You Shine: Evening and morning drive

"My Kingdom is not of this world "
John 18:33-40.

I got a speeding ticket....I was guilty.  I was polite to the young man,  but inside I went through denial, anger, excuse, apathy (fatalism), and then turned upward to ask God why?  I didn't especially FEEL the weight of guilt as I should. Then it occured to me,  could I give this man the Gospel?  At that moment, where was the testimony of a life yeilded to Christ? He was gone. It was over.  Ironically that night I got my new license plate in the mail: the letters read "SHINE".

That next morning I found the word SHINE in Phil 2:14-15, which describes how we shine a light into the darkness by NOT complaining and arguing, but becoming blameless and harmless, holding onto the word of life.  I hopped into the car to go to work, and the first song that came up on my ipod was SHINE.....

(Facebook readers click here to listen)

You Shine,
Brighter than the brightest star!
Your Love,
Purer than the purest heart!
You Shine,
Filling us with courage and strength
To follow You!

It came together for me that morning; despite difficulty, pain, despite even me, I could love others and bring honor to Him, who loved me first. Thats what this day was going to be about. His Love. Like the night lights I bought earlier that evening for the hallway, it only takes a little bit of light to show the way.

He is not silent, we are not listening. If we dwell with Him  (Psalm 91:1, Psalm 91:14-15), we will be protected, delivered and satisfied.

Some thoughts recorded on Google voice ( Facebook readers click here to listen) during that drive into work Friday morning as I watched the sunbursts in the pictures above:

What do you need?

Tonight I walked into Starbucks, drawn by the feeling that I needed to be there. I was hungry, but I wandered in right before going to Lifegroup, where we always get snacks and treats.  The lady behind the counter said "What do you need?" 

At that moment I felt like I had come to the end of a long, long race, but not sure if I had won or lost.  "I am not sure, but I need something" I told her. 

At Paul and Carla's Lifegroup we talked about faith in God being the belief in who HE is. I found out what I needed later this evening, were the reminders that regardless of the situation, He loves me, that God's people care and therein is hope, fullness....

win or loose,
respected or suspected,
rich or busted,
dirty or clean,
healthy or sick.....

Ask David, Job, Paul, Jesus.  

My Starbucks cup is now empty, but my life is full. My choice is whether to believe, or not. Not "half empty or half full", but really empty, or really full. Can you remind me (and some others)?

He who Dwells....

Stop and Dwell..

My good friend Ed...thanks for sharing Psalm 91.   It wasn't just a poem hanging on your wall, it is a personal message that you have not forgotten.   A reminder of protection and acceptance when all evidence or imagination pointed to the contrary.  Today I needed that word.  I couldn't let the day's work be enough to patch the pain.

Tonight I read with my son about gasses, and I told him sometimes you need to think about something you can't see so that you can understand something you can see.  

Ed is someone I trust, so I read Psalm 91 several times.  What does it mean to dwell?  What does it mean to make the Lord my refuge and my fortress?  When we were golfing one time I told Ed that more than anything else, God's message to me is "I am with you".  Is that what he wants me to say to Him? James 8:8a “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” 

I ended the night by hugging both my sons....thanks Ed.  


^{Psalm 91
1} He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
         Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
 ² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
         My God, in Him I will trust.”
       
 ³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
         And from the perilous pestilence.
 ⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
         And under His wings you shall take refuge;
         His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
 ⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
         Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
 ⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
         Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
       
 ⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
         And ten thousand at your right hand;
         But it shall not come near you.
 ⁸ Only with your eyes shall you look,
         And see the reward of the wicked.
       
 ⁹ Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
         Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
 ¹⁰ No evil shall befall you,
         Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
 ¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
         To keep you in all your ways.
 ¹² In their hands they shall bear you up,
         Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
 ¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
         The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
       
 ¹⁴ “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
         I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
 ¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

         I will be with him in trouble;

         I will deliver him and honor him.

 ¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him,
         And show him My salvation.” (Psalm 91, New King James Version)


The Lord's Name....
My Deliverer
My Protector
My Savior
My Salvation
My Abba
My Provider
My Light
My Comforter
My Counselor
My Strength
My Sheild
My Hightower
My Fortress
My King
 many more.....let me dwell here with you

NOTHING is impossible with God

I wrote this yesterday on my birthday, but didn't post until one day later.

Part of this blog is intended to encourage others, the other part is just to record how God encourages me. As the bottom is dropping, and I find myself in free fall, God has reminded me in so many ways He cares, and He is in control.  "Cling to me."

From a leaders note of encouragement YESTERDAY
 At one point he was arrested (one of many times) and God miraculously provided a way for him to escape the maximum security prison, in a very similar fashion to what we see in Acts with the prison guards not seeing him walk out and doors that should be locked just opening up.  Yesterday I was reading about this account and his wife wrote a small section about how she reacted to her husband's escape.  She said this, For the first time I really knew that absolutely nothing is impossible for him [God]!  Right when I read this God put you on my heart

From my Life Group leader YESTERDAY
My life verse Brad-love never fails...it remains. We continue to stand with you.

From a Godly Woman, mother and grandmother and leader TODAY:
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Although your "weeping may endure for a night, joy comes in the morning!"
I keep on thinking of the verse that says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."



From an old Band of Brothers friend TODAY
With God nothing is impossible..Don't give up hope.  Our human nature is to stay close or even run to our comfort zone.

From a coworker's devotional TODAY...
For nothing is impossible with God.  Luke 1:37

As you think about your circumstances this morning, mediate on this scripture.  The word NOTHING covers everything or everyone you think can't change or be dealt with.

Perhaps you are thinking about separation or divorce and have given up on your marriage - NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. 
Maybe your struggling with finances and don't see anyway out of the financial mess - NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. 
You or someone you love is dealing with grief and can't see a reason to continue on  - NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. 
Anger is totally out of control in your life and you've tried everything to get rid of it -  NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. 
Physical or mental illness has taken hold of your mind and/or body or those of family members or friends -  NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.
Jobs are lost or worry about possibly losing your job -  NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.

Are you getting the message through the scripture above my friends?  You may feel God has abandoned you, but just as Jesus prayed in the garden, if it be Thy will take this cup from me and God choose to take Him through the pain and agony of the cross - but the possibilities He provided for each of us goes beyond any measure.  God may allow circumstances to enter our lives, but  NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD and He is working behind the scenes.  Won't you give Him praise and wait on His possibilities in your life.  God bless.

You have been given a great opportunity

Part of a difficult conversation tonight to someone going on 21 

Recently, you and I heard about how most people who win the lottery, end up in a worse place as a result. But sometimes God gives us huge opportunities, because he is willing to let us choose. With great opportunity is great responsibility. You have been given a great opportunity.


(if you see this on facebook, go to http://da98808.blogspot.com/ to play the song)

Live out loud
Stephen Curtis Chapman

Imagine this
I get a phone call from Regis -
he says "Do you want to be a millionaire?"
They put me on a show and I win with two lifelines to spare

Picture this
I act like nothing ever happened
and bury all the money in a coffee can
Well, I've been given more than Regis ever gave away
I was a dead man who was called to come out of my grave

I think it's time for some noise
Wake the neighbors
Get the word out
Come on, crank up the music, climb a mountain and shout
This is life we've been given, made to be lived out
So, la, la, la, la, live out loud

Think about this
Try to keep a bird from singing after it's soared up in the sky
Give the sun a cloudless day and tell it not to shine

Think about this
If we really have been given the gift of life that will never end
And if we have been filled with living hope, we're gonna overflow
And if God's love is burning in our hearts, we're glow
There's just no way to keep it in
repeat chorus

So, la, la, la, la, live out loud
Live out loud
Everybody
La, la, la...la, la, la...la, la, la, live out loud
I wanna hear everybody
La, la, la...la, la, la...la, la, la, live out loud

Every corner of creation is a living declaration
Come join the song we were made to sing

"...play the sunset"

 "Life is what happens while we are busy making plans." 
Mr Holland

He wanted to be a music composer,
....instead he became an inspiration.

He wanted to share music with his son,
....instead his son shared music with others.

He wanted to be famous based on his work,
...instead he became famous based on his life.

In the story, he encourages a young girl to "play the sunset".  While she makes beautiful music, she never becomes a musician.  She become a governor, and comes back to honor him for providing so much confidence when she had been such a "failure." 

What are my plans? What do I "expect" from the people and events around me.  Is that actually what God has in mind? If my way doesn't work, can there be another way that works?

For the last several months my life has been on a high-speed chase.  I have tried to follow God, and he has blessed me, but perhaps my expectations haven't been His. 

My family and I are considering yet another shift to bring our family together.  It doesn't come without thorns. It doesn't come without hope.  It just may not look the way most of us thought it would. My prayer is simply that we could hear each other, so that we can find God, love Him and serve Him together.

Today we met our neighbors, and God reminded me, "Life is what happens when you are busy making plans."