Tag Archives: #hope

Spirituality, Uncategorized

Condemned

When a building gets condemned it means it is no longer fit for occupancy. This could be due to a variety of conditions such as mold, asbestos, or the structure is no longer sound.

People judge and condemn others on the internet regularly. If your politics or religion don’t align with mine, then you are condemned and cast out. I hear people say, “we just aren’t the same” all the time. You are no longer fit to be my friend. And they say it with a moral superiority you can only find on the internet. Of course their words come from the safety of a keyboard or phone screen.

When tragedy strikes we get to see the good in people. Currently in the Kerrville/Hunt, Texas area you have Democrats, Republicans, Atheists, Jews and Christians working with each other for the common good. It’s sad that it takes a catastrophic event to bring people together. Maybe that’s why they are called acts of God events?

And speaking of God, he’s the only one who never condemns us. Find peace in that…

Standard
Spirituality, Uncategorized

In Preparation

Every experience we have in life prepares us for something else. We don’t have the privilege to know what it’s preparing us for. Just know that it is.

Many years ago I had an experience in an al anon meeting that changed me. In an instant, I released all judgment of other people. This has freed me to see through people as they are, not just look at them with prejudice and misunderstanding. That moment in my life was awe-inspiring.

My al anon moment prepared me to go into prisons and share my life story. Many of the inmates open up and talk about what’s happened in their lives. You hear some things that are heartbreaking. Very sick people do horrible things to others, leaving the victim broken and living with a deep and constant pain.

When you are going through darkness, please remember that it can be used for good. It’s getting you prepared for a purpose, a purpose that will benefit mankind in ways we cannot imagine.

Just keep going…

Standard
Spirituality

David and Goliath

David was a small shepherd who would one day be King. Goliath was a freakishly tall, powerful and strong Philistine fighter. They were mismatched in every way except one, the most important one.

Every day, Goliath would taunt the Hebrew army, daring anyone to come battle him. No one took the challenge until David showed up with his sling and five stones in his pouch. Now Goliath was insulted which fueled his rage.

David was enraged that this pagan would insult his people, and, more importantly, his God. David yelled, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand…and all the earth will know there is a God in Heaven.”

One shot is all it took. It’s estimated that the stone hit Goliath in his forehead traveling at around 180 mph. David took Goliaths own sword and cut his head off! And the Philistines ran.

When you are facing impossible obstacles, challenges and setbacks, remember that God is on your side. He wants us to succeed and when we do, give him the credit and glory.

Never underestimate the unlimited power of the God of the Universe. He is good…

Standard
Spirituality, Uncategorized

Yes or No

There are a lot of things we aren’t going to understand on this side of eternity. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did my life go left instead of right? Why am I even here?

God doesn’t owe us an explanation. The truth is, if he explained things to us we wouldn’t understand. Look at your own life. If ten years ago you had been given the opportunity to look at your life today, it wouldn’t make sense how you arrived here.

God is good and he is just. We just need to trust him. This includes trusting God during the shitty times in life. It’s easy to trust when everything is going well. He has been with us during every moment of our life, no matter what we were going through.

My encouragement to you is to say YES to whatever brings you closer to God. Say no to the things (and the people) who keep you apart from him. Look for God’s influence and direction in your life and other people’s lives. It’s there…

Standard
Spirituality, Uncategorized

Look Beyond What You Can See

In The Book of Genesis we learn the story of Joseph. Joseph was a young dreamer who had a good heart. His older brothers sold him to some Midianite traders who sold Joseph to an officer of Pharaohs in Egypt. His brothers faked his death and thought they were rid of their troublesome brother, the “dreamer.”

Joseph was a righteous man and did well In Pharaohs eyes. God opened Joseph’s eyes to interpret dreams which saved Egypt during a long drought. The Egyptians had food while the rest of the world was starving. Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food, not knowing that it was their little brother who would be the one selling it to them.

Through a series of fascinating events, Joseph and his entire family were reunited. Joseph informed his brothers that “what they intended for harm, God intended for good.” The story is worth reading. You can find it in Genesis, Chapters 37-50.

The story of Joseph, and many others, is a great reminder that God is always working in our lives. We do not see it, but it’s happening.

God didn’t create us and then forget about us. He’s working…

Standard
Spirituality, Uncategorized

Miracles Happen Every Day

In several instances, Jesus healed people on the Sabbath which, in doing so, sent the religious leaders into orbit. You see, it was against the law to do work on the Sabbath. Healing someone was considered to be work.

There was a lot at play here. First off, Jesus created the Sabbath and was in control of it. Further, by doing good on this day in particular he showed his mercy and compassion for mankind. Jesus is at work all the time, not just six days per week.

We can get confused about religion. In its essence, religion is a set of beliefs. We believe and have faith in someone we can’t really see. Or can we?

While Jesus was among us, he performed incredible miracles. He wasn’t showing off, and he never did a miracle that benefited him. He was demonstrating the character of God. And miracles continue happening today. Childbirth is a miracle. So is the position of the sun.

Slow down and take a look around. Miracles are everywhere. In fact, you are a living miracle. Don’t take it for granted…

Standard
Spirituality

Moral Majority

The Moral Majority was a political movement in the late twentieth century that officially disbanded around 1989. The party was founded in the name of Christianity, but over time became more religious than Christian. In the world of politics it’s easy to be divisive. This party took division off the rails.

Not everything about the Moral Majority was bad, though. Having a moral compass and doing what’s right is a good thing. Oftentimes taking a stand on morals will get you banned or at least ostracized. When legalistic religion crosses paths with imperfect people in any society, conflict is bound to happen.

Christianity is comprised of imperfect people trying to emulate the only perfect person who ever lived. We fall short, we try again, then we keep trying.

If the majority of people lived morally responsible lives, society and culture would improve. Selfishness would lessen and our focus would be on others more than ourselves.

People are important. All people. It’s always a good time to be conscious of the needs of others. When we do this, we become more Christ-like and less like ourselves…

Standard
Spirituality

Punishment

The home I grew up in was filled with chaos and violence. Both of my parents were abusive. The physical wounds heal, but the emotional pain just scars over.

As I grew into my teenage years, I became angry and withdrawn at home. I couldn’t show my anger, so I held it inside. At school, I was the happy kid who was friends with everyone. No one knew the pain I carried inside.

In my young mind I believed God was punishing me. I understood punishment because that was the world I lived in. But I had no idea what God was punishing me for. Had I known what I had done I would have corrected it. And He wasn’t telling me.

Only much later on did I learn the character of God. He wasn’t punishing me. In fact, everything I felt, every hurt, every pain and every sense of hopelessness, God felt that way alongside me. He was giving me a story that I could share which would bring hope to others who grew up the same way. For this, I am grateful.

Today, I spend a good amount of time in prisons, sharing my story while focusing on the power of forgiveness. My volunteer work gives me a great amount of fulfillment. My story is relatable, and it has given the inmates hope.

Everything can be used for good. God has given you a story. I encourage you to use yours, too…

Standard
Spirituality

Complete

One of the dumbest lines ever comes from the movie, “Jerry Maguire.” In one scene, Tom Cruise says to Renee Zellweger “you complete me.” The audience swoons, and everyone lives happily ever after!

You are complete already. God created you and gave you every skill, every talent and every ability you need to do what he created you for. He didn’t send you to earth partially done.

It is true that we are born with a hole in our hearts. The 17th century French philosopher Pascal called it a “God shaped vacuum.” Only God can fill that void. Another broken human being won’t fit. And we are all broken.

Search for the God of the impossible. You know who I’m talking about. He’s waiting.

I leave you with Jeremiah 29:13 which says, “You will find me when you seek me with all of your heart…”

Standard