Gleaning and Gathering

Just sharing from my experiences these past few days, including my time at Asbury University.

What kind of a person are you becoming? The battle is won or lost in the day to day choices. Every choice is a vote for who you want to become. A "rule of life" has been a helpful tool for Christians throughout the ages in becoming more disciplined and Christ-like. In this episode, I share some of my daily rhythm and "rule of life." Being rather than just doing is also a theme. 

Sit down and write out 50 things that you really desire. As we delight ourselves in God, He promises to give us the desires of our heart. Why? Because the things that we want as we delight in Him, are the things that He wants for us.

George Muller wrote in his autobiography, "The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is... to make my soul happy in the Lord." Duty is not enough; we must find DELIGHT in Him. This truth has been something that I'm still learning, but I hope it is a help to you as well.

George Patton was a great leader, but leaders with that model of leadership struggle in today's leadership culture.  In this episode of the podcast, I explore that idea and share some of my favorite books in the "new" model of leaders as team builders. Here's that list in case you didn't catch it in the podcast: The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal T...

What if I had 6 months left to live? How would I live it? What would I do or stop doing? I spent time reflecting on Psalms 39 this week and these are a few of my thoughts and the list of things I would do or stop doing. Food for thought...

Kaylynn shares her philosophy of education, and we discuss great questions like "What is the difference between education and indoctrination?" Great stuff to start season 2 of Gleaning and Gathering!

"There are certain people who enable us to be as we have never been before," Ed Farrell wrote. God has used people and the lessons, language, and paradigms they have opened to me to shape me in profound ways, and I am grateful. My Grandpa, Verlin Himelick, was one of the wisest men I ever met. His love for God and his family is a heritage that I treasure. This episode cover photo is a picture of h...

I believe that Christian hospitality is one of the greatest underutilized tools for evangelism and discipleship. It can also be incredibly challenging. Here are a few stories, thoughts and reflections from my life. While I have a lot to learn, our lives have been greatly enriched by "making room" for others along our journey. Developing Victory Acres Farm as a place of hospitality and healing over...

I love having conversations with all of my children! Sitting down with Kaylynn this week to record this podcast was a highlight. We were interrupted several times. We recorded in the midst of a busy Himelick house (so you'll hear that.) It's a bit cut up because we restarted the conversation multiple times, but it's real and it's here. Enjoy!

Local pastoral leadership is missing from so many places today, and there are a lot of reasons for that. These are some thoughts on church planting and developing local, Biblical leadership who will shepherd God's people. I believe that God has many different expressions of the Body of Christ. While there is a place for the "Walmart" church, many contexts just need a "Dollar General" church.

"A fish doesn't know he's wet," someone has said. Cultural identity is the "water" we are all swimming in. It can be healthy or it can be incredibly toxic. This podcast explores some of my thoughts and experiences on the subject. I'd love to hear your version of "the birdhouse!" 

"We live under the discipline of uncertainty," Gordon MacDonald writes in A Resilient Life. As Christians, we are living in hope. What does that look like? In the middle of a broken, frustrated world, how do we continue to have hope? The answer is found in the person of Jesus.

There are many tools and techniques that I have found helpful as a leader, and I want to share some of my favorites with you in this episode. Special thanks to Michael Hyatt and Company  and Zach Clark of Leadership and Development Coaching who have had a huge impact on my life over the past ten years. I am a different leader today because of their training and influence. While this is not a...

Leaders are readers. "I never let my schooling get in the way of my education," Mark Twain quipped, and the same is true for me. I have been blessed by numerous literary "mentors" who have opened my eyes and expanded my world. Here are five of mine. What are some of yours?

This past weekend we hosted the Victory Acres Board and celebrated our 17th growing season at Victory Acres. We took time to recount some of the "God moments" in our history and to reflect on Matthew 7:7-11.

The paradigm of "church as Christian witness" is not as common as it should be. I'm still learning what it looks like. In this episode I'm sharing from, The Gospel: How the Church portrays the Beauty of Christ by Ray Ortland (from the IX Marks, Building Healthy Churches series) and my own experience about what God is teaching us in regards to "being church" rather than just "having church."

On the 21st Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks I believe that we need to be reminded of the bigger picture. Psalm 65 does that. "Though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet." This is still our Father's World!  If there is ever a day that we need to be reminded of this reality, it is now. God is still in control.

God's message to me this past week is one that I wanted to share with you. While there are many roads and truths in the Christian life, there is one central pathway. Ephesians 5:1-2 shows us that way.

At 23 years of marriage and 25 years since starting in Indianapolis, I am waxing nostalgic, but I'm also thinking about those who are coming behind me on life's trail.

Here are a few thoughts from David's life applied to some of the things that we are experiencing. What do you think are the opportunities in "Communities of Necessity?" How could you see us learning today from what David experienced here?

My reflections from a funeral and how "helping people" is not a one way street. Thinking about Psalm 68:6 and Isaiah 24 and 25. Bottom line? God wins!

Some experiences this past week got me to thinking about shepherding the hearts of those we are leading. I also share from the writings of George Mueller on the topic of rejoicing in adversity from Psalms 63.

Setting Goals that are "subject to smash." Some thoughts on setting goals while still remembering that we serve a Sovereign God who may choose to overrule our plans.

Today is the winter solstice, and I was reading my journal from 2020. We all go through dark times, and 2020 was dark for all of us. But in the middle of it all, I found the light of God's grace in my entry from August 18, 2020. It reminded me (and I wanted to share it with you) that no what you may be going through, God's grace is still more than enough.