Archive for the ‘Husband’ Category

Contentment…Is it Possible or Impossible?

Posted: January 26, 2013 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
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I read a story once about a journalist who happened upon a small house way out in the deep woods of West Virginia. This particular journalist was in a difficult state trying to track down a lead on Moonshiners deep in the forest but instead, found himself lost and unable to find his way back to his car. As he desperately searched to find his way, he came upon a small house with a little porch completely hidden amongst the thick trees. As he carefully approached the house, he saw an older couple sitting on rocking chairs while holding hands. He greeted them cautiously and as he tells the story, found them both very gracious and frankly, extremely friendly. While he rested before he set off again with directions, he had the opportunity to speak with the old man whereas he quickly determined that this old guy was someone very special. First he determined that the old man was very rich and very successful in his life. As they talked further, he uncovered the man was a doctor and also an inventor and responsible for many medical breakthroughs during his lifetime. As the old man continued to speak, the journalist realized he was speaking with someone who was not like any he had ever met before but yet something bothered him greatly. Here was a man who had everything he could ever want and yet here he was, living in a tiny house out in the forest with no one around but his wife. So as he sat there listening the journalist inside him kicked in and he had to ask the question…”Sir, why do you live out here in the woods and not in a palace in the big city?”

With an easy, peaceful smile on his face, he said softly…”I’m content here.”

And for the first time in his career, the journalist was stunned and frankly, did not know what to say but suddenly a light went on and he understood completely what the old man meant. You cannot buy what the old man had discovered, so rather than exist in bountiful luxury and be unhappy, he had chosen obscurity and gained contentment…

So how much does contentment cost and where do I find it?

If I were to ask all of you as to whether or not you were content, what would your answer be? Have you ever thought about it before? Unfortunately, most guys (and I know I am generalizing here) don’t necessarily plug into the idea of contentment. They understand when they are happy and sad but for the most part, we are usually focused on work or play. But I would like to give you something else to consider.

To the world, contentment means accepting what one has without seeking more but actually, contentment goes beyond what we see around us. It is actually a condition of your heart. Contentment is God giving you exactly what you need, each moment of each day. Not only is He walking with you by your side, but He also goes before you and me preparing a way for us…preparing a future for us.

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I mean ask yourself, why aren’t you content? Is it because of “things” you don’t have or a job that you want but haven’t been able to make it happen? What I am saying is the quest for more here on earth will NOT bring you contentment…this is exactly what the world wants you to think. However, if you plug into a daily relationship with Christ, seeking Him for peace…He will bring you contentment like you have never known before.

Let me leave you with a verse in Hebrews 13:5-6…

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

 

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

I will end with something you have heard me say before…but if you can keep your eyes focused on Him exclusively and weather the daily storm you can see in the above verse that you are NOT ALONE. God will NOT leave us NOR forget us…which means he walks with you and provides you exactly what you need…that perfect dose…again, each and everyday. I encourage you to “tap into” what God has for you.

And where will that lead you…? Well, it is my personal goal and I hopefully I’ve convinced you to make it yours as well…

Yep…Contentment…

Until next time guys…

The Bitter Pill of Bitter-ness

Posted: January 21, 2013 in Husband, Inspirational
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See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and to defile many. Hebrews 12:15

Have you ever known someone that seemed to be terminally in a “bad” mood all the time? Maybe you have someone like that in your family so that when holidays come, everyone tries to avoid that person because no matter what is said, he or she will lash out? Hollywood glamorized the grumpiness of two old guys when they made the movie “Grumpy Old Men” and we all laughed. But the reality is, grumpiness or bitterness, is an infection that can completely ruin a persons life. Moreover, as some of you may know, bitterness can destroy a community of believers faster than you can imagine. Bitterness is like a virus and left unchecked, can grow and permeate your entire body until you reek of it.

I am sharing this with you because it is very important not only for us, but the person infected to feel the touch and the presence of God before they are lost forever. Yes, I did say forever…Bitterness can and will destroy lives and the Bible is very clear about this.

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord.  Hebrews 12:14

I assure you guys, when you are bitter…you are NOT holy and we can see from the above scripture how important holiness is to God…and to us.

So why do I tell you this now? Sometimes I really don’t have a specific plan in mind, I just find myself reading somewhere in the Bible and then a verse or a concept strikes me. In this instance, when I read the bitterness verse I realized that I have friends just like that and they have no idea how serious their future is jeopardized by NOT taking action to try to make things better. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:27 to

…Do not give the devil a foothold.

Guys, when you swallow the bitterness and resentment pill you give the devil a foothold in your life…and trust me, once he has a foothold, he will NOT stop there until he has destroyed everything he can. 1 Peter 5:8 says:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The devil wants to destroy you and there is no other way I can say that or sugar coat it so it sounds better. That, my friends, is a fact.

But remember guys, bitterness doesn’t just affect you…It affects your wife, kids, parents, your coworkers and imgresthe list goes on. As I mentioned before, bitterness is a virus and must be dealt with by getting on your knees and seeking Gods grace and forgiveness. There is NO OTHER WAY… Paul tells us again in Ephesians to:

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:31

I know that getting rid of this issue is easier said, than done but really…you have to get rid of it…Shake it off as you would a bad day. I encourage you to seek God and to then seek help.

If you can read this post and recognize that the person I am referring to is you…then you need to start first on your knees before Him. The Bible says:

Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.

If you are suffering from bitterness at present, doesn’t being lifted up sound really good right now? And that is just the beginning. If you allow the Holy Spirit to envelope you, God will melt that bitterness root right out from underneath you.

I challenge you guys today to be men and take the tough first step and recognize you have the bitterness root within you and humbly ask God to take it away.

He will NOT let you down. Of that I am concretely sure…

Until next time guys…

Satan can Hinder my Prayers…?

Posted: August 25, 2012 in Devotional, Father, Heaven Bound, Husband, Inspirational
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Guys, I have been writing to you on this Iron Man Strength blog now for almost two years and during that time, I have worked to encourage and provide support to you as you walk down the path of being a Dad and a Husband. As we all know, this path is not an easy one but through Gods amazing grace, we all have access to power through Christ Jesus…all you have to do…is believe.

But I have a sense of urgency now that I need to begin to share in this blog that some of you may or may not appreciate but I must press on. This blog will never be political, but only encouragement about our lives and our relationship to our God, but I tell you now that we are living in an extraordinarily turbulent time now in America and there are powers at work that you and I cannot control but through prayerful persistence. We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing and my friends, now more than any time in your life, I pray that you heed my words.

We learn back in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel, that there are powers and principalities that are unseen that you and I must consider as Christians. I am not trying to scare you or blow your mind with crazy talk but yet the truth is the truth and I ask you to listen. There is an unseen battle going on right now in America and the unrest and nervousness that you and your neighbors are feeling is because of that battle. It is not just simply we are struggling to make ends meet or the economy is bad, look at what is happening around you…people are reacting by killing one another all over the world. I find myself afraid not for me, but for my children. What does the future hold for them in this world? How will they live and support themselves? You and I…well…we can only pray and pray and pray and while you are praying, please consider this…

In Daniel chapter 10, we learn that Daniel had been fasting and praying for 21 days and had not received any word from the Lord. At the end of that time, we learn from an Angel who came and met with him that during the time he was praying, there was a battle like I am referring to above, going on which prevented Daniel’s answer from getting to him. Only when the Archangel Michael, a really large and powerful stud Angel squashes the Prince of Persia, does the answer reach Daniel.

So what does this story mean to you and me? Believe it or not…Satan was able to hold up that answer to Daniel’s request for 21 days and he can do the very same thing with our prayers. Read 2 Corinthians 2:11 where Paul tells us:

In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are NOT aware of his schemes.

Guys, he seeks to devour and thwart our efforts when we are seeking a relationship with Christ and if you are an, on-again off-again, inconsistent, I’ll get around to it eventually kind of guy, you may not realize that your prayers maybe held up or slowed before they reach Him. Jesus tells us in His own words in Luke 18:1-8 about persistence in prayer…He says in verse 7, “and will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?“

My advice to all of you is very simple…If your relationship with God is good or not so good…I urge you to continuously and persistently seek God each day and pray to Him for both yourself and your family. Gods desire is to have a relationship with you that is eternal but the only way that will happen is through YOUR efforts while here on earth…so right now, while things here are more turbulent that ever before, seek God with all your heart because I assure you…

When you seek Him, He will find you…and that my friend will have very Heavenly implications…

Until next time guys…I leave you with this…

The Military is looking for a few good Leaders…

Posted: July 10, 2012 in Husband, Inspirational
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I was speaking with a good friend of mine recently who has a son in the military and he told me of an encounter his son had with one of his superior officers at their base. He told him about how this officer was “talking him up” on the phone to another high-ranking officer in the army who was looking for quality men for his Army Ranger unit. (You see, my friend’s son is one of those young men who will ultimately be the man in charge of whatever he undertakes, no matter what level.) So as he entered the office of his commander, he called my friend’s son over to speak with this man on the phone. What I found interesting was this military officer’s line of questioning…He asked him only 2 questions…


1. Have you ever cheated on your wife?


2. Have you ever been too drunk to go on a mission?

This man had never met my friend’s son but these questions were the reasons why this Ranger Commander had fired previous leaders and he wanted to gain a quick glance of the kind of man he was speaking with. As a result, rather than ask him questions like ” what are your personal goals” or “how long have you been in the army” he chose a direct approach, or as I call it, “the integrity approach”. You see, as I further spoke with my friend, he explained to me that time has proven to the men in the higher ranks of the military that real leadership starts with integrity and commitment, character traits that reside inside the man. Men that are honest, driven, hard-working, and possess the “never quit” and “never say die” attitude and yet still come home to the same wife do make better leaders in combat than ones who don’t take those characteristics seriously. Please don’t get me wrong, the military has a very comprehensive scoring system that measures many things such as how well you can shoot, how fast you run, how smart you are and even predict how you might act in a particular situation…but how do you measure integrity or honor or virtue? You really can’t, so you have to try to understand what is at the core of a person, what they believe in, are they faithful to their wife or do they cheat on her and do they have sense enough to stay sober and NOT miss an important mission…all of which live inside a man…

As I shared with my friend, I think all of us could have predicted that fact about military leadership because even in our regular, “non-military” lives, integrity, loyalty, honor and commitment are also critical and frankly, are the traits that founded this country from the beginning. Moreover, these character traits are Bible based, since the dawn of creation, men that followed their internal moral compass were more successful in more phases of life that those who went their own way. J. Oswald Sanders said ” Leadership is influence” and if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then you recognize that you are called to influence others. What I find interesting is that it took this particular set of military leaders this long to understand that men who posses these influential qualities and have a “Christ centered core” inside of them make better leaders on the battle field or for that matter, anywhere else than ones who do not.

I have never served in the military but I have been in situations where I was required to follow both great as well as poor leadership over the years. John Maxwell, an expert on leadership, said that “the measure of a man is how he handles power” and I can say that if my life was on the line, God forbid that I had to follow someone I didn’t respect. Most assuredly, I would want to follow someone I trusted because of their core principles, who they were and what they stood for…because all of those virtues frankly, would matter the most on the battlefield …because that is leadership that can be measured when it counts the most…what do you when your life, along with the lives of your men, are in harm’s way? You trust in God, because through Him, you and me, understand who we are, what got us here and what will get us out…

Guys…it is encouraging to see our military leaders look at what’s inside the heart along with their score before they make up their minds as to who is in positions of leadership in our country’s military…

Until next time guys…

God will Judge Men’s Secrets?

Posted: June 2, 2012 in Father, Husband
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So the other day I was reading from the book of Romans. I really haven’t spent much time in that particular book in a few years actually but while reading I came across a scripture that hit me very hard…like a brick in the side if the head hard…one that affects all of us…

This will take place on the day when God will judge mens secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.    Romans 2:16

Now I can say that most of us rarely think about these things because maybe we don’t know, or we are focused on the here and now…either way, this kind of verse typically isn’t at the forefront of our minds…I understand that fact and I’m right there with you. Life gets in the way.

I also know that we guys…well…our minds are typically running 100-mph right? We are thinking of “guy stuff” like our work, kids, wife, vacation, yard work, that cute receptionist…It’s true and you might as well admit that our brains roam all over the place and at times, into areas we know we shouldn’t be…Areas that can get us into trouble. One more thing I will say is we can’t use the excuse “we are guys are we are wired that way and we can’t help it” NO…I am not buying that one. You DO have a choice…you DO have control.

Now before I go any further, let me tell you I am NOT judging anyone of you out there. I personally fight the same battles as you and continue to do my best as I navigate through this world but yet when I came across that verse I was compelled to write because we, collectively as men, need to remember…you will be judged on your actions, YOUR THOUGHTS, and YOUR SECRETS…That one blew me away when I read it because i have always thought that my secrets are MINE just like your secrets are yours. No one else knows and that’s why they are called secrets. The problem we all have is now they aren’t secret anymore….God not only knows about them, but He is planning on judging us accordingly…OUCH.

So why do I write this today? Here is how I see this issue…when things are out of our sight, we just don’t think about them. Maybe some of you never even knew that verse even existed…but wherever you fall on the scale know this, the reason I write is to make you aware…to get you to think that what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will do, ALL MATTER to God and you and me, will some day be held accountable for our secrets. That matters to me and I hope it does to you as well. By knowing, or simply becoming aware, you can adjust and try to do better for yourself. We all have to make course corrections periodically on this journey we call life. It’s just the way it is…

This one certainly has affected me and I hope it will do the same for you…

Until next time guys…

Have You forgotten who you are?

Posted: March 11, 2012 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
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I like Country Music. OK there I said it. I know, I know, I’m kinda strange in that way but I can’t help it. Sometimes country music just hits me in my core. I was listening to one of those country songs recently and the singer sang about needing to return to the house where she grew up because as an adult, she had lost her way. Or, as she sang, “I’ve forgotten who I am”. That line got me thinking of how easy it is for people to lose their way in this world and forget who they are. To me, Christian’s are unique because of, as I call it, their ” Heavenly citizenship” advantages, which gives them opportunities of success that non-Christians do not have. What happens though is we forget, or we lose focus and we no longer set our sights on God but rather make our decisions based on what we SEE and NOT on whats inside us. From experience when this happens, we WILL lose our way and that is the reason for this post…Have you forgotten who you are?

I can identify with the above and see this as a pattern in my own life…you are moving along in life and maybe things are going relatively well, meaning, no significant problems to speak of, and then something bad happens. This “problem”, or whatever it is, causes you to get distracted and then “out of sync” in your relationship with God, and before you know it, time has passed and you are relying on YOU to solve the mess you are in…Does that scenario sound familiar with anyone or am I the only one that thinks this way?

I always keep coming back to what causes me to get off track? If you have a relationship with Christ, why does one get “out of sync” with Him? I know we are targets of Satan while we live in this world and I hope that statement is not new to you. I believe Satan uses “busyness” and “mayhem” in our lives to completely distract us from our focus on Christ. The question is, can we recognize this when it ‘s happening to us and do something about it before too much time passes? Guys, I am talking about you personally as well as your relationships with your wife and kids. When you are out of sync with God, all of the aforementioned are affected in the wrong way. When you are going through this period, YOU are a different person and therefore you treat your family different…THAT is what I am trying to help you avoid…HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHO YOU ARE?

I mentioned earlier about your heavenly citizenship advantages…I wanted to explain that further so all of you know what you have to tap into when you find yourself in that position. The good news is, there are a whole lot of scriptures in the Bible that deal with these issues. In fact, all of Paul’s letters in the New Testament have an overwhelming theme of reminding us who we are in Christ…and that is the most security anyone of us could have in this world. Did you know when you became a Christian you experienced a status change? You became a child of God. Please don’t say…Yea, Yea, Yea at this point, I have heard this before…Listen to this verse:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, (Ephesians 2:19 NIV)

As a result of your salvation, YOU are a member of Gods household. Guys, I hope you are hearing me. That membership, that status change, means something. You are wired for heaven now. Read this verse from the Message translation:

For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven-God-made, not handmade – and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move-and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less. (2 Corinthians 5:1, 2, 5 MSG)

What I am saying is this, you have a future in heaven because of your salvation in Christ, yet you still have to live out your life on this earth and that sometimes can be what dooms us. We allow the things we see to overwhelm us and cause us distraction and confusion. You may or may not see this until it’s to late. God gave us the Holy Spirit to tap into during these times. His purpose…is to remind you who you are…you are a part of the household of God. You are NOT alone on the road of life without any options. Just tap into the things you do not see…

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

Yep, faith DOES play a role in this and with it applied in your life, you can trust that the next step you take…will be on solid ground.

So my question is this, Have you forgotten who you are? Well just in case it slipped your mind…Let me remind you that with salvation, comes a ticket into Heaven and membership into God’s household, and that is the greatest reminder of all…

Until next time guys…


The Real Definition of Wealth…

Posted: January 1, 2012 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
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Over the last few years, the holidays have caused me to reflect back and look at my own life and count my many blessings. I have been more aware of “life’s moments” since the loss of my daughter a few years back. Recently, I spent time  with a man who I don’t see very often because of distance and as I call it, his “self estrangement” from his family because of his desire to be alone and pursue his own desires. Now wait just a minute…what man wouldn’t want to pursue his own passions? We are guys and passions i.e. our hobbies, are what we do, am I right? My friend’s “problem” is that he isn’t alone. He moved in with a woman a few years back and then proceeded to have a beautiful little baby with her. Now you will notice I said “problem” earlier when referring to his new family and is the reason I write this blog post. His complaints about his personal situation caused me to realize how wealthy he is RIGHT NOW, and he doesn’t see it.

Our conversation began about creativity because he is a talented artist, sculptor and more. He is one of those people who see art in everything and when he puts his mind to a project, I have been stunned to see his results. Since I’ve known him, I have come to see him as a creative person with a free spirit. Unfortunately as he puts it, he hasn’t “created” any new “pieces of art” in a long time due to his new-found responsibilities with his girl friend and new child. In my opinion, most new dads find a way around these home responsibilities if they truly want to do whatever their passion is, HE…has chosen to become bitter towards his family. THEY are the reason he cannot pursue what he wants to do and he sees his girl friend and child as obstacles in life’s journey. As I listened to him explain the “journey” he is navigating and why he never has the time to pursue his creativity, I couldn’t help commenting on how much of an inspiration his young daughter must be to him? Here is this little gleam of sunshine, innocence, and just pure beauty and yet he does not see her that way. From the outside looking in, I ask What is standing in his way and blocking him from seeing what seems so clear and obvious to me? What is robbing him of the joy of being a father?

In this life, what could be more important than your wife and child? Again, I recognize I have this opinion because my perspective is different from most men because when you lose a child it changes you…forever. I’m sure you have heard the expression, “walk a mile in another mans shoes?” In my conversation with him, I tried to convey what he is missing by dragging all this bitterness around. He has a beautiful little girl right there in front of him and it doesn’t phase him. Myself, a dad who lost his only daughter, can’t get through to him and emphasize his incredible blessing! He is a grown man who is unwilling to listen to my words about being unbelievably blessed with wealth by heavenly standards…I pray that he will discover that knowledge soon…before she is gone from his life.

Here is my question to you? Do you look at your own family and understand what I mean by true wealth? I think it is pretty clear I am not referring to your bank account. I am speaking to what I believe is really important in our lives. True wealth here on Earth is not measured in dollars and cents. Now I absolutely agree that We, (all of us guys), have our hobbies and personal pursuits that are just ours and yes, I do struggle with my own “time” issue. Trying to balance our personal life with work and family isn’t easy and there are a whole lots of books written on that subject to back me up. I am also NOT inferring I have it all together because I do not…But what I DO understand is that I am wealthy beyond measure… just like I know you are as well.

Guys, I encourage you to take a look at your family through different eyes, God’s eyes. Look at them for what they truly are…your legacy…and your true wealth…

Until next time…

I am SO Stressed…

Posted: November 8, 2011 in Husband, Inspirational, Tough Times
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I am so stressed….

How many times have you said that statement in the last few weeks or months? With your mortgage payment due and all the never-ending costs that children bring and aren’t the holidays just around the corner? And these are just the money stresses. What about all the problems at work or maybe your marriage is on the rocks? The list only grows…

I know it looks like I’m simply pointing out the obvious but the cold, hard facts are that life isn’t going very well for people right now. Everyday, the news reports what the national statistics echo; we all have less money in our collective wallet’s and that is stressful. There have been more bankruptcies in 2010-2011 than ever before in our countries history. The middle class is rapidly becoming a thing of the past and its becoming harder and harder to put food on the table. If you are like me, watching the nightly news is painful because the only thing ever reported is bad. Frankly, seeing bad news, all the time, adds huge stress to our lives. Anyone checked their blood pressure lately? Maybe you should calm down first.

I am sure about one thing, what the world is pushing down our collective throats is that circumstances really are hopeless although I hear the media tell me to just “ride it out” and someone in Washington will make it better for me. However what it feels like is that if we don’t fall in line, or think the way society would have us think, then we are on our own. We are conditioned over and over to think the only solutions available are what we see on television or the internet. You can take a pill now for instant stress relief or, “become a millionaire in a week” but in the end, none of these solve what the problem really is, THE WORLD DOESN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH STRESS. Aren’t you tired of following the step-by-step “way” the world has to offer? Haven’t we have ALL seen this movie before and we know how it ends…?

Guys, I have an “outside the box” solution for your stress that will change your life forever? I call it outside the box because frankly, you would never see this option on the nightly news. The answer is this; God has already figured out the answer for our stress and He gave it to us, over and over, in His Word, the Bible. The problem isn’t that we can’t read His Word…it’s that we don’t trust His Word…

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV) Philippians 4:6-7

Remember when I said my answer was outside the box? Well when the Bible says “the peace of God will transcend all understanding? That means, we have the ability to tap into something in which we really know nothing about because it’s from God… and I guarantee you, most of us have NOT gone this direction before. What I see is when we are stressed, we react as we are conditioned everyday to react; We try to SOLVE THE PROBLEM OURSELVES and that is NOT the way Christ intended us to deal with our adversity. There are so many verses in His Word about coping with life’s hardships it makes me think He knew a little about what might happen to us? I’m just saying…

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”Matthew 11:28-30

That is Christ speaking in the second verse directly to you and to me. Frankly, I’m not sure I can make this any clearer…Doesn’t “rest for your souls” sound really nice and comfortable? I could use some of that right now..how about you?  If your answer is yes, then stop doing your life, yourself, and give the “doing” over to God. Guys, its that simple…When you commit to Him your life, I am talking down deep in your heart control over your actions, something truly amazing happens…

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Simply put, when you have the peace of God, you DO NOT have stress! It goes away. And the problems you had before, are more manageable because you have a different perspective, one of heavenly proportions which changes your outlook.

So I leave you with a simple choice; either you choose to see the truths of the Bible and how they can eliminate your stress…or not…

One more thing…correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t you tried the “or not” already? How’s that working for you?

Until next time guys. I wanted to leave you guys with a video from Casting Crowns called Slow Fade that illustrates what happens when we slowly, over time, give into the enemy…resist brothers and sisters…

Destination Procrastination

Posted: June 27, 2011 in Husband, Inspirational
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Procrastination. We are all guilty of it. We can seem to help ourselves. Sometimes I think procrastination is part of my DNA because no matter what the situation; confronting someone about their less than stellar work performance, or just dealing with a situation I may find uncomfortable, procrastination seems to affect everyone one of us at one time or another. The question is will it stick and be a part of us forever?

Now, I know there will be those out there who will read this post and just laugh. If that is the case, this post is NOT for you. But for the rest of us, the ones who tend to struggle with procrastination or self-discipline at your core level, I write this for you.

I looked up Procrastination in the dictionary and it told me “Procrastination is putting off until tomorrow what you should do today” I absolutely think that definition is very accurate but I would also interject that if procrastination only meant one waited until the next day, I don’t think the problem would be such a problem. To me though, the real issue is the people who put off what should be done today until next year, or worse case, never…those folks are the real concern. Can you imagine waiting a lifetime for someone to take care of something?

Why do people Procrastinate?
I am not a psychologist so I can’t give you reasons for people putting of their responsibility, but I can say, as a manager of people for the last 25 years, many of these folks frankly, don’t take care of what should be taken care of because they struggle mightily with self-discipline (or they are just lazy). I get to watch them everyday. Why is it that someone will only do enough to meet the bare minimum of responsibility, or wait until the last possible moment to turn in what is required of them?I see this problem coming down to personal organization or personal distractions like maybe a difficult home life or worse yet, they are just that “way”. Procrastinator, lazy, or all of the above.

Now we all know someone who fits my description. Sometimes we even find it funny, like our roommate in college who made a living with “just in time”papers to the professor, but he was only able to accomplish this with regular all night coffee binges the night before. When I hear a story like this I ask myself why…? Why is a little self-discipline so hard to accomplish for some people? Vance Havner said, “The alternative to self-discipline is disaster” and I agree with him. Continued complacency towards the future will result is just that…a disaster.

Remember that our success, in any endeavor, depends on the passion we bring to it, like our families or our place of work. God has created a world where your diligence is rewarded and laziness is not. Yes…you heard me correctly, God does NOT reward laziness, misbehavior, or apathy. Instead, he expects us to behave with dignity and self-discipline but what I have found, there isn’t much of those qualities around when you need them.

Proverbs 23:12 says to, Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge, and 2 Peter 1:5-6 tells us, For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness. God’s word is very clear to us; We must exercise self-discipline in all things and NOT put off our responsibilities until tomorrow…

Guys I encourage you to NOT procrastinate but to go out and put in a hard days work because you know it’s the right thing. When you do, you are on your way to a life of character and self discipline…a great place to be…

Until next time…

My many trips to Home Depot…

Posted: May 7, 2011 in Husband, Just for Fun
Tags: , , ,
1

I wanted to change things up towards the lighter side with this post and I just couldn’t resist this article because I know we have ALL been there along our journey. I cannot take credit for this, and I have no idea who wrote it, but it just is so true…Enjoy.

Alright, so we have all been there at some point, you are in the middle of some kind of project around the house – mowing the lawn, putting up a new fence, painting the living room, or whatever. You are hot, sweaty, and covered in dirt or paint.  You have your old work clothes on:  Shorts with a hole in the crotch, old T-shirt with a stain from who knows what, and an old pair of tennis shoes.  Right in the middle of this great home-improvement project you realize you need to run to Home Depot to get something to complete the job.  Depending on your age you might do the following:

In your 20’s:
Stop what you are doing.  Shave, take a shower, blow dry your hair, brush your teeth, floss, and put on clean clothes.  Check yourself in the mirror and flex.   Add a dab of your favorite cologne because you never know, you just might meet some hot chick while standing in the checkout lane.  And you went to school with the pretty girl running the register.

In your 30’s:
Stop what you are doing, put on clean shorts and shirt.  Change shoes.   You married the hot chick so no need for much else. Wash your hands and comb your hair.  Check yourself in the mirror.  Still got it.  Add a shot of your favorite cologne to cover the smell.  The cute girl running the register is the kid sister to someone you went to school with.

In your 40’s:
Stop what you are doing.  Put on a sweatshirt that is long enough to cover the hole in the crotch of your shorts.  Put on different shoes and a hat.  Wash your hands.  Your bottle of Brute Cologne is empty so you don’t want to waste any of it on a trip to Home Depot.  Check yourself in the mirror and do more sucking in than flexing.  The spicy young thing running the register is your daughter’s age and you feel weird thinking she is pretty.

In your 50’s:
Stop what you are doing.  Put a hat on; wipe the dirt off your hands onto your shirt.  Change shoes because you don’t want to get dog crap in your new sports car.  Check yourself in the mirror and you swear not to wear that shirt anymore because it makes you look fat. The cutie running the register smiles when she sees you coming and you think you still have it.  Then you remember the hat you have on is from Buddy’s Bait & Beer Bar and it says, “I Got Worms.”

In your 60’s:
Stop what you are doing.  No need for a hat anymore.  Hose the dog crap off your shoes.  The mirror was shattered when you were in your 50’s.  You hope you have underwear on so nothing hangs out the hole in your pants.  The girl running the register may be cute, but you don’t have your glasses on so you aren’t sure.

In your 70’s:
Stop what you are doing.  Wait to go to Home Depot until the drugstore has your prescriptions ready, too.  Don’t even notice the dog crap on your shoes. The young thing at the register smiles at you because you remind her of her grandfather.

I hope you enjoyed the humor of this guys because bottom line, we are all getting older but through the grace of God, even though our bodies aren’t what they used to be, we have huge reasons to be hopeful for the future. Jesus is alive and well and we must continue to tap into Him for Ironman Strength.

More posts to come…

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