So over the last week or two I have been reengaged to the blog world. A few friends have started blogs, which of course lead me to looking at my own. From there has now led to here.... writing a blog which I haven't done in a very long time. (blogging is weird because it's not like the world is reading this. its just my close friends for the most part so why don't I just tell them what I'm going to write instead of write it. Not sure....)
But this is going to be simple, maybe short and I probably won't write another thing on here until my son or daughter is born in August when I post pictures.
I started updating my "about me" a little bit ago which got me thinking about Lauren (my wife). We have been married a little over a year and a half now and it has been the most wonderful relationship in my life! Lauren isn't only my wife, but my best friend!
When I look back at my life Lauren has played a major role of who I am. My view of life and who I desired to be I give credit to God, but Lauren's Godly relationship has played a major role in that.
A verse that has stood out to me lately is Philippians 1:27 "Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ."
I want more than anything to let my life be shaped by Christ and for my life to be worthy of the gospel! And the reason I love Lauren so much is because my main desire is the same as her's.
At any moment I truly believe I could tell Lauren I think God is calling us to Haiti or Africa or maybe even worst of all in her case of staying right here in America; no matter what she would be on board. We run the same race! We desire the same God and want to live a life worthy of Him.
Lauren, you are a wonderful blessing in my life and God has done amazing things through you to make me who I am today!
Lauren is 4 months pregnant and although very tired has not quit or desired to quit once of where she feels called most by God. I thought being a swim coach was going to be a rough thing with being pregnant for you, but you have continued to battle the tiredness and sickness to be an amazing dedicated YoungLife leader and coach. I was amazing at your respond when you were offered the track coaching job. Your heart for serving God here at Dixie has encouraged me so much!
I love you, Lauren!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Does Sven Kramer ring a bell?
I'm going to guess and say much everyone who reads this will not remember the name Sven Kramer. However, I do bet you remember seeing or hearing about the Vancouver Olympics speed skater would was disqualified for not switching lanes.
Kramer is known to be the best speed skater of this time. He was skating what he said was one of the best 10,000 meters he has ever skate. He was leading the rest of the pack by a ton with less then ten laps to go. Kramer was switching to the outer lane when his coach sticks out a board and yells, "inner lane!" Kramer got back into the inner lane just before the cone. Has he continued to skate he realized the crowd was acting different, like something was wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIMZ89jo02I
I have been unable to find a good video that shows Sven Kramer's frustration at coach, but you can see a little bit of it in the been link above. You could definitely understand the anger and frustration that Kramer would show to his coach. I mean he had the race won. Gold medal in the bag, but like any good athlete you listen to your coach. That's what Kramer did and it only brought him to be disqualified.
Olympic athletes train four years nonstop for one thing. They have one goal in mind. They work their whole lives for a gold medal. From what I have seen and would assume, they probably didn't go to a normal school; they went to one that would allow them to spend more time in the sport they excel at. And then imagine being misdirected and being disqualified because of a coach guiding you the wrong way.
Sven Kramer said one sentence to reporters, “This really sucks,” he said. “This is a real expensive mistake.”
Although, that must suck for him and for his country, a gold medal will be forgotten. A record setting time, will be broken. The best race you have ever had might just stay just that, your best race. Someday though you will retire from skating move on with your life; you will be forgotten. You will die and someone else great at that sport will take your place.
Kramer has been motivated the same we all have. We are told to strive for first, to be the best. Or so often for most of us, who are not extremely gifted athletes, to strive for money or fame in other things. From the day we start school we are encouraged to work hard, so you can get a good education and go to an excelling college. From there you have your career in mind; work out and make as much money as you can and retire as young as possible.
We, the same as Sven Kramer, are coached to work for things of this lifetime. Things that once we pass away we can no longer have.
As American a good 75% of us believe in a God and a life after this being either Heaven or hell. We believe one day we will stand in front of an all powerful God and be judged.
My question to you: DO WE NOT TAKE THAT JUDGEMENT SERIOUS?
When I think of Sven Kramer's anger and lose of respect he now has for his coach, I also think of the day we will stand Judgement and how we will feel much of the same feelings Kramer felt. Then, I think how much worse we will have it then. We will think of all those people we now want to blame for being "led the wrong way"
(“Usually, I don’t want to blame anyone else, but this time I can’t do anything else,” Kramer said. “I wanted to go to the outer lane; then just before the cone, Gerald shouted, ‘Inner lane.’ I thought he’s probably right, and I went to the inner lane.)
Romans 1:20 (New International Version)
20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For us, our all powerful God says we have no excuse.
Romans 1:21 (New International Version)
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
We will have no one to point to blame on our Judgement day. We will someday die and stand in front and have to give an account of our life. Do we take that seriously?
Kramer is known to be the best speed skater of this time. He was skating what he said was one of the best 10,000 meters he has ever skate. He was leading the rest of the pack by a ton with less then ten laps to go. Kramer was switching to the outer lane when his coach sticks out a board and yells, "inner lane!" Kramer got back into the inner lane just before the cone. Has he continued to skate he realized the crowd was acting different, like something was wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIMZ89jo02I
I have been unable to find a good video that shows Sven Kramer's frustration at coach, but you can see a little bit of it in the been link above. You could definitely understand the anger and frustration that Kramer would show to his coach. I mean he had the race won. Gold medal in the bag, but like any good athlete you listen to your coach. That's what Kramer did and it only brought him to be disqualified.
Olympic athletes train four years nonstop for one thing. They have one goal in mind. They work their whole lives for a gold medal. From what I have seen and would assume, they probably didn't go to a normal school; they went to one that would allow them to spend more time in the sport they excel at. And then imagine being misdirected and being disqualified because of a coach guiding you the wrong way.
Sven Kramer said one sentence to reporters, “This really sucks,” he said. “This is a real expensive mistake.”
Although, that must suck for him and for his country, a gold medal will be forgotten. A record setting time, will be broken. The best race you have ever had might just stay just that, your best race. Someday though you will retire from skating move on with your life; you will be forgotten. You will die and someone else great at that sport will take your place.
Kramer has been motivated the same we all have. We are told to strive for first, to be the best. Or so often for most of us, who are not extremely gifted athletes, to strive for money or fame in other things. From the day we start school we are encouraged to work hard, so you can get a good education and go to an excelling college. From there you have your career in mind; work out and make as much money as you can and retire as young as possible.
We, the same as Sven Kramer, are coached to work for things of this lifetime. Things that once we pass away we can no longer have.
As American a good 75% of us believe in a God and a life after this being either Heaven or hell. We believe one day we will stand in front of an all powerful God and be judged.
My question to you: DO WE NOT TAKE THAT JUDGEMENT SERIOUS?
When I think of Sven Kramer's anger and lose of respect he now has for his coach, I also think of the day we will stand Judgement and how we will feel much of the same feelings Kramer felt. Then, I think how much worse we will have it then. We will think of all those people we now want to blame for being "led the wrong way"
(“Usually, I don’t want to blame anyone else, but this time I can’t do anything else,” Kramer said. “I wanted to go to the outer lane; then just before the cone, Gerald shouted, ‘Inner lane.’ I thought he’s probably right, and I went to the inner lane.)
Romans 1:20 (New International Version)
20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For us, our all powerful God says we have no excuse.
Romans 1:21 (New International Version)
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
We will have no one to point to blame on our Judgement day. We will someday die and stand in front and have to give an account of our life. Do we take that seriously?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Struggle....
My Thursdays start with praying before school at 6:30 with Dixie students. Every week anywhere from 15 to 25 students come. Lauren and I get up between 5:30 and 6:00 to clean up the kitchen table and put food out all the students coming. I always tell people Thursday is my favorite day of the week. Lauren leaves for work around 7:00 and students go off to school anytime before 7:30 and, for me, it's my off day.
This morning I prayed that we as a group would put off our own agendas, walk with the Spirit or to not stress about our schedules. I've been thinking a lot lately about worry and stress and comparing that to God telling us were free from anxiety. I, also, learned recently that 40 million adults are treated in American for anxiety; the key word there is treated, that doesn't even include people stressing about work or school or just the normal things throughout the day.
In Matthew 6 Jesus says look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Then He ask, "Are you not of more value than they?" He basically says see the birds, they do nothing of great importance. Don't you think your heavenly Father would take care of you better than them? Then Jesus goes on to say it's not like you can had anytime to your day by worrying about it.
I hear these words about I've been thought these words before to, but on Thursdays I can't help but think how much time I waste thinking "it's my day off, so I can do whatever I feel like." And it's not like just on my days off I need to put off my agenda to follow my heavenly Father's.
Why do we get so overwhelmed with our jobs, our free time, or even our ministry sometimes.
Better question, why are we so fast to forget the promises of God?
A quote from Crazy Love p.41 Francis Chan says, "When I am consumed by my problems- stressed out about my life, my family, and my job- I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice.(Phil 4:4) In other words, that I have a 'right' to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilites."
The title, struggle, is because I say I want to put off my agenda and put on the Spirits, but I struggle so much to do so.
I know my plans will never amount to anything close to what God has planned for me! So why then to I do what I want and not what my heavenly Father wants!?
So my encouragement to myself and to you readers, put off your agenda and see what God has in store for you! I mean He did created everything don't you think He knows what's best....
This morning I prayed that we as a group would put off our own agendas, walk with the Spirit or to not stress about our schedules. I've been thinking a lot lately about worry and stress and comparing that to God telling us were free from anxiety. I, also, learned recently that 40 million adults are treated in American for anxiety; the key word there is treated, that doesn't even include people stressing about work or school or just the normal things throughout the day.
In Matthew 6 Jesus says look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Then He ask, "Are you not of more value than they?" He basically says see the birds, they do nothing of great importance. Don't you think your heavenly Father would take care of you better than them? Then Jesus goes on to say it's not like you can had anytime to your day by worrying about it.
I hear these words about I've been thought these words before to, but on Thursdays I can't help but think how much time I waste thinking "it's my day off, so I can do whatever I feel like." And it's not like just on my days off I need to put off my agenda to follow my heavenly Father's.
Why do we get so overwhelmed with our jobs, our free time, or even our ministry sometimes.
Better question, why are we so fast to forget the promises of God?
A quote from Crazy Love p.41 Francis Chan says, "When I am consumed by my problems- stressed out about my life, my family, and my job- I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice.(Phil 4:4) In other words, that I have a 'right' to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilites."
The title, struggle, is because I say I want to put off my agenda and put on the Spirits, but I struggle so much to do so.
I know my plans will never amount to anything close to what God has planned for me! So why then to I do what I want and not what my heavenly Father wants!?
So my encouragement to myself and to you readers, put off your agenda and see what God has in store for you! I mean He did created everything don't you think He knows what's best....
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
God is good!
As a younglife leader I love when the students I hang out with push me closer to Christ. Although that happens probably every time I talk to them, lately it's been so amazing. Something has happened to these high school kids where I as "the leader" get to sit back and just watch them learn and love God! It's amazing how God just calls us to come along for the ride!
For a month of so I've been a part of this JV football team Bible study. It was set up by one student who just wanted his friends to know about Jesus! Every week guys have come knowing nothing and ask question and fall in love with this Savior that they have long for more more! Last week we talked about the choice they have to make and then some came to weekend camp and heard the same stuff again. Five guys decide to give their lives to Christ and for this Savior who they heard came for them! Some come from party backgrounds and all hav been into run ins with the cops and they heard they are broke and believed it! they heard they have been saved and they believed it! then they heard they have a gift from God and all they have to do is choice to open it and they believed it! and they opened it! and when they went to school monday and someone said "you decide to follow God? Now you can't drink or go to parties or do anything so you should just stay in your house all day." Their response to me was "at that moment I realized they weren't true friends and realized this room (bible study room) is real and lost all respect for those friends right then" and then went on to say "my best friends are you guys."
One of the guys told their friend the prodigal son story they heard from the weekend. Another one asked how can I help my friend who is just starting to party see God. And another one texted m today and aid whats some good ways I can tell my friend whos girlfriend just broke up with him about God. Another one who is a great athlete and starts varsity football and basketball as a sophomore said I want to use that to glorify God not myself like I have done in the past!
These kids get it the Spirit inside them didn't waste anytime in showing them they should tell the Good News to their friends!!! It's simple to them, and for me to see the simplicity and wanting to tell everyone what the decided encourages me so much. How hard is it to tell your co workers or non christian friends about God.... for me I try to say short little Godly things about I'm afraid of really sharing my faith I think cause I'm afraid to scare them away. But that didn't stop Jesus and He even tells us some will follow and some with make fun of stay away from you, but it didn't stop Him!
I want to remember the simplicity of following Christ!!! And I just want to praise Him for how He is working so much around me and just letting me come along for the ride!!! God is good! Oh praise Him!!!!
For a month of so I've been a part of this JV football team Bible study. It was set up by one student who just wanted his friends to know about Jesus! Every week guys have come knowing nothing and ask question and fall in love with this Savior that they have long for more more! Last week we talked about the choice they have to make and then some came to weekend camp and heard the same stuff again. Five guys decide to give their lives to Christ and for this Savior who they heard came for them! Some come from party backgrounds and all hav been into run ins with the cops and they heard they are broke and believed it! they heard they have been saved and they believed it! then they heard they have a gift from God and all they have to do is choice to open it and they believed it! and they opened it! and when they went to school monday and someone said "you decide to follow God? Now you can't drink or go to parties or do anything so you should just stay in your house all day." Their response to me was "at that moment I realized they weren't true friends and realized this room (bible study room) is real and lost all respect for those friends right then" and then went on to say "my best friends are you guys."
One of the guys told their friend the prodigal son story they heard from the weekend. Another one asked how can I help my friend who is just starting to party see God. And another one texted m today and aid whats some good ways I can tell my friend whos girlfriend just broke up with him about God. Another one who is a great athlete and starts varsity football and basketball as a sophomore said I want to use that to glorify God not myself like I have done in the past!
These kids get it the Spirit inside them didn't waste anytime in showing them they should tell the Good News to their friends!!! It's simple to them, and for me to see the simplicity and wanting to tell everyone what the decided encourages me so much. How hard is it to tell your co workers or non christian friends about God.... for me I try to say short little Godly things about I'm afraid of really sharing my faith I think cause I'm afraid to scare them away. But that didn't stop Jesus and He even tells us some will follow and some with make fun of stay away from you, but it didn't stop Him!
I want to remember the simplicity of following Christ!!! And I just want to praise Him for how He is working so much around me and just letting me come along for the ride!!! God is good! Oh praise Him!!!!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Temporally Fulfillment
So last night I gave a club talk on 'need' and how we fill our lives with things that don't last. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdcJSsRfL8s&feature=related) In the video you'll see all the things Brady has; popularity, fame, money, superbowl rings, etc.... but the crazy thing is Brady says he's still not fulfilled. He says he doesn't sleep any better at night, and he's still feels like there is something more.
I left club and that talk kind of like that which was the plan. I left club and got into my car and I was thinking about it and I felt like I left something on the table still. Students I felt didn't respond the way I hoped during the talk which got me thinking....
I talked about filling our life with sports, partying, girlfriends/boyfriends, etc... and i was getting small comments after every point I made. The problem with us as humans, were so use to temporally fulfillment we don't know any better or think it's possible to have anything better.
Just think whenever we try and stop doing something we replace it with doing something else, or whenever a hobby gets out we replace it with something else and its just a repenting pattern.
But thats not right, were told in John 4:14 if we drink the water from Christ we will never thirst again. Jeremiah 2: 13 tells us we as humans have sin in two ways: one being, we have forsaken God, the spring of living water. Two being, we have dug our own cisterns , broken cisterns that don't hold water.
I love the Tom Brady video because he clearly has thought about his life, and he knows there is something more. He has gained everything we are told to strive for and he's left empty and he knows it!!!! Why dont we!!? Keep plugging in quick fixes, you'll see that it just doesn't work until you find your Creator!
Now the hard part is waking up every day and not looking for the quick fill, but walking in step with the Spirit inside of me. The same Spirit that led Christ now wants to lead my day and I pray I let Him!!!!
I left club and that talk kind of like that which was the plan. I left club and got into my car and I was thinking about it and I felt like I left something on the table still. Students I felt didn't respond the way I hoped during the talk which got me thinking....
I talked about filling our life with sports, partying, girlfriends/boyfriends, etc... and i was getting small comments after every point I made. The problem with us as humans, were so use to temporally fulfillment we don't know any better or think it's possible to have anything better.
Just think whenever we try and stop doing something we replace it with doing something else, or whenever a hobby gets out we replace it with something else and its just a repenting pattern.
But thats not right, were told in John 4:14 if we drink the water from Christ we will never thirst again. Jeremiah 2: 13 tells us we as humans have sin in two ways: one being, we have forsaken God, the spring of living water. Two being, we have dug our own cisterns , broken cisterns that don't hold water.
I love the Tom Brady video because he clearly has thought about his life, and he knows there is something more. He has gained everything we are told to strive for and he's left empty and he knows it!!!! Why dont we!!? Keep plugging in quick fixes, you'll see that it just doesn't work until you find your Creator!
Now the hard part is waking up every day and not looking for the quick fill, but walking in step with the Spirit inside of me. The same Spirit that led Christ now wants to lead my day and I pray I let Him!!!!
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