😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  This week, a friend shared with me, “I don’t read the Bible as much as I should.”  “I feel more and more drawn to Christ each time I start reading.  Why I hesitate at times, I do not know why.”  Why do you feel more drawn to Christ when you start reading the Bible?  Because the Word is Christ and Christ is life.  Actually, not just life, but life worth living.  Hesitations are the call of Satan trying to destroy and snuff out the light and life of Christ within you. 

“Count not death by your erring way of life, nor draw to yourselves destruction by the works of your hands.  Because God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.  For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of His own nature He made him.” – Wisdom 1:12-13 & 2:23

Every single moment you choose to focus your desires on the blessings of the Lord, you breathe in a lifegiving moment.  God formed you to be imperishable as He Himself is.  Although we often choose life draining, self-destructive options in our lives, that doesn’t mean we should purposely test the limits.  Another friend told me Tuesday, “I trust God, but doubt myself.”  A little self-doubt may not seem like much, but those constant digs we take at ourselves can and will form a shadow of darkness over your life.  At times we even become blind to the darkness, until we once again decide to choose Him.  Read His word.  Seek His wisdom.  Allow your eyes and ears to be open to Him in those around you.  Feed your thirsting soul and move your moments from death to life.   

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

#ForKingAndCountry – Amen

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  You may be familiar with Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU) program, which can teach anyone how to live a debt free life.  I’m a firm believer in the power of this program, but you have to actually follow the principles.  An interesting fact about the program is that the principles are Biblically based.  FPU is kind of like the difference between knowing about God and actually knowing God.  Knowing about Him is head knowledge, but knowing Him can save your life and bless others in the process.  Knowing the FPU principles is head knowledge, but working those principles can save your financial life and allow you to be a blessing to others.  I’m currently walking someone through the 9-week FPU program and this week’s lesson was about saving for retirement.  There are a couple points in week 7 that are always great reminders.  And God knows we all need those reminders.

First is, “Pray as though everything depends on God.  Work as through everything depends on you.”  Dave credited this quote to St. Ambrose, but I’ve also seen it credited to St. Augustine and St. Ignatius of Loyola.  I’ll tell you what, praying like things depend of God and you working as if they depend on you, makes a powerful combination.  We already know that God is giving 100% of Himself to you.  So, what would you and God be capable of if you gave 100% also?  He actually gave me a glimpse of this incredibly powerful combination last Sunday.  We’ve been working on designing our house to fit into a budget and our desired lifestyle.  Well, with lumber pricing being as high as it is, we’ve had to rethink and redraw our plans multiple times.  It was becoming rather discouraging.  Sunday morning before, during, and after Mass, I kept talking with God asking Him to show me what I haven’t been able to see in the past, as far as designing our home.  Once we got back home, I sat down and started drawing.  It was amazing!  He showed me exactly what I asked Him, which included being able to place our entertainment area (kitchen and living area) exactly where we wanted it to be and keep the same size area in the smaller home, that was in the original larger home.  It was really cool to see it unfold as He guided me from room to room, ending with the entertainment area we desired.  I don’t know about you, but I think it’s really cool watching God work like that.

The second thing that Dave mentioned in week 7 is the book The Tortoise and the Hare and how the tortoise always wins.  It doesn’t matter how many times you read the book, the tortoise always wins.  There is definitely something about approaching those marathons of life with a slow and steady attitude and pace.  So, Sunday we figured out the house plan and then Monday we received some other good news.  We were originally supposed to close on our land in December 2020, but due to a title issue from five sales ago the process has been prolonged.  We were given the option to close in December, with basically a band aid kind of fix on the title, but that certainly would have caused issues down the road.  We were told it could take six months to clear the issue, but we decided the clean title would be worth the wait.  Oh, there were times that we just wanted to close on the land, but God had us waiting for a reason or two…or three.  I believe He was protecting us from building a home bigger than we needed and also was keeping us from building during the peak of lumber pricing.  The good news is, we will be closing on our land at the end of this week. 

God also applied those two items to aspects of my work life.  That’s another thing I like about God, He will utilize something to improve multiple aspects of my life at the same time, making me a better, more well-rounded person.  We all need reminders of God’s presence in our lives and how He wants us to work together with Him.  With Him, not for Him.  We as humans are so easily forgetful of the MANY gifts that God so sacrificially gives us.  Where are you at today?  Have you found yourself recently in situations where God is blessing you with the opportunity to refresh parts of your life?  What can you do today to pray as though everything depends on God and work as through everything depends on you?

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

#DaveRamsey – FPU

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  17 years ago, those little red eyed cicadas visited us here in Ohio.  At that time, we owned our lawncare company and I’ll never forget Brian and I, along with our three youngest, junior high age girls mulching a property.  Those cicadas were crawling and flying everywhere and especially freaking out Lori, the youngest.  Those red eyes!  Yes, they can strike fear into the minds of some.  Even just the thought of looking into those eyes can incite fear.   

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As the saying goes…face your fears.  Right?  Well, yes and no.  You should not let your fears paralyze you and keep you from growing to become the full and complete person you were created to be.  But as you face your fears, you DO NOT have to stare it in the eyes.  That’s where they get you and distract you from being able to move forward.  If your eyes are locked onto the eyes of your fears, then you’ve taken your eyes off the One who can guide you through your fear.  Lock your eyes on the Lord of all lords.  He will NEVER bring fear into your life.  He is the Love, Wisdom, Peace, Strength, Patience, and Action that brings you through to the other side of your fear.  He has been with you in the past.  He is with you now.  He will be with you in your every tomorrow.  His eyes are soft, gentle, warm, and encouraging, like a loving embrace.  You will recognize them in a heartbeat. 

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

#Cain – Yes He Can

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  On Tuesday evening a friend mentioned to me about the recent loss of a family member.  That makes two people in less than a week that shared with me that their aunt had passed.  As I prayed with her, it really got me to thinking about this journey we call life.  But life is not a singular journey.  Just as our body is made of many parts and each part plays a roll in our development as a person, your life is made up of many journeys.  Each journey you travel plays a roll in your development, how you think, react, and approach your next adventure.  Right now, in this life journey, you may have 50 or more other journeys in play.  Don’t believe me?  Start counting.  Your journey with:

God

As a child.  Yes, every single one of us is a child to someone.

A sibling.

A spouse.

Children.

Children’s spouses.

Friends individually.

Groups of friends.  There is definitely a different dynamic in a group compared to one on one.

An aunt or uncle.

A Godparent.

Grandparent.

Work.  This is a journey that encompasses a lot of hours.

Coworkers.

School.

Vacation.

What you choose for entertainment.

Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual fitness.

Where you live.

Where you shop.

Random encounters.

Go on.  Keep listing them out.  There’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll get to at least 50.  Take a moment to reflect on each of these journeys you are on.  Okay, you don’t have to do them all right now.  Take a few days and next to each of your journeys write a little about how it is affecting your life journey.  Is it positive or is it having a negative impact?  Do you pray about and for each of these journeys?  To be truthful, I would have to say no.  Should I, absolutely.  Sitting here looking at my hands as I type, it made me think of Brian and I.  We are the palms and our five children and their spouses make up the 8 fingers and 2 thumbs.  I’ll let you kids decide which you are.  😉  Each finger can work independent, as two independent hands, and also fit nicely, folded together, joined as one. 

Within the Catholic Church, this past Sunday we celebrated Corpus Christi.  The Solemnity of the most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  In Mark 14:22-24 Jesus institutes the Sacrament of Communion, in which He gives us His Body and Blood as a final covenant of love to us.  Take note of what He proclaims.

“While they were eating,
He took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, gave it to them, and said,
“Take it; this is My body.”
Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,
“This is My blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.”

“This is My Body.”  “This is My Blood.”  He did not say this is a symbol of or this represents.  IS. 

He offers this covenant of His Holy Body and Blood to each and every one of us.  But He won’t force us to accept it.  He willingly offers, then leaves it for us to discern to accept or reject His offer.  There are many journeys, even within our journey with the Lord.  Pray about your journey.  When you’ve got the Real Thing, no substitute will do.  It’s just not the same. 

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

#Leeland – Better Word

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  The answers can seem so simple, once they are actually presented to you.  Over the past few weeks Brian and I have been trying to come up with the best economical and secure way to address mowing our new land while were in our building phase, before we actually get to move in.  Granted, we used to own and run a lawn care company and are very capable of cutting grass.  The issue we were working through was purchasing and storing a mower and trailer.  Working through the different scenarios, there just didn’t seem to be one option that seemed to be the best.  They all seemed to have a high degree of security risks regarding storage.  While visiting with family on Sunday, my dad very bluntly said, you could pay someone to mow it.  In that moment, it was almost like slow motion in my mind when God said, “Just ask the Father, He’ll give you the answers.” 

It’s crazy how blind we can allow ourselves to become to the options God has for us.  In this particular situation, we had mowed grass for years, so why would we even think about asking someone else to mow for us?  Sometimes, we just need to figure out the correct questions to ask.  Should we be asking how or who?  They are the same three letters, just in a slightly different pattern.  The easy part is knowing that The Father is who we need to ask those questions to.  But what I need to remind myself is that He should also be the first person I run to with my questions.  Matthew 6:33 reminds us, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you.”  What things you ask?  Ask the Father and dig into the Gospel of Matthew.  I believe you’ll find the answer.   

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

#CodyCarnes – Run to The Father

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  Sunday during the homily, Father Pat said “Don’t be successful, be faithful.”  Wow, isn’t that freeing?  After all, what is the definition of your success?  I’m sure your determination of success is different from my determination of what would make you successful.  And God’s determination of your success is different than both of ours.  Are you just checking the boxes to justify success?  Are you showing up with a half-hearted attitude and calling it good?  Consider your actions.  The reasons you choose them.  And the attitude with which you approach them. 

I receive daily reflections from Dynamic Catholic, which lately I’ve been then sharing with my core group of friends.  Thought I would share some of the quotes and my responses to them.

“Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know.” – Pema Chodron  

This is an interesting thought.  I guess if we want to be free from our past, we have to seek how it fits into our future.

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – C.S. Lewis

This is your beginning.  Let this be a clean start to the rest of your life.  The past may partly define who you are, but it doesn’t have to haunt you.

“Your passion is waiting for your courage to catch up.” – Isabelle Lafleche

How many times has this happened to you?  It’s so true.  What is your lack of courage holding you back from?

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” – Aristotle

What we do is typically 20% head knowledge and 80% heart.  If your heart isn’t moved by what you’re doing, it very much limits the knowledge you bring to the table.  The heart is what brings inspiration and creativity to what you do. 

May our unconditional loving Lord bless your every thought, action and breath.

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

#DynamicCatholic

#CoryAsbury – Dear God

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  There’s been many days that I’ve come to the front bedroom, put my glass on the table and sat down on the bed to write.  But this time, God gave me a gentle reminder and a perfectly timed gift.  It only lasted a couple minutes before the sun dipped a little deeper into the horizon and the rainbow was gone.  Fleeting as it was, it brought a smile to my face. 

Speaking of smiles, Alleluia, alleluia!  He has given us His Spirit.  Filling our every cell, our every breath.  Saturating us so that we can ooze the Word and Works of the Lord in every minute moment of our lives.  For many, it’s much easier to let God be present by expressing Him in our actions.  Our actions are like statements of fact, but there are times that actions just don’t ask the needed question.  Are you hearing God speaking with you?  Is now the moment to open your life and allow Him in?  Do you want to proclaim Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?  If we aren’t confident in the Lord’s promptings and bold enough to allow the Spirit to speak through us, then we think it’s just us asking those questions and we become fearful and refuse to ask.  But when we step out of the way and allow the Spirit to move in and through us, walls will be knocked down, hope will rise, lives will be healed, and souls will be saved.  Will you confidently take a step back so that He can boldly speak?  As Father Dan Meyer stated in his homily this past weekend, “It’s all in the ask.”

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

#TheBelongingCo feat. Danny Gokey – Every Victory

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  On Monday morning I read the following quote from Napoleon Hill, “If you cannot do great things, do small things in great ways.”  In life, there are many more opportunities to do small things greatly than we typically have to do great things.  Looking at these opportunities individually they may not seem to add up to much, but they can have a domino effect tipping the next and next and next until you start to see and feel the movement and flow one small, greatly completed action turns into.  I envision a swarm of birds.  You may have seen this before, how hundreds of birds take to the sky in a dance of flowing majesty and power.  A magnificent presence shifting and stirring.  In just an instance an individual becomes a massive whole being that can and will deter the greatest of enemies from pursuing its prey.  How would we Christians appear to the enemy if we closed the divide, stop battling each other and united to become one flowing, massive, elegant, and grace filled presence against the attacks of the evil one and his band of demons?  We are easy prey when we allow ourselves to be picked off one by one.  There’s a reason why we’re shown by the disciples the strength of living within a community of believers.  Find your community of earthly saints to soar the skies with.  Watching this video, just let your mind and body flow with the birds, feeling their movement.  I found it a little mesmerizing watching the images they formed.  Watch it a time or two and let them take you to a place of loving peace with our Lord.    

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  Last Wednesday was a grey, dreary, rainy day.  After dinner Brian and I went for a ride to see how much standing water we had on the parcel of land we’re purchasing.  It wasn’t until we arrived back home, and just in time for sunset, that the clouds started breaking up.  The beauty of the sun’s rays and the blue of the sky absolutely made me smile.  After such a gloomy day, this scene really cheered me up.

Take a moment to observe all the different colors and movement in the clouds.  It’s as if you can see the patterns of their movement. 

This past week, I listened to a podcast from Matthew Kelly called Finding Joy in a Messy World, in which Matthew discusses the challenge of living a holy life.  As I listened to Matthew, I envisioned this picture and the emotions I felt as the sky began to open to the beautiful blue sky and joyous sunset.  Matthew was saying how it’s impossible to live a holy life, but holy moments are something within our capabilities.  So how in the world did Matthew’s conversation lead me to this picture.  Imagine a holy life being represented by a beautiful sunny, bright, blue sky.  It’s very desirable, with a feeling of possibility and joy.  When the grey, dismal, clouds cast a shadow on our day, it’s easy to feel less joy, possibility, and desire.  There really is something to say about the effects of darkness and light on our attitudes, mentalities, and actions.  As Matthew continued to talk about choosing to live holy moments and how they make a difference in life and lives, I envisioned the clouds being cotton balls and every time you choose to live out a holy moment it’s like pulling a cotton ball to reveal a small piece of the sunny blue sky.  Some brightness appears in the darkness as a ray of light begins to break through.  This glimpse of purity carries with it a breath of hope and a desire for more.  Which leads you to choose to live another holy moment, pulling another cotton ball cloud to expose a little more of the clarity and hope that lies just on the other side.  Unlike a holy life that has no darkness, there will be moments of failure in your future, which will place another cloud in your sky.  And there will be the clouds from your past that just seem to blow in unexpectedly from nowhere, dragging with it darkness you thought was long gone.  Like that blue sky filled with the sun, our Lord is just beyond those clouds and if you allow the breath of the Holy Spirit to blow in and through your life, you will find that those holy moments with Him will blow the clouds from your life that are concealing the promises He has within your reach.  The thing about clouds is…you can reach right through them.  Trust in Him, that what you are reaching for is far greater that the fear and darkness that tries to hold you back.    

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

#MatthewKelly – Finding Joy in a Messy World

#JoshBaldwin – Evidence

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you.  It’s so nice to be sitting outside while writing today’s message.  The sky is blue with slight whispers of clouds.  The birds are talking.  The plants and trees are leafing out.  And there’s a very gentle breeze.  It’s so peaceful.  You may have noticed Monday night and Tuesday morning, the incredibly beautiful moon lighting up the dark sky.  It was one worth taking a picture of.  As bright as it was, it still amazes me that it’s not its own light source.  It’s purely a reflection of the sun.  As I stood there looking at it, both at night and in the morning, it seemed clearer than before and as if I could distinguish new and different contours to the surface.  Yes, it’s the same moon I’ve been watching for many years, yet my eyes were open to a newness about it. 

Acts 9:1-20 shares with us the encounter of Saul’s eyes being literally opened to newness, so that he could finally see the true reflection of the Son, unincumbered by the darkness that previously held him prisoner.  Can you understand Ananias’s reaction and questioning the Lord when He told him to go lay hands on Saul?  Heck, Saul could imprison anyone that simply called upon the Lord’s name.  That would be a cause for concern.  Who would want to potentially set themselves up for what seemed to be a definite prison sentence?  But the Lord proclaimed to Ananias, “Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel…”

Like this week’s full moon and Ananias’s obedience to the Lord’s request, you are a radiant reflection of the Son.  For you are a chosen instrument of the Lord to carry His name before ALL.  Not just some.  The Father wants every single one of His children back with Him.  Who can He depend on, if not you, to speak His words of truth, love, peace, purpose, and the true meaning of family?  He will never ask you to do it alone.  Just like Ananias, He will give you very clear instruction.  I imagine your obedience to God’s call to action will also allow you to witness some incredible miracles.  At the end of my Walk to Emmaus weekend experience, I was presented with a cross at which time these words were spoken, “Christ is counting on you.”  At which I responded, “I’m definitely counting on Christ.”  He will not leave you or forsake you.  Trust in the goodness of Him and all He has for you. 

Bless others and be blessed. 

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscript to receive your message every Wednesday.

#BrandonLake – Just Like Heaven