hey everybody.
wow.
that's really all that i can say.
sunday night, i finally got to preach a sermon that's been on my heart for quite some time. it was titled "Jesus said NO". while it didn't go quite the way that i had imagined it, it went exactly how God needed it to. and i am very thankful for that.
after the sermon, i was happy to see both my nephew and my dad at the alter, among several others who had responded to the word of God. also there were teens from Evangel that made recommitments to Christ. and much to my joy, there were broken people that were set free. and one certain person in particular.
you see, while i didn't know who it was, i new that God was sending me to minister there, on that night, for a specific reason. for a specific person. and i am thankful that they were open to the word of God.
i struggled during my sermon with whether or not to share a personal battle that i had faced several years ago. but God kept pressing me that it was something that would touch someone. finally, i told of a time when i had "lost" myself in my christian life. and the cause of it, and the pain and hopelessness that i had felt at that time. and i told of how God brought me through it.
during alter service, a woman came to the front, in tears, and told me that she was going through the exact same battle, and that i had described her feelings of despair like i had read her mind. i knew where she was. because i had been there and survived to tell of it. i was able to pray with her. and pray over her. and offer her hope. peace. joy. and the heart of Christ.
one of my favorite poems is the "footprints" poem. the one where, at the end, Jesus says "my precious child. i love you, and would never leave you. in the times when you saw only one set of prints, it was then that i carried you."
i can offer no better offer of hope than that. if you are tired. if you are broken. if you are lost. if you feel forgotten. if you feel hopeless. if you don't know how to stand anymore. you are not alone. it is in those moments that we realize the truth of the scripture that says "My strength is made perfect in weakness." because it is then. at that moment, that He can show us how much He loves us. by picking us up. cradling us in his arms. and carrying us home.
so if you are there. look up to heaven, and say Lord, i'm tired. i'm hurting. i'm sad. please, i have no strength left to stand. will you carry me home? and see if He doesn't cradle you, and carry you home.
much love.
theoldmusicbox
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
coming soon
hey everybody!!
i know, i know, i know. it's been, like, 3 months since my last blog. i apologize, really, i do.
it has been absolutely insane around here though. first, my wife's water broke almost 3 months early, then a whole host of other things. but, now, everything is fine. my 'fun-sized' baby, who by the way does NOT have leigh in her name, (tsk, tsk) is home and doin't great. she is almost normal sized now and growing more everyday.
although i haven't had time to blog, trust me when i say, i've had plenty of time to think. so, there will be some interesting blogs coming soon. i have much to be thankful for. much to look forward to, and nothing more to fear.
talk to you SOON.
theoldmusicbox.
i know, i know, i know. it's been, like, 3 months since my last blog. i apologize, really, i do.
it has been absolutely insane around here though. first, my wife's water broke almost 3 months early, then a whole host of other things. but, now, everything is fine. my 'fun-sized' baby, who by the way does NOT have leigh in her name, (tsk, tsk) is home and doin't great. she is almost normal sized now and growing more everyday.
although i haven't had time to blog, trust me when i say, i've had plenty of time to think. so, there will be some interesting blogs coming soon. i have much to be thankful for. much to look forward to, and nothing more to fear.
talk to you SOON.
theoldmusicbox.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
the happiest sad day
wow, what a title.
i have to tell you. i think that i'm finally getting old, for real.
today, i realized that my 10 year old son, is going to grow up some day. a little more every day.
my son is very small for his age. he's 10 years old, about 4ft 2in. tall and has finally reached 63 pounds. maybe that's why i always think he's still my little guy. or maybe it's that denial thing hoping that i'll always be the coolest guy on the planet. but i have really got to get a grip on the idea that he's almost a teen.
anyway, today he informed me that he is old enough (and big enough) to mow the lawn by himself. automatically, i silently screamed halelujiah!!!! thank you Jesus!!!!! i love you Lord!!! you are so good to me!!!! then i thought, am i crazy to think that you should outweigh the push mower before you operate it? oh well. so i tell him, ok, let's try it out. you mow, and i'll watch to make sure you do it right and don't cut your feet off. about a half hour later, he was finished, and it looked just as good as if i had done it myself. (ok, that's not saying much but hey) and, i only had to give minimal instructions.
later, i wondered, is this how God feels? does he watch us take our first steps towards independance and think "hey, i'm right here if you need me. don't worry about anything. you're doing fine on your own, but if you need help, i'm right behind you waiting to help"
so many times, i wanted to jump in and rescue him from mistakes. i wanted to take the handle from him and straighten out the lines. but i had to let him learn to do it on his own. is that how God feels? He knows what we need to do. He knows that we're not going straight. He knows that He could fix it all for us. but instead, He loves us enough to let us grow.
wow. i guess, if nothing else, today i learned that even when i'm out there on my own, if i get off of the straight, my Father is right behind me, waiting to give me the instruction or even the help that i need.
God bless
much love
theoldmusicbox
i have to tell you. i think that i'm finally getting old, for real.
today, i realized that my 10 year old son, is going to grow up some day. a little more every day.
my son is very small for his age. he's 10 years old, about 4ft 2in. tall and has finally reached 63 pounds. maybe that's why i always think he's still my little guy. or maybe it's that denial thing hoping that i'll always be the coolest guy on the planet. but i have really got to get a grip on the idea that he's almost a teen.
anyway, today he informed me that he is old enough (and big enough) to mow the lawn by himself. automatically, i silently screamed halelujiah!!!! thank you Jesus!!!!! i love you Lord!!! you are so good to me!!!! then i thought, am i crazy to think that you should outweigh the push mower before you operate it? oh well. so i tell him, ok, let's try it out. you mow, and i'll watch to make sure you do it right and don't cut your feet off. about a half hour later, he was finished, and it looked just as good as if i had done it myself. (ok, that's not saying much but hey) and, i only had to give minimal instructions.
later, i wondered, is this how God feels? does he watch us take our first steps towards independance and think "hey, i'm right here if you need me. don't worry about anything. you're doing fine on your own, but if you need help, i'm right behind you waiting to help"
so many times, i wanted to jump in and rescue him from mistakes. i wanted to take the handle from him and straighten out the lines. but i had to let him learn to do it on his own. is that how God feels? He knows what we need to do. He knows that we're not going straight. He knows that He could fix it all for us. but instead, He loves us enough to let us grow.
wow. i guess, if nothing else, today i learned that even when i'm out there on my own, if i get off of the straight, my Father is right behind me, waiting to give me the instruction or even the help that i need.
God bless
much love
theoldmusicbox
Friday, January 4, 2008
where is God?
ok, here's the deal. if you've read my stuff lately, you kinda know some of the things i've been dealing with. since i asked the questions "why" last week, i felt like i needed to continue on that vein this week. if nothing else, just to show everyone that i am, in fact, ok.
where is God?
how many times have you been asked that question? how many times have you asked it yourself?
the truth of the matter is, that we all have those moments. you know the ones. when we have borne all that we feel like we can bear. when we have finally come to the end of ourself. when we finally cry out, "dear God!!!! can you hear me????? are you there?? are you listening??
even one of my favorite bible heroes had that feeling. elijah the prophet hid in a cave, scared and trembling because he feared men. then elisha the prophet, after elijah was taken in the chariot of fire. he felt abandoned. in 2nd kings chapter 2. he took the mantel of elijah and hit the waters and said "where is the God of elijah?"
isn't it amazing. after everything that elijah and elisha had witnessed. raising of dead children. fire from heaven. among other things. they doubted the very presence of God in their lives at times. did that make them any less of a man of God? no. it made them human.
i am trying to put a video up here. i don't know if it will work, or if it is just a link. if it doesn't work, go to youtube and search for joshua bell, it will be the first one that comes up. check it out. then finish reading.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw
the violinist is joshua bell. he is the 1 violinist in the country, possibly the world. the violin he is playing was made in the early 1700's. it is worth over 3.5 million dollars. the cheap seats to his concert sell for $100. after the subway he played a sold out concert.
in the subway, he was barely noticed at all. he played for 45 minutes and people thought that he was a street player and in 45 minutes people placed less than $35 in his violin case! this man usually receives $1000 a minute to perform. and almost all of the people in the subway that day didn't even notice him.
it is just like that with God. we have something truly amazing right within our grasp. right here where we are. trying desperately to reach out to us. and what do we do? we turn away. act like we don't see. don't hear. why? because we know that if we look, if we notice, it may just cost us something. the people that noticed mr. bell recieved a concert that would have cost several hundred dollars. for spare change they had in their pockets. and received a few moments of beautiful music.
but if we would just open our eyes to the amazing God who is in our reach, it may cost us our lives, but it will win us eternity.
just remember, when you feel like God is nowhere to be found, He may just be right in front of your eyes. desperately trying to get your attention.
much love
theoldmusicbox
where is God?
how many times have you been asked that question? how many times have you asked it yourself?
the truth of the matter is, that we all have those moments. you know the ones. when we have borne all that we feel like we can bear. when we have finally come to the end of ourself. when we finally cry out, "dear God!!!! can you hear me????? are you there?? are you listening??
even one of my favorite bible heroes had that feeling. elijah the prophet hid in a cave, scared and trembling because he feared men. then elisha the prophet, after elijah was taken in the chariot of fire. he felt abandoned. in 2nd kings chapter 2. he took the mantel of elijah and hit the waters and said "where is the God of elijah?"
isn't it amazing. after everything that elijah and elisha had witnessed. raising of dead children. fire from heaven. among other things. they doubted the very presence of God in their lives at times. did that make them any less of a man of God? no. it made them human.
i am trying to put a video up here. i don't know if it will work, or if it is just a link. if it doesn't work, go to youtube and search for joshua bell, it will be the first one that comes up. check it out. then finish reading.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw
the violinist is joshua bell. he is the 1 violinist in the country, possibly the world. the violin he is playing was made in the early 1700's. it is worth over 3.5 million dollars. the cheap seats to his concert sell for $100. after the subway he played a sold out concert.
in the subway, he was barely noticed at all. he played for 45 minutes and people thought that he was a street player and in 45 minutes people placed less than $35 in his violin case! this man usually receives $1000 a minute to perform. and almost all of the people in the subway that day didn't even notice him.
it is just like that with God. we have something truly amazing right within our grasp. right here where we are. trying desperately to reach out to us. and what do we do? we turn away. act like we don't see. don't hear. why? because we know that if we look, if we notice, it may just cost us something. the people that noticed mr. bell recieved a concert that would have cost several hundred dollars. for spare change they had in their pockets. and received a few moments of beautiful music.
but if we would just open our eyes to the amazing God who is in our reach, it may cost us our lives, but it will win us eternity.
just remember, when you feel like God is nowhere to be found, He may just be right in front of your eyes. desperately trying to get your attention.
much love
theoldmusicbox
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