Sunday, December 23, 2012

The Question.

Do I have what it takes?

John Eldridge in his book Wild At Heart talks about this being the question every boy asks. The answer will direct boys into being men with a capable confidence or men who are unsure and fearful.

Which kind of man are you?

Growing up I didn’t feel I had what it took to do anything of significance.

I became a man who lacked confidence and was fearful of trying things that I didn’t know how to do, my fear kept me from asking to learn, so everything scared me.

I lived in a constant state of fear of being found out as someone who didn’t belong.

Sound familiar?

God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love and sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7

Yesterday I changed the battery on my car by myself, small thing to the man who was raised with confidence, for me it was a break through moment.

It was an "I have what it takes" moment.

I know there are more and more men out there who are still asking the same question they were as eight-year-old boys and finding the answer the same at every turn.

As Christian men, we have the responsibility to find them and to build them up in such a way that their question is answered in a way that spurs them toward the high call that God has put on their life.

How is the question answered?

Masculinity is bestowed in the company of other men.

It takes a man to show a man he’s a man.

The world is full of fear-filled men who lack confidence.

As Christian men, we have the reasonability to find them and to build them up in such a way that their question is answered in a way that spurs them toward the high call that God has put on their life.

There is a company of men I have surrounding me who are bestowing masculinity upon me from their strength and I am bestowing to them from mine.

If you are a man in this world you need other men around you life is too hard to walk alone you need a band of brothers.

This week's challenge.

Pray for men to come into your life who you can lend your strength to and to whom you also receive strength from both are important if you are going to create a group that is not about one persons needs.

Pray for forty days, it biblical, fast a few meals in there and pray because God will bring men into your life and you into the lives of others that will change the course of your life and the life of those arIound you.

Next Blog "The One". You will never guess what it’s about.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Reservoir

For those who read this blog and know my commitment to posting weekly I want to be faithful to communicate so as to stay in integrity.

I am having a difficult time staying current on this blog and so I am stopping the weekly post for one month. This will give me time to create a reservoir for myself and help me to create better content for this blog.

Thanks for reading this far I look forward to encouraging and challenging you all in a months time.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Thank you.

There are only a few stories my dad told of living in Holland in world war two but one always stands out for me this time of year and on this particular day.

My dad lived in a small village in holland and it wasn't uncommon to have solders in the village what was uncommon was to see allied solders, but there he was a allied air force solder in the village, his story is the one I remember.

This solder was a co-pilot and his plane had been shot down and was headed for the village my dad lived in.

The pilot rather then risk killing any of the villagers, who were to him only nameless people in a foreign county, told his co-pilot to jump out of the plane while he tried to keep it in the air and get it past the village.

The pilot succeeded and saved who knows who and who knows how many people but he died that day in a fiery plane outside of a village in a foreign country far from home.

I always wonder if that pilot had jumped and the plane had crashed into the village would I be here?

To the unnamed pilot who died that day so far from home I thank you.

There are countless stories of countless sacrifices made but this is one I always will remember on this day especially.

To all who died to save those they would never know, thank you your sacrifice was not in vain.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Poser and the Fig Leaf of Separation. .

I have a fig leaf and I use it to cover myself to pretend that my sin and shame is not an issue.
The Bible says love covers a multitude of sins.

So why did Adam and why do I use a fig leaf to cover my sins from those whose love would cover and wash our sin away.

By those I mean people around us, ultimately Christ is our redeemer, the Bible says when we confess our sins He (God) is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When I come to my family, friends and co-workers and say "hey I'm sorry I messed up here" then there is a covering of the sin and a washing that can come but it can only come when we expose it by removing the fig leaf of the poser

Love can't cover our sin if we are with our fig leaf of separation.

It's time to remove your fig leaf and become who God made you to be.

This week what would it look like to make a conscience effort to not cover your mistakes and failings but with a heart of repentance (desire for changing) come to those you have dealt wrongly with and be real about what's going on.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Swords.

I love a good swashbuckler film knights, pirates. I love the films where a son recovers his fathers sword or uses it to win the day in almost every movie that has swords and fathers and sons there is a passing of a sword from a father to a son in some way.

Robin Hood, Kingdom of Heaven, King Arthur, The Three Musketers it's a right of passage it's a symbol of manhood its a heritage of strength.

I have thought a lot about that passion why do I feel that way about an object and how do I make it come alive for me now. I don't have a sword and if I did I would just hang it on my wall, I dont have enemy hords at my front door, or dragons to slay. So sure if I had a sword I could pass it to my son but what meaning would it have?

In the time of history where a sword was used it meant a lot. It was practical and natural to have a sword and pass it on.

What legacy do I have to offer my son?
As he comes to an age what will be a symbol to him of manhood and a heritage of strength?
What will he look at and see battles fought against enemy's and victories over dragons?

My Bible.

It came to me that a Bible is that sword a Bible that has been used as it should will, like a well used sword, have some notches and look like it has been doubt with.

In this technological age I write this blog on my phone and read a bible off it too. Something can be lost when I loose "touch" with the word of God.

A while back I wrote about the Paige ceremony my friend has implemented for his sons there are two more ceremonies that follow.

The squire ceremony and the knight ceremony.

In preparation for sending our sons out into war I encourage you fathers to send them out armed with a well used sword that they can read notes and prayers and pass down and know where and when God blessed you and where and when you were broken and how you overcame.

In our lives there will be times when we are seeking the face of God our savior and we find him in his word make notes and date them not only will they help you but your sons as well bless them by giving them something more then just a symbol you will give them life and faith.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Passion.

I have thought and prayed about sharing this piece of my heart for a while.
The wellspring of life is your heart proverbs 4:23 so my heart must be seen if what is flowing from it can be seen for what it is.

This is my passion statement and from this I will engage men where they are to take them from a place of apathy to victory.

My Passion Statement.

I have a passion to see every man come into the fullness of what God has for them.

I believe everyman has a unique part to play in his family and only by his presents and participation can his family be released to be who they were made to be.

I believe every man has a unique call in his church and only by his action and devotion can he inspire other men to use there streanghth in service to the king.

I believe every man has a unique place in his community and only by his love and reaching out can he bring the kingdom of God to men who are desperate for fellowship.

The three areas mentioned home, church, community these are, as I see it, the areas where we fail to engage so with that in mind in one of these areas I will engage men once a week through this blog and in my daily walk with Christ.
I look forward to sharing this journey.

Every one has a passion it's a question of what it is not do I have one.
My prayer is that you would understand your part, your call, your place, and that man or woman that you would move toward it.
This week prayerfully seek what your passion is and see where you have been placed where you can be what no one else can be.
You only you can be you where you are right now and you are there for a reason.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Thermostat's and Thermometer's

I had an aha moment this week.

I had a conflict with my boss that left me feeling rather ticked.

I knew I didn't like how I was treated and knew it wasn't right.

Within two minutes I was doing the same thing to a co-worker under my supervision.

Wow how did that happen?

I was being a thermometer.

A thermometer is an instrument used to determin the tempature in room. I was being an instrument that was just reflecting the tempature.

That's not what Jesus called me to be.

As I said I had an aha moment.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me in that moment and I realized that I was letting outside input to determine my output instead of my output being determined by the Holy Spirit within me. My boss, who I see not being valued for his effort and care feels like he is treated poorly so I was treated and so I treated others.

That's not being who I am called to be.

I am called to be a thermostat.

A thermostat is an instrument that sets the temperature of the environment.

I'm called to set the temperature around me to change world by being in it.

This week think about how you are showing up at work, at home, wherever you are. Then ask yourself how's that working for me?

Are you being a thermometer, just an expression of what's going on around you.
Or are you a thermostat, a changer and shaper of your environment.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Ask not what your church needs.

What makes you come alive?

I am a doer. I love to be busy and do stuff in church if I see a need I fill it if I see lack I pick up the slack. I have hidden behind a cloud of "serving" and have lost myself and what I was made to do.

I ask again, "what makes you come alive?"

I made a difficult choice in January I stopped volunteering on a specific team at church regularly.

As a doer I have had a really hard time with this lack of action.

For me I discovered that I had lost my heart in all my doing, I had lost what I was moving toward.

About two years ago I wrote a passion statement. I wrote down what I felt is what I am to move toward.

I had no idea how to get there with the ministries I was involved in and with what was available for me to be apart of.

As I have been going through wild at heart again I saw a question that gave me words to this last nine months.

"Ask not what the world needs but what makes you come alive, because that is what the world needs. "
A question posed in the book and DVD.

I altered it to church from world and in asking myself this question I found that I came alive by doing this (writing) and by giving myself to helping men to find where their passion lay.

Ask yourself this question.
"What makes me come alive?"
and stopped asking what are the needs around me.

I believe you would find that you don't mind doing some of the things needing to get done because you are not trying to come alive in them.

Out of your passion will come the desire to serve and to give of yourself to areas around you that have needs.

You will have passion and purpose and from that place sacrificial giving becomes a withdrawal from a full and ever filling tank.

This week ask yourself not what your church needs but "what makes you come alive" and do that and see what happens.

What do you think of this?
I welcome your thoughts and opinions.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Wild At Heart part 1. A Beauty to Rescue.

A beauty to rescue.

An adventure to live.

A battle to fight.

Three passions that God gave to men that shaped them.

Yesterday marked the start of the Wild At Heart series at our men's breakfast.

What a time we had. I was a facilitator of a group and we unpacked the three passions and looked at how they could be implemented in our personal worlds of work and family.

Think of every movie guys like. There is always three elements to it.
A great cause that needs a hero, this hero fights to save the day and save his loved ones

Let's go one by one shall we.

A beauty to rescue.

That one may seem obvious to some but I really see there is a lot this covers. As a married man I have a beauty to rescue by my side but that is not broad enough.

Let's go deeper.

I believe part of this passion needs to be expressed by how we talk about and what we even think about women in general.
Matthew 5:28.

It's rescuing the beauty when we say stop and walk away from a conversation at work where the other guys are being crude in how they are speaking about women.

It's rescuing the beauty when we don't say insulting things about our wives and girlfriends around other people to make ourselves look or feel good.

It's not rescuing the beauty when we look at pornography or even just pictures where the objective is sexual arousal.

As a father of a daughter I also have the great responsibility of raising my daughter in such a way that she knows her value is not in how she looks or what she wears but in who she is.

I want her to see that she is beautiful and that she deserves to be seen that way by her future husband.

As a husband rescuing my beauty means helping her to know that she is valuable by how I speak to her and by how I speak about her.

If your single then how you speak about and to women will have a direct effect on how you will speak about and to your future wife.

As men we shape the world around us for good or for evil and God has given us a passion that needs to be expressed in an honoring way both to God and to women.

This week think about how you talk about women and ask God to show you how it is effecting your relationships with the women in your life.
It doesn't matter what you current relationship status is.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Ezra

I have thought about why I want to share such a private moment so publicly as to put this message on my blog.

I feel that there is huge significance in spiritual milestones.

I want whoever reads this to know that your kids are never to young to be set on the path of Gods way with purpose.

This is what I never had but my prayer is that it will not just bless my son as he walks along the road to manhood but will inspire other fathers to spur their sons onward toward successful manhood with such commitments and blessings.

What you were given does not have to measure you and does have to be repeated.

You can be the blessing you never had to your sons and daughters by making their milestones important.

To my Son.

Your name Ezra is Hebrew in origin it means Helper/One who helps/gives aid.

My Son as I was praying for you. The Lord gave me this verse for you.

2 Timothy 1:7.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (NKJV)

As I read around this verse for context I saw that it began with Timothy being commissioned by Paul his spiritual father and closed with his release into his mission of preaching the gospel in fulfillment of his calling.

This is the day we dedicate you to Gods service and to his care.

My commission,

My son resist the fear that would attempt to hold you back from you embracing the call of God on your life.

Our God and Father has given you power and love and a sound mind.

My son may you have an unquenchable thirst for His presents.

My son may you have a heart for the lost and broken.

My son may wisdom ever guide your steps.

My son may your love for others overshadow the hurts and pain you will encounter.

My son may you be a light to those who would seek and a door to those who knock.

My commitment,

As your earthly father I will raise you up in such a way as to point you to your heavenly father from whom all blessings flow.

I will endeavor to be an example to you of a Godly man.

I will bring you up in a company of men who will be examples and burden bearers, men who will stand shoulder to shoulder with you and raise you up to be all that God has called you to be.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Obsession

What can I do with my obsession
With the things I cannot see

Is there madness in my being
Is it the wind that moves the trees

Sometimes You're further than the moon
Sometimes You're closer than my skin

And You surround me like a winter fog
You've come and burned me with a kiss

And my heart burns for You
And my heart burns...for You

And I'm so filthy with my sin
I carry pride like a disease

You know I'm stubborn, Lord, and I'm longing to be close
Your burn me deeper than I know

And I feel lonely without hope
And I feel desperate
Without vision

You wrap around me like a winter coat
You come and free me like a bird

And my heart burns for You
And my heart burns...for You.

This song was a definition for me when I was a teenager.

A couple of weeks ago I was listening to a live version of this song from an album I bought 14 years ago.

Music has a way of bringing back memories and emotions.

That night when I heard the cry of my teenage heart again I felt all the emotion of my desperation for Jesus and remembered all the pain I had in those long ago days.

The Holy Spirit begin to speak to me a out my lack of desperation.

When I was a lost and fearful teenager it was easy to see my need for a savior and to passionately run to him as my only solice from the cruel world.

As I have grown in my faith I have lost some of my understanding that I am still a man in great need of a savior and as my life moves forward my reliance on my Jesus should increase.

I now am responsible for my wife and two children God has given me a specific call and church that I have a part in leading.

My need for a savior has not lessened but rather it has increased. I like you need to be desperate for Jesus.

This week my challange is to reconnect to our desperation for Jesus and if you have never had a desperation to realise your great need for Jesus in your life.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Irredeemable

I recently read a comic book series by that title written by an insightful and creative man named Mark Wade.

In his series he delves into a superman type character who was conceived in dysfunction and who never was able to overcome his origin of dysfunction.

Have you ever felt like you were set on a path of destruction or at least dysfunction and you cannot see how you will ever be fully clear of habits or temperaments?

I have, anger has a way of springing up in my life in a way that makes me feel like I will never be free of it.

I was raised in an anger driven home and as such my course was set with anger fueling my actions and passions.

It sub consciously became a stronghold in my life that anger was something I would "just have to deal with" I don't think that is biblical and as its not biblical it's not true.

Culture tells us some things can't be fixed so don't try.

The Bible tells us that God is all about redemption.

A famous story is that of Ruth the story is one whole book in the Bible.

Ruth as we read was a Moabite, a decendent of Moab who was conceived as a result of a insestual relationship between a father and daughter.

So the whole lineage of Ruth is dysfunctional to start. But God it seems does not believe in irredeemable situations because he uses Ruth to be in the lineage of Jesus.

To get back to myself for a moment I get into a bad place when I think that something God is working on is a disqualifier of me being used by him and worst when I forget that I have been redeemed from so much already.

Lord Jesus I pray for those who are trapped in the cultural lie that they are irredeemable.
That the path they were set upon is the only path that they have to walk.
Show them the grace you have shown me and let your love wash the dirt of the past away so they may see the plans you have for them and the way you would take them.
Amen.

This week read Ruth and insert yourself into the story and see how God your loving father wants to show you that he is even now redeeming your story.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Is Community?

Is Community proximity?

I have been thinking a lot about community.

Acts 4:32 says "the whole congregation of believers was united as one-one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. (The Message)

We live in a cul-de-sac we moved there to be more in proximity of our church so we could have more opportunity to build into the community which we have put our spiritual roots.

We had no idea what God had in store for us in this move.

Upon moving in we found that the neighborhood was friendly in a way that we were unfamiliar with.

We had a neighbor who upon seeing I didn't yet possess a lawn mower offered his whenever I had need of it.

We have had opportunity by proximity to bless those who we live near in our church, such as seeing one of our youth walking near our house and picking them up and having them for dinner and taking them to their event later.

Also by living where we do we have had the opportunity to expand who watches our children, and we have been blessed by some of the teens in our church and there caring for our children.

Acts 2:46 says that the believers met daily in the temple, that they broke bread in there homes.

I believe community is strengthened by proximity, because it allows us different opportunity and the lack of proximity can be a deterrent for building stronger relationships.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Driveway Date

If your married this one is for you if your not them read this and remember.

A driveway date is not a new concept I have read about it and heard about it previously.

Now that I have two kids it has become a marriage saver.

Every Monday night Nicole and I block out time after the kids are alsleep and make time for each other to be with Jesus and we have it in the driveway.

We have modified the idea to meet our needs, at first I thought it was only okay I was thinking about what I could be doing instead.

But having time when all the "things" in life get put on hold has become invaluable.

For Nicole and I this is a time we now look forward to and value because it gives us quality time with each other and spend time praying and listening to a podcast sermon.

Every married person knows that a good marriage needs time put into it to make it successful.

Hence the driveway date night.

We also need to take time to be in communication with our heavenly father so this night fills in both of those needs.

If you have never tried to have one night a week where you and your spouse spent time away from it all getting closer to God then I challenge you to try it make it what you need it to be but make it purposeful and I believe that you will see fruit in your marriage and spiritual life.



Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Batman VS Superman.

I just recently saw the latest batman movie and it was awesome.

It got me thinking about the differences between two of my favorite comic heroes, and the change that needs to happen in me in how I look at where I am.

Bruce Wayne is a man needing his role as Batman to fulfill his purpose.

In every incarnation of batman his is a tortured soul seeking value and acceptance in what he does.

I have lived there I have seen my job as role I must play (Bruce Wayne) while my true value and my real purpose is what happened when my kids go to bed (Batman) I have struggled to balance my need for things like a house and food for my family with the almost overwhelming desire to do something of real value.

If like Bruce I give into my need for purpose and make my identity that of my role, in his case Batman then I loose all the value that comes with small things like relationships and such, only small things mind you.

This almost happened to Bruce it almost happened to me but my Alfred my segregate father pulled me from that way of thinking by helping me connect the dots.

Now for Superman.
My most favorate of comic characters. He is a man who is not defined by his role as he defines what his role is by who he is.

That's how I need to live that's how I am going to live.

I know who I am and what God created me for and as such I can create a role that is an outward expression of an inward reality.

To further the parallel.

I may have a job that does not draw on the best I can give but as a wise mentor told me it allows me the opportunity to be ready to move into action when the time comes.

I want to throw down the gauntlet this week, for myself and any who read this.

I want us to live like who we are in Christ is what makes what we do valuable.

I want us to stop living like what we do makes us valuable.

See you all next week.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

The Revelation.

Reading quitter by Jon Acuff. He is talking about the plan myth.

It's his determination that you need to dip your feet in the area of your passion (step 1) to practice (step 2) so that when the time comes to plan (step 3) you are better prepared to live out your dream.(the goal)

I have had a directionless desire to influence people.

I knew I was made to make a difference in people's lives I just never new how.

I never looked at my passion to be the catalyst of my dream.

I always assumed my passion would come once I discovered my dream.

Wrong.

I have long had a passion to write.

My first stories, I kid you not, were about my lego games. I would imagine stories play them out and write them out. I called them "Lego wars."

I still have those stories rolling around I still on occasion write stories involving those characters. I have maps and timelines all that was pointing to my passion.

How could I have missed it?

My passion is writing.

I heard John C Maxwell talk about how he writes so many books. He said he writes every day not a book a day sometimes not a chapter a day but he writes something everyday.

I would say that strategy is working for him.

So I gave it a try and I have committed to writing everyday and publishing this blog once a week.

Something happened I didn't expect. I can't not write everyday now.
As long as I'm getting input I have to output.

My passion won't let me do anything less.

If no one reads this blog ever I will be successful in my life simply by letting my passion be expressed.
I also intend to read some blogs to help me form better style and technique.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

the page ceremony


To explain what this ceremony is all about you have to have a small understanding of the historical idea of a page.

In Medieval times a page was a young boy who was in the service of a knight or Lord.

In some cases for the purpose of becoming a knight. In others he was the son of a lord and this was his training ground to take the role of lord some day. 

The context of this ceremony is a page is a knight in training. 

I have spent most of my life asking a question that for the longest time I couldn't form words around,

Do I have what it takes?

As boys we ask this question we ask our fathers we ask men who are around us. 

We always get an answer and the answer will set us on a path to success or failure. 

in different ways one way is we ask men in our lives if we can help do tasks or activities that we see being done with skill and success. 

I heard alot growing up 
"Your to small"
"When you get older"
"I don't have time to teach you"
These are classic you don't have what it takes moments. 

The page ceremony says you have what it takes and we will help you to do it. 
The page ceremony is all about putting people in the life of a young boy who will influence him toward becoming what God created him to be.  

A friend of mine has four sons two of which I have had the privilege of participating in the page ceremony.  

It's a time when these boys are invited to enter into a group of men to be told you have what it takes we are going to walk with you and teach you how to succeed. 

This is one of the most intentional things you can do to train up a child in the way he should go, you can bet when he grows up he won't depart from the teaching. 

There are to many men walking with him who won't let him slip away. 

I heard a quote a long time ago 
"It takes a village to raise a child" 

I believe it takes a community, a group who stand togeather in faith and values to empower a child to become all they were created to be. 

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Catalyst of faith # 2

I was listening to one of my favorite pastors, Andy Stanly preach on catalysts of faith and he talked about the first two of five in part one.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=294380324

I was moved by the second in his list.

Faith is build with relationship.

This should come as no surprise to you of you are a Bible believing Christian.
We believe that God is a relational God so it speaks for itself that relationship is key.

At one point during the message he was talking about having people in relationship with our children, as they grow they will be influenced by those around them.

Who will those people be?

Will they be people whose values compliment yours as a parent?

You have a choice if you make it to bring people into your children's lives who will influence them toward Gods way.

By not choosing you by default choose to give influence to those your children hang out with or go to school with.

John Eldridge in wild at heart speaks of men growing up by accident, this is a reality that does not have to be.

The idea of intentional disipleship means that you do things that instill values as well as value.

This is what is behind the page ceremony. I wrote about a few weeks ago.

Who is influencing your children?
Is it people who you value and who value them?

When they are teenagers and they need someone outside the home to confide in will it be someone who loves them and shares your values?


Sunday, June 24, 2012

Discipleship

That's a big word this year in sunshine hills, 2012 is the year of discipleship.

I like to think of it as the year of intentional discipleship.

But what does intentional discipleship mean?

To me as a man I look back at my faith journey and I see key people who guided me and loved me. 

In the absence of being fathered by my dad I was mentored by different men in all different stages of my life.

Where would I have been today if I didn't have strong men who came along side of me and held me accountable, or gave me sound advice, or who cared enough to look me in the eyes and tell me that I was valuable. 

Jesus came to earth he came to where we were. He lived with us in our pain and in our struggles.  Then He discipled. 

If you want to be effective in discipleship it's not good enough to have a good Bible answer for someone's problem you have to live with them where they are. 

I don't know many people who are taking the idea of discipleship as I have described it and are living it out but they that are have caused me to adjust how I view this subject.

I don't think we can be who God wants us to be if we are not taking discipleship seriously and making it a priority in our daily lives. 

Two questions. 
1) Who in your life through their involvement changed the course of your life in a positive way? 

2) Whose life through your involvement is on a positive course change?

If there is no one whose life you are investing in to make a difference for the positive then pray about where God would want to use you and watch how He changes you and them in the process.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

the creativity killer



I have been struggling lately with the idea of what I want to do with my life and how that is going to affect how I influence the world.

Six months ago in my journal I wrote that I felt that I needed to let the creative part of me grow but the killer of that was TV. 

I love to write I get a lot out of it; it is how I process and its how I best express myself. It is in fact the thing that makes me feel alive. 
So why is it that I struggle so much with doing it more? Six months ago, it was TV and now guess what its TV. 

Its my creativity killer. 

I am not going to let another six months go by just to come back to the same place hence this blog. 

The fact that there is a battle going on inside me means that I have hope of being all that God has called me to be.

I know that I am not the only person who feels trapped by where they are and knows that there is more they should be doing and could be doing. 
Be brave my friend don't let what you were created for get killed by excesses or by apathy

Gods mercy is new very morning and his faithfulness is great. Lamentations 3:23

Today is a new day lets move today from where we are into where we can be just a little more.

Jesus said he would never leave us of forsake us even till the end of the age. Matthew 28:20. 

So with that in mind.

Is there something that stands in the way of you stepping out into your dream? 
It has no power over you. 

Is there something God is calling you toward?
Run to it.

Finally 
What choice will your next choice be and what will it open up into? 

"every right choice opens the way to ten more good choices and every wrong choice opens the way to ten more wrong choices."

I am excited friend because there is a new morning awaiting us and we have a faithful God who is with us.