So much to write about!

This blog will be brief b/c I am about to give my three year old a bath. Later tonight I'll write more. I just needed to begin the writing process. I'll be back in a little bit!

6,282

To some it's just digits arranged in a specific order. The two to the farthest right is in the ones place (remember that from 1st grade). The eight is in the tens place, the second two is in the hundreds place, and the six is in the thousands place. It's just a number right. Or is it? Numbers are used to represent amounts. This number holds a special place for me and about twelve other persons. Yesterday afternoon from about 4:30 until about 6:50 thirteen of us volunteered to work at the St. Louis Area Foodbank. None of us had been there before nor had any of us done volunteer work like this. We didn't know what we were getting into. To put it bluntly, we were blessed. We walked into a large warehouse stacked in some places up to twenty or more feet high with donated non-perishable foods. Our job, soon to be revealed, was to package these items into more managable boxes for local distribution. Now, back to the number 6,282. In about 140 minutes of working, the thirteen of us (including a nine, seven, and two year old) boxed enough food to provide 6,282 meals to needy persons around the St. Louis metro. In the end, some of us were sweating, some were tired, some were hungry, but all were motivated. We were motivated to do more. We were motivated to come back. We were motivated to bring someone else with us. I personally look forward to the next time (Tuesday, May 24) that I can go back and work at the St. Louis Area Food Bank. Let Jesus shine through your words and actions. Don't be afraid to do something for Him outside of your comfort zone. Remember, it's more than just a number. 6,282!


PT

Let a 2 year old play with an electrical outlet

The other day my 2 year old daughter stood up in her chair and tried to put her finger in the electrical outlet. I jumped at her and screamed no at the same time. In that moment, it becomes very clear what is important and what is not. It goes without saying that none of us would willingly allow a son/daughter to engage in activity that we knew would endanger him/her to the point or even possible killing them. Our nature is to protect our children and that is very good. However, as a person who has worked with teens for over 15 years, it is apparent that there are times that our judgment becomes flawed or even deceived by one of the most devastating behaviors a Christian teen can practice. That practice is to date someone outside of the Christian faith. II Corinthians 6:14 puts it rather plainly "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" This "yoked" the Apostle Paul speaks of is referring to close relationships. It goes without saying that this includes dating, marriage, close friendships, and those relationships that might affect who we are and what decisions we make. My observation as well as a personal experience have yielded this conclusion: Nothing good comes out of ignoring this directive from God's Word! If Christ himself were standing next to me and telling me to stand or sit, I would easily and joyfully obey, because I know He is the Son of God. Well, what about obeying His Word? It is not really a gray area. Let's obey and put Him first in our lives. Disobedience opens us up to compromise in more areas and in more ways. We as Christians are not called to compromise, we are called to excellence and holiness in Christ. This begins with obedience. Moms and Dads, sons and daughters, lets obey this directive and keep ourselves out of harms way especially when it is obvious there is danger, kinda like an electrical outlet.

PT

SOS--Universal for help!

SOS--In maritime terms it referred to Save our Ship. In 2008, for me and Solid Rock Youth Ministries, it stands for Summer of Service. Jesus taught that to be great in His Kingdom, one must be a servant. Countless examples are throughout the Gospels how Jesus recognized the needs of the people around him. Not only did he recognize them, he met them. As Christians, we must move from the dynamic of only speaking the Gospel of Christ and taking a note from Jesus himself and show compassion to others around us. There are people hurting near to every one of us: those pains might include hunger, thirst, loneliness, depression, hopelessness, emotional pain, abuse, and many others. Some needs are easier to diagnose and meet than others. Either way, we must do something. As Christians we must do it in Jesus' name so that He will be lifted up. In doing that we will capture the spirit of Christ which he exemplified throughout His ministry. Look for someone to serve this summer. If you are in SRYM or WCAG, look forward to unique opportunities to meet the needs of our nearby community.

PT

I'm up late!

I am sitting here writing as my wife is next to me preparing for an upcoming speaking engagement in Muncie, IN. She is talking to a group of over 300 ladies. They come from many different backgrounds: social, economic, ethnic, cultural. I am very excited for the ladies that will be present on Friday night. I have heard the topic as well as much of the body of the presentation. It is moving and it is uplifting. More than anything else, it is transparent. It is about the reality of fear. Everyone has known fear in some way, shape, or form. It is indicative of our being human. But I ask you, why does everyone have some experience with fear? I think it goes back to the beginning of mankind. Adam and Eve lived in peace in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1-2). That peace was disrupted by sin. The willfull disobedience to God mandated a punishment from God Himself. That punishment serves as an example to each of us today. There are consequences for our sinful action. I am afraid of sin. I am scared of letting down God, my wife, my family. I thank God that he is a God of grace and mercy and that hope is available in HIM. His son Jesus died for my sin. My sin is covered by His blood and I don't have to live in fear of the punishment that is mandated for my sin. Jesus has given me hope and because of that I can face today or tomorrow and whatever it might bring! Join me in praying for the ladies that will be in attendance this Friday night that God will reveal to everyone of them that they can live lives full of hope. ttyl!

It's about time!

It's the weekend before taxes are due and I am just now blogging. I realize that I do have so much to say and I invite those who read here to provide some input. I am so blessed by my family. My wife and three kids are the essence of my being. They are the happiness that I experience and the most beautiful anything in my life. I have two daughters and a son. Together that means that my son and I are outnumbered 3-2. As he gets a little older, we'll start having to go to the woods and kill things and rub blood on ourselves for a male bonding ritual or something like that. Anyway, I look forward to expressing opinions as well as truth through this blog. Know however that when I say truth, I rely upon my knowledge that the Bible is real and true and is the basis and the foundation for the truth that I will be sharing. I invite input and feedback. I also appreciate candor and being real. This blog is not intended for those who might want to hide behind a keyboard. Instead it is an outlet and an opportunity for discussion. Let me tell you a little about me.

I am a Christian. I am in love with Jesus Christ. He is my savior and has covered my wrongs (sins) through his sacrifice (crucifixion) and subsequent resurrection. He is alive! He has forgiven me of my wrongs and can do the same for you. My life has had incredible highs and incredible lows. Those together with my stand with the Bible form the person and the one that is me.

Pastor Todd (PT)