Back In The Saddle

19 Tuesday Jul 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in death penalty, Donte Drumm, Grisham, John Grisham, The Confession

I had to hit the ground running yesterday after 7 days out of the office enjoying the beautiful scenery and cool temperatures of Colorado. It was a good vacation but one that ended way to soon. My son and I both thought we had some days stolen out of our week. I caught some good fish, took the Jeep high into the mountains and felt some really cool temperatures and had great conversations with regulars at Fun Valley and with some Decaturites who showed up out of the blue.

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One of the things I read on vacation was John Grisham’s recent book, The Confession. If you are a fan of the death penalty, I encourage you to read this one. Just to be fair, I’m an ardent opponent to the death penalty, believe anyone who uses the Bible to defend murdering anyone is in direct contradiction to God and think anyone who calls themselves a follower of Christ and death penalty advocate should be required to give the injection that brings death. I hope I was clear on my belief. Anyway, this book tells a great story of why and how one mistake is one too many and is written with Grisham’s regular, captivating flair.

Rocky Mountain High

08 Friday Jul 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Colorado, God, sabbath

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I love the Rocky Mountains. I always feel closer to God when I’m in the mountains and it’s not just the altitude but the beauty of his creation that comes to life for me. There’s nothing I like more than standing in a river and taking in the creation around me. The week I spend here is my sabbath rest, certainly not how God may have intended it but it is the one time each year where I shut down and let the cares of the world float away.

EDIT: I had written the above post before leaving. While traveling on Thursday and listening to the Rangers game, I was aware of the fan falling over the railing when it happened. I was saddened to learn later the man had passed away. He was attending the game with his young son according to reports. I cannot imagine the effect this might have on Josh Hamilton who had tossed the ball to the man that he reached out for and fell. I read a report where Oakland pitcher Brad Ziegler was in tears after the game after watching the incident from the visitors bullpen.

I cherish the moments I have with my children and this incident is a reminder that those can be gone in the blink of an eye. I will enjoy this week with my son and cannot wait until I can hug my beautiful daughter next Saturday.
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Travel Day

07 Thursday Jul 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in daily walk, walk with God

≈ 1 Comment

Travel day is always a day of anticipation for me. It’s a day where I’m excited to get where I’m going, excited to think about what might occur or what I’m planning to do. It’s a day of adventure in knowing that I’m going somewhere with some idea of what it’s going to be like when I get there but not fully knowing all the variables that might affect the trip along the way.

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My walk with God is like that. Everyday is a travel day – one where I know where I’m headed when I leave the house but don’t know what all will come along during the day, what opportunities God will present to me, what temptations will try to pull me down, wondering if it is a day where I will help someone or someone will help me get closer to God.

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I know I’m headed to South Fork, Colorado today and I have plans but I don’t know what will come along during the journey. I will pray my daily prayer for God to open my eyes to see what he sees, to open my hears to hear what he hears, to open my mouth to speak his words and to open my heart to be like his heart.

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Grace and peace to you.
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Blogging Blah’s

06 Wednesday Jul 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Colorado, Harding, Uplift, vacation

≈ 1 Comment

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Last week I was in Searcy, Arkansas at Harding University as a sponsor for our youth group and a teacher and it was an incredible and uplifting experience. They brought in some great speakers each night and kept the kids busy and active in both learning and burning energy. I taught 3 classes on Tuesday and 3 classes on Wednesday and had a blast doing it. I love talking to young people who are getting ready to embark on so many new adventures of life. It’s an honor and a challenge to try and share some life lessons in a way that meets them where they are. I know I am ineffective on my own and pray always that God speaks through me so they will hear his message for their lives and not mine.

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I leave for Colorado on Thursday and will reach my destination on Friday where the high temperature is predicted to be 77. Sweet! I can’t wait to be there, relaxing, fishing and spending some time with my son. It’s a little bittersweet in that my daughter is still in Arkansas attending a two-week college program and won’t be with us but I know it’s a great opportunity for her and I’m glad she’s able to do that too. I still miss her though.

A Final Plea

30 Thursday Jun 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in epic, hearts, hope, Uplift

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TODAY is the last day of Camp Coldwater’s effort to raise $5,000 to drill a well. I know I have a lot of people who can read this blog and I’m asking you to help. I won’t do it often. I don’t expect it. But, I am hopeful. We need $995 as of 2:15 pm on Wednesday.

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I have been at Uplift since Saturday with our church youth group and taught classes Tuesday and Wednesday to 150 or so kids both days. We are driving back today and I can’t wait to sleep in my bed again. It’s not that I mind a twin bed, I’ve just had enough of it!

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What an incredible experience with incredible young people. I’m encouraged about what the future will hold with these kids I get to be around. Some may talk about their tattoos and piercings and crazy hair-do’s and whatever else but when you are around them long enough to peer into what God is looking at, their hearts, I believe you will find hope.

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Grace and peace to you.
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On The Road Again

27 Monday Jun 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in In Christ Alone

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THANK YOU to the folks who are helping Camp Coldwater sponsor a water well for people who are suffering in this world without clean water. I hope the Lord covers you in his blessings for helping those who are not in a position to help themselves. Know that Jesus is speaking to you in Matthew 25:40 because of your selflessness. If you haven’t helped, there are just a few days remaining. Please support this great cause at mycharitywater.org/campcoldwater.

Grace and peace to you.

God’s Provision

24 Friday Jun 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in God's chisel, God's provision, Uplift

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We will return to our regular programming, God’s Provision, in just a moment. First, please listen to this announcement from our sponsor, Camp Coldwater. “Bad water = bad health, even death. Please help. Donate to Charity:Water through the Camp Coldwater link to the right and help give the gift of health and help save lives. Thank you.”

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One of the chapters in my book (it’s still in my head) comparing my walk with that of the Israelites is my take on God’s provision. He gives me everything I need. When I need it. Pretty simple, huh? Of course, I want what he gives me plus a few other things and when he gives me some of those things I want a few more things. Pretty goofy, huh?

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A year ago at this time, I was going through some of the darkest days of my life. I was questioning God and not sure I really trusted him. My prayers had not been answered and my fears had become reality. I felt alone and empty and felt like all the bad stuff I had done had finally caused God to give up on me.

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I was wrong, of course. What I have learned is that God went to the shed to get his hammer and chisel knowing I was ready for some work to be done on me. That might not make sense until you watch this video: God’s Chisel by the Skit Guys (see more of their great work at www.skitguys.com).

It’s a year later and a time that could be filled with sadness but God has provided again. I’m traveling to Searcy, Arkansas with our church youth group for Uplift and will be presenting lessons on two days about faith and salvation. It hit me a day or two ago that God has taken a time I could choose to run a myriad of negative emotions and fill those days with thoughts and ideas about faith and salvation.

Tell me he isn’t giving me my daily bread.

I look forward to posting some things from Uplift in the coming weeks but in my absence next week, I plan to have links to several songs that spoke to me in dark days and helped me lift up my eyes to see Jesus at work and helped me open my heart to what God has in store for me. I hope they may speak to someone else as loudly and forcefully as God spoke to me through them.

I believe that God is sovereign and he does and will always provide all that I need. All I need to do is be still and be content in his provision.

Grace and peace to you.

I’m Talking To You

20 Monday Jun 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in camp coldwater, Charity Water

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Usually my blog is written to myself. Things I’m thinking that I need to “think” out loud so I can see it and chew on it. Today, it’s written to you.

See the picture to the right? The baby bottle filled with dirty water? Kids are dying because of filthy water and you have the opportunity to do something about it. I’ve got the link to Camp Coldwater’s Charity:Water page where you can give money to help children (and adults) get clean drinking water. What’s stopping you from donating? Today?

I’m averaging over 30 page views a day. If those 30 people donated $10 the goal would almost be met. So here’s the deal. If you read this and haven’t donated yet (I think 2 of my regular readers have prompted a donation), go to mycharitywater.org/campcoldwater today and give $10 or more and I’ll cover the remaining balance to reach the $5,000 goal. I know who some of you are so don’t disappoint me. When you donate, put “wayoutwise” in the comments so I’ll know my peeps aren’t cheapskates.

You can prevent someone from dying from germs/disease/infection that comes from dirty water.

Grace and peace to you.

The Fine Line

17 Friday Jun 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in God's desire, God's plan, grace, peace, under attack

≈ 3 Comments

It seems so often in life there is a fine line between so many things. I’ve often tried to find the line and see how close I could get to it before crossing and there have been many times I’ve blatantly stepped across it without much concern for where my path was headed. Maybe the things I think are co-existing on a fine line really have a chasm separating them and I just can’t see it…but it’s the way I see it at the moment.

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Yesterday, I was reminded that there is a fine line between using the word of God to build up and strengthen and using the word of God to be the judge of another person’s heart and actions. I was handed a Bible and asked to read a scripture by someone who doesn’t know me or my heart or my burning desire to know God better. I was handed the Bible and asked to read the scripture because this man thought it would convict me of something he thinks I’m very wrong about and that he wanted to call me out, in his own way, to come around to his way of thinking. Now, I’m completely open that he may be right and I may be wrong in the sense that it is something I will pray about and ask for God’s direction, but today I don’t feel I am crossing any lines with God. I’m also open to the fact that he is convicted by what he believes and in that sense I appreciate he would share his concern for me. On the other hand, I do not appreciate how it was done or the fact that he doesn’t appear to want to know anything about me and my thoughts on the matter.

The most telling part of the morning to me was this – as soon as I knew he was there, I knew he would confront me and I immediately prayed that God would simply hold my tongue and I would remain silent. I didn’t want to get in a verbal battle and I didn’t want to go into collision mode (meaning I would collide with him like a jet propelled madman as I’m apt to do at times), I just wanted to be silent and let God work in that moment, whether on him or on me. I had the strength of restraint that came from something greater than me and in that moment I was confident I was turning my heart and mind over to God.

I know the day will come when this man will approach me again to share his views and I believe I will be fully prepared to answer him with what I am convicted God is revealing to me and in that space, I’ll pray that God speaks to us both to know him better, to hear his desire for our lives and to live in either agreement or disagreement with the knowledge that each of us will seek God to furthest reaches of our being.

Grace and peace to you.

The Story of the Loving Father

16 Thursday Jun 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Jon Acuff, Prodigal

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If you know me, you know I love the story of the loving father (often called the story of the prodigal son) because I believe it’s my story. Jon Acuff wrote a great blog about this story and I want to send you to his thoughts today. I think it’s a story that can never be read enough.