Author: Seth Barnes

The freedom of admitting you’re stupid

Written by Seth Barnes on February 18, 2006. Posted in Vulnerability and me. 3 Comments on The freedom of admitting you’re stupid

One danger in writing these daily blogs is that it is easy to take pot shots at people. But how do you do that if you realize that you’re pretty messed up yourself? How do...

Hit and run evangelism

Written by Seth Barnes on February 17, 2006. Posted in Dealing with junk in our lives. 3 Comments on Hit and run evangelism

I didn’t mention in yesterday’s blog that Mark’s relatives who were having the abortion weren’t Christians. Kevin Rubottom wrote a blog comment basically asking, “What happens to...

Prayer saves a life in L.A. yesterday

Written by Seth Barnes on February 16, 2006. Posted in Prayer. 2 Comments on Prayer saves a life in L.A. yesterday

Abortion as a national discussion is too often abstract and polemical. Yesterday a life was saved in Los Angeles – that is real. When my coworker Mark heard that a relative was going...

Over-Protective Parents

Written by Seth Barnes on February 15, 2006. Posted in Parenting. 11 Comments on Over-Protective Parents

My blog about jousting with my daughter’s suitors prompted some valid concern by readers. “Are you being over-protective?” they ask. It’s appropriate that...

Another Hallmark holiday – advice for Romeos

Written by Seth Barnes on February 14, 2006. Posted in Better Living. 2 Comments on Another Hallmark holiday – advice for Romeos

My beautiful wife Karen says, “My whole life is a romance. But not everybody has that. You used to like Valentine’s Day until I helped you see all the hype.” She has a point....

Caught in a tutu & living your bad dream

Written by Seth Barnes on February 12, 2006. Posted in Dreaming. 2 Comments on Caught in a tutu & living your bad dream

One of our four daughters interrupted our fitful sleep last night to ask for prayer. I don’t know what you guys out there who don’t put much stock in prayer do for night...

How do I break out of the monologue habit?

Written by Seth Barnes on February 12, 2006. Posted in Prayer. 4 Comments on How do I break out of the monologue habit?

This morning I was struggling with a relationship. The relationship comes with complications that are bothering me. And I want to take action. Instead I took it to God in listening...

What is listening prayer?

Written by Seth Barnes on February 11, 2006. Posted in Listening prayer. No Comments on What is listening prayer?

Growing up, My devotions were dry, routine affairs. I’d whip through a chapter in the Bible. I’d run down a list of prayer requests, and I’d check that part of...

Are there tools to help me? 5 of them

Written by Seth Barnes on February 10, 2006. Posted in Prayer. 2 Comments on Are there tools to help me? 5 of them

Prayer is just you communicating with God. You shouldn’t need anything to help you, but if you’re stuck in neutral, the fact is you do – a little help would be nice. Here are some...

How to find time to pray? 6 traps that mess me up

Written by Seth Barnes on February 9, 2006. Posted in Prayer. 2 Comments on How to find time to pray? 6 traps that mess me up

My best prayer times are mornings. But mornings can be rough, especially if you’re not a coffee person. Here are the six worst traps that have kept me from praying: I stay...

How to spend an hour in prayer?

Written by Seth Barnes on February 8, 2006. Posted in Prayer. 4 Comments on How to spend an hour in prayer?

First, let’s be honest, we live in an A.D.D. generation. We can’t focus on anything for very long. Spending an hour in prayer is a tall order; but prayer is the one discipline...

Why pray for 45 minutes?

Written by Seth Barnes on February 7, 2006. Posted in Prayer. 12 Comments on Why pray for 45 minutes?

In discipling others, I advocate an extended time of prayer – 45 minutes for starters. Why? Why not just pray throughout the day? Jesus said, “Can’t you stick it out with me...

Why do we pray in the first place? 15 Reasons

Written by Seth Barnes on February 6, 2006. Posted in Prayer. 68 Comments on Why do we pray in the first place? 15 Reasons

As I’ve embarked on this experiment of trying to disciple six people, we have just a few goals. We’re going to pray more and I’m going to help them grow in one...

Learning to pray

Written by Seth Barnes on February 5, 2006. Posted in Prayer. 4 Comments on Learning to pray

Six people have signed up for my cyber-discipling service (let’s be honest – being web-based, it’s an experiment in intentionality and accountability, but comes with big limitations...

Make room for old people in your life

Written by Seth Barnes on February 4, 2006. Posted in Wounded healers. 2 Comments on Make room for old people in your life

Other societies embrace the inevitability of death (and are less angst-ridden for it) while ours glorifies youth and hides our old people where we can’t see them. So many things...

Give Momma a break!

Written by Seth Barnes on February 3, 2006. Posted in Parenting. No Comments on Give Momma a break!

At one point in our lives, we had five kids and the oldest was six. Two or three were in diapers. I had to travel. Things would get chaotic – the lawn would get so high...

Making room for mystery

Written by Seth Barnes on February 2, 2006. Posted in Better Living. 1 Comment on Making room for mystery

Because of Future Shock – too much information coming at us too fast – we are forever looking for ways to simplify and categorize. In the case of many adherents of the Muslim...

Lap dog – Running dog

Written by Seth Barnes on February 1, 2006. Posted in Reaching Your Destiny. 3 Comments on Lap dog – Running dog

People are a lot like dogs. You always think about that in terms of dogs and their masters – the saggy jowled guy who looks like Winston Churchill owns a bulldog and so on. But recently...

Give it all up

Written by Seth Barnes on January 31, 2006. Posted in Vulnerability and me. 1 Comment on Give it all up

I have two routes I can safely run along our rural roads. One of them leads half a mile up a steep grade. By the time you reach the top, you’ve got to be in good shape to not...

Scaring your daughter’s suitors

Written by Seth Barnes on January 30, 2006. Posted in Fathering & Men's issues. 8 Comments on Scaring your daughter’s suitors

Talia was going to her first prom. The boy who was taking her is a notorious prankster, so I knew I could take a few liberties. He showed up at the house and began shuffling down...

I’ll disciple you

Written by Seth Barnes on January 29, 2006. Posted in Discipling. 17 Comments on I’ll disciple you

I believe in discipleship so much, I’m crazy about it. It’s not just that Jesus in his valedictory address commanded it, it also just plain works and it’s the key to the abundant...

Fools for Christ

Written by Seth Barnes on January 27, 2006. Posted in Radical Living. No Comments on Fools for Christ

I re-read my 1/22 entry and it occurred to me, “I really am quite a fanatic. Anybody stumbling across this blog for the first time would think I’m a nut-case.” You...

Wearing the father-protector hat

Written by Seth Barnes on January 26, 2006. Posted in Fathering & Men's issues. 1 Comment on Wearing the father-protector hat

Our girls have always been good about allowing me to play the role of father-protector. At times they’ve ventured further afield than I would have liked and usually they have...

Easiest book I’ve ever written

Written by Seth Barnes on January 25, 2006. Posted in Writing Blogs and Books, Missions. 2 Comments on Easiest book I’ve ever written

Yesterday evening on my way to a meeting, I stopped on the highway shoulder and Clint carried a box of books hot off the press to my car. I’ve written a few books, but this was the...