True Community

If there could be a gift that I was able to give everyone, it would be time in the morning to revive and reflect. Somedays become overwhelming and stressful. Somedays we pile up the demands of life and just go along for the ride. Today we need to take time to truly examine the beauty of the gift that Christ has given us. Reflection on life as a gift that we have been given and have no ability to repay in equal. A moment in the morning where you connect with what your purpose is in life! Not an employee at some job, not a slave to a relationship, not a limited by means individual, but a child of God and a heir to His kingdom. We have no limitations, no expectations, no bondage of the past, but only freedom to be loved and to share love. We often allow ourselves to think and live this out so differently. We often complicate it to seem that it has to be so much more than this. The right clothes, the right speach, the right job, the right friends. We even go as far as to justify that we should be careful of who we show love and affection to! However, our daily agendas are this simple... The only thing that counts in life is faith expressed by love! Galatians 5:6

Who are you showing love to today? Who in your path needs this affection? You are the vessel that God will use to express His love for humanity. Are you complicating your faith too much?

Take a moment today and express love to someone! A neighbor, coworker, friend, relative... Share your story! Watch God work! It's the only thing that matters!

For Tyler and Carrie

No No Zone

Have you ever been told, "You shouldn't go in there!" Or, "This place isn't for you!" We have been experiencing this type of conversation with my daughter lately. She seems to want to go places we don't believe she should go. She continues to rummage through Kleenex or tries to eat Cheerios off the floor and seeks to learn new ways to eat paper! Most of our attempts to keep her out of things are to protect her from pain or fear that she will hurt herself. "Don't go in there sweetheart, you will get hurt!" Isn't it interesting that this just happens to be an innate type of feature that a father or mother experiences? Maybe even the feeling a friend would have to protect another. Looking out for their "best" interest. But what if God wants us to explore in dangerous areas? Rummage through the "waste" of the earth so that we may help clean it up? Maybe even experience the pain that could take place bumping through life and it's disappointments? What if He is calling you to step into places that "Christian" people aren't allowed and someone close to you is telling you, "Don't go in there, it's dangerous!'

Acts 17 gives us a look at a guy named Paul who was waiting for some friends to meet him in Athens. Here he is distressed about what is in front of his eyes so he takes on the nay-sayers and boldly defies the "norm" by walking into a place chock full of temptaion and bling! Ok, if you don't get it so far, I will paint a picture for you. Imagine being near an area that is uncomfortable You don't fit in, people aren't like you, their desires are unhealthy. Maybe at a ball game... beer, dancers, profanity. You know it's there; do you ignore it? I would believe that most of us do! We fear the reprecussions or even what other "people of faith" may think of us if we are associated with people engaging in "unholy" behavior. Yet, they are lost! Caught in idol! What is our role? What would God have us do? Well, Paul's mind was missional. His heart was engaged with the plan Christ would have him follow. He was able to see his opportunity even though the difficulty would be there. He begins with simple conversation. Jesus Christ stuff. He is taken to "Mars Hill" a place where murders were known to find shelter. Probably not a place that we would stop by on our way home from work! Here he mirrors himself to speak at their level. He understands what they like and uses it to connect with them. Once he has their attention, BAM, he takes his chance at sharing Christ.

How often do you see opportunity to share Christ and pass it by? How many times will you see the sign and not enter?

-TB

Learning to Walk

So... Are any of you busy? I'm not sure about you, but I'm a pretty a busy guy! Father, Husband, Cook, Pastor, Friend, Lawn Care Specialist, Dish-Washer, the list could go on! This sometimes puts me right at overload – many of us are probably already there. Yet I want to keep moving forward, moving on, growing. I want to make sense of my life. To prioritize. To simplify. To focus on what’s important. Yet it seems like I’m always questioning the questionable. I’m usually thinking about the “what if’s” so that I can calculate the risk of whether or not it’s worth my precious time. Well, this morning, I got a chance to slow down!

I spend every morning with my 11 month girl, Emma Grace. Most days it is routine as normal... sleep, diaper change, food, playtime, diaper change, repeat. You get the picture. But today, something major hit me. As we were playing games with her toys, and I watched her walk, God revealed some wonderful truths. We can only learn to walk when we take the chance to try. We often fall in the middle of trying, but you can only move forward by getting up. When you walk too fast, it's easier to stumble. But even when you walk too fast, you are moving forward! And everyday God gives us breath, we grow!

You see, if we truly believe God is in control (Deut. 4:35, 39), he will slow us down. In the mist of this, we need to continue to move forward and take steps that may me wobbley or at some times risky. Believe that God will pad the fall. Not you! Stop trying to do damage control before the damage has happened. Fail forward with peace that Christ has already paid the price so that we may be free to fail!