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Untwisting Normal: The Power of Divorcing My Father

Posted in Uncategorized on October 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Michael is a TV news anchor in our area.

Although I have not directly experienced the challenging life he lived through, I understand the truth of what he describes. My heart goes out to all who are in the twisted normal Michael describes and I pray that the sound wisdom he espouses will be heard and heeded.

Enjoy.

Michael Cogdill

What some parents don’t want to remember their children can’t forget.

I’ve turned fifty, yet the child within me can’t help but remember.

In a small house in Arden, North Carolina in 1964, my mother tried to wake my father from a deep nap on the living room couch. Beer likely fueled that nap. I would soon learn even one or two lubed the gears of violence within that beautiful man.

But I was too young to know that then. I was a little past three years old. This ranks as my first memory of childhood.

My dad sprang from the couch, straddled and pinned my mother to the floor, and beat her so hard with his open hand her head thundered off the hardwood. She fought him, hard. Screamed for him to stop. I joined her. My cries fused with hers from where I stood, no more than six…

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Leaving a Legacy – Harvey’s Chapel and Pick’s Pond

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Ancestery, cemetery, descendents, faith, Harvey's Chapel, heritage, Memorial Service, Pick's Pond, Wyatt on May 19, 2015| 2 Comments »

Gravestone of Mom’s Grandparents, Charles Washington “Wash” Wyatt and Julia Pearl Edmonston Wyatt.

Family gathering at Pick’s Pond around 1988 or so.

This past weekend my wife and I accompanied my parents to the annual Harvey’s Chapel Homecoming in Marmaduke, Arkansas (population 1,111). My Mother’s parents and at least two generations prior are buried there. For the past few years I have been researching our genealogy and have built a fairly sizeable family tree using my grandmother’s 40 years of research on Dad’s side of the family, my Mother’s recollections and assorted notes, and Ancestry.com. I was excited to go to the reunion to meet cousins who might share my interest in genealogy and be able to help flesh out my tree. My most recent finds have been ancestors from England back into the 1300 – 1600’s (which I find really cool), but the time in Arkansas gave me a fresh appreciation of a more personal reason we traveled the 600 miles – to build relationships with friends and family and to experience a common life that we share as God’s children. I want to share vignettes from the weekend that provided life lessons for me.

The first day we drove to the Harvey’s Chapel cemetery to place flowers on the assorted graves. As we walked from grave to grave Mom recited stories from her childhood visits each summer to Arkansas from her Michigan home. I saw my great grandparents with new eyes and a keener appreciation for what life was like in the 1940’s and 1950’s in rural Arkansas. Mom’s mother passed away when she was only 5 years old giving birth to a baby sister who also passed.

Mom at her Mother’s Grave in the Harvey’s Chapel cemetery. Her mother was Lorene Zelma Wyatt Pickler.

Mom, Joy Pickler Moss, sharing stories from her childhood summers spent in northeast Arkansas. Harvey’s Chapel is in the background.

Mom telling Wyatt, her youngest grandchild, about his relatives.

Yet Mom’s maternal grandparents, Charles Washington “Wash” Wyatt and Julia Pearl Edmonston Wyatt, were her second family and played a huge role in raising her. I had their names, basic life details, and pictures from my Ancestry.com research, but listening to my Mom and later several of my cousins, I began to see them as real people with trials and challenges, hopes and dreams, times of loss and times of abundant joy – not much different from you and me. It was like the black and white pictures I have took on color and life while listening to the stories from their loved ones.

Later that day we headed to Pick’s Pond where, as children, our family would regularly spend the fourth of July Holiday. Grandpa Pickler purchased the land and with the help of my uncle Don, built a series of catfish ponds on the property in Crowley’s Ridge near Boydsville, Arkansas for Grandpa’s retirement. Sadly, Grandpa was diagnosed with Chronic Leukemia in his late 50’s and his health deteriorated fairly quickly limiting the amount he was able to do on the farm. Yet I still fondly remember his fun-loving antics and his love for his grandkids. He always wanted to “tell me a secret” only to get me close enough to nuzzle my ear with his grizzled chin – a trick I now do with my two grandsons.

Fishing on the big pond at Pick’s Pond in 1985

Bo. the black Labrador retriever, loved to play king of the inner tube – and he often won. About 1974.

A favorite game of “bounce the boys”. About 1988.

Step three of the Game Bounce the Boys. About 1988.

Seining one of the breeder ponds. About 1988.

Mom – Joy Pickler Moss, standing in front of the Big Pond at Pick’s Pond. About 1977.

The farm at that time was basically a large open field with six ponds on the gently sloping hills. One thing that Grandpa insisted on is planting lots of trees on the property. He lined his driveway with “little-bity” pine trees and surrounded the “big” pond with small cypress trees. I feel certain he knew he wouldn’t see these trees grow to maturity, but it was his desire to leave something of beauty and worth for future generations. I was stunned when we pulled into the driveway.

Pick’s Pond, May 2015.

Another view across the Big Pond at Pick’s Pond, Ma 2015.

Fishing under the Cypress trees at Pick’s Pond. May 2015.

There was no field. Nor were there any little-bity trees. Instead was a beautiful pine canopy over-shadowing the tree-lined drive with forests on either side. An even more amazing sight awaited at the big pond where Grandpa’s cypress trees now soar above the shoreline providing shade respite from the brutal summer sun.

Grandpa Pickler around 1975 – 1977.

My heart was full of thankfulness for my Grandpa’s vision and desire to make something beautiful for those of us to follow and for my uncle Don who helped Grandpa turn his vision into something tangible.

The next vignette came on Saturday evening when we gathered at my first cousin Kelly’s home in Piggott, Arkansas. Since Kelly was a lot younger than me we did not play together a lot as children. As we drove up I saw the landscaping Kelly and her husband Jamie had installed and we had an immediate connection that I didn’t realize existed. I enjoy landscape design and making those designs become a reality. We talked extensively about plants, landscaping, and the challenges of our hobby. Today instead of being simply my younger cousin with a husband and two fine sons, my relationship with Kelly has taken on depth and life through our similar experiences and passion. This theme repeated itself throughout the weekend as I met new family members, 2^nd and 3^rd cousins, who shared some of the same interests and tastes as me, but had experienced life in a much different place and time. The sense of what a small world we live in and the impact of shared DNA was really fascinating.

Our final event was the Memorial service at Harvey’s chapel on Sunday morning. The chapel is now only used this one weekend a year. I guess it seats about 60 or 70 folks comfortably. With the rain showers that began about 45 minutes prior to church time, I wondered if the crowd would be pretty sparse. As we entered it was definitely a throw-back to simple days and the small country church. My sister said she was half expecting Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie to slip in. As 10:30 arrived I looked around and happily noticed that the church was almost filled in spite of the nasty weather. The service was camp meeting style with songs and order of service a good bit different from what I am used to. But there were a number of things that were welcome touch-points for me. The scripture used was the same tried and true Word of God that I read every day. The verses were familiar ones God has used numerous times to guide, strengthen, and challenge me in the past. During the invocation the speaker quoted CS Lewis, one of my favorite authors. But the thought that sticks with me is that my ancestors over 150 years ago met in this same place seeking to establish a community of faith. One relative donated the land. Another relative started the church meetings in their home. Many others made up a large portion of the congregation. Even the current Memorial fund which helps keep the grounds maintained and the building in good repair has been funded in large part by other relatives. While the community now gathers at other newer and larger churches on Sundays, the fact remains the roots for those churches are the small country churches like Harvey’s Chapel and they stand on the legacy of our forebears in the faith.

The lessons reiterated from the weekend. We are connected to the family of faith throughout history. Those that have gone before us sweated, cried, cheered, prayed, and lived so that those following would have a place to stand… a place to live… a place to worship God.

We are more alike than we realize and God made us that way intentionally. God is most interested in relationships. Person to person, but especially person to living Lord. Strive to really get to know the people God places in your life. Ask God to make those connections from which relationship grows. And out of those relationships, the life of Christ can be shared.

We may not always fully comprehend the purpose for the events of our life until much later. In fact when the group met in the Edmonston’s home in 1859 for the first time as what would become the Harvey’s Chapel congregation, I would be really surprised if anyone spent much time thinking about the fact that in 2015 a group of 60 believers from all over the US would still be meeting in the church they would birth. Jesus talked about faith the size of a mustard seed, though extremely tiny, able to produce amazing results. I saw that this weekend in a little country church and the families that have lived, loved and served the Lord in a steady faith.

Have a blessed day and be a blessing to someone today.

A few more fun pics from Pick’s Pond.

Don explains why these mulberries taste so much sweeter. It’s the fertilizer. This tree sits over the old outhouse.

Keith’s double handful of sweet mulberries.

I think Don left the truck parked there a little too long.

Cousin Anna, Don Pickler’s youngest daughter.

Mom wins the fishing contest this day. Day is awfully proud of his entry although I don’t remember why.

Sister Christin Joy Moss and Cousin Kelly Robinson Wilson.

Sister, Julie Elizabeth Moss Denton, and Cousin, Kelly Robinson Wilson.

My parents and siblings with our entries in this day’s fishing contest.

Uncle Don shows off his physique.

Keith and Julie. Keith’s description of an Arkansas 4th of July trip. “Go to Grandma’s. eat a biscuit, and sweat!” July 1989 I think.

We ate watermelon until just before it started growing out our ears.

Cousin Jason and my oldest daughter, Rhiannon. About 1988.

Eric’s jet ski on the big pond. Jason prefers Rhiannon power though.

Eric takes Rhiannon for a ride on the big tractor.

Aunt Allene was Mom’s Mother’s sister. This is Aunt Allene and Uncle Rex’s 50th wedding anniversary.

Aunt Fay and Uncle Roy. Fay was Grandpa Pickler’s little sister.

Dad, John Moss and my lovely wife, Lisa. This is about one year into our marriage. We just reached 30 years of wedded bliss last month.

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Higher Than the Heavens

Posted in Uncategorized on March 18, 2015| 2 Comments »

The sunrise was glorious this morning. I am so thankful I had an opportunity to see it. The rich variety of color and texture that continued to change during those 15 minutes even as the chill in the air tickled my nose and fingers was amazing. Pictures simply don’t do it justice… but I will continue to take them.

A theme that runs throughout the bible is that God is the omnipotent creator. Genesis opens with a formless void and proceeds to describe God bringing into being all that was made. Watching this sunrise I see God’s power, His artistic flair, and His supreme sense of beauty. I guess there is one more thing – His perfect balance of timing. While it only lasted for about 15 minutes, it was sufficient to lift my spirit and make a settled certainty for the day – “We are not alone – He is here!”

Psalm 19:1-6

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens and makes it circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

Be blessed today my friend and be a blessing.

By the way, here are a few other sunrise or sunset pics I’ve taken over the past year.

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A World Wide View

Posted in Uncategorized on February 21, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The last few years Lisa and I have been able to pick up a new hobby – international travel. As you might expect the picture of the world based solely on what we see in the news is not exactly the whole picture. To get closer to the truth I try to pull information from several different sources spanning the spectrum. Fortunately we have now been able to add some personal experiences to the list of information sources.

Today’s blog is going to be different. I have been stirred for the past couple of weeks because of a number of events occurring around the world that point to a significant “culmination of events”. While I do not consider myself a biblical prophesy expert, I have read enough to know there are certain things that will be in place at the end times and it looks like the stage is pretty well set.

1) The rise of ISIS and the Vision of an Islamic Caliphate. I was surprised to learn that the teachings of Islam have end times prophesy not unlike the bible. The prophesy of the end times has battles in the region of Syria and Iraq taking place with a charismatic leader rising from this time to unite the nation of Islam and attack Israel and all unbelievers who will not convert. Today, ISIS leaders believe it is their destiny to usher in the end times. Unlike typical soldiers who willingly put their lives at risk, but strive to do so in a manner that allows them to fight another day, ISIS fighters are convinced paradise awaits them as soon as thy die if they can do taking a bunch of infidels with them.

It is important to note that Iran is very much tied into this part of the story too. Iranian influence has grown greatly in the region. The government overthrow in Yemen over the last month was orchestrated by rebels loyal to Iran. Libya is mostly overrun by rebels loyal either to ISIS or Iran.

Saudi Arabia is very much at risk to Iranian influenced rebels / terrorists. I read an article about the Islamic end times prophesies and it pointed to the death of the Saudi king being a trigger point for the end times. Within the past month the Saudi king died. Iran, ISIS, and to a degree a large part of the Muslim world believes the end times are near and it is incumbent upon them to help usher it in.

I saw a clip yesterday of Glenn Beck speaking to this topic and I believe he had some sound advice. His words to our leaders are to understand what we are getting into if we seek to put boots on the ground to wipe out ISIS. While we need to seriously consider whether we are ready to launch World War III, we need to be aware that to the Islamist, this is truly the war to end all wars.

2) Weapons of mass destruction. One of the untold stories in the mainstream news was the validation of the Bush era concern of weapons of mass destruction. While they were never found and trotted out for the world to see, it now appears that they did indeed exist. Unfortunately they where successfully hidden when the United States helped overthrow Saddam Hussein, but ISIS may have found them. Admittedly this story is one that my trust-o-meter is only about 50 – 60% on, but my gut gives it credibility.

But Iraq was not the only source of weapons of Mass Destruction. Two other nations that are not our friends either have, or will soon have the capability to have nuclear weapons. Pakistan is already equipped with nuclear capability and out relationship with that nation is not very strong.

But far and away the biggest threat is Iran. Have you ever wondered why a nation with tremendous oil reserves and such a strong push-back against their nuclear ambition would continue to strive so hard to achieve nuclear capability? They would be so much better off if they ditched their nuclear program. The world would rush to embrace them, relations with many nations would normalize, and prosperity would come to the nation. But instead they doggedly push for nuclear capability they don’t need. Why? I believe it is for the bombs they intend to make.

3) Jesus reaching out to Muslims and others. This is one of the most exciting things I have heard. I have heard a number of reports of the Lord sovereignly reaching out to Muslim Imams, Hindu leaders, and others through dreams and supernatural “coincidences”. The stories are like Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus. And the results are amazing. Within the “enemies’ camp” the Lord is raising a testimony to the one true God and Jesus Christ, the only way to be reconciled to the Father.

4) Financial warfare and the fragility of the worldwide economy. I am reading the book, “The Death of Money” by James Rickards. He knows financial systems and has helped our government strategize and develop protections against financial attack and cyber warfare. While some in our government grasp the significance of the threat many do not. Personally, I have been uneasy about the $18 trillion of government debt and what that is liable to do to future generations but I didn’t know enough to be really concerned about financial warfare. Now I do and I realize that we live in a time when tremendous damage can be inflicted upon millions and millions of people without ever firing a shot. A panic can be created within our financial systems that brings on a recession or worse around the world and it has already some close on a number of occasions.

A piece from network news that touches on the vulnerability is the hacking of Sony pictures databases by North Korea and the subsequent international blackmail that stopped the release of a movie that portrayed North Korea in a negative light. I didn’t follow that story to the end to see if it was really North Korea alone or in collaboration with others, but the point is if a nation that is so seriously under-developed can make such a huge impact simply through a few keystrokes, then our financial systems are an open target.

To be balanced here the US is still probably the most sophisticated and advanced in the realm of cyber-warfare. We can do the same or worse to others. The problem is we are not equipped to anticipate and prevent a major well-executed attack without suffering major damage to our financial systems. Wealth would be destroyed, businesses would go under, people would lose their jobs, and in the midst of this distraction a real war, say in the Middle East aimed at Israel, could begin.

5) The New Prime Minister of Greece – Alexis Tsipras. I only mention this because of how much his rapid accent from relative obscurity so closely reminds me of Nicolae Carpathia in the Left Behind series of novels on the end times. It concerns me greatly when unknown persons who proudly deny the existence of God, rise to rock star status and tremendous power in a matter of just a few months. It appears that at this moment this gentleman has within his grasp the ability to make or break the European Union AND he is very close to Russia.

Oh, just a tidbit that could play into this is that some of the richest persons in the world are actively promoting and working toward a one world government to solve the world’s problems such as climate change. Bill Gates and George Soros are two men who have dumped large amounts of money into making the world fit their vision of what it should be like. I see a charismatic leader filling the political role and then deep pockets people like Gates and Soros being able to provide the platform to usher it in.

6) I didn’t even mention the war in Ukraine. It is telling that this major event – Russia fostering war in a sovereign, western-leaning nation, is at the position of #6 on the list of events. In more normal times this would be a headliner with a strong, consistent US response. Right now it is barely on the radar for us… but not to the people suffering through the offensive by Russian supported separatists.

I mentioned at the start of this article that Lisa and I have been able to travel some in the past few years. We went with a group from our church to Israel this past year. In fact it was the trip right after my heart procedure. One of the sites we visited was Mount Carmel. It was really cool to stand on the brow of the Mountain and hear the story of Elijah in 1Kings 18:16-46. Elijah stood alone as the single prophet of God before 450 prophets of Baal. God showed up in a mighty way that day demonstrating His ultimate power, delivering Elijah and showing the people who the true God was.

After that story we then walked up to the top of the church to the balcony which got us above the trees for a view of the Jezreel Valley. It was a beautiful view and I will attach a few pictures. Our guide then explained how another name for this valley was the Valley of Armageddon where the final battle would take place. In Ezekiel 38 and 39 it speaks of a major battle in Israel with the location most likely being in this location. Revelation 16:16 is the only place where the specific term Armageddon is used. In both descriptions God sovereignly intervenes for the nation of Israel with a mighty earthquake and fire from heaven.

I find it interesting that the very areas that the bible describes in Ezekiel – Gog, Magog, Cush, Put, Persia, Meshech, Tubal, Gomer correspond to the lands that are right now engaged in the conflicts mentioned above – Russia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Ethiopia, the Saudi Peninsula. And for the record, the biblical prophesies in Ezekiel were written late in his life probably around 575 – 571 BC. That’s over a thousand years before Islam’s great prophet was alive.

So what are we to do with this information. I must admit as I read and digest this it tends to begin stirring a sense that I need to “do something” to get ready. In reality we all need to do something, but it depends totally where you are in relation to the God of the Universe. The reality is that all this is transient. It always has been and one day, perhaps sooner than most people can conceive, it will all come to an end. Eternity is real and, as the name implies it is forever. God’s plan is, and always has been, to redeem those who would follow Him. He did this through sending His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. He asks us to simply exchange our sin-wracked life for His perfect sinless life.

So if you do not know Jesus your first step is to get to know Him. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Please reply to me if you are interested in learning more or if you want to go ahead and take your next step. The church I attend is also very dynamic and has an excellent online service. Check it out at NewSpring.com.

If you are a believer then the “do something” is to pray and tell people about the Lord. More than ever people will be looking for answers since the world cannot give answers that truly fulfill the deepest questions.

The thing the Lord keeps reassuring me is to Trust Him. He is in control. I do not know if this is the end times or another difficult time in world history like the middle ages or WWII, but I do know that the Lord is sovereign and whatever happens He is working in it for the greater good.

I close with Paul’s exhortation to the believers in Rome who were facing some persecution, but soon to face so much more. Romans 8:28-39

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.

What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

For your sake we face death all day long: We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. (from Psalm 44:22)

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Lent 2015

Posted in Jesus Christ, The Father, Uncategorized, tagged Lent, religious activity, spirituality, Transformation on February 18, 2015| 1 Comment »

Good Morning and Welcome to Lent 2015. Lent is the season of preparation immediately preceding Easter. In the early church this time was spent in final training for Easter baptism for persons who had decided to give their life to the Lord. While the faith and commitment of a life given to God remains the same, there have been many adaptations through the years. As we begin our Lenten journey together this year let’s take a look at some of the roots of the Christian faith and allow our Father to inspire us this year to deepen our walk with Him.

Life commitment. For much of the history of the church, being objects of persecution has been the norm. The Roman Empire had a god and he was the Caesar. In reality they had a lot of “gods”, but what was officially frowned upon was a religion that espoused a solitary, supreme God that was not under the Roman boot. As such the early church experienced repeated periods of intense persecution which included being treated as second-class citizens, torture, and even publically sanctioned murder simply based upon the fact they were Christians.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:24 – 27 sets the bar for what it means to follow Him.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.”

Becoming a Christian is not simply responding to an altar call to receive a get-out-of-hell card. It can start there, but the Lord is calling us to something so much more demanding and so much more rewarding than that. And the early church dedicated time to teaching initiates about that with Lent being the final exam if you will.

As Christians in the western world we have experienced very little persecution directly impacting our lives, yet the reality is it has always existed. The prince of this world, Satan, has and still does wage a relentless attack against the people of God. Recently we have had the brutality and evil of it exposed in the atrocities committed by ISIS. This is not really new however. In the past 1200 years over 270,000,000 people have been murdered in the name of Islam. To be Jewish or Christian and to hold to that faith was to be under a death sentence. And in large parts of the world today it still is.

The point of this is that a commitment to follow the God of the bible, to trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross, cannot be taken lightly. What God calls us to is not a life of ease (although we are to rest in Him) nor is it a trouble-free life (but do not worry because Jesus has overcome the world), but it is a life that will be filled with God’s grace and abundant love. When a person accepts Jesus as their savior and Lord, they truly move from death to life. While that may make us targets of Satan (and Islam) it also comes with so many amazing benefits – Jesus’ promise to never leave us or forsake us, we are given the Holy Spirit as our counselor and helper, we are sealed as God’s possession forever, and the list goes on.

Over the coming weeks let’s dig deeper into what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. I would love to hear back from you. Please share your thoughts or experiences with how God has stretched you, taught you, and helped you grow in your faith.

Until tomorrow I pray you will be blessed and be a blessing to another.

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My Healer

Posted in God Stories, Prayer, The Father, Uncategorized, tagged grace, healing, Prayer on February 17, 2015| Leave a Comment »

As some of you know I had a miraculous intervention last March where the Lord used a dream to send me to the doctor where they found and corrected three blockages in my heart with stints. Since then I have been on medications, I changed my diet, and I have worked to remain consistent in my exercise regimen. What I did not change until the beginning of this year was the stressful work situation. I have exchanged what was a stress-filled job with a slightly less stress filled beginning of a new career as a Reliability Consultant.

One week ago today as I was driving to meet two of my three brothers for breakfast I felt a twinge of pain in my chest. It lasted about 10 – 15 seconds, but it was a real pain right above my heart. It was not unlike other pains that anyone who is over 50 has periodically, but the fact that it was where it was caused me to take note. As time went on, I began noticing this pain come more frequently… 2 or 3 times on Wednesday, 5 or 6 times on Thursday. It was not severe pain, more like a slight crick in my chest. The pain was not nearly as bad as the thoughts that began going through my head.

Now some might ask why I didn’t go to the doctor immediately to have it checked out. Well, I was praying for guidance, the pain was really minimal, I didn’t have any other symptoms, and I didn’t want to be like Chicken Little saying the sky is falling.

Friday night I woke up with some pain. At that same moment with no words spoken Lisa reached over and put her hand on my head. I remembered thinking, “Well the Lord has Lisa praying for me, it’s going to be fine.” When she pulled her hand away I was fine.

Saturday morning I told our daughter Christin who had come down for a weekend visit about it. She has completed a year of graduate school for Physical Therapy. She performed some checks and found that I had tenderness in the connecting tissue around my ribs right above my heart. That made me feel better mentally, but when she asked if I had hit my chest or done something to cause this I couldn’t think of anything.

Saturday was a great day as we visited with lots of family. The only problem was that the pain in my chest was the worst it had been. So while Christin’s diagnosis gave me some sense of relief that it wasn’t my heart, the fact that I couldn’t think of what I had done to cause it still had me concerned.

Now I know the Lord is able to make things clear enough that I truly trusted Him to let me know if I was supposed to go to the doctor. Since He was not leading me to that I knew the answer was either that the pain was not something to worry about or He was about to take me home and He would use my home-going for good in other people’s lives. That didn’t remove the niggle of doubt that kept trying to creep in periodically, but it did give me a place of faith to stand.

Our Pastor felt the leading of the Lord to change the service on Sunday. The new message was one of God’s Grace Gives us Freedom. It was specifically aimed at proclaiming God’s promises that as believers we can walk in healing, deliverance, restoration, and wholeness. I am a member of the Care Team and at the end of the service all Care Team members were invited to come down front to be ready to pray with people that come forward asking for prayer. It was also mentioned that if we needed prayer that we were to simply face the other way and other Care Team or staff members would pray for us.

Well I really wanted to pray for others. But I also had the question about should I get prayer for my heart. When I went down front I decided I would pray for others and then afterwards I would ask for prayer. A staff member I had never met brought a young man in front of me and was talking with him. I couldn’t hear them over the music, but I felt a prompting to go up and join in agreement with them for whatever the need was so I stepped up to lay hands on and pray with the young man. I did not know either of them and when I came up they already had eyes closed and were praying. This is what I heard immediately upon stepping up.

“Lord, I know you love Dan (my name is Dan for those who don’t already know) and you desire wholeness in his body. You have knit his body together and you know how he was made. I ask now for healing for all stomach and digestive issues (I had also been having some stomach and digestive issues which I had only mentioned to Lisa because they were just a nuisance). Father I pray for every cell in his body which you have created to function as it is supposed to and that he will know complete health.”

By this time I was weeping because our Father was allowing me to both pray with someone who needed healing, but He had brought forth someone with my name so I was being prayed for too. I can’t tell you how encouraging it was to know the Lord had orchestrated this. Afterwards I shared with the staff member my story an we prayed again.

When I came home my daughter-in-law, Jordan came in. I told her about what I had been feeling in my chest. She said said, “it sounds like you have Chondritis. That’s inflammation of the cartilage around the ribs. I had a friend who would swim in the morning and she would sometimes get that from swimming too much.” With that she provided the final piece of the puzzle. Christin had diagnosed me correctly, but didn’t offer the link to swimming. On the Monday before I started feeling the pain I had swum 32 laps at the Y in training for possibly entering a sprint triathlon this spring. I even remember pulling particularly hard trying to improve my stroke.

Now I share my stories because I am absolutely convinced that if the Lord loves a lug like me enough to intervene in my life like this, I know that He loves anyone who has read this far. If you are already a believer take encouragement that God knows every situation and circumstance you are going through and He walks them with you. He is your healer too.

If you have never met the Lord, I encourage you to reach out to Him right now. God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus to be our Savior. He died in our place. You see God is absolutely Holy and sin cannot dwell in His presence. If it were left at that we would be doomed to live in separation from God for eternity. However His love for us is so great that He chose to send His Son to actually live on this earth as a man. He was perfect and He always lived in unity and harmony with His Father. But His ultimate purpose was fulfilled on the cross. Jesus let Himself be captured, falsely accused, judged, beaten, and then crucified because it was the Father’s plan to fulfill the requirements of justice. And while Jesus was on the cross, God put all sin – every sin that had ever been committed, all sin that will ever be committed, upon His Son, When Jesus died God judged the sin and the penalty was paid. On the third day after His death God raised Jesus back to life. Before Jesus returned to heaven He was seen by hundreds of people.

Our act to have our sins covered in this is really very simple. We simply recognize that we have sinned, we decide to turn away from our old life of sin and we chose to follow Jesus. Romans 10:9 says it like this – “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

If this encourages you or helps in some way please let me know. If the Lord tugs at your heart and you want to talk about what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ, please send me a comment and I will be happy to correspond with you. Jesus loves you and He wants you to know that.

Be blessed and be a blessing today.

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Throwing Like A Girl

Posted in Uncategorized on February 4, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The Super Bowl has become as much about evaluating and comparing the commercials as it has the actual game, at least in those years that the game is a hum-drum affair. This year the game was very exciting and many of the commercials were stellar as well. There were a couple commercials that stood out to me – one for the sentimental tug-at-the-heart impact and the other for the see-for-the-first-time wallop it provided.

The Nissan commercial showing the professional race car driver that so frequently had to leave his family struck a chord with me. The father had to leave for distant places for extended times. It evoked the pang of loss that frequent, long partings elicit. It brought home the importance of staying connected in the times we are together and being intentional about loving in a real and tangible way all the time. Having been in a high travel role before I realize that the most important aspect of demonstrating love was the arrival home. Fatigue, the next to do list, travel difficulties are all distractions that can cause us to miss the vitally important and impactful moment of arrival. I really appreciated the way the commercial communicated the love between father and son at the end. Unlike the Cat Stevens’ song that accompanied the commercial which emphasizes the separation and growing distance between father and son, the commercial ended with connection, love, and two lives bonded as they were meant to be. Very cool!

The commercial that impacted me the most though was the “Throw Like A Girl” commercial. I believe that one of the reasons the good Lord put me on this earth is to encourage others. While I am an engineer and manager whose job often requires me to exercise critical thinking and make accurate judgment calls, I am energized when I can provide constructive feedback in a manner that builds and encourages. I am a soccer coach too and I have seen first-hand the superiority of an encouraging word versus the “chewing out” form of feedback many coaches provide. What I saw in the commercial was the potential power of a seemingly tame dig to a young girl’s self-image. I was taken aback because I have teased with such statements without a second thought to whether the person on the receiving end might actually feel demeaned by it. Wow! Here I am believing I am an encourager and I may be tearing down in subtle ways without even realizing it.

I am thankful for the commercial because it made me aware of this shortcoming I possess. With this awareness, I am resolved to do something about it. I am turning away from blithely saying the familiar digs. Additionally I am going to be more intentional about listening to and understanding others so I can recognize how to be an encourager to them. There have been times in the past when I have been much more attentive, particularly toward those with esteem issues, and I have striven to be a positive influence for them. The past year has been one of monumental stress for me and I have been too inward focused to see and respond to the needs of others like I should. With the Lord’s help, I intend to change that starting now.

I guess I would have to call that a highly effective commercial – it has impacted me and brought about the type of change in behavior that I believe they wanted. I hope that this is true for many others too.

Have a blessed day and be a blessing to someone today!

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Distant Horizons

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged captain, discovery, distant horizon, explorers, faith, sailing on January 30, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Have you ever considered the mindset of the early explorers? What thoughts ran through their head as they pushed off from civilization in a relatively small boat sailing toward an unknown, uncharted destination? I am confident that many possessed a significant degree of bravado, excitement, and courage to motivate them to undertake such a risky act. For some there was simply need and desperation that drove them. A few probably did not exert much energy considering risk and reward but simply looked at it as a job to be done, a wage to be earned. However I can’t imagine that they didn’t have some fears and anxiety. I expect that through the course of the voyage, particularly when storms would rise up or when the doldrums were encountered, that everyone had to wrestle with the thoughts, “Why is this happening?” “Why did I come on this voyage?” or worst of all, “I shouldn’t have come on this trip.”

I believe our intrepid explorers have a few lessons for us that when applied to life, can make a huge difference in our level of peace and contentment.

1) Hold on to the vision of the distant horizon. We all need a vision of the something better that we are striving toward. For the explorers it was to discover new places, find treasures, become famous, possibly become financially secure. But it was all tied to reaching that distant shore. Success and fulfillment was predicated upon finding and reaching the coastline of an unknown land. That it was out there was only a hope for the earliest of explorers. For later explorers the fact that the distant shore existed was no longer an issue. However the certainty of reaching it was still in doubt and subject to the skill of the captain and crew, the accuracy of the maps and information of the few who had gone before, and to a very large degree the obstacles that they would have to overcome to reach their final destination.

2) Continue to look forward. Do not waste time and energy looking back. I have read a number of books about sea-faring in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. The most dangerous attitude aboard ship was the nay-sayer. This attitude was like a virus that could quickly spread and infect many in the crew. The “I should never have come on this voyage, we’re doomed” mentality often becomes self-fulfilling.

3) Be prepared. Practice and hone the skills that you will need in challenging situations before you need them. Don’t wait until the battle with marauders and pirates to learn how to fight effectively. Know how to quickly and efficiently secure the ship should a squall rapidly descend upon you so you are not capsized. This takes vision, planning, and hard work, but it is worth it.

4) Sail with the right captain. Ultimately the capabilities and decisions of the captain and his leadership will determine the success of the voyage. The best captain knows his crew well. He understands what will be required of the ship and crew. He is able to gauge the gap between where the crew is in its capability, where it needs to be, and what it takes to get to where it needs to be. And then he is able to take them there. Discipline, focus, and hard-work are a few of the keys to achieving success and the right captain sets the perfect tone to achieve this.

There are parallels between those who set out upon the sea to search out new worlds centuries ago and people today. Life is best lived with a fulfilling destination in mind. Some life goals (distant horizons) are better than others. A secure retirement is enough for some. Seeing their children marry well for others. While these are not bad things, I think they fall short of the type of distant horizon that infuses a person with hope, courage, and the commitment to persevere when the way gets hard. I wrote about a Life Well-lived the other day. That is my distant horizon. It is my deepest desire to hear my heavenly Father say – “Well done my good and faithful child. Enter into the rest prepared for you.” I admit to you I am not even close to being the person who should expect such a greeting, but I know God is working in my life and I believe Him when He says to trust and follow Him.

We have to look forward and not spend our time wallowing in regrets. Grace is so amazing. When we make mistakes, when we sin, we can KNOW that we are forgiven because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. We simply need to confess and repent (turn away from the sin) and turn back to the Lord. He promises to forgive us and wash us of all sin stains. In fact the bible goes so far as to say that the righteousness of Jesus is imputed to His followers. I have a hard time wrapping my head around that at times, but when we humbly come to Jesus and seek His forgiveness, He so freely gives it and embraces us that all that is visible is His righteousness. Since we have this amazing grace lavished upon us, how can we then wallow in regrets. We should not. We must look forward to what God is calling us to.

Life is not always easy. In fact for some much of life is demanding and challenging. For others of us, life is often “good” much of the time with challenging seasons. At church last night one member of the care team described how her mission trip to Africa completely changed her. She saw so many people with so few earthly possessions, so little comfort, seeming nothing really to be joyful about and yet they radiated joy as they heard and received Jesus in their lives. She described the exuberant, over-flowing joy as these believers rejoiced in their Lord and Savior. Regardless of whether you are in Kenya or South Carolina or anywhere else, you will experience challenges and it is best to prepare before you are in the difficulty. For believers that means to have read and studied the bible so it is in your heart already. It means to have an active prayer life so you are connected to the One Who is your anchor in the storm and the wind in your sails when it is time to move. It means being connected to the body of Christ in real and tangible ways. You have people you can turn to in times to trouble who can be Jesus’ hands and feet when you desperately need comfort and guidance. It means daily seeking to grow closer to Jesus and to model your life after His.

Finally the right captain makes all the difference. I know a lot of people who believe they are the captain. Eventually this will always goes bad at some point. We were not created to live life separate from God. He is the only One Who can fill that role perfectly. My life radically, wonderfully changed when I made a conscious decision to get out of the captain’s chair of my life and ask Jesus to take over. Jesus puts His Holy Spirit within His followers when we relinquish control of our lives. It requires perseverance to stay away from the captain’s chair since our minds (and all the pressure of the world) tell us we need to be in control, but the Lord truly knows and wants the best for us. One of the most important traits of a believer is humility. Humility comes when we recognize that we cannot do life on our own, we cannot reach the distant horizon when we push the true Captain out of the captain’s chair, and our role – whatever it may be, is what we need to focus upon. When we are humble there will be times when the Lord gives us the helm, but we must never forget that He is the Captain we must follow.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our little voyage today. A good deal of the naval knowledge that I was thinking of as I wrote this came from the novels by Patrick O’Brian. The first novel in the series is Master and Commander which was also made into a movie with Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey.

Have a wonderfully blessed day and may your sails be full as you sail to the distant horizon God has called you to.

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Perfect Peace

Posted in God, Uncategorized, tagged mind of Christ, peace, Prayer, Trust on January 29, 2015| Leave a Comment »

There is a term that occurs fairly frequently in the bible that bears deeper consideration – “Perfect Peace”. I read in Isaiah 25:3 today. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. I don’t know about you, but there are times when chaos, stress, and difficulties bear down upon me and anything resembling peace – especially perfect peace, seems like a distant dream.

The past year has contained a number of extremely challenging events – unbelievable work stress, health issues, a heart procedure, job losses within the family – you get the picture. When I think back it is interesting to note that there have been windows of light and peace throughout this time that were not related to external circumstances at all, but rather they were related to fixing my mind on the Lord and putting my trust in His eternal goodness and love. In fact some of the most blessed and peace-filled periods have also been when the external situation was the most dire.

I recognize that this is because when things get so bad that I have no recourse, I turn fully to God for help. You’d think I would learn to stay in a posture turned to Him, but I must admit, I am sometimes a slow learner. Way too often I proceed with a “I’ve got it from here, Lord” attitude. I recognize this for what it is – sin. In my own self-sufficiency I stray from God’s calling upon my life to walk with Him. Instead I often want to run ahead and do it my way. As I write this I repent and turn to the gracious Lord and ask His forgiveness. Because of Who He is and what He did on the cross, I can rejoice that He has forgiven me and I am empowered to walk with Him.

Because I have experienced the Lord’s perfect peace for periods and seasons in my life, I have identified a few primary keys to achieving this. They are the tools He has given us to keep our minds steadfast on Him.

1) Read, study, mark, and obey the Word of God. God has chosen to reveal Himself through the bible. This is the chief means of understanding His will for us. It is the instrument He gives us to weigh our thoughts and concerns against. The writer of Hebrews under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit gave us this admonition. “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.

2) Become engaged in a local church. We are made to be connected to one another in the body of faith. In fact God has created us to be members of His family and that family is the Church. We need to have persons we can emulate and learn from within the church as well as people we are peers and friends with. As we mature we will also become mentors and coaches of others who are younger in their faith. For this to be a tool the Lord uses there are two characteristics that must exist. First it must be a church that is passionate about Jesus and sharing the gospel. Second it must be bible-based.

3) Consistently talk with God. While many people understand that this is prayer, I specifically use the term talk with God because my experience is He wants to have a conversation with us. Granted His side of the conversation is not usually in spoken words, but the Creator of the Universe is able to communicate to us… through His creation, in gentle impressions in our heart, through an appropriately timed comment by another, through just the right reading at just the right time – God is able and wants to be engaged in our lives.

The bottom line, Our heavenly Father wants us to experience Perfect Peace. And Perfect Peace comes from minds that are steadfast on Him. My desire is to get to this place all the time. The bible talks about the “mind of Christ”. Jesus and the Father were connected. Even though Jesus took on humanity and lived among us for a time, He never moved out of the place of Perfect Peace. He lived in intimacy with the Father. He invites us to do the same. Join me in this endeavor, won’t you!

May God’s peace overwhelm and fill you today as you seek to maintain a mind that is steadfast on Him.

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A Life Well-Lived

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Life well-lived, Prayer, Priorities on January 27, 2015| Leave a Comment »

I desire to live a “Life well-lived”.

I suspect that phrase will conjure different images to different people so let me give a quick picture of what I mean. A life well-lived is one that fully hits the mark of why we were created and live on this earth. It includes making the lives of those God places in our lives richer for knowing us. It has as its heart beat a living, vibrant relationship with our Creator God, our Savior Jesus, and our Inspiration the Holy Spirit. It will include minimal negative impact on others because of the things we say and do. That is not because we live a perfect life (can’t be done unless you happen to be the Son of God and your name happens to be Jesus) but because we live a life of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. A life well-lived will be characterized by a high degree of peace even though it will likely have as many (or more) challenges and difficulties as anyone. A life well-lived will be exemplified by intimacy with the Lord.

I guess it is important to note some of the things a life well-lived isn’t. It is independent of worldly accolades and accomplishments. It may include some, but it isn’t necessary. It is not tied to worldly fame or the number of people who know your name. A life well-lived is not one filled with tons of stuff, but rather one filled with quality relationships with the people who pass through our life. It is possible to own a lot of stuff and still achieve the LIFE, but stuff is never the focus or priority of a life well-lived.

So periodically it is important to see how I am doing. Admittedly it varies and I often have to make a course correction. The past month has been one of those reflection times and a course correction is underway. Basically it gets down to being intentional about setting and adhering to the priorities in my life. Unfortunately I can get distracted and off-track too easily. I relate very much to the dog in the movie UP that has a problem with squirrels. (If you haven’t seen the movie I highly recommend it. It speaks eloquently to this very topic.)

So I share with you now my Priorities as I step out of this period of reflection and into a renewed life. Other than the first one they are not necessarily prioritized.

Become more intimate with my Lord and Savior – Jesus. Beginning every day with quality time reading and studying the Word of God and talking to the Lord. Jesus is real, present, and He wants to be involved in our lives in tangible ways. Beginning the day when everything else is quiet and I can focus upon Him is the best for me.

Journal or blog. I am not exactly sure why this is so important, but I have come to find that I am buoyed when I put a portion of my thoughts and discussions with the Lord down in print. I hope and pray that the persons who read these are edified and drawn closer to the One Who loves them more than they can imagine.

Double down on love and understanding toward the persons God has put in my life. This begins with our spouse if we are married. Our children follow. Extended family and friends. I love my wife and I know she is the greatest gift the Lord has given to me besides himself, yet I often fail to show her the love and appreciation that she deserves. As husbands we are called to love our wives as Christ loved the church, laying our lives down for them. Check out Ephesians chapter 5:25-33.

Be more intentional about loving everyone who crosses my path. It is easy to take for granted the person who serves your food at the restaurant, takes your money at the check-out counter at Walmart, or cuts in front of you on the highway. Okay the person who cuts in front of you may not be taken for granted, but they definitely aren’t the object of kind and warm thoughts. Turn those around to be opportunities to share from the well of love and blessings God has given to us. A nice tip, a kind word of encouragement, a prayer uttered in faith are gifts of love that we can give.

Be more intentional about sharing the Good News of Jesus with people. Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit is critical. We’ve all met (or perhaps been) the person who wields the gospel more like a club than the precious gift it is. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:17.

Be actively engaged in the Body of Christ – the Church. I see this manifested in two distinct ways. Engaged in a local body of believers and within a small group. I will probably expand upon this in the future.

Simplify and prioritize all the other things that demand and drain our time and energy. Many of the chief priorities mentioned above can and should be practiced through our work and social interactions. However I have had work and other activities move into the place of priority a number of times and the result has always been regretful.

Today is a new day. I am making the decision to get back on track toward a life well-lived. I realize mistakes I have made over the past few months and the lost focus. I am ready to be the man God created me to be, to do the things He has called me to do, and live the life He has set before me to live. Halleluiah! Halleluiah! I am so thankful for forgiveness, fresh starts, and the opportunity to give my life to the Lord for Him to use a He sees fit.

Be blessed and be a blessing.

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areliablefaith

Musings of one regularly overwhelmed by the love and goodness of God

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Untwisting Normal: The Power of Divorcing My Father

Leaving a Legacy – Harvey’s Chapel and Pick’s Pond

Higher Than the Heavens

A World Wide View

Lent 2015

My Healer

Throwing Like A Girl

Distant Horizons

Perfect Peace

A Life Well-Lived

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