A few weeks ago at work, I had the pleasure of being the first person for a woman to tell that she had accepted Christ as her Savior.  She shared that she was unsure of so much, yet knew that everything was going to be different.

Tears ran down her face, as she explained that she was embarrassed because she didn’t know where to go when the speaker asked everyone to turn to Colossians.  I encouraged her to get connected to a Christ-centered community of believers where she could be real, as she was asking me about what kind of church she should attend.  At the end of our conversation, she said….

I just got chills.

I was immediately envious of her, because I remember feeling the exact same way when I met Jesus.

And I missed that.  The feeling of coming alive.  Why in the world have I forgotten?

Ironically, it was her new-found faith that reminded me of mine.  In that very moment God used a person ransomed to awake a person complacent.  I was reminded that I was only breathing by the grace of God, and I need to stop taking that for granted.

So, what about you?

Do you remember? Do you remember the last time you were overwhelmed at the thought of what Jesus did for you?  Have you ever stopped to think about where you have come from and what you have become?

For me, it’s overwhelming to think that I would be in full-time ministry.  This is not what I had planned to do, nor wanted to do.  Now, almost two years later, I look back at all the random people/events that came into my life that were used to push me in that direction.

What about you?  What do you see when looking back (even if just for a brief period of time) that reminds you of something other than yourself?  Where have you seen God in your life?

From what I gather so far in the early existence of this blog, there are several Christians who read it, as well as some who may be new to their faith.  Feel free to share with each other to encourage and challenge.  You know, that whole iron sharpening iron kind of thing.

Ready?  Go.

2010 is upon us, folks.

A new year typically brings with it feelings of hope and excitement.  Resolutions are broken made with a hope of things changing.  But, this world really doesn’t do that, does it?  Even in our “best” year, we can always find something that held it back from being worthy of thanks.  Each year gets harder to look forward to.  Heck, tomorrow looks pretty grim.  I tend to just try to hang on and just make it through the year, hoping that it doesn’t kill me.  Fear and anxiety begins to creep in, affecting each and every decision I make.  And, with current times being pretty tough, it seems like one thing after another takes me down the road of panic and fear faster and faster than ever before.

But, I want to challenge all of us to make our resolution for 2010 this: Not worry.

You know, fear is a big deal.  Anxiety is a huge problem in our world. I’m pretty sure I’ve experienced some sort of panic attack in my life. Paul said that God did not create in us a spirit of fear; but one of power and love and self-control. (2 Tim 1:7) So, how come we still have it? It must be that in this fallen world, we are prone and conditioned to fear first instead of seeking the kingdom of God.

Jesus talked about this in the Sermon on the Mount, which would be the moment in history that he unveiled, if you will, what the kingdom of God looked like. We can pick it up in Matthew 6:25….. (more…)

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” – Jesus

About a year ago, we had a guest speaker come to a staff chapel where I work.  The speaker is actively involved in ministry and outreach in Africa. He told us a few stories, one of which particularly resonated with me.  He explained how he had been in Tanzania with a group of nuns that were a part of Mother Teresa’s “Sisters of Charity.”  He had brought some men from his church, along with his teenage daughter and a few other ministry partners.  They were there to observe the situation in Tanzania, as well as to serve in the orphanages.  

While there, one of the men noticed a group of Muslim men standing off in the distance at the location they were at, and asked one of the Sisters what they were doing there. She replied, “Oooohhh, they just had a big prayer festival/celebration last week! We got the ceremonial hats, learned the dances and found out how to make the dishes they eat during the festival.” Even more puzzled than when he asked who they were, the man just stood there scratching his head.

She apparently noticed that the wheels were turning and said to him, “It is an honor and privilege to serve the Jesus that I see in my Muslim brothers and sisters.” (more…)

I’ve grown weary of all of the negative media. I know you’re thinking, “hey man, where have you been?”  I know, I know.  But you see, my wife and I just got cable for the first time in our marriage (6 yrs) about six months ago.  So, we’re all sorts of exposed to things we had no idea about.  It seems like every channel is chocked full of negativity, death, infidelity, horror, injustice and manipulation.

It reminds me of two truths:  (1) Food Network is quite possibly from Jesus, and (2) this world is messed up, y’all.  It seems as if there’s a better chance of Paula Dean not using butter in a dish over something good actually happening in the world these days.
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So, I came across an article last week that really irked me.  And, a week later, I’m more and more bothered as I think about it.  It also literally hits home with me, as it all takes place about 25 miles from my home in Arizona.

Click over to Read the entire article.  Essentially, a judge ruled that feeding the homeless at a place of worship can be banned by city ordinance.  That ruling means that CrossRoads United Methodist Church in Phoenix can no longer feed the poor on its campus.  The judge stated that the church had a long history of feeding the “poor in poor neighborhoods” but the use of this property to feed the poor bused in from another place was different. The church was classified as a charity dining hall, and a charity dining hall cannot feed the poor in a residential area.   (more…)