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Ashamed By Grace

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not-ashamed_031

We live in a world where grace is of the premium. We are quick to ridicule, judge, and tear down. As much as we love a good comeback story we also love the dirt of a great fall. Especially one's where all the kings horses and men cannot put Lindsey Lohan back together again. We like grace when we receive it but it is tough for us to give. Or is it. Think for a moment of the past couple years. We have seen a many great fall. Brittney Spears Tiger Woods Michael Vick John and Kate Plus 8...well...maybe!!! Either way you get the point. We say that our world is graceless and we thrive off of trashing others, but I have had more conversations with people lately that said they love seeing these people beat the odds, receive grace, and rise to greatness again. As I thought about this, this is true. I have never met any of the above, but I longed to see each of them make it. Is it strange that I was always scared that I would turn on the TV and Brittney would be dead? Why? I have never met … [Read more...]

Rest…Replenish…ReEnergize (Thoughts from sabbatical)

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NH

Here I sit... Week two of my sabbatical is coming to a close. I was really looking forward to this time, but even I did not realize how much I needed it. Let me back up though. Some of you hear the word sabbatical and you think a myriad of things. Some think... VACATION NOTHINGNESS TIME OFF LAZY Even though all those things seem to be what we would label "sabbatical" it is so much more than that. This is what I love about my church. At the ten-year mark they give each of our staff members a one month sabbatical. However, this is not a vacation. This is not nothingness. This is not "time off". It is rest, but is not laziness. This is a time to rest, replenish, and re-energize. In fact there are some requirements on our time of sabbatical. Not a list of rigid rules, but some guidelines in order to make us truly get the most of it. REQUIREMENTS OF SABBATICAL: Week 1: You must spend one week at another church simply serving. For me that was a trip to Nashville. Some … [Read more...]

Grace and Peace

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GRACEANDPEACE

A few months ago, amidst going through some of the toughest moments of life, something stood out to me in scripture for the very first time. In fact is it not funny that you can read and see things over and over, yet never really see what is glaring right into your soul. I noticed right at the beginning of one of Paul's letters in the New Testament it started with the phrase "Grace and Peace to you in..." I am not sure why this struck such a chord with me but my interest was peeked. I turned to another book of Paul's and read the intro phrase "Grace and Peace to you in..." Sure enough, the more I turned the pages the more I learned that Paul started most his letters this way to the churches he was writing to. Then I had this thought... Could it be that simple? Could Paul have just unlocked an unspeakable truth to me that has always been right there in its simplest form? Honestly...Yes!!! It really was that simple. Now you may be asking the question of "What is that simple?" Well, … [Read more...]

BLOOD BROTHER…

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Today on People Of The Second Chance's blog there was a story and a link to this video below. This is powerful as we as a generation think about how we can really sacrifice to bring hope to the hopeless. Check it out and check out their cause. What is the thing that scares you to death that you just might need to be doing? Hit me up on twitter and facebook and let me know. … [Read more...]

R.I.P SELF GLORIFICATION A.K.A…COMMENTS SECTION

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rip-2369

Dearly Beloved. Today for a brief moment we mourn the loss of a friend. This is a friend that we all know well. He seems to always have been there for us. He was always there to pick us up when we felt down. He seemed to be the consummate encourager and friend. It seemed as if when everyone else was looking to tear us down he was there, to well... pick us up!!! Even if it was for a moment he always worked to make us each feel better about who we were. However, the reality of the matter was that he was a liar. He never wanted to satisfy you or me. It was all a terrible rouse. He did nothing more than feed the deep and dark areas of our soul. Today I will not be reading any eulogies of Psalm 23. There will be no sheep in green pastures. There will be no quiet waters. But today I gladly and willingly bury you. Today... SELF GRATIFICATION IS LAID TO REST!!! How so you may ask? Now I am not naive enough to think that you, me, or any other person can seriously claim on a website that … [Read more...]

one donut hole fuller…

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maple-doughnut-holes-ck-l

It's Monday. It's a new day. It's a new week. It's fresh. Today started with what I thought was Laura leaving for work. As she walked out I nestled back in to bed for a few more minutes sleep before the last snooze alarm went into its morning routine. A few moments later, due to the fact that the bedroom is next to the driveway, I saw the red glow of brake lights fly by the window and heard the garage door come up. I thought that she must have forgotten something and would probably come in frantic and disheveled. How dare I think the worst. In fact she came home to do quite the contrary. As I heard the door open to the kitchen from the garage I looked at my phone for the time and then flipped on the lamp by the bed. I then laid there and waited. I knew for sure she would come in. In fact I fully expected her to whisk through the bedroom, grab whatever was forgotten, and head out frantically. However, she walked in calmly, walked over to the bed, and handed me a tiny … [Read more...]

HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

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headintheclouds

i'm a dreamer. i love to think about what things can be like. i can get a vivid picture in my head and see what it looks like in reality. in church world that can be a great commodity and dangerous at the same time. it is great because vision must be cast out of looking from the clouds and seeing the big picture. however, this can be very dangerous because sometimes we can get our head stuck in the clouds and never come to the dirt and put the shovel to those dreams. the people i see doing the most good in the church are those who balance having their heads in the clouds and then parachuting down to the dirt to make them a reality. we make all sorts of excuses for staying in the clouds. we make lots of BUT statements...(might I add those are big but's- #sirmixalotreferernce) i would get in the dirt, BUT...i might get dirty. i would get in the dirt, BUT...the clouds are nice and i don't have to do anything but dream. i would get in the dirt, BUT...what if others don't … [Read more...]

when 18 year olds die and change lives

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abc_ben_breedlove_heart_thg_111228_wg

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what do you need to wait on?

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WARHOLPATIENTS

yesterday was black friday. i watched my facebook and twitter feeds light up with people getting their shopping done. there were a few in the internet world that were stoked to have filled their instant gratification desire. the world that we live in is funny. there is no longer a save and buy mentality. we live in a buy and pay off world now. however, what i have noticed is that it seems that we are a lot more unhappy and less satisfied with whatever that thing is that we used to instantly gratify ourselves. what would happen if we waited, saved and then purchased? first, i wonder if we would even buy at all if we waited? two, i wonder if time would allow us to appreciate and purchase things that would matter a little more? three, i wonder if we would still feel the emptiness that stuff seems to bring? your turn...what do you think? … [Read more...]

what needs to change?

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change_mekusea

what is the one thing that needs to change in your life today? ready...set...GO!!! … [Read more...]

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