Thirteen

A teenager? Seriously? It seems like yesterday that it was day one and you were laying with your mom on the hospital bed. Then you sat up. Yep. You sat up in the bed because you were turning blue. Okay so maybe not the best memory, but everything turned out great and we knew from that moment that you were going to be a determined young lady! 

Fast forward thirteen years. We’ve got a little world changer. A girl that has a heart the size of Texas…well, as an Arkansas fan I can’t really compare anything to that state so we will just say a REAL big heart. The sky is the limit for you. That’s probably not even a good ceiling because knowing you with your ambitions, I should probably say that somewhere in outer space would be your limit. 

Lots of memories so far. All of them are pretty hysterical too. From The Big Hungry Bear (I can’t tell that story on here), to you remembering exactly where we were at any given point and the food we were eating at the time, to all of your "Maddeeism's" (like your mom), to so many of your quick witted comments over the years, they all have one thing in common…your amazing, fun, loving, big personality!

Your mom (aka my Smokin Hot Wife) and I are so proud of you. Keep leading strong, even at your young age. Your actions have already spoke volumes to people younger and older than you. We love you so much and we thank God for blessing us and giving us the awesome privilege of being your parents!

Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. -1 Timothy 4:12

Happy Birthday Maddee, we love you! 

My Best Friend

It's funny because the first birthday I ever celebrated with her, we were already married. You see, we started dating in August of 1995, got engaged in January of 1996 and then we married in May of 1996...two months shy of her 21st birthday. I'm talking about my best friend who just happens to be my wife, Mel.

Nineteen birthdays together and I'll tell you a couple of truths. Number one, she is my smoking hot wife and she gets hotter every year! Number two, I am more thankful to God with each year that passes because it becomes more and more obvious that I married way out of my league!

She is the most selfless person I know. She always puts our girls and me before herself. She is the picture of a Godly woman. I watch with awe as people that have never met her before are able to talk with her like they've known her for a lifetime. She is wise beyond her years. I watch our girls look at her with admiration and pray that they take after her in all they do. She knows that God is her number one and I am her number two. She amazes me every day. 

Mel, putting the perfect words down to describe the way I feel about you is difficult. However, you are perfectly described in 5 verses in the book of Proverbs:

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: "There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!"                - Proverbs 31:25-29

I love you so much Mel, Happy Birthday!!! 

B

18

May 4, 1996. Eighteen years. I have been married to my Smoking Hot Wife for eighteen years today!

Ever heard those stories about how a man and a woman go on their first date and they "know" that the person they are with is the one they will be with for the rest of their life? Yep, that happened.

We have had so many adventures in these eighteen years. God's story for our lives has been nothing short of incredible and we can't wait to see what the next chapters hold.

What has eighteen years brought so far? A marriage that somehow keeps getting better every year. Two daughters that have their mom's beauty, inside and out. Living in three different states. Great times, hard times, scary times. Times that required extreme faith. Faith that was then stretched even more. Laughter. Tears. Happy tears. More laughter. A love for our heavenly father that grows consistently deeper as we both seek to always keep Him as our number one and each other as our two. Extreme love.

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. - 1 Peter 3:7

Mel, you are beautiful. Your love for me is more than I deserve. Today I say Happy Anniversary and one more thing...Let's do this for several more years, what do you say?!

I love you with all that is in me.

B

Sweet Sixteen

It doesn't seem possible. I should still be holding her in my arms as she falls asleep. I should still be drinking "tea" from a princess cup while my little princess is busy scurrying around her kingdom and inviting other various stuffed animals to join me in tea time. Today feels like we should be celebrating the fact that she is starting kindergarten or maybe explaining to her that she will soon have a baby sister to play with.

The reality today though is my little princess is now my beautiful sixteen year old princess. That stings a little. I always heard that time flies when you have kids but I never knew how fast it would fly by.

The stinging, however, is quickly replaced with a feeling of immense joy. My heart overflows with love for her. She, in my opinion, is the definition of a young lady after God's heart. Mel and I could not be more proud of the young woman that she is today. She has set an example for and made an impact on so many lives already in her short life. I can't imagine how many more lives she will impact in the years to come.

There are countless "favorite times" that I could talk about. I could write a book and have sequels to it. One of my most favorite times to see her though has to be when it's her and her heavenly father together. I have often looked over during certain worship songs at church and I've seen it. Although the room has hundreds of people in it, as far as she is concerned, it's her and God. Hands lifted high worshiping her creator. It's a feeling for a dad and a mom that you can't put into words. All I can say is we are blessed. We don't deserve to be her parents but God has blessed us and picked us to take care of her on this earth. To think that God actually cares about all of us as much as and more than we care about and love our daughter is almost too difficult to fathom. But it's true.

We are so proud of you. Keep seeking, keep loving, keep being you. You are truly one of a kind. You live out this verse:

Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. -1 Timothy 4:12

Happy Birthday Maylee, we love you!

A pathway no one knew was there

So say you were following Moses and running away from Pharaoh's army. The miracles that had been performed up to this point were nothing short of, well…miraculous. Then you come up against an obstacle. A pretty big obstacle. It's the Red Sea. Oh crap. This is it. We are never going to make it now. There aren't any more miracles that could get us out of this one. Then, as you may have heard, God uses Moses to do the impossible. He tells Moses to pick up his staff and raise his hand over the sea and what happened? The Red Sea parts and the Israelites get to walk through to the other side on dry ground. Pharaoh's army? Well, let's just say that a whole lot of spouses got to collect on life insurance after that day.

There's a really cool verse in Psalms that recounts that day. It says, "Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters - a pathway no one knew was there!" (Psalms 77:19)

Let's focus on that last line. A pathway no one knew was there. You see, God promised Moses that he would use him to lead his people out of Egypt. God promises us that if we seek him with all we've got, He will show us which path to take. The difference sometimes is that when we are faced with major opposition (Red Sea), we give up. Moses could have given up, but he believed that the path he needed to take was already there even though he couldn't see it.

Our paths are there. God's plans for our lives are there. Our paths may be covered up with water right now and no one can see it, but if we seek God with all we've got, have faith in him, trust him and truly listen…then we can start hearing the wind. The wind that is pushing the waters back and showing us our next step. Showing us the pathway that we need to take.

Seek his will in all you do and he will show you which path to take-Proverbs 3:6

Keep seeking. Your pathway is there.

Whenever and Wherever Part 2

Whenever and Wherever.  Those were the words that we started praying back in the middle of 2011 while living in Arkansas.  God brought us to Wellington, Florida in April of 2012.  It has been an unbelievable 15 months!  We have met some awesome people that will be life long friends.  The Wellington campus is just getting started.  I can't wait to see what God has in store here!

 

God has turned the page of our story this last week and in about a month, we will start a new chapter in our lives and a new chapter at LifeChurch.tv.  I have accepted a position at our campus in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and our family will be moving there next month!  It is with sadness that we have to say goodbye to everyone here in South Florida, but we know that God is in control and this is his next step for us.

 

The staff at LifeChurch.tv Wellington is incredible and I am blessed to have served with them.  You Wellington Lifers are equally as incredible!  Keep leading, keep serving, keep inviting like crazy.  Our mission is still the same and we can't do it without your help.  We want to lead people to become Fully Devoted Followers of Christ!

 

Praying God sized miracles for LifeChurch.tv Wellington.  Looking forward to God sized miracles at LifeChurch.tv Broken Arrow.  Whoever finds God…finds life!  

 

We love you, 

 

Bryan, Mel, Maylee, Maddee

Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.  Jeremiah 42:3

Cry

I was having coffee with a friend the other day.  We talked a lot about faith and what audacious faith looked like.  I got back in the car and a song was playing that pretty much summed up our conversation.  Here are a few of the lyrics:

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus

God is in the business of meeting us wherever we are, both in times of joy and sorrow.  He is there today while you're going through financial distress.  He is there today as your heart has just been broken.  He is there today as you cry out for physical healing.  And like a good friend of mine who just lost her brother two days ago, He is there as she and her family search for peace and strength.

The same power that conquered a horrible death lives in you.  Does that really resonate with you?  The same power that allowed Jesus to bust through the clutches of death's darkness into life lives in you if you are a Christ follower.  Cry out to Jesus with audacious faith.  Be bold.  No matter what you've done, no matter what you're going through, His desire is that you will cry.  Cry to your creator with everything that you've got in you.  Stand on the truth and foundation of faith because nothing can shake you off of that foundation if you believe.

The Bible talks a lot about faith.  There are a lot of verses that begin with, "It was by faith that ____".  So what is your statement?  Make it personal.  It was by faith that _____(insert your personal statement for healing, restoration, forgiveness, answers, etc., here).  Then believe it.

Do you really want to hear from God?  Do you really want His peace?  Do you really want His power in you...full on brute force make your hairs stand up on your body type of power?  Cry out to Him.  He will meet you wherever you are.

Remembering Dad 11/3/31-4/2/07

My dad passed away 6 years ago today.  I wrote this when he passed and it was read at his funeral.  In honor of him, I wanted to post it here:

Did you shake it up?  That was one of the last funny phrases we heard from my dad before he got really bad this past weekend.  It came to be a joke with mom, Melanie, and myself.  You see, dad had been drinking glucerna for months for his nutritional intake after it got difficult for him to put any kind of food down.  And although my mom and all of us had done it tons of times before, it never failed that when we would bring him his glucerna he would always ask, “Did you shake it up?”  Melanie brought him a can of it just a few days ago when he was sitting in his living room chair.  As she got closer, she smiled at him and started shaking the glucerna in front of him to show him she was doing it right.  That famous crooked smile came across dad’s face as he took the can from her hand.

That same crooked smile that would appear when he talked about his wife of 37 years whom he, as someone put it to me this week, truly adored.  That same crooked smile that would appear when he would talk about his family and friends.  That same crooked smile that would appear when he would win playing “chicken foot” dominoes with his friends.  That same crooked smile that would appear when Maylee and Maddee would play dress up with him and he would end up wearing a tiara and earrings, and that same crooked smile that I just saw this past Friday when the girls ran inside to tell their pa-paw about how their daddy ran and screamed like a girl because he just saw a big snake outside.

I’m going to miss that crooked smile.  It was extremely hard the last few days seeing him suffer like he did.  Even though he was in unimaginable pain, every now and then up until his final day on earth, he would still reach up and give mom a kiss on the cheek.  We all told him we loved him during those last few seconds and we saw him trying to say something back to us and we know for sure he was telling us that he loved us too.  I’ll miss you dad, but as Maylee and Maddee said to me after it happened…their pa-paw isn’t coughing or hurting anymore.

That crooked smile is focused on Jesus right now, and one day I’ll see it again when dad is standing at heaven’s gate waiting for me…probably with a can of glucerna in his hand and a rubber snake behind his back!

I Give Up

Do you want to give up on something?  Do you ever think that telling God you give up is a good thing?

I was talking with a friend today and he was telling me a story that happened a little while back.  In the story, he told me how he had come to a time in his life where he didn't know which direction to go anymore and he was feeling that God had something else for his life so he prayed these words...God, I Give Up.

You see, my friend had come to a point in his life to where he was tired of trying to write his own story.  He was tired of trying to be the orchestrator of his life.  Like a child, he cried out to his heavenly father and asked him to take over.  God, I give up.

I wrote those four words down as soon as I heard them because I think a lot of us need to come to the point in our lives where we lay everything down in front of God; our fears, our dreams, those nervous feelings in your gut that you get sometimes when you know a change needs to happen, and just say God, I give up.  I cant figure it out on my own anymore.  Show me where to go.

The Bible says to 'Seek his will in all you do and he will show you which path to take.' -Proverbs 3:6. Seeking his will means giving up on your own will, reading the Bible, praying, and listening for God to tell you his will.  By the way, his will is good and it's perfect.

 Give up?

Stretched

Nine months is a long time in blog world.  That's how long it has been though since I last wrote.  The last time I wrote I was living in Central Arkansas.  This time I'm in South Florida.  The last time I wrote I was ending a seventeen year career in banking.  This time I'm about nine months into being a full time Pastor.  The last time I wrote I had a smoking hot wife.  Well, at least some things never change!

God rocks.  That sums up the past nine months.  Flash back to July, 2011.  Me and Mel talking to our two daughters..."Girls, I don't know what God is doing in our lives right now but I can tell you that he's getting ready to lay something so big on us that we can't even begin to imagine what it could be."  Now if this me could have gone back and talked to the July 2011 me and told him what was going to happen in 2012, I would have told this me to lay off the crack and go back to the future.  God does crazy things though when you fully surrender to him...and to say that he laid something so big and unimaginable on us would be the understatement of the year.

S T R E T C H E D.  That word also sums up the past few months for me.  My faith has been stretched.  My mind has been stretched.  My gifts and talents have been stretched.  Life as we know (knew) it has been stretched.  I know now more than ever what it means to truly give your cares, worries, anxieties and life one hundred percent over to God.  You come to a point in your life and you realize that this story you are in, this best-selling adventure story that you are in, is God's story for you.  He's the author.  Let go, and let him continue to show you the next page, the next chapter, the next adventure.  It won't all be easy.  It all hasn't been easy during our transition.  Twists, turns, dead ends, and feeling like you're going Mach 3 with your hair on fire seemed like an everyday occurrence for a while.  But with God in front, we took everything head-on and are all the stronger because of it.  Thank God for an amazing wife and two amazing daughters.  I could not do this without them.

There's so much on my heart and so much that I want to say but I'll end this post with this...Happy 2013!  Let this be the year of no more "what if" questions for you.  Spend time with God and ask him what's next in your story.  Then do it.  There are people out there waiting on you.  God is waiting on you.

A Birthday to Remember

Well, it's 10:30 p.m. on April 4th, 2012.  I'm 39 years old today and in about a week I will be embarking on a journey that I couldn't have imagined nor orchestrated in a million years.  I feel like I need to tell you the story of how this all came to pass because it proves that God is still in the WOW business as well as the Miracle business.  Hopefully this story might help someone out there who has by faith stepped out of the boat onto the water, but feels like they are starting to sink.  I can assure you my friend, if it's God's will then you will be skipping across the waves real soon if you keep your eyes focused on the One who created you.

Here we go...For several years now, I've gone through different seasons of feeling like I was supposed to be involved in full time ministry in some capacity.  Sometimes the feelings would last through several days or weeks, and sometimes only a few minutes or a fleeting thought.  Over the past several months, however, those fleeting feelings turned into a constant tugging not only for me but for Mel as well.  -Let me take a moment here to tell the guys out there that when your wife starts getting these funny feelings and her intuition starts kicking in...get ready because something big is about to take place-. 

Enter January 14th, 2012.  Mel and I had decided to take a trip to get away for a weekend.  No plans, no agenda, just a trip.  We decided on Oklahoma City, mainly because one of our goals was to go visit some of the churches that we had followed and read about for years.  It was between Nashville and OKC, so we chose OKC.  I don't remember exactly, but I'm sure I chose it because I found a good deal on a hotel room for that location on that particular weekend.  Anyway, off we went.  We got there on a Friday night and then woke up on Saturday the 14th and hung out in the city all day.  We then came back to the hotel.  We were planning on going to one of the LifeChurch campuses in the area on Sunday morning.  I had followed the Senior Pastor of LifeChurch, Craig Groeschel, for years and had read many of his books so we were excited to see the experience in person.  Then, through a last minute decision that we made, all of a sudden we were getting dressed quickly and going to a Saturday night service as well as still planning on going to one on Sunday as well.  We hurried to the church that Saturday evening and walked in just as the worship was starting.  It was a great service and as we were leaving, I noticed the Campus Pastor standing in the lobby with no one around him.  Mel and I walked over to talk to him.  He asked where we were from and all the usual small talk stuff.  We talked about me being a banker and about our past experiences with volunteer work at churches.  About 2 minutes into the conversation he asked me if I was looking for a job, or if I had ever looked at their jobs online before.  He then proceeds to tell me to send him my resume sometime.  Say what?  Needless to say, Mel and I didn't talk that much on the way back to the hotel.  Was he serious?  Was this God's way of telling me something?

We got home and that week I sent him my resume.  We talked back and forth a couple times through e-mail and then...nothing.  Never heard from him.  What was that about God?

Fast forward a couple weeks to February 4th.  Mel, in her wisdom, encouraged me to send my resume to them through the regular route by applying on their website.  I reluctantly did so, but because they get so many resumes I really didn't see them picking one out from a banker in Arkansas.  Then 10 days later on February 14th, I walked out of a meeting at the bank and noticed I had a missed call and had a voice mail from Edmond, Oklahoma.  The girl on the voice mail said they had received my resume and could I please call her back.  I called and after a brief conversation, she asked if I would be interested in doing a video interview with someone from LifeChurch that week.  I said yes.  I hung up and was stunned.  Did that conversation really just happen?

Two days later I had the video interview.  It was with 2 guys from LifeChurch...in the interview, they told me they had 2 openings for the position I applied for.  One was in Albany, New York, and one was in Wellington, Florida.  They asked what I thought about those locations because they were so far away from home.  Well, unknown to them at the time, Mel and I had been praying that we were ready to go whenever God was ready for us to and we would go wherever he wanted us to go.  So, I told them that was fine and they proceeded with the interview.  It lasted 30 minutes and honestly, I thought I blew it.  They said they would call me in a couple of days and tell me if they wanted to proceed further with me or they would shoot me straight and tell me if they didn't think I would be a good fit.

43 minutes later my phone rang and it said it was a call from Florida.  Really?  You're calling me this soon to tell me I'm not a good fit?  You could have waited until the 2 days like you said at least.  On the other end of the line was one of the guys that interviewed me.  He said they were interested in taking the next step with me if I was interested in them.  Say what?!  I said I was interested.  He said that they would like to fly Mel and I out to Oklahoma for a weekend interview process.  He also stated that there would be other candidates for the positions there that weekend as well.

March 10^th :  Mel and I flew to OKC.  -Interestingly, they put us up in the same hotel that Mel and I had chosen to stay in back in January on our weekend getaway trip…in a room directly across from the one we had stayed in-.  Now…this is the part of the story where I’m going to leave a whole bunch of what happened in the interview process out because, #1-It would be way too long and this post is already going to be long enough, and #2-If there’s anyone out there that happens to read this blog that is planning on interviewing with LifeChurch, I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag as far as how the process goes.  I will tell you, however, that it was the most grueling and intense process I have ever been a part of but at the same time it stretched me and made me learn more about myself than I probably ever would have.  It was a wonderful experience.

Fast forward 2 days to March 12^th.  After an exhausting afternoon of interviews (Mel was with me the whole time), the process was over.  We waited in the lobby for a little while and then Larry, the Campus Pastor of the Wellington, Florida campus came and got Mel and me.  We went back to a conference room where there was another staff member seated. 

God had rocked our world.  Here we were seated in a conference room at a church where I was interviewing for a pastor position…it had been 27 days since I got that first call from OK asking if I would be interested in doing a video interview.  What in the world was God doing and how in the world was I sitting at that table…

So many nice things were said about Mel and me at that table.  We give God all of the credit because Bryan and Mel weren’t sitting at that table because we got lucky or because we were more qualified than anyone else.  We were sitting there because the God of the Universe had a plan and all those years leading up to this day were preparing us for what was about to happen.  He was about to show us what was in the next chapter of our lives.

Larry proceeded to tell us that he and the others thought we would be a great fit for their campus in Wellington. The offer was made right then and there at that table and we accepted on the spot.  I was the new Associate Campus Pastor- LifeGroups/LifeMissions at LifeChurch (http://www.lifechurch.tv/) in Wellington, Florida.  We smiled.  God smiled.

It’s now 11:59 p.m.  This birthday will be one I never ever forget as my family and I are getting ready to start this new chapter in a little over a week.  Thanks to all of you who are praying for our family.  Thanks for reading our story.  It's only the beginning.  Keep believing in your story…

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

Whenever & Wherever

Whenever and Wherever...those have been the words that Mel and I have been praying to God over the past several months.  We said that we were ready to go whenever he wanted us to, and would go wherever he wanted us to.

Fast forward to today.  Through an incredible set of events over the past 2 months that could have only been orchestrated by God, Mel and I are moving because Monday evening I accepted a position with Life Church (www.lifechurch.tv) in Wellington, Florida!

I would love to tell you everything that has happened over the past few weeks that has led up to this, but if I wrote everything down I would have to sell it on Amazon because it's enough information to write a book.  I would, however, love to tell you the story personally, so call me, tweet me, facebook me, or just wait a few weeks and you can come visit me on the beach and I'll fill you in!

God has amazed me with his love.  I don't deserve it...none of us do...but he's ready to give it if we will just be willing to take the first step of faith.

Tell God you're ready and take a step of faith.  Be careful though...He may just AMAZE you.

Looking forward to the next chapter...B

She gets it

It was toward the end of the service.  Communion was being served on this particular day and everyone was seated while we (the band) played a song to lead in to the taking of communion.   

...and then I looked out from the stage and noticed it.  It was one of those things that will forever be etched in my memory bank.  Not caring who was around her and truly feeling God's spirit, my 13 year old daughter stood up in front of hundreds of people, reached out her hands and was worshipping God the way I imagine angels worship him.  In her mind, it was just her and God at that moment.  I can't prove it, but I'm quite sure that God was smiling down on her as a Father does when he is pleased with his children.

Here's the rest of the story though...there was 1 other person that was already standing in the midst of hundreds of people.  My incredible wife, the one who has taught our children to unapologetically honor and worship their God, was already standing there with arms high and heart abandoned.  My daughter was not only following her own heart and the Holy Spirit's prompting, but she was also remembering and following what she had seen her mom do countless times before.  She had seen the Word lived out through someone and now she was doing the same in her own life. 

That, my friends, is a game changer.  It's a generation changer.  It's a "She gets it, I want it, and how do I get more of it" kind of lesson for us all. 

I'm thankful for a wife that "gets it" and passes it on to our daughters in a way that's not only going to change them, but will change the world.  If that doesn't make you smile, then you need to go get your smiler checked out!

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.  Proverbs 22:6

Faith: Could vs. Would

Today was one of those days when God worked something out fast for us...not just fast, but God fast.  I'm talking super, 1.21 jiggawatts fast!  It was truly amazing.  What was it you ask?  Well, frankly it's none of your business so stop asking.  Seriously though, here's my point.  I had faith that he could work fast but when it happened, I was both happy and shocked at the same time.  So that brings up a question...I had faith that he COULD do something in my life, but did I have faith that he WOULD?  Which brings up another question to me about our faith.  Do you think that sometimes we just go through the motions in our prayer life, thinking that God is able to make changes in our lives but not really believing that he will?  Think about the last time God did something supernatural in your life.  Were you surprised a little?  I think there's a difference with having "Awe" at what God does in your life through prayer and being surprised at what he does.

Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God.  I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen.  But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.  I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours.  But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too."-Mark 11:22-25.

Where could we be now in our walk with God if only in our past we believed that he could and would do certain things in our life?  The better question is, where can we go in our future if we start practicing authentic faith today?

“Daddy, do you ever get frustrated with God?”

Our dog died.  Great way to start a post, huh?  Well, you see, we surprised our girls a few weeks ago with a 7 week old beautiful chocolate labrador retriever.  We named him Bentley.  One evening, after we had him for about 2 weeks, he started acting real sluggish and not like a normal puppy should act.  We took him to the vet where they quickly learned he had parvo.  That was on a Tuesday.  The doctor seemed optimistic about his chances but sometime during the 4 days of getting fluids, Bentley developed a secondary infection.  He died on Friday afternoon. 

We buried Bentley with tears streaming down our faces.  That night, after saying prayers and tucking our kids into bed, our little Maddee looked up at me and asked the following question through her tears:  “Daddy, do you ever get frustrated with God?”  It broke my heart to hear her ask that, but I gave her an honest answer and one that I believe God was perfectly fine with.  I told her yes.  We had a little talk about how God sees the big picture of our lives and sometimes we don’t understand why things happen because we’re only seeing part of the story.  I tried to explain it where a little girl’s mind could understand, but at the same time I think God wanted me to hear it as well.  Think about that for a second.  I believe God was giving me the words to say not only to my daughter, but he was also speaking to me, through me!  That’s just how God works.  There are frustrations and unanswered questions in my life right now, as I’m sure there are in the lives of some that are reading this.  My point?  Keep praying, keep listening, keep reading, and keep doing what you know is right.  The true author of your story will soon let you turn the page and reveal to you the next chapter in your life.  “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”- Galatians 6:9.  Reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.  Sounds pretty nice.  Go ahead, tell God your frustrations.  I can promise he wants you too.  But then keep doing what is right and don’t quit.  It’s almost time to turn your page.

I'm so busy...

Busy, Busy, Busy.  We're all busy...call 10 of your friends up and ask them what they've been up to and chances are a big percentage of them will say something like, "Oh you know, the usual...just real busy".  Ugh...please, the next time you ask me what's up and I say I've just been busy, just punch me in the jugular.  The truth?  Yes, we're all busy...most of the time with good things but that doesn't necessarily mean they are God things. 

I like what Craig Groeschel said in his latest book titled, 'Weird'.  In the first chapter he talks about this very subject of being busy.  He says that busy is "normal" for so many of us.  We're trying to be normal and sometimes feel like that means we've got to cram in everything that we can so as to call ourselves worthy.  Check out this quote from the book: "We're always rushed, always on the move, never having enough time.  Almost everyone I know has little room for error in their schedule.  Tragically, most people have little time for the things in life that they would say are the most important to them.  When we overschedule ourselves in the belief that we can do everything, we stop being human and try to become godlike-not only impossible but also incredibly arrogant.  Most of us are living at a pace that is not only unsustainable; it's also unbiblical." ('Weird', Craig Groeschel)

We're also so busy sometimes trying to "keep up with the Jones' ", but I'll have to put those thoughts in another blog because that's another hot button, punch me in the jugular, let me get on my soapbox kind of topic.  

So here's the deal.  Take an assessment of your busyness and do it soon.  Remember, you're in control of your schedule.  Cut out things that are taking a physical and spiritual toll on you and your family.  Free up some time on your calendar and then sit back and watch God start using that time to reveal Himself more to you.  Remember those dreams that you have?  Those things that you feel God wants you to do as soon as you get time?  Get un-busy and watch God make those dreams a reality.  Let's kick "normal" to the curb and start living the life that God intended for us.

I'd like Jesus to say the last word on my blog today...kind of sums everything up:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

Passion

Yesterday morning I was reading about the time that Jesus went into the Temple area and saw the merchants selling the cattle and sheep and the dealers exchanging money at the table, etc.  He makes a whip from some ropes (Chuck Norris aint got nothing on Jesus), then proceeds to chase them all out of the Temple, all while scattering coins and turning over the tables.  You can read all about it in the 2nd chapter of John.

When the disciples saw Jesus going Walker Texas Ranger on their tails, they remembered a prophecy that was foretold from scripture..."Passion for God's house will consume me".

Now let's bring things to present day.  What is the hot topic that's got everyone worked up right now?  The U.S. economy and the debt ceiling saga (insert evil laughter here).  Believe me, I'm ticked about it just as much as anyone else because I can see the neglect and greed and whatever other word you want to throw in there to describe some of our leaders viewpoints.  BUT are we getting so worked up and passionate about it that we are taking our eyes off of Jesus and the church and looking to Washington for answers?  Let me make one thing clear...God does not work under a debt ceiling or economy, nor does he have any sort of limitations that will stop his will from being done.  The answer to this current saga and any other future saga is the church.  One person and one family at a time making a difference by being passionate about God, being passionate about the church, doing the things that we can do in our own family and finances to make a difference, and by praying for our leaders to get their head out of...you get the picture.

So what consumes us?  Passion for ________will consume me.  If God's house is not in that blank, then we need to look at our lives and priorities to figure out how to get it back in that blank.  I said earlier that God doesn't have any limitations that will stop his will from being done.  The things we have in those blanks could be a limitation...Read those last 2 sentences again.  Bring your passions back home to where they should be, then watch as things somehow miraculously begin to fall into place.

Use it or lose it

I was reading in Matthew 25 this morning about the parable of the 3 servants (Matt. 25:14-30).  Jesus illustrates what the Kingdom of Heaven is like by telling the story of a master going on a long trip and entrusting 3 of his servants with his silver.  The first servant he entrusted with five bags of silver, the second with two bags and the third with one bag.  The first two homies invested the money and doubled what their master had.  The third dude buried his in his backyard or somewhere and only gave his master back the same amount upon his return.  The master praises the first two servants, then celebrates with them and entrusts them with even more responsibilities.  The third servant is called lazy and wicked and all of his money was taken away and given to the first servant.

What was interesting in my reading was that it talked about how money back then was referred to as 'talents'.  So although the passage is talking about money, the same principals of the parable can still be applied to the things you do well...the things God put in you to further his kingdom...the things you might call TALENTS.  Don't be ashamed of your talents or think you are not good enough to use them for God.  Invest those talents and watch God give you even more responsibilities.  Don't be like the third servant and let your talents be buried one day with your body.  What step do we need to take today to use our talents and further his kingdom?

Chew on this

The aroma of spicy tilapia, corn on the cob and hushpuppies filled my nostrils as soon as I walked in the door from work yesterday.  Mel had fixed another masterpiece for dinner and I was immediately ready to eat.  I kept talking about how good it smelled and how I couldn't wait to dig in (I even managed to sneak away with 1 hushpuppy before dinner was served).  Finally, it was time to sit down at the table and eat.  I remember the first bite I took of the tilapia...my eyes closed as I chewed and savored the goodness that was now in my mouth.  I had finally went from talking about it to actually fulfilling my hunger as I swallowed and it flowed to my belly.  After 3 helpings, I was ready to push away from the table and see what else I needed to conquer before bedtime.

I'm sure you feel like you can conquer the day after that story, right?  Like you now know that there is truly meaning to life as long as you have tilapia every now and then?  Ok, so here's what was going on in my head after I got home yesterday and how my mind compared tilapia with God's word:

I was so hungry when I walked in the door yesterday and as I snuck that first hushpuppy, of 5 total, in my mouth and started chewing on it I thought how good it tasted.  But I was still hungry.  No matter how many times I chewed on it, or the fish, or the corn, etc., it wasn't going to satisfy my hunger until I actually swallowed it.  Such is the case with God's word.  We can talk to God all day (chew), but unless we are listening for God and reading His word (swallow), we will never be full.  The Bible says in Matthew 11:28-30 to get away with God and he'll show you how to take a real rest (listening, swallowing).  He wants to take your burdens (hunger) upon himself.  Sometimes we do so much talking and complaining and wondering why certain things are happening the way they are, etc., etc., that we forget to swallow.  Just as we need food and water everyday for physical survival, we need to listen to God everyday for spiritual survival.  Now go and eat!  

God gave me the bird today.

My favorite place to go at lunch time is a little shaded park close to my office.  I will sit in my car with the windows down and either pray, take a nap, read the bible or a book, take a nap, write, take a nap, or just simply take a nap.  Today was one of those typical days.  As I was reading, and dozing, toward the end of my time there, I noticed a couple of birds right outside my window.  They were hopping around the grass just looking for some food and it appeared that they were having some success.  Then one of the birds walked over to a small puddle on the pavement that was left from the rains last night...he proceeded to hop in the water and refresh himself (or herself...I'm not a bird expert) a bit.  The whole scene reminded me of the following passage in the Bible, "Look at the birds.  They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them.  And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?"  Matthew 6:26-27 ...BOOM, SLAM, IN YOUR FACE BRYAN.  Yep, that was God giving me the bird today because he knows I've been worrying about things out of my control lately.  What are you worried about today?  May God give you the bird today.