Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

  • Preventing Pastoral Burnout

    Preventing Pastoral Burnout

    I was recently honored and invited to speak to a group of leaders who serve providing care for the credentialed ministers in their Ministry Network. Specifically, they are called upon to build relationships and help those serving as lead or staff pastor in their Network churches be spiritually, relationally, and emotionally healthy. No small task…

  • You Asked For It

    You Asked For It

    In the You Asked for It Podcast, we answer questions you have always wanted to ask. Now, we might not have all the answers, but we’re willing to have the conversation. That’s right. Instead of just talking at you, we want to have a conversation with you. We’re looking forward to spending a little time…

  • 4 More Years

    4 More Years

    Today is December 1st, and in our home that is a pretty significant day. 12 years ago today we welcome our 2nd child, Hailey into the world and the world has never been the same. Birthdays are a big deal in our home, which means we have lots of great December 1st memories. Times Square…

  • The Elephant in the Marriage

    The Elephant in the Marriage

    All too many married couples strive to find their “happily ever after” and instead are left struggling just to survive marriage because they are unaware of how their incomplete and inaccurate perspectives form faulty perceptions that they hold to more tightly than truth and reality. The Elephant in the Marriage opens couples’ eyes to this…

  • Upcoming Events

    Upcoming Events

  • What Will It Cost You

    What Will It Cost You

    We all face challenges in life. We all have barriers or walls that stand in the way of us getting from where we are to where we want to be. Jim and Elisabeth Elliot were one of five couples who responded to God’s call to evangelize the Huaorani people of Ecuador, and one of the…

  • Lost My Sucker

    Lost My Sucker

    I’ve been traveling a bit more than usual as of late. Over the years I have done my fair share of traveling for vacations, mission’s trips and various speaking engagements, but in the past two weeks I have flown in or out of Chicago, Miami, Panama, Bolivia, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles. It was my most…

  • The Insanity of God

    The Insanity of God

    I will be forever grateful for a few things from this year’s 21-day fast. First of all, I will never forget the way my church embraced God’s calling to come together and fast. Men and women, boys and girls, of all ages, all walks of life, took a step of faith from their comfort zones…

  • The Difficulties of Unplugging on Vacation

    The Difficulties of Unplugging on Vacation

    It was well over a year ago that I first read the personnel manual of the church that had elected me to be their new lead pastor. It was not the first church that I had been called by God to lead, but it was the first that had gone out of their way to…

  • What is your favorite season?

    What is your favorite season?

    What is your favorite season? What do you like best about it? Now let me ask you what season you look forward to the least? Why? We all have our reasons for preferring one season over another, just as we may have our reasons for disliking aspects of one or more season. I have a…

  • Two Questions

    Two Questions

    There are only two questions you need to ask yourself; are you happy or are you unhappy? If you are happy, then you have nothing to worry about. If you are unhappy, there are two simple questions you need to ask yourself; will you be happy or will you stay unhappy? If you’ll be happy,…

  • Iron Sharpens Iron 2016

    Iron Sharpens Iron 2016

    Welcome men from the 2016 Greater Philadelphia Iron Sharpens Iron and Pointman Ministries Conference! Click here to like Dr. Jason on Facebook to receive regular updates and resources even after the conference has ended. www.facebook.com/DrJasonKarampatsos/

  • Reap a Destiny

    Reap a Destiny

    “Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

  • Did not understand

    Did not understand

    Quick thought for today. When Jesus fed the 5,000 in Mark 6, the disciples had a front row seat. They saw some pretty amazing things in their day, and this had to be atop the list. Problem is, they didn’t get it. They did not understand what was going on. From their limited perspective they…

  • Footprints in the Snow

    Footprints in the Snow

    Last night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the snow: one belonged to me, the other to the Lord. After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I…

  • What do you need to change in the new year?

    What do you need to change in the new year?

    Happy New Year. As the Christmas season settles down we quickly turn our attention to the end of the year “best of” lists and begin thinking about what the new year holds. As one year gives way to the next it is all too easy to make simple comparisons and even begin to become anxious…

  • I believe Jesus can…turn your world upside down to put things in place.

    I believe Jesus can…turn your world upside down to put things in place.

    The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Although that may hold true for two-dimensional objects, life has taught many of us that you can’t always get where you are going by following a straight line. As we look through the stories in the Bible we find that very rarely do any of…

  • More Than Inspirational

    More Than Inspirational

    Rarely does a book come along that makes a real and lasting impact in the lives of its readers. This is just what Dr. Jason accomplishes in his book, The Elephant in the Marriage. Many popular marriage and relationship-building books offer some good tips and inspiration, but in time, it seems that the advice becomes…

  • laziness

    laziness

    “At first laziness and business seem like antonyms, but they are synonyms. If you are too busy to establish boundaries, to establish priorities, you are going to be too busy. Business is a failure to prune your life in a way that you can actually be fruitful.” -Mark Batterson

  • When he left there was no darkness

    When he left there was no darkness

    Would you be ready to go, never to return, so that you could bring light to where there is no light? Around the turn of the 20th Century a group of missionaries known as “One-Way Missionaries” left for the mission field and packed all of their belongings into a coffin and bought one-way tickets knowing that…

  • A Low View of Marriage

    A Low View of Marriage

    O be careful little eyes what you see O be careful little eyes what you see For the Father up above Is looking down in love So, be careful little eyes what you see Many of us remember that believed children’s song that we possibly sang at Vacation Bible School or in Children’s Church growing up. The…

  • See, Perceive, Respond

    See, Perceive, Respond

      We See, doctor Perceive, and Respond.

  • Pray, and get help

    Pray, and get help

    Experts are predicting as many as 400 pastors, deacons, elders and church staff members may resign this Sunday as part of the fallout from the recent Ashley Madison hack. In his article for Christianity Today, Ed Stetzer gives some advice for those churches affected. His most helpful comments come in the last two sentences…PRAY.

  • Seeing the Unseen

    Seeing the Unseen

    …It was with such confidence that Elisha stepped up to Gehazi and prayed to God “Open his eyes, malady LORD, case so that he may see.” Open his eyes so that he can see as you see, as it truly is, that we are more than conquers, that greater is He who is in us…

  • Show Off

    Show Off

    “Some times God shows up, Some times God shows off.” -Mark Batterson

  • After the Honeymoon

    After the Honeymoon

    “Getting married is the easy part. Knowing what to do when you wake up as Mr. and Mrs. takes some intentional work.” –me I was honored to be asked to review a good friend’s (Rod Loy)book that is now available. If you are recently married, or know someone about to, check out “After the Honeymoon.”

  • Jesus Knows Me, This I Love

    Jesus Knows Me, This I Love

    Remember, who you know isn’t as important as who loves you. And God loves you, knows you by name, and sent His Son to die for you to restore your relationship with Him. What ever you may be facing today, you do not face it alone, and that ought to make you jump for joy!

  • Some Things Never Change, Some Things Have To

    Some Things Never Change, Some Things Have To

    [:en]”Some live a life that strives to avoid criticism from the religious Pharisees in the church. Peter knew that, what was needed was to live a life that pleased God… Persecution has always paradoxically been one of the Church’s greatest allies.”

  • New Room

    New Room

    No profound thought, deep insight, or thought provoking quote today, just something that struck me as we had dinner last night. In the 2 1/2 years that we have been in our home it was the very first meal that we have ever eaten in our dining room. In fact, up until this last weekend…

  • Peace has its victories

    Peace has its victories

    “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, ambulance there is always someone to tell you [that] you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same…

  • Criticism-Repellent

    Criticism-Repellent

    “Living for God’s approval is like criticism-repellent for your heart”. -Dr. Jason Karampatsos

  • Didn’t See Him

    Didn’t See Him

    Most of us have a routine in the morning, mine begins with waking up at 5:30, spending time with God, and ends with me grabbing a dress shirt on my way out the door around 8:15. There are a lot of variables in between the alarm clock and me reaching for my car keys, the biggest…

  • Focus on the Harvest

    Focus on the Harvest

    “God has called us to focus on the harvest, capsule but we get too focused on the barn. We worry more about the workers and not enough for the crops.” -Bill McDonald

  • To Shoot Par

    To Shoot Par

    What does “to shoot par” mean for you? I learned this weekend that it all depends on who you spend time with. I enjoy the game of golf and I have strengthened many of friendships on the links. I initially took up the game of golf while in high school as something I could do with my…

  • Another June 3rd

    Another June 3rd

    Today I got to update my about page: There have been many who have asked, drugs and even a few incorrect attempts at guessing what June3rd means, written about over the years. It was never meant to be a mystery or any secret code, but since you inquired I will set the record straight. June…

  • The Ways…

    The Ways…

    “Better he kill me than I learn his ways. Better he kill me than I become as he is. I shall not practice the ways that cause kings to go mad.” -Gene Edwards, no rx A Tale of Three Kings

  • God Knows Before You

    God Knows Before You

    “The omniscient God knows the answer before you know the question” –Greg Surratt, vialis 40mg Pastor of Seacoast Church and founder of ARC.

  • Thank You

    Thank You

    On a recent family visit to Arlington National Cemetery we went inside one of the visitor centers where we found a guest book to sign. This was not simply a guest register like found at several park trails, for sale but a book to share your appreciation for those who have fought and served and paid…

  • The Answer

    The Answer

    The omniscient God knows the answer before you can ask the question.

  • Rule Over Us

    Rule Over Us

    The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us–you, your son and your grandson–because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.” (Judges 8:22-23, NIV) You have to respect the heart of…

  • All-In

    All-In

    [:en]”There is no half-way with Jesus, if we want to honor God with our lives, if we want to make room for the Holy Spirit, if we desire to be ALL IN, then there are things in our lives that have to be ALL-OUT.”

  • Can Not Comprehend

    Can Not Comprehend

    I am grateful that my son can safely stand at a memorial dedicated to all those who served in WW II, vialis 40mg with the Lincoln Memorial at the edge of the horizon, and at 5 years old have no comprehension of the price paid for his freedom and liberties. Much like when I first…

  • Theoretical and Practical Help

    Theoretical and Practical Help

    The Elephant in the Marriage offers married couples, from a Christian perspective, both theoretical and practical help to allow them to fulfill their goals for healthy relationships. Jason Karampatsos, Ph.D., has the insight to offer this help, based on his perspective as a licensed clinical professional counselor, ordained minister, husband and father. He draws on the…

  • Make You Rich

    Make You Rich

    [:en]”Two things we will deal with in our lives, relationships and money, and only one of those two will make you rich.” -Dick Foth

  • Prepared to See

    Prepared to See

    “People only see what they are prepared to see” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

  • Taken for Granted as Truth

    Taken for Granted as Truth

    “There are things in all of our lives that we have taken for granted as truth that contain very little truth.” -Jason M Karampatsos, rx PhD The Elephant in the Marriage

  • Everybody is a Genius

    Everybody is a Genius

    “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, hospital it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Albert Einstein

  • Take the First Step

    Take the First Step

    “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” -Martin Luther King, Jr

  • CAUTION, What you can’t see may hurt you

    CAUTION, What you can’t see may hurt you

    Family vacations are great. I have met people who dread family vacations as they go on about the driving, the lines for the attractions, and being cramped with the family for an extended period of time. For me, the driving time is just quality time, and we get along remarkably well as a family and…

  • Inexhaustible

    Inexhaustible

    “Our renewable energy supply is inexhaustible.” -Dick Brogden, drug Live Dead Joy

Got any book recommendations?