What has your mind has you

My pastor Ken Werlein gave this quote today in regards to overcoming storms in your life:

“What has your mind has you.”

If you focus on what’s wrong in your life, you will experience the wrong. “One small stone and a sling of faith, that is all you need to make it.” (In regards to the story of King David in 1 Samuel 17)

Bruises and Baby Squirrels

This last weekend I was not feeling very well. I had managed to snag the newest flu bug, but couldn’t bear to sit inside while the few remaining bits of seasonal warmth faded under the approaching blanket of fall. I pulled a chair out on the deck, closed my eyes, and tilted my head towards the sun. Just then, a sharp noise pierced the air. I couldn’t see where the cry was coming from so I decided to get up and poke around. It didn’t take long to discover that a baby squirrel had fallen from a tree and lodged himself in between the two panels of my fence. Carefully, I pulled him out and laid him in an old shoe box.
On Monday morning I called the vet down the street and was promptly told to call the “squirrel lady”. Amazed that there was actually someone labeled “the squirrel lady” I chuckled to myself and dialed her number. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect but, a bubbly, courteous and extremely professional woman answered the phone. She gathered some details about my little friend and asked if he had any brothers or sisters. “I don’t think so” I said, and explained that he had simply fallen from the tree.
“Sounds like an orphaned nest.” She said “There are probably a few more little guys up there. They are getting hungry and starting to wander from the nest. You should try to get a ladder up there to get the rest of them before they fall.”
I headed back outside to listen, and it wasn’t long before another cry echoed from high in the tree. I knocked on my neighbor’s door to ask about a ladder, but no one was home. Worried and bewildered, I went back to the tree and peered up. The cry grew more and more intense and time was passing quickly. I knew that if I did not do something fast, it would probably mean tragedy for the little guy. So, I decided to climb the tree myself! I changed clothes, pulled on some “alligator hunter” gloves and grabbed a bag to collect whoever I found.
Carefully I climbed up a chair, hoisted myself onto the fence, and precariously wedged myself into an arm of the tree. I slowly made my way up, hoping beyond hope that I would somehow be able to make it back down again! It soon became clear that I was not going to be able to reach the nest safely by myself. I stopped to plot the next course of action, when suddenly my eye caught a glimpse of a small, fuzzy, creature clinging helplessly to a limb just a few feet from me. He began to cry in panicked outbursts, no doubt, giving away any remaining energy. Gently, I pried him from the branch and began my decent.
Once I got down and set him inside the box with his brother I assessed the damage. My arms and legs were covered in scratches and bruises, and leaves and small sticks had lodged themselves in my hair. Then it dawned on me, I had risked life and limb, not to mention an extremely high deductible on my health insurance for the sake of a squirrel!
So, what made me do it? What made me cast aside work and safety to call, search, and climb? Really, I think anyone with a heart would have done the same, but this really got me thinking.
Why don’t we extend the same urgency and self sacrifice for the hurting, starving souls around us? Literally, there are orphaned, helpless and hungry people all over. They need hope and peace that only God he can offer. They hang dangerously over the edge of uncertainty and death, and try desperately to find a comfort that will last. They have wandered far from the source of safety and are in need of someone to place personal wellbeing, agenda, and safety aside to rescue them.
How risky are you? Would you have climbed the tree or would you have ignored the plea? How much more important is the life of a human being?
I urge you to listen intently to your surroundings. Is there someone who needs your attention? Is there someone who has wondered from safety and is trying desperately to keep from falling? Time is running out and souls are in danger. Today, do something risky for the sake of eternity!

Psalms for the soul

There are psalms for every type of situation, emotion, and need. Here are eight categories of psalms and some beloved psalms that fit in those categories. These psalms form a “School of Prayer,” teaching us the basic types of prayer. You can pray these psalms or use them as guides to write your own similar psalm: Read more

Stitches of Significance

The other day I knelt at the foot of my bed utterly frustrated and confused. I needed answers, and I longed for clarity. With tears rolling down my cheeks, I bowed my head to pray. As I did, a gentle whisper asked me to open my eyes. I looked up to see a beautifully knit blanket now wrapped around my fingers. It had been kicked to the bottom of my bed the night before, and, in my distracted and urgent plea, I had unknowingly entangled my hands within its soft folds. Deep in thought, I ran my finger tips along the carefully threaded details.

“What do you see?” Came the quiet voice.
“Well”, I said, “I see many different colors and patterns. “
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Was the reply.
“Oh yes, it looks like there was a lot of time and effort used to create it.” I reveled.

“There was.” It spoke again…” Look at the individual sections. Each part comes together to create something beautiful. Individually, every square looks different and a little disordered, but once they are sewn together they make sense. There is a specific purpose for each element, and every single stitch was planned long before hand to fill a unique place.

I continued to examine it, and playfully poked my fingers through the small holes in the fabric.
“You see, your life is like this blanket. You may see only sections of chaos and unrelated segments, yet I see necessary pieces of an intricate tapestry. I am taking the good and bad, and knitting them together to form an exquisite pattern of significance. Where you feel holes, I see components of a bigger picture. When you see dead ends, I see opportunity for new and different colors. When those around you are cold, I am giving you a tool to adequately warm them.”

A sense of peace passed over me, and I sat back to ponder a bit longer. How incredible is it that our God loves us as He does! He doesn’t haphazardly look at our lives and simply take the pieces as they fall. No, Instead He lovingly and painstakingly works to mold and craft something beautiful and special from each strand of experience. At times when life doesn’t make sense, we can know that His plans for us are good, and that he does indeed have a purpose behind each part! What a delightful portrait of His grace and mercy!

Hiding under the covers

Recently, a good friend was telling me about some of the trials her and her husband have been facing lately. Generally, she is a very strong and capable business woman, carrying herself as confident and collected in the face of every-day office matters. Read more

The oldest written bible now available online!

The following is quoted from The Codex Sinaiticus Project.  For more information about this incredible project, check out their website at  Read more

An urgent message from Kay Arthur

I don’t know if you believe in every email you receive from people, but this one really caught my attention.  Whether it is authentic, I can not say, but the message is still pretty strong.  

You make the call:

An urgent message from Kay Arthur as written by an anonymous person.

Dear Ones,

On June 27th and 28th I attended a conference in Atlanta called Deeper Still.  Internationally known speakers Kay Arthur, Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer were there and I looked forward to a special time of worship and having God convict me of my sins and lead me to areas in my life where I need to change.  I have been to similar conferences for years, although none this large and with so many  well-known speakers.  There were over 20,000 women in attendance at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta - they said it was the largest crowd ever.

I had an idea of what to expect from the conference, but nothing prepared me for what actually happened.  I feel led to share my experience with family and friends.  This is important, so stay with me!

When Kay Arthur took the stage you could just tell that her spirit was heavy and there was a certain ‘heaviness’ in the atmosphere even before she started to speak.  She said that she had been literally physically sick to have to bring us this message and right out the gate she said, ‘We are in grave danger.’  She said that God had revealed to her that a literal famine is coming to America..physical, not spiritual.  She said that God is moving in judgment against our nation.  I know I can’t describe this well enough, but the atmosphere was ominous.

Kay is a seasoned speaker and she had to BATTLE to get through her message.  She stumbled over scriptures and had an extremely difficult time.  At times I was almost expecting her to collapse.  At one point she just stopped and prayed. There was no person, myself included, that we could see who did not have tears streaming down their faces. As you may know, Kay Arthur is normally a very confident, composed speaker, but she was literally in a spiritual battle and it was taking place right before my eyes.  I have never seen anything like it. she went on to give 7 things that Christians must do during this time and I am going to give those to you now:

1. Jer 4:3- Break up the fallow ground- return to Me. Repent..  Get on your face before God and ask him to break =our heart with the things that break His heart.
2. Mourn- Jer. 9:17-18 and Ezekiel 9.  It is time to weep because our nation’s sin is incredible.
3. Pray- Jer 36:7- Pray fervently, passionately for America.
4. Love God’s Word- Jer. 20.  You MUST love the Word of God and be in the Word of God.  I was particularly convicted here because I know I have not been as deeply in His Word as I need to be. She said we must get serious about this.
5. Love others as Jesus loved them.  Jer. 31:3 and John 3:34.
6. Introduce people to Jesus Christ.  It’s time to get serious about this.  This is no time for timidity. Jer 31:31; Jer 33:1-9 and 15 and 17.
7. Rest.  If you will do these things, then rest in the act that you have done God’s will.  She said that it is going to be vitally important for us to get enough physical rest.  She went on to say that God has not given us a spirit of fear and that if we are obedient to Him, we will be protected.   She said to read Ezekiel 14 over and over until you understand it. 

This is what God will do if a country turns against Him.   She said that this is going to be a calamity (she used the word calamity in such a way that you knew this is going to be no small thing for our country), and gave many more scripture references, but what I have given you are the main points that she made.

I hope you know that I would not have sent this to you if I had not been profoundly affected by it and feel it is of great importance to share it.   Thank you for taking the time to re ad this and I hope you will do with this information that yo u feel led by God to do.

Why do good men fall into pornography

eCounseling.com has a great article here by Dwight Bain, Nationally Certified Counselor & Certified Life Coach, on the precursors to good men falling into Internet pornography:

Sarah woke up from a deep sleep at 3 AM and realized that her husband wasn’t in bed, so she got up to see if he was okay. She was not prepared for what she saw next. Her husband of 27 years, who she respected as a godly man, was sitting in front of their home computer in some sort of “trance” while looking at the most sexually graphic pictures that she had ever seen. “Mark,” she shouted! “What are you doing?” Mark was shocked to see her, but then looked up into the confused eyes of his wife and sobbed out, “I don’t know.” …read more here.

Discover freedom from pornography

Check out this great AACC article on breaking free from pornography:

Is there hope for the man who sheepishly lurks through the crevices of his heart seeking opportunities to indulge in his secret addiction? The shame of pornography, the undercover obsession, is crippling Christian men of their ability to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is this deep, dark obsession slaying so many men?

by Dwayne Bond, M.A., Ph.D. (C), www.wellspring-community.org

The family who is ONE

More than anything, Jesus wanted his disciples to be one - united.  He has this same dream for the rest of us as well.  The cool thing is…when we are one we reflect Jesus through our relationships so the world will know that we follow Him.

The greatest example a family can be for those around them is one.  When a family loves each other, serves each other, cares for each other’s needs the rest of the world will take notice.  

John 17:20-24 (NLT)

20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

 22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!

If you want to know how to be one as a family, look no further than Jesus’ 8 Beatitudes:

Matthew 5:3-10 (NLT)

3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 God blesses those who are humble,  for they will inherit the whole earth. 6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,  for they will be satisfied.  7 God blesses those who are merciful,  for they will be shown mercy.  8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. 9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

When you take on the kind of personality described in Matthew 5 it makes it easier for you to become one as a family.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why do we want to be one as a family?
2. What is a ‘beatitude’?
3. How can we apply this as a family to our neighbors?

Lessons from the road…the road to greatness

Check this out by Diane Langberg, “The Road to Greatness”:

As a minor speaker at a major happening, I was able to observe a great deal of church business going on. And some of it made me wonder what has happened to the Church. 

At one point, a well-known figure appeared with an entourage of four young men. Wherever he went, they followed in his wake. He swept in, spoke, and swept out. They followed attentively, ever vigilant to his needs. He was known, important and they were important by association. Others clearly looked on with envy. They, too, wanted to be part of the inner circle. He was obviously a leader and to be with him meant something of significance. His entourage was there to serve him. 

As I watched, I thought of another scenario. In this scene there is also a major church leader and he, too, has an entourage. His is larger—12 to be exact. They follow him wherever he goes. They are attentive, listening and feel important by association. Others are envious and long to be part of his inner circle. Even those in his entourage jostle with one another to be first or closest to him. There is, however, a startling difference…read more here.

Parenting matters - the life of Tim Russert

You will want to check out the recent interview with Tim Russert’s son Luke. It is a great example of what it looks like when you work at leaving a legacy with your children. By the way, the legacy that lasts is a legacy of love!

I recently heard the most amazing quote, and I’m forgetting who I heard this from, but it goes something like, “What is the one thing you will bring with you to heaven? Your children.” Now that is a legacy worth leaving.

The last sermon: There is a season…

There is a time for everything. Discover what it sounds like to take on transition and thrive!

The prescription for marriage

A few months ago, my husband had an infection in his toe. He went to the doctor, got a prescription and left that prescription on the kitchen counter for several days. His toe, as you would expect, did not get any better. In fact, it got worse. His toe displayed a variety of the colors in the rainbow and he was in great pain. After procrastinating long enough, he finally got the prescription filled, and once he took it, his foot was back to normal.

Why am I telling you this story? Well, it came to me during this time that an unhappy marriage is a lot like that infected toe. Something happens to create a flare up, or we get too busy to spend any real time together. After a while an “infection” develops and we find our marriage in serious trouble. Once that happens we need to seek out the prescription that will deal with that problem. The only prescription that will do any good is the Lord and His word. We need to study what the Bible says about being a good husband and a good wife. We need to know what Jesus said about being the person we were created to be. Along with knowing what God says, we need to learn some practical tools that can be used in everyday situations that will allow us to grow together through good times and bad. We need to know how to love for a lifetime, how to communicate and how to resolve conflict.

The trick is not in finding all this information, but in actually USING it. See, marriage is WORK. And at some point, you have to make a choice that you want your relationship to thrive. It would be wonderful if the honeymoon lasted forever, but the reality is that is just doesn’t. It’s then that we learn to love each other with the love of Christ and make it our daily purpose to do so.

Just like my husband’s prescription–it did him no good just sitting on the counter. He had what he needed to get well, but he just didn’t use it. Once we discover God’s plan for a thriving marriage (and His plan is the best one) and put it to use, only then will we find that the “infections” in our marriage become the exception and not the rule.

Red Letters: the greatest words ever spoken about forgiveness (week 5)

What did Jesus teach us about forgiveness? Everybody has somebody they need to forgive, the question is what does Jesus tell us to do about it.

Red Letters: What Jesus said to the church (Week 4)

Pastor Mike Hurt continues our learning in Red Letters: the greatest words ever spoken about your life, your relationships, and your future with this message on what Christ said to the church.

Red Letters: Counter culture Christ - what Jesus said about love (week 3)

This week you will learn what Jesus said about love, and other than his claim to be God, this is probably his most radical statement!

Red Letters: Personal Jesus - what can Jesus do for you today? (Week 2)

Learn this week what Jesus promised he’d do for you!

Red Letters: Jesus - Liar, lunatic, or Lord? (Week 1)

In this first message in my six week series about the greatest words ever spoken (the words of Christ) we explored the massive question of whether Christ was a liar, lunatic, or Lord? The issue is important because there is no middle ground. Listen to the sermon here.

Red Letters: The greatest words ever spoken about your life, your relationships, and your future!

I couldn’t be more excited about my next sermon series! It is all Jesus, all the time.  One of my dear friends, Steve Scott, has written a book that is coming out in the Fall of 2008 titled “The Greatest Words Ever Spoken”.  He is the first person to categorize everything Jesus was ever recorded saying.  His book is over 500 pages and it’s literally an Encyclopedia of knowledge about what Jesus said on over 200 topics!

My sermon series will go something like this:

1. Jesus: Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?
2. Personnel Jesus: What Jesus can do for you today.
3. Counter Culture Christ
4. Jesus CEO
5. Are you someone Jesus despised?
6. Evolution: What Jesus said about your future.

If you haven’t checked out Parkway Church, then please come say hi in Victoria, Texas.

Transformation through taking care of yourself (week 5)

Is self-care selfish? Learn what Jesus said when he was asked, “What’s the most important commandment?” Listen to Michael Smalley’s fresh look at how to love yourself so you can better love others.

Transformation through serving (week 4)

If you want to experience true transformation in your life, then you need to learn how to serve others through volunteering. Listen to Bard Letsinger’s sermon here.

Dr. Randy Pausch - learn how to live while alive!

If you haven’t watched this video yet - please take a look.  It is the last lecture of Dr. Randy Pausch because he is dying of pancreatic cancer.  He has a young family consisting of three kids and a wife.  This will truly help you appreciate life and also learn how to live while while alive.

Transformation through setting your soul free - the unseen battle (week 3)

There is a battle going on that we can not see but it is real and it can negatively impact your life and relationships. Listen to what it takes to recognize this unseen battle and learn what it takes to win.

The second very funny Parkway commercial

Skip Mozisek is the funniest worship pastor ever!

Don’t say we didn’t ever try to be funny

A very funny Parkway Church commercial

We just shot this commercial yesterday and I thought you all might enjoy it!

This is how you reach someone that isn’t interested in a boring church

Five great lessons to make you think about the way we treat people

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:

What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50’s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

“Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say ‘hello.”

I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:3 0 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.

Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 60s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached..

It read: “Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.”

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

“How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked.

“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

“Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.

“Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.

‘I’ll have the plain ice cream,’ he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Up on approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes I’ll do it if it will save her.” As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?”

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her but he had chosen to save her anyway.

Now you have 2 choices.

1. Delete this email, or
2. Forward it to people you care about.

I hope that you will choose number two.

‘Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody’s watching.’

NOW more than ever - Peace…Pass It On

Radio Podcast: Silence, solitude and I can’t mention the other in the title

Our latest radio podcast is actually our best one of the show so far! Learn more indepth about silence and solitude, and a little something extra! Listen here.

Transformation through the spiritual acts of silence and solitude (Week 2)

Learn the ancient art of silence and solitude and watch how you can transform your life by getting away and letting go. Listen here.

Integrity. Humility. Generosity. Good ideas for a leader. Great ideas for a marriage!

I’ve been reading a wonderful blogger that I recently discovered. His name is Mark Batterson, the lead pastor of National Community Church. I had to post one of his more recent posts on my blog:

Integrity. Humility. Generosity.

“I’d rather die than embarrass Jesus Christ.”

Of all the things Rick Warren said, I feel like that statement was the most powerful. Really appreciate Rick’s humility and transparency. He talked about the three temptations leaders face. They are the same temptations Jesus faced in the desert.

The first temptation is lust of the flesh. Satan says to Jesus, “Turn these stones into bread.” He was tempting Jesus to use his gifts for self-gratification. And the antidote is integrity.

The second temptation is lust of the eyes. Satan shows him the kingdoms of the earth and says all this can be yours. Rick said the temptation is taking shortcuts to accumulate things. And the antidote is generosity. By the way, Rick reverse tithes. In other words, he gives 90% and lives off 10%. Awfully inspiring!

(to read the rest please go to his blog here)

Marriages can be plagued by the same temptations as leaders. How can you have more integrity, humility, and generosity in your marriage?

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