You Are the Method God Will Use to Bring Hope
Jesus heals people, and not just their bodies. When Jesus healed the son of a Roman official in John 4, he renewed hope for a broken family. When Jesus healed a man’s leprosy in Matthew 8, he also restored the hope that the man could return to his community. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the […]
What it Feels Like to Know God is With You
Immanuel, “God with us,” is both a name and a statement of truth. Do you know Immanuel, is with you? Stop for a minute and don’t just knee-jerk that answer with a left-brained knowledge of what the word means. Knowing that the sky is blue is something most of us can say with utter confidence. […]
How to Have Joy at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a supposed to be a time to give thanks. For many of us, Thanksgiving feels overwhelming. Lengthy to-do lists dictate our time and drain our energy. We keep busy planning meals, shopping for food and preparing our homes to host families and friends. If you are familiar with Joy Starts Here you know […]
How an Annual Gathering Changed My Life
I can’t wait to see you at Annual Gathering 2015! The first time I went to Annual Gathering was about 10 years ago. I got an e-mail blast from Jim Wilder inviting me to attend and I was intrigued. Back then it was called Thrive Track IV and it was at the same time as […]
Joy Starts Here Online: Time is Running Out!
For the first time, Life Model Works is offering an exclusive Joy Starts Here Online Study Group. The premise of our book Joy Starts Here is simple: You can spread joy faster than pain. You can restore broken relationships. You can break free from cravings and addictions. The only problem is, you can’t experience joy […]
How to Initiate a Conversation with God
Someone recently asked me why we start every Immanuel Prayer session with a connection experience – either a time we felt close to God or a time we felt gratitude. As he asked, I heard a song from Vacation Bible School begin playing in my head: “I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my […]
Now Available: Life Without Lies
Your church can, and should, be a home for the depressed. Sadly, that’s not the case for many. For whatever reason, many Christians have a stigma around depression. In some circles, approaches like seeking counseling are actively discouraged. Addressing this issue will begin with honestly opening up about our lives and our struggles. That’s why […]
Exclusive Webinar: 5 Reasons Christians Need Brain Skills
You can get a taste of the Thrive experience with this exclusive webinar! Chris will take on an important question that is often ignored. Why do we as Christians so often fail to live up to our convictions? What would change if learning joyful brain skills became a regular part of our discipleship and spiritual […]
Top 10 Relational Moments on TV!
The more I learn about relational skills and relational circuits, the more I look for examples of them! Sometimes I find the examples of when they are OFF and not being used, and sometimes I find examples of when relational skills are being used and relational circuits are clearly on. My brain learns best when […]
Overcoming Trauma and Immaturity: How the Life Model Can Bring Healing to You and Your Community
The Overlooked Value of Sequencing When we remodeled our house a few years ago, I did the general contracting. Much of that work involved taking an existing house, comparing it with a model of how that house should look and then sequencing all the activities and materials needed to finish. Even such a simple task […]
Join the Life Model Works Social Media Team
You can grow a joy-spreading movement. Every week, we publish blog posts and other content that helps people live with more joy. We need your help to get the word out. Sign up below and you’ll get a simple email every time a new blog is posted. The email will contain a simple “share” button for […]
Get to Know Dr. Jim Wilder
For decades, Dr. Jim Wilder has been delving into biblical scripture, spiritual formation, and brain science. These studies led to the development of a unique model of spiritual and psychological maturation. This model was defined in the book “The Life Model: Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You” and has been practiced at The Shepherd’s […]