Raw Feelings
I played enough sports to know that if you take hit to the “privates” or you get hit in an eye or the solar plexus, you stay down until the world stops spinning. You just suck it in and relax and let the pain ebb. And I have been around my 58 years and endured some losses and some crazy times that have removed my breath.
Today (5/2/14) I found out something so shocking, honestly it “took my breath away”. Something I thought to be true had changed yet one more time. But this time the results were not like the first time of change. Back then I had someone to “hold” on to and at least walk through it. Today, I am the big kid, the one stuck with the knowledge. Continue reading Sometimes Family Brings Up Difficult Feelings→
This past weekend I had the privilege to speak in our local fellowship, The Village Church. But whether I preached or not, I would not change the fact that I believe people can live better, freer and wiser in their lives just by changing their “dependency”. Their dependency? Yes. Where their dependency is on is where they receive advice, counsel and understanding.
As a prophetic voice, I find that I am often calling out the destiny, the calling and the purpose in people’s lives. I am looking for the gold in the middle of their life. So often that “gold” is buried under the dirt of not understanding the value of their life. “Why would God want me” is a question I often walk into. “How could God use me?”
A few days the Lord revealed a phrase. I thought I was going to share it some place specific. But so far not yet. I even thought I would write about it before now, but that was not the case either. Up early this morn and thinking so we shall see what happens.
Originally I heard “go up, grow up and sow up” I thought and I guess it is important not to blow up or throw up! As I meditated on it and said it out loud I heard different things. In the beginning I thought the “sow up” was to give something tangible “upward” but the more I contemplated it the more I realized it was likely to mean complete something to result in being “all sown up”. Continue reading Show Up, Go Up, Grow Up And Sow Up→
The woman met me at the door of the church building. Dressed in red, she was beautiful but “sad”. She seemed a little miffed that I had taken so long to get there. She barked at me “you are wearing sandals?” I looked at my feet and said “hmmm…I guess I am.” She continued to block the door.
This is a “delicate” article for me to write on some levels. For one, I am biased, being a man and being married. For another I have daughters. And for another I have been around long enough to see what works in the Christian church.
It has to do with “where have all the men gone” and I want to change it. I want the church family to be a healthy place for everyone. I have been seeing a move in the men of God coming and I think this is a piece of it. Continue reading Being A Man Putting On Your Big Boy Pants→
Prior to my encounter with Christ some 20 years ago in a grocery store, my life was to say the least, pretty chaotic. Part of that lifestyle left me with a trail of broken relationships. Even skipping some of the wrongful parts of my life, I always seemed like I was moving on to a new relationship. Even coming into Christianity I was still unraveling many of the characteristics that caused me to “lose” relationships.
But I soon learned the value of retaining relationships. In part because Christ was “doing a work” in my life and godly men and women were participating in my growth. I am thankful for the participation of these folks. Continue reading Beware Of How You Treat Others→
One of the hardest things about being a believer is watching people, friends and family go through difficult times. Particularly those that are within their grasp to control. Too often the choices that one makes determine the quality of the answer.
What about choices? As one of my dear friends Roger stated at a funeral not too long ago in his own inimitable way. “Get a job. Be a good person. Do not be a bum. Do not marry a bum. Do not let your kids be bums.” Over the years he has said similar things like, “if you do drugs the handwriting is on the wall.” Now both he and I believe God can help restore and bring those people into better circumstances. But so often it is choices…then and now. Continue reading Unraveling The Raveled – Pulling Light Out Of Darkness→
I am kind of a black and white guy. And it is exacerbated by the simple fact that I do not find filters helpful. They may make the person feel better that you are talking to but they tend to cloud the issue at hand. So often I am told I am simply “blunt.” (My attempt at filtering “hard things” makes me uncomfortable and probably does nothing to help the party I am speaking to!)
Lately I am seeing some painful things happen. Much of this is founded on a lack of understanding of grace. Selfishness and self-centeredness is the antithesis of grace. Grace causes you desire to move ahead touching others with the goodness you have received. Continue reading What Is Difficult Today May Be Harder Tomorrow- Don’t Aim For That!→
Raw Feelings
