Tranquil Turmoil

2011-02-09T09:03:00.000-06:00

I have been working through and trying to maintain focus upon where I am at in the pursuit of life and what it means to live. The reality is, my ability to stay on track in trying to achieve this goal, fully relies on Christ, and my willingness to give Him what He has already purchased through His blood. Everything.

"Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt
Who am I that the bright and morning star would choose to light the way of my ever wandering heart
Who am I that the eyes that have sen my sin, look on me with love and help me rise again
Who am I that the voice that calmed the sea, would call out to the rain and calm the storm in me

It's not because of who I am, but because of what You've done
It's not because of what I've done, but because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow,
a wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind
still You; hear me when I'm calling, You catch me when I'm falling
You told me who I am......I'M YOURS."
- Casting Crowns

Holiness is what He wants from whom He calls. I have often times fell flat on my face in this pursuit. To those that know me, that is no great revelation. I am committed to really seek the holiness of God and ask Him to change me from the inside out with the purging fire of His Holy Spirit. My prayer is that He will be enthroned on the pedestal of my heart and that I will be used to speak the Words of Life to those who cross my path. Our time is short.

Homeward Navigation

2010-12-30T09:20:00.000-06:00

2010...I typically am unaccustomed to wanting time to hurry along. However, there have been chunks of the past year that if I could have stomped on the accelerator, I would have. There have also been moments , if given the opportunity, I would have parked and lingered. I have learned that God doesn't let us know the details of His map. In other words, it's not a topographical map, it doesn't show the terrain. His roadmap will continue to be the Bible, our guide for finding the correct path and staying on it, our Guidebook for "tourist traps", "perilous side roads" and "quiet oasis". Reviews and lessons by eyewitnesses and even the Mapmaker Himself along their journey.

Know what else? He's given us our own internal GPS complete with turn by turn voice guidance. This GPS never steers you wrong and never needs to have the address typed in. The kicker...you have to push the mute button from off to on and leave it on.

A question was posed last night; What do we want to give up and replace it with in the coming year? Great question.

For me, not being the navigator and leaving on the GPS. Spending more time taking in the sights, sounds and relationships along the journey. Learning that really this journey that I am on is not about me but about the relationship I have with an Awesome and Holy God.

Enjoy the journey! Trust the Mapmaker!
Proverbs 3:5-6
Jeremiah 29:11

2010-12-08T07:34:00.000-06:00

WOW! 2010 was a roller coaster. At staff retreat the other day, Pastor Dave asked us about our best day the past year. Mine...seeing my wife sitting next to me at Flip Burger Boutique in Atlanta, Georgia and being so excited that God gifted me with her to experience life with. I will always remember that day forever. One of those times that God cultivated my heart for the days to come.

Spiritually, 2010 has been a marker for me. Learning (and still learning) total reliance on God not only in the physical or monetary areas of my life but in every dynamic of my life. Especially spiritually. I am so thankful that God has granted me this ministry at Highland. I am humbled by what I learn from the kids. They continue to teach me that God has gifted us all so differently and with so many different quirks. Every time I am with them I really don't know what I am going to get its an adventure that I really look forward to.

I look forward to the coming year. I know there are many life lessons that I will take with me from 2010. May you see God in every area of your life. I pray you will allow Him access to every area of your life.

Tuff Love

2010-11-06T08:28:00.000-05:00

What an amazing and wonderful woman that I am blessed with. My wife, has been a vessel for God to pour out what ever He chose. The evidences of His love, goodness, patience, peacefulness, joy, kindness & gentleness have been manifest in her life toward me all through our life together. However, no time more profound than the past 3 months. I look at her and my heart skips a beat. I am humbled by her servanthood not only to me but to our kids and our church families kids. As the old saying goes, "I definitely married up." God has taught and continues to teach me so much through her.

One of those that I struggle with is what Dr James Dobson calls, "tough love". Tough love-letting someone go the way they have chosen but loving them no matter what. A prodigal son kind of love (Luke 15:11-32). I'm pretty sure that Jesus was not being gender specific in this parable, but when you apply his teaching to a daughter as a daddy, it's tough. Tough to not want to be her defender and protector. I'm in the midst of that right now. Having to trust that she may or may not "return home". Trust that my prayer is the best thing for her right now. Knowing that God hears me as her daddy.

He knows my heart, after all He is a daddy too...

Battle Plan

2010-10-18T11:39:00.000-05:00

I am still amazed at how God uses me to accomplish His purpose here. My abilities are limited. My heart strays. My mind wonders. What a corrupt world we live in. Sin has diminished the beauty of God's creation. Yet, He loves me. Draws me to Himself continually. I am so thankful and so undeserving.

As a father and husband, I am to take on the responsibility of spiritual leader within my family. It is a charge that God has endowed on every male upon conception. One that can bring us closer to who God is if we are diligent to fulfill that role, or, if WE neglect our role, can bring chaos and destruction. In retrospect, what could I have done different? What can I do to prevent any further attacks? The answer...nothing.

If we are diligent to try and live a life that is given over to Christ, the attacks will come. Expect them. If we become lacking in our commitment to live as His, the attacks will come but possibly not as intense. Therefore, our ability or inability to DEFEND against attacks is purely based upon Jesus and the power His name possesses. I know that my ability to battle the enemy lies with my Savior, not with me. (Although it doesn't stop me from trying to battle him on my own) So, what can I do to DEFEND against further attacks? Call on Him & Pray.

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not of this world. On the contrary, they have a divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, AND WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT TO MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

Wanna win the battles? The name, Jesus Christ, has power!

Remember...we've already won the war! Hallelujah!!

Partial or Total?

2010-10-05T14:16:00.000-05:00

Heartache. Literally...my heart aches.

Working through betrayal of the deepest sort. What does that look like? What does it feel like? How do you come to terms? Can you come to terms?

Experience has forded me the opportunity to really love someone, pledge to defend and guide them all through life. I have committed to all of these before witnesses, as well as God above who guided me down this path. From the beginning my focus was to be a vessel for God, to pour out His love, as well as be a small reflection of who He is. As a father, I believe that is what God calls us to. What a blessing. What a responsibility.

So hard for me to describe the emotions and feelings that have been realized the past two and a half months. I have expressed some outward, while most, I have had to give to my Lord to help me through. The hardest has been trying to make sense of why I was accused of the very thing that I had sworn to defend against. Feeling the heartache that comes with your child making false accusations against you and not knowing why. Pledging to love them no matter what then having to mean what you pledged. Knowing that manipulation and deception by your child have led you to question what others are thinking about you. Which gives rise to the question, is this being done to intentionally hurt me and why?

The driving force behind my ability to come to terms...The Holy Spirit. His reminders of my Savior being falsely accused and then knowing what will ultimately happen. Christ's faithfulness even unto death. In light of what Jesus went through, my experience pales in comparison. However, I have gained a new and deeper understanding of what my Heavenly Father experiences daily. Countless times. It humbles me and awes me at the same time. Gives me cause to strive with all that I am not to give Him heartache. I am so undeserving of His love.

Henceforth, my challenge...to continue to remain faithful in that pledge I spoke about earlier. To only focus on a God centered life and not be concerned about what others are thinking. Resolved to give God total control, not partial control of every aspect of my life.

"Know therefore that the Lord your God, is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands." - Deuteronomy 7:9

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
- Ephesians 5:1-2

A Walk in the Desert

2010-09-08T07:22:00.002-05:00

A journey that I have wanted to share but have been waiting for God's timing and direction...

Our life lessons learned are rarely, if ever, taught the way we think we will learn them. Unexpected turns and twists through life's journey is often the means by which my Lord has taught me invaluable truths. One of those truths....He has been faithful to sustain and guide me around every turn, over every mountain top and through every valley.

One of those lessons taught...My God is so HUGE that He can use one specific incident in time to; "sift" someone, sustain someone, protect a body of believers, protect a family, strengthen a marriage, break someone and provide everything that all those "someones" need if we will only trust HIM. (These are only the things that I can see. Only He knows those He has touched through this one specific incident.) I am continually amazed by the idea that God is that BIG.

I want to continue to share the lessons that He has and will continue to teach me through this one specific incident and time in my life over the next several posts. I am unsure where He will lead. I am sure that if I listen He will guide.....

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6 (Emphasis Added)

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED for every good work. - 2Timothy 3:16-17 (Emphasis Added)

Who Are You?

2010-03-07T22:16:00.004-06:00

Doesn't life come down to image in and of itself? What someone believes you to be. Keyword...believes. In my understanding and personal experience, the vices, addictions and character flaws are a by product of our struggle to maintain an image. Many of the destructive behaviors we often claim become a foundation stone for walls that are erected to hide or shadow who we were intended to be. All for the sake of peer acceptance or self worth. What a consuming and draining task to uphold an image that only brings unfullfilment, regret, sadness and possibly death.

If we are Christians, why do we not act Christlike? Peace...what's it worth to you? Release of all the facades, masks, ingenuousness would bring peace. However, picking up the mantel of Christian can only be accomplished by trusting that all those different personas you were, must be nailed to the cross. Forsaken and forgotten.

"For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" - Romans 6:6

"For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live in faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20

So...Who are you??

Shh...Can You Hear Him?

2010-02-04T06:47:00.002-06:00

Listening to God...sounds easy. Often I really need to listen to what my Lord is saying. Is it possible to be so in tune with Him that our thoughts and deeds continualy reflect Him? How about, what percentage is acceptable when listening to The Holy Spirit? Can we completely shutout any ability to listen?

God has been and will always be consistent in His plan for our life. We, however, are not consistent. Although God speaks to us we continualy turn a deaf ear to what He is trying to say, thus hindering us from His perfect plan for our lives. So, we then have to spend time getting back on the right track. If only we had listened to begin with!

Let me encourage you by saying that even in the midst of my neglectful ways of not listening, He continues to love me and draw me back toward Him. I know, believe me! I usually revert back to lessons I have learned through time and study. God has so many venues to reach us. The incredible thing is that He created them all. Including us!

As we move toward Easter, be mindful of when God is trying to grab your attention. Listen for Him in every breath, every thought, and every moment.

Be still and know that I am God;...Psalm 46:10
Blessed is the man who listens to me,...Proverbs 8:34

The Best Gift Ever

2009-12-24T06:22:00.002-06:00

My wife's family, for years, has carried on a Christmas tradition that I have somewhat been sucked into. If you have played this game....CHRISTMAS EVE GIFTS! I got you!! If you don't have a clue what I am talking about, it's probably best to, "let sleeping dogs lie".

I have given much thought into what I want to convey here. My conclusion...I want to be real, set apart, and used by the Holy Spirit. I pray that my words will bring glory to my Lord and that the Body will be edified through what is said. The best way I know to accomplish my desires are through prayer.

Father,
I ask that You would guide my thoughts and words and that this forum would bring glory, praise and honor to You. I pray for those whom You lead here and that if they don't know You that You would draw them to Yourself. Please grant all who come here peace through salvation as they go through life. If any are dealing with challenging life situations, grant them wisdom to follow the path You have laid before them. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to free us from the slave of sin and death. Thank you for the celebration of His birth, what Christmas really means. God, I am humbled by the gift You gave me through that birth and death. I praise You and thank you for loving me and granting me peace and joy that can only come from You. I love you.
Amen

If you ever have any questions about how to get peace through life's struggles, I would love to talk to you. It's made a wonderful impact on my life! May God grant you peace and blessings this day!

Merry Christmas!
Curtis