BurkeDaniel

Category: Life

  • Two Snowflakes

    No two snowflakes are alike. Each is a totally unique creation. This morning my wife walked me to my car, handed me my coffee, and kissed me goodbye like she usually does. As I loaded my briefcase into the car, we noticed there was a very light snowfall with tiny snowflakes appearing on my windows.…

  • Christmas Traditions

    Every year on December 6th (or close to it) our family celebrates Saint Nicholas Day. The kids love it because they get a small taste in their stocking of the gifts that are coming on Christmas Day. My wife and I love it because we get to share a small version of the history (and…

  • Zombies vs. The Zombie Apocalypse

    Sometimes life seems like the screenplay to a zombie movie. Don’t act like it doesn’t. We go through our lives, struggling to survive, hoping to accumulate as much stuff as we can and make it through the night to live another day. The world around us can seem harsh and cold, filled with people only…

  • There Is Always Hope

    The following is part of an ongoing crowdsourced sermon I’ve been developing using my own life experiences and the feedback of others on Facebook and twitter. It’s all about what to do when we have no answers. The introduction can be found here, and the second section is here. There is always hope. It is entirely possible…

  • The Top Five Things I Love About My Leaders (in no particular order)

    One thing that is clear to me from being a pastor and leader is how important our teams of leaders and supporters are to what we do in the world. Our leaders are not just a part of the church, they ARE the church. They are not just a part of what we do in…

  • It Doesn’t Always Make Sense…

    I recently started a new reading plan on my phone’s YouVersion app (which I highly recommend). While reading about Moses in Exodus, a familiar story stood out to me: “Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under…

  • Leadership Lessons from My Dad

    In my experience, strong leadership isn’t something that we learn in a lecture or a classroom. It is something we develop through our experiences, challenges, and the examples of others. Some people are a great example of strong leadership, while others are equally valuable to observe for the benefit of seeing the effects of poor…

  • Running on Empty

    You can only get so far when you are “running on empty.” But you can get up and go again once you refill. Keep going. Don’t quit. It gets better. I’m one of those guys that never allows his gas tank to go under half full, but… Recently my son joined a “Blastball” league, and…

  • My Priorities

    Over the years I have settled on some priorities in life that enable me to continuously grow as a husband, dad, and leader. My hope is that every man would consider these priorities to lead well in his family. I understand we all have different personalities and relationship dynamics. Not all men are “Type A” outgoing…

  • Radical Grace

    I need God’s grace every day. Not just for God to overlook a couple missteps, but radical Grace to cover every thought, motive, and action. But God knew that. Jesus, dying on the cross and rising from the grave, not only changed my eternal outcome but also provides hope to live each day. My hope…