November Book

Hey free audio book download during the month of November http://christianaudio.com/desiringgod


Desiring God by John Piper
Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering classic, newly revised and expanded, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn't truly exist: Delight is our duty.

Some Things I Know...

I was reading another blog recently and got some ideas. Here is what they boil down to.

I must go through the valley to stand upon the mountain of God.
When I’m tired and thirsty He is there.
In this walk, it’s never about me.
A slow drift takes me miles from where I want to be, in a matter of minutes.
I need others.
There are days that I must choose to love.
When I choose to engage in Worship, He is so tangible.
Love God, Love others. The rest is just static.
When I am right with my Abba Daddy, my gifts are free to flow and bless others.
Livin’ – When I don’t allow myself to get caught up in the pomp and circumstance of life. When I finally stop taking myself so seriously. When I embrace the moment and remember what life used to feel like, and go for it.
Nothing brings me greater joy than to watch my kids walk in the gifts that God has given them to advance His Kingdom.
There’s my Faith, my Family, then anything Apple.
My journey takes one step at a time, no matter how badly I want to see around the corner, so enjoy the walk.
I love you Jesus….

Good Quote

If you understand what a person fears you understand what they need.
--Marcus Bucingham

Camp

I am about to head up for another camp planning meeting in a few weeks. For about the last 10 years I have been able to be a part of a high school/middle school week of camp in Nebraska. Something just keeps bringing me back every year, and I love it. Here are a few pictures from last summer.

Another Great Couple

Here is just another glips of another wonderful couple at Emmaus.

Answering Machine

So I often find my answering machine nearly filled because I continue to leave messages on that encourage me when I hear them for one reason or another. Anyways I finally decided that I needed to clear my inbox but I didn't want to just delete them. Asher always smiles when he hears several of them too. I so decided to stick a bunch of them on here. So here is a little glimps into my world. I hope it gives you a smile as it does me.

Coming To A Store Near You

Hey our magazine is now in over 700 Barnes & Nobles and Borders across the country. Here is a link if you want to check it out at a store near you.
http://www.delightgfmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146&Itemid=60

Campout In The Backyard

Gone Fish'n

Had a great opportunity to go fly fishing for the first time with a friend about a month ago. I think I have only been fishing twice and I don't think I have ever even pulled a fish off the line, so the whole thing was a learning experience. We hike three miles up Rocky Mountain National Park, blew up our belly boats and settled into the adventure. It was a bit cold. Passed some snow on the way up even though it was July. Fog so thick you couldn't see 15 foot in front of you, but after a while the sun cut through the fog to reveal some amazing mountains around us. In all it was an awesome experience and I even ended up catching 3 cutthroat trout.

Peru 09

Get Your Groove On

I saw this on a friends blog and it sparked some ideas. Three minutes and six seconds that teach so much. One thing that stood out to me is that someone has to start. It doesn't have to be the smartest, most qualified, strongest. It has to be someone. Someone with courage. Someone who doesn't care what other think. Someone willing to be uncomfortable. Someone willing to stand out.
Another thing I thought is that you may be doing it by yourself, against the odds, with sneers, laughs, fingers pointed, and people thinking you are a little weird. Or maybe a lot weird.
Stick to what you know you should do. Movement takes time. Endurance. Pain. Struggle. Joy. Authenticity.
Be who you are. You may not have the best moves, or smoothest skills. But you are you, with a finger print that is unique, and a uniqueness that goes far beyond that.
I'm sure there are many other things you could pull from this and maybe you will even leave a few in the comments, but my last one is to have fun. That's right. In all of this have some fun.
So go out. Stand out. Lead. Step out of what you know and what you are comfortable with, and get your groove on!

Hard Calling

Do you ever get lost in the grind of life? I was looking at my calendar this past week and just got depressed. The summer is half over and I feel as though I have not had time to breath yet. I mean don't get me wrong I am really excited about some of the stuff that is coming up in the next couple months, and I have some margin built in. But as I looked at my schedule I looked at it with eyes full of expectation. And not the good kind. I have stuff coming up with the church and traveling to speak and taking a trip to Peru to serve the people. And then I start my school job again already and the cycle goes on and on. I should say here that my school job is great. It is not my dream job, but it helps pay the bills right now. And when I look at it like a job it drains all of the joy from it.

Monotony. Expectation. Kids. Daily grind. Same old thing.

But that was just the problem I was already mapping out what my day would be like a month before it ever happens. And the lack of adventure the thought of the same old thing killed me. Some of these things could go exactly how I imaging them, but then there is this God factor too. He throws things in my life all the time to wake me up out of my routine.

When I have a different outlook it changes everything. Like with my job with the school. I get to be with kids everyday, and have the chance to have an impact that could shape the rest of their life. I have these random opportunities to encourage, shape, challenge and share hope with.

It reminds me of the need to die daily. Like Jesus talked about in Luke 9:23. To wake up every day and pray for and be ready for the unexpected.

I mean I have been getting these kind of unexpected things for the past few weeks, and they come in all different shapes and ways. Some are incredible opportunities. Others are tests. Some painful. Some tempting. Most unexpected. All difficult, but all to help me grow.

I am learning to plan out my days, but watching... waiting... for opportunities to join God in his work throughout them. I am learning to push myself to do difficult things and step out of my comfort zone. I am learning to take risks and do things that require sacrifice. I am growing deeper in my understanding of faith, and what it means to trust God. I am learning that this life with Jesus is a hard calling if I truly want to follow him and trade in my selfishness. But I am also learning that there is no adventure, no life, nothing else like it. I would not trade it for the world.

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:7-10

Worship

If you cannot worship the Lord in the midst of your responsibilities on Monday its not very likely that you are worshiping on Sunday either. A.W. Tozer

I Love A Good Book

I've recently come across a great book. I love it when I get into a good book and the pages begin to fill with notes and highlighter lines.

"The expansion of the gospel occurs, most naturally, through communities of men and women who live with missional intentionality among their friends and family who are without Christ."
- Doug Nuenke, President of The US Navigators

“if you consistently live the Gospel every day, may be one day you’ll get a chance to share it.”

Free Music

I have discovered a new blog. I love doing that. Anyways Josiah has some great stuff to read including this great link to some free music that is offered for a short time. So check it out.

http://pagecxvi.com/share

Page CXVI is a project started with the idea of making hymns accessible and known again.They are some of the richest, most meaningful, and moving pieces of music ever written.
For a limited time, you can download them for no charge!

Perspective

A broken soul does not look around much. Steinbek

Delight gluten free Magazine

"Check out this amazing new magazine! Delight gluten free is a fun food & lifestyle magazine for people with Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance and food allergies. It hosts delicious gourmet recipes and easy semihomemade as well. Don't miss the Gluten-Free Meals on a Budget either. Whatever your food allergy you should be able to find something that fits your household, in their February issue they offer gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, soy-free and even some rice-free recipes. Not only that, this magazine has a travel section coming in May that will host lots of fun ideas and good advice for when you venture out on the road. Personal stories, inspiring articles on Autism, Q & A with the Doc are among the other features of this magazine."

Subscribe to Delight Magazine!

I am so proud of this woman! A few years back we started dreaming about printing a magazine for people with Gluten intolerance and other food allergies. Ever since I was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance she has had an amazing attitude and is constantly finding the benefits rather that the negatives. I eat like a king and she has even gone on the same diet with me even though she has no need to. Anyways this month the premier issue of her magazine was shipped out and subscriptions have not stopped coming in. It is amazing. People have literally been subscribing from around the world. It has kind of blown us away. Anyways enough of me spouting off about this amazing woman. Go ahead and take a look at what she has been up to at http://www.delightgfmagazine.com. If you would like to pass along the news feel free to use the info at the top. Well that's enough from me. Thanks for letting me ramble and be a proud husband.

Satan Is Terrified

I met with a guy from CU this morning. I was so encouraged and challenged and pumped. God is moving and it is neat to watch his people jump right in. I want a church were people are taking ownership and changing lives, and God has blessed me to be a part of a church like that. I love it that churches come in all shapes and sizes. I love it that God uses different things to reach different people. I love His church and I look forward to what He has to come. I thought you would enjoy the following excerpt from Organic Church by Neil Cole.

While doing some teaching in Japan, I had a dream that Heather, my daughter, started a church. In the dream, a room was full of young people who were all seriously worshiping God. When I returned from the trip, I mentioned it to her just to let her know that she was on my mind and in my dreams while I was away.
The next day she said, 'Dad, my friends all want to do it!' 'Do what?' I asked. 'Start a church.' I told her that she would have to do most of the work, and I would coach and lead only a little. She said that was fine. The next day she arranged a house to meet in, picked a night of the week, and found a worship leader; flyers were soon being passed out to friends on campus.
After the church had been meeting for several months, I met with these students and we all sang praises to the Lord. I felt the Lord's pleasure. I asked the students what was the biggest church they had ever been to. Living in Southern California there are many options of megachurches, and a number of churches were mentioned, ranging in size from two thousand attendees to more than fifteen thousand.
I then told them that I think Satan is more intimidated by this little church of fifteen high school kids than by any of those Godzilla-sized churches. They all sort of chuckled and looked around the room at one another with smiles.
I showed them why I thought this way: 'How many of you think you could start a church like one of those megachurches?' No one raised a hand. I asked, 'How many of you think you could start a church like this one?' and all raised their hands. I asked them to look around the room at all the raised hands, and I said with a new found soberness, 'I assure you, Satan is terrified by this.'

Comfortable

This word has been on my mind a lot lately. COMFORTABLE, COMFORT. Hmm. For some reason I think of a couch that is incredibly soft and embraces me pulling me down gently into a lulled state of satisfaction. And, oh yes, I might as well put my feet up too. Ahh, now this is liv’n. Or is it. It is interesting because I looked up comfort in the dictionary just the other day. The second part of the definition said just that. “Affording or enjoying physical comfort” even the examples blew me away -a comfortable chair- -was too comfortable to move-. Wow, that hit me of how often that is my whole goal in this life, and even with God. God will you make me comfortable? Will you give me everything I want? Will you not ask me to do difficult things? Can I just stay right here?

I thought it was interesting how the first part of the definition had to do with “affording”, and how we so often think that comfort or maybe satisfaction comes hand in hand with this affording piece. If I am not careful these definitions, thoughts, and ideals can quickly guide me down a road leading nowhere fast. “Go on, just put your feet up and relax.” “Somebody else will take care of it.” Go ahead, you deserve it.

There was another definition listed for comfort too. It was affording or enjoying contentment and security. Why when I here this do I think of having things or a job or stuff in the bank, as if that is what keeps me free from doubt, stress or tension. It seems like the few times I am in this position I am nearly lulled to sleep and forget that this life is about so much more and that He offers so much more. It may be hard, difficult, unknown… but oh, that is where my true satisfaction is found. Comfort in Him. That is life, That’s liv’n. That is where the adventure, and contentment is found. That is where I want to rest.

It seems the times that I have grown the most in my relationship with Jesus are during difficult or uncomfortable times. When I am stretched, pushed, and challenged to step outside what I know. What I am comfortable with.

I was challenge in this thinking after a conversation with Aaron and Lori Luse,, living examples of this, who are missionaries living in Papua New Guinea. To hear more about their adventures and how they have gotton off the couch listen to podcast #3 found on the audio portion of our site.
Don’t just sit and watch what God is doing. Get up and Join Him. It will be well worth it!


Psalm 119
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.

On The Radio

So there is a pretty sweet station out here called Way-FM. I was listening to it one day and there was a show called Total Axxess on. Wally the host had said something that intrigued me a bit so I decided to go to there site to check out more. While I was on the site there was a place where you could submit songs for the "Hot List" that they play. Well it turns out they picked my list and called me for a little interview. It turns out the show goes out to to 93 stations across the country. It is no Joe the plumber but there is my little moment in the spotlight. Click below to listen.

http://www.divshare.com/download/6280236-9df