deep thoughts

Infinite Sadness

Frank

It was an afternoon like any other, killing time at my family’s store by turning anything I could get my hands on into some kind of toy. Grandpa hadn’t yet come back after his daily afternoon nap and Grandma asked if I wanted to go home with her to check on him. Go to Grandma’s house? She didn’t have to ask me twice. Walking up the steps, I unlocked the door helping my grandma with arms full of groceries. I opened the door and stepped aside to let her in. The groceries dropped and my grandma rushed me back down the steps. But I still saw. My grandfather lay lifeless on the kitchen floor.

I was babysat by friends of the family for what seemed like hours (we were watching a PBS documentary on bats; not exactly my idea of a good time) which gave me ample time to reflect on life, death, and the afterlife. At nine years old, it was somewhat comprehensible. I understood heaven, kinda understood hell, and didn’t for the life of me understand purgatory (and still don’t). I rationalized the eternal consequence of what just happened, but did not feel anything about what that meant for those of us still living in this life. Perplexed, with wheels always turning, I wondered what this life really meant.

I thought a lot about it, but didn’t feel anything. At least not until a few days later, when after the funeral I found my sister engulfed in tears sitting at a typewriter at our grandparent’s house. On the page were written all of her feelings; a last goodbye from his little princess. Then, and only then, was I able to understand sadness.

As the years passed, I suffered more loss. My favorite uncle passed away while I was in the eighth grade, countless friends of the family passed away over the years, and I lost my father right as my junior year in college began. Because of this, I thought I understood death and understood sadness.

When I became a disciple of Jesus four years after my father died, eternal life took on more significant a meaning than paintings of angels sitting on clouds in heaven. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55) So when I next faced death,I thought my faith was mature enough to handle it. Or so I thought, I still didn’t know how to feel. My wife lost her foster mom, whom she loved dearly despite only living with her for two years. I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know how to help, I was paralyzed by this unfamiliar feeling-sadness. Sure I was sad when my dad passed away, but I drowned that out. I had nowhere to run from these feelings. There was no bottle to crawl into. And so I cried. Right around the same time I watched Big Fish and could not stop crying. For hours. This new feeling opened up a wellspring that I has not yet run dry. I now cry at just about anything, most notoriously while watching Finding Nemo.

Now Glynn Young reminded me that “Jesus wept” (John 11:35), and that it’s ok for men to cry. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I don’t like this feeling and so I avoid it as much as I can.

I was avoiding it a couple of weeks ago while my wife’s grandmother suffered a stroke at 102 years of age. Following the stroke, she couldn’t talk, which meant she couldn’t eat. If she couldn’t eat, that meant she was going to die. She had a living will which stated she didn’t want any kind of support, including a feeding tube. So we prepared for the inevitable. She was sharp as a knife in her mind, but she couldn’t communicate. We had to assume she was preparing for the inevitable as well. Watching her, still in her bed biding time, I was consumed with sadness. I wasn’t sad about the inevitable loss of her life, she was 102 after all. But I could not help but to think about what must have been going through her mind. She knew she was about to die and couldn’t do a thing about it. Again, that sadness paralyzed me.

Recently, my wife and I watched the Time Traveler’s Wife. Again, I felt this “melancholy and infinite sadness” as I related to Eric Bana’s character towards the end. (kinda spoiler alert if you haven’t seen it) Because he could travel through time, he knew when he was going to die. How would he have felt? What was he thinking? I was just as torn watching The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. (another spoiler if you haven’t seen it) Here, Brad Pitt’s character had “aged” to infancy with a completely mature mind to comprehend what was happening. The waterworks started flowing as this baby gripped the love of his life’s finger as he passed away.

I don’t like death. As a Christian, I should embrace it, glory in Christ’s resurrection. But I don’t. I cannot get over the sadness that comes with it. I can’t help but think about the inevitable end to our mortality and the loved ones left behind. To be honest, I don’t want to die. In high school, an exercise in my psychology class asked each of us to list one thing we were afraid of. My answer was death. Twenty years later, I wouldn’t change that answer.

Jesus presents quite the paradox. Facing the knowledge of his own death, he wept in the Garden. He struggled with it so much, he escaped to pray about it three times. Yet he surrendered to his Father’s will and willingly marched towards the Cross. Just a short time before, the brother of a couple of his best friends died and there we read the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept.” Why? He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, he knew the lifeless body before him was not going to remain that way. Was he moved by compassion towards his friends? Was he gripped with the knowledge of his own death? While he could discern what was in the hearts of his disciples and foresaw Judas’ betrayal, could it be that he didn’t know how his own story was going to play out? Surely he knew death held no power. He saw the glories of heaven first-hand and witnessed the countless number of lives who waited in “Abraham’s bosom”. Yet he still cried.

While I don’t understand it, I’m going to take Jesus’ example as permission to feel sadness with respect to death. Yes, I believe in the resurrection. Yes, I believe we should rejoice when a loved one gets to enter into God’s heavenly Kingdom. But I will still feel sadness. I will still cry. So the next time you see me at a movie bawling my eyes out, don’t be surprised.

What kind of Christian are you?

Frank

One of my buds approached me at church last week and greeted me by saying, ” ‘sup ninja?” And my wheels started turning. I don’t think he meant anything by it, but that’s a pretty good description- I’m ruthless, deadly, skilled in the Art of War. Or then again, maybe I’m not. But I think that’s a pretty good description of me as a Christian. So what kind of Christian are you?

  • Ninja: You work best behind the scenes. Effective and efficient. May never get credit and is seldom seen, but we know after you’ve been there, that the job got done.

  • Pirate: You’re always seeking the next adventure. Your focus is on the treasure stored for you… somewhere marked with an ‘x’. And you smell.

  • Rambo: Strong and independent. Out of place in the world because you were bred for battle. Better not get in your way.

  • Homer Simpson: You’re clumsy and not very bright. But somehow, some way, everything seems to work out for you.

  • Ned Flanders: To quote a comedian I once heard, “you have every book of the Bible memorized, but you can’t remember to turn off your turn signal.” Your religiosity turns people off, but you’re genuine and sincere.

  • Jack Bauer: Need something done? We turn to you. You’ll do whatever it takes, though your morality can best be described as “grey”.

  • Lost: No, not with respect to salvation, but referencing the TV show. You have a constant tension between faith and reason, science and the supernatural. Everyone is trying to figure out what makes you tick.

  • Superman: Seemingly invincible, nothing seems to shake your faith. But there’s one thing that’s your kryptonite, and it can kill you.

  • Spider Man: You keep your sense of humor in every trying circumstance. Your faith is stronger that it looks. But you don’t choose the best of friends.

  • Simon Cowell: You always have an opinion. But you speak the truth in love (ok, I’m reaching here).

  • Meredeth Grey: You narrate your life as there always seems to be drama around you. You are a faithful friend, if indecisive.

  • Rocky: You can take a punch. You’re an underdog. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you always get back up.

  • Jesus: ‘nuff said.

So, what kind of Christian are you?

If none of the above, make up your own!

What kind of Christian are you?

Frank

One of my buds approached me at church last week and greeted me by saying, ” ‘sup ninja?” And my wheels started turning. I don’t think he meant anything by it, but that’s a pretty good description- I’m ruthless, deadly, skilled in the Art of War. Or then again, maybe I’m not. But I think that’s a pretty good description of me as a Christian. So what kind of Christian are you?

  • Ninja: You work best behind the scenes. Effective and efficient. May never get credit and is seldom seen, but we know after you’ve been there, that the job got done.

  • Pirate: You’re always seeking the next adventure. Your focus is on the treasure stored for you… somewhere marked with an ‘x’. And you smell.

  • Rambo: Strong and independent. Out of place in the world because you were bred for battle. Better not get in your way.

  • Homer Simpson: You’re clumsy and not very bright. But somehow, some way, everything seems to work out for you.

  • Ned Flanders: To quote a comedian I once heard, “you have every book of the Bible memorized, but you can’t remember to turn off your turn signal.” Your religiosity turns people off, but you’re genuine and sincere.

  • Jack Bauer: Need something done? We turn to you. You’ll do whatever it takes, though your morality can best be described as “grey”.

  • Lost: No, not with respect to salvation, but referencing the TV show. You have a constant tension between faith and reason, science and the supernatural. Everyone is trying to figure out what makes you tick.

  • Superman: Seemingly invincible, nothing seems to shake your faith. But there’s one thing that’s your kryptonite, and it can kill you.

  • Spider Man: You keep your sense of humor in every trying circumstance. Your faith is stronger that it looks. But you don’t choose the best of friends.

  • Simon Cowell: You always have an opinion. But you speak the truth in love (ok, I’m reaching here).

  • Meredeth Grey: You narrate your life as there always seems to be drama around you. You are a faithful friend, if indecisive.

  • Rocky: You can take a punch. You’re an underdog. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you always get back up.

  • Jesus: ‘nuff said.

So, what kind of Christian are you?

If none of the above, make up your own!

R12: Hindsight

Frank

So after (what felt like) sprinting through the Living on the Edge book, I wanted to look back at what worked and what didn’t. My motivation for structuring this “virtual small group” the way I did was twofold: one, I believe in the message and I wanted to get it out; and two, I wanted to see if this was an effective medium for delivering this message. In other words, I cared about this and I wanted to know if anyone else did either.

Bad news first. What didn’t work:

  • Length: It wasn’t my intention to rewrite the book, which I effectively did with each post. But I wanted to get more in-depth than just a review. Honestly, I would read a chapter, sit down at the keyboard, and whatever came out was what you saw. There was some early criticism of the length, but I wanted to be thourough enough that someone could participate without having the book and those who were compelled to pick it up, would have an additional perspective to deepen their convictions.
  • Pace: This goes with length. Posting daily thoughts on each chapter might have been more palatible if each post were shorter. I kept the pace I did because each chapter was short, and if I followed the standard one-chapter-a-week pace, it would’ve taken half a year to complete. Both length and pace were a drain on me and I’m sure they were on the reader as well.
  • The R12 videos: My original plan was to link the videos on Facebook and use that as a springboard for discussion there. Instead, I couldn’t embed those videos and Facebook was defaulted as another link to this blog.
  • The LOTE Facebook page: After an initial positive response to the idea, I posted (mostly) regular discussion points on Living On the Edge’s Facebook page. I didn’t get a single reply once I got started, though I did gain a couple of followers that way.
  • Facebook and Twitter: My experience was that I only got a few “hits” from these social media sites. So I can’t say either increased my traffic (which wasn’t necessarily my goal, but was a metric of how interested others were in this topic).
  • MOTIVE ME: These were pulled straight from the book and I was hoping they would initiate discussion. They didn’t and I am guilty myself of not following through on some of the actions that should have followed each chapter to deepen convictions. In other words, I wrote about it a lot, but I failed to put my own words into practice.

What worked:

  • Facebook and Twitter: While they didn’t increase traffic, I had some good discussions on Facebook and I gained several followers on Twitter. What is encouraging was that many of my new followers on Twitter are involved in some form of addiction ministries, which tells me I hit a nerve there.
  • Su.pr: I used su.pr to link my posts up on Twitter which would then update my Facebook page. I used Network Blogs to also update my Facebook status so FB got hit twice. But while I didn’t get many hits via Twitter or Facebook, I got a lot of traffic from StumbledUpon. I gained over 30 new followers and averaged over 40 hits (which is huge for me) on each post just from StumbledUpon.
  • Most commented: On Facebook, ironically a post that I failed to copy a link to this blog, I asked “Do you blame others for who you are? Do you blame God?” That struck a nerve with a few friends and there was a (by my standards) lengthy debate that followed on nature versus nurture.
  • Most retweeted: From Twitter, What does a Surrendered Life Look Like? And from StumbledUpon, both Are you Ready to See God Do the Impossible? and Will You Let Christ Heal You? (via the clever tweet: cursing the bird does not clean the windshield)
  • Most clicked: Are you Ready to See God Do the Impossible?

So, what’s next? I need to back off the daily grind of posting, though I didn’t intend to fall completely off the net last week. Expect to see 3-4 posts a week returning to my roots of posting commentary on current events mixed with some “deep thoughts” I gain along the way. I also attended a writer’s conference a couple of weeks ago, and I need to take that side of my writing more seriously. Hopefully I’ll have good news to share in the future with this venture. I’m also going to take this blog to the next level (step two in my three-year plan) so look for updates hopefully soon.

I’m likely not going to do a chapter-by-chapter study of another book. But I do plan on using books to spring off studies. While I need to catch up on other reading, I also have a backlog of books that I wouldn’t have if not for this blog. I owe a review of John and Staci Eldredge’s Love and War, thanks to Kevin Martineau I have the book Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O’Dell, and thanks to Peter Pollock (a long time ago) I have If God were Real by John Avant. The latter two scratch an itch that will turn into a study series down the road.

Thanks for participating in my study. Hope you stick around. Finally, for you, the reader, what worked for you and what didn’t? Please give feedback so our next study will be even better!

R12: Hindsight

Frank

So after (what felt like) sprinting through the Living on the Edge book, I wanted to look back at what worked and what didn’t. My motivation for structuring this “virtual small group” the way I did was twofold: one, I believe in the message and I wanted to get it out; and two, I wanted to see if this was an effective medium for delivering this message. In other words, I cared about this and I wanted to know if anyone else did either.

Bad news first. What didn’t work:

  • Length: It wasn’t my intention to rewrite the book, which I effectively did with each post. But I wanted to get more in-depth than just a review. Honestly, I would read a chapter, sit down at the keyboard, and whatever came out was what you saw. There was some early criticism of the length, but I wanted to be thourough enough that someone could participate without having the book and those who were compelled to pick it up, would have an additional perspective to deepen their convictions.
  • Pace: This goes with length. Posting daily thoughts on each chapter might have been more palatible if each post were shorter. I kept the pace I did because each chapter was short, and if I followed the standard one-chapter-a-week pace, it would’ve taken half a year to complete. Both length and pace were a drain on me and I’m sure they were on the reader as well.
  • The R12 videos: My original plan was to link the videos on Facebook and use that as a springboard for discussion there. Instead, I couldn’t embed those videos and Facebook was defaulted as another link to this blog.
  • The LOTE Facebook page: After an initial positive response to the idea, I posted (mostly) regular discussion points on Living On the Edge’s Facebook page. I didn’t get a single reply once I got started, though I did gain a couple of followers that way.
  • Facebook and Twitter: My experience was that I only got a few “hits” from these social media sites. So I can’t say either increased my traffic (which wasn’t necessarily my goal, but was a metric of how interested others were in this topic).
  • MOTIVE ME: These were pulled straight from the book and I was hoping they would initiate discussion. They didn’t and I am guilty myself of not following through on some of the actions that should have followed each chapter to deepen convictions. In other words, I wrote about it a lot, but I failed to put my own words into practice.

What worked:

  • Facebook and Twitter: While they didn’t increase traffic, I had some good discussions on Facebook and I gained several followers on Twitter. What is encouraging was that many of my new followers on Twitter are involved in some form of addiction ministries, which tells me I hit a nerve there.
  • Su.pr: I used su.pr to link my posts up on Twitter which would then update my Facebook page. I used Network Blogs to also update my Facebook status so FB got hit twice. But while I didn’t get many hits via Twitter or Facebook, I got a lot of traffic from StumbledUpon. I gained over 30 new followers and averaged over 40 hits (which is huge for me) on each post just from StumbledUpon.
  • Most commented: On Facebook, ironically a post that I failed to copy a link to this blog, I asked “Do you blame others for who you are? Do you blame God?” That struck a nerve with a few friends and there was a (by my standards) lengthy debate that followed on nature versus nurture.
  • Most retweeted: From Twitter, What does a Surrendered Life Look Like? And from StumbledUpon, both Are you Ready to See God Do the Impossible? and Will You Let Christ Heal You? (via the clever tweet: cursing the bird does not clean the windshield)
  • Most clicked: Are you Ready to See God Do the Impossible?

So, what’s next? I need to back off the daily grind of posting, though I didn’t intend to fall completely off the net last week. Expect to see 3-4 posts a week returning to my roots of posting commentary on current events mixed with some “deep thoughts” I gain along the way. I also attended a writer’s conference a couple of weeks ago, and I need to take that side of my writing more seriously. Hopefully I’ll have good news to share in the future with this venture. I’m also going to take this blog to the next level (step two in my three-year plan) so look for updates hopefully soon.

I’m likely not going to do a chapter-by-chapter study of another book. But I do plan on using books to spring off studies. While I need to catch up on other reading, I also have a backlog of books that I wouldn’t have if not for this blog. I owe a review of John and Staci Eldredge’s Love and War, thanks to Kevin Martineau I have the book Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O’Dell, and thanks to Peter Pollock (a long time ago) I have If God were Real by John Avant. The latter two scratch an itch that will turn into a study series down the road.

Thanks for participating in my study. Hope you stick around. Finally, for you, the reader, what worked for you and what didn’t? Please give feedback so our next study will be even better!

Memorial

Frank

(Thanks to Fred for the inspiration!)

We are a species created to remember. Nearly every country on Earth has memorials erected to honor fallen soldiers, past leaders/heroes and historical events. I love to visit Washington, DC- I city built of memorials. Perhaps the most moving is the Vietnam Memorial, where the name of every fallen soldier is listed. I haven’t yet seen the WWII Memorial, which saw so many soldiers lost that it would be near-impossible to list every name. Instead are stars, representing 100 fallen soldiers. There are 4048 such stars.

Today you are likely to enjoy a barbecue, take in a movie, or maybe visit the beach or a baseball game. There might be parades or memorial events at the local cemetery. But the real celebration of Memorial Day is enjoying the freedoms earned and protected by our fallen soldiers and those presently in the fight. In such a way, we are living memorials as our lives honor those who fought and fight for all that we have.

The Bible is likewise filled with memorials. Stones erected, places renamed, and altars built to remember what God had done for His Chosen People. Just a quick sampling: the naming of Bethel, where Jacob dreamt of the Stairway to Heaven; The twelve stones marking where the Nation of Israel crossed the Jordan; the place of Ebenezer, where the Israelites saw victory over the Philistines. After Christ, we have the memorial of the bread and wine, but with the curtain of the Temple torn in two and the tomb found vacant, there was not a physical memorial erected to memorialize what Jesus had done.

But there doesn’t need to be. We are that memorial. Paul writes, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3, emphasis added)

Just as we celebrate Memorial Day today by enjoying the freedoms won for us, we celebrate the memorial of Jesus Christ every day by allowing our lives to be a testimony of the sacrifice offered on our behalf. Is you life a memorial to the sacrifice of Jesus?

Memorial

Frank

(Thanks to Fred for the inspiration!)

We are a species created to remember. Nearly every country on Earth has memorials erected to honor fallen soldiers, past leaders/heroes and historical events. I love to visit Washington, DC- I city built of memorials. Perhaps the most moving is the Vietnam Memorial, where the name of every fallen soldier is listed. I haven’t yet seen the WWII Memorial, which saw so many soldiers lost that it would be near-impossible to list every name. Instead are stars, representing 100 fallen soldiers. There are 4048 such stars.

Today you are likely to enjoy a barbecue, take in a movie, or maybe visit the beach or a baseball game. There might be parades or memorial events at the local cemetery. But the real celebration of Memorial Day is enjoying the freedoms earned and protected by our fallen soldiers and those presently in the fight. In such a way, we are living memorials as our lives honor those who fought and fight for all that we have.

The Bible is likewise filled with memorials. Stones erected, places renamed, and altars built to remember what God had done for His Chosen People. Just a quick sampling: the naming of Bethel, where Jacob dreamt of the Stairway to Heaven; The twelve stones marking where the Nation of Israel crossed the Jordan; the place of Ebenezer, where the Israelites saw victory over the Philistines. After Christ, we have the memorial of the bread and wine, but with the curtain of the Temple torn in two and the tomb found vacant, there was not a physical memorial erected to memorialize what Jesus had done.

But there doesn’t need to be. We are that memorial. Paul writes, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3, emphasis added)

Just as we celebrate Memorial Day today by enjoying the freedoms won for us, we celebrate the memorial of Jesus Christ every day by allowing our lives to be a testimony of the sacrifice offered on our behalf. Is you life a memorial to the sacrifice of Jesus?

Today Everyone is Irish

Frank

I’m a red head. And I was raised Catholic. It only seemed natural growing up to assume I was Irish. Being adopted added to my fantasy. I took a lot of pride in my Irish heritage, even to the point of working at Irish pubs for my two stints in the restaurant biz while in college.

Growing up, one of my best friends was of British heritage. And was Episcopalian. We would joke that if we lived in Northern Ireland, we would be bitter enemies. We would play war; I would be in the IRA while he would represent the Orange Order.

Turns out I’m not an Irish Catholic after all and the fantasy was left to childhood games. I have yet to go to the Emerald Isle while I’m grateful to live in a country of unprecedented religious freedom.

“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:26-27)

Who knows what my life would be like now if these fantasies were true? Would I have hated my best friend? I know my family would be very different. My relationship with God would likely be vastly different as well.

Today we all get to pretend we’re Irish. Even if we don’t look the part. So while it’s fun to pretend what is not, we should not forget to be grateful for what is.

Today Everyone is Irish

Frank

I’m a red head. And I was raised Catholic. It only seemed natural growing up to assume I was Irish. Being adopted added to my fantasy. I took a lot of pride in my Irish heritage, even to the point of working at Irish pubs for my two stints in the restaurant biz while in college.

Growing up, one of my best friends was of British heritage. And was Episcopalian. We would joke that if we lived in Northern Ireland, we would be bitter enemies. We would play war; I would be in the IRA while he would represent the Orange Order.

Turns out I’m not an Irish Catholic after all and the fantasy was left to childhood games. I have yet to go to the Emerald Isle while I’m grateful to live in a country of unprecedented religious freedom.

“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:26-27)

Who knows what my life would be like now if these fantasies were true? Would I have hated my best friend? I know my family would be very different. My relationship with God would likely be vastly different as well.

Today we all get to pretend we’re Irish. Even if we don’t look the part. So while it’s fun to pretend what is not, we should not forget to be grateful for what is.

Attitude of Gratitude

Frank

Inspired by the most recent Coffee Break from Living on the Edge that referenced Psalm 103 and a desire to get at least one post up while on vacation. I’ll focus on this part: “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (Ps 103:2, emphasis added) I want to take this time and remember his benefits over the last year.

Work related: I’m grateful for the job that I’ve been praying to get for the last few years. I’m grateful for the recognition I’ve received from my peers for the work I’ve done. I’m grateful to be able to pursue some of the things I have a passion for- even though that hos so far been fruitless. And I’m grateful that have the opportunity, and the trust from my boss, to pursue them.

Family related: I’m grateful for my son’s improvement in every possible area- his discipline, his speech, his writing. I’m grateful for his interest in God and Jesus. I’m grateful for his health after his struggles breathing and sleeping. I’m grateful for my daughter growing up too fast and being too smart. I’m grateful for the relationship she has with her brother. I’m grateful for the joy she shows me ever day when I come home from work. I’m grateful for my wife finishing her teaching credential and having new opportunities at work. I’m grateful for her active attitude to always be out running and the friends she’s made (or friends she’s grown deeper with) doing so. I’m grateful for our relationship and that despite a 4 and a 2 year old, we still are able to have quality time. I’m grateful for my mom’s move and the extra chances I’ve had to visit her because of it. I’m grateful for my sister and her encouragement and support.

Ministry related: I’m grateful God still considers me worth of leading others to deeper relationships with Christ- after two small groups dissolved, somehow I’m still at it. I’m grateful for my recovery ministry keeping me grounded and my continued sobriety. I’m grateful for the families we’ve grown closer to through our small groups and the battles we’ve fought together. I’m grateful for the continued inspiration through God’s word to instruct and encourage. I’m grateful for the writer’s conference I went to where I met Peter and the encouragement to pursue writing. I’m grateful for others that I’ve met blogging and the fresh insight they all provide. I’m grateful for the teen I mentor- his patience with me and his open heart for God. And I’m grateful for the leadership of my church, the relationship I have with our Evangelist, and the men in my life that call me higher.

None of these things would be possible without God. Without him, I wouldn’t have the character to have these blessings in my job. Without him, I wouldn’t have the good relationship with my children or my wife. And without him, I would have no purpose with an eternal significance.

I am often asked why I have the faith I do. These are just some of the reasons. There are more, but those will have to wait until after I finish the turkey leftovers.