A tough week behind us

This past week has been a real challenge for my family. For the sake of some legal issues that are still ahead of us I am not going to go into details, but we have really seen some ups and downs this week and are now I think are beginning to see the sunlight again. There are some definite, challenging roads ahead that we have to face, but we confess that the Lord is in control and only through His grace and leadership will we see this through. After the ordeals of this week, I can only cling to this one verse which God gave me this morning when I woke up.

David writes in Psalm 30 verse 5, "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but joy comes in the morning." I believe we are seeing the joy return to our home and it is a very welcome sight. As I mentioned there are some challenges ahead, but my God is bigger than anything we can imagine and He has total control over everything we have faced, are facing, or will face. And that, settles that.

Chris and I, and his friend Stevens, are just 13 days away from attending the Mardi Gras Ministry outreach with No Greater Love Ministries and our excitement is definitely growing. We appreciate your prayers as we make the final preparations for this trip and confess that God is in control; and whatever circumstances happen He will get His Glory through whatever He brings into our lives. Thank you for reading friends - may you be blessed today and forever.

Get busy teaching!

This afternoon we witnessed the wedding of one of Chris's high school friends and it really got us thinking ... "We are turning older, aren't we?" Now, I know it is an inevitable thing that our children grow up and get married, but sitting in that sanctuary today it became very obvious that the time was growing closer to watching my own son get married and well, it touched me a little. In some ways I am anxious to see that day happen, but in other ways I'd love to have some more time with my little boy whom I've watched grow up into a young man that I could not be more proud of.

In less than three weeks he and I will part of No Greater Love Ministries heading to Mississippi, Lousiana, and eventually into New Orleans to witness on the streets during Mardi Gras. This is my 10th year with this ministry and every trip is for me life changing; but to see my son on the streets (this is his fourth year) passing tracts, street marching, dressing as a clown, and talking to perfect strangers about Jesus really is a sight to make my heart swell. His witness for the Lord is strong, and without being foreboding he is able to look people in the eyes and tell them Jesus loves them. Now you tell me: As a parent could there be any stronger legacy that I could leave behind?

A few weeks ago during discipleship training I got to thinking about this and used Chris as a perfect example of Titus 2 which instructs believers to train those younger them to be servants and leaders in the faith. So, while trying not to ramble you are probably wondering what am I getting at here? Well ....... here it is: Parents, we need to take the time we have now to teach our kids to be witnesses and to know when to take a stand for their Faith! The time we have to raise them is so short in the grand scheme of things, and we need to know how to witness to them, and show them through our own lives how to share the Gospel and witness for the Lord.

I believe, there is nothing more important that we can teach them ... then to share the love of Jesus Christ with those in their own circles. So, are we doing that parents? Prayerfully, we are - for without our involvement in our kids lives they will look for affirmation and direction wherever they can get it - and some sources available to them are NOT exalting Jesus Christ. Think about it, pray on it, and then I challenge you to get to teaching your kids! Time is short folks, their wedding day is coming.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
- Proverbs 22:6

This is a test

Well, I’m testing to see if I can e-mail a post to blogger and not have to log in (which will really come in handy while I am in New Orleans next month). Maybe, just maybe, I have finally gotten this to work on my account.

The iPod Touch

Lately, I have been having touch screen withdrawals since changing back from the Pre to my Blackberry (go ahead and laugh, I laughed too), but sadly I'm not eligible for an upgrade right now to any new phones. I still have my Pre but ya know, that keyboard size and battery life really makes me sad and so we are not gonna do down that road again ... but I think I have found some common ground here that might just fill a need as well.

I am looking at a getting an iPod Touch (the 8GB version cause that's about all I will need) mainly because I need a new iPod (my Nano is over 5 yrs old and about had it with scratches, dents, and some operational glitches here and there) and well, I think the Touch might meet several things at once including having WiFi for applications and giving me access to the much talked about, "Words with Friends". Obviously, I would have to keep my Blackberry as my cell phone since the Touch does not have a phone (or camera) on it. As info, I cannot get an iPhone (due to our service commitment with Sprint) so that is just not an option.

So, here's my questions: Does anyone have an iPod touch? Do you like it? Is it worth the $199 price tag that it has? How is it carrying that AND a cell phone around with you? Too cumbersome? Really annoying? Can't live without it? Prior to investing a couple hundred dollars into this device I'd like to get some opinions from folks who have it and who might be able to shed some light on my thinking.

Thanks!

Haiti and the Believers' Focus

Editors note: This blog is dedicated to a very discerning Sister in Christ who helped me today with her own words. God bless you, my friend.

By now we have all heard the misplaced comments from Mr. Pat Robertson, and I want to say up front that I will not use this time to tear into him or try to understand why he continues to offer such opinions.

What I will say is that discernment is the order of the day; and as believers our J-O-B is to follow The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and to anxiously wait for the Savior to return who has been promised in Acts 1:11. The promise, reads like this: "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Today, we need to be about the Lord's business and not caught up in trivial matters.

So tonight, let me ask you: Are you doing all you can to witness for our Lord? Are your hearts and minds focused in prayer for this terrible tragedy and for the lives of those being devastated in Haiti? That needs to be our focus friends ... anything else is simply worldly propaganda and the enemy would love nothing more than to see the Body of Christ fighting amongst itself.

Prayer, is our only avenue to talk to the Lord. In this time, I pray that you would exercise it intentionally, and without ceasing. God bless you.

Are you GOING?

This week, I have been thinking a lot about No Greater Love's (NGL) upcoming ministry trip to New Orleans to witness on the streets during Mardi Gras and I have to admit I am getting very excited. This will be my 10th year on the streets with them and each trip (either to Mardi Gras or the Indy 500) with NGL I am challenged more than the year before, and it moves me farther out in my comfort zone - expanding my tent stakes and allowing me to gain more understanding on what God would have His people do to impact His world.

Each year I have gone I've been afforded the opportunity to learn, to witness, and to come back home and practice what I've been taught; and each year the Lord has grown me and stretched me farther than I ever thought I could in the ministry. Truly, this ministry has grown me beyond my wildest dreams in serving the Lord and I want to take the time to challenge any man reading this to GO with me. If you want to see your life changed, if you want to be a better husband, father, and man of God that the Lord has called you to be (see Ephesians 5:25-33) then you need to contact me about going. For several years now I have watched my own son, Chris, grow in his walk with the Lord and to a dad, there is no greater joy than seeing your own son take a stand for Jesus Christ and purpose himself to be a witness in this world.

I received an e-mail a few weeks ago that I would be the Assistant Street Minister/Camp Director in Mobile and to be honest, I am more nervous than I've ever been. Being able to serve in this capacity and learn from what I feel is probably one of the best teams of leaders assembled is extremely humbling and at the same time nerve racking as well. As a matter of fact, it has taken me almost 3 weeks to attempt to digest it and get my mind around it. In this, I ask that you would join me in prayer as I prepare to serve this camp and that I would remain focused on the main goal: which is to put the Gospel in the hands of faithful men (2 Tim 2:2); because it is about Jesus, and nothing more.

No Greater Love has changed my views on service to the Lord in more ways than I can ever imagine; and I am a staunch believer in the fact that if you can witness on the streets in New Orleans, you can come home and impact your church and community in a mighty way for the Lord. Guys, I challenge you to come with me and get a vision of how God views this world through His infinite love, and I promise you that you will never look at the Gospel the same way again. Won't you be obedient enough to follow The Great Commission and GO? I pray that you would, and I promise that if you go you will NEVER be the same man again.

Gentlemen ... If you are interested in going, please contact me through the links above. I promise you that your life will be impacted in ways that will truly rock your world.

How is your allegiance?

Most folks know that I read Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest", and the devotion from today had a line in there that I just felt needed to be re-said because it is THAT good. He writes:

"Natural devotion will deny Jesus, always falling short of what it means to truly follow Him."

It got me thinking of the following questions for myself and I wanted to challenge you as well to examine your own walk with the Lord:

How is your allegiance? Are you manufacturing your followership of Jesus Christ or is He truly the Lord of your life? Do you obey Him on Sunday and Wednesday and then on other days it is hit and miss? When you say, "Yes, Lord", is Jesus Christ really the complete and total Lord of your life or just when it is convenient?

In my opinion, it's worth exploring for each of us.

What year is it?

Well, here we are in the year 2010!!

I was thinking this weekend that I remember the year 1990 so clearly because it was then that I wondered if I could ever make it to this year. Why you may ask? Because, this year marks the year of my military retirement!! After 20 years of changing stations, changing uniforms, changing careers, and changing education strategies I did make it and you know what? Surprisingly with the Lord's guidance and leadership it looks a lot like 1990 except that I am greyer and my waist line is bigger. (LOL) OK, seriously, it looks more like 1994 because then I was married to the love of my life with two wonderful kids.

In my opinion, it's going to be a great year folks ... I can just sense it. Of course, it is not going to be all smiles and happiness (life never is), but I think I am about to see the Lord do some great work this year in my family's life and we are excited to get to witness it.

Happy New Year my friends, and may the Lord bless you in a mighty way ... always!