The Way

I learned some things this week/weekend. 1. Boise, Idaho is a long way from Nashville. 2. There are some really crazy Boise State Broncos fans. 3. The blue football field at BSU is unique and birds mistake it for water and many end their lives crashing into "water" that is really turf. 4. Training for 6 hours makes for a long, rewarding day. I spent a day with 12 youth leaders from AZ, NM, UT, ID, ND, SD, and AK. (I hope I didn't miss a state.) TeamWest 5. People think I have an accent. I do. Everyone has some kind of accent. 6. My wife is an amazing woman. (Not something I just learned but was reminded.) 7. God is incredibly good. He does an awesome job of making a big deal of Himself. 8. The Delta Airlines free upgrade from Seattle to Atlanta was a nice gift. 9. I don't really need much snow in the winter. Got a little snow in Boise but it was nothing like my hometown of Independence that got 10+ inches this week (with more forecast this next week). 10. Y...

These past few weeks have been fairly reflective, emotional, and filled with gratefulness. Friday I traveled to AL via MS to train AL youth leaders and then return home to attend the 100th Anniversary of First Baptist Church, Donelson. It was was a busy weekend but a really good one. There are four churches that have had great impact in my early ministry life and those adults and leaders who have invested in me are some real saints to be sure. East Lynne Baptist Church - located in rural MO, the wonderful people of this church invested in a young boy who loved hunting and fishing and was pretty quiet and shy. He was always observing, learning and not willing to risk much. Some sweet people like Phil and Norma Belcher, Bobby and Margaret Ely, Eddie and Betty Deardorff plus a couple of godly parents named Charles and Frances nurtured a young boy and laid a great foundation for ministry. Beaumont Baptist Church - an inner-city church in KC, MO where some godly folks like Mrs. Lor...

There are many things that I am thankful for . . . Christ's amazing love Family - my wife, Sondra; our daughters, Shelbi, Morgan, and our newest, Evelyn; my dad; my mother-in-law; my brother and sister-in-law; Sondra's sister and brother-in-law; many nieces, nephews and greats as well. Friends A Christ-centered church A job/ministry that I love This old, hymn is a little old school but sums it up well for me   Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home; All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin. God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied; Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home. All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield; Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown. First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear; Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be. For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harves...