• God saving my life – it’s the biggest gift that has ever been given to me, and I’ll spend the rest of forever loving Jesus because of His great love for me!
• Jess (my wife) – it was 5 years ago on November 5th that I asked her to be my wife.  It was the best decision I ever made, because she is such a godly, humble, courageous, loving, and leading woman.
• Pastor Chilly & Netta Chilton – they have taught Jess and I so much about life and ministry over the last 2 years that we have been here in Hamtramck.  We’re grateful to follow them as they follow Christ.
• Family – I’m so thankful for my parents who taught me how to be content (by their lifestyle), what it means to be a servant, and telling it straight when I needed to hear it.  I’m grateful for my brother, Mike, and sister in law, Laura.  It was great having them up here for a few days.  We love them.  And my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins – much love.
• Jess’ family – I’m grateful to have another family to call family…Elaine, Julie, Rob, Frank, Evie, Mike & Miki, Kristen & Tim.
• REAL Church – God called us here to Hamtramck and to Pastor Chilly & Netta nearly 2 years ago.  In that time, we have fallen in love with the people of our city.  We have developed friendships with people on the team.  We have seen miracles of God saving many peoples’ lives.  So grateful for God’s purpose in our lives – we don’t deserve it – but he still wants to use it.
• Hanley Academy – I’m so thankful that I have a job.  But more than that – I’m grateful for the wonderful friends I’ve made with other teachers there.  And so glad to be a part of students’ and families’ lives in Hamtramck.
• YOU – thanks for reading my blog.  Thanks for being a part of my life.  I love you and want to connect and pray for you.  If you’ve been anonymous up till now, comment.  I’d like to know you better!

There are so many more things that I could write about – and I may amend this as they come to my mind over the next few days.  But for now, let’s enjoy Thanksgiving – by giving thanks from our heart to God and others!

Love you…peace!

• Senseless violence in our city
• Kids dying of preventable diseases
• Credit Cards and Debt
• The choice of people to walk away from Jesus
• Blind, hungry, detestable consumerism on Black Friday
• Blatant, shameful sexuality being paraded on TV

Yet still the answer to all of these things is…JESUS!

Come back tomorrow for what I’m thankful for.

” I want to remind you to STIR UP the gift of God that was conveyed to you when I laid my hands upon you.  EVEN IF THE EMBERS HAVE COOLED – FAN THEM AGAIN AND KEEP THEM ABLAZE! ” (2 Timothy 1:6 – The Voice)

It’s so easy to get comfortable doing the minimum good in Christianity.  You can read the Bible every day and pray.  You can go to church and serve.  You can even tell others the story of what Jesus has done in your life…

BUT HAVE YOUR EMBERS COOLED?  ARE YOU A DYING CAMPFIRE – CONTAINED AND RESTRAINED?

When was the last time you felt the THRILL of victory, because you had obeyed Jesus on something risky?  For me, I realized recently that I had gotten comfortable obeying the easy stuff with Jesus.  But when He was prodding me to do something maybe a little more uncomfortable, or say something a little too straight forward for my liking – I would kind of brush it off.  What was I thinking?  So, here’s kind of where I’m at right now with all this…

• Do I love Jesus more than my own social rules I’ve learned in dealing with people?  Am I willing to be pushed away by others, if I know Jesus is pleased with me?  The answer for me is YES!
• It’s been hard.  I’ve been telling people that I feel like George Costanza on Seinfeld – when he decides that he will do the opposite of every instinct that he has – and it works.  I’ve actually been doing that when it comes to doing the hard things I know Jesus is calling me to do.  I’ve been doing the opposite of backing down from saying something – and actually challenging people I’m discipling more than ever.
• I’m giving the Holy Spirit permission to breathe into the embers in my soul.  Just like a fire that you blow underneath to get it going again – I want the Holy Spirit breathing into my life.  The key for Him doing that is found in 2 Timothy 1:7 – “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”  My Pastor once said that the sound mind helps you to know when to use the power and when to use the love.  That’s GOOD!

Just some of my thoughts right now.  Love you!

I think when you’ve lived in a place for a long time – you begin to see your city as you want to see it.  You’ve learned what streets you don’t really go down.  You have found those places that you really like to go for food.  You learn who is a nice cashier at the local grocery store. At least that’s the way it is here in Hamtramck for me.

But when we’ve been in a place for a while, we can begin to become numb to the things we don’t see…

• Are there groups of people I’m not seeing?
• Are there hurting people I’ve learned to overlook?
• What changes have been happening in the city that I’ve been oblivious to?
• What might God be seeing that I’m not seeing?

Not many answers today – trying to re-think what God might be seeing and saying to me.  Just thinking this morning…

The principle of how we talk to each other as husband and wife boils down to the fact that women need to know they are loved, and men need to know that they are respected. Emerson does an awesome job with this book in pointing that out.

Here is what the website says about this book:

“An in-depth study of why your communication styles are not wrong, just different!

Finally an answer for the number one problem in marriages—communication! This analysis of the vital principles of cross-gender communication helps couples recognize they speak two different languages. They are sending each other messages in “code” but won’t be able to crack that code until they realize that she listens to hear the language of love and he listens for respect.

Most advice on this subject fails to understand that husbands and wives are wired very differently, and when those wires get crossed, the communication sparks can fly!

Dr. Eggerich’s best-selling book, Love and Respect, launched a revolution in how couples relate to each other. In The Language of Love and Respect he shares how that message can be applied.”

What my wife and I like about this approach to all of this is that it is simple and applicable.  You can begin to communicate better – without communicating past each other and without hurting each other with your words.

I recommend this book to couple to enjoy together and crack the communication code that sometimes divides us.

This week in the technology classes I teach, we are talking about what the world used to be like without the Internet (for many of these middle schoolers, they can’t even comprehend it – ha!).  And then we’re talking about what the future of technology will be for them. I’m telling them that the issue won’t be whether or not they will use technology.  The real question will be…

Will you have character as you use this technology?

We are constantly hearing of a teenager sending nude pictures over a cell phone.  Or filming someone getting beaten to death in a street fight.  We’ve put technology in the hands of people who don’t know how to handle it.  But that’s because they learn from adults who don’t know how to handle technology.

They see politicians, pastors, parents, and people who are more sorry for getting caught, then they are sorry for being the type of a person.  We have learned to spin shame to our advantage, without dealing with the actions that cause shame.

Technology can be great when it comes to connecting with family or friends – but dangerous when you use it to flirt with old flames from high school.  Technology can be great when it comes to getting the news out about injustice – but not when it’s filming someone being injured for the sake of entertainment.

Here’s some ways we can use technology WITH character…

1.  If you wouldn’t say it in person to someone, DON’T SAY IT!

Many cowards hide behind a laptop with passive aggression and belittle or disrespect people who they disagree with.

2.  If that thing you did got posted on Facebook and you would be embarassed or ashamed, DON’T DO IT!

I think as Christians, it needs to be more than that.  We’re people of character, because God sees all and we love Him too much to do that to Him.

3.  Don’t spread gossip, lies, or disturbing things online.

Why make the world share in misery with you?  I think there’s a place to share injustice, so that we can be a part of the solution.  But usually gossip, lies, and disturbing things are not looking for a solution, but rather the destruction of a person.

Just some thoughts.  What do you think?

David was a midget compared to Goliath – yet he defeated him on the battlefield.  Moses had a problem speaking, so he begged God for someone to speak for him.  Hosea had married a prostitute and was probably really insecure walking thru town wondering who his wife had slept with.  Abraham was getting ready to be a new parent at nearly 100 years old -I’m sure that will make you laugh. 

God calls us to plunge through insecurity to faith in Him.  Insecurity happens, because we were comfortable with the way something was, and God calls us to leave that and try something new.  He never leaves us unequipped – but he does let us feel our insecurity, so that we will fill it with trust in Him!

Recently, in taking over as the campus pastor of REAL Church Hamtramck – I’ve been faced with numerous insecurities that I didn’t know were in me.  It’s not for lack of support, because my Pastor – Pastor Chilly – has set me up for success in every way.  It’s not for lack of equipping – because God has given me everything I need to do His work (2 Peter 1:3).  But, it’s just what’s inside of me.  I don’t know about you – but I hate knowing insecurity is in me and not doing anything about it.

The fight is usually in your mind, and you need to begin to believe Jesus in your heart.  Faith in the heart, can overcome fear in the mind!  Here’s a few practical things I’m learning:

1. Recognize the lies – there are lies the Devil has gotten us to believe about God, others, or our situation.  We need to recognize them and the fear it has developed in us.
2. Research the truth – God’s Word has something to say about that lie.  That’s why meditating on God’s Word (going over it again and again) is so important in our daily lives.  It might be a story, it might be a verse, but God has something to say to you from His Word.
3. Run with trust – Too often we let insecurity paralyze us.  Continue to do what you know God has asked you to do – and keep a watch over your heart.  That’s why Paul tells Timothy two things:  Keep a close watch over your LIFE (actions) and DOCTRINE (what you believe about God) – 1 Timothy 4:16

Hope this helps!  When have you struggled with insecurity?  How have you found ways to overcome?

Check this out – and leave some thoughts.

• Do I run FROM God, instead of TO God, when I sin?  I need to stop and confess my sins, because He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
• Have I reserved myself to the notion that I’m going to just sin every day?  If so I need to remember that John wrote to us so that we would not sin, but if we do, then we have an Advocate, Jesus, who pleads our case before the Father (1 John 2:1).
• Why do I trust my feelings and tell myself that I’m not forgiven? It’s clear in the Word that if I ask for forgiveness he grants it thru Jesus.  And if my actions are showing that I’m living the truth – then I gotta remember that God is greater than my feelings, and He knows all things (1 John 3:18-20)!
• When did I start convincing myself that God didn’t love me or didn’t want me back when I went too far?  We need to put our TRUST in His love (1 John 4:16-18)!
• Who wins?  See 1 John 5:5.