One-Liners
When I was 14 I read through the bible for the first time. When I got to Proverbs I fell in love. So much wisdom, so easily remembered, so all over the map. I remember asking the Lord to make me like Solomon. Now, I know what you’re thinking…that I found out that Solomon asked for wisdom and God gave him riches and that’s why I asked to be like Solomon. Wrong. I remember asking the Lord to make me wise like Solomon so that every time I got around people, I could give them something God had given me that would help in whatever situation they were in. Someone tweeted a one-liner from this past week’s message and when I read it, the Lord spoke to me. He told me to go back and look at every one-liner from the past 2 1/2 years. I did. Here are a few that stuck out…
I prove my own ignorance when I criticize something I don’t understand
If you are not wearing the undergarment of truth you are exposing yourself with a lie
We point at the outwardly egotistical to feel more comfortable with our private pride.
You know what the only thing worse than skeletons in the closet is? Live bodies.
If you don’t know who I am today then all you can say is that you knew me yesterday
The easiest way to stop repeating the same sin is to simply change your direction
The higher the mountain, the more broken you’ll be when you get there.
I’m still not the smartest person I know…I don’t know if I ever will be. I do know this…He’s getting louder and I’m hearing him more clearly than ever before.
What A Difference a Day Makes
Just over a year ago my wife, Holly, lost her mother to cancer. From the time we found out to the time she passed away 15 months elapsed. In some ways it seemed like a moment, in many it seemed like a lifetime. One of the most excruciating experiences of my life was having to walk with Holly through this while feeling like there was nothing I could do to help. I watched as she leaned on me but even more so leaned on God. I know that sounds cheesy and frankly I don’t care what it sounds like. She leaned on Him because she had to. She leaned on Him because leaning on me wasn’t working. She would never talk to you about this like I am. That’s not her nature or her style. But here is what I know…that my wife is not the same woman she was before her mother’s death. She was my dream before Mom died, she is now surpassing my dreams. I have seen it happen. I see it continue to happen. It seems that in the last few weeks I have been asked more than ever “How is Holly doing?” My response has been the same every time…a wry smile and this, “You wouldn’t even recognize her.”
Holly, you are everything I ever asked for and even more that I didn’t. To say that I am proud of you would shortchange how I feel before the Lord. I never imagined that this is what our marriage would look like at this point. I never imagined this is what I would look like. I never imagined this is what you would look like. I am so proud to call you my bride. There are two things I draw confidence from in my life. Two things that give me the confidence to sit in a room full of men twice my age, twice as wise, twice as gifted and not shrink back. Those two things? That HE is my God and that YOU are my wife. Whatever He uses me to do in my lifetime DOES NOT happen without you right there next to me. You are the greatest gift God has ever given me. My heart is to live my life in such a way that you are just as proud of me as I am of you. That is my goal. I am so proud of you. The only person more proud of you than me is your mother. The only one more proud of you than her is your God. You have given your mother so many gifts by being the woman of God that you are. You have given even more to me. I love you more than life itself and I always will.
Sometimes We Have To Walk Through It
Just read this…
I wish we didn’t have to walk through difficulties. I wish we could have perfect lives with no pain. It’s not realistic though. It is those seasons of struggle, uncertainty, and pain that help me show compassion to others.
I wish I understood why things like this happened to people who give their lives to ministry. If I were to be completely forthright I would say that it really upsets me. I hurt for Joel and cannot imagine what the last year has been like. Lord, bless him and everything his hands touch. Give him peace, comfort, clarity, and strength.
Help me to be soft-hearted and compassionate toward all those around me. Minimize my learning the hard way.
Let It Flow
I am still processing all that God did in me friday night at C3. TD Jakes was the speaker and I had a 2nd row seat for it thanks to my best friend Timmy Ross.
I don’t want to explain why the following ministered to me so I’ll just give you the highlghts of 90 minutes of Bishop bliss as he covered 2 Kings 4:1-8…
-Elisha went thru mentorship before leadership
-Elisha started out wanting the mantle, then he just wanted the man (me, me, me)
-You know you are God’s man based on the amount of trouble he exposes you to.
-God will promote you to your threshold of pain
-God’s gonna give you an opportunity to use what you’ve got, but He’ll do it through trouble
-Pray the answer, not the problem (nasty)
-What is in your house?
-Sometimes we spend too much time analyzing “how much they’ve got” that we forget what we’ve got.
-If all you’re asking for is ordinary, you are not ready to talk to God…ask for the extraordinary! (solid)
-When God asks you a question, something is about to happen.
-Revelation is simply God shining the light on something you have already overlooked! (I’ll take it)
-First God forms it, then he fills it
-Don’t ask for too little, you might offend the supplier
It was an awesome night and one I really needed. Grateful for some of the dna I get from Bishop through Tim. God takes such great care of us all.
Not So Fast
I was listening to the radio on the way home from work today and a someone being interviewed made the suggestion that instead of the government helping all the people who have not been making their mortgage payments that they should give a reward to those that have been faithfully making their payment for years.
My first reaction embarrasses me a little. I thought, “Yeah, you’re right. All ‘those’ people are ruining the economy for the rest of us. Don’t reward them for making horrible financial decisions. Reward me for doing the right thing. I deserve that money more than someone who will waste it.”
What an idiot. I really didn’t see anything wrong with this reaction. To my natural mind it just made sense. “Not so fast”, the Lord says.
Here were the problems the Lord showed me about my thought process:
I felt I deserved more than someone else.
I felt I was right and worse, justified.
I was ignorant of my ignorance.
I forgot that it could happen to me.
Everything I have is a blessing from the Lord. It could all change tomorrow. My job is not guaranteed. Holly’s job is not guaranteed. It all comes from Him. And if I have been given enough to weather this economic season why would I even think it would be okay to take from those that need it more so that I could get more?
Lord I am grateful. You are so good to me. Help me to be more merciful.
Happy February 14th Day
I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, with Holly or Rylie. I am not a fan…never have been except when I was single, that is. That’s who Valentine’s Day is for…singles. This may come out wrong but oh well if it does…Valentine’s Day is not like an anniversary…and it better not be the only time in February you romance your spouse (or date I guess). Yes, I said February. Sadly enough many people need a holiday marked on the calendar to be extravagant towards their spouse. That doesn’t fly with me, and it probably doesn’t fly with your spouse either. Everyone loves to be pursued, everyone. Even the person who acts as if they have no need to be pursued is acting that way to get people to chase them because EVERYONE loves to be pursued.
Why is it that when I say that I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day that people say sarcastically, “Oh, because you’re romantic everyday and don’t need Valentine’s Day?” Well, yes, at least I hope so. Obviously I am not on my game everyday, but I try to be. Oh, and I’ve learned that any woman with the sarcasm wishes their boyfriend/husband treated them the way I treat Holly and any man with the sarcasm is embarassed because he knows his girlfriend/wife wishes for more romantic pursuit than he’s probably giving. This is not arrogance, it’s honest observation.
Listen, I have been called to love Holly the way Christ loved the church…I don’t take that lightly. I love the church. In fact, the only things I love more than the church are my wife, Rylie, Tyler, Preston, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I love the church. But He loves the church infinitely more than I do. I try to love Holly the way He loves the church.
Let me say, I am no where near perfect! Not even close. This is one of the reasons that I pursue Holly the way I do…it’s because I am such an idiot. I can’t control how stupid I am sometimes…it just happens. I can though, control my pursuit of Holly. Romance is simply effort. You just have to want to try. Anyone can be romantic. Romance is not a gift God gives to some and not others. It’s not even something you have to come up with…you simply watch God do it and re-enact what you see.
My desire is to treat Holly in such a way that it gives her the ability to say that no man has ever treated her even close to the way I treat her.
My desire is to give Holly things that she has never been given by any man, even her own father.
My desire is to give Holly things that she would never even give herself.
My desire is to be there when she needs me, or even when she doesn’t, to chase her, woo her, cover her, encourage her, flatter her, give up for her, help her, serve her, focus on her, catch her, push her, need her, cry with her, laugh with her, grow for her, try for her, and the list could go on.
My desire is for Holly to be so overwhelmed by my love for her and gifts for her that they reveal more about how God loves her than anything on the planet except God himself.
I’m not gonna lie…it’s a competition thing in some ways. No one is ever going to be able to say that they treat Holly better than I do. NO ONE. No ex-boyfriend, no family member, no man who may try in the future. You are not going to beat me. You can’t beat me when it comes to her. You might be able to woo her for a moment, but I will woo her for a lifetime. You don’t know what I know, you haven’t seen what I have seen, you haven’t done what I have done…you cannot beat me at loving her…and she knows it. 
I have hesitated ever writing about this because some may think this is arrogant. It’s not. It’s just something God has helped me get better at everyday if my life.
Besides, everyone should love their spouse like this, even better than this, because this is the way God loves you. No one will beat him. Ever.
God help me to love her the way you love me all the days of her life.
Quick Hits
-Still #1 in my fantasy basketball league…by a mile.
-I cook a mean teriyaki marinated filet mignon.
-Ton of response from Tuesday’s message.
-Reminded this week what I look like without Jesus.
-It isn’t pretty
-Looking at Tyler is like looking in the mirror
-excited to get the rest of my new suits
-Holly is hungry
-grateful for great friends
-cheaters, thieves, liars…baseball, anyone receiving gov’t $$$, baseball
-Duke got crushed by my Heels
-having kids is the greatest gift ever
-having Holly is the best decision I have ever made and beyond my greatest expectations
-A-Rod
-Boot camp
-P90X
-love-handles are a curse from the devil himself
-I need to start running to get ready for the Tillman
-everything I have I do not deserve