Thank you Lord for:
1. Loving me when no one else could
2. Leading me when I needed direction most
3. Giving me freedom, peace, and a true understanding of grace
4. Always being there
5. Giving me the ability to laugh at myself
6. Humility
7. My family, who you created especially for me, and me for them
8. 26 years of life
9. The promise of an eternal life without fear and pain
10. Praise and Worship music
11. Goofy dogs
12. Friends that encourage and push and love
13. Molton Chocolate Cake at Chili's
14. Using a broken vessel
15. Truth
16. Dads and Grandpas that have more wisdom in their pinky than you do in your whole body
17. Moms and Grandmas who love everything you have ever done good, bad, or ugly and never stop telling you about it!
18. Sisters who will always be there, and will ALWAYS take your side in any external argument
19. Brothers who you can love so much, and the hope of all the incredible things you know are going to be done through their life
20. The hurts and pains that you used to help me understand things that I never had a clue about
21. Encouragement at the moment of desperation
22. The twinkle in the eyes of those who have been spending time with you in deep, deep, ways
23. Giving me the understanding of the POWER in prayer (man, was this life changing!)
24. Teaching me to "lighten up" and "let go"
25. Long road trips where you point out random things that always bring curiosity to what you are telling me
26. Accepting me
27. Understanding me
28. Blessing me
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
"The Drive Home" or "What's the Deal with All the Cows?"
I can tell this blog will be reminiscent of the old days where I try to glean a morsel of truth out of a large amount of rambling and detail. The trip home was eventful to say the least, but as always the Lord worked in ways far beyond my imagination, and planted seeds that are at this point, in various stages of growth.
It all began.....on Thursday afternoon when I left work. I jump in "The Lincoln" and hit the road jack! Boy, it was agreat day too, (this is before the North Texas Easter Blizzard), which by the way managed to stretch it's long neck all the way down to the Gulf Coast! (I was not prepared to deal with 37 degree temperatures) (I packed flip flops!!). Anyway, back to that blessed Thursday! Oh man, was it great.....sun shining, Newsboys blarring on the radio, sunroof open, what more could a man want! Just me, the open road, praise and worship, and nothing but adventure awaiting just beyond the windshield! And then......it happened! First turn out of the gate,.....CONSTRUCTION!!!! TRAFFIC!!! sl...o...wly cr...ee...ping a...long....NOOOO, I was just minutes away from FREEDOM of traffic, freedom of congestion.....and now...I must wait!
Okay....that's cool....it's going to be one of "those" trips....where everything I had expectations for would pretty much not occur the way in which I had hoped.....I have seen these before...flying mattresses, dodge neons, and Sam Houston's grave site have all been adventures that were experienced in the midst of similar "unexpected" trips. So, this time I realized...Josh you better just let go of the expectations right now, as you have no idea where this is going!
So, after an hour long trip from Plano to I-30 in Dallas (no exaggeration here). I had pretty much wrestled through the shot expectations of "leaving Dallas in the dust" and flying home in record time.
And so the story begins.....
The Scene:
Josh, sunroof open, blue jeans, and a polo.....tennis shoes, Ireland hat, radio up, driving (the speed limit), down Hwy 75 towards Beaumont. I pop in some "good old days" Revival Preaching (Leonard Ravenhill, to those who have heard of the man), and proceed to try to "let go" of myself and listen for the Lord. After two hours I had come to the conclusion that the problem of this generation today is a lack of good ole fashion yelling and screaming preaching, and had pretty much decided that this was my missed calling....REVIVALIST PREACHER! Now, I will say, this was not a revelation from the Lord....more or less me, trying to solve problems which the Lord already has taken care of....but, needless to say, I was fired up internally to some extent, and luckily I was alone....or whoever was riding with me would probably have gotten a good dose of that "old time religion", circa Josh Smith style! But, being alone I just pondered my thoughts deeply and determined that yes, I had in fact missed my calling, and I had the answer to turn around this wicked generation of sinners! Now, that being said.....suddenly (the Lord this time), began pointing out to me....COWS! EVERYWHERE I LOOKED! Ranch here, farm there...cows! cows! cows! It seemed as though every time I broke myself out of my stupified state of thought, the first thing I noticed was.....cows! All shapes, sizes, and colors...So, me....not being one to miss details, began to ponder....what is the Lord showing me here! THERE IS DEFINETLY SOMETHING TO ALL THIS COW BUSINESS!......combine this with my two hours of constant revival messages..DO WE NEED TO GO BACK TO SACRIFICING THE FATTENED CALF!!! WHOA!! THAT IS WAY BACK!! haha, (this only lasted like 5 seconds), but it just gives you an idea of where my mind was....I never really got much farther than that, before I decided that the Lord would make the "cows" clear in his timing...if at all....my other thought was that maybe it was a simple way of getting me out of revival mode..needless to say...after stopping for some dinner at a cool out the way Mexican Food place in Huntsville (once again, I was looking for adventure, right?)....I get to Beaumont after a record breaking 7 hour journey....(I was going the speed limit).
Without going into thousands, upon thousands of details about the weekend....I do realize this much...1. the Lord was working in great ways 2. I have learned a little patience over the past few years 3. the Lord never ceases to amaze me 4. I still don't understand all the cows! (this is driving me crazy...I know there has to be some deep, pearl of wisdom that the cows will show me! I know it!! 5. The Lord is faithful 6. The Lord is answering prayers that I myself prayed, and although I don't really remember exactly what they were, and when i said them, He doesn't!
Anyway, that is part, of mostly, kind of sort of, the take aways from my small adventure back home...I supposed I could have written everything I remember, but for some reason I just feel we need to focus on cows right now!
It all began.....on Thursday afternoon when I left work. I jump in "The Lincoln" and hit the road jack! Boy, it was agreat day too, (this is before the North Texas Easter Blizzard), which by the way managed to stretch it's long neck all the way down to the Gulf Coast! (I was not prepared to deal with 37 degree temperatures) (I packed flip flops!!). Anyway, back to that blessed Thursday! Oh man, was it great.....sun shining, Newsboys blarring on the radio, sunroof open, what more could a man want! Just me, the open road, praise and worship, and nothing but adventure awaiting just beyond the windshield! And then......it happened! First turn out of the gate,.....CONSTRUCTION!!!! TRAFFIC!!! sl...o...wly cr...ee...ping a...long....NOOOO, I was just minutes away from FREEDOM of traffic, freedom of congestion.....and now...I must wait!
Okay....that's cool....it's going to be one of "those" trips....where everything I had expectations for would pretty much not occur the way in which I had hoped.....I have seen these before...flying mattresses, dodge neons, and Sam Houston's grave site have all been adventures that were experienced in the midst of similar "unexpected" trips. So, this time I realized...Josh you better just let go of the expectations right now, as you have no idea where this is going!
So, after an hour long trip from Plano to I-30 in Dallas (no exaggeration here). I had pretty much wrestled through the shot expectations of "leaving Dallas in the dust" and flying home in record time.
And so the story begins.....
The Scene:
Josh, sunroof open, blue jeans, and a polo.....tennis shoes, Ireland hat, radio up, driving (the speed limit), down Hwy 75 towards Beaumont. I pop in some "good old days" Revival Preaching (Leonard Ravenhill, to those who have heard of the man), and proceed to try to "let go" of myself and listen for the Lord. After two hours I had come to the conclusion that the problem of this generation today is a lack of good ole fashion yelling and screaming preaching, and had pretty much decided that this was my missed calling....REVIVALIST PREACHER! Now, I will say, this was not a revelation from the Lord....more or less me, trying to solve problems which the Lord already has taken care of....but, needless to say, I was fired up internally to some extent, and luckily I was alone....or whoever was riding with me would probably have gotten a good dose of that "old time religion", circa Josh Smith style! But, being alone I just pondered my thoughts deeply and determined that yes, I had in fact missed my calling, and I had the answer to turn around this wicked generation of sinners! Now, that being said.....suddenly (the Lord this time), began pointing out to me....COWS! EVERYWHERE I LOOKED! Ranch here, farm there...cows! cows! cows! It seemed as though every time I broke myself out of my stupified state of thought, the first thing I noticed was.....cows! All shapes, sizes, and colors...So, me....not being one to miss details, began to ponder....what is the Lord showing me here! THERE IS DEFINETLY SOMETHING TO ALL THIS COW BUSINESS!......combine this with my two hours of constant revival messages..DO WE NEED TO GO BACK TO SACRIFICING THE FATTENED CALF!!! WHOA!! THAT IS WAY BACK!! haha, (this only lasted like 5 seconds), but it just gives you an idea of where my mind was....I never really got much farther than that, before I decided that the Lord would make the "cows" clear in his timing...if at all....my other thought was that maybe it was a simple way of getting me out of revival mode..needless to say...after stopping for some dinner at a cool out the way Mexican Food place in Huntsville (once again, I was looking for adventure, right?)....I get to Beaumont after a record breaking 7 hour journey....(I was going the speed limit).
Without going into thousands, upon thousands of details about the weekend....I do realize this much...1. the Lord was working in great ways 2. I have learned a little patience over the past few years 3. the Lord never ceases to amaze me 4. I still don't understand all the cows! (this is driving me crazy...I know there has to be some deep, pearl of wisdom that the cows will show me! I know it!! 5. The Lord is faithful 6. The Lord is answering prayers that I myself prayed, and although I don't really remember exactly what they were, and when i said them, He doesn't!
Anyway, that is part, of mostly, kind of sort of, the take aways from my small adventure back home...I supposed I could have written everything I remember, but for some reason I just feel we need to focus on cows right now!
Friday, March 30, 2007
The Beautiful Struggle
Ups, Downs, Left's, Right's......Being Still, Running in all directions........Questioning, Receiving a Word......In Season, Out of Season.................Struggling, Enduring, Pushing Forward, Trusting........Joyful, Depressed, Happy.......Waiting, Impatient.......Excited, Uncomfortable, Content, Discontented......Full of Energy, Running on E......Encouraging, Needing Encouragement......
And that was just today! How can we ever say the walk with the Lord is boring! It's a roller coaster at times, but man, it's awesome to sit back and enjoy the ride......
And that was just today! How can we ever say the walk with the Lord is boring! It's a roller coaster at times, but man, it's awesome to sit back and enjoy the ride......
Friday, March 23, 2007
Blessed be the Name of the Lord
Sitting here in my office, looking at a stack of papers that I need to finish working on......its cloudy outside, and the view outside the window could be mistaken for the same dreary covering that continues to hover over my spirit. The Lord feels distant but faith remains....as I sit searching my heart, and ignoring the paperwork, the Newsboys calmly sing................
Blessed be your name in the land that is plentiful, when your streams of abundance flow,
Blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name when Im found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness,
Blessed be your name.
Every blessing you poor out I'll turn back to praise, when the darkness closes in Lord, Still I will say:
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your glorious name!
There is peace in knowing He is there, no matter what my heart tells me. There is comfort that HE is still on his throne holding the universe together with every word from HIS mouth. So, another Friday passes, and another weekend begins. The bottom line, the Lord Reigns, and He does not tarry in his coming, he is just patient. Blessed be His name. Blessed be His name. Blessed by His name.
Blessed be your name in the land that is plentiful, when your streams of abundance flow,
Blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name when Im found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness,
Blessed be your name.
Every blessing you poor out I'll turn back to praise, when the darkness closes in Lord, Still I will say:
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your glorious name!
There is peace in knowing He is there, no matter what my heart tells me. There is comfort that HE is still on his throne holding the universe together with every word from HIS mouth. So, another Friday passes, and another weekend begins. The bottom line, the Lord Reigns, and He does not tarry in his coming, he is just patient. Blessed be His name. Blessed be His name. Blessed by His name.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
A Coffee Kind of Morning
I woke up this morning, and realized that I had been sleeping in the most comfortable place on my bed (you know that one place where every part of your body is relaxed). When my eyes popped open to the sound of talk radio and some type of very boring discussion, I cringed at the thought of rolling over to turn off the alarm clock. I gave myself an extra 10 minutes under the pre-tense, that "I needed some extra rest", then scrambled out of bed and began the morning routine. I looked in the mirror and determined that shaving could wait another day, then finished the usual routine and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. At this point, I was about 10 minutes behind my schedule, (see a theme here), and looked in the fridge, to start making "the usual" breakfast. Of course, I had forgotten to grab more eggs in my 10:30pm excursion to Wal-Mart last night, so I had to be resourceful for breakfast. "Let's see, I have fajita chicken strips and......fajita chicken strips". Well, I guess we're going south of the border for breakfast this AM! I grilled up some chicken, popped some bread in the toaster, and then got ready to enjoy some increased morning insulin levels! Woo-Hoo!
After breakfast, I start quiet time.....I started reading in Isaiah, and realized that my battery way apparently not plugged in this morning, as I felt like I was literally reading the Hebrew! (and I've never been to seminary)! After struggling through for 10-15 minutes, not really getting any thoughts to gel, I flip over to Proverbs, and read the Proverb for the day. ( I have recently gotten in the habit of trying to read the chapter of Proverbs that correlates to the day of the month, and now that I think about it, I actually read yesterdays, today (chapter 20)! Well, that doesn't surprise me, as it has been one of those mornings.....
So, as I skimmed through the Proverbs, and overwhelmed my brain with the shear depth of wisdom.....BOOM! At last, some light breaks through!.....Hallelujah!!! Proverbs 20:6
"Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?"
I have actually written a blog on this verse before, but again it resounds in my heart!
Faithfulness Josh,....that is what I want! Faithfulness.......Keep on stepping, don't stop, no matter what you come up against, what your flesh tries to tell you, keep on keeping on!
Okay, so the Lord did not actually say "Keep on keeping on", but nonetheless, I got his message.
In this day and time, faithfulness has become a forgotten word. The idea that I stick with doing something when: 1. I don't have to, 2. I don't want to, and 3. I don't feel like it, is almost ridiculous to many. But, as I thought deeper on this, the question arose, How else do we truly show that we are loving others above ourself, How better to reflect Christ, How better to show the Lord that we love Him? We stay in the place he has us, whether we like it, or not, until He tells us to move. We continue serving Him, and serving others in that place, until He tells us to stop.
Let's take a small detour and look at the sacred institution of marriage. It is only my speculation, but I would bet, that after being married to someone for 10-15 years, that there come a few points along the way, where you probably would want to leave. You no longer "feel" in love, you know longer "want" to serve, you no longer "think" you need to stay. How do you show love in that time?......You remain faithful.
You stay, and you keep stepping, and stepping, and stepping. If the Lord called you to marriage, then that is the place you are called to be until HE changes it. So, while emotions will come and go, problems that were never anticipated occur, and pain will be inflicted by the person that can and will hurt you the most......you stay and remain faithful.
In this faithfulness you are showing the Love of the Lord. The world sets it self up to be first, so that whenever self feels hurt, or pain, or anything uncomfortable, it chooses to do what is best for self. We need to look no further than Christ's example to realize how our response should directly contradict that. We need look no further than the cross to see that faithfulness through the pain is the standard the Lord has given us. Where else can the tremendous love of Christ be seen, if not in the places that world will never tread, in the decisions the world will never understand to make.
Man, this blog kind of took on it's own direction.....
In the end my dear brothers and sisters....in the joy, in the pain, in understanding, and in confusion.....remain faithful to tasks to which you have been called, by so doing your witness for Christ to a dark and selfish world is seen like a candle on a lampstand, and a light on a hill!
After breakfast, I start quiet time.....I started reading in Isaiah, and realized that my battery way apparently not plugged in this morning, as I felt like I was literally reading the Hebrew! (and I've never been to seminary)! After struggling through for 10-15 minutes, not really getting any thoughts to gel, I flip over to Proverbs, and read the Proverb for the day. ( I have recently gotten in the habit of trying to read the chapter of Proverbs that correlates to the day of the month, and now that I think about it, I actually read yesterdays, today (chapter 20)! Well, that doesn't surprise me, as it has been one of those mornings.....
So, as I skimmed through the Proverbs, and overwhelmed my brain with the shear depth of wisdom.....BOOM! At last, some light breaks through!.....Hallelujah!!! Proverbs 20:6
"Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?"
I have actually written a blog on this verse before, but again it resounds in my heart!
Faithfulness Josh,....that is what I want! Faithfulness.......Keep on stepping, don't stop, no matter what you come up against, what your flesh tries to tell you, keep on keeping on!
Okay, so the Lord did not actually say "Keep on keeping on", but nonetheless, I got his message.
In this day and time, faithfulness has become a forgotten word. The idea that I stick with doing something when: 1. I don't have to, 2. I don't want to, and 3. I don't feel like it, is almost ridiculous to many. But, as I thought deeper on this, the question arose, How else do we truly show that we are loving others above ourself, How better to reflect Christ, How better to show the Lord that we love Him? We stay in the place he has us, whether we like it, or not, until He tells us to move. We continue serving Him, and serving others in that place, until He tells us to stop.
Let's take a small detour and look at the sacred institution of marriage. It is only my speculation, but I would bet, that after being married to someone for 10-15 years, that there come a few points along the way, where you probably would want to leave. You no longer "feel" in love, you know longer "want" to serve, you no longer "think" you need to stay. How do you show love in that time?......You remain faithful.
You stay, and you keep stepping, and stepping, and stepping. If the Lord called you to marriage, then that is the place you are called to be until HE changes it. So, while emotions will come and go, problems that were never anticipated occur, and pain will be inflicted by the person that can and will hurt you the most......you stay and remain faithful.
In this faithfulness you are showing the Love of the Lord. The world sets it self up to be first, so that whenever self feels hurt, or pain, or anything uncomfortable, it chooses to do what is best for self. We need to look no further than Christ's example to realize how our response should directly contradict that. We need look no further than the cross to see that faithfulness through the pain is the standard the Lord has given us. Where else can the tremendous love of Christ be seen, if not in the places that world will never tread, in the decisions the world will never understand to make.
Man, this blog kind of took on it's own direction.....
In the end my dear brothers and sisters....in the joy, in the pain, in understanding, and in confusion.....remain faithful to tasks to which you have been called, by so doing your witness for Christ to a dark and selfish world is seen like a candle on a lampstand, and a light on a hill!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Why?
Why does faith have to be built at the edge of belief?
Why do we have to have patience?
Why does trusting Him have to be so difficult?
Why do we doubt?
Why do we fear?
Why do we have to find balance?
Why are we deceived?
Why can we not just stay in a place of contentment?
Why is stretching a continuous process?
Why can we not be free from our own sinful heart?
I can't wait for the day I stand in front of the Lord and finally understand the answers to all of these questions, and many, many more that I have asked. Until then, I will just look up at the beautiful sunrise, feel the cool wind on my face, hear the sweet song of spring time, and just keep stepping.
Why do we have to have patience?
Why does trusting Him have to be so difficult?
Why do we doubt?
Why do we fear?
Why do we have to find balance?
Why are we deceived?
Why can we not just stay in a place of contentment?
Why is stretching a continuous process?
Why can we not be free from our own sinful heart?
I can't wait for the day I stand in front of the Lord and finally understand the answers to all of these questions, and many, many more that I have asked. Until then, I will just look up at the beautiful sunrise, feel the cool wind on my face, hear the sweet song of spring time, and just keep stepping.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
It's a Billy Sunday, Sunday
As I write this, the time has officially sprung forward to 12:00 am, so technically it is Sunday...no matter what the timestamp is when I post this (hey, this is a key point in order for my title to make sense, and be an awesome pun!).
So, I bought a book today, and if you haven't already guessed, it is a biography of the "old time religion" evangelist, Billy Sunday. I didn't know a whole lot about him before I started reading today, other than that he was a professional baseball player turned preacher who spoke extensively for the abolition of alcohol. In reading through the recount of his life so far, I get the sense that he was just an ordinary, country, hard-working man that the Lord chose to use in a mighty way. He had a humble beginning, and had to overcome some tremendous adversity and difficulty in his childhood, but underneath it all was a man that was searching for what was right. When he found the Lord, (He was actually drawn into a church service by a group of musicians that were singing hymns on a sidewalk), it was as though things began to click into place from all the many years of difficulty and preparation. He developed a relationship with the Lord that reflected who he was, and reflected his understanding of who Jesus was.
Now, my assumption and conclusion is that this authenticity and deep love for the Lord, brought a very bright light into those he came in contact with. I have not finished reading of where the Lord brought him throughout his ministry, but I am aware that his name is still referred to today in regard to "those old-time religion" preachers.
So this leads into me. My heart often zones into old-time religion, and even though I have only been around for 26 years, the desire to return to this simplicity often haunts my very core. I sit and ponder the humility, the simplicity, and the authenticity of wooden church pews, ice-cream socials, men who wear hats and remove them before entering the threshold of the building, and ladies who observe and occasionally giggle quietly over the hair brained antics of a few "rebel rousing" young men in the congregation. I don't know, the idea sounds quaint, and maybe too simplistic for many.
Picture this: A small one room church house with a steeple, sitting in the middle of thousands of wild flowers on a sunny Sunday afternoon in April. The men dressed in suits and hats, the women with extravagant hats, and colorful umbrellas. The doors to the church open and you hear the sounds of a few hundred voices singing the hymns that are so deep, rich, and meaningful. Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, Hallelujah, Thine the Glory.......and a preacher......a preacher that stands in front of them preaching truth to their hearts. Afterwards, everyone files out of the small one room meeting house, and shares in fellowship as they converse about the week that just passed, and the days that lie ahead.
I don't know.....I am a romantic at heart, and this is my idea of romance...simple, authentic, real, love. I pray that my walk is authentic, and that through Christ so is my love. When I met Him and really understood who He was, the things in my life started to become, of all things, much simpler. Clarity grew, and my worldly desires gradually began to fade. I began to ache, for the simple......slower, less complicated, more authentic reality of truth, and my desires for the fake, complicated, false lies of deceit began to fade. He brought that simplicity that I had longed for, the hope I had been seeking, and the peace that I was so desperate to find. From that, my desire to keep it simple, still remains. He is Lord, He is Christ, He is God, and I am forgiven by His blood. "He was pierced for my transgressions" because He loved me. So, I understand love, and I desperately want to show Him that I love Him too. Without Him, there is nothing worth getting excited over, and with Him, excitement seems to grow day by day. The good times are better than I could have ever imagined, and in the bad times there is always the truth that He is there to carry me through.
So that's all I have. Simpley, I am a man that loves Jesus. The man who first loved me.
So, I bought a book today, and if you haven't already guessed, it is a biography of the "old time religion" evangelist, Billy Sunday. I didn't know a whole lot about him before I started reading today, other than that he was a professional baseball player turned preacher who spoke extensively for the abolition of alcohol. In reading through the recount of his life so far, I get the sense that he was just an ordinary, country, hard-working man that the Lord chose to use in a mighty way. He had a humble beginning, and had to overcome some tremendous adversity and difficulty in his childhood, but underneath it all was a man that was searching for what was right. When he found the Lord, (He was actually drawn into a church service by a group of musicians that were singing hymns on a sidewalk), it was as though things began to click into place from all the many years of difficulty and preparation. He developed a relationship with the Lord that reflected who he was, and reflected his understanding of who Jesus was.
Now, my assumption and conclusion is that this authenticity and deep love for the Lord, brought a very bright light into those he came in contact with. I have not finished reading of where the Lord brought him throughout his ministry, but I am aware that his name is still referred to today in regard to "those old-time religion" preachers.
So this leads into me. My heart often zones into old-time religion, and even though I have only been around for 26 years, the desire to return to this simplicity often haunts my very core. I sit and ponder the humility, the simplicity, and the authenticity of wooden church pews, ice-cream socials, men who wear hats and remove them before entering the threshold of the building, and ladies who observe and occasionally giggle quietly over the hair brained antics of a few "rebel rousing" young men in the congregation. I don't know, the idea sounds quaint, and maybe too simplistic for many.
Picture this: A small one room church house with a steeple, sitting in the middle of thousands of wild flowers on a sunny Sunday afternoon in April. The men dressed in suits and hats, the women with extravagant hats, and colorful umbrellas. The doors to the church open and you hear the sounds of a few hundred voices singing the hymns that are so deep, rich, and meaningful. Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, Hallelujah, Thine the Glory.......and a preacher......a preacher that stands in front of them preaching truth to their hearts. Afterwards, everyone files out of the small one room meeting house, and shares in fellowship as they converse about the week that just passed, and the days that lie ahead.
I don't know.....I am a romantic at heart, and this is my idea of romance...simple, authentic, real, love. I pray that my walk is authentic, and that through Christ so is my love. When I met Him and really understood who He was, the things in my life started to become, of all things, much simpler. Clarity grew, and my worldly desires gradually began to fade. I began to ache, for the simple......slower, less complicated, more authentic reality of truth, and my desires for the fake, complicated, false lies of deceit began to fade. He brought that simplicity that I had longed for, the hope I had been seeking, and the peace that I was so desperate to find. From that, my desire to keep it simple, still remains. He is Lord, He is Christ, He is God, and I am forgiven by His blood. "He was pierced for my transgressions" because He loved me. So, I understand love, and I desperately want to show Him that I love Him too. Without Him, there is nothing worth getting excited over, and with Him, excitement seems to grow day by day. The good times are better than I could have ever imagined, and in the bad times there is always the truth that He is there to carry me through.
So that's all I have. Simpley, I am a man that loves Jesus. The man who first loved me.
Audio Adrenaline
Okay everyone,
Here are the much awaited Audio A. pics.....Yes, I did get on the stage, and yes that is me making a fool of myself, but hey just let me say...it was AWESOME!!!
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