Good morning and happy Monday. I haven't missed many days at this in nearly two years of this morning text. I missed Friday on purpose. Late Thursday evening I checked out of this busy world we live in as much as I could. No text, computer, t.v. Like I said as much as possible. What I found was a sense of how busy I let things get. How I miss people in my life, and how they, missed me. It brought to life some things about community and the need for fellowship. And then it hit me, how much am I really checked out of God's life and much like my mom and dad, is He missing me. I've got to have Him first and that's what I seem to have found as we talked a lot more than before this weekend. My thoughts were clearer and more poignant. I needed to clear a bunch of life junk out and connect better spiritually with God and now with you. It was a good mind and heart get-a-way. And for those I left alone for what seemed like no reason, I'm sorry, but I really needed to get connected. God, thank you for missing me and holding on a minute while I get it together with you and not without you. I know I was not fully committed and that you have shown me the error of my ways. I love you and give you all the glory. My life is you being lived today. Help me to live better for you. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Thursday. Have you ever looked at something and as soon as you saw it you nearly cried because it was so beautiful? Well, God in all His wisdom, showed me a picture that was just the most beautiful thing I've seen in a long time. As I pulled into the parking lot last night, a young single mom was walking her 3 yr old son into church. Doesn't sound like much really does it? Here's why fellowship with one another so important. I know her history, the parts she has shared. Some not able to be spoken about yet. I know that she was left and abandoned at 14. I know she made some bad choices along the way. I know she has a heart that is truly seeking God daily. To know her story and to see her alone with her son walking into church is absolutely beautiful. So then, God gives me the the better picture, a closer more HD look at it after church. This mom and I are talking about stuff and she is going through a rough skid in life again. Satan is attacking, and as we talk she says the most eye opening thing. "Because of my past and what I've done, I know what forgiveness really is". What I saw in the parking lot was what God can do when a heart turns to Him and truly seeks Him. How much do we take for granted what Jesus did for us? How much do we really appreciate all He does for us? She gets it. I'm blown away by her passion for God, because I know it could've been different. He's turned ashes into beauty and it made me cry to see His work. He is amazing. Please tell others about Him. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Wednesday. So I'm sitting at the stop sign and notice my state inspection sticker and it made me realize that all of us have an expiration date. I'm always waiting til the last day of the next month and rushing to get my sticker done before I get a ticket. How many of us are pushing the expiration date before we get a "new" sticker? What are you doing until then.?Will it be a scramble to get there? Are you just living to get it done in the last days before it expires? Trouble is, you don't when you expire. There's no numbers on a sticker telling you when it's over. We have to be making the most of our time while we're here. I'm finding my job making that more difficult. Wait, that's my excuse for it. We really have the time if we are really seeking His face. I've got to do better. I know what it's like to be without Him and I don't want that ever again. Please make the most of it all before time runs out. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Tuesday. How far away is too far? How far away can a person get before it's too late and there's no hope? Well the obvious answer is " with God it's never too far". Say it with some sarcasm too and add a "duh". And while that's true, the point is we say things like that and think things like that. We put limits to everything because we don't get infinity. We don't understand powerful. I love how we throw around Phil 4:13. One, we use wrong and two we don't really believe it all the time. It's handy when it's a rough patch or a bumpy situation, but when it gets down to the core we don't get it. If God gives you strength, then He does all the time. If a situation is overwhelming, then He's in it with you all the time, and not just sometimes. The point is, God is, was, and will be. He hasn't changed, we've just stopped going to Him in all of our needs and thanks and hurts and joy. We've put ourselves out away from Him, but we're never too far. Sometimes we may feel like it, but we're never too far. And here in our own human limitations, no one is too far from us to show the kind of love God shows everyone. He is power and glory forever and ever. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Monday. A definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. How many times have you found yourself not really changing what you're doing but trying to fit the answer into a better result? It seems like we try to fit the world into what God is trying to do in our lives. It's like trying to get a square peg in a round hole. It don't fit. In the busy world In which we live we look for the short cuts to get it done in a day. God wants our time. He wants us to take time out to be with Him. In those times we find refreshment. It's that time when the world goes away and true sanity is found. A peace beyond measure and beyond this world. Until we can change just a little of our routines to include Him more, chaos will ultimately reign. Take refuge in His protection. Find peace in the rest He offers. Come to the Father and rest in His arms. Find that hour you lost right there with Him. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Friday. Ever say to someone or yourself, "If I would have known that I would have done it different". I know the things I want to do for and give to my daughter, (blessings). The plan is that when she does these things and chooses this road to be on the. At the end of that is reward and blessings besides the ones she got along the way. For example, if you had someone paying you a little rent to stay with you but put the money up for them in a savings to give back when they got back on their feet. It's something they couldn't see or know but the obedience to do that pays out in the end. Both are blessed along the way but a bigger blessing is coming in the end. So if the person leaves and says I'll do it this way instead, only to hear how it would have been had they chose to stay, would later be saying the very phrase above "If I had known.....". If we do that here for each other, how much is God holding for us if we do what He is having us do. Sure it's not about doing to get. It's about how much we do out of love for Him. And out of love for us He just happens to be able to do what ever He wants. I don't want to stand before Him and say, "If I had know that, I would've done that differently". We know what we should do. He talks to us all the time. Stop and hear Him. Listen carefully and obey, and all that good you did for Him and in his name and glory, will come back to you in the end. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Thursday. Wednesday night class at church we're studying the Book of Acts. It's how the church today is modeled. It's the beginning of the church and how it should be. We asked how each of the questions about the chapters we read applied to today and ourselves. It's amazing how similar the problems of their time are to problems of our time now. An ad on my phone app asked to meet sexy singles and if I was interested in male, female or both. That's what it's really come to? It was a problem in those times too. Paul wrote to the church of Corinth telling them the same thing as today about it. Men held disregard for women and made them objects. Not much has changed really. And so as I read and study the word deeper I see how Jesus addressed the issues of those days to leave no doubt as to how it fits today. We, the church have to come along side our brothers and sisters as they do with us as well, and help each other see the direction life should be going. We're not hear long and the time after here is never ending. Which one are you more concerned with, this vapor or eternity? It's a no brainer really, but some are blinded by what Satan whispers in their ears. We all have sin and give in to a whisper now and again, so don't see ourselves above reproach. We are all fallen and sin is sin. Only the blood of Jesus cleanses us of that and being a follower of Him is how that happens. When you follow Him you listen and hear Him without any "But I"'s being said. Decide today your side and get on it. Take your belief in what you feel is the right thing and make your stand. If it's right you will feel peace and comfort about it, but if you had to talk your way there, you already know the answer. Love on another sinner today. It'll make two sinners feel better. Make room for the Holy Spirit and allow Him to lead you. It's always the right way anyway. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Wednesday. Taking things for granted, we all do it. I'm still thinking about the young man yesterday and my oldest daughter. He wants to be where he's supposed to be. He wants someone to love him. He's made some mistakes and obviously paid a price for them. Do you just let go and say that's it I'm done? He's trying to get it right and wants just the basic human emotion to be felt; love. Then you have those who are loved and simply do enough to keep the love fountain flowing. This is us with God. We're just like this. All of us have fallen into one these groups, at different degrees yeah, but still at a point this was a picture of ourselves. What changed and where are you at now? What got you there? God is the answer to one of those places you could be and many have found Him there flooding us with love as we are forgiven of what we've done. How do you put skin on that today? How do the people in the young mans life do that for him? They first have to have it given and received in themselves. It's like a match on a dry prairie, once it ignites you can't stop it. Please let God in and if He's there then stop holding Him back in you and become the skin of Jesus for the people around you. Let the fire burn. Don't keep it for yourself. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Tuesday. My wife was telling me of a boy at her school who was just back from juvenile detention. He was picked up by an officer and brought back by one. No parent during any of this time. He had on the same clothes he left in, best they can figure. He was glad to have pants with pockets again. He said he feels like it doesn't matter if he goes to school or not because no one cares anyway. How do you we not love? How does someone not have love in their heart at least for their kids? The power Satan has is highly under estimated. A chain reaction of no love is starting with this young man. Satan just had to get to one them and his effect is felt down the line. So is God's. My prayer is that this boy sees Jesus in my wife as she does care about him and him being at school. It just takes a little love to over come a whole lot of hate and anger. That's because no matter how tough and who we think we are, at our core is the need for love. And so just a little goes a long way. Let the people around you feel your love for them today. Give them just a little of you and let them feel again what love is. Many songs have been sung about just that. It's in our DNA yet some how Satan is able to turn it off. Don't let him win this one in your life, it's too important. Just ask a boy who wished he knew someone loved him. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Monday. I'm always amazed by how fast a weekend goes by when I sit here on Monday morning. This weekend was no different, but as I looked back at it, there was a lot that went on and got done, that took a lot of time. So really it is longer than we think it's just so busy it passes by fast. But for some reason it feels like I just squeezed God in this weekend. I don't like how that feels. So looking back at it I see that that's exactly what I did. I just went through the motions of a typical weekend and didn't soak myself into God. Ok, so now what? Well it's easy, move forward a recognize when it's happening again. But I can't beat myself up for that, as Satan would have me do. The point is, and we all know it, is making the time for living out of the time we live for God. Oh wait that's how it should be. Taking the time to be with God out of the rat race of life. Satan keeps us busy and we make busy our normal, God will be lost in it all. Take time out. Make time for Him. Pour out your heart and troubles and victories to Hm and let Him be the one you are leaning on for daily solace. Your His child and He wants you to. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Friday. Today is a special day for me. There are, on average, 257 weekdays in a year. Today is the first of a new year. Since I started blogging this post I have posted a years worth. Today is a new day of a new year. It is also my wife's Birthday. She has been the calm in my storm since the day we met. It's amazing to me how when you meet someone you just get those feelings. I can't wait to meet Jesus face to face. To quote an 80's song, "What a feeling". "I can only imagine". It's like the expecting of a good friend you haven't seen in a long time and your at the airport waiting, only a thousand times better. One day the world will see Him in all His glory. We will meet and have conversation and all that stuff. I hope and pray that we all find our way home and continue in helping others, who have gotten off the path, back on track and headed home again. I love the fact that it's our job to be a servant to the one who came and served us all before we ever knew Him. Thank you for reading what God lays on a sinners heart. Thank you for a year of joy and tears as we relate to each other in our daily lives. We've all set Jesus as head of our lives and holding each other accountable for it too. I love you all so much and I thank God for you being in my life. You mean the world to mean. Tana, thank you for your love and support. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Thursday. Do you have enough gas to get to the end? Can you go the distance? I was so blessed to be able to coach my daughter's teams as they grew up. I helped with the oldest and headed up the youngest. I used to have them run lines like we did when they were little. They hated the end of practice. They knew they were gonna run. In a tight game once they saw the difference. The other team had their heads down trying to find air. My girls were just fine and had plenty of stamina left for another quarter. They were ready for how ever long this was gonna take. Are you ready to go the distance? To see a friend through a rough spot in their life? To deal with an aging loved one in their last days? To watch a child suffer through an illness that will take them home soon? To be there when a family needs you more than ever before at a dark late hour of the night? It can wear you out and put you in a place of feeling like it's not worth a thing anymore. Our metal will be tested. But if we have been through the refining process of the Lord and our core is the Holy Spirit, then bring it on. Life, if we let it, can wear us out. But that's why we don't depend on ourselves for the strength we really need. If your tired from life's circumstances, then you're not getting your strength from God and taking refuge in Him. If you're feeling run down and run over, then fall down on your knees and get the real strength back that only He can provide. Have the gas to go the distance of life. Find it in God and not search yourself for it. The world around you needs you to. In love always <><
Good morning and happy Wednesday. I love trees and to see the shape they have taken on over the years of their growth. You can tell the ones that were pruned and cared for and those that have been neglected. There is a story in that neglect. To see a tree that made to full grown while not really being cared for is pretty amazing. But there had to be a little bit of care or it wouldn't have made it. All of us have a story to tell that is unique to ourselves. But that story is just what you've brought with you through a storm in life. The molding and shaping of us as we grew through the mess. Just like a tree if we have a good root we can make it. We may not be like the others but that's when people ask how and why. That's when testimony happens. Peoples lives are changed in those moments. Both of em really. It comes from a willingness to share and help others. I've got stories others don't. Proud of them or not they may be what someone else needs to know so they can see there is hope. "If someone like him can make it then I know I can". That used to bother me as I was going through changes but not anymore. I see how God has taken my bad choices and made them a good thing for someone else. A friend of mine says "Our mess is our message". Truer words could not be spoken. But we have to be among those needing to hear the message. Sunday school and life group people are already on the path back home. Be ready to share with those you don't know. It may be all they need. In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Tuesday. What is your fears? How do they own you? How do they keep you from the things you know you need to be doing? Fear is the biggest, heaviest, and most powerful but subtle weapon Satan has to use against us. Only he uses it to control because in God there is no fear. I hear people say they don't hear God talk to them. Maybe it's that they are afraid of what He's saying. I hear people say they can't lead this group. People say I can't talk to a stranger about Jesus. I'm afraid to quit doing this to myself. I'm afraid to let go and let God. It's a nice slogan but it's hard to do. We've said this before at some point in our lives, 10-20 years ago or yesterday, it doesn't matter, fear can bind us. So back on the whole team theme of last week, this is how we help each other lean deeper into the truth of God's promises. He will be there with you and He will never let you go. It's the job of the fearful to find the refuge He is providing. It's the job of all of us to help those in need do just that. I don't know any one who would just let someone fall into a pit or float away to drown. Why would we not then do the same for their soul? In love always. <><
Good morning and happy Monday. I had a great night Saturday at a church here in town. The soulful praise and worship was out of this world. Turns out a lady my wife works with sang that night. We were there with some others from there school where they teach, and no one knew about her singing. At school she is a humble woman that doesn't say a thing about her gift of singing. Yet when she sings it's beautiful. Heartfelt passion for her Lord and Savior. You can't help but feel it. " those who raise themselves up will be humbled, those who humble themselves will be exalted". We are servants of the Lord. We are here to do His work in bringing others home to Him. To share the Good News with the people around us. But done so in humility and servanthood. That's a hard thing in this self serving egotistical world which tells us to excel at all cost. Well the cost is the ultimate price. An eternity in a lake of fire and torment beyond imagination. It all boils down to a choice; right or wrong. God or not. Our world promotes self reliability. Dependent on no one but ourselves. That's disaster. We are fully His and should be humble in our serving Him. That's when your the strongest voice for Christ. Scream His praises in your humble and silent service. In love always. <><
