Baby Everleigh!

Proverbs 3:5-6 -- 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

I am a GREAT GRANDPARENT!

It doesn't seem possible, but I am a great gramps! My granddaughter had her baby, a gorgeous baby girl, Everleigh Lu Ann. She is perfect in every way. My granddaughter and her husband will make excellent parents. It is so exciting to see this wonderful, God loving, young couple bring a new life into the world. I have always been so impressed with my granddaughter's faith and her heart for the Lord. Now that faith becomes even more important because she has a little one that will be watching her every move.

My only wish for Lauren, Matt, and Everleigh is they draw closer to the Lord every day. That is my prayer for all my daughters, their husbands, their kids, and now their families. Trusting in the Lord, leaning on HIS understanding, following his path, those are the cures for everything that will come into this young family's life. It's not about praying for jobs, or financial stability, or health, things, or relationships. Life is simply about drawing closer to the Lord and trusting him through all things.I have no idea the joys or the sorrows that this family will face. I only know the answer to life is Jesus! 

Dear Lord, I ask a special prayer today for Matt, Lauren, and baby Everleigh. I pray that this young family will keep you in the center of their lives. I pray this new life will know you before she can even speak your name. I pray she will hear the words from her mother and father that will direct her path to you. I pray Lauren and Matt will rely on you for wisdom and strength as they travel your path. I pray Everleigh will see YOU in the hearts, souls, and minds of her mom and dad. I pray she will be filled with your spirit and seek your perfect ways. May they know your love and see that love in each other. Please Lord, make your presence known through all the joys, through all the pain, and through all the trials Lauren, Matt and Everleigh will face. We praise you for the wonderful gift of life. May we never take for granted the gifts you provide us every day. We truly are blessed and those blessings come straight from you. We love you Lord  with all our heart! Amen!

I am tired of the Anger and Hate!

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/rom.12.2.nlt

I can not believe the radical treatment of people that is filling our news today. How can we preach tolerance and then be COMPLETELY intolerant of others?  I see this terrible treatment of people from both sides of the political isle. Sadly, I also see it from Christians. Just look at your Christian brothers and sisters on social media. I strongly urge Christians to be ABOVE the fray. Do not succumb to the battles of this world. How can we demonstrate love of each other and spew hate at the same time?

"Don't COPY the behaviors and customs of this world."  Be different! Let God change you by the power of the Holy Spirit. It has been 18 months since I have committed not to post NEGATIVE comments on social media. That does not mean I have not posted things that people disagree with. But I have committed to ONLY post positive posts. I will not bash democrats, or liberals, or their supporters. I WILL post positive things about our president and others I agree or disagree with. I will post inspirational posts AND posts from the word of the Lord. I wish others would make this commitment to remaining CIVIL in our disagreement. I can separate my LOVE for you with my disagreement on your political views. I do not hate my adversaries. I do not hate those I disagree with. I will not jump into the battle if it interferes with my sharing Christ's love with you. Can you do the same for me? I can respect your PEACEFUL protest. I can respect your call for taking political action. I can not agree with harassing politicians and their families. I can not agree with calls to harm others you disagree with. I can not endorse ANYONE who calls for violence. 

Come on Americans! Learn how to disagree with respect and honor. If our politicians can not rule with respectful civility, we need to remove them from office and find someone who can. Our politicians reflect our feelings and who we are. We need politicians that lead by example while we refuse to be like the rest of the world!  We need to change. The ANGER AND HATE needs to END!

MUCH more than Faith

Matthew 22:37 -- 37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

Do you ever get the sense that God is sending you a message?  Last night my wife, youngest daughter, and I watched the movie about Lee Strobel's life. If you are unfamiliar with Lee Strobel. He is an author and investigative reporter that was an atheist, investigated the death and resurrection of Christ. He set out to disprove Christianity's central tenet. Instead he became a believer and has gone on to do more research supporting the faith.

So, this morning I get up and am reading my daily mens devotional. The key thought for the day is about going beyond faith with your heart and your soul. Faith is also about your mind. I am a logical person. I love "reasoning" and yes, I love proof. Several years ago I read Lee's book "The case for Christ" and out of all the books I have read, THIS book solidified my already strong faith. I have been a follower of Christ since I was 12. But, my MIND always had some doubts about the validity, the historical truth about the Bible. When I read his book the reality of the truth of JESUS is just overwhelming. If you believe Jesus REALLY died on the cross AND he really rose from the dead, you can not ignore the rest of the gospel and the entirety of the Bible.  So, NOW I worship my Lord with my heart, soul, AND MIND. The message is clear and I should never forget. The Gospel is TRUE, it is REAL, and it is ALIVE right now and working in my life in VERY powerful ways.

Dear Lord, I am awed by the Gospel message. I am amazed you would come down to this small planet just to save me. I am awed by the miraculous death and resurrection of Jesus. I believe and want nothing more than my family believing also. I want them to come to know you as deeply as I have. I want them to know you as creator, savior, friend, confidant, and comforter. Life is nothing without you and I praise you for this wonderful life you have set before me. May I serve you now and forever. Amen!

God is Faithful

2 Timothy 2:11-13 -- 11This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him.12 If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. 13If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

We are slowly adjusting to FULL time RV life. Really, at this point it is not much different than a "normal life". We are living with less "stuff" and surviving just fine. We have finally mastered the combo washer/dryer and I think we have paired down our clothing to the right levels. We have made our first real road trip last weekend and everything went well. I really feel this fifth wheel is just what we want for our NOMADIC life. Our only real issue is figuring out the residency and domicile situation. But, we are also working through that. 

Through this entire process God has been faithful. We are in preparation for an unknown future after retirement. I trust God and know he has a perfect plan for us. I can't wait to see the ministry opportunities and the people we will meet and serve. God is amazing and he has brought us this far only through his power, strength, and perfect wisdom. I LOVE YOU LORD AND TRUST ONLY YOU!

Where does your strength come from?

Hebrews 13:9 - 9So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.
We have a new truck. It is a beast. WE bought it to pull the fifth wheel. With a vehicle that large you would think it would consume massive amounts of fuel. But, the fuel mileage is not much different than my last truck. The strength of the 6.7 liter Powerstroke Diesel is amazing. The horsepower available actually gives us better fuel mileage while pulling our HEAVY fifth wheel. The more you challenge that motor, the stronger it gets.
Our spiritual strength comes from God's wonderful grace, mercy, and love. The more we are challenged by life, the stronger we become, IF we trust in the Lord. Our faith is not from a set of rules we have to follow. It is not from a set of rituals, attending Sunday services, or even praying, reading the bible, or doing a blog. Our faith is proven perfect ONLY through the grace of God. The early christians found this to be true because they were fighting all sorts of rituals from the Jewish traditions. They found those rules did not give them the strength to attack the day. They found that the simple idea that God sent his son to die for us, that perfect grace, was all they really needed to deal with the challenges of life. 
I agree.
Dear Lord, I praise you for that amazing grace we sing about in song. I praise you for your perfect Love. I am empowered to take on the day before me ONLY because of that grace. Fill me with your spirit and let that spirit be known by all I meet this very day. I love you and praise you. Amen!

I am not a whimp!

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””
‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/jos.1.9.nlt

This is one of my favorite verses. I love it that we are COMMANDED to be strong and courageous. It may not be very appropriate but I always think of this verse as God telling us to suck it up. He’s telling us to stop our whiny attitudes, stop our whoa is me mentality, stop complaining, and live our  lives  with power and strength. We have no reason to fear anything or anyone. Yet, it is so typical of me and countless other followers to fear, fret, and worry about everything and everyone.

My God created the universe. He formed mountains, carved valleys, sent his son Jesus tosave us, and has prepared an eternal home for us. What could I possibly have to fear!?

Dear Lord, you are awesome. The  power and strength you provide is endless. Forgive me for living like a whimp, afraid of everything, worrying about every moment of my life. I trust you and know you are always with me. I will walk in your power, strong and courageous! Amen!

Happy Fathers Day!

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:14-17‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/eph.3.14-17.nlt

It's Father's Day 2018! I love being a Dad and I really love helping my daughters in any way I can. The times I just don't know how to help them, I know I can always pray for them. As a matter of fact, the older I get, the more they really don't need much help. BUT, I still know I can help by praying for them. I remember what it was like being a parent of kids growing up. There is a lot of stress and strain in that time. The only way I was able to get through it was through Prayer. The only way they will get through it is, also, prayer. I do not think of PRAYER as a small obligation for my kids. I think it is my MAIN responsibility as a father. I used to pray for the STUFF of their lives. I use to pray for their relationships, issues, jobs, homes, etc. But my faith has directed most of my recent prayers to one simple request, to see them draw closer to the Lord. I want their husbands to grow in their faith, I want them to grow in their faith, and I want their kids to grow in faith. Faith in the Lord answers all things, addresses all problems, relieves all stress and strain from life. The Lord is the answer. 

Dear Lord, Protect my kids and their families. Love them, and help them draw closer to you. Let their hearts be filled with your spirit and make your presence known in a powerful way. I can't always be there to show my love, but YOU are always there to share yours. I praise you for how you have loved this family of mine. I am honored with them and know they are a gift directly from you. Thank You for that gift. Amen!

Big Day!

““Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book. ””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭22:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/rev.22.7.nlt

Today is the day! Closing Day. Stephanie and I have been working night and day for this date. We have been in a period of fasting from social media, directed prayer, and devotions every morning since our house went up for sale. For over a year we have been seeking guidance and wisdom about our path from the Lord. For the past 6 months we have been going non stop working on the house and preparing it for the new owners. We have been led to this day by the Lord.  It is a step into new adventures for us. We are excited and nervous all at the same time. But, I am confident the Lord is with us now as he has been for all of our 39+ years of marriage. My confidence comes from the Lord and not through my own strength or wisdom. My confidence comes from releasing my life to Jesus. I have seen his hand in everything we do. His presence, his voice, and his gentle leading can be seen through our entire life. But, it has been very evident in this past year. I am humbled and full of praise for all he has done to get us to this day. So, let’s get it done and move forward into the great unknown.

This is also a big day in the lives of each of our kids. Each family has significant events happening ALL on this day. It’s like God has appointed June 14th as HIS day to reveal himself to the Rhoades, Gilbert, and Hinshaw household.  I praise God for what he is about to do. We know he is in charge and his plans are perfect. So we look forward to this day as those plans unfold before our eyes.

Dear Lord, I can not praise you enough for the blessings you have provided Stephanie and I. We are truly humbled. We want nothing more than to serve you and have pledged our lives to doing that very thing. We have been blessed with a wonderful home over the past 11 years and pray the new owners will receive those same blessings. Lead us into new adventures serving you. Guide us with your perfect wisdom to those that need us the most. Be with our family as we all face big events in our lives today. We ALL trust you and look forward to seeing the miracles of your love unfold in our lives. Amen!

Proof

John 3 1:11 -- 11Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.

It's easy to say, "I'm a Christian."  Can you prove it?

I teach Geometry. MY students HATE proofs. Frankly, I hated them when I was a high school student also. We had to memorize all the postulates and theorems and then write two column proofs until I was dreaming about them. I'm a softy. I do require my students complete the proofs, but I don't make them memorize the postulates an theorems. They don't realize how easy they have it.

Proofs in Geometry require a logical step by step system where no one can dispute your claim. Our lives as Christians should be the same. There should be indisputable evidence that you are one of God's Children. If people are scratching their heads when you claim to be a follower of Christ or worse, if they have proof AGAINST your claim, you better re-examine your life. That does not mean you need to be perfect, we aren't. But, there better be some evidence that separates you from those that reject the Lord. Anyone can claim to know God. Even the devil believes. What have you done with that faith!

Dear Lord, You know my heart. You know my love for you. Yet, I do not always show that love to others. It is not always evident that you live inside me. Forgive me when I reject the spirit that lives in me. Forgive me when I do not live as you have planned. I love you and am humbled by your great love. Amen!

Praise God, not man!

Revelation 22:8-9 8I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. 9But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”

With our new life of freedom, I heard someone say they "envied us". While I do love the plan God has laid before us. I had to really think about what was said. My life and this new life we are jumping into, will not be perfect. It somehow seems glamorous or maybe romantic. But, it will not be perfect and I expect plenty of trials as we try to live in a "tiny house" style environment. It is so easy to get caught up in someone else's life, to almost, worship their lives.  I really look up to Billy Graham. His life was such a great example to others. I have had pastors, friends, and colleagues I have really looked up to and in some ways, envied their path.  But, I need to be careful NOT to take this healthy respect and admiration to a level of worship. I need to realize they and the life the lead is not perfect and they too experience much the same hills and valleys I face. We also need to make sure we discourage others from glamorizing our own lives.

Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, and most of our other great spiritual leaders would admit they are not perfect. Most real leaders do not want others to adore them or even count them as special. I really get that from our current Vice-President, Mike Pence. I have met him personally and had a brief conversation with him. I truly got the feeling that he is just an ordinary man who holds an extraordinary office. I see him on the news or on a talk show and I get the same sense as when I met him. I have a healthy respect for him. I admire his conviction and how he has lived in the "fish bowl" of politics.

We are expected to lead by example. We need to try to lead a life that is pure and focused on the Lord. But, we are not to promote ourselves as perfect. We are not to give the impression that our lives are perfect, clean lives with no turmoil, or struggle. As a matter of fact, we should do the opposite. People need to know about our lives and how the Lord has led us through the struggles and pain. Our lives are not our own. They are to be used for the Glory of the Lord.

Rhoadzie's Daily Blog: Soon and Very Soon

Rhoadzie's Daily Blog: Soon and Very Soon: “ And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you ...

Soon and Very Soon

“And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:5-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/rev.21.5-7.nlt

When I read these verses I automatically went to this song. I love this little spiritual medley. It is, somehow reassuring. I am not looking to die any time soon. I just don’t think God is done with me yet on this planet. But I am looking forward to my Heavenly home. Reading this chapter in Revelation fills me with the same anticipation of Christmas morning or waiting for a big event. Like our closing this week..

In four days we will be at a milestone in our lives. We have joked that we will be homeless. But we do have a beautiful home with much less debt. It’s all part of a plan that God placed on our hearts a few years ago. We are excited to see this huge step come to pass. 

God is so amazing. Trust him. He has a perfect plan for your life. If you let it happen, you will live you life in child like anticipation.  Part of that great anticipation is my Heavenly home. Jesus has gone to prepare a place, our heavenly reward. It will come down to us. God will live among us. I can’t wait. Soon and very Soon, we are going to see the King.

Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King

Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King

Soon and very soon
We are going to see the King
Hallelujah, hallelujah
We're going to see the king

No more cryin there
We are going to see the King

No more cryin there
We are going to see the King

No more cryin there
We are going to see the King
Hallelujah, hallelujah
We're going to see the King

[Bridge:]
Should there be any rivers we must cross
Should there be any mountains we must climb
God will supplt all the strength that we need
Give us strength till we reach the other side

Get off your Butt!

“And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.”
‭‭Jude‬ ‭1:22-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/jud.1.22-23.nlt

This is our calling. We are here for others. We are here to show mercy to those that are struggling in their faith. We are here to rescue those that are going down a path toward judgment. We need to hate the sin and love the sinner. It’s all about people. It’s not about condemning or judging. It’s about showing love, grace, and mercy to everyone we meet. But, many of my Christian brothers and sisters are so busy fighting the sins of this world that they forget to love the lost. They avoid contact with the sinner because they hate the sins. We can’t bring others to Jesus by avoiding them. We need to get off our butts and spend time building relationships with the lost!

Dear Lord, please forgive us for spending so much time condemning others instead of loving them. Forgive us for being more interested in fighting sin instead of rescuing the lost. There is a world full of hate. Keep us from contributing to that hate. Help us to share your love. We are blessed and owe you all that we are and all that we have. Amen!

Walking through Darkness

'So we ourselves should support them so that we
can be their partners as they teach the truth.
For they are traveling for the Lord, and they
accept nothing from people who
are not believers. ' 3 John 1:7-8 https://www.bible.com/bible/116/3JN.1.7-8

At school we have automatic lights that turn on as you enter your room. My room is
completely dark until the sensor kicks the lights on. I had to call maintenance
yesterday. I had to enter into about the middle of the room before the lights would
come on. I thought I was going to break something if the sensor wasn't fixed.
Walking through this world is much like entering that room.

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled last week that the couple that refused
to bake a wedding cake for a same sex couple had the right to refuse to offer their
services. I am glad. This verse seems to support their position. As followers of Christ
we need to live in this world while at the same time separating ourselves from the sin
that surrounds us. We need to support each other as we try to follow the path of Jesus.
It's not always easy to do that, but we need to make sure we continually seek the
guidance of the Lord in all these matters.

Dear Lord, Keep us safe from the sin in this world. We are surrounded by darkness
and we need your light to walk through that darkness. At the same time we stand firm
in our convictions, we need to make sure we show love to all people regardless of
our thoughts about their lifestyle. We are called to share your love with everyone
and their are NO exceptions. Help us to genuinely love all people and to serve
them as YOU would serve them. We praise you for the love and patience you have
with us and the blessings you continue to provide. Amen!

You can’t have one without the other

“So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:6-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/1jn.1.6-7.nlt

I think it’s interesting that these verses directly relate fellowship with God and fellowship with each other. You can’t have one without the other. It will be more obvious if you think about how far the world has separated themselves from the Lord . That distancing from God has led to a world void of Love and filled with so much hate.  The destruction of the family worldwide  is another symptom of the absence of God. True fellowship can only happen with a personal relationship with Jesus and the world will not be filled with peace until it turns to the one that died for us.

Dear Lord, this world needs you now more than ever before. Fellowship with others, peace in our lives can only happen when we draw closer to you. We need you in the center of our lives. Lord, fill us with your spirit. Fill us with your grace, mercy, and strength to treat others with your perfect love. Amen!

This is nothing!

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/1pe.1.3.nlt

I’ve been a little stressed lately. We are a little over a week away from closing on our house and we will be full time RVers. I’m not too stressed about living in a fifth wheel. It’s beautiful and although we have some adjustments to make I feel like we are going to make those adjustments without too much difficulty. My stress is in getting ready for our garage sale and finalizing the stuff at home. It seems like an overwhelming task at times and I’m not seeing a lot of progress.

I need to relax and realize I have a loving and wonderful God who helps me through my stress. I am 57 years old and have been through more than one stressful time in my life. This little bump is nothing compared to the trials God has brought me through in my past. I just don’t understand why I can’t learn from those experiences and realize I have nothing to be stressed about. God is in charge. He has led me this far and I have never had a moment when he has abandoned me.

Dear Lord, I praise you now and forever. I am humbled by your great mercy and beg your forgiveness for my lack of faith. I know you have  perfect plan for every moment of my life, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Help relieve the stress that fills my mind and let me fill your presence as I go through this busyness that fills my life right now. I look forward to a great future with you in the center of my life. Amen!

Get out! Share the Gospel with your face!

“I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.”
‭‭2 John‬ ‭1:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/2jn.1.12.nlt

There are so many ways to minister to people. Sharing the gospel should be a part of my entire life. As a blogger I love using social media to share the message of Christ. I love writing this blog, sharing positive posts and tweeting the gospel message. I look at followers and friends on Facebook as my “flock”. But the most effective way to share my faith is through face to face meetings.

I love working with students at school. My gift of teaching is a ministry and I always need to remember it’s not just a job.  The face to face interactions, how I respond, my attitude, both positive and negative encounters,  are a critical part of my ministry.  Of course motorcycle ministry is best done face to face, conversation after conversation. Face to face ministry is long term. It takes time to develop trust and an honest open relationship. I believe that’s why the church is so critical. The church is the front line in face to face ministry. So many people do not feel comfortable with the interaction with the church and it’s members. We really have to change that. The examples of the early church should help us realize our importance even now. We can’t sit barricaded in our sanctuaries thinking they are the answer. We need to get out of our pews, seek out personal encounters, meet people where they are, and just love on them as much as we can. Our lives were meant to be social. Our ministry is meant to be active socially. Not just in print or in some blog post, but pure face to face, relational experiences. Get out and share the gospel with your hands, your feet, and your face!

Do you believe?

“We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/1jn.1.3-4.nlt

Do you believe the Bible?  Do you believe it all? Do you believe what is written about Jesus? 

The Bible is such a key part of my faith. I accept it as being 100% true and 100% the inerrant word of God revealed through the men and women who wrote it. If you can’t accept that fundamental belief, we can not share the joy of our fellowship. I don’t need to know the historical accuracy. I don’t need to know that it can be verified by some historian or backed up by some archeologist. My faith is completely upon its words. I praise God for its instruction. I praise God for the words that convict me, build me up, and reassure me that everything is going to be ok. There is no more powerful sermon, than the one I get just reading, meditating, and studying the word of the Lord. If you want to truly share the feeling of being with Jesus, seeing his face, touching is hand, walking by his side, or hearing his voice, read the word of the Lord. Make it a part of your every day routine. It will change your life. 

Dear Lord, I praise you for your words that live in my heart, soul, mind, and spirit. I can not imagine a day without the challenges it shares, the wisdom I gain, or the comfort it lends to my weary heart. Thank you for this wonderful gift. Amen!

Now what!

So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.”
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:3-9‬ ‭MSG‬‬
http://bible.com/97/2pe.1.3-9.msg

Our faith is more than just believing. When we accept Christ we enter into a basic faith. We confess our sins, we accept that Jesus died for us and we ask the Lord to enter our life filling us with his spirit. Then what? The Lord will transform our character, our knowledge, our patience with life, our relationships, our spiritual thoughts, and our complete outlook on life and loving others. It’s a perfect compliment to our basic faith.

I am not satisfied with who I am and pray the Lord continues to change me. I love looking back and seeing who I was. It’s encouraging to see progress. I am more than I could ever imagine, not because of anything I’ve done,but through Christ who lives in me!

Summer time! Summer time! Sum Sum Summertime!!!!!!!!!

'So you must live as God’s obedient children.
Don’t slip back into your old ways
of living to satisfy your own desires.
You didn’t know any better then. ' 1 Peter 1:14 https://www.bible.com/bible/116/1PE.1.14

I am already enjoying Summer! Yesterday Stephanie and I took two of
the grandkids to Culver's as a reward for them helping us move some furniture.
Those two girls were pretty goofy and not a lot of help. BUT, we had a lot of fun.
They fought a little. It really wasn't a big deal. As I get older, that"petty bickering"
doesn't bother me as much as it used to. Maybe it's because I am not around it
every day. Or, maybe it's because I have been around it enough to know they
will eventually grow out of it. It seems when they are around us they are such
great kids. I am not sure why that is. But, we really enjoy them. The day before
we were with our other group of grandkids. Today, nearly all of them are coming
over. I am looking forward to the fun.

I am so glad my Father in Heaven has patience like a grandparent. He loves me
so much and doesn't get bent out of shape by my sinfulness or the mistakes
I make. He tolerates them just like I tolerate the bickering of my grandkids.
He looks past them and just enjoys the time we share together. It just makes
me want to please him more and more.

Dear Lord, Thank you for your love and patience with me. Thank you for looking
beyond my faults. I praise you for the time we have together. I thank you for my
grandkids and love the time we get to spend together. Let me never forget our
time is precious. We need to take advantage of all the special moments together.
I also need to do the same with you. I need to enjoy the times we have together.
Thank you Lord for this wonderful life we live. Amen!