Hot Chocolate Fans!!

I’m not a huge hot chocolate fan, but this by far is best I’ve ever had. I have to admit, I got this from someone else’s blog and decided I would give it a try. It’s pretty simple to make.

Get a Wendy’s frosty (chocolate), bring it home and put the cold frosty in a mug. Put the mug in the microwave for 1 minute. Take it out and stir it. Put it back in for another minute. Make sure the frosty is completely melted and hot. Be careful not to let it spill over while in the microwave-watch it closely. And there you have it - a pretty awesome cup of hot chocolate. We ordered a large frosty and that was more than enough for two people.

It makes a really cold Arkansas night pretty enjoyable!!!!

Anti-Evangelism

Saw this on another blog and thought it was pretty eye-opening!

Anti-Evangelism Strategy

1) When interacting with friends, neighbors and co-workers, talk about your family, your job, the weather, your favorite sports team, the new restaurant you found or your increasing drive time to the office. Never mention that Jesus is your best friend and what He’s doing in and through you today, or that you have friends who are closer than a brother. Unbelievers would be jealous if they knew about this seemingly exclusive arrangement.

2) Whatever you do, don’t invite unbelievers to your small group meetings, to Sunday services or over to your house when your Christian friends are present. Revision: Whatever you do, don’t spend time with unbelievers or believers who are pro-great commission. Create new plans to insulate yourself from the world by investing your free time with religious friends who feel nothing for the lost. An old Chinese proverb states “Choose your cohorts well, for they will be your destiny!”

3) If you feel obligated to serve someone in a way that could be considered an act of kindness, whatever you do, don’t tell them God prompted you to do it. Just perform the act with the attitude that they will owe you a big favor in the future and tell them you’ll be calling in that favor soon. Revision: If you feel obligated to serve someone, take a moment to think about all the really important stuff you have to do at work, around the house or for your family. This should help you see how really foolish you’d look ignoring your own needs over the needs of others. The only rule in this world is too look out for number one … no one else loves you as much as yourself.

4) Never tell a friend, neighbor and co-worker you will be praying for them (or even worse pray with them) when they come to you with a problem. The favored response should be “My thoughts are with you.” If you do slip and say the word prayer, walk it off. Chances are you’ll forget to actually pray for the person within five minutes anyway … hard statistics aren’t available, but five minutes is the average time to forget a prayer request!

5) If you pray and talk to God, only ask Him for really cool stuff and personal needs. Just remember that praying for healings or miracles for your lost friends is absolutely not a part of this strategy. If you catch yourself naturally doing it, just take a deep breath and think about winning the lottery.

6) Set a good example for your children. If they don’t see you investing time to be with lost people or let them hang around your house when you’re having “quality family time” you’re on the right track. This is solid modeling for a whole new generation of anti-evangelists who won’t need a strategy … it will be a normal lifestyle.

7) Talking about evangelism in your small group won’t hurt this strategy. It’s when you make plans and hold each other accountable for follow-through that makes it harmful. Praying for the lost when you gather is also very damaging to the cause, so avoid it and fill the evening with prayer for your own needs. Or, why not use your time together in your group to plan picnics and parties just for yourselves? Go ahead, call them "outreach events", but don’t actually invite any lost people or bring them along when you come. Better yet, don’t make any plans at all ... Run from temptation!

8) Keep to yourself. Spending time with fellow small group members during the week only leads to a heightened sense of community and you might run into lost people when you’re hanging out with them. If you’re not wearing out a set of batteries in your remote once a month, you are not investing enough time with your television.

8a) The “world wide waste of face-to-face” interaction (the Web) is also a wonderful way to keep to yourself. Remember, you’re just three mouse clicks away from millions of great anti-God web sites!

9) Put a couple of bucks in the plate the next time a mission offering is taken. Feels counter productive, doesn’t it? Not so! Although it’s not “a widow’s mite” in your tax bracket, you can get a lot of mileage out of that small token. Missionaries don’t need much money to live in third world countries. And, with exchange rates being so high, they could probably take the whole family out to a movie for the price of your donation.

10) Ignore the call to small group leadership. You will be challenged to share your faith in this position and be a role model for others. No anti-evangelist could remain in this environment!

—Author: The Prince of Darkness

An Awesome Prayer!!!

Through some recent difficult and challenging circumstances in my life, I have realized more and more how desperate I am for God; how I truly need His presence everyday, every moment of my life. I’ve realized how so often I choose to do what "I" want and pursue what I think "I" deserve. All of us so often do this. We turn our back away from God to pursue "our" dreams and “our” desires. We miss God's best for our lives and settle for something less and often far less than His best.

I am guilty of this! But, at the same time, I am tired of trying to do it my way. Today, I surrendered “fully” my heart, my dreams, my desire and my will to Jesus. I did it today and will do it everyday! I want what God has even if it requires suffering. I know this is easier said than done, but I also realize that even in our suffering God NEVER leaves us nor forsakes us. And the fruit of obedience is for eternity!

My church, The Journey-Little Rock, has published an awesome prayer guide to help direct us in this area of surrender. I've posted the link below. I encourage you to print it and pray it out loud. It is so stirring and so disruptive!! I really believe, if like me, you are tried of doing it your way and are ready to get on board with God's plan, this is a great place to begin. What has happened in the past his behind us. Hit the “delete” button on the past and move forward. Pursue him with reckless abandon and ask Him to give you a white hot burning passion for Him – that your heart would burn with desire to know Him intimately - that passion for Him would be the “one thing” you and I seek in this world!

Prayer for Beginning the Journey

"BIG" Shoes to Fill!!

Our New Addition

Elizabeth and I are excited to announce we are expecting our second child. Our sonogram, several days ago, showed a strong heartbeat and a few little movements. Pray for us!! Elizabeth has had the typical morning sickness stuff and very tired!

Elizabeth is about 9 weeks pregnant and our due date is May 10th.

Tinkerbell!!!

Maddy Kate decided to go ahead and preview her "Tinkerbell" costume. She wanted to make sure it fit well!! We think she's the cutest Tinkerbell around!!

Busy Lady!!

Not much to say here . . . other than Maddy Kate wondering "why" we are ALWAYS taking her picture!! She's a busy lady these days! She's got things to do and places to go. Don't get in her way!!

Truly Passionate!

I was a fan of Steve Irwin, the “Croc Hunter”! Well, at least I used to be. I even had a pretty decent impersonation of him. At least, my parents thought it was pretty good. I hadn’t watched him in the last few years. I think the shock factor of most of his antics had pretty well worn off. I remember watching his show for the first time as a college student. My roommates and I would sit around our den watching, laughing, and working on our impersonations. We had a pretty active social life! Animal Planet had picked up his show and he was gaining popularity.

I was definitely shocked to hear of his death and the freak nature of it. I don’t know if Steve knew Jesus or not. I can't say I had ever heard him say or do anything that would offend God. As far as I could tell, he seemed to be a really great guy. But, being a “great guy” doesn’t really count in the end. I can only hope at some point in his life he made the decision to give his heart to Jesus.

What I do know about Steve Irwin is he was incredibly passionate about his calling. I remember he often said, “The reason I am on this earth is to save animals. That is my passion and my calling!” It’s pretty obvious to us he was extremely passionate about this. He often put his life at risk to get our attention. I have to confess, his passion convicts me – not the conviction that makes me want to go pick up snakes and play with crocs. But, the conviction that causes me to seriously “check my passions”. Where are my passions today? Are they in the temporal and purposeless things of life? Or, are they in intimately knowing Jesus and making Him know to our dying world? It's so easy to claim the latter, but to actually live that out day to day, moment by moment requires our lives! And I know it's worth it!!

Invincible

I just saw the new Mark Wahlberg movie "Invincible". If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it! Seeing this movie made me think of some of the motivational sports movies I have seen in my life time - the sport movies where the underdog rises up to defeat the giant. I made a list of some I could think of. I'll probably try to add these to my DVD library.

1. Rudy
2. Rocky
3. Hoosiers
4. Cinderella Man
5. Glory Road
6. Invincible
7. Remember the Titans
8. The Natural
9. Seabiscuit
10. The Rookie

I know there are more.

Elizabeth's New Secretary

Elizabeth's job has gotten busy lately. Therefore, we decided to hire a secretary. So far, things are working out pretty well!!

The 5 Essentials

I was listening to a message my college pastor had given a few years ago. He was talking about 5 essentials or values of the Christian life most of us who claim to be "evangelicals" know alot about. The 5 essentials are:

1. Prayer
2. Evangelism
3. Making disciples
4. Serving others
5. The Word

He stated that we "know" alot about these values and we talk ALOT about them, but most of us in The Church in America rarely actually live them out on a day to day basis. And what would it be like if we actually chose to live these 5 simple values out day to day?

Christian bookstores are filled with books and teaching CD's related to these topics; we talk alot about them; we know were are supposed to do them; and we probably could show anyone what the Scriptures have say about them. But, when it comes down to daily living this stuff out, we just don’t do it. Why is that? Why do we go day to day and week to week; months and years with out even sharing our faith once with someone?

I believe there are many reasons, but one that hits me as most prevalent is the self fulfillment mentality and lifestyle associated with American Culture that has invaded the Church in America. Our Church leaders by and large model and preach safety, security, prosperity, and comfort. We some how have come to believe that the purpose for being a "Christian" is so God can give us what we want in order for us to live "good" lives. God in some way has become our self help, self improvement plan and strategy. We often say, "Well, I deserve this, so I'm going to buy it or do it!" We have big houses, big cars, fat checkbooks; all in the name of God. Our churches compete for the biggest buildings, the nicest facilities, the best programs - all so we can entertain in hope of keeping our members in the seats. And what do we have to show for all this - ALOT of people who want nothing to do with God and The Church. We have Christians who have fallen asleep and who are living dead, lifeless, boring lives – where Jesus is simply an historical figure we know a lot about, but have no life-giving personal relationship with.

Even the way we share Jesus with others has been laced with this type of thinking. We say, “Hey, come to Jesus – He’ll make your life better!” While I agree Jesus gives us His Joy and certainly improves our lives, I do not believe following Jesus is easy. In fact, it is a difficult journey where we are called to die to our selves. My journey in knowing and flowing Jesus has been incredible - lifechanging. But, I have certainly run into MANY trials and difficulties on my journey. I would be lying to claim that everything has been rosey and perfect. I’m not suggesting we seek trials, but I certainly embrace them, because it is in those seasons that I am truly broken and humbled. It is in those moments my heart is open to experience the depths of the love of Christ. I am vulnerable, but so desperate for His presence! Is it worth it? Of course!! It is more worth it than we will ever know.

Back to the Church and our culture. The problem is that I don’t see this kind of self-fulfilling, self comforting lifestyle represented or modeled in the Bible or the life of Jesus. Jesus spoke of poverty and of dying to ourselves. He spoke of taking up our cross and following Him. The Church in America has ignored this. We’ve lost this value and our relationship with Him has suffered. Our influence has been reduced to repulsion.

Following Jesus is an amazing, wonderful journey. It’s a moment by moment journey where we get the privilege of walking with a King who deeply and intimately loves us. It’s a moment by moment adventure where God uses us to transform lives as He demonstrates His love and His power to people who deeply need Him. My pastor so often says, "Every morning we wake up to a King eager to lead us on a great adventure, planned before all of time, to experience a deep intimate friendship with Him and to enjoy the pleasure of His presence throughout the day. His name is Jesus!"

I confess; I grew up in this "self-fulfilling" culture that has invaded The Church. Most Christians struggle with this today and many of us don’t even realize it. I believe God is waking up the Church in America. Waking us up to the reality that He has SO MUCH MORE for us!!! He deeply and passionately loves us!! He wants us to know and experience the way He feels about us! He is waiting for us to respond.

The key for you and I is whether or not we will choose to dive in to Him. It’s not easy. If we are going to defeat this american cultural giant that is constantly screaming at us "security", "comfort" and "prosperity", we will have to choose to die to it and to our selves. Death to self is the key. When we fully trust Him and trust His grace to take care of us, we will choose to die and to die daily. Because, as a friend of mine once said, "Our lives are a war of 1000 choices." We choose to follow the world or we choose to follow Jesus! We are living in amazing times. I do not want to miss out on what Jesus is doing in the world. I don’t want to be sitting on my couch watching football while Jesus is out transforming the world. I want to be right up there with Him!!