Tracing His Path

Another Year Is Drawing To A Close

2009-12-07T22:57:00.004-05:00

I'm sitting here thinking about the mercies of God over the last year. I'm surveying the battlefields of 2009, pondering its victories and defeats, it's lessons learned, things to be thankful for, and I'm starting to think about goals for 2010. And I wanted to share some of the high points in a quasi-Christmas newsletter. Merry Christmas!

It was fantastic starting the year by returning close to home after being away for three years, and I can't believe how quickly my siblings are growing up! It's amazing watching Rose learning to read, seeing the talents God has given Jacob and Ruth, watching Jon and Rebecca focusing in on their life callings, and observing Rachel and Joshua taking ground with theirs. And I can't forget to mention my wonderful mom and dad, and my grandparents, who have invested so much in my life. My family is such a joy!

Leaving my full time job in Texas, I was able to transition from the turtle paced progress I was making on my Bachelors degree and focus on completing the last few courses. It's such an amazing feeling to finally finish something you've been working on for years. =D

With a degree and a couple of years of experience, I wasn't exactly sure what was next. After much prayer, I decided to try on my business hat with a computer repair business. Looking back on the year, it's amazing how God worked out the timing with that. I knew, after listening to the speakers at the Entrepreneurial Bootcamp, that God was calling me to be an entrepreneur to the extent that I was able, but didn't know the timing or what it would look like.

Wade Myers held a fantastic Venture Academy in Tennessee. It was literally the week after I finished my last college course. The content provided by the speakers was exactly what I needed to start developing the plans I needed and to get me started. It was also great to see all "the guys" again.

Since then I've been intensely focused on getting things off and running. God has been so kind to me by providing so much sound wisdom and counsel from many sources. I know for a fact that things would have flopped long ago apart from the wisdom of many counselors.

I'm soo thankful for all of you, for the ways you've impacted me and exhorted me on. I'd have to say I've been blessed with some of the best friends a man could ask for.

After some initial challenges in finding work and bringing in income, recently, God has been really blessing things, and business and profits are increasing all the time. =D I have no idea what things may look like next year, but I'm glad to have learned some of the basics of running a small business, and it's really enjoyable.

I'm really excited about the opportunities I've had for sharing the Gospel with customers, and I look forward to growing more in opening my mouth at the right moments with the right words. Earlier this year, I was praying about the possibility of seminary, but I've come to realize that my call is to speak the Gospel though my business.

These are exciting times, friends, the darkness of the day must be confronted and illumined. Who knows how much time we have, for life is but a vapor. Let's eagerly press forward to the glory of Christ in 2010!

I think it's time for a blog update

2009-11-24T23:10:00.002-05:00

As I look at the world
and its troubles today,
its lines are drawn curled,
and colored so grey.

And like Humpty Dumpty,
when he fell from his wall,
the strength of the mighty
comes up in shortfall.

But vict'ry is sure, and
I know this dark hour
is designed by Your hand
-kept by Your power.

A *real* blog update soon to follow. =D

If by Rudyard Kipling

2009-07-09T08:37:00.005-04:00

This is one of my favorite poems of all time! I need to memorize it at some point.

I've also gotten around to adding a playlist at the bottom of my blog. =D

-----------------------------------------------
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Denali National Park

2009-06-25T18:23:00.004-04:00

I just paid a visit to Denali National Park, about two hours south of Fairbanks, AK. Definitely one of the most beautiful places I've ever been!

Here's a mama Grizzly bear with her cub.

This is the view after driving on a three and a half hour bus ride to the Toklat station, and ninety minute hike. You can see the tent where I started my hike in the bottom left.

Amazing Grace!

2009-06-06T22:46:00.005-04:00

Tonight I finished watching the movie, Amazing Grace for the first time. What an inspiring film! I was blown away by Wilberforce's example of passion, faithfulness and perseverance! This scripture passage and poem came to mind. Hope you're all having a blessed day!

So run, that ye may obtain...I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. (1 Corinthians 9:24+27)

God, Give Us Men by Josiah Gilbert Holland
GOD, give us men! A time like this demands
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office can not buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor; men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue
And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog
In public duty, and in private thinking;
For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds,
Their large professions and their little deeds,
Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,
Wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.

Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming

2009-05-30T02:23:00.005-04:00

Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
True Man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.

O Savior, Child of Mary, who felt our human woe,
O Savior, King of glory, who dost our weakness know;
Bring us at length we pray, to the bright courts of Heaven,
And to the endless day!

Just wanted to share one of my favorite hymns. =D
Singing the harmony on this is really fun (if you haven't heard it acapela , watch this), but most of all I just like the beautiful description of Christ it vividly paints, our precious Rose of Sharon.

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. (Song of Solomon 2:1-2)

I looked up this verse because I was wanting to find the verse that refers to Christ as a Rose of Sharon, and got sidetracked with verse two- just wanted to briefly share what I noticed.

We, as the bride of Christ are described as being His beloved and "as the lily among the thorns" immediately after He says that He is the Lilly of the Valleys. How great is His love for us! And may He transform us more into His image for His glory!

Quotes from the puritan, Richard Steele

2009-05-23T23:30:00.001-04:00

"It is a most irrational thing to converse with God without an heart...he delights more in the chirping of birds than in the singing of psalms without understanding; for these do what they can and so are accepted; but brutish service from a reasonable creature is intolerable.

Is it reasonable that you should cry out for the Spirit, and think on the flesh? To be hearing about another world and ruminating on this? Your eyes directed to heaven, and your heart in the ends of the earth? The tongue busy, and the soul idle? The knee devout and the thoughts loose? There is no coherence, no reason in this.

Consider, that else thou art a madman before God, and God hath no need of madmen; if one should come to thee about business of life and death, and after a word or two therein should run from one impertinent thing to another, would you not think him mad? If thy thy thoughts were put into words and mingled with thy prayers, what strange mad prayers would they be?"

Quotes from pgs. 36-38 of
A Remedy for Wandering Thoughts in Worship
by Richard Steele
(From Sprinkle Publications, one of my favorite publishers)

Our bread of life

2009-05-19T00:08:00.006-04:00

God is so good in the way he set up the world. I love how so many of the physical things in our daily lives remind us of spiritual and eternal things.

Our bodies get hungry even after a short time without food, and so do our souls- a reminder to us that we must constantly feed on the Word.

Our bodies tire without regular sleep, and so do our souls- a reminder of our need for regular meditation and prayer.

As hard as we might try, satisfaction can't be gained by looking within. But as we gaze upon the numerous stars, the towering mountains, and the tumultuous ocean, we're reminded that joy and satisfaction can only be found as we marvel in things much bigger than ourselves. These things point us to the Creator God, the creator of all, who formed us in His image, and knows our frames and hearts.

Silver and gold have significant temporal value. They are reminders of the eternal value of the riches of Christ. Let us seek Him diligently, as hidden treasures of infinite worth.

If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:4-5

Brothers in arms

2009-05-16T18:37:00.013-04:00

Jacob and I were the only ones home today, and it's been neat to be able to spend some one-on-one time with him. He's sitting here beside me right now, helping me come up with ideas for what to talk about, and what the title of the post should be. :P

We started out just doing typical Saturday chores. We fixed the electrical fence, and worked on the bikes. And we couldn't resist taking the bikes out for a spin. =D

It's been a while since we've taken the time to go out and brush up on marksmanship. So, it was good to finally get out there. =D I have a compressed gas pellet gun, and a Springfield XD40.

It was pretty fun watching the XD kick the boxes around. We look forward to next time! =D

Got Vision?

2009-05-06T08:26:00.001-04:00

I am convinced that vision is one of the critical issues of the day, and an issue that is foundational to understand. Where there is no vision, the people perish. (Prov 29:18)

Vision starts with the fear of the Lord.

Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, shares his thoughts on purpose and meaning in life in the book of Ecclesiastes. He looked for purpose and meaning in riches, but didn't find it. He looked for purpose in pleasure, and didn't find it there either. He looked for purpose in building great things, but it wasn't there. He looked for purpose in labor and called it vexation. He looked for purpose in greatness, but it didn't satisfy Him.

So what's the purpose of life? Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecc 12:13-14) Did you catch that? Our duty is break away from ourselves and our sinful desires! It's the very opposite of what we might expect would satisfy us and bring us happiness, but the very thing that cures the need in our hearts. Only a life that is broken, dead to self and consumed with one purpose- glorifying our risen Savior will be able to see things in perspective.

Vision realizes the reality of limited time and resources.

A couple years ago someone asked me to imagine that I was in a plane that was heading down and going to crash in 5 minutes. That's a pretty scary thought, but one we often take for granted. They asked me to imagine the thought processes that would be going through my mind and what my priorities would be in those final moments. What really matters in life becomes crystal clear, while the fluff that previously seemed so important fades in comparison to relationships, especially our eternal relationship with God. Is my life 'redeeming the time' and being lived with purpose? Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (Jas 4:14)

During my internship at Vision Forum, Mr. Phillips passed along to my class this simple maxim: "every moment is preparation for future opportunities that only come once." We don't have the time to prepare later; our time to prepare is now!

Vision is a way of life.

It's inspiring to see the passion that flowed through the veins of saints that have walked before. Vision flows from a passion to daily consciously choose to worship the Creator in everything- not only in standing firm against sin and temptation, but also in actively seeking ways to glorify Him through our thoughts, decisions, emotions and actions. Life is not about me, it's about Him- and it's about passionately finding my satisfaction and joy in Him.

Something that's stood out to me as I've studied Proverbs is the beautiful imagery of binding God's law upon my fingers, neck, and heart. I find the significance to be twofold. I love how it symbolizes a physical response to an internal heart commitment. Living for God is so much more than an intellectual assent; it's a way of life. The imagery also shows that these principles and truths go with us everywhere. They are things we bind to us-- not things that we put on or take off depending on our surroundings and mood. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. (Pro 7:2-3)

Vision is about discerning life and planning ahead to capitalize on opportunity and avoid danger.

I'd like to use an analogy of the game of chess. Chess is a game of planning and vision, it simply doesn't work to rush in where I haven't planned ahead! I have to be able to discern what is happening around me and respond intelligently. Each move I make has to tie in with a general theme of the game. The ultimate goal is victory, and that implies a process of getting from point A to point B.

There are many ways to win and depending on the pieces on the board, the talents I have, and the opposition I face, I might steer the game differently, but the rules and principles of the game stay the same. A good rule of thumb is that if I don't plan ahead, I'll lose. Every move I make is a response to new threats and opportunities. It's obvious that I need to have a vision that includes at least several moves. If I don't have a vision and plan for the game, I'm shooting blindly in the dark. I'm vulnerable to attack and also quite likely to walk by great opportunities.

So, how do I apply that to real life? I need to be looking deeper than the current day and week. I need a multi-generational vision that incorporates strategy and goals into a long-term plan that considers spiritual gifts and interests; that maximizes long-term opportunities, that minimizes danger, and remains flexible to whatever might come as we understand more fully His plan for our lives. Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. (Pro 16:3)

Vision is a guide to real success in life and comforts us when otherwise we'd get discouraged.

Helen Keller, was left blind and deaf early in her childhood after a bad fever. But she didn't let that cripple her. She rose above the expectations and thrived in spite of difficult challenges. She understood that life is more than a ticking clock, genetics, and random responses to stimuli. Later in her life she said that, "the most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision." She understood the importance of sight, but even more importantly, she understood the importance of vision.

Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest pastors of all time, who lived and died in the 19th century, correctly stated that: "You might not always get what you want, but you always get what you expect". When we don't set expectations for ourselves and our descendants we set ourselves up to miss the mark because we have nothing that we're specifically shooting for in our lives. We can't stay in the state of a vacuum, but must be constantly reforming through the process of sanctification.

Discerning, establishing, and following a well laid plan enables us to actually know that our time is counting, that it isn't meaningless and random, and that it isn't fleeting, temporary or arbitrary. When a crisis hits or we're tempted to get discouraged, we can rest in knowing that we're living a life that's dedicated and planned. We're able to look back at our plan and see the tangible things He has enabled us to do previously for His glory and honor, and the many ways He has protected us, encouraged us, and provided strength when our strength failed. Being able to look back on His providential goodness makes it easier for us to trust Him to carry us through the here and now.

Musings of thankfulness

2009-05-02T21:15:00.002-04:00

God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart. ~Izaak Walton

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. ~G.K. Chesterton

The best things are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of God just before you. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Jesus Christ is not valued at all until He is valued above all. ~Augustine

To Train Up a Child

2009-04-26T21:15:00.001-04:00

I love this little book by the Pearls. 'Pearls' of wisdom. =D

Here are a couple of examples. Most of you have been fishing, right? Well, sometimes a fishing license has restrictions on the number of fish you can catch. Let's say the limit is that you can catch up to five bass in a day. It's a restriction, but in it's essence it's a license to fish.

In a similar way, when a parent gives warnings to stop misbehaviors, they're giving restrictions, but in essence, they're giving a child a license to misbehave.

To compound the problem further, a lot of parents giving these sorts of warnings aren't even consistent in how far they'll allow their children to go before 'enough is enough', and when their 'buttons have been pushed', they respond in anger. When a parent allows their emotions to control the home, it's not good for either the child, or the parents. So in summary, a parent should deal with sin in a way that's clear, consistent, and controlled. (Three points, and they all start with a c. Maybe I should go to seminary? *smirks*)

I'm back to blogger for now

2009-04-06T15:57:00.001-04:00

And hopefully I'll have a real post up soon!

Wonderful God

2007-03-24T11:24:00.000-04:00

Wonderful God--I adore You!
Fill my heart as I sing!
Give me words I know are due.
And take them as an offering.

REFRAIN:
Lord, you are so very worthy!
By your love I am preserved.
Awestruck by your endless mercy,
King of kings, you came to serve!

I'm pondering the deeds you've done,
Learning more of Your great plan,
And yearning more to know the Son.
Son of God, yet Son of Man.

When You come to take me there,
Vast love awake'ning this dead heart!
Rejoicings ringing in the air.
Nothing e'er can make us part!

What's the point of blogging anyway?

2007-02-06T08:54:00.000-05:00

First, blogging is a way of recording the testimony of God's work in my life. Months, and even years from now I'll be able to read these things again and remember His faithfulness and goodness in my life. It's great to be able to share things God is showing me and dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Second, blogging can help me keep in touch with friends and family. Blogging is a tool that can be used to daily sharpen, and encourage one another in christian fellowship.

Proverbs 10:11a The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life.
Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Third, blogging encourages reflection and helps me formulate and understand what I really believe. I think reflection is an important process in the life of a young adult.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
Phillipians 2:12b Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Common traps (I'm mainly speaking to myself!):
Look out for pride. It's about Christ's glory, not ours.
Be careful with your words; they're on the record for years to come. We should be conscious that in many ways what we say reflects back on our families, the church, and ultimately Christ.
Last, but not least, don't forget application. Knowledge without action is dead.

The Men of Old

2006-12-29T12:44:00.000-05:00

Before you even knew my name,
you thought of me with smiles.
You didn't know the path we'd walk
through joy, and pain, and trials.

It really hasn't been so long
since you were in my shoes.
And through life's many ups and downs
you held unchanging truths.

And when I entered this bright world
your gentle arms embraced
my chubby, newborn arms and legs
your lips espoused my face.

When messy diapers filled the air
and my cries pierced the night,
you held me as a treasure dear
and made me your delight.

With rising of the morning sun,
fresh life extends my page.
And as I live each day anew
I rest on elder sage.

Chapters of old -not forgotten-
now passed along to me.
I read of joy, pain, and trial
upon life's misty sea.

Now I salute the men of old
who lived their lives strong, free, and bold
who stood for all they held most dear
rejecting compromise and fear.

~Jason