thing I could envision was being a preacher in a big church - wearing dark suits, red ties, and wielding a floppy Bible that I

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-60129485078792968992006-09-22T08:00:00.000-05:002006-09-20T17:13:10.136-05:00

I’ll never forget the assignment my professor gave us in graduate school. “Take out a piece of paper and without putting your name on it, write down the thing you fear the most.” My first inclination was to blow off the paper and write something like spiders, snakes or a bad hangnail. But something inside of me stirred and I decided to get real and when that happened, boy did I get real… real

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-55829246563379342722006-09-21T08:00:00.000-05:002006-09-20T17:10:04.742-05:00

I was talking with a client the other day about the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus. Romans 8, tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God, nothing. Those words need to be as foundational to us as 2 plus 2 equals 4. All of us have learned that simple math equation and wouldn’t for a moment begin to believe that 2+2=5. No matter the argument, we have come to believe the

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-6016877040535653262006-09-20T08:00:00.000-05:002006-09-19T20:55:57.735-05:00

My friend Tom Edwards and I got together and wrote the following song. We had an incredible time and he is an amazing musician! He took our lyrics and brought it alive with his musical talents. Tom travels around playing for churches and events and leads the music at my church.The song has to do with our wrong-headed understanding of God that we have acquired throughout the years and our crazy

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-11594717903733684742006-09-19T20:13:00.000-05:002006-09-19T20:16:46.430-05:00

Set all the alarm clocks to go off at ten-minute intervals.Make a trail of lemonade to the rest rooms. Walk up to an employee and tell him/her in an official tone, “I think we have a code 3 in housewares,” and see what happens. Put some M&M’s on lay away. Move CAUTION WET FLOOR signs to carpet areas. Set up a tent in the camping department, tell others you’ll only invite them in if they bring

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-44146287270914813022006-09-19T20:03:00.000-05:002006-09-19T20:04:13.513-05:00

For those of you who feel over responsible for how other people feel, here's a little mantra to memorize and repeat."I am not responsible for others' feelings. I am responsible for my actions before a righteous, loving God. If my actions are sinful, I will seek forgiveness from God first then I will apologize for my actions to the one I have offended. If my actions are not sinful, I will not take

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-41430748859092095442006-09-18T08:48:00.000-05:002006-09-18T08:52:04.017-05:00

I wrote this a while back and thought you might enjoy it. It is a little long for a blog, but I hope it is worth it.Listen my friend and I will tell you the most amazing story ever told:Far away in a land across the sea lived a King who had a fine son. His name was Prince Iisous. The King desired for his son a bride and a fair maiden by the name of Chara was betrothed to him while she was yet a

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32581165.post-14888011549641910732006-09-15T08:00:00.000-05:002006-09-14T23:10:39.646-05:00

Imagine with me an experience. You are at a fine restaurant and the waiter pours you a glass of the finest wine the vine has ever produced. You take a sip of the wine and immediately you know that this is no ordinary wine. This is the most extraordinary wine that has ever reached the lips of a human being (OK all you Baptists – bear with me).As you take in the bouquet and savor the dancing

Mark Simpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17931248398111942077noreply@blogger.com0