R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:7)

Yesterday afternoon, I was in an an office complex and struck up a conversation with the receptionist at the front desk. Just like anytime I meet someone for the first time, I made a conscious effort to put my best foot forward.

This made me recall a drastic contrast of difference during an argument I had with my wife where we literally had a knock-down, drag-out fight after dinner; nothing physical, of course, but plenty of damage was done with hurtful verbal insults.

How is it that we can be polite and courteous to complete strangers, but treat the people we love like dirt sometimes? Let's face it, being married can be difficult at times. When you have been together for a while and add children to the equation, it is even easier to become short-tempered and lose respect for your spouse in the heat of the moment.

I don't necessarily have an answer as I am struggling with this issue, but I know what God has revealed to me through His word...we must respect others if we expect the same in return.

All That You Can't Leave Behind

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. (Psalm 49:16-17)


While on our way to a concert the other day, I couldn't help but notice the large mansions in the neighborhood that surrounds Chastain Park.  My wife and I daydreamed a bit and then a Porsche passed by, immediately shifting my focus from the large houses to an exotic sports car!

It is okay to daydream and it's fine to have a mansion and a Porsche.  We need to remember that the rich and the poor will all have something similar when they die-everything they own will be left behind on this earth!  The only thing that we can take with us is our eternal inheritance; all that we have invested in other people's lives.  If we are to have treasure in heaven, we must place our faith in God and utilize our resources for the good of His kingdom.

Where are you investing the most??  Place your investments where they really count...

Break My Stride

Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:24-25)

While visiting family in Marietta, GA yesterday, I decided to run to the top of Kennesaw Mountain during my morning run. Not to brag or boast, but the mountain feels like it is literally straight up and down and I never quit jogging, no matter how tired I was. Once I reached the top of the mountain, I had the most wonderful view of Atlanta. The sky was overcast and there were several places where the sun had burst through the grey clouds; it was beautiful!

The whole way up the mountain, I kept passing by other walkers and runners that encouraged me along the way. How similar is a difficult run up a mountain like our lives on this earth? If we continue to stay grounded in our faith and with some encouragement along the way, we can make it to the place He has promised to each of us.

Ain't Wasting Time No More

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time... (Ephesians 5:15)

I try to be self-controlled enough to where I do not waste time; the problem is that I am ADD and a chronic procrastinator, so I always end up attempting to fit too much into my day, leaving very little time for God.  Being self-controlled means making better use of your time; it does not mean not being able to have any fun or enjoying oneself.  It does not mean that you have to be a boring stiff, either.  


We must choose our time wisely and give the best of our time to God as opposed to what's left of our time. A remedy against sin, is taking care, or using caution.  Time is a talent given us by God, and it is misspent and lost when not employed according to His design. 


Starting your day with God through prayer and the reading of Scripture will help you determine what His good and perfect will is for your day.  

Head Over Heels

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 27:2 NIV)

I have waited for many years to see the group Tears for Fears perform live in concert.  Last night, they played outdoors under a full moon at Chastain Park in Atlanta and my wish finally came true.  (Trust me when I say that they were one of the most underrated bands of the 1980s!!!)  

Something spectacular took place during the end of the show when they played their hit singles from 1985, "Head Over Heels."  The crowd at Chastain Park almost over-powered the band with a sing-along during the song and clearly overwhelmed Roland Orzabel and Curt Smith.  What a compliment to have a couple of thousand people sing every word of a song almost 25 years later!

It reminded me of the verse in Proverbs that says "to let another praise you and not to let it come from your own mouth."  This is something that I have struggled with for most of my life.  I feel like I am the kind of person that tends to brag about things I have done and even praise my own actions.  We must be humbled and do good things and the best kind of praise often comes when you least expect it!

Call Me Mellow

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.  (Philippians 4:8)


It was bound to happen sooner or later, but my wife and I had WWIII last night after dinner.  Looking back, I am not really sure what all the fussing was about; however, we have been functioning on minimal sleep, adjusting to being parents for the second time, and honestly have had a not had any quiet time to ourselves for the past few weeks.  We both said things that we regretted saying and after we talked everything out, realized that our fighting could have been minimized if only we had done a better job on focusing on things that are good and pure.

Sure, I attempt to read my Bible every day, but lately, I have forgotten what I have just read only a few moments later.  We watch an awful lot of television after the children finally go to sleep for the night and we certainly our not having praiseworthy conversations with each other.

You see, what we put into our minds determines what comes out in our words and actions.  We have to be on guard and ask God to help us focus on what is good and pure.  It's not easy, but with practice it can be done!

The Waiting (Is The Hardest Part)

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. (Psalm 37:7)


Just yesterday afternoon, a co-worker was telling me just how much technology has changed the landscape of the insurance industry since he began his career 40 years ago.  He made a great point in stating that "everyone wants everything right now." How true?  Has all of this modern technology made us an impatient society?

God often times requires a season of waiting before He sends His blessing.  Trust becomes ones of our greatest allies and I have a great deal of difficulty being patient and waiting on God's provision.  It is when I refuse to trust God that fear and panic set in, while God only wants us to trust Him and wait patiently.

Some of the greatest blessings will happen if you will trust Him and patiently wait for His will to be served, no matter what the circumstances are!

Lean On 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...For when I am weak, I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)


Just like Paul, we all have an area of weakness or a "thorn in the flesh" as is mentioned in an earlier verse from this same passage. We do not exactly what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was, but it was something that caused the self-sufficient apostle to be humble and stay in contact with God constantly.

Too many people often claim that "trouble makes you strong." I disagree. Once we recognize our limitations, we must rely on Christ for strength.  We must rely on God for our effectiveness rather than depending on our own energy and individual efforts.

Just recently, I was faced with a situation that left me feeling completely helpless, weak and humbled.  I had no choice but to rely on Christ for strength and He certainly carried me through and still is carrying me to this day.  Allow God to fill you with His power and you will be stronger than you ever can be on your own.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

From heaven the Lord looks down and see all mankind; from His dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. (Psalm 33:15)


I am a firm believer that God places specific people in my life at a specific time for a specific reason and nothing that happens in my life is by accident.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made and God has created a kingdom niche specifically for each one of us.

There are people God wants you to meet and influence in this broken world we live in.  He is carefully crafting your personality so that you will hit it off with unsaved men and women who otherwise would never have the opportunity to experience a relationship with a believer.

Don't ever feel that you are not equipped to share your faith with others.  You were created specifically by a God that loves you more than you will ever fathom and are an instrument that God will use to change someone's distorted perception of Christ; there is nothing greater that we can do with our time on this earth than that!!!

Ain't Life Grand!?!

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

"The sun came out the other day, through those dusty clouds and in my mind I was a child, and it felt good!!" -Widespread Panic 

Speaking of when you were a child, do you ever wish you could go back?  I love that line from the Widespread Panic song, "Ain't Life Grand," because it reminds me of a time when things were simple, pure, and much less complicated.

Friends have changed, the dreams I had as a child are almost non-existent, life is full of difficulties that I never saw coming and my life seems to be the complete opposite of when I was a child playing Star Wars or riding bikes in the neighborhood on a long summer night.  

I think we all sometimes wish we could go back to being children if we are honest with ourselves.  And why not?  When we were little children, we weren’t loaded down with the burdens of worry, peer pressure, rejection, and performance expectations.  We put all our trust in people who would love us, provide for us, and take care of us.

When we trust in Jesus Christ as our only hope of salvation, we bring the faith of a child to God, then we become the children of God!

I still have "grown up" issues to deal with…and when they creep into my soul and darken my life, God reminds me to go back to being His child. He sits me down like a loving parent and fills my mind with His promises.

When you trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, you enter into a Father and child relationship with the God of the universe. So go back to a simpler time, because God’s always got your back!

Everlasting Love

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the word to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.  (John 3:16)


Some people are repulsed by the idea of eternal life because their lives are absolutely miserable.  Eternity is not going to be an extension of someone's miserable life, but truly something we can not even begin to fathom; no sickness, no suffering, no poverty, no evil, no hate, no enemies, no violence.

The world accepts a god who exists for the purpose of serving our personal needs, much like a genie in a lamp.  This false god endorses everything we do, and gives us a free pass on our sins. I honestly believed much like this during college.  I could do whatever I wanted and as long as I was a "good person" and didn't hurt anyone else, it was okay.

God's love is harder and truer.  We all fall short of His glory, and have sinned, but He loves us so much that he paid the ultimate price to save us.

When we don't know Christ, we make choices as though this life is all we have.  This life that we have here is only a nano-second compared to eternity and we must have faith and believe to receive eternal life.

What do you believe??

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear...(Jude 1:22)

I noticed that the headlines on USA Today, ABC News, and Yahoo! were all the same last night: "Most Americans believe that Obama is Muslim." I certainly can not provide any more insight and don't want to write about politics here, but if the White House spokesman defends Obama and says he is a Christian, then I believe them.

In all honesty, the articles about Obama's religious preference made me think about the way other people view me.  Am I living my life in such a way that people know what I believe in or are the lines blurred so much that I need to defend my faith and actually tell people that I am a Christian??

In trying to find common ground with people that may not believe, we must be careful not to compromise what we know is right.  This is something that is difficult for me and I often struggle with finding a balance in my life.

Here is a small and corny example...I watched the David Hasselhoff Roast on Comedy Central the other night.  It was crude(and pretty funny) and I actually felt guilty for laughing at most of the jokes and insults, but was it necessary for me to repeat the same offensive jokes back to my friends the next day?

We have to be careful not to attempt to"fit in"so much with non-believers that we allow them to influence us and cause us to stumble and fall.  The flip side (and I know people like this) is that we can become so disconnected with the world that we actually shut ourselves off from the outside and only communicate/socialize with people who are similar in nature to us and share the exact same beliefs as us and go to the same church, etc. Either way, fitting in too much or isolating ourselves, will make us lose our effectiveness to witness to others.

We have to be careful not to become so much like non-Christians that no one can tell who you are or what you believe.

 

Wondering Where The Lions Are

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him" but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.  (1 Corinthians 2:9)


I caught the nightly news last night for the first time in weeks and felt completely overwhelmed and down after I finished watching.  War, death, floods, the oil spill, down economy, debate over an Islamic mosque near Ground Zero; those are the stories that I caught in about 15 minutes of viewing.  It's really no wonder why so many people have such strong feelings of hopelessness and despair.  

We really can not begin to fathom or imagine all that God has in store for us in this life and in eternity.  "His Spirit"(the Holy Spirit) guides and comforts all those who know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The time will come when a new earth and heaven will be created.  Knowing that God keeps His promise to his people, we can look forward to our eternal future and press on, no matter what hardship we must endure on this earth.

Take heart because the world is NOT our final destination; the best is yet to come!!

Remembering God's Good Works: The Antidepressant

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  (Psalm 42:5)


Depression is one of the most common emotional ailments today.  In fact, there are more medications on the market to treat depression than almost any other disease.  From time to time, I go through days where I tend to feel a little down and out about my current situation and it's easy to feel like God is distant and lose hope.

One antidote for depression is to meditate on all of God's wonderful and never-ending goodness that is recorded throughout the Bible.  It gives me hope to read about His promises and reminds me that God is who He says He is. Scripture also gives me proper perspective and helps me to focus my thoughts on God's ability to help me rather than on my inability to help myself.  That, my friends, is a good thing!!

God's Love

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)


"The ambulance has been sent from Children's Hospital and should be here soon to pick up your son."  A little more than a week ago, those words absolutely crushed me and my wife on the day we were certain that we were coming home with our newborn son.  We were scared, disappointed, and confused; it felt like we were riding in the front seat on the emotional roller-coaster from hell.

Where was God during all of this?  Why did this happen to us?  Will our son be all right?  I can say this with the utmost confidence-there was never a second that I doubted God's love or presence and we felt His peace from the second we walked in the door at Parkwest Hospital until we finally brought Elijah home from Children's Hospital several days later.

A person who accepts God's love experiences a deep satisfaction that no matter what happens, God is present.  In this life we are guaranteed difficulties, but God will NEVER leave our side.  He is always present, He always forgives and He always loves us! Praise His Holy name!!

Humility

I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. (Isaiah 66:2)


It baffles me how we seem to trust God with the "big things" in life, but tend to want to resume control on all of the smaller details of life.  Humility is a form of brokenness in which you realize that you can not control or fix everything that happens to you. 


We had quite a scare last week with our newborn and this week, we are back at home trying to figure out a routine complete with petty arguments and the stress that all parents experience.  


We must acknowledge our dependence on God with ALL of our needs and problems, big and small.  This goes against everything that society teaches, but you will be blessed in your vulnerability when you do so. 

Inadequacies

So now, go.  I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:10)

I can only imagine how inadequate that Moses must have felt when God chose him to lead his people out of Egypt.  We have all been there if we are perfectly honest with ourselves.  I often feel inadequate as a husband, father, brother, son, neighbor, friend, salesman, you name it...I don't feel like I live up to my true potential.

The truth is that Moses was inadequate by himself.  God never intended him to do any of the work by himself. God often calls us to leave our comfort zones and do things that seem difficult, but He will never ask us to go it alone.

We too, must look beyond ourselves as believers and trust that God will provide us the resources to help us succeed no matter what we have been called to do.

You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" -Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:9 NIV)


If I had to be completely honest with myself, I struggle with allowing God to provide me what I "need" as opposed to what I really "want", even if I know the things I want are not necessarily "good" for me.

I am often as persistent with my prayer requests for the things I want like I was when I was a child and began my Christmas toy wish list at the beginning of the summer and drove my parents crazy for the next following months.

A few months ago, I lost an account at work that I had worked hard on and felt somewhat hurt and betrayed; initially I was a little angry with God because I "wanted" to retain this client. It didn't seem like it at the time, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because this freed up my time to work with a new prospect that eventually became a new client and turned out to be a much better fit!

God knows the times that we are praying for "snakes" and does not give us what we ask for, even though we persist in our prayers.  The closer we grow in our relationship with God, the more we began to ask for things that are good for us and He grants us our petitions and requests.

God is a loving Father and we don't have to beg or grovel as we come to Him with our requests. Thanks be to God!!!

Welcome!

I have never thought of myself as a 'blogger" and never intended to go to the trouble to set one up or even read one, for that matter.

I was a long time hold out to set up a Facebook account and finally logged in for the first time last summer.   Turns out that Facebook is a cool way to catch up with old friends and stay connected with many different people. The thing that I never understood were the silly posts such as "I am going to Wal-Mart" or "My favorite color is purple" and I guess that was one of the aspects of Facebook that I found to be quite amusing. I used to give my wife such a hard time about the countless hours she would spend in front of our computer looking a people's photos, videos, and reading her friend's posts.  It was one of those moments that I suppose a light bulb came on for me...why not post something a little more meaningful?

Several months ago, I began posting the various scripture that I had read during my morning coffee.  Eventually, with some encouragement from my friends, I started to add a little more until the posts on Facebook became more personal and I began to open up about my triumphs and struggles, in greater depth.  As fate would have it, I typed so much each morning that I would often have to shorten my posts to keep things under the 420 character maximum that Facebook allows.

I asked around and found this site which essentially allows me to make one post each day and then share it on both Facebook and Twitter, with the simple push of a button.  With my recently purchased iPad, I will have even more freedom to write and share my experiences with anyone who is interested.

We are all in this together and I figure that if there is something I am struggling with, chances are there is someone else out there that is going through or has been through the same thing. The same holds true for times of joy, and times that I feel alone or scared, etc. etc.

In the book of Proverbs 27:17, it reads: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I understand that to mean that the meeting of minds can help people see their ideas with new clarity, refine them, and shape them into brilliant insights.  And on that note, I am now officially a "blogger."

Miracles

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory... (Ephesians 3:20) 


One of my problems is that I have come to expect only the ordinary with God, underestimating Him and often times, forgetting that He is capable of far more than I could possibly imagine.  When we pray, we have to trust that He is listening and working, even if we are wondering where the miracles have gone. 


We are also called to listen and open our eyes to be aware of His presence.  God is the one true source of hope and miracles!

Accomplishing Great Things

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. (Psalm 147:10)  


I came to realize how truly helpless I am during the course of the past week; there was nothing that I could do to help expedite the process of bringing Elijah home any sooner.  There is nothing wrong with training to sharpen our skills or working to increase our strength if we intend to use those skills to glorify God. The truth of the matter is that God is more impressed by our faith and trust in Him than by our individual abilities.  We all have potential to do good, but only by trusting in God is it possible to accomplish great things!

Trust in God

"Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me." -Jesus John 14:1 


It has been remarkable watching baby Elijah develop over the past couple of days.  I noticed on the developmental chart at the hospital, that newborns actually experience moments of discomfort before they 'trust' and are comforted again. 


As adults, are we not the same way?  Why does it take something difficult or painful before we are brought to our knees and we finally trust that God is good and who He says He is? 


I tell you the truth, after what we have been trough the past 72 hours, I can honestly say that I trust Him with all of my heart! Praise be to God!

Update on Elijah

I just wanted to let everyone know that Elijah's Pediatrician at Children's Hospital confirmed that his EEG results did not show any signs of further seizure activity! This is certainly the best possible news we could have received and we are blessed to have such a beautiful and healthy baby boy.

The Neurologist will determine when he will be released from the hospital (hopefully tomorrow or Thursday)and we can finally welcome Elijah to his new home!!

I simply can not find the words to express how grateful we are for all of the kind thoughts and prayers from everyone; we are humbled and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and we are truly blessed to have so many wonderful friends!!

Times like these help you begin to truly understand how awesome God is. A week ago, I was upset about something trivial that happened at work; I was somewhat anxious about becoming a father again, health care reform, you name it-I was pretty stressed.  

When our world was turned upside down on Sunday and they transported Elijah in an ambulance to the NICU at Children's, Alicia and I had no other choice but to trust Him and let Him carry us through. It was heartbreaking to leave Parkwest without Elijah, but there was not a moment in the past several days that we did not feel God's love, grace and peace. 

God is good all the time, all the time, God is good!!!

Much love,

Will, Alicia, Elliott and Elijah        

Trusting God

The Lord says, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you." Isaiah 43:2 


I can quote and post scripture everyday, but when the going get tough, it's sometimes hard to remember all of God's promises. When life is difficult, it's like a river; we will either drown trying to swim on our own or we are forced to grow stronger, by trusting in the Lord to guide and protect us.


Our newborn old son is still at Children's Hospital and I just simply can not do this without help from above. I trust in You, Lord!