So You Want To Buy A Car?

On the show recently we were talking about buying a new car.

Is now a good time.. with all of the incentives?

Most folks who called in said no way.

But in the end, it's a personal decision.

If you do decide to buy... used OR new... you may want to avoid the torturous negotiations with the car salesman.

How?

Read this article from CNN:

How to Avoid Salesmen When Buying a Car:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/06/26/aa.buying.car.no.negotiating/index.html

Pretty good info.

See ya on the radio!

When Mom Is Away....

Yesterday.

My wife had to be gone.

The whole day.

When she's missing in action she doesn't know what she's missing:

Me.

My two boys.

Three male dogs.

One male parrot.

The house.

Turned into a "Man Cave."

(Not to be confused with The Batcave where grown men wear tights and capes.)

We hole up in there and do important things like watch TV.

Cartoons.

Sports.

Anything but the Hallmark Channel.

We occasionally fall into the "Triple Dog Dare You" routine.

The last one?

I dared one of the boys to take a sock that had been worn by a member of the family... and played with by the dogs... and stick it in his mouth.

He did it.

Hey....it was a Triple Dog Dare... what was he supposed to do?!

No names will be mentioned.

And yes, a complete mouth washing followed quickly.

We pride ourselves on our independence.

But pride comes before a fall.

Lunch time.

Instead of running out and buying a cheap pizza, I figure we can eat whatever we have in the house.

We're men.

Give us some lunch meat and a fist full of white bread and we're good.

My 9 year old puts an order in for lunch.

What's that... you want peanut butter and crackers?

Let's go to the cabinet.

Crackers.... check.

Peanut butter.... yes and no.

We've got that Goober Grape Peanut Butter and Jelly stuff.

It's already mixed together in the jar.

How about that on crackers?

Nicolas agrees.

He's 9.

It looks a lot like goop on a cracker.

He eats it.

He's still hungry.

"Dad... can I have some tuna? I've been craving it for weeks and Mom won't let me have it."

Really now?

This is the Man Cave.

We do what we want.

I open the can of tuna and stick a fork in it.

"Dig in!".

He does.

With gusto.

It was glorious.

I'm really not all that hungry.

I wonder why.

A little later we pick up my older boy Aleq from the YMCA.

First thing he wants to know?

What's for lunch?

How about peanut butter and jelly?

And tuna?

He would rather starve to death like a real man.

Smart kid.

A short time later Nicolas finds himself with an upset stomach.

Big time.

I'll sum it all up by saying it wasn't pretty.

And that none of us will ever eat tuna again.

Peanut butter and jelly may be out of the question too.

When my wife finally arrives home we're sooooo happy to see her.

"Will you make dinner for us?" we whimper.

She agrees.

On one condition.

"Can you turn on the TV while I'm cooking?"

I find the remote.

"How about the Hallmark Channel?"

The Right Kind Of Fear

Do you ever struggle with people pleasing?

Not a fun way to do life is it?

It's all based on fear.

Someone will reject me.

They'll think I'm a loser.

They'll think I'm not competent to do the job.

They'll retaliate against me.

I'll be excluded.

Minimized.

Alone.

There's really no end to the kinds of fear we deal with when people's opinions are the most important thing in our lives.

Here's the dilemma for the Christian dealing with this issue:

We make people big and God small.

Their opinions are more important than God's.

A lousy trade, the way I see it.

Imperfect people have more power over my life than a perfect God does.

Fear God and you'll need to fear no one else.

Fear God as in hold Him in awe.

Reverence.

A healthy fear of getting outside of the loving boundaries He has set for my life.

There's great peace and power in the pursuit of a God-centered life.

Proverbs 28:1 (ESV) "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion."

Don't fall into the people pleasing trap.

Don't let the way you feel be the guide on this one.

Author Ed Welch writes..."When feelings become more important than faith, people will become more important, and God less important."

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV) "Fear of man will prove to be a snare....."

But......

"..... whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe."

I choose to live for Him.

Let the chips fall where they may.

Friends in Low Places

Have you been tracked down by some old friends lately?

With the Internet in general, and social networking websites specifically, finding old friends takes just seconds.

It can be a good thing.

Or an awkward thing.

Awkward because now that you're a committed follower of Jesus Christ you're not the same person you used to be before accepting Him as your Savior.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

It almost seems like that old life wasn't even yours.

You know it was.

But the present is so different.

Warning!

Proceed with caution.

The power of nostalgia can be a trap of the Enemy.

Before long Satan takes you back to the "good old days" which weren't good at all.

They were days when sinning wasn't even sinning to you.

How can we go back and celebrate a time of life that was filled with a total disregard for God?

A life filled with the sins that sent Jesus to the cross.

To be tortured and punished.

To die for each one of those sins.

When you put it like that, it's a harsh reality.

And it's a barren place you don't want to return to.

Romans 6:21 (NIV) "What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!"

Your old friends who aren't believers will notice the change.

And most will think you're crazy.

A fanatic.

"Too bad... he was such a fun guy."

"Too bad... she was the life of the party."

"What a waste."

"I know your dirt."

"What's up with this holier than thou stuff?"

They may just bolt.

And that's okay.

It really is.

Be ready though if they follow up the hard words with an important question:

"Why are you so different now?"

1 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV) " ...but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."

Stand firm.

True commitment to Jesus has a price.

But it's worth it.

Matthew 10:32 (NIV) "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven."

The Beauty of Brevity

As I sit down to write this entry I feel the pressure.

When the subject at hand involves being brief and to the point I had better get to the point.

So many people are saying texting, Twitter, Facebook, etc. is creating a shallow world void of real content.

I can see what they mean.

But a few right words neatly written or precisely spoken can change a life.

Or get someone through a day in the life.

Proverbs 25:11 (ESV) "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."

There's beauty in brevity.

Nothing is dynamic until it's specific.

Even the creation of the world could have been reported in a lot less than 140 characters on Twitter:

Genesis 1:1 (ESV) "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

Just one sentence.

10 words.

I'm in awe.

Whoops!

A picture... or a cartoon in this case... is worth a thousand words:

"I See!" The Blind Man Said

Have you ever tried to make sense out of the Bible using your circumstances?

I have.

I would imagine that you have too.

God must be doing this right now for that reason.

God isn't doing that right now because of this.

On and on it goes as we try to gain a little semblance of control.

That in and of itself is an illusion, isn't it?

Of course we tend to do this most of all when we're facing tough times.

A trial of some sort.

A challenge.

One that drags on day after day.

Year after year maybe.

But when we start with our circumstances and try to work back and see the hand of God we can end up being more confused than ever.

Job 9:10 (NAB) "He does great things past finding out, marvelous things beyond reckoning."

But when we start with God and walk with Him daily he interprets the situation for us on a need to know basis.

Not always quickly.

Not always in the way we expect.

But eventually.

Usually through the Bible.

I've heard it said that the Bible is a mirror we hold up to our life.

It shows us who we really are.

A sinner in need of a Savior?

Yes.

A child of God when I accept Christ to be that Savior?

Yes.

Loved by God?

Yes!!!

But the Bible can also be a different kind of mirror.

A rear view mirror that helps you see where you've been.

And how far you've come.

That's a gift that can't be given or embraced until you get a little distance between you and your circumstances.

The Right Card

On the way home from work last night I stopped by a store to pick up a Father's Day card for my Dad.

There's the card rack.

Good.

Father's Day section.... check.

But a middle-aged woman is standing right in front of it.

Talking to herself.

Laughing to herself.

She's obviously a little different.

What do I do?

I'm a man on a mission so I quietly walk up and start to scan the rows of cards.

Immediately she starts commenting on them.

"Father's Day is so important... I've got to get just the right card. The right card is so important isn't it?"

I nod and smile.

"Absolutely."

But finding the right card means I have to see them.

And read them.

How do you do that while listening to someone talk a mile a minute?

I'm a guy.

Multi-tasking is out of the question.

I did my best.

"I loved my father" she said reverently.

So reverently in fact, I paused.

"He's gone now. I'm going to put this card on his grave for Father's Day. And these balloons."

I looked at her shopping cart for the first time.

There they were.

Along with many other things that will create a small monument to a man's big impact on his daughter.

"Mom died a few months ago. But she wouldn't want me to be down today. And so here I am. Looking for the right card."

She picked one.

She limped to her shopping cart.

Dropped it in.

A smile came forth.

The physical and mental challenges couldn't over shadow the love of a daughter for her father.

It's a love that lingers long after Dad is gone.

She waved and wished me a Happy Father's Day... "if I was indeed a father."

"Thanks," I said.

Despite the pronounced limp, she was off and down the aisle in seconds.

As I turned to resume my search for the right card, I realized the right card may not even be a card at all.

It's what it represents.

A heart that wants to say the right things.

The Shoe Will Fit.... Someone.

Tis the season for mission trips!

So many awesome outreaches are planned for this summer.

Churches are sending teams all over the planet.

Teams of people who will be the hands and feet of Jesus!

Green Valley Christian Center in Henderson, NV is sending some very dedicated folks to the small town of Shelby, Mississippi in a matter of days.

This is an area that's really struggling right now.

They'll be helping a church with renovations so that the good people there can show the love of Christ to their neighbors.

But wait.. there's more!

The team will be:

*Providing a face-lift for Shelby's City Park

*Distributing new clothing and purses to the women

*Giving 1500 pairs of new shoes to needy families!

I told you this is going to be awesome!

The folks from Green Valley Christian Center will be leaving on July 3.

At this point, they're about 468 pairs of shoes short of their goal.

Will you consider helping them out?

They are in desperate need of men's and boys shoes, sizes men's 9 and up and toddler boys and youth sizes.

To get a feel for the heart of the project, watch this short video:



For even more details, click to listen to my interview with GVCC pastor Meg Morefield:

Mission to Mississippi: http://www.box.net/shared/1hj663qtca

The church's website is: http://www.gvchristian.com/main.php

I'm Walkin'

"Put one foot in front of the other...."

I wonder if they're singing that somewhat monotonous song?

Or the more current... "I will walk 500 miles... and I will....." etc.

15 year old Mike Durban III got an idea.

Why not walk 500 miles in less than 6 weeks to raise money for Assembly of God Missionaries?

From his home in Northeast Texas to the headquarters of the Assemblies in Southwest Missouri.

He's accompanied by his 19 year old uncle Marccus Durban.. who just happens to be from the SOS city of Victorville, CA.

To check out their progress and learn more about this very cool idea...

Click here: http://www.iwillwalk.org/About_Donate_2.html

See ya on the radio!

The Potter

Pottery is a subject that I don't know much about.

Maybe that's because of an elementary school art project gone bad.

Very bad.

I worked hard at shaping it.

Making it look just right.

It never did.

Anyone want a lopsided bowl?

Me neither.

So what makes me think I can handle the making of a life?

It's interesting to see God portrayed in the Bible as a potter.

We are the clay.

He doesn't lump us all together.

Isn't that awesome?

He puts us on the potter's wheel one by one.

Isaiah 29:16 (ESV) "...Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, "He did not make me"; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?"

God knows what specific experiences we need to become the vessel He intends for us to be.

His hand is in all things.

To shape us.

Why fight it?

Why not trust Him?

The potter knows the plan.

And it's a good one.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The truth is I'd much rather have God's hand shaping my life than my own.

I've seen my attempts.

Anyone want a lopsided bowl?

Me neither.

The Courts

On the court means playing in the game.

In the court means the same thing with one big difference, Christ follower.

You're planted.

You're not playing any road games.

Home court advantage is yours every single time.

Psalm 92:13 (NKJV) "Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God."

The "courts of God" are really in the heart.

Every time we face an opponent we deal with them there.

But we're not alone.

The Lord is with us.

Why choose to play your "game" anywhere else?

Psalm 84:10 (ESV) "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

The choice is yours.

And mine.

What will it be?

Joshua 24:15 (ESV) "... choose this day whom you will serve... as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

The whistle blows.

The game awaits.

Guess Who's Coming for Dinner?

Yesterday on the show it was a lot of fun to open up the phones and have you respond to these questions:

What person in the Bible would you most want to go out to eat with?

Why?

And where would you go?

Some responses:

"Obviously Jesus. He's the Savior of the world.. that's why! I'd take Him to a local Chinese place that's my favorite. I wonder if He likes Chinese?"

"Peter. Because he made a lot of mistakes and I can Identify with him."

Me: "He's a fisherman so I guess you'd go to a seafood restaurant?"

Listener: "Nope. I hate seafood. Peter would have to settle for chicken. Simon Peter, meet Col. Sanders!"

"Sarah... Abraham's wife. Because she was a woman of God. We'd end up in a restaurant that's quiet. A place where it takes a long time for the food to come so we would have tons of time to chat."

"Samson. Because I'd like to see how much this powerhouse can eat. Definitely a buffet!"

My choice: Elijah.

Maybe I could get him to call down fire from Heaven.

We'd be at a Bar-B-Q place, for sure.

What about you?

The comment section is open for your thoughts.

The Test Can Hit Close To Home

"He has the patience of Job."

Have you ever heard anyone use that phrase?

What they mean is "He sure is patient while enduring some really tough times."

Why was Job so patient?

He trusted and loved God.

Job 1:1 (ESV) "There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil."

He feared God.

He was awestruck by the holiness and mercy and power of God.

He loved God.

That's why he "turned away from evil".

Sometimes he messed up.

He was a sinner just like us.

But God had his heart.

Satan can't stand that.

He asked God for permission to strip Job of his wealth and his family.

Job 1:8-11 (ESV) "And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?"

Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side?

You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face."

And God allowed it.

Job 1:20-22 (ESV) "Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return.

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong."

He didn't curse God, like Satan said he would.

So the test continued.

Job 2:3-5 (ESV) "And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason."

Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face."

And God allowed it.

Job 2:7 (ESV) "So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head."

The temptation to be angry and curse God was huge.

At that very moment his wife spoke:

Job 2:9 (ESV) "Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die."

Sometimes those closest to us can cause us to fail the test.

It's here that I see the size of Job's spirit.

And the depth of his commitment.

Job 2:10 (ESV) "But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips."

Fear God.

Turn away from evil.

Love Him more than anyone else.

You'll pass the test too.

The Weed

It quickly became a curiosity to me.

A weed.

Growing through a crack in the concrete.

Here at the station.

Each day as I would pass by it on my way to the back studio I would size it up.

What started out so small was now so big.

Now I know why my grandparents used to tell me when I was a kid..

"Kurt you're growing like a weed!"

It was their way of saying you're growing up fast.

At least I hope that was their meaning.

Maybe it was "Kurt you're growing tall and ugly like a weed."

See how reading between the lines can get you into trouble?!

In a matter of days the weed grew almost to my waist.

No water that I could see.

No fertilizer.

No tender loving care.

And yet it thrived.

At home in my yard, it's a full time job to get my lawn and plants to thrive.

Despite my best efforts, it's two thumbs down.

Black thumbs, not green ones.

Then I realized my tall ugly weed was more than just a curiosity.

It was a reminder that sin is the weed of the heart.

We can cultivate it or neglect it.

Either way it just grows.

Ugly and fast.

Even in the heart of the Christ follower.

We trim our plants and our grass but who in their right mind would trim their weeds?

Only one way to get rid of a weed.

Tear it out by the roots.

Matthew 5:29 (ESV) "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell."

Weeds ignored can take over a property.

Sins ignored can take over a life.

I went to the back studio this morning as always.

No weed.

Not even a nub in the concrete where it had once been.

Turns out our treasurer, Paul Mead, had had enough of that weed.

"You pulled it up by the roots, didn't you?" I asked.

He smiled.

Wise man, that Paul Mead.

Enough Is...Enough.

With the economy and all many of us will be passing on the big vacation this year.

But we don't have to be bummed out about it!

Here's what Keri Wyatt Kent has to say about that:

"Summer is here—the kids are out of school, or will be in a few days. Moms are trying to enjoy the last few days of solitude as they slip through our fingers. Our calendars are crowded with graduation parties, end of school events, and so on.

The kids are both ready for some R & R—rest and relaxation. Maybe you feel the same way—you’re longing for a vacation. But many people I know feel economic uncertainty, or worse, certainty: they are certain that they are in financial trouble.

So instead of a vacation, they’re making plans for a “stay-cation.” They’ll stay at home rather than travel. They’ll perhaps go to the community pool instead of traveling to the beach, they’ll go for a bike ride in their own neighborhood instead of in the mountains. Or, maybe, they will pull out a lawn chair and a good book, and just sit in the backyard.

Often, we feel we “need” a vacation because we have been working too hard without ever taking a break. We’ve overloaded our schedules, kept busy 24/7, and now we just need some time to relax. We want to escape, and a stay-cation in the backyard just doesn’t cut it.

I wonder what would happen if we lived all of our life at a saner pace? If we worked hard six days a week, but then every week, took one day to rest? What if instead of going non-stop for 50 weeks and collapsing for two, we took our vacation one day at a time?

Have you ever stopped to think about the pace of your life?

Are you hurried?

When people ask “How are you?” how do you answer? Do you say “I’m busy!” or perhaps you’ve moved on to busy’s logical conclusion, “I’m tired!”

Have you said yes to things you wish you’d said no to?

Do you ever take a day to just be? To focus more on relationships than accomplishments? To just do something you enjoy? Or do nothing at all? A day to stop being a consumer and just enjoy what you already have?

One of the wisest spiritual mentors I ever had asked me to think about my “rhythm of life.” Rhythm, by definition, requires a pattern: things happen on a regular basis. What spiritual practices did I want to include in my daily, weekly, monthly and annual schedule?

This forced me to think about scheduling practices such as solitude days, putting them on the calendar like the unbreakable appointments they were.

One of the most important pieces in the rhythm of life I’ve adopted is taking a weekly Sabbath. It’s a day to worship, to be with my family, to rest. It’s a day that I turn off the computer but tune into the people I love. It’s a day when I am infinitely interruptible—which is to say, loving. What do I do on Sabbath? Anything, as long as it is not necessary.

I may be in my garden, or I may be sailing with my husband. Almost always, I spend a little time reading, talking with my family, or playing a board game with my children. I don’t always cook, but we always gather around a table for a leisurely meal shared with family and/or friends.

This summer, rather than cry about the fact that you can’t afford to take a vacation, give yourself a day off once a week.

It doesn’t cost anything. In fact, by refusing to go out and buy more stuff, you can practice contentment. By taking a day to rest, you model for your children a very important truth: your value does not lie in your accomplishments. You will give them a way to access that elusive commodity we all want—contentment. And you’ll realize—you can’t buy contentment.

You have to simply decide to be content.
How?
By slowing down, by taking some time to just notice that you have enough."

Isn't that great?

Hang onto the words of the Apostle Paul:

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13)

It Wasn't My Bible

Last week I interviewed Las Vegas pastor Isaac David for an upcoming Total Impact segment.

When we finished in the studio he gave me a gift.

A New King James Study Bible.

Brand new in fact.

What a blessing!

So I thanked him and put the Bible, which was shrink-wrapped in the box, on my desk.

There it sat.

I was meaning to open it up.

The thought crossed my mind many times during the week.

But something held me back.

I don't think this is my Bible.

On Friday evening I finished the show and went back to my office.

There it sat.

It's brand new!

So cool!

Really now.

Should I leave it here Lord, or take it home?

Maybe I'll meet someone who needs a Bible this weekend.

Or maybe I'll just leave it here because you'll show me who to give it to through my work.

I finally picked up the box and headed out the back door.

Just at that very moment I sensed some movement by the fence.

I looked.

It was a homeless man spreading out his tattered sleeping bag on the ground.

This was where he was going to spend the night.

I continued walking to my car.

Then there was this feeling.

A feeling as clear as the air on a cold morning.

That's HIS Bible.

The dialogue began.

Lord is that you talking, or just me?

This a brand new Bible.

Did you see how dirty his hands are?

He might even sell it for a bottle of booze.

Or a pack of cigarettes.

Or something much worse.

I opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat.

Just then I noticed the man had started walking across the empty desert, away from the building.

Where's he going?

Oh man.

Did I miss an opportunity to serve you, Lord?

Hebrews 13:2 (NIV) "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. "

"What's that prayer you been praying, Kurt?

You want to see more of Me in your life.

To be used by Me.

Will you pass up this opportunity, or seize it?"

Lord, he took off.

Look.. there he goes behind that building way over there on the other side of the vacant lot.

Lord, I do want to be used by you.

If he comes back I'll give him the Bible.

But I need to get home.

Can you send him back soon?

I waited 30 seconds.

Then a minute.

I got out of the car.

What's that.... no way!

He was walking back across the vacant lot.

With a beat up plastic white bucket.

I rejoiced.

When he returned to his spot by the fence I grabbed the Bible and walked over.

"Hi... how are you?"

He seemed confused.

Or maybe just surprised someone was speaking kindly to him.

Or speaking to him at all.

"Do you like to read?" I asked.

"Yes" he said simply.

"I have something here for you.

It's a brand new Bible.

Look.. it's still in the box.

Still has the shrink wrap on it.

There are all kinds of notes to help you understand what you're reading.

It's yours if you promise me one thing."

"Sure" he said, a crooked smile breaking forth on his lips.

"Promise me you'll read it."

He quickly ran to the white plastic bucket.

He reached in, hands shaking.

He pulled out a mangled, cheap, almost shredded copy of the Bible.

The Lord knew it was time for a new one.

A very nice one.

Maybe that Bible was an answer to this man's prayers.

I don't know.

I didn't ask.

Somehow it didn't matter.

Especially when I looked back over my shoulder as I made my way to the car.

He was softly and reverently touching the top of the box.

I can see him still.

Sometimes You Have To Run Aground

It sure wasn't a pleasure cruise.

No all-you-can-eat buffet.

No private cabin.

Just meager rations and chains.

But it was an adventure.

You'll find the story of the Apostle Paul heading for Rome in Acts Chapter 27.

It really makes for good reading.

And deep thinking.

The ship, caught in a horrible storm, had more than 200 passengers on board.

They all thought they were going to die.

Paul stands up at the worst moment for them and has a message to deliver:

Acts 27:22-26 (ESV) "Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.'

So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we MUST RUN AGROUND ON SOME ISLAND."

Believe it or not, we'll survive this guys.

But we'll still have to deal with some stuff.

The outcome is sure.

It's the in-between time that gets dicey.

Isn't that true for us too?

God promises to be with us in the storm.

When the ship is breaking up we hang onto Him the best we know how.

The great rescue is certain.

But we may still have to run aground in a place not of our choosing.

An isolated and strange place.

We'll be battered and bruised as we get our wits about us.

And then suddenly we'll see it.

Smooth sailing isn't what the Christian life is all about.

It's trusting God when contrary winds blow.

What does that look like?

A rainbow in the clouds.

A diamond displayed on black velvet.

A life preserved even though you run aground.

Acts 27:43-44 (ESV) " The Centurion ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land."

You'll make it.

You really will.

Your Voice

He can do it so much better.

She has served with such excellence.

Many lives have been touched through them.

Awesome words have been said.

And written.

Fantastic songs have been written.

And sung.

Powerful messages have been created.

And preached.

Man's history book records many acts of greatness.

I know.

But God's history book records many more.

People living out God's purpose for their lives in out-of-the way out-of-the spotlight places.

"My ambition is to belong to the Lord and be entirely at His disposal", they say.

Although many things have been done in the world God still has a specific assignment for you, fellow Christ follower!

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) " For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

I see God's assignments for us as unique.

"Start this business", He tells you.

"Get involved in this ministry."

"Write this book."

"Take this job."

"Sing this song."

The "song" may have been sung by many others.

True.

But it's never been sung by you.

What makes it different is your voice.

We have four Gospels in the New Testament.

What if Mark, John, and Luke had said.. "Matthew has already written one. He did a great job. Why should we write one?"

We wouldn't have their unique voices sharing a common truth.

And that would be a sad thing, wouldn't it?

Your voice makes God's assignment special.

A choir is made up of many voices.

And when they sing the same song, it's marvelous.

But one less voice here.

One less there.

It's just not the same anymore.

Your voice is important.

Unique in your generation.

And yet blending perfectly with all of the others down through the ages.

Fast Food. Healthy Food?

Is there such a thing as healthy fast food?

How about healthier fast food?

The answer is yes, according to an article I found online.

Pretty interesting stuff!

Especially when McDonald's is considered somewhat healthy.

It got a B+!!

Click below to check out what other restaurants made the grade:

America's Best Fast Food Restaurants: http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100235019&page=1

Happy guilt free eating!

Embryo Adoption

Are you familiar with embryo adoption?

If not, there's a Christian organization that's doing some fantastic work.

Back in 1997, Nightlight Christian Adoptions began the Snowflake Program.

It has been such a blessing to so many couples.

These folks are now moms and dads after adopting a frozen embryo.

To explain the program in detail would take up a ton of space.

So... here's a link to the website: http://www.nightlight.org/adoption-services/snowflakes-embryo/default.aspx

If this is something you're interested in... I want you to meet Jim Seebock.

Jim and his wife chose embryo adoption.

And what a blessing!

Listen to my conversation with Jim:

Total Impact-Embryo Adoption: http://www.box.net/shared/pas1f73i65

What a neat idea!

See ya on the radio.

The Plan Is A Person

God is always with us.

Protecting us.

Psalm 119:114 (ESV) "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word."

Defending us.

Psalm 59:1 (ESV) "..... Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me.."

Making us victorious.

1 Corinthians 15:57 (ESV) "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

But have you noticed He doesn't always do things the same way each time?

I think we can get discouraged when we expect Him to do this and then he doesn't.

He does that.

Life with God is an adventure.

At least it should be.

What real adventure is predictable?

Nehemiah went back to Jerusalem to help rebuild the wall around the city.

It...as well as the city... was in ruins.

As Nehemiah and the Jews worked on this God approved plan, they faced some pretty tough opposition from the bad guys in the land.

And so they prayed.

Nehemiah 4:4 (ESV) "Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives."

And they planned too.

Nehemiah 4:16-18 (ESV) "From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail.

And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, who were building on the wall.

Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.

And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me."

"Praise the Lord... and hand me some ammunition!"

Praying and planning go well together when you're walking closely with God.

Sometimes God says "Don't do anything."

Sometimes He says "Don't do anything YET"

And sometimes He says "Do this. And this. NOW."

There's no substitute for walking closely with God.

Knowing God is more important than knowing what to do.

If you know HIM... you'll know the WHEN.

And the WHAT.

Wait to act Lord?

Exodus 14:13 (AMP) " Moses told the people, Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today."

Saddle up this time Lord?

Sure.

Proverbs 21:31 (ESV) " The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord."

I get it now Lord.

The plan is a Person.

You.