Inspiration!!

Today I am very pleased to share a very inspiring story with you, please click here.

The guy in the story, Brad Blausser, is an old friend of mine from church. Brad actually signed me up at Fellowship Church over 5 years ago, and we have been involved in men's ministry, Billy Graham crusade, and small group Bible studies. Though we haven't seen each other much since he went to Iraq several years ago, we still keep in contact via emails and prayers.

If you ever meet Brad you'll meet a guy who would do anything he could for anybody in need, no questions asked. He is probably the least assuming person I have ever met. No matter what Brad is doing or going through, he always seems to be able to put a smile on his face and others. It makes me proud to watch him impact our world and it encourages me to be a better person in the name of Christ Jesus.

God bless you Brad Blausser.

Ater you read his story, please consider if you would help in the worthy causes Brad is involved in.

Grace and peace,

man of faith

The last few years, I have become a big fan of the Colts. I love the way they play, Manning, and see them as only having continued success, and hopefully, winning the Superbowl very soon.

Well I have another reason to appreciate the Colts. It is their awesome caoch, Tony Dungy, who is also a man of great faith.

ESPN has a recent article about Tony, and it is a great read:

Dungy, a devout Christian, believes no matter what happens that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord.

"The Lord has a plan. We always think the plans are A, B, C and D, and everything is going to be perfect for us and it may not be that way, but it's still his plan." -- Tony Dungy

read full article here

A fine line indeed

There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.
- Steven Wright

Isn’t that the truth.

Can we see this in the Christian walk as well?

A Christian has the hope and power of God running through them and instead of casting the line in the water with the potential for catching big fish instead are just standing there, staring at the water.

Why is this so? Is it fear? Is it too risky to cast the line?

Sure we may not have all the answers, and we may not know or ever see the outcome. There might be no catch the first try. Maybe even the second or third try comes up empty. The big one may always seem elusive, and the few catches may be seemingly little fish.

But because God rewards faith, not the outcome, there can be so much joy in trying and letting Him guide you and work through you.

Don't just stand there looking silly. Cast the line.

say what you want... not

proof texting: take any variety of texts of Scripture and string and sandwich them together as proof for anything you want it to say.

Check out this cleverly done spoof of The Shining. Basically this rendition takes one of the most shocking horror movies of the '70's and clips and snips and adds just a little wee bit to re-create it to a lovely little happily ever after story.

Anyone who knows the original will know what a misrepresentation of the movie it is. This is why it is important to stay grounded in contextual interpretation. Observe and interpret Biblical texts based on the context and overall meaning of the Bible for readers today.

Thanks to Christian Worldview Network for the tip on the movie clip.

Grace and peace,

what a party!

This past Saturday we had a load of friends over to celebrate (commiserate) :O) with me and Tori that I have actually lasted to 40 years of age.

I am so deeply thankful, along with Tori, for everyone that came by, it was too cool to relax and fellowship with such an awesome group!

Besides the great food and birthday cake, another highlight of the party was a presentation of a collage of pictures of me from the past (gulp), and present that Tori put together. There were pictures included that I haven't seen in a couple decades. It turned into a fun sort of roast with the obligatory commentary I received. It was really alot of fun and all I can hope now is that I still maintain some respect from this group after they have seen some of the classic old school photos of my 'way back when' days! :O)

I am really blessed to know each of these people!! May God bless each of you richly.

Heb 10:24,25

Grace and peace,

thankfully, I now wear clothes...

because 40 years ago this day, I came into this world with nothing.....today is my 40th birthday.

WOW!! There is so much to be thankful for!! There are alot of intangables and little things that come to mind that make life so precious and wonderful. Below I briefly outline some highlights, and good ones indeed:

Faith:
God has given me a true faith and hunger in Christ to live and love Him in a way that grows stronger everyday. I have learned so much in my walk as a Christ follower, but have mostly come to believe and trust that God is never-ending with His love, mercy and grace giving me a focused purpose to live the best life possible.

Marriage:
Tori and I are in the 3rd year of a fun, healthy, uplifting and growing marriage seeking Gods will for the direction and purpose of being together.

Family and friends:
I really have a great loving family and group of friends, new and old, and all are doing really well in their careers, ministry, and with their families. I can't thank each one enough for loving us. Visiting family and some old friends in MI this past weekend really refreshed me and sent me strolling down memory lane in a wonderful way (more of that in another post).

Health:
God has blessed me with great health: rarely catch colds, always have plenty of energy, can still play competitively in any sport I choose.

School:
So blessed and humbled to be able to go to a God glorifying, Biblically sound school studying in pastoral ministry for the next adventure God has called us to, wherever and whatever that is.

Career:
It is just over 11 years in a second career in design engineering (I previously spent over 11 years in foodservice, highlighted by 8 years as a chef). It is truly a God thing to be able to work in a highly technical and complex field with passionate, brilliant engineering and manufacturing people as an integral team member designing the latest and greatest jet fighter to serve our country.

Do I think my life is perfect? Only if perfect means that at I am living the way God intended to the best He has revealed, than yes, thank You Lord, it is a most perfect life.

Am I perfect? No way, not by a long shot, but thankfully God isn't done with me yet.

I firmly and humbly set myself to live faithfully by my favorite verse in the Bible, "But above all pursue His kingdom and righteousness", (Matt 6:33a), and also as Paul said, "I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phi 3:13,14). I can live with a clean conscience and a strong resolve to better myself and the world I live in.

My life is not better than anyone else's, and there is so much to look forward to....I am still dreaming and setting goals, but so far it has turned out better than any alternate I could have ever imagined or planned.

I truly thank my Father in Heaven, my wife Tori, my family and my friends for being a part of all of it.

Well enough about me... here are some June 7th facts and tid-bits

Some notable historical events:
- Christian history
- Daniel Boone first began to explore Kentucky, 1769
- French post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin was born in Paris, 1848
- Battle of Midway ends
- Japanese invaded Western Aleutians during WWII, 1942
- 1965: Monarchy restored in Morocco
- 1990: Hungary announces plan to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact
- American history

Some notable birthdays:
- 1799: Alexander Pushkin, Russian playwright and poet
- 1848: Paul Gauguin, French artist; lived with Van Gogh for some time
- 1909: Jessica Tandy, American actress; 'Driving Miss Daisy'

Explore the centuries*

Understanding Christian history can help us pull back from the rush of world events and see how God's purposes unfold across the millennia.

The Christian History Institute's Web site will help you discover the treasures of our Christian heritage and understand how Christians have made the world a better place - from laws and constitutions to music, art, economics, and literature.

*received this tip in the Ministry Toolbox email from Pastors.com