A New Chapter Begins Today

Over the past several months I've been praying and asking God for direction and a change in career. I have a good job it pays fairly well and is steady work. But that's just it, it is just work. It is unfulfilling, demanding and not inline with the mission God has put before me. It robs my joy, time with my family and interferes with serving my church. So after careful consideration, council and many many prayers I've decided to leave my job. Yesterday was my last day. I know that in these tough economic times this could be financial suicide, but I have a peace about this and know deep in my heart that God has much bigger plans for me. I'm putting my faith and trust in him to provide for my family. It's not going to be easy, I have to be diligent in finding a career, and fighting off the attacks by the enemy (condemnation, guilt, fear).

I ask that you pray prayers of intersession for me. Pray for God to raise up the career that he has been preparing. And prayers against the enemy attacks.

Thanks Friends

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans15:13 NIV

Alone Time

Last night I was getting ready for bed and saying my nightly prayers of thanks and God told me it was time for some alone time. If you've followed my blog you know that I like to get away from it all and reconnect with Him. So I got up early this morning and drove to one of my favorite places to go and be alone with God. My plan was to go to the lighthouse on Lake Michigan in Michigan City Indiana, but when I got there the ice on the pier was unsafe to walk on. So I walked down the beach. It was a little cold and rainy this morning so I was the only person on the beach for miles. I love being alone like that, I can talk with God without having any distractions.

As I walked along the frozen sand He revealed something to me that I had not realized before. It was extremely freeing. This was something from my childhood that I had stuffed far down deep and had forgotten about. As I talked and prayed to him I could feel His power and strength rise up inside me, and I will never be the same again.

I share the stores of my life with you to bring glory to God. Hopefully they inspire you to get closer to Him. Take time to get away, talk with him, listen to him and just be with Him. I guarantee that you will return home a changed person.

Make a Joyful Noise

David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets. 11 Chronicles 13:8


The plans for my mission trip to Kalavai India are coming along nicely. Along with building brick homes for the Dalit (Untouchables) people, that live outside the city, the music team is planning to perform 4 concerts for all the people of Kalavai. The planning is going well but I need your help with financial support. I understand that the holiday season is probably not the best time to ask for donations but, this is an opportunity for you to take part in something that is much greater than making sure your shopping list is complete. Music crosses all boundaries of race, education, religion, social class and language. By giving a gift of support you will be spreading the Love of Jesus through music to those who do not know him with an art form that everyone understands. And the added bonus of providing a brick home for some one that is living in a grass hut.

I ask that you pray and search your heart to do what God would want you to do.

Thanks

Tax deductible support donations can be mailed to :

Granger Community Church
attn: Jeanna Tripp
630 E. University Dr.
Granger IN, 46530
(write Brian Warrell India 2010 in the memo line)

Or you can give online:

www.gccwired.com/missiontrips
(After setting up an account select my name from the drop down box.)

Thank you for your prayers and support!

A Prayer for the Thanksgiving Feast

For the laughter of the children,
For my own life breath,
For the abundance of food on this table,
For the ones who prepared this sumptuous feast,
For the roof over our heads,
The clothes on our backs,
For our health,
And our wealth of blessings,
For this opportunity to celebrate with family and friends,
For the freedom to pray these words,
Without fear,
In any language,
In any faith,
In this great country,
Whose landscape is as vast and beautiful as her inhabitants,
Thank you, God, for giving us all these.
Amen

from Talking to God by Naomi Levy

Invited

I've been invited to take part in something that is much larger than anything I could ever imagine. I've been asked to go to India in March 2010 on a mission trip to help build brick homes for people that are currently living in grass huts. In addition to working side by side with the people of the village to build these homes we are going to try something that has never been attempted before.

We are taking a team of extremely talented musicians and singers to perform 4 concerts in the town of Kalavai in Tamil Nadu India. Music is an international language and our hope is to spread the Word of Jesus through the music and our God given gifts.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and the team and I'd like you to be a part of it.

The cost of the trip is $3000 per person which needs to be paid in several stages. First is $300 by Nov 23 for training and project expenses. The half way mark of $1500 is due by Jan 18, with the balance due Feb 22.

I ask that you pray and search your heart to support this adventure into the unknown. If God puts it on your heart to contribute a donation please do so. Your generosity may affect thousands of people in India who may never come to Christ without your help.

Tax deductible support donations can be mailed to :

Granger Community Church
attn: Jeanna Tripp
630 E. University Dr.
Granger IN, 46530
(write Brian Warrell India 2010 in the memo line)

Or you can give online:

www.gccwired.com/missiontrips
(After setting up an account select my name from the drop down box.)

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Incredible!

This past weekend at the Wild at Heart Boot Camp was incredible! John Eldredge is an awesome teacher. During the sessions I could feel the healing of so many men's hearts, the presence of God was thick in the air the whole weekend. The food and accommodations were first class and the weather was great too.

Thank you for your prayers of intersession. God revealed many things to me that I had suppressed for a long time. Then He freed me from them and healed my heart. I can't say enough about the wonderful feelings I have right now.

Expectation

I'm sitting in the Denver airport waiting for the shuttle to take me to the Wild at Heart Bootcamp.
I have an overwhelming feeling that i am on the verge of an enormous breakthrough. I ask that you pray that whatever it is that I pay close attention and not miss it.

Thanks for your prayers

Brian

Fuel

My purpose in life is fueled by my potential.

I was looking through one of my old notebooks this morning and found this on one of the pages somewhere in the middle all by it's self. I had written it there as a draft for my mission statement. I had forgotten it was there. I think I'm going to start using it!

Living by faith

The just shall live by faith. Rom 1:17

Who are the just? They are the ones whom God proclaims as being righteous.

He declares that, when you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are righteous. When we come to the Lord to live our life in faith, we are given a supernatural ability to receive things from Him by faith. As a result, we know where we're going and we know also that we are equipped for the journey. Likewise, we realize that we're never at a loss and no matter what valley or obstacle we may have to face, we know we can always get trough it or overcome it, because we're living by faith. Don't count yourself out. The just shall live by faith. Remember, you are justified, which means God sees you just as if you had never sinned because of Jesus' blood in your life.

excerpt from: Image That by Dewy Friedel

I'm In-dia

Over the past couple of years God has really opened my heart and mind to following His will for me. It's not been an easy task (sometimes I miss the opportunities He has laid out for me). But, I try to be diligent in following His lead, I try to be aware of His promptings, and pray for His guidance every day, He has amazed me so many times.

In just a few weeks I'll be going to Colorado to attend the Wild at Heart Boot Camp with John Eldredge and 300 other men for a weekend retreat. This is one of God's promptings. I really didn't have the money to go but God put it on my heart to ask for help. So I did. I sent emails to several men that I trust, admire, and serve God side by side with. And God put it on their hearts to provide. All expenses have been paid by the generosity of these men of God.

A few days ago God put something else on my heart. I got the call to go to India. I'm a member at Granger Community Church in Granger Indiana. Our Life Missions Department has a partnership with Showers of Blessings Church in Tamil Nadu India. We send a group there twice a year that consists of a Health and Wellness Team, Construction Team, Conversational English Team, and a Micro-Enterprise/Small Business Team. We also have an ongoing commitment of educating Church planters and have planted over 250 churches in this area.

In March of 2010 we are adding a team to the trip. A group of musicians and dancers. I'm not exactly sure of the details yet but we will be providing worship music for church services as well as helping with one of the other outreach teams. We'll be spreading the love of Jesus with our talents and our hands and feet.

I've had the thought of going to India in the back of my mind for a little while, but really hadn't felt the call to go, and then I got a phone call. God called! How obvious is that?

Now the process begins. I'll need to raise the money, get a passport, immunizations, and visas. I'll post the info as I get it if anyone of you wants to contribute to the cause.

Our God is and awesome God!

"Do Good and Show Love"

I walked into my first AA meeting nearly 18 years ago and a guy named Raymond was the first person to welcome me.

He always had a huge smile on his face, glad to see you, and quick with a handshake and a hug. He was one of the "Old Timers", been around for awhile.

"Do Good and Show Love" was his favorite saying, no it was his motto.

Raymond passed away the other day. He's going to missed by hundreds of people that came into the program down and out, lost and hurting, or just plain sick and tired of being sick and tired. He has left behind a legacy of sober friends because he lived "Do Good and Show Love".

Leader

"The first person a leader leads is himself."

Daniel- a classmate in my Public Speaking class.

Talking

"Instead of Talking about how everything is going down the drain, let's talk about what is possible with God."

Joyce Meyer

I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in our problems that we forget that God is bigger than everything. Even our problems. Joyce is right, let's look to God when the going get tough, He is our answer.

What God sees

Your sin has been dealt with. Your Father has removed it from you “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps. 103:12). Your sins have been washed away (1 Cor. 6:11). When God looks at you he does not see your sin. He has not one condemning thought toward you (Rom. 8:1). But that’s not all. You have a new heart. That’s the promise of the new covenant: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezek. 36:26 –27). There’s a reason that it’s called good news.

Too many Christians today are living back in the old covenant. They’ve had Jeremiah 17:9 drilled into them and they walk around believing my heart is deceitfully wicked. Not anymore it’s not. Read the rest of the book. In Jeremiah 31:33, God announces the cure for all that: “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” I will give you a new heart. That’s why Paul says in Romans 2:29, “No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit.” Sin is not the deepest thing about you. You have a new heart. Did you hear me? Your heart is good.

What God sees when he sees you is the real you, the true you, the man he had in mind when he made you.

Excerpt from Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

By Faith

Hebrews 11:5-6

⁵By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. ⁶And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Our Faults

A Prayer for Facing Our Faults

I have been hiding from my faults, God. I've been blaming others for my own mistakes. Help me. God, to search my soul. Teach me to be honest with myself. Give me the courage to accept responsibility for my actions. Grant me the humility to ask for forgiveness from those I have injured.

Fill me with the desire to change, God. Remind me that I have the power to remake my life. You have filled me with enormous potential, God; teach me how to realize all the gifts of my soul.

Be my guide, God; lead me to goodness, to joy, to learning, and to peace. Amen

from: Talking to God by Naomi Levy

When I was in Chicago this is the prayer I found in a small book in the Chicago Library (see post from August 1 2009).

Refuge

God is good,
a hiding place in tough times.
He recognizes and welcomes
anyone looking for help,
No matter how desperate the trouble.

Nahum 1:7 (The Message)

How long has it been since you've come to God, spent time with Him, and listened to Him? Stay away from His presence too long and your heart grows cold. You begin to lose your way.

If you've not done so, I encourage you to memorize Nahum 1:7 and apply it to your Life. God is a great refuge. He will give you peace and strength today.

excerpt from Still God's Man by Don M. Aycock & Mark Sutton

Lost in a Sea of Faces

From time to time I just need to get away for a little while and have some alone time with God. My normal routine is to go out in to nature like a state park or by the lake (see post From 01/04/09). But today I felt that I was being led to do the opposite. So I took the South Shore train into Chicago for the afternoon. I'm not sure why but it seemed that there was something I needed to learn from being alone in the middle of 3 million people. How was I going to hear from God there? What was he trying to get through to me?
I walked up and down Michigan Ave. in the rain, stopped in a couple of shops, and saw some of the sites but nothing. I even sat on a bench outside of Water Tower Place to people watch, and still nothing. The whole time I was talking to God, asking for direction. Then suddenly something told me to go the Chicago Public Library. THE LIBRARY? What? Are you kidding me? I came all this way to go to the library? Ok if that's what you want. So a walked a few blocks to the main branch of the Chicago Public Library and went in. I asked for a little help finding the books on Christian Religion, and starting walking up and down the rows of books. There must be thousands of them about Christianity. I was whispering; Ok God which one, what is it that I'm supposed to find here. I picked up a book about Nehemiah, (he is one of my Biblical heroes) read through a few pages but nothing. So I put it back and looked some more. And then after about 15 minutes endless titles a small little book caught my eye, Talking to God: Personal Prayers for Times of Joy, Sadness, Struggle, and Celebration by Naomi Levy. I opened it up right to the page I needed to read: A Prayer for Facing our Faults. That was it. As I read the prayer I could feel the wheels turning in my head. Wow!

Just what I needed, but did I really have to go through all that to find it? I guess so, sometimes the journey is just as important as the the treasure.

As soon as I finish this post I'm going to buy that book online. I love having resources like this to help me with my walk. But more importantly so I can help other people with their walks.

Easter 1960

Forgiveness breaks the chain of causality because he who forgives' you - out of love - takes upon himself the consequences of what you have done. Forgiveness, therefore, always entails a sacrifice.

The price you must pay for your own liberation through another's sacrifice, is that you in turn must be willing to liberate in the same way, irrespective of the consequences to yourself.

Quote from "Markings" by Dag Hammarskjold

Mirrors

"I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my mirrors, now the whole world is here for me to see." - Jimi Hendrix

I think sometimes I get so caught up in my thoughts and struggles that I forget there are others in this world that are a lot worse off than me. This quote reminds me that I have to break out of my own head and put my focus them. By getting out of self and helping them with their struggles it helps me overcome my own.

Identity Is Bestowed

Deep within the Arrows stay, poisoning our self-perceptions, until someone comes along with the power to take them away, free us from all the false selves we use to weather the world’s weather, and restore to us our true identity. Identity is not something that falls on us out of the sky. For better or for worse, identity is bestowed. We are who we are in relation to others. But far more important, we draw our identity from our impact on those others—if and how we affect them. We long to know that we make a difference in the lives of others, to know that we matter, that our presence cannot be replaced by a pet, a possession, or even another person. The awful burden of the false self is that it must be constantly maintained.

We think we have to keep doing something in order to be desirable. Once we find something that will bring us some attention, we have to keep it going or risk the loss of the attention.

And so we live with the fear of not being chosen and the burden of maintaining whatever it is about us that might get us noticed and the commitment never to be seen for who we really are. We develop a functional self-image, even if it is a negative one. The little boy paints his red wagon a speckled gray with whatever Father left in the can after putting a new coat on the backyard fence. “Look what I did!” he says, hoping for affirmation of the wonderful impact his presence has on the world. The angry father shames him: “What do you think you’re doing? You’ve ruined it.” The boy forms an identity: My impact is awful; I foul good things up. I am a fouler. And he forms a commitment never to be in a place where he can foul things up again. Years later, his colleagues wonder why he turned down an attractive promotion. The answer lies in his identity, an identity he received from the impact he had on the most important person in his world and his fear of ever being in such a place again.

Excerpt from The Sacred Romance by John Eldredge

http://www.ransomedheart.com/ministry/default.aspx

Strong Language

John used the strongest language of any of the apostles, and he
said that if we claim to have fellowship with God and yet are in
darkness, we lie. There are a great many folk today who say they
have fellowship with Him, and they’re not settling the things that
are wrong in their lives. My friend, if you are going to walk with
God, you are going to walk in light. And if there is sin in your
life, you are not walking with Him. You cannot bring Him down
to your level.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ, his Son, cleanseth [keeps on cleansing] us from
all sin. (1 John 1:7)

He died to save us from the guilt of sin. I have been saved –
that’s justification. I am being saved – that is sanctification. That’s
what the old theologians call deliverance from the pollution of
sin.

Excerpt from How to have a Fellowship with God by Dr. J. Vernon McGee


http://www.thruthebible.org/site/c.irLMKXPGLsF/b.4104243/k.B4BD/Booklet_Downloads.htm

Sin is Adultery

The word sin has lost its meaning in our culture. Wonderful tasting foods are marketed as "sinfully delicious." Sin is sexy, fun, and thrilling and greatly misperceived as "something fun and enjoyable that God doesn't want me to do." We rarely think of sin as the source of all we hate in life...of all that steals, kills, and destroys.

Sin at the core is choosing my will and ways, despite what God declares about his will and ways that lead to love and life. Basically, when I don't trust that his ways will get me the life that satisfies, I choose my will and ways-that's sin. To most, it feels like no big deal because it's the way of the world.

To God...it feels like adultery.

excerpt from Soul Revolution by John Burke

Faith

We act in faith - and miracles occur. In consequence, we are tempted to make the miracles the ground for our faith. The cost of such weakness is that we lose the confidence of faith. Faith is, faith creates, faith carries. It is not derived from, nor created, nor carried by anything except its own reality.

Quote from "Markings" by Dag Hammarskjold

Guitar Hero

Rick Derringer has always been one of my favorite guitar players. His work spans over 4 decades. His most notable hit was "Hang on Sloopy" in 1965 when he was with the McCoy's. He is also known for hits like "Free Ride" and "Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo" with the Edgar Winter Group. He has produced dozens of albums and recorded hundreds of songs with other artist. He's played or recorded with legends like Jimi Hendirx and John Lennon to Barbra Streisand. In my opinion he is one of the all time greatest, he was doing hammer-ons way before Eddie Van Halen made them famous.

From time to time I'll get on Youtube and search a few things just to see what's going on in the world. This morning I did a search on Rick. There are some great videos of live performances out there, had fun watching some of those. But there is also a series of interviews (from Dec 07) with him. I love watching interviews of my favorite people. It helps me understand who they are a person not just how I perceive them to be. One of the interviews is on faith. I thought I'd share it with you. It brings a smile to my face.


http://www.rickderringer.com/

The Enemy

The worst enemy you have is not your neighbor not your bill collector, he is not your severest critic nor your most aggressive competitor. We can identify him without calling in the FBI to determine who he is. In fact, I trust we can apprehend and condemn him very shortly, thus giving you a victory over him. Your worst enemy is sitting in the seat with you at this moment.

The enemy is yourself, as you have probably suspected. He occupies the same skin that you occupy. He uses the same brain you use in thinking his destructive thoughts. He uses the same hands the you use to perform his own deeds, and may I say to you that this enemy - your flesh - can do you more harm that anyone else; he is the greatest handicap you have in your daily Christian life.

Now there are two factors that make dealing with this enemy extremely difficult:

In the first place, we are reluctant to recognize and identify him. We are loathe to label him as an enemy. The fact of the matter is most of us rather like him.

The second problem, or objection, is that he is on the inside of us. If he would only come out and fight like a man it would be different, but he will not. It is not because he is a coward but because he can fight better from his position within.

Excerpt from Ai and I by Dr. J. Vernon Mcgee

Follow link to download Dr McGee's full teaching on this subject.

http://www.thruthebible.org/site/c.irLMKXPGLsF/b.4104243/k.B4BD/Booklet_Downloads.htm

Honor

I turned on the tube this morning as I was putting my work boots so I could leave for work. I only turned it on for a couple of minutes to catch the weather. The national news was on and they were reporting on a Memorial Day event in California. There is a national cemetery in southern California where servicemen have been buried for decades. For Memorial Day they read each one of the names of the service men and women buried there. This went on for 24 hours a day for 8 days. There are thousands that gave their lives for our country buried there. The reporter was interviewing a woman that was one of the volunteers that read the names. Her husband had been in the Korean War and had past away a few years ago. She had the privilege of reading his name along with many others. The reporter made this statement; "It must have been a honor to read his name." Her answer surprised me. She said "It was an honor for him." Wow what a loving response. I excepted her to say something like "Yes it was a honor for me." But she said that it was a honor for her husband.

I think some times I try to do good things for people or do the right things. And I feel good about it and I feel that it's an honor for me to serve or help out. What I need to remember is that the good I do is a honor for Him, Jesus.

Rewind

Every Time I hear this song it reminds me of how I used to be and how I am now. If I look back over my life I can see how God has been there every step of the way, but I was not always walking with him. I thank him every day for my salvation and His love that carried me through all those years and will be with me for eternity.

Rewind by Pillar copyright 2004

It seems just like yesterday
Was the first time that I heard you call my name
Since then so much has changed
I'm still the same man that I was before
Knowing that I could be without anything scares me away from being alone
Now that I know whats going on
I could look back and see you
And I made you wait
As I turned away

If I could rewind
Watch all my life, just pass me by I could see you
If I could rewind
Take back the lies, and all of those times I hurt you

I don't know if I'll ever know, exactly how much that I hurt you
Knowing that hurts me everyday
If I could rewind I would take it away
And not make you wait
And I won't walk away

If I could rewind
Watch all my life, just pass me by I could see you
If I could rewind
I'd take back the lies, and all of those times I hurt you

I wanna take back all those lies
I wanna take back all those times
I wanna show you in my life, that I'm here for you

If I could rewind
Watch all my life, just pass me by I could see you
If I could rewind
I'd take back the lies, and all of those times I hurt you

Errors

Your errors of the past make your relation to others difficult when the present shows you that you might repeat them.

Quote from "Markings" by Dag Hanmarskijold

Glory in your weakness

Paul said, "I am going to boast only about how weak I am and how great God is to use such weakness for his glory."1 Instead of posing as self-confident and invincible, see yourself as a trophy of grace. When Satan points out your weaknesses, agree with him and fill your heart with praise for Jesus, who "understands every weakness of ours,"2 and for the Holy Spirit, who "helps us in our weakness."3

from
The Purpose Driven Life day 35

1) 2 Corinthians 12:5b (LB)
2) Hebrews 4:1a (CEV)
3) Romans 8:26a (NIV)

Surrendered

He who has surrendered himself to it knows that the Way ends on the Cross - even when it is leading him through the jubilation of Gennesaret or the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

quote from "Markings" by Dag Hammarskjold

1 year ago

It's been almost a full year that I started this blog (man time has flown by). My intent at that time was to chronicle my new adventure of returning to school after all these years. Although I do comment about that from time to time this has morphed into something much better than I had anticipated.

I've finished my first full year of school and have a 4.0 GPA. Wow who would have ever thunk it(nice grammar don't you think)?

I think God uses us in so many ways. The Bible verses and comments I post are from my everyday study and prayer time. I hope that they are as helpful to you as they are to me.

Summer semester starts in a couple of weeks, I'm looking forward to it already.

Thanks for your comments and support.

Have you ever...

Have you ever spent the time memorizing a scripture because you like the way it sounds? I've been reading The Purpose Driven Life again. When I read it for the first time a few years ago I bought the Daily Inspiration guide to go with it. The guide is full of Bible verses that enhance the day's reading. On day 11 this one is included.

Psalm 25:14 (LB)

Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises.

When I read it I thought to myself that this would be a good one to meditate on and memorize. I liked the sound of it. I didn't have any idea that within a couple of days I would have an opportunity to share it with a close friend. He had been struggling with some things and as he was telling me about what was going on this verse kept popping in my head. I shared it with him and it was the answer to is questions. Man how cool is the way God works in our lives!?

Have a Friend be a Friend

Luke 5:18-20 (NIV)

Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

"It's tough to bring a friend to Jesus. It takes time and determination. Someone you know needs your help. And we need to to help them. Even if it makes us late to Church."
Mark Beeson (paraphrased)

These guys where late for Church because they had to carry their friend to Jesus. But because they where determined to help their friend they did something unthinkable, they tore the roof off the house to lowered him to Jesus.

I have to ask myself: How willing am I to tare the roof off for a friend? Is it OK for me to be late? Will I drive across town to give someone a ride?

To be honest I have to say, not always. I get caught up in my own little world and sometimes miss opportunities to bring someone to Jesus. This is an area I need to improve, and now that I recognize this hidden fault I will be more in tuned to to bring a friend to Jesus.

Look Around

Luke 3:11(NIV)

John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."


The other day I was listening to Joyce Meyer while driving to work. She was talking about blessings. She said something to the effect of: Look around your house, you have things there that you hardly ever or never use. Take those things and give them to someone who needs them or will use them, be a blessing to someone today.

As she was talking about this, a particular item I own and who I should give it to came to mind. I bought it a couple of years ago on impulse. I didn't need it at the time and I never really used it either. So yesterday I packed it up and took it to church with me to gave to a talented young man who will use it. He didn't have one but he really should for the type of work he does (he has been borrowing one from other guys for a while now).

When I gave it to him he was in disbelief, he thought I was joking at first. The joy on his face was beautiful. He thanked me and asked why I had done this. I told him that I bought it a couple of years ago and don't ever use it, and God told me (through Joyce Meyer) to give it to him.

Blessing a friend this way is good for the soul, the joy on his face warmed my heart.

Please understand that I'm not telling this story to blow my own horn. I'm sharing this because I feel that we as Christians need to bless each other, love each other, share with each other.

Look around your house, bless someone today.

Psalm 19:12-14 (NLT)

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
and innocent of great sin.

14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Ahh the weather is great

Wet and heavy April snow did a number on the big maple tree in my backyard. Around 2:30am the electric went out in my neighborhood, so it was really quite in the house. I was trying to fall back asleep when I heard what sounded like an earthquake. I looked out the window and found the tree had fallen. It broke into three pieces, one fell in the yard, one hit my house and the last one hit my neighbor's house. I went out to check the damage just as he was coming out too. It looks like he has more damage than I do. I feel really bad about it. But the good news is that no one was hurt.

Faithfulness Pays

Deuteronomy 11:12-14(NIV)

So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul- 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil.

God has really blessed me. As most of you know I have a 12 year old son that lives in Orlando FL with his mom. He spends 6 weeks in the summer and a week at Christmas time in South Bend with me and my family. But I've only been able to go there once in the 8 years they've lived there. I haven't been able to afford go there until this year. With the winter being really cold and long I had to work a lot of overtime which provided me with the funds to make the trip this year.

I've really tried to be faithful to the Lord, and he has provided for me in so many ways. Having the opportunity to spend time with my son has been the best.

Me Too

I've been reading Rob Bell's book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, and this caught my attention.

Me Too.
When you're struggling,
when you're hurting,
wounded, limping, doubting,
questoning, barely hanging on,
moments away from another relapse,
and somebody can identify with you-
someone knows the temptations that are at your door,
somebody has felt the pain that you are feeling,
when someone can look you in the eye and say, "Me too,"
and they actually mean it-
it can save you.

When you aren't judged,
or lectured,
or looked down upon,
but somebody demonstrates that they get it,
that they know what it's like,
that you're aren't alone,
that's "me too".

Everyday Actions?

Have you ever been shopping for something and as you're looking around something else grabs your attention? You end up buying the thing you came for and the other thing too. Then after a few days you realize that the thing that you bought on impulse was really meant for you to give to someone else. You give it away to someone that needs it more than you. In a couple of days that person comes back to you and tells you that the gift touched their heart so much that they shared it with someone else. Something like this just happened to me. I bought a book to read because the subject matter seemed interesting. I read most of it when I realized that someone I know needed it more than me. Pretty cool.

I think this is one of the ways God works through us to reach those around us. If we pay attention when he's talking he will work wonders through our everyday actions. How cool is that?

Wow

I saw this on Bryan Nelson's blog and thought it was pretty cool. Enjoy.

Another Snowy Morning

I got up at 5:45 today and looked out the window and saw that it was still snowing. UGH. I am really getting tired of this winter. With the first snow coming in October it's been a long cold ride. So I thought to myself what would be good for breakfast. Coffee? of course. Cornflakes? nope. Peanut butter and Jelly? no way. I know... beacon and eggs, Oh Yeah. There is something about beacon and eggs in the morning to get the day started off right. Man where they good.

Sometimes

Sometimes I have nothing to say....today is one of those days.

Peace

Oh wait I guess I did have something to say...peace

Smiling Down

Pillar (copyright 2008)

You make it so hard on yourself
But there’s nobody else
That could ever understand
The feelings that you felt
I could hear you think about
All the time I was around
If you could only see me now
I’m right here looking down

So next time that you feel like crying
Next time you don’t feel like trying
Just remember I’ll be right there
Smiling down on you
In the morning you don’t feel like rising
Next time you feel like compromising
Just remember I’ll be right there
Smiling down on you

I know you won’t forget
All the time we got to spend
Just because it’s been a while
Doesn’t mean that it’s the end
So right here and now
I’ll swear you a vow
That I will always be with you
Whenever you feel down
Nothing ever will come between us
Now I’m holding on to the hand of Jesus

So next time that you feel like crying
Next time you don’t feel like trying
Just remember I’ll be right there
Smiling down on you
In the morning you don’t feel like rising
Next time you feel like compromising
Just remember I’ll be right there
Smiling down on you

I’ll be right there looking down
Even when the sun don’t shine
I’ll be right there looking down
On a long the winter night
I’ll be right there looking down
With a smile on my face
I’ll be right there with my arms open wide
Right here on Jesus’ side

So next time that you feel like crying
Next time you don’t feel like trying
Just remember I’ll be right there
Smiling down on you
In the morning you don’t feel like rising
Next time you feel like compromising
Just remember I’ll be right there
Smiling down on you

Thorn in the flesh

Sunday evening I was serving at GSM (Granger Student Ministries). DC Curry was teaching the message and said something that hit a chord with me. He was preaching from the book of Habakkuk about listening to God. This was a really good lesson, but he mentioned Paul as a side note and that is what struck me. He said something about Paul was given a thorn in the side, and that's all he said about it. So when I got home I looked it up (biblegateway.com is an awesome tool).

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV)

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I think this statement can apply to any situation we find ourselves in. For the past few months I've been wrestling with God about my job. I'm very grateful to be employed and have been able to pay my bills and get a little ahead. My employer has even given me time off during the day to go to school. But I'm not happy there. I don't feel that this is where I should be, I think I should be out saving the world. I've prayed and prayed for God to open doors for me to move on, but I'm still working there. When DC mentioned the thorn in the side that's when I realized that I am right where God wants me to be. This is my thorn. I'm not going to give in to the lies the enemy will use against me. I know deep in my heart that God is preparing something much greater than anything I could ever ask. The past couple of days I've been trying to delight in my job, and my attitude has changed. I'm not wrestling with God any longer, I'm thankful for what he has provided and am looking to the future instead of fighting for it, thorn and all.

Pondering

"We carry our nemesis within us: yesterday's self-admiration is the legitimate father of today's feeling of guilt."

-quote from Markings by Dag Hammarskjild

Spring? Semester

Spring semester started this past week. I'm really looking forward to this semester and spring! I'm taking an online computer class which should be no big deal, and I'm doing the first of 2 internships. I'll be doing my internship with Cathy Guy at GCC. I have to have 10 hours a week. I'll be a facilitator for turning point on Monday nights, which will be very cool. I'll also be working with DC Curry in the student ministry. I hope to be a roll model and mentor for some kids that really need a male figure in their lives. And to round out my time I'll be making hospital visitations when I can. This is looking like it should be a great semester!

30 Years Ago?

This picture was taken for the 1979 Hoosier Poet, the James Whitcomb Riley High School yearbook. It looks like there is snow on the ground so I'm guessing it was just about this time of year. Man time flies! I didn't get a copy of the yearbook when I was in school so I went down to the library today found it, scanned it, and emailed it to myself. I'm not sure what made me think of this picture but I think it's kind of cool.

Had to get away

I try to get away from it all 3 to 4 times a year to think, reflect, and talk with God, yesterday was one of those days. The last time I did this was in August, I went to the lighthouse at Michigan City on Lake Michigan. This time I went to Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer Michigan (one of several places I like to go). Now going to the beach in January may sound a little odd but it's the best place to be alone. In the summer this place is visited by thousands of people everyday, but yesterday it was me and two other cars. One of the features of the park is Tower Hill, a 240 ft high sand dune that seems to rise straight up from the beach. I climbed to the top and looked out over Lake Michigan. From up there it seemed like I was on top of the world, a little closer to God. It was quiet, peaceful, only the sound of the wind and my out-of-shape heart jumping out of my chest. Here I was all alone, just me and God. I sat on a fallen tree, just sat there for a long time, letting my mind wonder, clearing my thoughts. I prayed, talked with God and read from the Bible. I turned to James Chapter one, I find this chapter to always be encouraging because it talks about patience, perseverance,wisdom and believing. But this time I read Chapter 2 also, and low and behold this is what I needed to read. Man God is great!

James 2:14-24

14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

If faith without actions is useless then actions without faith must be useless too. Now I'm not thinking about jumping of a bridge because I have faith, but I need to have more faith with the actions I do take. I get so caught up in complaining about the way things are that I forget that God has great plans for me. If I really want things to change then I need to take some faith filled action so God can fulfill His plans.