Recently I’ve been paying more attention to those who are not free to worship or even speak of Jesus without facing imprisonment or even death. These articles, pictures, and conversations were enough to make me ask myself “how far would you go to proclaim your belief in God and the gospel?”

Because of the manner in which I experienced God today I can say with conviction, “as far as I need to, however it would take surefire assistance from the Holy Spirit”. But just two days ago when I started writing this all I could think was “man I’m not quite sure”. Being so uncertain threw me into a world of

One of the greatest ideas ever thought up was the peephole. Not only does it give you the ability to “screen” your visitors before opening the door but it also gives you the opportunity to screen your surroundings. 

The other day I heard something at my front door so after about the third time I decided to stop what I was doing and look out the peephole. I didn’t see anyone or anything there but because of the way our door is, my scope was pretty limited. I would have loved to be able to see all the way to the street! This same day I looked out my grandparent’s peephole and realized I had a way better view, however there were still many blind spots from my vantage point. 

This made me think about how different people, depending on where they are, have totally different vantage points of situations. Be it experience, geographical location, or insight given from someone else. However no matter how great of an eye we believe we have, we all have a pretty limited scope of the overall picture. For example, have you ever had a friend or family member give you a warning about someone or something because they had a feeling or had the same experience in the past? You 

Why have we quit dreaming? What’s the hindrance? Are we fearful? Is it the lack of support? Do we feel that if dreams don’t surround the entertainment or sports industries then they don’t matter? Do you even dream anymore? You know we didn’t have to stop just because we turned 18 right? The gifts that were kindled when you were a kid playing make-believe or daydreaming—are those still there? How many times do you find yourself saying, “I wish I could just…but no back to reality”? Why? Why can’t that be your reality? Why do you have to live a life that’s not fulfilling the joy within? Why do you choose to live a life walking in someone else’s dream? For a paycheck?

I know there is a gift within you that desires to be free. A gifted desire to be, create, allow, and bring forth greatness that could not be replicated or formulated without you! Recently I’ve heard many people tell their friends, significant others, or children that their dreams don’t matter. Not because they don’t

Over the last few weeks I’ve been to Magic Mountain multiple times. Traveling about an hour one-way to stand in line, in extreme heat, for a ride that could possibly kill me. In July of this year a woman riding a coaster in Texas plunged to her death when her “SAFETY BAR” released. Knowing this information I, and many others, still trusted these apparatuses. We talked about the fear of it happening to us while standing in line and still decided to ride, multiple times!

We flock and pay for these experiences because it causes excitement, gets our adrenaline pumping, and can be just clean genuine fun. In general, it has no other purpose. 

If I was to ask why it is easier to trust these roller coasters and their engineers and maintenance workers than it is to trust God, I’m sure the answer would be similar to:

Question: What do ballroom dance partners, employees and their supervisors, and God and his children all have in common? Do you give up or did the title give it away?

Answer: One leads while the other follows.

Follow the leader was a fun game for me. It was cool to follow but it was pure joy to lead and have kids do off the wall stuff that I felt like doing! If you think about it, life is like a never ending game of follow the leader. We are always following something whether we want to or not. I was reading Joshua chapter 3 last week in the message version and it caught my complete and total attention.  

When you see the Covenant-Chest of God, your God, carried by the Levitical priests, start moving. Follow it. Make sure you keep a proper distance!—and you’ll see clearly the route to take. You’ve never been on this road before. Joshua 3:3-4 MSG

The message for me was simple: Let God lead. (I wonder what you just got from reading it)

I automatically put my head down because I knew the word was tailor made for me. Even though I immediately accepted the word, it took me several days to realize I should repent for this. Why? I have tried to take God’s leadership position in my own life and it has negatively affected me and my ministry. Over the last few days I learned that I’ve taken control of things I have no experience in dealing with. My biggest tell? I was worried. When we worry it usually means we have taken the trust we have in God and placed it in our feeble ability or whatever circumstance we’re facing.

I think we all have moments we want to step in as God’s boss. But maybe I should only speak for myself. Sometimes I want to tell God what to do, how to bless, how much to bless, when he is not being fair, and when he should do this and/or that. Of course I don’t sit and say “God do this now”. It

Flashing back to an old post, mainly because I needed to read it again. Hope it can encourage someone else. Originally written 10/15/2011
Come on Esau were you really that hungry? Was Jacob’s cooking just that bomb?!

Ok let me back it up and do a quick recap just in case we aren’t familiar with the story of Jacob and Esau. Well at least the beginning of their story that can be found in Genesis chapter 25 verses 19-34.

*read the following real fast like we are speeding through time*
So Isaac (Abraham’s son) and Rebekah got married. Rebekah was barren but Isaac pled to God regarding this and BOOM she was pregnant with not one but two babies. So while these twin wrestlers were still being carried they fought with each other. Rebekah sought God about this and He told her that two nations were at war in her womb and once they were born “one people [would] be stronger than the other and the older [would] serve the younger” (Genesis 26:23 NKJV).

Esau was born first and then Jacob followed holding onto his big brother’s heel. Esau was the macho