Open Door

I feel like this Scripture might be for someone reading my blog, or to share with a friend...

What's the open door the Lord has set before you?

http://bible.us/Rev3.8.ESV "'I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

Twenty Less

I normally don't get excited about weight loss goals, but what has happened with my body lately has me pretty excited :)

For years I tried hard to gain weight - protein shakes, working out, eating like a staving teenage boy... but it was always tough to get my weight up. Then something happened. The older I got, the weight I used to have to work so hard for started to come on so easily... and without my permission!

Well, this past January I got sick as a dog and lost about 5 pounds in just a day or two. I remember thinking to myself, "I'm going to run with this... I've already lost five, let's try to keep this up!"

Through my wife feeding us more all-natural meals, me eating lighter dinners (yet bigger breakfasts and lunches), doing more body weight exercises (versus heavy lifting), and just staying active, I'm now about 20 pounds lighter than where I was at around Christmas last year!

For me and my frame, that is a BIG difference! The weight I am at now is a little more natural for my frame and body type. I feel great (except for those nagging pains that seem to be a part of joining the 30 club!) and look forward to keeping the weight off with continued healthy eating, watching my portions in the evening, and staying active (I'm also praying and believing to kick those nagging pains to the curb!)

So anyway, maybe that will help encourage someone else looking to make some personal fitness goals out there... you can do it!

Trustworthy

You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV

Amen!

The Lord is an everlasting Rock. He does not change. There is no "shadow of turning" in Him. He is trustworthy.

While in prayer the other day, the Lord pressed upon me His trustworthiness. God knows what He is doing. He opens up doors and places His people where He wants them for a reason. We can trust that a righteous man's steps are ordered of the Lord. As we trust in Him with all our heart, he directs our paths.

Knowing we can trust Him brings peace to our lives and to the situations we are in.

His ways our good, and His desire is for our welfare, peace and for a hope.

Let's lean on and trust in the only Rock of ages, the Lord God.

Duggar Time

One of the most wholesome and uplifting shows out there (and a Follman family personal favorite!), the Duggars! ("19 Kids and Counting" by TLC)

Natural Arch

We took the clan hiking tonight at Natural Arch in McCreary County, KY.

Great views and great family time together!

Thirst

What do you thirst for?

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? http://bible.us/Ps42.1.ESV

Spent... Again

So worn out this Friday night, yet held up by His grace.

Spent many times over. I guess it makes weekends and time with the family all the more sweeter. ;)

Inside Out

Love this in The Message (See Romans 12)...

Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out.

Open Ear

The spirit of this passage speaks loudly to me... what does it speak to you??

http://bible.us/Ps40.6.ESV In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

First Win

Well, we notched our first win of the season tonight. The Lady Maroons traveled to Garrard County for our second game of the season. We traveled home with a 7-0 win - a bounce back win from our first game.

The ladies played great, possessing the ball very well, and starting the game off with speed, boldness, and focus. As any good coach does, though, I took notes on things to work on, so I look forward to improving on our win at practice tomorrow.

Time to call it a night - the morning comes early and there is much to do!

Carried

People have said that going through the more difficult things in life, though they would not choose them, actually allows them to walk more intimately with the Lord than they ever had before.

I'm beginning to understand that more...

It's like when you are going through the presses of life, He carries you in ways that are simply supernatural.

It's unexplainable.

When things are toughest, it's then that He sustains you.

It's like the "Footprints" poem, except, you know it is He who is carrying you along.

It is Jesus who said to Paul,

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

If it is when I am weak that I can sense Him all the nearer...

If it is when I am most worn out that I am empowered...

...then may it be so.

Attitude

Since being laid off, starting and stopping a business, starting a new (old) career, and all the stresses of time and money while trying to be the best father, husband and friend I can be, I feel I am closer to understanding the below quote by Charles Swindoll than ever before...

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

How will you and I react to the trials and difficulties in our life? Will we see them with God's vision? Or will we try to walk through them alone, trusting in our own intelligence and resources??

I choose to walk with God. And I need His grace to do so.

Seems like a good reminder as we start the week :)

Just Dreamin'

Just doing some dreamin' tonight... ;)

Battle Trust

What do you do when the battle wages on? Who do you look to when things get difficult?

It's my natural inclination as a problem solver to look to myself to solve the problems or difficulties I face. When a crisis hits, I usually try to find the solution in and of myself. Then, when all else fails, pray.

I feel the Lord turning me to Him along all of life's bends and turns - to go to Him first. To look to Him for the solution, instead of to myself. To look to Him with faith and patience, enjoying the day and not worrying about tomorrow - knowing it is Him who holds the 'morrow.

When we face trials and difficulties, God is trying to work something for good in our lives. Will we go to Him to seek what it is He is looking to do? Will we seek Him for the solution? Will we find our rest in Him or try to find it in our ability to control our situation? Will we allow Him to do the work He wants to do in us, and let Him do it His way, and in His time?

I haven't always been good at these things, but I do feel the Lord is helping me to depend more on Him rather than myself when I am fighting in the trenches of life. I suppose it is better to learn these things later rather than never.

So what about you? What do you do?

One Week

After a five year absence from teaching, my first week is officially in the books. With coaching varsity soccer and my first year back, and being at a new-to-me school, there is a definite learning curve. Part of that learning curve is jumping in with both feet, late nights and early mornings, and doing whatever it takes to keep my head afloat.

That's about where I am at right now. :)

To Up!

Well, game 1 is in the books.

It's not exactly how I would prefer to start my varsity coaching career, but hey... you gotta start somewhere. And if a 5-1 loss is how we start, then hopefully the only place we have to go is up.

To up!!!

All Part Of It

Up late trying to complete requirements for coaching. Love the coaching part, it's all the paperwork and details (albeit important!) that slow me down.

Looking forward to the season, first game tomorrow!

Go PC!

Where Are Your Eyes?

When your not sure what to do, take King Jehoshaphat's advice...

O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." http://bible.us/2Chr20.12.ESV

Where are your eyes?

Blown

Yea, I blew it tonight. Big mistake.

Church tomorrow thankfully... oh wait. I'm preaching.

But I'm still upset. How do I preach with a shackled heart?! Even more, how do I sleep with walls between me and my most important, invaluable relationships?

The only option: make things right.

Time to eat some humble pie.

An Inch

Give the devil an inch, and he'll take a mile.

It is true that we cannot tolerate any sin on our lives.  However, some sins are more obvious than others. Some of us tolerate habits of mind that are totally unscriptural, and we allow them to rule our lives because they don't seem as blatant as some other sins.

Their still just as deadly.

It ought not be so....

Praise Him in the Battle

Praise Him in the battle.

That is what has been in my heart this week.

Notice how Jehosephat went into an intimidating battle...

http://bible.us/2Chr20.21.ESV And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, "Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever."

Let's lead into our battles with praise.

Back to School

After a five year absence, I'm back in the classroom. I honestly never thought I would teach again; thankfully God intervenes and knows what He is doing in our lives!

What a great first day! I very much look forward to tomorrow... :)

Trust, Revisited

We revisited these verses as a family tonight... with His help, we will be a family who trusts in the Lord, through all things.

http://bible.us/Prov3.5.ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

My Classroom

The year ahead, from my perspective :)

School starts Wednesday... may God have His way!

Trial

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. http://bible.us/Jas1.2.ESV

Have you thanked God for your trial yet today?

Hope

http://bible.us/Ps62.5.ESV

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

In Christ, we have this amazing hope. We have a future and a hope. Living in His arms gives such hope for the morn, no matter what we face...

He is our strong tower, our hope, our refuge.

Impossible?

The moon was rising beautifully over the hills near our home tonight. Creation has a wonderful way of pointing us to our Creator.

I'm reminded tonight that the God who by His words formed the earth, moon, sun, planets, solar system and the billions of others out there, that God is more than capable to take care of little old me.

I'd say my impossibilities seem to not be so impossible when I think about how truly great He is.

Thank you Jesus.

Olympics - Video

It's the Olympics... I can't help but get into the spirit!

Watch "The Official London 2012 Olympics Film.'Sport At Heart'" on YouTube

Heart Lead

"Don't let your head get in the way of your hearts direction..." -Daniel Engelbrecht -- QuoteHive (@QuoteHive)

Wow. I needed to hear that.

So often I trade the direction and intuition of my heart for the logic and law of my mind.

I believe I'm changing though.

I'm learning to run free. Lead with my heart. Renew my mind.

My family needs me to lead them with my heart, with the securities and insecurities, as well as the passion and purpose that come from leading from your heart.

I need the help of the Lord to do this. As I lead from my heart or inner man, I am ultimately looking to be led by His Spirit.

If He's not leading, tell me then, what's the point?