My Bride

In 1985 I met the most beautiful person in the world, Julie not only has outward beauty but inwardly is phenomenal. We met at a revival in Covington, KY, she came with a former member of her father's church, I gave her my card and encouraged her to get her Dad to have me for revival, I ended up marrying her before I ever got the revival. We met in October and started dating in January of 1986, I was conducting a revival in Hamilton, OH for Pastor Gary Stacy, (Phil Stacy of American Idols Dad), when I walked onto the platform on Monday evening and saw her sitting in the pew the Holy Spirit whispered into my spirit, "You've Just Seen Your Wife!" Of course I didn't tell her that that night, but 14 months later she became my bride and now 21 years later she is my wife, the mother of my two daughters, and my very best friend. Julie loves God, our children, and me, she is diligent in all that she does, a true worshipper, a hard worker, a fun person, a gorgeous girl. We talk about everything, never tire of one another's company, looking forward to seeing each other, call throughout the day, and continue to enjoy being a couple. I cannot imagine life without her and pray that we never have to face that moment...I know she's a godly woman because she endures me...and that is allot of work. I love her and simply wanted to share a glimpse of her with the blog world!

When You Step Out

Have you ever heard anyone say, "I just wish this or that would happen in my life?" or, "If the Lord would make this happen I would know this is where I'm supposed to be and I am doing what He wants me to do!" I have, in fact, I've said it many times and will probably say it again at some point, it's a human nature thing!

Don't you hate it when humanity gets in your way? :)

God often opens doors and creates opportunities that we never enter because we fail to understand a simple principal, while we are waiting for God, He is waiting for us! Everything is in life is supernatural, but most of the time it is cloaked in the natural, covered by simplicity and watered by a simple concept, to borrow a phrase from my friend Cedric, "if you walk it out, He will work it out!" Life is much like an automatic door, it only opens when you step up to it!

The Book of Joshua paints a perfect picture of what I'm talking about, Israel needs to possess the land that God has promised them, there are some enemies and some obstacles, enemies and obstacles are a natural part of life, they aren't there to destroy us, they are there to develop us. As they prepare to enter the Promised Land they come to the edge of the Jordan River, the opportunity to cross over is before them, and the promise of crossing over is given to them: "Set out from your place and go after it...You have not passed this way before...cross over before the people...When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan...And as the those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water...that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away...and the people crossed over. (Joshua 3)

It would be wonderful if everything always came easy, or at least came to us before we had to step out, after all, if it's already in our hand we don't need much faith! But God is calling for risk takers and bondage breakers, people who see it in their spirit, hear it deep inside their hearts, and start walking towards the promised land, even if they have no clue what lies before them. Much like the automatic door, if we do what God is calling us to do, if we walk in integrity of heart and obedience, the door will open at the right time and the blessings of the open door will be ours. Closed doors are not always distractions either, some times they are delays and detours that enable us to get to the right door at the right time, they help us avoid destruction, leading us to the place of blessing!

I love the words of Joshua 3:3: "Set out from your place and go after it!"

Allow me to challenge you today to set out from your place, and go after God's place of blessing and ministry for your life. God is all about the place, Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you, there is a place of anointing, of blessing, of ministry, and of satisfaction for your life...Go After It!

555-0123

Bruce Nolan, the frustrated news reporter is mad at God, life isn't going his way so he throws his prayer beads into the lake, challenges God, says that He doesn't listen or answer anymore...so he's done! The next day his beeper goes off multiple times, 555-0123, unaware of who it is, irritated by the constant intrusion, he throws the beeper out the window, it gets run over by a truck and still beeps...the number: 555-0123. Finally he calls the number, thinks it's a job, goes to the interview only to find that the person calling him was...God This is a brief scene from the movie "Bruce Almighty", I watched it last night and spiritualized most everything. Though I've seen this movie several times I never caught the number nor did I see the importance of this scene...I've been Bruce Nolan a few times in my life...I've been angry with God, felt like He wasn't listening or answering, and felt like throwing in the towel...or the prayer beads in this instance. What spoke to me in this scene was the thought that because things weren't going his way Bruce believed that God wasn't listening, and that when he gave up on God, God refused to give up on him, and rather than God just having Bruce's number, God gave Bruce His number...God refuses to give up on us, even when we give up on Him! I noticed a contrast between the beginning of the movie and the ending, in the beginning Bruce is frustrated, striving for preeminence, self serving, gives up on God and life...But at the end He humbles himself, surrenders, telling God...You Win, What Do You Want Me To Do? Isn't that the place we all must come to? A place of surrender and sacrifice?

Quicksand

In the movie "The Replacements" the coach asks his players what they fear the most, their response, "Spiders and Quicksand". It's a magical moment, most of the players have no clue what quicksand has to do with anything, but the definition is life changing, quicksand is the fear that one you mess up everything starts to sink and there's nothing you can do about it! I've been there, times in my life when I felt as if nothing worked right for me, that everything I tried failed or was going to fail, that the relationships I was in were destined for destruction, just because of a bump in the road. When you step into a quicksand mode your entire identity begins to change, your thoughts become consumed with what you think is happening rather than what actually is happening...you begin to sink and the only thing that can stop the sinking is you! Jesus said we are to build our lives on a rock, upon a foundation of reality and truth. "These words that I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build your life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit---but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. (Matthew 7:24,25 The Message) If you look at our world it appears to be sinking, if we're not careful we started preparing for the worst, all the while God invites us to trust Him and to know in our hearts that nothing can move us if we're built upon Him!

Keeping It Simple

I consider myself a revivalist/evangelist, the calling on my life is proclaim and to convince, to share the love of God, to defend the Word of God, and to proclaim the revelation of God. It is my earnest desire to fulfill that call through preaching/teaching/ prophesying and walking it out in my daily life. One of the things that I see in the body of Christ is this deep compulsion for something new and deep, this addiction to reaching beyond what we have and the acceptance what we don't, regardless of what it is and where it came from...we love to be confounded it seems! Yet, the scripture says that God has chosen the simple things to confound the wise. It's OK with me to not have it all figured out yet, there is much more to God than I have discovered and the journey is exciting, revelation is progressive, we see in part and we prophesy in part, I truly believe there is more to come...But I don't believe that it has to be so deep that I don't get it...am I wrong? Part of my responsibility is to meet and touch people where they are and lead them to where they're going. Notice the ministry of Jesus, He touched people where they were and told them where they should go, He always kept something in front of them, never asking them to return to their past! read the blog of a friend of mine this week, she shares her journey to a revival taking place in Florida, one her observations was that in all of it's glamor and glory, there was always a reference to experiencing what someone in the past experienced...Jesus called us to put our hand to the plow and not look back, He reminded us of Lot's wife who was turned into a pillar of salt...she looked back. In the simplicity of the gospel we find that God loves us, that He cares about us, that He invites us to more, He reminds us that there are deeper waters for us to swim in, but in all of that it is simple to be a part of...just ask, believe, and receive! Serving God ought to be simple, life is difficult enough without needing a college degree to serve God...Deep things are usually simple things, they're just deep because they call us out of our comfort zones and into places we have been afraid to go...I want to go there, it's really that simple!

Intense Hunger

Several years ago I fasted for a thirty day period, it was a directive from the Lord, I share this not to boast but to create a reference point for my thought. During the first week or so I was extremely hungry, I looked up recipes and made mental lists of places I would eat when my fast ended. After a week I was no longer hungry, my body no longer needed food, the next event was the battle of my mind, my body said it was satisfied, my mind went everywhere...and then it was over...I could sit with you while you were eating and not be bothered at all...I understand hunger and I also understand getting past hunger to the point of denying my need. Today I am hungry, I am hungry for the Lord, hungry to impact the lives of people, to make a difference in the lives of others. Our world is struggling, the earth is groaning, waiting for the sons of God to arise and to express the greatness of God. Gas prices, job insecurity, higher costs of living, and a myriad of things plague the minds of men and women, we're all wondering what comes next...And we, the followers of Jesus Christ have the answer! I find myself with a missional view of what the church ought to be, that our call is to make disciples, to create atmospheres of learning, not just to find people that make confessions, conversion must go beyond confession, our words must evolve into actions! I recognize that if I'm not careful I will become numb to my hunger, push past it, convince myself I'm doing enough, and hide in my comfort zone...The question, how can I make a difference...today?

Spiders On The Field

Most preachers I know get their sermon material from the Bible, current events, sermons.com, some place spiritual...I get all worked up from spiritual movies...like Hook, or Remember The Titans, stuff that is filled with destiny, stories that remind us that we can overcome anything and that we really are on a journey, we're going somewhere! Saturday I was watching the movie "The Replacements", the story of a replacement team for the Washington Sentinels. There's a scene where the coach has gathered the team together in the locker room, telling them that in order to be leaders they must confront their greatest fears, he then asked them what they fear the most...the reply...Spiders! The coach says, "No, I mean on the field!" The players respond, "They're spiders on the field?" The players may have missed the point, but I didn't! Spiders are some of the most useless and irritating insects on the face of the earth. I haven't figured out what their purpose is, but what I do know is that intimidate, their eight eyes looking at you, their ugly bodies and those nasty webs they spin...and they crawl on you, if you step into a web you feel like you never get all of it off of you, and if you see a spider always feel like he's crawling on you...Nasty is what they are! Spiders build webs for the sole purpose of trapping their prey, laying wait for them to become ensnared so they can eat them. I think we all have spiders in our lives, things that seek to trap us, to deceive us, to intimidate us, and to eat us. The key is discerning them, knowing what our spiders are, avoiding their traps, and learning to confront and defeat them before they devour us. Recently a big spider was scurrying across our sidewalk, I saw him and without a second thought stepped on him, he was tough and crawled out from beneath my shoe, but I got him, and the second time there was no leaving...That's how we have to be with the spiders of our lives, leave no room for a return visit!

My Day Off Plan

When I was a kid there was a record of Cheech and Chong called "Sister Mary Elephant", a Catholic nun teaching school who asked a student to tell what he did over summer vacation, his summer routine was so boring that the nun screamed at the top of her lungs..."Shut Up!" My day off today may cause some to scream the same, but I'm loving it! Slept in till 8:10 this morning, checked emails and have been watching NCIS and Law & Order all morning. Haven't showered or gotten dressed yet, my intention is to eventually make it up and take the family to Lakeland, see Indiana Jones, eat at BD's Mongolian Grill and drink some Starbuck's! I am thankful for those who have served and are serving for our countries freedom, I value and appreciate their willingness to protect me with their lives!

Our Attitude Toward The End

Take a look at any newspaper, listen to any radio or television station, check your email or just talk with your friends and you will quickly find that people truly believe that we are living in the End Times. Certain current events seem to line up with prophetic scriptures that indicate that we are experiencing the birth pains that will bring about the end of the end times and return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Open your newspaper and you feel as if you are reading Matthew 24, earthquakes in strange places...Mt. Carmel, IL, who would have ever thought, cyclones in Myramar, drought and famine, wars and rumors of war...just this week one of the AM radio talk shows was predicting that our president will attack Iran before the end of his presidency, and the list goes on and on and on!

Believe me when I tell I'm not a doomsday prophet, I'm not about to scream "The Sky Is Falling!", I am telling you that the earth is waiting for the people of God to arise to the occasion and become the light and salt God has always intended for us to be! I submit that this is the time to define ourselves, to come out of our comfort zones, the safety of religion and to allow the life of God to manifest through us in the marketplace!

People in religious circles are consumed with the concept of a last day revival, waiting for spiritual explosion that will cover the earth with the glory of God... I believe that God is already here and that He is already moving, and that He is saving the best for last...but it won't be like we've experienced before and it won't be what we thought...it will be all God, and it will come through men and women who are willing witnesses of God's grace!

Think about this, God may have placed you in your job just to win one person, He may have created a table in a wilderness and is using you as the saltshaker that is going to effect an entire community of people. The last revival is not about the religious, it's about the lost, the broken, and the hurting...it's about being the church not just doing church...the more we pour out, the more He will pour in!

The Apostle Peter said that seeing that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons we should be! Our attitude of these end times should be one of looking, listening, loving, and leaving: Looking for opportunities to minister while looking for the coming of Christ, listening to His instruction, loving God with everything that is within us and loving others as we love ourselves, and leaving our comfort zones and preparing to leave this world.

This is not a time for fear or panic, this is the perfect time for outpouring and the opportunity for ministry!

Just Thinking Out Loud!

Kisumu

At the first of the year our senior pastor spoke prophetically to me that he believed that 2008 was going to be a huge year in our ministry. At the time it wasn't clear as to what all that meant, but I believe part of that is coming to pass this fall. We have been planning a trip to Kenya in September, trying to get dates set, tickets priced and ready for purchase, deciding who is or isn't going, all the normal procedures for a trip of this size. Wednesday I opened on of my email accounts to find an email from my friend Peter Franz, Peter is a German born evangelist who resides in Kenya, God has used him all over Africa to spread the gospel, he travels extensively through Kenya and into the Sudan conducting crusades, showing the Jesus video and discipling pastors to minister to their communities. This week Peter invited me to come be the morning speaker in a large outdoor crusade in Kisumu, this is the third largest city in Kenya, the home town of Kenya's new Prime Minister...I am honored and elated! To be able to travel around the world and share the gospel, to have the opportunity to share with and pour into the lives of ministers that will in turn change a nation is a dream come true! My greatest passion is sharing the Word of God, it is being a pastor, and I am completely consumed with Kenya...it is my second home! Presently I am working on taking a friend with me and working out the logistics, you know, getting the dates together, figuring out how I'm going to pay for the trip, how long we're going to be gone and where else we'll travel while there. Pray for us, ask the Lord to give us direction and to provide the necessary funds...ask God to give me the right words, to give us souls, and that Kenya will be changed for the glory of God! September just can't come soon enough...I can't wait!

My Borders Are Enlarging!

In 2004 I received the invitation to travel Kenya with Pastors Mike and Tena Sloan, while there God birthed a love in my heart and spirit for that country, a country I now consider home. In 2004 I also resigned my church and traveled to Florida to become the associate pastor to Pastor Sloan, and have since traveled twice a year to Kenya, seven times I have gone to that most phenomenal part of the world, the Kenyans call me Waumbua, which means rain! Today I received an invitation from my evangelist friend Peter Franz, a German born evangelist who travels throughout Africa, lives in Kenya, ministers in the Sudan, and is well known throughout the country...He has invited me to be the morning speaker in a large outdoor crusade in Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya, a population of over 335,000 people...can you believe it...they want me! Last March I was speaking in a conference in Eldoret, Kenya for Bishop George Gichana, the theme of the conference came from Isaiah 54:2,3: "Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited." Little did I know that God would fulfill this word in my life in this manner. As I write these words I am reminded of two things the Holy Spirit has spoken into my life through my pastor: 1) That 2008 will be a year when something large happens in my ministry; 2) That what God starts in me He will continue and finish through my daughter Kaitlin...I am humbled and honored. I am unsure why God would choose to use me in such a manner, I feel so unworthy and worthless, but am so thankful that He would send me to the nations of the earth to tell others of His love and power!

Sifting...Shifting...Shaking...Saving

I read the blog of a friend this week who truly believes the Lord has spoken to him through a recent earthquake in his area. Perhaps you remember a few weeks ago when a 6.5 earthquake took place in Southern Illinois, shaking the area to the point it was felt in Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri. My pastor friend stated that he felt the Holy Spirit sharing with him that this earthquake was a prophetic indication of the movement of the Holy Spirit taking place in the earth, of a revival about to take place in certain regions of America.

As I read his words I was reminded of somethings I believe the Holy Spirit has been dropping into my spirit, renewal, revival, and restoration are a vital part of the journey, life is a journey and we must remain refreshed if we are going to be effective in the Kingdom. But revival as we have pictured it, or better yet, as we have known it, may not be the way it comes...God is looking for people that will build on the foundation of yesterday, a tried and true foundation, allow today to be the best days of our lives and ministries, and that will prepare for the future by sowing our very best into the upcoming generation.

From a prophetic eye I see the Lord doing four things: 1) Sifting-To sift is to separate, God separates us from those things that hinder our progress, we separate ourselves from those people and things that disqualify us. Jesus reminded Peter that the dark one would like to sift him like wheat, the enemy of our souls would like nothing more than to cause our loyalties to be divided. Jesus also sifts us, He allows us to go through the strains of life in order that we may be pure in heart, motive, and worship. 2) Shifting-To shift is to adjust, to move gradually, to bring about necessary change. The Body of Christ is in a season of shifting, a time when we must discern who we are, where we are, what we are, and where we're going. It requires our willingness to keep up with God, to move with Him, rather than Him moving with us...everything this is perfect in His time...We are in a prophetic cycle and season...things are shifting. 3) Shaking-The writer of Hebrews speaks of a time when things will be shaken, a time when things movable will be moved and things unmovable will remain. We must not be easily shaken, disillusionment cannot be allowed to enter our spirits...Our eyes must remain focused, fixed on the prize, and we must move forward with a relentless, risk taking faith! 4) Saving-The Bible says that during the time of the Flood, when God rained judgment on the earth, that He saved righteous Noah. Everything about God is redemptive and restorative...It was God who said, "I make all things new!" He said, "I will do a new thing, even causing water and plant life to rise in desert places!" There is a cautiousness is the hearts of people these days, they are wondering how it's all going to turn out...I have the answer, it will work out just like God planned it, His thoughts toward you are good, of hope and of a future! God doesn't want to destroy you, kill you, wipe you out...No, He wants to raise you up as an army, as kings and priests in the earth, people who have been tried by fire and come out like gold...He will save us in the hour of temptation!

Be encouraged and look for the Lord to arrive in your lives, to step into your situations, and to use you to impact the lives of those around you. As you pour yourselves out into the lives of others, God will pour Himself into you!

Just Thinking Out Loud!

Do You Ever Stop Dreaming?

Langston Hughes, the great poet, once said, "That a man without a dream is like a bird with a broken wing, he cannot fly!" Does there ever come a point in our lives when we cease to dream? Do we ever mature to the point that we no longer see the need to dream? Can we ever expand ourselves or our horizons to the point that we settle for what we have and accept our present reality? Are our dreams simply unrealistic figments of a dissatisfied imagination? I began ministry when I was 16 years old, I was going to win the world! Off to Bible College to learn Greek and Hebrew, memorize the Bible, and to pastor a huge denominational church and more! As a college student on summer break I work in the stockroom of Furnas Electric in West Chicago, IL., it was the most boring job in the world, for hours I would stand there working, daydreaming about preaching and ministering, seeing myself as a denominational leader, preaching meetings where multitudes were saved and delivered, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, falling under God's power at the wave of my hand...then as I aged I dreamed of pastoring multi-ethnic churches, places where walls and barriers were broken down, where the multitudes were won, and people came to the house of the Lord and were changed. Dynamic worship, relevant programs, and heart felt fellowship prevailed, I saw churches where the Word of God was enacted on a daily basis, and the church grew daily, just like in the Book of Acts! Twenty-nine years have now passed since those initial dreams: I'm not a denominational leader, in fact, I'm not a senior pastor, but I still dream! I see my children growing up in the fear of the Lord, my daughters dancing before God and touching the hearts of those around them. I listen to my sixteen year old daughter Kaitlin, who with passion declares that she will make a difference in the life of a people, I see eight year old Madison, who knows what life holds for her, but I know she loves Jesus and will express the Kingdom of God in a future generation. I listen to my wife worship, I watch her worship with abandon, no fear of what men say or think, and I know the hand of the Lord is upon her! Me, I understand that dreams are what keep us in the journey, that before you can kill the dream you have to kill the dreamer! I dream of Africa, of the glory of the Lord being released upon the earth, of the people of Kenya prospering and overcoming political upheaval and financial oppression. I see a nation in revival, souls being won to the Kingdom and life increasing for them...not an American increase, but the increase that God has desired to create in their land. And I still see the multitudes worshiping freely, the glory of God flowing, souls saved, bodies healed, hearts and lives changed, churches growing, flesh dying, and ministry happening...the difference is today I'm not the one being seen...I'm just a voice...and a dreamer!

Is Vision Enough?

We talk a lot about vision in Christian circles, often quoting the scripture in Proverbs that says without vision, or without revelation, people castoff restraint...they perish. Vision statements are created, mission statements are developed, so we can say what we see and do what we say. I love talking vision, seeing things, and I believe in the power of vision...In fact, I am convinced that you should have a vision for every area of your life!

Do you have a vision for your personal life and ministry? What about for your family or job? When you close your eyes what do you see? And can you see beyond where you are to where you can be?

The real question is not "do you have a vision?", rather it is is vision enough, will being filled with inner sight and the conviction that this is your God given dream cause your vision to become a reality?

Think about the great dreamers in history, they all saw something, and they all did something to make it happen! Read the words of Jesus in Matthew 9, He saw people as shepherdless sheep, and then He set out to change things. Moses led an entire nation into freedom because he saw into the invisible realm, in his spirit he saw God, and acted on what God told him. Abraham became the father of nations simply because he was willing to leave his comfort zone and walk toward the promised land. What about Joseph who had such a powerful dream that accusation and prison could not stop him. Then there's the Apostle Paul who did not allow the storm to get inside of him and believed that whatever God told him would be exactly how it would be...so he walked out the Word!

Vision enables us not only to see but to become, it provides insight and revelation, uncovering the hidden desire of God and ourselves, helping us to see beyond the present and to release our creative gifts. Mission speaks of how we accomplish our vision, what are we willing to do to make it happen, do we have what it takes to become the vision?

This evening while watching Extreme Home Makeover there was a family who had moved from a beautiful, safe neighborhood to a gang infested, neighborhood where drugs were sold, the children went to sleep to the sound of gunfire.Why? They had a vision of making a difference in the lives of others and they became the vision!

What's your vision? What steps are you taking to make it become a reality? It's going to be worth the struggle!

Just Thinking Out Loud!

Gout

Last Thursday I woke up with a sore toe, not a big deal, has happened before...but never like what it has become...Gout! By Saturday it was swollen and hard to walk on, immediately I went to my doctor...webmed.com...where I began to analyze the situation and discover that indeed I did have all the symptoms of gout, and according to the internet I could cure with natural remedies...yeah right! I began the long and arduous journey of eat cherries and strawberries, drinking apple cider vinegar, cranberry juice, pomgranite/cherry juice, bottle after bottle of water, and eating ibuprofin like pez tablets...By this past Wednesday I thought it was better, when I awakened Thursday I realized I was wrong...it was worse! Today I broke down and went to the doctor, a three hour journey, they couldn't verify my insurance because Aetna was closed, I offered to pay cash, they weren't sure they could do that, then they could...only 20 bucks! Then it was check the vitals and send me back out to wait, in the middle of all of this I sat next to an older lady who noticed my Big Dog shirt and wanted to know if I had a big dog, I explained it was a brand, she began to talk dogs with me, I informed her we have one that I hate, hoping this would end the discussion...it didn't. The doctor wasn't overly friendly, don't think he liked the fact that I self diagnosed and was correct...I love it when I'm right! There's a spiritual lesson or two here, I'm not sure what they are yet, though I must admit that I continue to believe that God heals, wish He would have done it without the doctor, but He uses them too. Besides, my visit to his office cost me 20.00 and my three meds only cost 20.00, so I have been blessed and am not going to have a crisis of faith over my toe! Storms are natural part of life, even small ones, the key is not allowing the storm to get inside of you!

Wrong One This Time

I have been a fairly avid American Idol fan for several years now, but that is beginning to wane as this program is becoming more of a popularity contest than singing contest. Now, I also realize that we're all entitled to our own opinion and can enjoy and vote for whoever we wish...But I'm telling you the wrong person went home last night! Carly Smithson probably wouldn't have won Idol, but Jason Castro and Brooke White most certainly are not better or even in the same class. Jason is kind of goofy, and Brooke just can't sing, so how are they remaining? This inquiring mind wants to know? Call me Simon if you will...I just don't get it!

Don't You Want To Be Brave?

My last few blogs have been about my daughter and some of them quite silly, and though it is my blog, I wanted to let people know I do have other things to say, but I love my family, my kids are the joy of my life...so I'm sure talking and writing about them is far from over! I want to be brave. I have lived for years with insecurities that at times stifle if not snuff out my creativity and ability to step outside the box. I've never been one to live within the confines of others boxes, always wanted to march to a different drummer, believe that while God despises rebellion, He loves radical, after all, Jesus wasn't a conformist, He was a trail blazer. I want to be brave! I admire those people who are willing to go where they've never gone before, do what they've never done before, and that throw caution to the wind. Lindsey Humphries is a ten year old that attends our church and school, she went snowboarding this year, I would have worried about breaking my leg. Or what about the people in Tibet, who are unwilling to allow a super power over take them, so they march, fight back, and stand...being brave isn't always about movement, sometimes it's about taking a stand for what you believe and doing what you feel is right! To be brave often requires going against the grain, living beyond the status quo, and saying things that aren't readily understood. Being brave requires vision and listening to the inner voice, having a conscience that isn't framed by what is popular at the moment, but one that may be popular after you have been brave enough to speak what is in your heart...And if it never becomes popular and politically correct it's ok, that wasn't your purpose in the first place! I want to be brave when it counts, when I know that it will make a difference in someone else's life, when it is an act of obedience to God, and when the only payment I receive is the knowledge that I did what I saw and heard in my spirit and when the day is done God says...You did good!

Me, Kaitlin, and Miami Ink

As long as Kaitlin is alive I will never die, she is the absolute image of me in the female species. Her facial expressions, attitude, sarcasm, everything...she is me! Although she does have her own thoughts, ambitions, and ways of doing things...Like her latest idea...are you ready for this? We've been discussing going to Ft. Lauderdale for vacation this year, so she has decided that the two of us need to venture on down to Miami and get tattoo's at the infamous Miami Ink. Now, I don't think there is anything wrong with having a tattoo, as long as it's something decent, in the right place and done with clean needles...but can you see me with a tattoo? Kaitlin says she's going to be an attorney, I told her she would have to have her tattoo where clients couldn't see it, she said it would be small and on her back along the waist line, I said when she gets old and it droops it will be below her butt where no one will want to see it! Monday we went to Cocoa Beach for a couple days and we both got these temporary tattoo's, the same one, a Chinese symbol for peace, mine is on my shoulder where no one can see it, hers is on her belly where no one better see it! I know this child of mine is going places and I truly believe the Lord is going to use her, but I'm beginning to believe she will be the pastor and attorney for a tattoo parlor...At least I can get one free...Not!

Kids, Kats, & The Kingdom

I have been in a mood for several days, I think I'm going through man-o-pause, or at least that's the excuse I'm giving today! During this past week I've been observing some things, especially in my own home: 1. My kids are great kids! They're not perfect, but they're great and they're hilarious. Our oldest daughter played a drunk in the church Christmas play, and in the Easter program she played a prostitute...her response: "Great, I've gone from a drunk to a whore!" Her eight year old sisters response: "What's a whore?" Both of our girls are excellent students, love God and love going to church, they have oodles of friends and I'm glad we've got them...Their innocence amazes me, being raised in a pastors home they have seen and heard many things, some I would have preferred they hadn't seen and heard, yet I don't hear them complaining about the church and ministry...they're wonderful! 2. Kats We have this six month old kitten I call satan! He's cute, makes you believe he understands what you're saying, and does exactly what he wants to do! He nearly jumps in the bathtub with you, licks the water in the shower floor when you get out, will bite you in a heart beat and chases the baby when she walks through the room. He attacks the dog and eats his food, paws and purrs on the blanket in my wife's chair and thinks the world belongs to him! 3. The Kingdom Jesus said that unless we become as children we cannot enter the Kingdom of God, the innocence of a child, the simple ability to believe and act upon what we've been told, that's what Jesus is looking for. He also looks for some of those traits my cat has, oblivious to what's going on around him, he has a focus I can't come close to having. I want to enter the Kingdom, to be a part of God's plan for humanity, but sometimes I get off focus, am easily distracted and sometimes detoured, unlike my cat who will will go right back where you found him and avoid you at any cost...I find that people often loose their way, thank God for a seeking Saviour! Kids, kats, and the Kingdom, I guess we can learn from them all!

Respect

When I was a kid there was a song that has now become famous called, "Respect" All I want the singer said is a little respect, she spelled it out and said find out what it means to me! We all want respect...don't we? The Bible says we should honor those that labor among us, give honor to them whom honor is due, submit to those in authority, and the list goes on and on..Respect is an important aspect of our lives. Let me share some thoughts of my own concerning respect: 1. Respect is not one sided If I want respect I must show respect. It is important that we respect one another, and some of this comes from developing the ability to understand, not analyze, but knowing where we are all coming from. 2. Respect is expected Your position does demand a certain amount of respect, we should honor one another and respect those over us if we desire those under us to respect us. 3. Respect is earned...not demanded We earn respect by relationship. While my position may expect respect, my relationship with others, the integrity we walk in, the manner in which we conduct ourselves, and the words that we speak develop a sense of honor and respect among those we have relationship with. 4. Respect can be created Respect has an atmosphere, it can be created when we determine to walk uprightly, treat each other fairly, learn to look for opportunities to connect with others, to listen and learn from people and situations.