So I took a 2 month vacation.  It was nice. I didn’t have anything brilliant (not that I ever did) to say.

So over the past 2 months I have worked…a  lot.  Watched the game show network…a lot.  Beat my wife at every game on the game show network…a lot. Except for Lingo. It’s really hard to type my own blog when my wife sits besides me and tells me what to say but here goes: She is the greatest Lingo player ever and she’s smokin’ hot. That’s it..she has her own blog if you want to hear her talk about herself.

So the ARC Conference is in about a month and a half.  I’m excited.  It was a blast last year and the fire I came home with was cool.  I’ve had a vision for students (middle/high/college) ever since that time and I think it is becoming closer to a reality.  Hopefully the people that didn’t go last year will catch the vision since our current student ministry is not working. Pray for it yo.

Holla

I remember when baseball was fun.  Teams cared about winning the World Series.  Me..I cared about winning the summer league in Little League.  I no longer care who wins the summer league…or the World Series.  My favorite part about baseball now….college baseball.  No one worries who gets paid $248 billion to play for a certain team.  In college it is players who care about baseball.  They care about doing the best they can to win not to get a stats bonus.  February marks the beginning of college baseball.  I’m excited.

John 4:13-14 says:

Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.  It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

The joy that Christ gives us is eternal just like the life we have in Him.  The things of this world may give us joy but like the water from the well Jesus is referring to it will only temporarily quench our thirst.  Jesus is the key to sustaining our joy.  Turn your life over to Him and the joy will overflow. Trust me. Seriously. Trust me.

So all my titles are questions.  God has put on my heart the value of integrity so I thought I would blog about it.

Job 31:6 says:

Let God weigh me on the scales of justice,
  for he knows my integrity.

God knows our hearts.  There is no hiding.

For 23  years I put up a facade.  What showed on the outside was not necessarily what was going on inside.  Sometimes the inside showed through but not truely enough.

In preparing for the upcoming fast I have buried myself in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to expose my deepest sin.  The Holy Spirit has started to bring to the surface some things that I have not addressed or repented for and it feels great to get it out.  That is the great part about God knowing everything.  The things that our flesh likes to put away and hide is still seen by God and when we ask Him he will show us.

I encourage you to seek God’s help with this area of your life.

Let me start this post with this apology: I am a poor sport at this blogging game.  Sometimes I don’t have anything to say, sometimes I don’t think anyone wants to hear it.  Regardless, I apologize for my extended absence from the blogesphere.

Now.

I almost wrote a blog bashing a certain denomination in our community…well I did write it but I deleted it before it was published.  This weekend I realized that some Christians arn’t into unity. Our community is struggling.  People are hurting.  People are hungry (spiritually and physically). People are lost.  Instead of hating the enemy for putting this on our community there are Christians that would rather hate other Christians.  The dis-unity of the church in our community is sickening. Which denomination is going to heaven? Is it the one without a musical instrument in a 10 mile radius? Is it the one with the best dressed deacons? 

STOP WORRYING ABOUT STUPID DETAILS. STOP REPLACING BIBLICAL TRUTHS WITH TRADITIONS.

January 11th begins our fast.  I’m not sure of our church’s specific prayers yet but I have started to compile my personal list. This is at the top. Before my family and before any personal blessing.  Forgive me for sounding self-righteous I do not mean to be.  For all fall short of His glory. I just want to love you and you love me so that we can love others together.  Shall we….

Everwant to prove something you have is real? Apparently its tangibility is not enough…nooooo you have to have a “Certificate of Authenticity.”  If you can’t tell if its real or not and you have to have a COA…maybe you don’t know what you’re talking about and you probably shouldn’t bother. Here’s your question:

Would you rather buy an item or a “COA” for the item?

/end of rant

Some people saw this coming but I’m gonna go out on a limb here and officially endorse…

Taylor Swift

Make your cracks make your jokes but I’m a fan none-the-less

I was thinking about influence today and recognized that there are 2 types of influence.

Positional Influence vs Natural Influence (maybe they can be worded better)

Are people influenced by you because they want to be or because they have to be?

Its true, I do know how to read. Here is what I am currently reading:

Systematic Theology - Wayne Grudem

Winning with People - John Maxwell