Perhaps you know someone who is deployed as I type this…

Or, perhaps your grandfather is still living and served in a previous war.  Regardless, I’m sure there are not too many people that separate all of us from someone who is currently in harm’s way or has been in the past.

If this is the case, could you (and I) take the time at some point today to simply say, “thank you”?  I’m pretty sure it would mean a lot.  Also, if you do know someone currently deployed somewhere and would like to request prayer, post a comment with their name and location and I can pray for all of them this afternoon.  I think we can all find at least a little time to stop and pray for these folks.

Happy Veteran’s Day

“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus…”  -Philippians 1:1

You know, we all really treasure freedom.  Each and every person in the U.S. loves their freedom, and you can bet that those in other areas of the world who don’t have freedom certainly long for it.  We know from scripture that Christ has freed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).

However, scripture also reveals to us that we are all slaves as well.  Romans 6:16 states, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

Read more, por favor…. Continue Reading…

There are more than 27 million slaves in the world today.

Let that sink in for a second……got it?  Ok.

There are 27 million (million!) slaves in the world today.  I have a problem with this.  A big problem.  Children as young as 4 years old are being sold into slavery every day.  Some of them are being sold in your back yard….and mine, being required to service as many as 40 men per day.  Your heart breaking yet?

More after the jump…. Continue Reading…

This is Iba, and he is 9 yrs. old. Him and I share the same birthday. I’ve sponsored him now for two years.  My wife sponsored him for me on my birthday in ‘07, and I sponsored a little girl who shared her birthday for her birthday gift that year.  We thought it was a good way to get involved with sponsorship.  Instead of figuring out what birthday gift to buy for someone who doesn’t really need anything, we chose to provide for someone who needs a lot.  It’s really a no-brainer considering how blessed we really are.  

Iba lives in Burkina Faso, which is a landlocked country in Northwest Africa. It was originally occupied by the French, and Iba’s letters are translated from French to English to me….pretty cool. I have never met this young man, but I think he is just the coolest little guy. His entire family is Muslim. In fact, 50% the est. 15+million people of Burkina Faso are Muslim, with 10% being Christian.

Through Compassion’s program, Iba has been told the Good News of the Gospel.   Continue Reading…

Have you ever said this?  ”I just can’t worship to that style of music.”

I know I have.  I think I especially struggle with this since I am a worship leader.  Music makes up a big portion of my life.  I know what I like to play, as well as the type of songs I like to write.  So, I admittedly bring an amount of personal preference into any church I’m in.  After all, isn’t that a big reason why we have so many churches?  If you don’t like the music or speaking style, just go to another church down the street.  Forget community.  :)

A few years ago, I was at a fairly traditional service here in Arizona. Continue Reading…