A knight in tattered Armor

As I grew up I was taught to hold women to the highest standards and to treat them with the highest respect. To honor and cherish them and to sacrifice everything for them when the situation arises. As a man of Christ I am called to defend them and myself when dragons arise in my life and in theirs. I have failed many times in my life and I have the burns to prove it. This tale is for all those who battle dragon’s everyday, and know that their armor is anything but shiny.



Through the woods walked a scrawny and lanky lad of about 9 years old. There was nothing spectacular about him, and many would not give him a second glance. His hair was curly and large upon his seemingly over sized head, and looked like it did not know whether it wanted to be brown or blond. His arms were longer than usual and added to his wiry appearance. His chin was pronounced and he had a mole right above his upper lip. His smile revealed over sized teeth that would one day be grown into and his eyes were as blue as the sky. His knees were scraped and bruised as he sometimes dragged his left foot; this fact often led to tripping and falling on nasty “thorn soldiers”. I will get to the dragon wars later in the tale, but now it is time to get to know me. If you read the above you know my looks at least at age 9. There will be some embellishment from my imagination as a youth as well to make a better story. My dragon wars are far from over, but this is where I will begin.
I grew up far in the woods; far enough from the city to know how to use my imagination and how to truly dream. I trudged through the woods with my wooden sword (a broken hockey stick) in my hand and dreamed that I was a Knight in shining armor. I did not have a steed because I was a country night and there were no roads in the woods. I was on a mission, a mission to save my one true love. What she looked like I did not know, all I knew is that she needed me, and in my heart I knew I needed her. She was in trouble and I needed to be there for her. I was made to protect her. I was made to slay the Dragons that held both of our lives captive. I knew then as I do now that in my heart I know that I will not be complete without her. To that fact I knew that I could not do this alone. I needed someone else, someone to guide me. As a knight, especially a rural knight I needed a master. Who better a master than my own creator Jesus Christ? I looked for His guidance on this road, as I still do to this day. I look to Him for strength to defeat my Dragons.
As I trudged I wondered; God how will I find my love and protect her? How will I know how to find the dragons and how will I know how to slay them? How will I have the strength to do all this? Did I have enough courage? To all of these questions He said that often times the dragons would find me and I would not have to look for many of them at all. He also told me that in all things to look to Him and to never lean on my own understanding.

I would have written more, but I am sick. The next installment will be coming soon, God willing.

Blessings and Struggles

God has blessed me with a beautiful woman. Celeste brings me much joy and happiness. I thank God every day for her and for all the blessing she has brought into my life. Each and every time I look into her eyes I am reminded of my role in our relationship and how hard it is for me to stop looking at her and look to the Lord. I know where I would like this relationship to go, but I have given it to God and know that He will guide our paths. I also pray that if I hinder Celeste’s relationship with Christ in any way that Christ would give me the strength do what is best for both of us. My dad asked me the other day, “Are you ready and willing to sacrifice for Celeste?” That question floored me and I have been asking the same question to myself over and over. Am I ready to be the Man of God that Celeste needs me to be, and that Christ requires me to be? I would have to say that as of late I have been failing in this task, and ask for continued prayer for our relationship. Prayer that we would both keep our eyes and hearts locked on Christ first and on each other second. Each and every blessing given is for His glory and I long to say that Celeste and I relationship has advanced Christ’s kingdom. Thank you for all of your prayers! Every day lately Christ has been showing me just how blessed I truly am, I want to live up to all of these blessings and not take them for granted.

He has Risen and we will too!

After another wonderful Bible study I am yet again humbled. After reading Philippians 3:21 I am reminded of my mother who courageously fought cancer for many years and through it all said “May Gods will be done in my life.” I am and always will be changed by her courage and strength granted to her from her creator and her love. My mother will be sitting at the banquet table and will raise her glass high and give thanks to the God that used her in a way that moved many to Christ even unto death. Her weak fragile ravaged body has passed away, but she is made anew in Christ! He Has Risen! I will one day raise my glass to my God and drink Him in with my mother and all who have passed before me and believed. My prayer is that Christ will use me in every way, even unto death, and that I will see all of you at that table.

Happy Easter!

"I See You"

I went to see the Movie Avatar and I have to say that is was a great movie. There are some controversial issues in the movie but at the same time I was struck by the love of Christ from that movie. We were talking last week about how Christ moves us with everyday things and in strange ways. Here is how Christ moved me, through Avatar.
There is a line is Avatar that really touched me. The line is “I see you”. This is not saying I see you in front of me or I see you standing there. It means I truly see who you are and I understand. It means I see everything that you are, and I love you! There is only one in this life that truly can say that, and that is Christ. He is the only one that can truly see you, and the thing that blows my mind every time that I think about it is that He accepts me for everything that I am. Another thing that struck me was that the main character in the film was a cripple. I look at myself and see how completely broken and sinful I am. In a world that strives for outer beauty forgets to seek the beauty on the inside. Christ sees us in our most broken states looks into our hearts and says “I see you”.
How do I look at others? Sadly I look at them and forget to truly try and see them. I may say hello and keep walking, but do I truly take the time to “see” them? One day I will be able to look my creator in the face and know that I am holy and blameless in His sight. I will look up at Him in awe and say “I see you”! Thank you Lord!

Lord give me eyes to truly see you in everything. Guide my heart so that I may better know you and the path that you have set before me. Help me to look on others as you look on me, and to love like you love.

Humbled and Convicted

There never seems to be a weekend where I am not humbled by Gods love for me and how unworthy I am of His love. I see Christ working in so many area's of my life. This weekend hit me hard... How am I treating other people, am I treating them as Christ would treat them? Am I serving others before myself? In doing this am I serving others and working without grumbling? To all of these questions I would have to give an emphatic No..... This weekend has brought me to a place where words will not do, and prayer and silence before Christ seems to be the only way to work on, and calm what He has stirred in me.

Conviction is a very good thing!

After a very convicting and wonderful Bible study I find myself in awe of the life that Christ has given me and my lack of conviction over the years not to be more bold in sharing His wonderful love and grace with everyone I see and everyone that I impact in this life that is so fleeting. How many people have I not impacted out of fear and out of the chance of being rejected?

Philippians 1:6, 1:12, 1:20-21, 1:27-30

Placement and Power

Picture if you will a small child slowly walking up to the line in a bowling alley, a ball so large that he can barely pick it up. He struggles with all his might to toss the ball and get it to hit the pins. The ball slowly moves down the lane. Everyone seems to laugh and to look away because the moment of impact will be so anti climactic. Some clap and cheer and others could care less and go on with what they were doing. In amazement the people turn their eyes to see every pin falling, falling to the lightest touch. The ball hit the exact spot it needed no matter the power to knock down every pin. The child laughs dances and cries out in joy, and everyone is astonished.

Now I want you to picture Gods bowling alley. He is the one that places you on this long lane called life. He has placed you exactly where he wants you, and for the people and situations that He has prepared you for, and for you. He places you exactly where you need to be. You are the ball and the power behind the ball is the power of your witness to others in Christ Jesus. The pins are every person that you see every day in every situation. They are the man on the side of the road that needs food, they are the ones closest to you, and the ones you hold most dear to your heart. They are your enemies and the CEOs of companies, they are the wife’s, sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers that are struggling to fill that hole that can only be filled by Christ. How am I supposed to impact all of these people? I am not ready for this? Do not have the knowledge for this? I am not ready for rejection and pain? What if people mock me, and humiliate me? I am not ready to lose this friend that I love so dearly. But I ask you this, would you take the chance not to lose them in this life, and have them not know this great love, to not know Christ the one that can save them and make them whole?

I look back on my life and often wonder why things happened the way they did, and how I could have had things come out differently. I know now that everything that has happened in my life has happened for a reason and for Christ Glory. Every person I know and meet is there because of the path Christ has put me on. I am on this course to impact people’s lives for Christ and to give the Glory to Him. I look back on my life and see so many missed opportunities. I find myself not willing to share unless I will knock all of the pins down to thunderous applause. To get a strike! How wonderful that would be, but that is not always Christ’s way. Reach out where ever you are, with the power you have in Christ. Reach out in love and with joy to the lost and broken hearted. Even if you make the pins tremble the impact is made, and Christ will do the rest. What have you to fear when you have the power of the almighty behind you and in your heart?!

Picture if you will a small child slowly walking up to the line in a bowling alley, a ball so large that he can barely pick it up. He struggles with all his might to toss the ball and get it to hit the pins. The ball slowly moves down the lane. The ball slowly rolls up to the pins and impacts one pin and knocks it over, the rest of the pins are left standing. The child laughs, dances, and cries out in joy, and everyone is astonished. Christ can do the greatest things, even with the smallest tap.

Be Bold in Christ!