Good morning and happy Friday. True friendship and blessings. Those two go good together. I was so blessed by so much love yesterday from so many people. It really is humbling when you think about it. But even with all the messages from people all over, the best ones came face to face. Where you see it in their eyes that they mean what they are saying to you. That's a blessing. We've lost that some but gained in other places, but I don't think Jesus wants to text me about my issues. He wants to be face to face so I can see it in His eyes how much He cares and see it on His hands how much He loves me. I love that we can reach around the world in just a few moments to comfort and show love to our friends and family, but I really love to give and get hugs. It's relationship, personal and meaningful. That's what our Father wants with us; a relationship. Deep and personal. It begins with prayer and honesty with Him. He knows it all anyway, He just wants us to say it and put it to the light so it doesn't hold us anymore. While you're praying, look deep into His eyes and feel His love for you take over your whole world. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Thursday. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that if we are in Christ we are a new creation and the old is gone. Have we let go of the old or are we still clinging to bits of it.?As kids we love to get presents. As adults we act like its ok but we really like getting gifts. We've been given a great gift of salvation but we don't receive it fully. We take a part of it and call it good. So there we are trying to walk in the partial new and clinging to the bits of the old. How does that picture look to you?  How then does it look to God?  Receive the full blessing of the new life offered to you. Jesus drank in the worlds sin so that we could have a way in. He did this for you and me. Are we just gonna let it pass and say that's not enough? No, none of us feel that way, but we're living that way on the inside. Hanging on to parts instead of wrapping ourselves up in the whole new life offered to us. It has to come from the inside and then it will spill out to the outside. Face the things you're a slave to from the past. Name them and own them, then sit with God in prayer and get rid of them. Receive this whole gift fully. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Wednesday. Do you know what the word baptism means? Well, in the original form of the word it means immerse. I love what the act of baptism represents. To see us die to the world and be buried, immersed, into Christ, raised again to walk a new life. None of those things alone really stand by themselves as much. It takes all three to be complete. We are giving up ourselves and immersing ourselves into Christ. It's the only way we can walk a new life, is to be in Him and Him in us. I see people go through baptism because they feel like they need to do it, for the church or family. They need to do it for themselves and the Lord. We all need to then stayed immersed in Him. He's walked a perfect life. How much easier would it be for us to walk our new life with the one who's gone before us. He knows the ways of the world and the traps set out before us. Today, lean back into the waters of baptism, and go back to a deeper immersion than ever before. Re-baptize yourself into that relationship you had with Him the day you came up out of the water. Renew your fire and walk in your new life. In love always. <><

Good morning and happy Tuesday. We celebrate  a lot of things in our culture today, but sports achievements of our kids seem to rank in the highest place. Why do you suppose that is? Are we reliving our childhood? Or are we just wanting our kids to be the best they can be at what their doing? Not always does the best kid win but that's a part of life. It's a spring board to other success in life for some and a killing blow to others. But what is the prize is what makes the difference. When it's a life lesson learned and a character building experience, then you win. God is our biggest fan, and He wants us all to win. Again, it comes down to the real prize of the matter. As He guides us through this life and we learn to grow close to Him and follow His will, we win. But even if you get off the beaten path He's chosen for you, you can still win, you just don't celebrate for as long. God wants to see us doing our best at what He has set before us. Go full tilt and give all you have and you will see the game is just that, a game. In the end we all pick up our ball and bat and go Home. Play the game well. In love always. <>< 

Good morning and happy Monday. Can I just say God is good?  He's just and caring. I've given blood a hundred times. Saturday I gave some and miscalculated how long it had been since I had eaten. Needless to say, I passed out and then became sick. It was horrible. But family was there and God was there. Can't say without either of them I wouldn't have done so well. I'm still weak two days later but all is good. What does all this have to do with God being good and just. I had gone there to get my wife who was not feeling well from her donation. I made fun of her and kidded with her about it. Pretty much gave her a loving hard time. She got the last laugh. It just made me think about how no matter when you come to a life of Jesus the reward is the same as someone who's spent their entire life following Him. In our way of thinking its not fair. But in the realm  of a just God it is exactly that. And I'm so glad for it. It gives time to those who are in a struggling place. It gives time to wear away a hard surfaced heart. God showed me a bit of justice in a loving way. I didn't think so at the ER but it all turned out good. It's not about the amount of time with Him, it's about the quality of time you spend with Him. How are spending it with Him today? In love always. <><