The ShieldsGroup Adage

“There are certain things in this world God has for you to do; and you are just the right person to do them.”

All Christian parents desire that their children follow God; that they be what God wants them to be and do what he wants them to do. As parents, Laurel and I want to affirm to our children that they are important to God. As Larry the Cucumber says, we want them to know that “God made you special, and he loves you very much.” We want them to believe that their mission in life must be tied to his purpose — even driven by it. Continue reading

Using Stress to your Advantage…

Everyone thinks his or her job is the most stressful.

I read recently that teachers have the most stressful jobs. Of course, that conclusion was proclaimed where? On a teacher’s website. Management guru, Peter Drucker once indicated that pastoring is highly stressful. He suposedly called pastoral ministry “the most frustrated profession in America.” Guess where I read that? On a Pastor’s web site.

Most people feel that their lives are stressful. In fact, Continue reading

Hearing the Voice of God…

During Hurricane Katrina, I spent lots of time watching TV 4 – WWL TV, New Orleans as they streamed their firsthand news over the internet.

I appreciate that kind of coverage, because it’s local and personal. The news anchors often drop all their professional masks and get real.

At one point, they showed a restaurant that had just reopened. The film clip showed a waitress writing Continue reading