Trust

Lately I have been learning a very difficult lesson...trusting God in the hard times. This is not one of those "trust fall moments," no this is much bigger. Where I find myself right now is a place I never thought I would be, a place with no answers, no security, no safety nets. I don't like this place.
Instead of being able to "manufacture" peace, I have been thwarted on all sides. It seems that my efforts seem to dry up. I am left to wonder if God is there at all. Does He hear me? Does He even care?
When I take a step back and try to gain perspective, I begin to blush. It seems that I am refusing to act on advice I freely give to others.
God is in control. I still believe that (even though sometimes my actions deny it). In times like these I have the wonderful/awful chance to put my faith into full view of others. What will they do when they see a man and his family keep believing in spite of the circumstances? I hope it strengthens people's faith, and possibly introduces some to experience what real faith is all about.
At any rate, God has my attention. It hurts honestly. I have cried. I have felt abandoned. I have felt hopeless.
God is beginning to end the silence, His whispering voice is still there. I know He loves me, and He will provide. I simply must begin to trust Him anew. He is the Good Shepherd after all, I have nothing to fear. He brings me comfort (something that is in short supply in this world).
If you find yourself in a place like I do, I want you to know that I do not pity you. In fact, it might prove to be the best place...a place of desperation. In that place God can show Himself strong. Let Him.

Great book...

If you are in ministry there is a book that will prove to be very helpful. I want to recommend it to you. It has the strangest of titles...Dog Training, Fly Fishing and Sharing Christ in the 21st Century. That really is the title!
It proposes that the best way to develop small groups is to simply allow them to be organic. In other words, people are already gathered into groups, simply harness what's already occurring naturally. People will be more likely to "stick" and relate to these groups.
It sounds so simple, yet it is so often overlooked. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Wow...what a title!

hmmmm...don't think I am gonna buy that book.

Thanksgiving

Zoe as an indian.

Dealing with hurt

I recently just finished a book by Gene Edwards called, A Tale of Three Kings. It was fantastic. It focused on three different kings of the Bible (Saul, David and Absalom).

Have you ever been hurt by other followers of Christ? How did you respond? Did you fight back, look to get even? This simple read really helps one put the situation(s) in perspective.
I encourage you to get this book, you will find it to be great help.

Great Memory

I had a great time in Houston with my family. While we were there, I was able to take my son to his very first NFL game. We had such a great time!

Our condition...

Isaiah 6

Isaiah’s Cleansing and Call

1 It was in the year King Uzziah died^[a] that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

We will never be able to see ourselves as we truly are until we see God for who He is. If we fail to see God in His ultimate state, we will only have other people around us as the measuring tool. No wonder most of us (myself included) often think that we have it together. We look at those around us and start to see ourselves as better than we should.
When we see God as holy, we begin to see the desperateness of our situation. We need Him to intervene or we are doomed. That dire situation will foster the best in us, an opportunity to be refreshed, restored and revived by God Himself.
Take some time to see what God is really like. Read His Word, talk to Him, worship Him. Then when you start to get a glimpse of Him, take an honest look at yourself. He'll be right there to help you start again.
Peace.
Todd