A New Chapter

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend and are off to a great start this morning.

Today is the first day of school in Corpus Christi. But in our home today is also a day of milestones. For my oldest son, Christopher, it is the first day of his senior year in high school. For my youngest, Caitlyn, it is the first day of kindergarten. For my wife, Carol, it is the first time in 10 years that there has not been a little one at home with her all day.

Milestones, we all experience them in our life. Losing our first tooth, our first kiss, our first job, our first car, graduation from high school, our wedding, the birth of our first child and the list goes on. Milestones can be occasion for both joy and sorrow. Most importantly they signify the beginning of a new chapter in life, bringing the last chapter to a close.

So how do we respond to these milestones in our lives? For me the starting point is always a time of saying “thank you” unto God.

Philippians 1:3 (NLT)
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

Today as I watched my own children, I was reminded that my parents went through these same stages with me, as did their parents with them. I am thankful that they guided me through those stages of life, that they celebrated my victories, corrected my errors and defined the boundaries for the game of life. As I watch my own children I see God’s hand upon their lives in spite of my own shortcomings, and I see Him molding their hearts and lives in accordance with His purpose.

I am thankful for the privilege I have been given of watching these young lives grow. I can vividly remember the day I first laid eyes on each one as they entered this world. I have watched them grow in stature, knowledge and faith. There is no greater privilege or responsibility than being God’s vessel in the life of a child.

It is important to remember at these times of transition, that the journey is far from over; however our roles are changing. Today I find myself acknowledging, that even though I am still a parent, I have allowed others to be a part of my team. Teachers, coaches and other professionals will work along side of my wife and I to bring out the fullness of the potential contained within my children.

Today you may find yourself at the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. Embrace the change as part of greater plan woven together by a Master Creator. Thank God for the privilege He has given you of these experiences and milestones. Through you, God is writing another highly acclaimed story.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Implementing the Plan

Good morning! I hope your weekend was restful and your week is launching with a full dose of enthusiasm.

This weekend those of us on the Gulf coast of Texas have been keeping a watchful eye on Hurricane Dean. This storm has been churning for well over a week now with very little standing in its way. The local news has been reminding us daily to have our hurricane evacuation and survival plans in place and ready to implement.

These plans have been well developed by people who are experts in hurricane activity and destruction. These plans are time tested and proven. If a person will commit to following those plans, they can ensure the safety of themselves and their families.

Sadly many people die each year during natural disasters, because they fail to follow the plan. Some have false confidence in their surroundings. Others have no respect for the true danger. Ultimately foolish choices are often the greatest factor in loss of life.

The spiritual realm is also filled with hazards. Fortunately for us, God has developed a master plan for our eternal wellbeing:

Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)
His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure.

Just like the weather warnings, we all have a choice. Will we follow God’s plan for our lives or will we “chance it.” So many today are trying to make it into God’s good graces through religious acts or good deeds, when sadly, God has already put His adoption plan in place. If only we would follow His instructions, for they are the pathway to life.

This week take time to review God’s plan once again. Have you implemented His plan into your life?

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Its OK to ask for help

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend and that your week is off to a running start.

Today my oldest son Christopher will be trying out for the position of trumpet section leader in his high school’s marching band. Ever since his freshman year, he has aspired to become the lead trumpet player for his section. This being his senior year, Christopher went an extra step and asked for help. Now Christopher didn’t ask just anyone, but he instead approached a trumpet playing high school band director who goes to our church. Christopher allowed himself to become the student to this more experienced teacher.

This example brought me to the following verse from Proverbs:

Proverbs 19:20 (NLT)
Get all the advice and instruction you can, and be wise the rest of your life.

Asking for help, most of us need it and few of us ask for it. Life is filled with many challenges, difficulties and new experiences, yet Solomon himself declared:

Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NLT)
History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.

Where ever it is you are going or whatever it is you are going through, someone has been down a similar path before. Sadly too many of us would rather reinvent the wheel instead of admitting that we need some help and guidance. Think of the mistakes we could have avoided, if we had just asked for some help and guidance. Sadly, our pride keeps us from admitting we don’t have all the answers.

Today, I want to challenge you to willingly accept the role of pupil. Seek out those you can learn from and those who are further along in the journey of life. Let them tell you the stories of their experience. Let them look over your shoulder as you wade through life’s decisions. In the long run you’ll be better because of their input. Their wisdom and insight will help you sharpen your skills and make you the best at what you do.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

It gets everywhere

Good morning! I hope you were able to recharge your batteries this weekend.

Friday evening, I accompanied our youth group to the beach for their monthly First Friday get together. I love going to the beach and being around the water. While the teenagers played football and swam, I went fishing in the surf.

When it was time to head home, I tried to clean the sand off of my feet. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to get all of the sand off, and so the floorboard of my truck now looks like a miniature beach.

It is along these lines that I want to challenge you with today’s encouragement.

Galatians 5:9 (NLT)

But it takes only one wrong person among you to infect all the others—a little yeast spreads quickly through the whole batch of dough!

Today I want you to consider the influences in your life. Have you ever noticed how quickly a negative person can affect an entire group of people? A little gossip becomes an ever increasing murmur and then a divisive roar.

When we allow negative influences into our lives it is nearly impossible not to be affected in some way. Just like the sand of the beach, some of the negativity is going to stick to you.

Fortunately we have a choice. We can choose those things that we allow ourselves to be exposed to. Let me explain this further. If I didn’t want sand in my truck I simply needed to avoid the beach. The same rule applies to life. I don’t have to become a part of the gossip sessions. I don’t have to allow those who are always negative to become my closest confidants. I have a choice…to stay or walk away.

This week you will be faced with choices. Will you allow yourselves to remain in situations in which negativity attaches itself to you, or will you remove yourself from those influences? Fortunately, the reverse thought is also true. Placing yourself in a positive, nurturing environment will rub off as well. The choice is yours.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

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Worth the Wait

Good morning! I hope your week is off to a great start.

Over the weekend I took some time out to enjoy one of my favorite pastimes…fishing. What made this even more special was the fact that my daughter wanted to go with me. Over the last few years Caitlyn has become my little fishing buddy (even though she has no desire to touch the bait or the fish).

I especially enjoy fishing here on the coast, because you never know what to expect. The fundamentals of fishing on saltwater aren’t much different than freshwater, but the outcomes are much different. On any given day you may reel in a drum, a shark, a crab, a stingray or any number of other unique sea creatures.

This brings me to the point of today’s encouragement. None of these experiences with God’s creation would be possible if the line was never cast into the water. Many people drive past those waters each day, but miss out on the magnificence of the marine life contained within. Only those who commit to being on the water, preparing the line and patiently waiting are rewarded with these encounters.

Psalm 27:14 (NLT)

Wait patiently for the Lord.

Be brave and courageous.

Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

One of the lessons that Caitlyn is still learning about fishing is the need for patience. Caitlyn gets restless and goes off to dance, skip and twirl. Unfortunately for her this generally happens as her bobber goes underwater. This weekend she got tired and went home with my wife only to miss out on the crab that I caught a few moments later (she likes to see crabs).

All too often in life we get impatient for God to move. We try to confine a timeless God into our time constrained box. We want solutions and gratification at the very moment we ask. When God doesn’t immediately answer we begin seeking our own solutions. In then end we often miss out on what would have been God’s best for us, because we have chosen our own path.

Today I want to challenge you to wait upon the Lord. In the busyness of day to day life it is not easy to sit still and wait, but for those who wait the rewards are worth the difficulty.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Opening the Containers

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a great start.

Over the weekend, I had the privilege of spending time with the Christian band Ornan’s Floor. Last night was their final concert in our area before they headed to Denver, Colorado. Once their set was finished it was time to tear down. I was fascinated watching a stage full of instruments and sound equipment being packed into large rolling crates and containers. Before long the whole setup was loaded into a small cargo trailer and the band was ready to move on.

This process got me to thinking about life. As a person, my heart has many compartments. Some compartments are readily accessible to those around me and others I keep well hidden. More importantly there are compartments that I willingly allow God to have access to, but others that I try to keep under lock and key.

These locked areas can contain a wide assortment of feelings, emotions and experiences. Some days it’s a deep hurt. Other days it’s a feeling of guilt and yet others it’s prideful arrogance. It is these locked containers and compartments that hold my hidden sins and spiritually destructive attitudes.

One of the most difficult things for any of us to undertake is a complete inventory and revealing of those compartments…yet it is also one of the most liberating things we can do. Take a look at David’s prayer as recorded in Psalm 139:

Psalm 139:23 (NLT)

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my thoughts.

When we give God permission to search our hearts, He will do a very thorough job. He will point out those compartments that have been locked for a long time. He will bring those things that are hidden into the light, allowing us the opportunity to deal with them.

In the end, all that remains are those things that deepen our relationship with God and give us greater strength and vitality for life.

Today I want to challenge you to open up the compartments of your heart. You may find a few busted guitar strings and worn out drum heads. Turn those things over to God and He will make you ready to play great music on the stage of life.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

The Wisdom of Experience

Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and have hit the ground running this morning.

This past week I had the pleasure of conducting a sports camp at our church. I always enjoy doing sports camps, because it is a time to teach the basics and fundamentals of a game to a group of children. It is also a time when I pass along my own experiences as a player in conjunction with the knowledge and wisdom of my coaches from years past.

The passing on of knowledge and skills is seen in Scripture as well:

Job 8:10 (NLT)

But those who came before us will teach you. They will teach you from the wisdom of former generations.

One of the greatest sources of wisdom and insight that we have is the experience of those who have gone before us. Military officers study the tactics and outcomes of past military strategists. Law enforcement officials study past crimes and schemes. The lessons of life lived are powerful. They give great wisdom and insight into the challenges of today.

In today’s world we are encouraged to be self sufficient, but unfortunately all too often we end up re-inventing the wheel. We make mistakes that could have been avoided by studying the past undertakings of others.

This week I want to challenge you to tap into the wisdom of those who have gone before you. You may want to have lunch with someone from a different generation and let them share with you the struggles of the Great Depression or World War. Perhaps you could learn from that grandparent who raised many children and has now watched the raising of grandchildren. Find someone who was a pioneer in your career field and ask a few questions that open the doors their vault of experience.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

The Flood of God's Spirit

Good morning! I hope you’ve had a great weekend and that you are refreshed and energized as you begin this new week.

Last week many parts of the United States experienced severe flooding after multiple days of drenching rainfall. Farmer’s fields, roads, parks and even homes have been swallowed up by rising flood waters. Nothing is exempt from the water’s touch. As the water rises it gains momentum and flow sweeping away everything in its path.

Today I want to focus on this thought from a different perspective:

Amos 5:24 (NLT)

Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry.

One of the most amazing things I have ever watched is the floodwaters of God’s Spirit move over a person’s life. During my time as a pastor I have seen the drug addict set free, the broken marriage restored, the unloved child accepted and the soil of the hard heart softened by God’s love. When the Spirit of God is allowed to flow freely the landscape of our lives is going to change.

The floodwaters of God’s love sweep away the seeds of bitterness, doubt and loneliness. The soil of the heart becomes moist and pliable as it is softened. In the end the landscape of our lives is nearly unrecognizable, as we have now been transformed from the inside out.

Today I want to challenge you to look for the flood of God’s presence in your life. Thank Him for the change that is taking place within you.

Until next Monday may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Celebrate Your Independence

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.

This week in the United States we will be celebrating Independence Day. This holiday commemorates the signing of our Declaration of Independence from the Great Britain. For most Americans this is a very patriotic day filled with cookouts, fireworks and celebrations of freedom.

Today I want to spend a few minutes talking about freedom:

John 8:36 (NLT)
So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.

One of the greatest tragedies in life is living as a prisoner when we don’t need to. In my early days in law enforcement, I remember trying to release a prisoner one night who simply didn’t want to leave. Even though he had been set free by the court, he found the confines of the county jail familiar and was not willing to be released (we had not choice but to set him free, so he went outside and smashed the window of squad car and came right back in).

Sadly many people live their lives just like this man. Jesus went to the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. The record has been cleared and God has declared us innocent. Unfortunately many of us still choose to live as a prisoner to the past.

We allow past sin to haunt us, constantly living in fear of being exposed. At every corner we wonder if anyone knows what lurks in our past. This chain of guilt, shame and doubt hold us captive every day of our life, but is this really necessary?

Let me walk you through this thought. When Jesus went to the cross, the shedding of His blood paid the price for all of our sin. This means that there is nothing that we have ever done, are doing or could ever consider doing that would require Jesus to die on our behalf again. When Jesus said “it is finished,” that is exactly what He meant.

This week as you celebrate Independence Day I want to encourage you to remember that you have been set free from the bondage of the past. Grab hold of the freedom that you have been given and thank God for loving you enough to make it all possible.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Fresh Eyes

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.

One of the greatest challenges in our life is the challenge of familiarity. To give you a better idea of what I mean, let me give you a few examples. You have a crack that runs along the ceiling in your house. That crack has been there for the last 5 years. You are now familiar enough with it that you don’t even notice its presence, however; a first time visitor to your home notices this same crack right away.

Let me give you another example. A person who has pets in their home no longer notices the smell of fur and pet dander, but a first time visitor notices it immediately.

Familiarity numbs the senses. This also happens spiritually. We allow certain things into our lives on a regular basis that harm us spiritually. Over time we get used to these things, so they no longer prick our conscience.

Fortunately for us, as we spend time in God’s presence He gives us His vision and we begin to see our lives in a new way:

Isaiah 42:7 (NLT)

You will open the eyes of the blind and free the captives from prison. You will release those who sit in dark dungeons.

When we see through God’s eyes, the cracks, flaws and shortcomings are more readily visible. We once again smell the stench of old habits and we become keenly aware of issues in our lives that need to be dealt with.

This week I want to challenge you to pray along these lines. Ask the Lord to give you a fresh viewing of your life. Take note of the cracks in the foundation and the smells in the corner. As these things become apparent to you take time to confess those before the Lord. Even people need a thorough cleaning every now and then.

Until next Monday may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Time to re-evaluate?

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend and a relaxing Father’s Day. This weekend was an exciting weekend for me. The church hosted its first car “Cruisin’ for the Son” car show. Anytime I can get around classic and high performance automobiles I am energized. These car shows quickly expose any covetous spirit that might be within me.

This morning I want to discuss the idea of re-evaluating your plans and direction. One of my favorite passages of Scripture gives a great example of this:

Acts 16:6-8 (NLT)

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had told them not to go into the province of Asia at that time. [7] Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go. [8] So instead, they went on through Mysia to the city of Troas.

Let me help you see the highlights here for a moment. Paul and Silas are on a missionary and their initial plan is to travel into the province of Asia, but the Holy Spirit intervenes and they change course. Paul and Silas next head toward the borders of Mysia with the intention of going to Bithynia, but again the Holy Spirit intervenes and turns them into a new direction to the city of Troas. While in Troas, the Apostle Paul has the following vision:

Acts 16:9-10 (NLT)

That night Paul had a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia in northern Greece, pleading with him, "Come over here and help us." [10] So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, for we could only conclude that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.

There are times in life when we set out on a specific course, but we continue to encounter barriers and obstacles. You have probably been in this circumstance before. No matter how much planning was undertaken, the obstacles continue to arise. It is at these times that we need to ask of God: “What should I be doing now?”

As I look back through my life I see many times when the Holy Spirit placed barriers before my plans, because He was guiding me in an entirely different direction than what I had envisioned.

In the case of Paul and Silas, God was going to use them in Macedonia. Macedonia, unfortunately, was not in Paul and Silas’ immediate plans. So God intervened, through the Holy Spirit’s leading, and Paul and Silas were given a new course for their missionary work.

This week if you find yourself coming up against barrier after barrier, you may find that God is leading you in some new directions. Be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit as He leads you to God’s perfect will for your life.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Nothing is Wasted

Good morning! I hope your week is off to a great start and that your weekend was refreshing.

How many of you used to watch the TV show McGyver? McGyver seemed to escape every trap, quandary and difficult situation through the use of the common, everyday objects that were near him. There wasn’t hardly anything he couldn’t put to use.

My dad has always been that way too. I remember as a kid, him teaching me to make a radio with a used pharmaceutical bottle and copper wire. He was always inventing, creating and modifying using things that were normally found around our house.

This thought brings me to the following verse from Proverbs:

Proverbs 12:27 (NLT)

Lazy people don't even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find.

Recent studies say that the average American generates 4.4 pounds of garbage per day. We unfortunately live in a throw away society. Disposable diapers, disposable batteries, single serving meals…the list goes on.

We have, as a society, moved away from being good stewards of all that has been given to us. We readily choose convenience and instant gratification over resource management and diligence.

Each of us has things in our lives that could be put to better use. Maybe you have some clothes that could benefit a family in need. Maybe that old car could serve a family that has no transportation. Maybe with a little thought and creativity, some of that junk in your storage room could find new use and purpose in some other way.

This week ask God to make you the best steward of all that He has given you. Ask Him to give you new ideas and new uses for the things that have long since fulfilled the original purpose. And as you mother used to remind you at the dinner table…you may not need it, but somewhere in the world someone in the world would love to have that very same thing.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Correction

Good morning! I hope your weekend was refreshing and that you find yourself energized this morning as you move into the new work week.

This past week my family and I took our summer vacation to northern New Mexico. I have always enjoyed going to the mountains and this vacation was no different. I am always awestruck by the awesome grandeur of God’s creation.

This trip for us was unique though, because we allowed our 16 year old to drive much of the journey. Christopher has been driving a little less than a year and this was his first experience with long haul highway driving and out of town driving.

Now Christopher is a good driver, for the most part, but there were times that I had to correct his driving behavior. Now I’m sure that Christopher didn’t find the correction to be real fun, but it kept him from killing us…so it was a critical and necessary part of the learning process.

Notice what the Bible says along these lines:

Proverbs 12:1 (NLT)

To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.

None of us likes to face discipline or correction, but when we look back over our lives we find that some of our greatest learning experiences came from those times. As a child I learned respect for others on the receiving end of the paddle. It is a lesson that has stuck with me for life. In fact one of my stated core values is “people matter.” Even though I wasn’t appreciative of the spankings then, I’m eternally grateful for the lessons taught today.

By the same token, we need to realize that God also loves us enough to discipline us. There are times that if we were to continue our course uncorrected we would harm ourselves and possibly others with our reckless abandon. There are many times, when I have faced God’s tough hand of discipline, but I find that once again these have been some of my greatest experiences of personal growth.

Today you may find yourself on the receiving end of correction. Don’t get angry, but instead put on your pupil’s hat and learn the lessons well. You are being taught and molded for greater things.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

The Vacation Chronicles

I love the mountains! I have always loved going to the mountains for time away. The mountains around Santa Fe are unique, because this is still high desert country.

The one drawback to my time away here is allergies. The mountains are covered with pine trees and my nose is running like a faucet. Thank goodness for Benadryl.

Monday, we packed up a picnic lunch and headed to the Pecos river. We had been told that you could follow the river up to one of the peaks (about 13,000 feet), so that is exactly what we did. What a beautiful view. The river was very cold and the banks were lined with trout fisherman. Carol and I could have sat there all day,but the 9 and 5 year olds had different ideas. Monday evening Carol and I left the little ones with our 16 year old (they went and played miniature golf) and we went on a date.

Yesterday, we all headed out in separate directions. Collin and I had a dad day and went to the Bradbury Museum with the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Nuclear science is fascinating, but it sure does cause you to stop and consider your values and ethics. I was impressed that within the museum they allowed for a display of opposing opinions and even provided a book to voice your own. Los Alamos is a very pretty place though, in fact I liked it so much I'm taking the family back there today.

Christopher took a 6 mile round trip hike up "baldie." His total hike took about 6 hours to complete, but he said it was well worth it.

Carol and Caitlyn stayed around the apartment and painted toe nails and finger nails and played on the playground.

We all came back together last night to grill hamburgers and watch season 2 of Seinfeld on my laptop.

I don't feel any older

Yesterday I celebrated my 37th birthday. Now I still have the same creaks, groans and hair loss that I had last week, so from a feeling standpoint I don't feel much different. The one thing that does remind me of the seasons of life is my current location.

My family and I are on vacation at our denomination's conference center in Glorieta, NM. The last time I was here was 23 years ago. I was a freshman in high school and my main objective was meeting cute girls with a minor emphasis on spiritual growth.

Now I'm here watching my 16 year old son scouting out the high school girls who are here with their youth groups. Oh the joys of teenage boyhood.

My other children have been challenging me to miniature golf and are desparate to find a video game console somewhere. Sadly for them there are no TV's at Glorieta.

It has been a wonderful vacation so far. Friday night we went to watch the bat flight at Carlsbad Caverns. What an amazing sight to watch literally hundreds of thousands of bats take flight simultaneously. All heading out in different directions and by God's amazing design they find their way back to the very same cave the next morning.

Saturday as we drove Carlsbad to Glorieta, we took note of the antelope in the fields and enjoyed the changing landscape. Once we arrived we went into Santa Fe and enjoyed the free spirit of the plaza. There are many artisans and Indian craftsman who sell their wares in the plaza each day. We finished off the our tour of Santa Fe with a tour of the Saint Francis of Assissi Cathedral. What a beautiful, ornate sanctuary that is!

Yesterday was my birthday so we celebrated with a trip to Wal-Mart and Albertsons for groceries. After presents, a power nap and rousing round of mini-golf, I made bbq ribs on the grill. There is a Sunday School class from a church in Albuquerque staying at our apartments so they invited us to join them and we celebrated our time away together.

This morning I am sitting on the back patio of the Holy Grounds Cafe, which proudly serves Starbucks coffee. It is a beautiful morning. The sky is blue and cloudless the birds are chirping and the air is cool and crisp. There is a youth conference going on, so I am coming across pockets of young people doing their daily devotions and Bible study. Brings back alot of memories. I think today we are going to follow the Pecos River up to a 13,000 foot pass.

Need Wisdom?

Good morning! I hope you had a refreshing weekend and are starting your week with your batteries recharged.

Life is very fluid and situations change sometimes from moment to moment. Just when you think you’ve got the course lined out and all the answers in hand the situation changes or another scenario is presented. I find in leadership that this fluidity of circumstances tends to be more of the norm and less of the exception.

Times of uncertainty and ambiguity can be very stressful and tiring. There comes a point where your insight and wisdom just don’t seem to be enough. No matter how much you massage a matter over in your mind, you just don’t come to a conclusion that seems to provide some measure of peace or closure.

So what do you do with times like these? For some of us we just choose to mentally mull it over further. Others of us allow these things to become a point of worry and pre-occupation. The Bible, however, gives us this bit of instruction:

James 1:5 (NLT)

If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.

Ask for help…now that’s a novel idea!!!! God invites us to allow Him into our problems and quandaries. God is giving us permission to tap into His wisdom…which by the way is unlimited and immeasurable. Notice the words…ask him, and he will gladly tell you. The King James Version states that God gives wisdom “liberally.” Unlike others, God won’t even look down His nose at you for asking.

Let’s face it, the greatest counsel you can receive is the wisdom of those who have been there or have a greater vantage point than you do. God fits both of these criteria. He has been there, is there and will be there. He sees not only the past and the present, but He sees eternity in the same picture. He sees the things 1, 3, 5, 25, 100….years out, and He sees the effect of today’s decisions on tomorrow’s future.

This week you may be facing some dilemmas of your own. The invitation has been extended. Why don’t you spend a few moments and ask for wisdom from the source.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Are you ambidextrous?

Good morning! I hope you had a great Mother’s Day yesterday. For me, Mother’s Day is always a time to reflect and to give thanks for my own mother. Her example to me of how to live by faith has been instrumental in seeing me through the joys and trials of life.

As a pastor I am daily faced with the choice of being a “Lone Ranger” in the ministry or utilizing a team approach to ministry. For me this is generally a very easy choice. I have had to fly solo on many occasions, but have learned that my single efforts pale in comparison to the synergy of a corporate effort. Too many of us fail to tap into the strength, talent, ability and accountability of being a part of a strong team.

Today I want to focus on this idea of team building with you. This weekend during my personal Bible study I was reading in the book of 1 Chronicles. The 12^th chapter of 1 Chronicles describes the fighting men who went into battle with King David:

1 Chronicles 12:1-2 (NLT)

The following men joined David at Ziklag while he was hiding from Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who fought beside David in battle. [2] All of them were expert archers, and they could shoot arrows or sling stones with their left hand as well as their right. They were all relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin.

The 2^nd verse of this passage caught my eye: “All of them were expert archers, and they could shoot arrows or sling stones with their left hand as well as their right.” Now this doesn’t seem like a very “spiritually deep” thought at first, but let’s think this through for a moment. When I was police officer one of the things that we often trained for was the scenario in which your dominant hand was injured. I am left handed and I can remember the first time I had to shoot my sidearm with my right hand. Talk about feeling akward…the feel of the gun in my hand was not natural. I had to constantly readjust my grip and my shooting stance never felt comfortable. As if the sidearm wasn’t bad enough, trying to use the shotgun off handed was even worse. Everything seemed clumsy and backwards.

In spite of the discomfort with offhanded shooting and off handed baton swinging, these were still critical skills to develop. Those who worked along side of me needed to know that I could continue in battle even if my dominant hand or arm were injured and I needed the same assurance about them.

So what does this have to do with you? Every day we have a choice to go it alone or to surround ourselves with others who can assist us in the journey. When David chose those who would surround him in battle, he chose those who were both skilled with their weaponry and those who were adaptable to the changing battlefield. In my ministry I am constantly on the lookout for those who can enhance our ministry team. I watch for those who are skilled with the gifts, talents and abilities that God has given them. In the end the ministry team is able to do much more for the Kingdom of God than I could ever do on my own.

Today I want to challenge you to look at who surround you. Have you chosen to surround yourself with quality people? Are you always on the lookout for those who have displayed great skill and passion, so that they can enhance your team?

Secondarily, consider yourself. Are you skillful with the tools, gifts, talents and abilities that God has given you? If not, I challenge you to hone your skills and become an ambidextrous warrior.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Search and Rescue

Good morning! I hope you had a fantastic weekend and that your week is off to a great start.

As most of you have seen on the news this weekend, the small town of Greensburg, Kansas was devastated by a powerful tornado this past Friday. This report hit very close to home for our family as we have friends who live in Greensburg. Even as I am writing we still have not heard from some of them. This is also very personal to us, because 6 years ago we lost our own home in a devastating tornado, so those images conjure up many memories.

Today officials continue their house to house search in Greensburg. They are looking for those who are trapped and unaccounted for. It is with this thought of search and rescue that I bring you this morning's encouragement.

Search and rescue, this phrase may bring to mind a variety of mental pictures. You may see men with bloodhounds looking for missing child in the woods. Perhaps you see a Coast Guard diver being hoisted from the water via helicopter with a sailor who has had to abandon ship. Maybe you envision a firefighter climbing to the top of a ladder truck to perform a high angle rescue or a group of good Samaritans digging through a pile of rubble with their hands after an earthquake. No matter what you envision, the principle is still the same, seeking out and retrieving those who find themselves trapped.

For me the ultimate example of search and rescue is found in Jesus. Read His words as recorded in Luke:

Luke 19:10 (NLT)

And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost.

Jesus came to actively seek those who are separated from the love of God. The mental image of the word seek is similar to the action of sifting through the dirt by hand to uncover a victim, just like the images we see after an earthquake or a building collapse.

The search, however, is only the first part of the equation. The task is not complete until the rescue has taken place. That is why Jesus said that He came to "seek" and "save" those who are lost. For us, the rescue took place at the cross. Jesus offered Himself as a living sacrifice to bridge the separation between God and man. We could not bridge that gap on our own. Our best deeds and greatest works still are not enough;it took Jesus to remove the barriers that kept us trapped.

Today as you reflect upon the search and rescue that was done on your behalf, take time to say thank you once again. Take comfort in the fact that Jesus continues to go heart to heart on His divine rescue mission and every day people are being given a new lease on life.

Until next Monday keep the victims of the Greensburg, Eagle Pass and other recent tornadoes in your prayers. May God's richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Do you know where the fish are?

Good morning! I hope you had a blessed weekend and are refreshed as you enter into this new week.

This past Friday I had the privilege of joining a group of ministers and lay leaders for a deep sea fishing charter in the Gulf of Mexico. After our 3 hour journey on the water we were finally at our destination about 30 miles out from the coast line. We dropped our lines and….nothing! Twenty-six men went from high expectation to shear boredom. We couldn’t even buy a nibble.

Fortunately for us, we were under the watch care of a veteran sea captain. Our captain knew where to find the fish and so he wasted no time in retrieving the anchor and we set out for a new location. The captain maneuvered the boat into position and told us to drop our lines.

Now let me stop here for a moment and put some application to this story. All of us have had unproductive days of fishing. We’ve been dating for years and haven’t found the “right one.” We’ve been at the company for years and never received that promotion. We’ve been courting that potential client and time after time we hear the word “no.” Unproductive fishing…we’ve all been there. So when we are presented with the opportunity to cast our nets again we have a choice. We can dwell on the past lack of productivity and just quit or we can cast our nets one more time, knowing that a bountiful catch is out there.

Simon Peter’s encounter with Jesus rings true to this thought:

Luke 5:4-7 (NLT)

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets, and you will catch many fish."

[5] "Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, we'll try again." [6] And this time their nets were so full they began to tear! [7] A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

For Simon Peter this issue was trust. Do I trust that this Jesus knows what He’s talking about? Am I willing to risk my pride for the sake of a bountiful harvest? These are the kinds of questions we all face. Can we trust God’s leadership enough to cast the nets again even when the previous attempts have been unfruitful?

This past Friday, we all trusted our captain. Within a matter of seconds every man had a fish on the line. Over the course of the next 3 hours, all 26 of us motley thrill seekers would reel in over 300 pounds of fish. Our trip was so productive that we had hit our limits almost an hour before our fishing time was scheduled to end.

The productivity of the trip came down to these key truths:

• Our guide knew the waters, he had been here many times before
• Our guide could see what was beneath the surface
• We simply had to follow his instructions, trusting that they were reliable

Today you may be asking yourself: “Is it worth casting the net one more time?” I want to challenge you to keep throwing the net overboard. Until God shows you a different course or direction, keep trusting in the outcome. Your time is coming…even if you don’t see it from your current vantage point.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

Have you heard...?

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend and that you are off and running this morning.

This past weekend my family and I relocated our household to a new place of residence. We are blessed to have so many who willingly gave of their time and muscles to help us undertake this effort. So with sore muscles and joints I bring you this morning’s encouragement.

I want to begin by identifying a few of the most dangerous places in America:

• The office water cooler
• The school playground
• The women’s restroom
• The men’s locker room
• The office break room
• Corner gatherings at the church house

Do you know what these places have in common? What makes them so dangerous? Each of these places has historically been breeding grounds for gossip. We’ve all seen it happen before our very eyes…in fact most of us have been sucked into its grasp at one point or another.

Gossip often disguises itself under good and noble intentions with such titles as “information”, “thought I would let you know”, or “did you hear?” At the heart of gossip is a selfish desire to judge others according to our standards or to place ourselves in a position of knowing another’s business.

The problem with gossip is the fact that human communication is not all that reliable. You remember your grade school days when you played the gossip game don’t you? One student would tell the next student a secret and that student would relay that message to the next student. By the time the message had gotten to the end of the class, it was always totally different than how it began. We listen and speak through our own filter of understanding so our communications are never 100% objective.

Consider what the Bible says about gossip:

Proverbs 11:13 (NLT)

A gossip goes around revealing secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

Gossip is like identity theft. It can damage a person’s reputation, career, relationship and even their faith for years to come with little hope for repairing the damage to their name.

The best of friends are those who can hold strict confidences. We need to be very discerning in what we share and to whom we share it with. Some things simply do not need to be shared. Their disclosure benefits no one and in the end the harm done far outweighs any gain that may be achieved.

This week you may have an opportunity to be apart of the gossip in the workplace, school yard or even the church house. I want to challenge you to break the cycle. Remove yourself and make the truth your standard for living.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl