I have a word for you...

I saw this on Pete's blog last week and I had to pass it on. Be sure to watch the video too.


“I have a word for you. I know your whole life story. I know every skeleton in your closet. I know every moment of sin, shame, dishonesty and degraded love that has darkened your past. Right now I know your shallow faith, your feeble prayer life, your inconsistent discipleship. And my word is this: I dare you to trust that I love you just as you are, and not as you should be. Because you’re never going to be as you should be.”
-Brennan Manning (quoting God)


Here's the video it came from

Able...

I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able.

Able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.
Able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
Able to help those who are being tempted.
Able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.
Able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.
Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
“Do you believe that I am able to do this?” . . . “Yes, Lord.” “According to your faith be it done to you.”
2 Tim. 1:12; Eph. 3:20; 2 Cor. 9:8; Heb. 2:18; Heb. 7:25; Jude 24; 2 Tim. 1:12; Phil. 3:21; Matt. 9:28, 29

Excerpted from Daily Light on the Daily Path ©2002 Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

marathon...

not many people know this but i've been training for a marathon. lisa and carolyn came up with the crazy idea and i figured i'd quickly hop on board and join the insanity.

we've been running for a several weeks now training for the nashville marathon in the end of april.

our schedule requires us to run the longest run of the week on saturdays...

that means we're supposed to run 8 miles today when the high is going to be 37 and there's a good chance of rain almost all day. so it's that or trying to put up with the boring task of running 8 miles on a treadmill at the gym...

tough choices...

peace and grace...

bill

Emptiness & Hopelessness

Lisa and I decided to rent a movie Wednesday of last week. We stopped at Bi-Lo to grab a movie from the DVD Express box there (I mean really... it's a $1 to watch a DVD as long as you have it back the next day... great deal if you ask me!). She picks the movie Revolutionary Road.

I will say this... it is probably one of the saddest movies I've seen. Definitely in the top 5. The saddest moment in the movie was the actually the deepest moment. A moment that made Lisa pause it and we talked about it for a few minutes.

The main characters, Frank and April Wheeler, walking in the woods with their newly introduced friend John. They are discussing with John why they are moving to Paris.

“And what’s in Paris?” John asks as they walk.

“A different way of life,” April responds.

“So maybe we are running… we’re running from the hopeless emptiness of the whole life here.”  Frank concedes.

John pauses.  “The hopeless... emptiness? Now, you’ve said it.  Plenty of people are on to the emptiness, but it takes real guts to see the hopelessness… Wow.”

John continues walking.  Frank and April watch him go.

I found this to be absolutely tragic because so many people in this world DO think that it's filled with both emptiness AND hopelessness.

I can admit that even looking at the current situations that are going on around me it would be easy to fall prey to the idea that there is no hope. But as the old saying goes, "momma didn't raise no fool!" I know God enough that I believe there is hope. This section of Paul's letter to the Romans speaks of having such a hope:

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:1-5 ESV)

peace and grace,
Bill

happy times...

i'll take a break from my pain and post some laughs and joy i've had the last couple of days...

first, mms will finally be on the iPhone this month. WOOT!!! see here.

second, peopleofwalmart.com is insane. i find myself chuckling at the odd things i see and yet wondering how it's possible for people to act or dress the way they do...

third, evolution of dance 2...





enjoy!

peace and grace,
bill

why...

I get the whole idea that Christians are supposed to have faith that God is in control and knows what he's doing...

But at the same time I am human. So when faced with the situation we're in right now I have to ask why? More like scream it actually. I would think it safe to say that believers have always wrestled with the idea of "Why do bad things happen to good people?" The whole faith and peace thing is illusive and so very distant in situations like this.

Then I read an excerpt from Yac's book Tough Faith. I think he was onto something when he wrote this:

     Peace is supposed to be one of the fruits of conversion, and it is. But does that mean, as some suggest, that the Christian has an inner tranquility and serenity that makes him oblivious to outside conditions? Does peace imply for the Christian that tragedy, evil, suffering, pain, and discouragement are unable to penetrate his composure?
     Peace describes a condition rather than a demeanor. Peace is the result of salvation, which means that man and God are no longer at war. Peace describes the state of man after conversion. He is at peace with God.
     Peace is not a protective shield from the battle around us. It does not make us immune to pain and suffering. Peace is not a drug which makes us oblivious to symptoms.
     Biblical joy has nothing to do with our emotional state or conditions and circumstance. It is independent of all the chance and changes in life.
     Joy is the description of the believers’ condition, which is complete dependence on the character of God. Joy is permanent confidence in his resources and character. It’s not happiness, and it’s not a sentimental, superficial grin on your face. It’s the unchanging quality that remains despite pain, suffering, tears, changes in fortune, and even financial collapse.

As I've said before, continue to pray for us. This situation is an awkward one. One that will bring hurt and grief yet one that will glorify the Father to no end for sure.

peace and grace,

bill

faith and pain...

All of my friends know my obsession with Mike Yaconelli. He was a wonderful writer, teacher, speaker taken from us far before any of us were ready to see him go.

Today I'm leaning on my favorite quote from him because of the situation we're going through right now...

I am beginning to understand that faith is not the way around pain, it is the way through pain. Faith doesn't get rid of the opposition, it invites it over for dinner. Faith doesn't give you the winning point at the last second, it ties the game and sends you into overtime. Faith doesn't give you the solution, it forces you to find it.
- Mike Yaconelli

Please pray for our family as we try to keep the faith while going through this pain.

peace and grace,
Bill