Who Gives This Woman?

Two months ago I was asked that question: "Who gives this woman into the care of this man?" Of course I responded as I was supposed to respond, "Her mother and I" (with a little lump in my throat). And with that, a peck on her cheek and the rest of the ceremony, my daughter was married. It was a blessed and joyful day of celebration!

And it all went so fast: the walk down the aisle, the ceremony...but especially the last twenty two years! How is it possible that the little girl I rocked to sleep is now a married woman, a college graduate, working fulltime, paying bills and all of that? 

I'm extremely happy for her and her husband, who is a wonderful young man! They are both special people. They are well grounded and mature. They are quite suited to one another. I am joyful and excited for what the future holds for them as they begin this journey of marriage. But, as the reality of this starts to sink in, I am experiencing other emotions too. It is very quiet at our house. Her room is dark. Her chair at the dinner table is empty. Her car isn't parked in the driveway. We don't see her very often. There is a subtle layer of sadness connected to these things.

How is it possible to be joyful and sad at the same time?

My wife and I are heading into our 25th year of marriage. I know what marriage is like. All of it. While we have enjoyed a wonderful marriage, there have been hard times too. People are people, they come with all sorts of "junk" and are not always easy to live with. I realize my daughter will deal with her fair share of struggle. Something inside of me wants to protect her from it. So, amid the joy and sadness, there is also a bit of anxiousness for the inevitable difficult times the newlyweds will encounter. However, it is her life to live...and enjoy and hurt and grow.

Emotions, which are gifts from God, are curious things. They are not meant to be avoided or disregarded. All of our emotions, the hard and the pleasurable, are intended from our Creator to be felt and they can "be our teachers." Part of the process of feeling those emotions is expressing them with trusted others.  Moreover, we can ask ourselves why we are feeling these things and take time to consider some deeper things behind them. I've done that privately. With this blog post I am sharing openly with you too, along with this offering: Don't run from your emotions, feel them. Be inquisitive about the reasons behind them. Allow God to use them to teach you what He is like and what is in the depths of your own heart.

Memories and Friendship

Me and a few old friends - June 2018 - SAHS Class of '83 reunion

Time is an odd thing. At various stages of life we view time differently. As a small child 35 years seems like an eternity, while someone in their early 50s might consider it a blur that has quickly passed. Also, after many years, just the mere mention of an event or a song from the past can almost transport us back in time. What an awesome gift from God is our capacity to store up memories!

This past weekend I attended the 35th reunion of my high school graduating class. It was two days filled with many laughs and lots of memories. I reconnected with old friends, some I had not seen in decades. We exchanged stories about life and relived experiences from years ago. We looked through a dusty yearbook and remembered the time before careers, kids, and the need for hair color. There were fond inquiries about the ones who were absent. They were part of our stories, but sadly, they will not be included in these new memories.

It was a good time and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be present with old friends. I'm aware that at times life gets in the way of such things, unfortunately. I'm also grateful for modern technology that allows me to easily capture such moments. I want to take more pictures!

While in my hometown for the weekend I walked down Main Street with my grandson. He's eight years old and such a neat little guy. When I was his age that place seemed so big and much more exciting. I realize that I have grown up and have a new perspective. The events of life have colored that perspective. And all of it, the joyful and the hard are part of the story. Strolling past old store fronts, some now vacant, I couldn't help remember some events from my childhood. And now I'm wondering what sort of memories my little guy will have as he grows up. What will shape him? In an interesting twist, he's attending the same elementary school that I attended (Go Central Buffalos!) and lives on the same road I did for the first 21 years of my life!

Selfie with the Kid!

Some of the friends I met at Central Elementary were gathered with me over the weekend. I hope my grandson is developing good and lasting friendships too. It is these sorts of people that have had an enduring impact on who I am today. I don't want to forget them or take them for granted. They are more than just part of my memories, they are part of my story.

Men Make Men

Its true, men make men.

Or we could say, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:7)

Actually, and more importantly, fathers who invest in their sons make men. But western culture has moved away from this in a variety of ways. Absent fathers, or fathers who are disconnected from their sons and emotionally stunted, play a role in this matter. Add to that the "pornification" of our culture that twists the minds of young boys and men. Sadly, we have also abandoned customs and rituals that bless sons and usher them into manhood. The concept of what it means to be a man is often diluted to little more than sports clichés and locker room jokes.

I don't have a son, I have daughters. But my hope is that I have modeled for my daughters what godly manhood looks like. And my prayer is, they will recognize genuine masculinity and seek that in their future spouses.

I recently read this article that nails this issue directly. The author, who is much more articulate than I am, explains the problem in greater depth. Take five minutes to read it and perhaps discover what's behind your own story of learning to be a man.

My father was not absent, but he was limited in his own ability to teach me. I'm not sure his father ever really connected with him on a deep level. Hard work, hunting, fishing and other sports were a big part of my man-training. Not bad things, just not enough. We didn't talk about life. He didn't share much about his story. He did love me and he even said the words (which I believe is important). I did finally see him cry and show a measure of authentic emotion, but this only occurred as I was heading off to college and well on the way to forming my ideas about manhood. He did the best he could. It is only in the last several years that I have become aware of how my father influenced me and my view of masculinity and a host of other areas. Thankfully, this growing awareness has been helpful. I don't spend time lamenting what I didn't receive from my father. He was a broken man, like me. I am thankful for him. But also, I am thankful for the men who have come into my life more recently who have been part of challenging me to authentic masculinity. Even in my 50's I am learning what it means to be a man. Maybe I can be part of encouraging others.

Love and Marriage

Generally we don't make a huge deal about Valentine's Day at our house. Except I love any excuse to eat chocolate. This week my lovely and talented wife and I participated in a panel discussion about love and marriage at my daughter's school. It was part of their chapel program for grades 7-12. It was fun. It also gave me hope.

There were three other couples on the panel, we were the oldest. I resonated with much of what others shared. So while my circumstances may be different, I'm not alone in dealing with the joys and struggles that come with marriage. Two broken people coming together, through thick and thin, better and worse, plenty and want. It's hard. It's good. It's messy. It's joyful. It's painful. I'm so thankful for the woman I married and every experience along the way. I definitely "out kicked my coverage!"

A couple hundred kids heard great insights today in chapel. They heard about the grace and love of God, that is reflected in marriage. They heard about God's design for sex. They heard about His forgiveness for those who stray from that design. They were challenged to use their voices to ask questions and set boundaries. This struck me because when I was their age I didn't really get these messages clearly. So I'm hopeful that a few were impacted by our discussion.

This experience was a great reminder for me of the beauty of marriage and the power of the gospel. It has caused me to want to fight for a stronger relationship with my wife. I want to model what a healthy marriage looks like for my daughters.

Below are the lyrics to a song about relationships, especially marriage. You can watch/listen here. Let me encourage you to press into the hard things, celebrate the joys and struggles and know that there is grace for all of it.

If We're Honest

Truth is harder than a lie
The dark seems safer than the light
And everyone has a heart that loves to hide
I'm a mess and so are you
We've built walls nobody can get through
Yeah, it may be hard, but the best thing we could ever do, ever do

Bring your brokenness, and I'll bring mine
'Cause love can heal what hurt divides
And mercy's waiting on the other side
If we're honest
If we're honest

Don't pretend to be something that you're not
Living life afraid of getting caught
There is freedom found when we lay our secrets down at the cross, at the cross

So bring your brokenness, and I'll bring mine
'Cause love can heal what hurt divides
And mercy's waiting on the other side
If we're honest
If we're hones

It would change our lives
It would set us free
It's what we need to be

So bring your brokenness, and I'll bring mine
'Cause love can heal what hurt divides
And mercy's waiting on the other side
If we're honest
If we're honest
If we're honest

Songwriters: FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI, JEFF PARDO, MOLLY E. REED

© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP

Grief, One Year Later

It has been a year since our family experienced a life-changing loss. My 28 year old daughter, Chasity, died from a heroin overdose on January 28, 2017. The opioid epidemic brought with it this reoccurring nightmare for tens of thousands of families in our country. Over 42,000 Americans died from drug overdose in 2016. The official numbers for last year are not available yet, but everyone knows they are not trending down. This is tragic, heart wrenching and sickening.

My daughter's death, as well as her struggle with drug addiction, has given me a different lens through which I can view others. My propensity to criticize and evaluate is being nudged out of the way by compassion. The "log in my eye" is not completely gone, but I feel differently about the speck in your eye. I have addictions too, ones that are not likely to cause my sudden death, but still they reveal my desperate need to rest in the love and grace of God. Perhaps more honesty about this sort of thing would be helpful in our culture, in our congregations. I believe many American churches have a long way to go before drug addicts feel safe entering the building without condescending glances. Will they hear a gospel shared with authentic love, untainted by judgement? I hope my church is moving in that direction.

One year removed from the shock and pain of overdose death in my immediate family, I'm not completely sure how I'm supposed to be feeling, what I'm supposed to be doing. Before you jump to conclusions (like I often do), let me clarify. I am aware that there is no "right" way to grieve. But I still can't help but sense that I've missed something and I should be ______ (fill in the blank). A wise and dear friend told me it is never helpful to "should" on yourself or others. Still, I'm wondering about this difficult process. It is a process.

After the death of a loved one I have heard others say, "I think about them every day." Well, the plain truth is, some days pass and I don't think about Chasity. I want to be okay with that. The loss doesn't change because it is not front and center in my thinking. My love for her is not diminished. Day by day, moment by moment I have been living my life for the past year, in the shadow that has been cast by her death. I have laughed. I have cried. I have struggled. I have trusted. I have loved. I have been angry. I have been sad. I have been ashamed. I have talked. I have been silent. I have preached. I have whined. I am human. Life does indeed go on, until it doesn't.

The death of my oldest daughter has caused me to look at my other two daughters differently. I occasionally feel fearful around the thought that I will lose them too. I'm not sure they realize, but I have tried to hug them more. I suspect that many parents have a fear of losing a child. Prior to Chasity's death I also had that fear, but it was more theoretical. Experiencing reality has a way of raising awareness and bringing truth into perspective.

This life is short. We will experience loss. There is not really a way to fully prepare for walking that particular road. The presence of trusted friends and family have aided me. My faith and hope in Christ has been extremely helpful. But with humanity comes a frailty that impacts even God-given faith. Although mixed with fear and doubt at times, my faith is still present and powerful. We must live with this delicate tension, embracing our humanity as well as the Divine.

I can not go back. I can not undo or unsay anything. I have no idea what will come across my path tomorrow. I only have this moment, to live and love and also at times to grieve. Although during the last year our family has experienced pain and loss, there is much for which I am thankful. It is a very helpful thing to consider grief, and at the same time, gratitude. That is a place where I am certain we will also discover the boundless reservoir of God's grace.

[For those interested, I wrote about these circumstances and their impact last year here and here.]

Fixer Upper

My wife and I enjoy watching those TV programs about home renovations. I'm always amazed by the big reveal in the end. The before and after scenes depict wonderful transformations. By far our favorite show is Fixer Upper. Chip Gaines strikes me as the sort of guy I would hang out with. His wife Joanna is often flustered by his goofiness. Much like my lovely wife, who also has wonderful design skills and shares the same birthday as "Jo Jo." If I had a dollar for every time I heard, "don't make that goofy face" I could buy one of those amazing houses!

I'm currently reading The Magnolia Story, written by this house-flipping couple. Embedded in this account of how the Gaines' met and grew their business is another story of growth. Chip and Joanna share several incidents about growing awareness as they work through life together. The awareness of unhelpful perfectionism. The Recognition of how early life events shaped future actions and perceptions. The realization that God is often working in small ways amid difficulty even though it is unseen in the moment.

I lived much of my life unaware. Even after I came to faith in Christ, I was unaware of what was really in my heart and why I was often struggling to connect with my wife, my kids, and others. The work I've done with Men At The Cross has been incredibly significant in my spiritual and emotional growth.

You see, I'm a bit of a fixer upper. Sometimes I feel like every day is "demo day" (fans of Fixer Upper will get that!). God is at work renovating my life. I could show you before and after photos, evidence of God's grace in my life. Even though the big reveal is still a ways off, I am thankful for growing awareness and the lessons along the way. I'm even grateful for the messiness of the process.

Yesterday was my birthday - 52 years of ups and downs, good and not-so-great, as well as very difficult. I wouldn't change anything. Its all part of my story. Its not flawless, but it is perfectly me.

Lessons From the Broken Road

I started along a broken and bumpy road on January 28. Frankly, I knew this road was on the horizon but never wanted to travel there. It came with a phone call. The voice was calm but the words came like an avalanche, throwing me into a state of shock and despair. My oldest daughter was dead. Her struggle with drug addiction, that had robbed her of so much, had taken her life.The news took my breath away.

There is not enough space here to share everything. But this will be an attempt to share a few things that have been prominent, things I have become aware of, lessons I am learning about myself, about life and loss.

Not Words, but Presence
It has been interesting to talk with friends and family and to hear how we express ourselves when death comes. Words fail. Some try to force words, attempting to manufacture something that will fix the mess or aid the one hurting. Sometimes there are religious platitudes. These words are well intended I know. They rarely help. What is helpful is simply being present. The strength and embrace of another individual, made in the image of God, reflecting His power and love. Talking is fine and I've done much of that too. But the strongest support has come from presence.  I'm a pastor and so I've been on the other side of death. I realize more than ever that being willing to just be with others in their pain is enough. God can use this greatly.

Love is Active and Varied
What our family experienced from dozens, perhaps hundreds of people, was nothing short of remarkable. I lost track of the number of texts, calls, emails, Facebook messages and hugs...big, wonderful hugs joined with tears.  There was food, from unexpected places. Cards filled with heartfelt words of kindness. We received beautiful flowers and plants that will continue to remind us of this outpouring of human compassion. Jesus explained that the "greatest commandment" is to love God completely and to love others selflessly. I've seen that kind of love in action. Honestly, it is that sort of others-centered love that is missing from many parts of the American experience, even in churches. If Christians hope to see our world transformed it will begin with an active, purposeful love. It is the gospel in action and it is has power. I'm not saying the gospel itself is not vitally important. However, authentic love provides the foundation for the gospel to be received. Moreover, it is through loving one another that we demonstrate that we truly are followers of Jesus. At least, that's what He said.

God Works in the Mess
Space on this page limits my ability to fully explain how we have witnessed God at work. Pieces fell into place so that we could travel unhindered to be with family at just the right time. Resources came together from a variety of people to provide for unexpected expenses. Hundreds of people came to the visitation and many stayed 2 hours until the memorial service started. Many who stayed would not likely be compelled to attend a regular church service. They heard the hope-filled message of forgiveness and grace found in Christ. Dozens more who could not attend have watched the service on video. I was enabled by God to stand and preach, from a place of strength and love, to share my heart as well as the gospel. Only eternity will tell of the impact of these events. It was clear to me that God was indeed guiding every aspect of these events.

Addiction is All Around Us
I've seen the ugly face of drug and alcohol addiction. Many of us have. Its sad and often painfully obvious. We can not be silent about these things. Bringing them into the light and under the influence of the gospel is where healing and transformation will take place. Christians must be willing to embrace those who are struggling with addiction with compassion and not condemnation. However, we must also recognize that addiction is all around us and within each and every one of us. Addiction is the desire of our hearts to cling to, rely on, flee to, find satisfaction in anything other than God. Sadly many of us have addictions that are not viewed as ugly and are even encouraged. Addiction can take the form of approval seeking, perfectionism, people pleasing, peace making, achievement and the list goes on. When we embrace these things as a means to satisfaction, affirmation and ultimate joy, they are just like drugs. We are a broken people, all of us. Some are unaware, while others are fighting to keep these things in the dark. It is in the light of God's grace, within safe and loving community, that we will find freedom from all of our addictions. [You can find good and helpful insights about this here.]

Grief is Odd and Unpredictable
In the back of my mind I realize that grief is a process that takes time.  I will not get past this in two weeks. However, I want it to be over and done, neat and tidy. That's not how it works. Even though we all know about it, death takes us by surprise when it comes to our door. There is no "right way" to navigate this road. My experience is unique to me. But I am not alone. There is great comfort and strength in having others supporting me on this journey. I don't know exactly where this road will lead me. But I am confident that God doesn't waste anything. He is with me and He is for me. He is using this hard and painful experience to shape me.

If it were up to me, I would choose a different way. But I'm not God. I'm not in control. So I will trust Him to guide my steps as He continues to teach me.

UPDATE: An expanded version of this post appeared on The Gospel Coalition, here.
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Youth Sports and Life Lessons

PCS Girls Basketball Team 2014-15

Our culture is consumed with sports and it starts so young.  Many parents push their kids nearly to a breaking point, as if life depended on athletic prowess.  You've heard the statement, "Its not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game."  Another guy said, "Winning isn't everything, its the only thing."  In the end, the object of the game is to win. But there is more to it than that.

Recent sports stories tell of a Little League baseball team accused of violations in the LLWS, a high school coach suspended for humiliating opponents by running up the score and two high school teams actually trying to lose. Reading these sorts of stories is pretty unsettling.  However, there are many inspiring stories that often occur in relative obscurity.


My daughter's high school basketball team just finished the season...with 1 win.  By all accounts they did not achieve success. Of course, it depends on how success is measured.  Her team only had 5 players.  They worked hard. They never stopped hustling. I believe they learned some important life lessons.  That is one of the goals of youth sports after all.

I was encouraged yesterday to read an article written by a coach who faced our team late in the season. Our team inspired him.  There's no live link currently to his article, although it is supposed to appear soon in a local paper. You can read it below.  I'm proud of my kid. Not because of her personal achievements, but because she is a genuine blessing in my life. Among other things, God is using her to shape me. She's part of my life lessons.

The Portland Five

 Cadiz, KY - What a winter we have had this year. The snow storm of 2015 was one that we will remember. There is something else I will remember about the winter of 2015 and that is the Portland Five. I know what you are thinking. What is the Portland Five? Actually the question should be who is the Portland Five. Sit back and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while we are blanketed with another deep snow as I introduce them to you.

This past winter I had the opportunity to take my girls’ basketball team to Louisville to play in the Portland Christian High School Christmas tournament. Portland is one of the oldest Christian schools in the state of Kentucky.  Portland Christian has just over 400 students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Their high school has just over 120 students.

The first thing that stood out about the school was their athletic director Rick Folden. Mr. Rick is a retired coach who now serves as the AD. Rick just seemed to be a fellow that probably had a treasure chest full of stories from his lifetime spent in athletics. He was as personable as anybody we ran into across the state this year. He also served as a great host for their Christmas Tournament. The hospitality started when he had someone meet our bus on the street and usher us into the parking lot. The tournament that he ran was simply first class.

Later on in January the Portland Christian team made a swing through western Kentucky. They stopped in on a Saturday afternoon to play us. We didn’t face their team in the Christmas tournament so this was the first time we had seen them play. This is also where the story really gets fascinating. The Portland team only had five girls. They were senior Kayla Niestadt, junior Sunny Jin, sophomore Emily Scott and freshman Hannah Taylor and Lydia Cyrus. They did not have any substitutes. As a matter of fact Sunny Jin was a foreign exchange student from China. It took her for them to have enough girls to play.

Tim Taylor served as the team's coach. Coach Taylor is the father of freshman Hannah Taylor. Coach Taylor coached the Portland Five for the entire season for a total salary of NOTHING. You see, Portland Christian is the only KHSAA high school that does not pay their coaches. Taylor simply donated his time and no telling how much of his own funds so Portland Christian could have a team and a season.

Now let’s get back to the team only having five girls. Coach Taylor said it was really tough to practice because there was no opposition to go against. He said, “We had to stress fundamentals and get really creative with our drills.” Taylor also said that they did not have a girl foul out all season so they never dipped below five players. In other words every one of their players played every minute of the season.

After our game with Portland in January we invited the team to the Cadiz Restaurant for a late afternoon meal. As the sun began to set on that winter day, five of our players sat across from their five players. The girls swapped stories and exchanged cultures you might say. The Portland girls talked about living in the city while our girls told stories from the countryside. The Portland girls had lots of questions about the abundance of pigs lining Main Street. This led to our own junior player Taylor Gray giving the city girls a lesson about country hams. It was nothing short of awesome to watch Taylor take the girls through the process of curing a ham and explain why the pig is so important to Trigg County. In return Sunny Jin talked about her homeland of China and explained how she wants to return and work on major environmental issues facing her country.

As you might imagine Portland struggled on the court this season with only five girls. The Portland girls were winless as they approached the end of their season. Only a couple of games were left as St. Francis came to their gym for homecoming. Freshman Hannah Taylor scored 21 points as Portland got their only win of the season by a score of 40-25.

History will show that the Portland Christian girls’ basketball team finished their season with a record of 1-15.  An outsider might simply look at the numbers and gawk at their proclivity of losing. I say different. The Portland Five were a team of super young people full of heart, character and values. The Portland Five were not afraid or embarrassed to compete when they were severely undermanned. The Portland Five and their Coach Tim Taylor were not losers at all. Trust me on this, the Portland Five are winners. You see, while others sit on the sideline and watch life go by. The PORTLAND FIVE WERE IN THE GAME. Enthusiasm Makes the Difference,

Coach Mike Wright

OT: Coach Taylor is no stranger to athletics. His son Jonathan Taylor was the 3200 meter champ in the state of Kentucky a couple of years ago and now runs at Taylor University in Upland IN.

Resurrection, Bubba and T4G

If I updated this blog more often I suspect someone would notice.  If I wrote more thought provoking content I suspect someone might even comment.  But alas, there are few spare moments to blog and even fewer thoughts that deserve to see the light of day.  However, today I will post a quick list of what is stirring in my head after a busy Easter weekend.

1.  Encouraging time with the Body in celebration of Christ's death and resurrection.  The joy and fervor I experienced on Friday night and Sunday morning blessed me to my core.  I want to celebrate my Savior that way every day!

2.  I get about 1 "comment" per week on this blog from Spammers.  It is the most ridiculous method of "marketing" ever conceived.  Who are these idiots and why do they feel the need to visit my obscure little corner of the web?

3.  I was thrilled with the result of the 2012 edition of The Masters.  The big winner, Bubba Watson, seems like the kind of guy I would enjoy hanging out with.  He is such a breath of fresh air for the PGA tour, on so many levels.

4.  I am preparing to attend T4G this week.  My tiny little brain is going to be pushed to the limit.  Like drinking from a fire hose.  In about 3 weeks I pray it will all sink into my heart as well.

5.  I miss my family terribly where we are apart, even for a few days.  However, it makes me value them so much more!

Blessings on you friends.  Enjoy His grace!
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It Takes Courage To Be A Father

Last night my wife and I attended a screening of Courageous, the newest film from Sherwood Pictures. This is the same company that made Fireproof and Facing the Giants.

Wow!  This film blew me away.  I'm no movie critic, but I know a good story when I seen one.  Courageous has a timely and powerful message that every parent needs to hear.  It hits theaters nationwide on September 30.

As a father, I was really challenged by this movie to be more faithful and intentional with my family.  When you realize what's at stake and the dangers that face parents and kids alike, it becomes clear that it takes courage to be a father.

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4
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Encouragement for Dads

Parenting is a tremendous blessing but it is not for the faint of heart. I know this first hand. My children have given me a multitude of joys and smiles over the last 2 decades. But there have been tough times as well. As a father of three daughters, I have been frustrated, brokenhearted, angry and disappointed. Often this is not the fault of my girls, but rather my own inability to live up to what I sense a Christian Dad ought to be and do.

Obviously, Children don't come with an owner's manual. So most of us learn as we go or we parent in a manner similar to how we were raised. Many parents would love to have instruction or encouragement but they don't know where to find it. The church is the logical place to seek this sort of support. Especially needful is instruction for parents in the area of discipleship and spiritual training. This is key for followers of Christ who are young parents. But sadly this doesn't always happen. Honestly many of us don't want to admit our parenting struggles and some parents have blind spots and fail to realize how desperately they need assistance.

A new ministry has been launched by Ryan Steenburg to lend support and encouragement to Christian parents, especially for fathers. Daddy Discipleship is aimed at training and equipping parents to "take an active participatory role in the discipleship process of their children that is marked by a lifestyle of instruction in the fear and knowledge of the Lord." I know Ryan's heart for the Word of God and for the family. You will be challenged and blessed if you get to know this ministry.

You should visit the Daddy Discipleship web page regularly, read the blog and also to "like" them on Facebook. You just might find the encouragement you have been looking for.

Our Father

Have you really given much thought to the truth about God as your Father? Regardless of our perspective on our earthly father, we have the best of all blessings in the Sovereign as our Father. The implications of this truth are almost staggering when we allow them to sink in.

Here are just a few:

* Relationship - close family relationship with our Creator, all the privileges of family
* Love & Care - He loves and cares for us as His children, this is so powerful
* Discipline - the fairest and most helpful guidance and instruction, desiring the best for us
* Security - He will never abandon His children or disown us, we are heirs with Christ

J. I. Packer rings this bell so clearly when he writes in Knowing God, "What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God as Father." [emphasis added]

Dear Christian, if you are indeed a follower of Jesus Christ by faith, you have Almighty God as your Father. That is a marvel and a joy.

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him." 1 John 3:1

Amen!

Thankful for my Wife

Fourteen years ago today I pledged my love and devotion to Lisa Kay Runion. So much has transpired in our lives since that day. Here is a brief glimpse:

We bought our first house on Tremont Street in South Charleston, WV in March of 1995. The following November, God stirred in my heart. I was forever changed and saved by His grace. Madison Olivia was born in 1996. I changed jobs twice while we were living in South Charleston. Lydia Grace was born in 2000. Lisa and I both lost our fathers to cancer. The Lord led us into His ministry and I began to wonder what all that meant. We picked up stakes and moved to Louisville on August 1, 2002 so I could study at Southern Seminary. Since coming to Louisville, Lisa has had 3 'career' changes, 4 if you count staying home with the girls for about 6 months (her personal favorite, and mine too). I was called as Pastor of FBC in Prospect on September 11, 2005 and graduated from Southern in December of 2006. In between all that we bought and sold a house moved twice while living here in Louisville.

Through all of this stuff, life has been a tremendous blessing. We have had much and little. We have laughed and cried. We have faced struggles and many joys. There is nothing comparable, in this life, to marriage. Kids are great, I love my three girls immensely. But my relationship to Lisa is so very special. She knows me, and still loves me. That is saying something.

I am so thankful for my wife!

Madison's Birthday

Today is Madison's B-day, she is now 12! Hard to believe. I feel really old today too. I love all three of my daughters, what a blessing to their Dad!

How are you doing God?

I often pray with my kids at bedtime. I also often forget what a special time it really is. It is quiet and personal. A real blessing, not to be neglected. In addition, it sometimes offers a sweet glimpse into the simple heart of a child. It was that way last night.

My youngest daughter is eight years old and very...how do I say this, she's a pill. She says things that make you laugh and also make you scratch your head. She is a little rascal.

As we began to pray last night I took a moment to provide some gentle instruction about prayer. I am a seminary trained pastor you know, eh hm. I told her to try to avoid saying the same things over again. I further explained that prayer was really just a conversation between us and God. So, she launched into her prayer, slowly at first. I could tell she was struggling to try not to be repetitive. After covering all the regular prayer requests and concerns she was finished, "amen."

Then she said: "I was going to start off with, 'How are you doing God?' but I didn't." Well, that is the way we often begin our conversations isn't it? I told her that would have been okay. But added that God is always fine, because he's God, so we really don't need to ask.

Sometimes I think my kids are not hearing me. Then I realize that often they are, in a kid kind of way. I hope that when I pray I am able to come to my Heavenly Father honestly and simply, trusting that he hears me and cares.

"Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my groaning. Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray." Ps. 5:1-2

Rested & Relaxed

This is the view off our balcony at the condo we stayed in last week at Seacrest Beach, FL. (A very special thanks to our friends who provided the wonderful accommodations!) That is a very cool fountain in the center of the yard. At night it was lighted and music played as 10-15 kiddos frolicked in the water spouts. Fun stuff. Note the view of the Gulf on the horizon. Great place to have morning coffee!

Here's the pool we spent lots of time in. The best was a 9PM swim. Most of the palm trees have lights on them so after dark it is very fun and much less crowded. The girls had a ball. They are both little 'water dogs.'

Here's a picture of our girls (the 2 on the left) and the Bridges' girls. They took a short break from church planting duties to spend the weekend with us. Great time of fellowship with our friends.

On Sunday we decided to skip 'traditional' church and have our own time of worship. We sang a few hymns/praise songs, prayed and read a couple passages of Scripture. Because we had spent several days playing on the beach and observing the glorious views, we focused our discussion on the grace of God in creation and in providing for us in Christ. God is pleased when we enjoy His creation, especially when we attach the proper focus. In the end, a vacation at the beach can be R & R as well as worship. God is so good!

Out'a Town

I'm out for a few days. Our family will be chill'n in the sunny south. This is where we will be staying. Not sure if we'll have computer access. But nonetheless, I'll be much too busy playing, having fun with the kids and relaxing to do much blogging. We'll have pics and commentary next week.

League Champions and Tournament Champions!

Huge game last night for the Lyndon Astros. They were clutch, playing their best game of the season. They finished the season as league champions and last night they played for the tournament championship. They got the W in stellar fashion. I see a Golden Glove in Lydia's future. Actually, she didn't have any opportunities during the game to display her fielding prowess. The final score was 31-5!

Lydia got 4 hits and scored 4 runs in the big win for the Astros. Notice the poise and concentration. Yep, I taught her all of that! The team played great. Everyone stepped up. Great game!

Life is Precious, Hug Your Kids

As I drove my girls to school this morning I heard the tragic news on the Christian radio station. The 5 year old daughter of singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman was killed yesterday. She was apparently playing in the family driveway when she was accidentally struck by a vehicle.

I told my girls "I love you" an extra time as they got out of the van at their school. Wow, life is so precious. None of us can be guaranteed that we will live to see even the end of this day. I'm so thankful for the grace of a sovereign God. In his grace I have been given today. How will I spend it? Hopefully in a way that glorifies Him.

Please join me in praying for the Chapman family. And hug your kids today.

Update: More details have been released. Read here.

Whirlwind Week

The past week has been a real whirlwind. My time in Cleveland at Parkside Church was very refreshing. I made the trip with a great bunch of guys from a neighboring church. I returned to KY just in time to change clothes and jump in the car with my family for a trip to West Virginia. We had a great time at my niece's wedding. I hope to have pictures to post soon.

The wedding was a great expression of the gospel and celebration of Christian marriage. It was so encouraging and a wonderful time with family and dear friends. Now Mike is officially part of our family and we welcome him with great joy.

The busyness of ministry and my lack of anything interesting to say will keep me from posting for a while. Blessings to all who visit here regularly. Press on!