Sterling Griggs

Earlier today I texted someone and within seconds I received a text in response. While trolling Facebook, a message popped up saying that someone had made a comment on a picture that I had just posted. Immediately I responded to their comment and within seconds it appeared on my page. If I ask my kids if they want ice cream, the words are barely out of my mouth before they scream "Yes!" and come running into the kitchen. I don't know that I've ever delayed all that long in filling back up whenever the gas light comes on in my car. But... I've noticed that many people have a love affair with their snooze button on their alarm clocks. When I ask my kids to clean up their rooms or to pick up their things, they move at the speed of molasses running uphill. My car really needs to be washed, but I'm pretty sure I can put it of for another week or month or two. With months in advance to file, it never ceases to amaze me how many people barely meet the deadline f...

Years ago I met a guy who told me his goal was to lose a whole lot of weight. He was bordering on obesity and he was armed with a new resolve to shed pounds and replace it with muscle. This guy was always going to the gym to lift weights and he sipped on Creatine shakes all day. To demonstrate just how buff he was becoming, he would roll his sleeves up to reveal his upper arms and he made sure everyone knew that he was into working out. There was only one problem. My friend wasn't losing any weight. No, it wasn't the whole "muscle weighs more than fat" issue. The fact was, he wasn't doing anything on the cardiovascular to burn calories and his food intake was just as big as ever. I'm sure there was some new muscle that he had added, but it was hard to see because he had done nothing to shed the pounds that he had set out to lose. My friend said he wanted to lose weight, but he wasn't willing to face his struggle head on and do what it would take to win....

If anyone is good at catching red lights, it's me. Rest assured, if you are stopped at an intersection and see me coming toward the light, go ahead and get ready to go because your light will turn green in just a few moments. This morning as I was in my regular pattern of stop and go, I approached an intersection that contained a car that was obviously experiencing some engine trouble. I could hear the driver trying to restart his car and I could see the oily smoke billowing from the car's tailpipe. As I stopped for my red light and this gentleman's light turned green, he still had not gotten his car started. It lurched suddenly into the intersection and then conked out on him again. The cars began to line up behind him while he frantically tried to turn over the ignition so he at least he could pull out of the intersection. As I begin to strategize how I could help this guy with his car, I noticed the driver immediately behind him becoming impatient, eventually honkin...

Today was the first day of school for my two oldest kids. My wife took our oldest to her first day of middle school (gasp!) and I dropped my now fourth grader off for her first day, trying hard not to embarrass her. I then took my two youngest who won't start school until later this week to a new doughnut shop that recently opened on Oak Island (Ahoy Doughnuts). I thought my girls would enjoy fresh doughnuts after school plus I wanted to have something sweet to dip in my coffee. We walked into the shop and, as I am in the habit of doing, I began talking with woman behind the counter. They asked if I wanted coffee which I politely declined, informing them that I am a true coffee snob who roasts his own coffee. That opened up the conversation to the possibility of serving fresh coffee in their shop among other things. As we continued to chat, I learned that this woman and her husband and kids moved down to the area this past spring soon after we did from the same area of Winston-S...

I am a huge fan of the Jason Bourne movies. The latest installment in the Bourne saga, The Bourne Legacy , did not feature the Jason Bourne character but it was crafted along the same plot lines as the first three movies. Because I believe movies made from books are rarely ever as good as the books themselves, I have gone back and read a few of the books and have not been disappointed. The movies do not follow the plot line of the books that closely, but many of the same characters and situations are still there. There is something about reading a great book or watching a thrilling movie that stirs up something inside of me. I find it easy to take on part of the mindset of the main characters and, in my imagination, try to think like they would think in a given situation. I know that sounds pretty cheesy, but when the Rocky movies came out a couple of decades ago I'm pretty sure I saw you shadow boxing as you left the theater. So as I headed to my car after watching The Bourn...

What makes you want to follow after the lead of someone else? Is it their charisma, past successes, or the fact that you trust them? All of these come into play, yet it's hard to deny that being a leader involves more than possessing just one special quality. Leadership is vision in action. It's a package deal, and wrapped up in it are several critical components that work together in such a way that others will be inspired and motivated by your vision in action: Vision -  This is the God-given picture of where you want to go. Vision can't be taught, it can only be steered and grown in a certain direction. Relationships - Leadership is first and foremost about people. People are not merely a means for you to use to accomplish your goal. Rather, people are the vehicle by which your vision is driven and accomplished. Cultivating real and personal relationships with the people around you will ensure that they are on your team because they believe in you, not just because t...

This past Sunday I joined with others in singing the words to "Sweetly Broken" in worship. The words of the chorus are beautiful and powerful: At the cross You, beckon me, Draw me gently, to my knees and I am, Lost for words, so lost in love I'm, Sweetly broken, wholly surrendered! As I sang these words and considered their meaning, my heart just about burst within me. How marvelous is the grace of God! How incredible that He would save one so undeserving as me! I was so struck by the cross and the redemption that it bought me when it suddenly hit me how selfish sometimes my worship has become. Yes, I am broken for my own sin but how often am I moved in the same way for others? The gospel is for you, for me, for everyone. As we are broken over our sin and humbled by our redemption, may we also be broken for those who have not yet tasted and seen the beauty of Christ.