http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:06:41 GMT http://bandzoogle.com http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1894781 Hello friends, Although this past week hasn't been one of my best, It has still been filled with blessings from the Lord as well as wonderful time with my family. As some of you know, my grandmother went to be with the Lord last Sunday. It was a lot tougher than I thought letting her go. Shamefully I hadn't been going to visit her as often as I used to and now I'm feeling some guilt. I keep thinking of old memories like when I would ride my bike down to her house and spend hours with her during the summer. She would always welcome me in and beg me to eat something. She usually didn't have to beg too much. I remember her saying this past Christmas that it would be her last. If I or any of my family would have really believed that I think we would have all tried to spend a lot more time with her. The wonderful thing is though is that I will get to see her again! If she had a chance to come back here, I really don't think she would. She is in glory with my granddad and our Savior! As my entire family and I sat in her hospital room and watch her take her last earthly breath, it really made me think how short life is. The Word of God says it's like a vapor, we are never promised tomorrow. My grandmother was a gentle, God - fearing Christian, and I hope and pray that my friends and family will say the same for me when my time on earth has come to an end. I write you this to say, do something great with your life. Love and serve the Lord with all your heart, mind, and strength. Make your life count for Christ, because you only get one shot at this life! God bless, Scott Although this past week hasn't been one of my best, It has still been filled with blessings from the Lord as well as wonderful time with my family. As some of you know, my grandmother went to be with the Lord last Sunday. It was a lot tougher than I thought letting her go. Shamefully I hadn't been going to visit her as often as I used to and now I'm feeling some guilt. I keep thinking of old memories like when I would ride my bike down to her house and spend hours with her during the summer. She would always welcome me in and beg me to eat something. She usually didn't have to beg too much. I remember her saying this past Christmas that it would be her last. If I or any of my family would have really believed that I think we would have all tried to spend a lot more time with her. The wonderful thing is though is that I will get to see her again! If she had a chance to come back here, I really don't think she would. She is in glory with my granddad and our Savior! As my entire family and I sat in her hospital room and watch her take her last earthly breath, it really made me think how short life is. The Word of God says it's like a vapor, we are never promised tomorrow. My grandmother was a gentle, God - fearing Christian, and I hope and pray that my friends and family will say the same for me when my time on earth has come to an end. I write you this to say, do something great with your life. Love and serve the Lord with all your heart, mind, and strength. Make your life count for Christ, because you only get one shot at this life! God bless, Scott]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:06:41 GMT 591EFA89CE523B1F7C89A812F7752511 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1733849 So many times, when we pray, we often catch ourselves asking God for this and that. But we should be thanking Him for what He has given us thus far. When bad things happen we should thank God for the good times. When a loved one dies, thank God for the time you had with them. Love your family and friends now, not tomorrow. It’s amazing what a simple text could mean to somebody. A Simple I love you, or sending the one you love some flowers. They may be $20 but you’re going to waste it on some stupid, small thing anyway. It might as well be spent on the ones you love. That old saying “you don’t know what you got until it’s gone,” was made up by folks who lost it. Then they spend every day for the rest of their life wishing they had another chance. We don’t have to wish. We just have to obey. God has certain people in our lives for specific reasons. Some people we are to learn from. And as scary as it sounds, a lot of them are to learn from us. We, as Christians, should be leaders by being followers of Christ. The way we treat the world, as well as other believers, should be a direct reflection of what’s in our heart. And the way act, it usually is. There is a term in the computer community,” garbage in, garbage out.” What we put in our heart will surely show. When we are mad at our breaking point; that is when we are tested. When we let that cuss word slip, is it okay as long as nobody hears it? God did. And when we are at our highest point and happy, who do we thank? Do we even thank anybody, or just take it in? God is the great I AM. If you want to cry on His shoulder, He is there. When you need somebody to listen, He is there. When you feel like nobody cares, He does. When God made love, you were on His mind. Live in the world but do not be of the world. Because we are not of this world, but of the One who came to save it. We, as Christians, should be leaders by being followers of Christ. The way we treat the world, as well as other believers, should be a direct reflection of what’s in our heart. And the way act, it usually is. There is a term in the computer community,” garbage in, garbage out.” What we put in our heart will surely show. When we are mad at our breaking point; that is when we are tested. When we let that cuss word slip, is it okay as long as nobody hears it? God did. And when we are at our highest point and happy, who do we thank? Do we even thank anybody, or just take it in? God is the great I AM. If you want to cry on His shoulder, He is there. When you need somebody to listen, He is there. When you feel like nobody cares, He does. When God made love, you were on His mind. Live in the world but do not be of the world. Because we are not of this world, but of the One who came to save it.
]]> Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:12:10 GMT 384707CC4033B84A14B76A444D6DF1FE http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1589731 I have found a new show on TV. It’s an old show called “Our House”. It comes on really late on INSP. Tonight I watched an episode where a lady dropped off a baby with this other lady. I got to thinking about this time last year; I would not have given a second thought to a baby. Even when Bev was pregnant I didn’t fully realize how my life would change. And you can read all the books and watch videos and take classes. Yes, they may help some but nothing compares to when that little person looks at you, and everything else just fades away. Today I was kind of stressed and just got to thinking about everything. When the weather keeps you in, your mind tends to wander. Well at least mine does. And it’s easy to forget how truly blessed we really are. It makes me think about Mary and Joseph. Did they really have a good understanding of what they were in for? Here was a newborn baby, who just happened to be Jesus! Wow we think we know what pressure is! What if Mary dropped Him? You know that went through their minds. And I also bet all the fear and worries disappeared when that baby looked up smiled at them. Love was born in a manger. And God loves all of us as his babies. He wants to care for us and make sure we have what we need. He wants to come running when we’re crying. He wants to make sure we are okay when we make little noises in our sleep. He is that hand that holds us in the middle of the night to make sure we are breathing. He cares for us like I want to care for Cooper. I want to be whatever he needs. When he cries I want to be help him so he will be happy. And when he has a full diaper I want to be the one to call Bev, lol. Bottom line is I just want what’s best for him. And God wants what’s best for us. And the best thing He ever gave us was a Savior. And that is why we have Christmas. Merry Christmas and God bless everyone. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:14:03 GMT A37E8D919CCE8816DDC134E5C8BCA57E http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1529963 At my store, I already have my Christmas decorations up. Actually, they have been for about 2 weeks and we have not even gotten to Thanksgiving yet. In a way I feel they are connected. What are we thankful for? If we were to sit down and actually count our many blessings, we would be sitting there until about March. We should make everyday our Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Veterans Day, and Fourth of July. I have a friend who decorates for every Holiday throughout the year. And I’m not talking a poster. The yard, house, and all are lit up. Isn’t every holiday important? And doesn’t it make us think about certain things that we should be thinking about all year anyway? We should love people more. We should thank our soldiers who fight for us. We should remember our friends and family other than just on their birthdays; which we would all miss if they were not posted on Facebook. There is a song by Johnny Cash called Thanksgiving Prayer. Go to YouTube and find it. It’s worth your time as long as you listen to the words. My little boy is about 2 ½ months old right now. It’s wild how in that short time I look at things totally different. When I see a baby I think about Coop and there are many other things that remind me of him. But how many times do we get up, see the sun and think about God? I mean really, we all pass at least one church a day and do we even give it a second thought? Jesus came into this messed up world, just to die. He did not come to be a carpenter. His purpose was to take our place. And that is still what He wants. If you’re carrying a heavy burden, He wants to help you carry it. When you feel like you have nowhere to turn, He is standing there with His arms open. He has been since standing there before you were born. God loves us. So this Christmas remember, Love was born in a manger. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:00:13 GMT 21238A03ACEF40DEF5CBFC1B8B1E1367 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1473271 What a day! Cooper had a doctor’s appointment. When we were in Three Way, we had a blowout. Thankfully, we were able to pull off on a side road. Well I got the spare out and all was good. I was able to get the car jacked up; still all was good. I went to put the tire tool on the lug nuts, and all was NOT good! It did not fit and there was nothing I could do. But I was thankful for the 4 guys that stopped and offered to help us. They said they saw a baby out there and could not leave a baby on the side of the road. But a guy with red, spiky hair would just have to walk, lol. Unfortunately, none of them were able to get the lug nuts off either. Not to mention the Sherriff Deputy and the State Trooper, who were unsuccessful, too. Well, the cop that stopped to help us called a tow truck. He brought a tire iron, and had it done in like 5 minutes. Somehow, we actually made it to Cooper’s doctor’s appointment on time. This got me and Bev to talking and thinking. Is it worse to know what to do and not have the right tools? Or not know what to do and have the tools the whole time? Because I could have done it if I had the tire iron. It frustrated me knowing that if I had the tire iron, I would have had it changed quicker ( not to mention cheaper). So many times in our life we have the tools. But sometimes we just choose not to use them. We, that are saved, know how we got saved. But how many times do we use our lives as a witness? Or how many times do we just look the other way? When we see a need a lot of times, we either tell ourselves that somebody else will handle it or we talk ourselves down because of things that we have done in the past. Sometimes God can use a broken person more than somebody who is on top. Hurting people want to see somebody who is real like they are. They want to know that they can get back up when they get knocked down. They need to see somebody who has been where they are. It’s not that they want everyone else to be down because they are down. They just don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. That is, until they see us. For some people we are the light. Remember in VBS, This little Christian light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. We need to burn the bushels and let it shine. So use what God has given you. Let him use you as a tool to do His will. Because even the most worn out paintbrush can be used by a master artist to make a masterpiece. So many times in our life we have the tools. But sometimes we just choose not to use them. We, that are saved, know how we got saved. But how many times do we use our lives as a witness? Or how many times do we just look the other way? When we see a need a lot of times, we either tell ourselves that somebody else will handle it or we talk ourselves down because of things that we have done in the past.
Sometimes God can use a broken person more than somebody who is on top. Hurting people want to see somebody who is real like they are. They want to know that they can get back up when they get knocked down. They need to see somebody who has been where they are. It’s not that they want everyone else to be down because they are down. They just don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. That is, until they see us. For some people we are the light. Remember in VBS, This little Christian light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. We need to burn the bushels and let it shine. So use what God has given you. Let him use you as a tool to do His will. Because even the most worn out paintbrush can be used by a master artist to make a masterpiece.
]]> Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:41:18 GMT 5EA365C56AE190DF1989993C4B26A0D3 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1437323 So it has been 8 weeks since my son, Cooper, was born. And I am not as scared as I was; I am more scared and nervous for him. I want to make sure he has all that he needs, which is a lot. I will always be concerned. I'm human; so I'm sure I will worry. But there comes a time when you just have to suck it up and pull your boots up and get over it and handle business. So many times we want to have a pity party. We don't feel good unless others feel bad. That is kind of stupid, but we do it. Why would we want to bring others down? When we do that, the devil uses it. If you're bringing everyone down, then neither you or the other people you bring down are really doing anything to build people up. But if people know you're down and they know you're not letting it affect you, that in itself is an inspiration. Because to just let God handle it shows a great deal of faith. We all know we are built to just hand over worries. It's hard and takes courage. But if we try God will meet us where we are. So next time you get down, try to let God handle it. Be an inspiration. Because your bad day smile may be the smile somebody needs. It's hard to do, but hard to ignore. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 07:57:40 GMT DB0E774E554C5F154AB3F6D13079E763 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1437322 This weekend we played at Sanford Hill Baptist Church in Henderson, TN. And God moved! There were about 10 to 12 youth that made decisions; it was awesome. As I looked up, I saw this girl raise her hand to be saved. Her mother, sitting beside her, noticed and then smiled. As the preacher asked for people to come up, the girl got up and came to the front and I saw the mother start crying. How awesome of a feeling to see your child make such an important decision. Actually, it’s the most important decision she will ever make. I could not help but think about my son Cooper. I can’t wait for the day that, he too, makes that decision and decides to follow Christ. But then it really hit me. He is not going to if he does not learn about God and His love. It is up to me, as his parent, to lead him in the right way. That’s just a little bit of pressure. As a new parent, I want to do all I can to help my son be all he can be. And I want my son to go to heaven with me. Like it or not, there are children that look up to you, whether you are their parent or not. The scariest thing anyone ever told me was that I was one of their child’s heroes. That scared me to death. As well it should have. We should not cause anyone to stumble, especially children. We must get ourselves together and get closer to God in every way possible. We should read the bible to our children, pray with them, and take them to church, not just drop them off. They look to us as examples. Children are the most honest when they are young. Don’t ask their opinion if you don’t want the truth. You’re a role model, like it or not. So this week try to get closer to Jesus, who should be our role model. Like it or not, there are children that look up to you, whether you are their parent or not. The scariest thing anyone ever told me was that I was one of their child’s heroes. That scared me to death. As well it should have. We should not cause anyone to stumble, especially children. We must get ourselves together and get closer to God in every way possible. We should read the bible to our children, pray with them, and take them to church, not just drop them off. They look to us as examples. Children are the most honest when they are young. Don’t ask their opinion if you don’t want the truth. You’re a role model, like it or not. So this week try to get closer to Jesus, who should be our role model.
]]> Thu, 27 Oct 2011 07:56:27 GMT 9035AC4D9577D9858E9FE2735EDC78A8 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1376604 So I just got done catching the tail end of a show on PBS about a horse named Seabiscut. What an inspiring story; A true underdog, or “under horse” story. This was a horse who overcame great odds, not just in racing but to just walk. His jockey, Red Pollard, also overcame odds as he all but died on the horse track. He had broken legs, more than once. But what seals the deal in this story is the last race for the pair. It was the Santa Anita and Seabiscut had never won this race despite prior attempts. To top it off, Red was really in no shape to jockey. One more accident would have crippled him. But it was said, “it’s better for a man to break his leg than break his heart.” Well making a long story short, in the last race they won. This ignited somewhat of a sunrise after the Great Depression and gave America hope again. It’s funny how hope and inspiration can come from the most random places. A simple day can turn into something amazing that can make you change the way you see everything. For example one day my wife is going into labor and the next a lil guy named Cooper changed our lives forever. Inside all of us is the power to inspire people, and the power to destroy. Our tongue is a two-edged sword and it can but used to cut chains that hold us down; or it can be used to cut the heart. The person that came up with “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” needs to be beat with a hundred sticks and hit with a rock. Words are the most powerful thing. Words have the power to build up or tear down. I have had many things said to me in my lifetime which I would have rather been punched right in the face and it would not have hurt as bad. Think before you speak. It is so easy to speak out of anger when a person makes you mad. You think if you go off on them and tell them what they are then it will make you feel better. And it very well may make you feel better for a little bit. But think about all those who saw you. Were you the bigger person or did you drop down to another level? God’s word says to turn the other cheek. I think you can get greater rewards by learning to control your mouth. So the next time you feel anger rising up in you and you want to lash out, try to think about if your giving hope and inspiration. Because you don’t know who’s watching and listening. Children learn by example. And these days my boy is where I get all my inspiration. He inspires me to be a better man, a better dad, a better Christian, just a better me. Sometimes all you have to do is simply open your eyes and look around you. More than likely you will see Gods love all around you. And that my friends, is inspiration. It’s funny how hope and inspiration can come from the most random places. A simple day can turn into something amazing that can make you change the way you see everything. For example one day my wife is going into labor and the next a lil guy named Cooper changed our lives forever.
Inside all of us is the power to inspire people, and the power to destroy. Our tongue is a two-edged sword and it can but used to cut chains that hold us down; or it can be used to cut the heart. The person that came up with “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” needs to be beat with a hundred sticks and hit with a rock. Words are the most powerful thing. Words have the power to build up or tear down. I have had many things said to me in my lifetime which I would have rather been punched right in the face and it would not have hurt as bad.
Think before you speak. It is so easy to speak out of anger when a person makes you mad. You think if you go off on them and tell them what they are then it will make you feel better. And it very well may make you feel better for a little bit. But think about all those who saw you. Were you the bigger person or did you drop down to another level? God’s word says to turn the other cheek. I think you can get greater rewards by learning to control your mouth. So the next time you feel anger rising up in you and you want to lash out, try to think about if your giving hope and inspiration. Because you don’t know who’s watching and listening. Children learn by example. And these days my boy is where I get all my inspiration. He inspires me to be a better man, a better dad, a better Christian, just a better me. Sometimes all you have to do is simply open your eyes and look around you. More than likely you will see Gods love all around you. And that my friends, is inspiration.
]]> Sat, 08 Oct 2011 09:49:42 GMT 526DFDB63840E06B54507B5818727912 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1271958 Wow, how a week can change your life and the way you look at it all! Cooper Hall Emerson was born this week. And I feel like I have been reborn. He was born on August 30th at 10:18 p.m. That day was the scariest and best day of my life. Today was our first day at home and it’s our first day as a family. I was just holding him, and praying for him. I pray that God helps me be the best dad I can be. Then I wonder what God saw in me to bless me with such a special gift. This little fella makes me look at life totally different. I can honestly say nothing else matters. All this petty, random drama that goes on in our everyday life does not matter. As soon as I look down and see him in my arms, I see the love that God has for me. I never really understood this love, and now I don’t even want to remember what it was like before. This beautiful boy is the closest thing to Heaven. When he cries, I can’t ignore him. When he smiles, I smile. And when he sleeps, I try, but catch myself up watching over him. I want to protect him from everything. I also have seen how strong Bev is and I truly understand how blessed I am to have a great wife. She is a great wife who is going to make an awesome mother. I am ashamed to say I never really understood how truly blessed I am. But I am grateful that God has blessed me beyond measure. I guess this blog is for the parents out there. And I want to say I’m happy to join the club. God has blessed us with a baby boy who has already changed the world, mine and Bev’s world. Life will never be same, and honestly, I don’t want it to be. Thu, 08 Sep 2011 06:09:25 GMT 7A238FBE67A885A92151CE390B4DCD1F http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1223362 So by now you should come to expect that I get my ideas for blogs out of some pretty random places. But just a bit ago I was lying in bed and my dog, Koffee, was snuggled up beside me. I just started thinking about how that dog really trusts me to just be able to go to sleep and know that I’m not going to let anything happen to him. I found that cool because I read some place the humans are the only living things on earth that do not listen to their instinct. An example is when I went skydiving. Try getting an animal to do that voluntarily. But it just got me thinking about trust. It is an honor if somebody trusts you. Trust comes in a few different ways. You trust your spouse with all that you are, in money, love, etc. You trust your friends that they would not stab you in the back, or steal your girl or guy. We could go on and on. What about our trust in God? We all say we love God and we want to do His will, but how many times this week have we really trusted Him. Some people don’t tithe because they are flat out scared they won’t have enough money. I have been here, a few times actually. So if we don’t trust God with our money then how is He going to use us to build us and His kingdom up? We say we trust God with our jobs, but how many times do we really pray for our boss or co-workers? We all say we are so proud to live in the good ole USA, but how many times this week has any of us prayed for our country, or our leaders? Just to let everyone know I’m looking right in the mirror on all this. I will be honest, I will check D on this one because all the above applies to this one right here. I’m not claiming to have the answers, but I know that there are some answers that only God can show us. There is so much to our God that we have not even scratched the surface. I mean, I’m about to be a Dad. That’s all God. If I am able to make it through the first year, that will totally be all God. God trusts me and you to lead others to Him by our actions and our example. If He can’t trust us with little things how can He trust us with big things. It all starts with a step. We walk the aisle to get saved with that first step out. We step out of bed every day and we have the power to move mountains before our feet ever hit the floor. God trusts us with so much. So this week, let’s show God He can trust us with something greater. And in that decision, He will make us greater. Wed, 24 Aug 2011 01:43:38 GMT 1BC24AEE3CB69A38A175E89F2C90A0E9 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1127597 So Bev and I have been going to child birth classes for the past 2 weeks. And I have to tell you, it did nothing good for my nerves. However, it did make things a lot more real for me. There were parts where I cringed, and also there was the part where I had to wear the pregnancy suit. It was weird, but it in no way let you understand what it’s like to be pregnant. I can’t speak from experience, but I know that is a lot more to it than that. The aches and pains and sleepless nights, yes, that’s what Bev has went through and I’m sure that’s not even half of it. And that’s all before the baby gets here. As I sit and listen in these classes, one thing keeps replaying in mind. I want to do everything I can to help the child. I want to be the best parent I can be. I am lucky that I have real good examples. But a lot of people are not that fortunate. And the fact of the matter is no matter how hard I try to be the best dad, I WILL mess something up. But I will fix it. I have to, because this child is going to depend on me. I heard it said once that it takes a community to raise a child. I feel good in that saying and where we live, we will be ok. In that same example I also believe that it also takes a church to raise a Christian. Yes, people can come to God and get saved. But it is up to the church to build them up and show them the right ways. It used to get on my nerves when I heard people talking negative about kids running in the halls and making noise at church. I had rather be in a loud church than in a cold, silent one with pretty carpet. I don’t care what a person has done in their past. If you’re perfect then go on and get a hand full of rocks and come on over to Rutherford and throw them at me. Because I am not perfect and if we are being honest we all deserve to get stoned to death. That’s where grace comes in to play. We have forgotten that the church is not a building; it’s the people of Christ. When we come together, we are suppose to pray for healing and the building up of each other. When somebody asks for help, don’t judge them, help them! “On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17. A few years ago some people got bent out of shape about a song Todd Agnew wrote called “My Jesus.” The song had a verse that said Jesus would prefer Beale St to the stained glass crowd. I feel that Jesus would be there trying to save that which is lost. But the sad thing is there are many churches today Jesus could find the same thing. Before I go on, I’m not preaching, I am just a guilty as anyone. I don’t do all I can do for God. I could give Him so much more. But why don’t I? I really don’t have the answer. Is it because I’m selfish? Is it because I forget? I don’t know. But what I do know is that I could be better. And I guess in a weird way that is a good thing. Because there was only one perfect person ever to walk this earth and His name is Jesus. I almost put was, but He isn’t dead. My Jesus is very much alive and if you need an example, take a look at this red headed sinner. Because it’s by His blood I am saved, and by his wounds I am healed. I don’t have to sit around and feel sorry for myself, because He has forgiven me. I don’t have to worry about tomorrow because whatever happens, God’s plan will be fulfilled. So next time you see somebody who is in need, try to remember a time when you were in need. Sometimes when you are looking for somebody to help, you usually find them in the mirror. Quit trying to do it all yourself, let God be your guide. We are weak but He is strong. In that same example I also believe that it also takes a church to raise a Christian. Yes, people can come to God and get saved. But it is up to the church to build them up and show them the right ways. It used to get on my nerves when I heard people talking negative about kids running in the halls and making noise at church. I had rather be in a loud church than in a cold, silent one with pretty carpet. I don’t care what a person has done in their past. If you’re perfect then go on and get a hand full of rocks and come on over to Rutherford and throw them at me. Because I am not perfect and if we are being honest we all deserve to get stoned to death. That’s where grace comes in to play. We have forgotten that the church is not a building; it’s the people of Christ. When we come together, we are suppose to pray for healing and the building up of each other. When somebody asks for help, don’t judge them, help them! “On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17.
A few years ago some people got bent out of shape about a song Todd Agnew wrote called “My Jesus.” The song had a verse that said Jesus would prefer Beale St to the stained glass crowd. I feel that Jesus would be there trying to save that which is lost. But the sad thing is there are many churches today Jesus could find the same thing. Before I go on, I’m not preaching, I am just a guilty as anyone. I don’t do all I can do for God. I could give Him so much more. But why don’t I? I really don’t have the answer. Is it because I’m selfish? Is it because I forget? I don’t know. But what I do know is that I could be better. And I guess in a weird way that is a good thing. Because there was only one perfect person ever to walk this earth and His name is Jesus. I almost put was, but He isn’t dead. My Jesus is very much alive and if you need an example, take a look at this red headed sinner. Because it’s by His blood I am saved, and by his wounds I am healed. I don’t have to sit around and feel sorry for myself, because He has forgiven me. I don’t have to worry about tomorrow because whatever happens, God’s plan will be fulfilled. So next time you see somebody who is in need, try to remember a time when you were in need. Sometimes when you are looking for somebody to help, you usually find them in the mirror. Quit trying to do it all yourself, let God be your guide. We are weak but He is strong.

]]> Mon, 25 Jul 2011 07:20:28 GMT EEE650CEB3F8CC578B9CE532329335E5 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1080867 When I was in school, I hated taking tests. But if I had to take one, I would have rather it been multiple choice. At least then I knew that I at least had a 25% chance of getting it right. The answer was right there, sometimes I knew it, and other times I would just pick C. I was not an honor student, and I failed a few tests. But I passed in the end. The thing is I did not have all the answers and to this day I still don’t have them. But what I do have is peace. One big thing I feel that we must learn in life to have peace, is that we will make wrong choices, and we will get in a bind. We will feel like the world is crashing down upon us, and sometimes it really will be. BUT, we will get through it and there is a better day ahead. Sometimes the decisions we make are not as important as the way we act afterwards. We have to have the backbone so when make bad decisions we own up to it. Then learn from it and move on. I have a saying when I drive, do it or don't. It means either go or don't go. That is our choice, but we have to pick one. Many decisions we make affect others. I have had the honor of serving as an alderman for the Town of Rutherford for the past 3 years. And I have learned a lot. I have had to make some hard decisions. But no matter how good or bad, I have always backed it up. I do what I feel in my heart is right. We don't always agree on the board, but we are all there for the same purpose. We want to make our town better. As Christians we must be that way towards God. We need to build each other up because our goal should be to be an example to a lost world. We all may not agree on the style of music, power point vs hymnals, or who cooks what at the Sunday dinner. But we must realize that we all have the same goal. And that is to make this world we live in a better place, by reaching the lost and loving them. Not just to get them to come to church and then never talk to them again. It's the same with a flower or a plant. You can't just get it once and dump a gallon of water on it and expect it to live. You have to take care of it. And we need to take better care of new christians. They need us, because it's scary when you get saved. You are wondering what now? So I think we need to go back and remember what it was like, and help build them up. If somebody comes in cussing or has vulgar or revealing clothes on, don't get your sling shot out and start throwing stones. Because you don't know if that is the only clothes they have. Get them a gift, like a shirt or a longer dress. Don't just sit back and talk about them problem, try to fix it. Because there are more than enough people in the world who are willing to talk about somebody and tear them apart. The church is suppose to be there to life people up. saul2paul was in a competition about 3 weeks ago. Christian contests are a funny thing. We are all there to lift up praises to God. We all want to win. Well the thing is, we are all on the same team. It is very easy to get discouraged when you lose. But just because you lose the contest does not mean that you have failed. God has each of us where we need to be; when we need to be there. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven" One big thing I feel that we must learn in life to have peace, is that we will make wrong choices, and we will get in a bind. We will feel like the world is crashing down upon us, and sometimes it really will be. BUT, we will get through it and there is a better day ahead. Sometimes the decisions we make are not as important as the way we act afterwards. We have to have the backbone so when make bad decisions we own up to it. Then learn from it and move on. I have a saying when I drive, do it or don't. It means either go or don't go. That is our choice, but we have to pick one.
Many decisions we make affect others. I have had the honor of serving as an alderman for the Town of Rutherford for the past 3 years. And I have learned a lot. I have had to make some hard decisions. But no matter how good or bad, I have always backed it up. I do what I feel in my heart is right. We don't always agree on the board, but we are all there for the same purpose. We want to make our town better.
As Christians we must be that way towards God. We need to build each other up because our goal should be to be an example to a lost world. We all may not agree on the style of music, power point vs hymnals, or who cooks what at the Sunday dinner. But we must realize that we all have the same goal. And that is to make this world we live in a better place, by reaching the lost and loving them. Not just to get them to come to church and then never talk to them again. It's the same with a flower or a plant. You can't just get it once and dump a gallon of water on it and expect it to live. You have to take care of it. And we need to take better care of new christians. They need us, because it's scary when you get saved. You are wondering what now? So I think we need to go back and remember what it was like, and help build them up. If somebody comes in cussing or has vulgar or revealing clothes on, don't get your sling shot out and start throwing stones. Because you don't know if that is the only clothes they have. Get them a gift, like a shirt or a longer dress. Don't just sit back and talk about them problem, try to fix it. Because there are more than enough people in the world who are willing to talk about somebody and tear them apart. The church is suppose to be there to life people up.
saul2paul was in a competition about 3 weeks ago. Christian contests are a funny thing. We are all there to lift up praises to God. We all want to win. Well the thing is, we are all on the same team. It is very easy to get discouraged when you lose. But just because you lose the contest does not mean that you have failed. God has each of us where we need to be; when we need to be there. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven"



]]> Mon, 04 Jul 2011 22:46:34 GMT D799453B645BCFC8EB64444CA561DDB8 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1073788 We are blessed to have had the chance to worship with the youth at FBC Adamsville last week. And I don’t say worship as a noun; I say it as a verb. The youth there make me remember again why we do what we do. They put their heart and soul into each song they sing. They don’t hold back. And it is really uplifting to me. Unfortunately it seems that so many times when we play, the crowd is just standing there looking at us. They clap, but not too many appear as though they are, really, really, worshiping. And I feel that a lot of us have forgotten what it is to worship. Going to church is not worship. Listening to Christian music is not worship. Playing in a Christian band is not worship. Worship is when you put all of your being into living for God. Same way that a simple walk down the aisle or a dive in some water doesn’t make you saved. Worship starts in your heart and overflows out into the world. We all need to really take a look at ourselves and ask what we can do better. The first question we could ask is how much time did I give God today. We give work 8 hours or more, our family usually about 3, the TV or internet about 5, and then we sleep 8 hours, lol, maybe. But then where is God’s time? We all make a point to get to work, or we make a point to check our Facebook. But how many times do we make a point to just tell God we love Him? Those youth are doing something right, and I’m going to make a point to pray for them because honestly I have been there. I have been on fire for God; then I get around other folks who are not as on fire. They are more like a small flashlight bulb. Inevitably, I slowly let my fire die down to more of a smoke. Every now and then I get a spark going, but then something brings me down. If we want to stay on fire, we first need to pray for those around us. If those around you are on fire, you will catch fire as well. I guess the point I’m trying to make is that the people around you greatly impact who you are. If you’re hanging out with lukewarm church folk, then you’re going to end up frozen and stuck where you are. But if you’re standing in the fire, then God will meet you. He will meet you, just as He met those 3 guys who got thrown in the furnace. There may have only been three thrown in, but when they got up off their knees they saw the 4th Man in the fire. Sometimes God does not save you from the fire. He saves you in it. Happy 4th everybody. ]]> Fri, 01 Jul 2011 04:20:00 GMT 741E935F0DD135B37CC24DAF034E1C0D http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=1011490 Why is something dark? Because it has no light. What makes something hot? Because it is not cold. The point is one needs the other to make sense, or even exist. That's the same way with you and this world we live in. You are here for a purpose and somebody needs you. Many times we don't know who needs us until it's too late, and some of us will never know until we get to heaven how many people needed us. We need to keep that in mind when we deal with people. A couple Saturdays ago, some people thought that the world was going to end. Well everyday the world ends for people,they die and either go to heaven or hell. We really need to live every day like it's our last. We may not have a second chance to tell those we love how we feel. We may not have a chance to ask for forgiveness. We need to take every chance we can to love people. Remember the golden rule. We need to live by it. People are always watching you. Some want you to fall flat on your face. Some want to see you fly high. Others may actually want to be like you, scratches, dents, scars and all. When you have a scar, it means you lived through it. So that means that this world needs you. God has you here for a purpose, it may not be to cure cancer, but to somebody you're the cure for what they're going through. You are the most important person in the world, because God may use just you to move mountains. Without Him we are nothing, but with Him, we can do anything.
]]> Sat, 04 Jun 2011 22:27:35 GMT DCAF87B39F52AF228BD3664BFFD45737 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=908778 So, we found out a week ago today that our baby is a baby boy! That’s awesome and I’m so excited, and so scared. I know it will be up to us to mold this baby into a man. But how do you mold a person into an adult? And what do you do to ensure that you don’t fail? All these questions and about a billion more ran through my head within minutes of the ultrasound. So many times we are faced with an overwhelming amount of questions. And we usually look to our friends for help. Most of the time they can help us; but what about those times when they can’t? What do you do? I start to get down when I feel that I try and try for something only to see it, or me, fail. There is no easy way to say it, but it’s hard sometimes, for no good reason at all! But then, in that moment when you’re free falling and there is nothing for you to reach out and grab on to, God grabs you! And when you in His hands you feel the power that is in you, around you, and that is holding you. He’s got the whole world in His hands. So just remember when you find yourself in that moment, He sent His Son to die for you. You are the world in His hands. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:23:27 GMT 0F9FDD5FC3E2C229DC1F87C59DAFFE22 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=868408 When I was a child, after I actually understood what death was. I was scared of it. There were nights when I used to try to stay awake because I did not want to go to sleep and never wake up. But as I got older it started to scare me even more. But then I got saved, and the fear was gone. Since that time I have known a few people that have went on. The one thing that I try to think about it is where they are now. If we truly understood where our loved ones were going, we would not shed a tear. We would know that where they are now is so much better than our best day here on earth. Then we could go to sleep at night and know they made it home. As parents, we want to give our children everything. Our child is not even here yet and I still want to do all I can for this child. But many of us do not have millions of dollars to give. We don't have all the riches of the world. But we have something better; we can give them Jesus, Who is better than all the gold in this world. I remember when I first got saved, God started protecting me. Because I went home and told my mom she was going to hell if she did not get saved. Now picture that your child, who is a freshman, walks in your kitchen and tells you that you're going to hell. If it was not for The Holy Spirit, I would have had a brand new set of false teeth. I loved my mother and I did not want to think about her going to hell and me going to heaven without her. God used that to save my whole family. I think that is when I started looking at death different. Because I understood that once a person has died, they are gone. If there was anything that you wanted to say to them, well, you missed your chance. So I guess that is why in my life I try to tell every friend and every family member how much I truly love them while they are still here. Many of life's lessons come form hard times. We think were are grown. Then the next thing we know, it's ten years later and we look back to realize how stupid we really were. And with time, we learn a few lessons about prayer. We tend to only pray when things are going bad, or when we need Him. Sometimes when we pray for things, God does it right then. But we have to be willing to go through the valley to get to the mountain. It might take 20 years to come full circle, but if we put in the work God will bless us. God is like our GPS. He know where we are and where we want to go. AND He knows how to get us there, all we need to do is follow. We will make wrong turns along the way. Then He will say "recalculating" and get us back on track. We must learn that sometimes we need to humble ourselves and take 3 steps back, to go 10 steps forward. We can't really appreciate how great it is to be UP if we have never been down. So this week tell those you love that you love them. Forgive that person who has wronged you. Take back that power they have over your. And use that power to help somebody who really needs help. Because there is always somebody worse off than we are. Maybe not on the outside, but on the inside. And when you have done all this and you lay your head down to rest tonight, thank God for what He is going to do in your life tomorrow. As parents, we want to give our children everything. Our child is not even here yet and I still want to do all I can for this child. But many of us do not have millions of dollars to give. We don't have all the riches of the world. But we have something better; we can give them Jesus, Who is better than all the gold in this world. I remember when I first got saved, God started protecting me. Because I went home and told my mom she was going to hell if she did not get saved. Now picture that your child, who is a freshman, walks in your kitchen and tells you that you're going to hell. If it was not for The Holy Spirit, I would have had a brand new set of false teeth. I loved my mother and I did not want to think about her going to hell and me going to heaven without her. God used that to save my whole family. I think that is when I started looking at death different. Because I understood that once a person has died, they are gone. If there was anything that you wanted to say to them, well, you missed your chance. So I guess that is why in my life I try to tell every friend and every family member how much I truly love them while they are still here.
Many of life's lessons come form hard times. We think were are grown. Then the next thing we know, it's ten years later and we look back to realize how stupid we really were. And with time, we learn a few lessons about prayer. We tend to only pray when things are going bad, or when we need Him. Sometimes when we pray for things, God does it right then. But we have to be willing to go through the valley to get to the mountain. It might take 20 years to come full circle, but if we put in the work God will bless us. God is like our GPS. He know where we are and where we want to go. AND He knows how to get us there, all we need to do is follow. We will make wrong turns along the way. Then He will say "recalculating" and get us back on track. We must learn that sometimes we need to humble ourselves and take 3 steps back, to go 10 steps forward. We can't really appreciate how great it is to be UP if we have never been down.
So this week tell those you love that you love them. Forgive that person who has wronged you. Take back that power they have over your. And use that power to help somebody who really needs help. Because there is always somebody worse off than we are. Maybe not on the outside, but on the inside. And when you have done all this and you lay your head down to rest tonight, thank God for what He is going to do in your life tomorrow.

]]> Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:11:13 GMT 7F587DC4FE3B8345F0CD80089548A231 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=846799 The past couple of weeks have been crazy. There have been some really awesome moments, some really bad moments, and some moments that have made me very mad. Some of those things I could help, but others I could not. Not to get into a debate or anything, but it seems that when you are in public office you might as well work at Target, because you have one on your back every day. And every now and then people decide to start shooting at you. Well, people have been hitting the bull’s eye here lately. Sometimes I have just sat here and wondered what’s the point? Does anyone even care that I’m going through this mess to help them? That’s been the worst part of the week in a nutshell. However, there have been awesome moments like this past Tuesday. Bev volunteered this week to be a test subject at Birth Choice in Trenton. Don’t worry they did not inject our baby with anything to make it a super baby. He or she will be that on their own. They were training on the new ultrasound machine, so we got the chance to see our baby for about an hour. It was awesome. I mean the baby was just waving and moving all over the place. It was a great time because it was not just a baby in my wife’s belly, it was also on the TV and we could see it. We did not get to find out what the gender of the baby yet , but we will find out April 7th (hopefully) so that’s not too far away. God used that trip to put an awesome lady in my path, Ms. Shari Richard, RDMS. She has an awesome testimony and a website www.unborn.com, check it out. We talked about hopefully getting together and doing some ministry opportunities. All the ladies at Birth Choice were awesome and really made us feel like friends. Well, I guess we are now, lol. Wednesday night we went with our church to see the movie Grace Card. It was one of the best movies I have ever seen. Each one of you needs to go see it. I fully endorse it, lol. But one part of the movie that really hit me was not even about the movie. At one point a Toby Mac song came on and a bunch of the kids started singing along. And it really hit me at that time and reminded me what our ministry of saul2paul is all about. It was a great night. Then Thursday night we had the honor of playing at an FCA event at Medina Middle School. It was amazing! Those kids were really worshipping. They were not just there to hang out and just stand there. They were lifting their hands and singing. It was great. During invitation, this young man came down and got saved. It was amazing because just one came down then 2, then 3, then 5. They were all coming down to support this guy. It brought tears to my eyes because I know the he will need that support. Heck we all need that kind of support. In that moment all the stupid junk that was on my mind slipped away and I was reminded of what is important. All this other stuff will pass away. Yes, you will get ticked off and probably want to go off on somebody this week. Some of us probably will, lol. Yes, you will have days that make you wish you had never gotten out of bed. And many of us will have a million questions this week; questions for God, friend, and family. But regardless of what’s going on in your life, God is the One who does not move. God is where you are and what you need Him to be. So this week when God asks you to walk through the fires in your life, just know He is not watching you. He is right there holding your hand. Then Thursday night we had the honor of playing at an FCA event at Medina Middle School. It was amazing! Those kids were really worshipping. They were not just there to hang out and just stand there. They were lifting their hands and singing. It was great. During invitation, this young man came down and got saved. It was amazing because just one came down then 2, then 3, then 5. They were all coming down to support this guy. It brought tears to my eyes because I know the he will need that support. Heck we all need that kind of support.
In that moment all the stupid junk that was on my mind slipped away and I was reminded of what is important. All this other stuff will pass away. Yes, you will get ticked off and probably want to go off on somebody this week. Some of us probably will, lol. Yes, you will have days that make you wish you had never gotten out of bed. And many of us will have a million questions this week; questions for God, friend, and family. But regardless of what’s going on in your life, God is the One who does not move. God is where you are and what you need Him to be. So this week when God asks you to walk through the fires in your life, just know He is not watching you. He is right there holding your hand.
]]> Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:15:26 GMT 4EA3E35CB4F6BD8B0B588FC923106203 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=828997 The other night the thought of turning 30 and becoming a father hit me like a mack truck. In my head it seemed just like yesterday I was playing my tuba in a field show at GCHS. Back then thirty seemed so far away and me being a father was just crazy. But sooner or later it gets real. I'm sure the father part has not really even hit me yet. I think the other night was a small tremor. I think when we get to see the next ultrasound and find out what we are having, it will hit me again. Just being 30 makes you step back and look at your life. There are times when we are not happy with where we are in our life. We feel that we should be doing better or doing something totally different. The wild part of it all is right now my wife is carring a baby, and right know God already knows where that child will be when he or she is 30. So that means that even if we are not where we want to be in life, we may still be where God needs us to be to fulfill his plan. Yes, there are valleys. And yes, there are mountains, there is also mud you get stuck in, and there are rivers that you have to swim up stream. But I would bet that if you were able to call somebody up in heaven, they would tell you that it is all worth it. This life is just a flicker in eternity. We are all scared, little children and the Father is watching us, protecting us, and giving us the strength to go from day to day. Oh, how He loves us! Take time to talk to God today. Because he has had His hand on you since before you were born. Now that phrase is real to me. I pray God opens your eyes and makes it real to you as well. Love you guys!
The wild part of it all is right now my wife is carring a baby, and right know God already knows where that child will be when he or she is 30. So that means that even if we are not where we want to be in life, we may still be where God needs us to be to fulfill his plan. Yes, there are valleys. And yes, there are mountains, there is
also mud you get stuck in, and there are rivers that you have to swim up stream. But I would bet that if you were able to call somebody up in heaven, they would tell you that it is all worth it. This life is just a flicker in eternity. We are all scared, little children and the Father is watching us, protecting us, and giving us the
strength to go from day to day. Oh, how He loves us! Take time to talk to God today. Because he has had His hand on you since before you were born. Now that phrase is real to me. I pray God opens your eyes and makes it real to you as well. Love you guys!

]]> Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:05:59 GMT DBD3C16C78165E32F87D5B16476B2324 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=763660 Have you ever seen that magic trick where they bury somebody alive? I always thought that was one of the most stupid acts ever. A few weekends ago I kind of had a better understanding of it. My dad and I were working on a floor, replacing some floor joists. I had to crawl under the floor to take the old ones out and then put the new ones in. At one point my dad had to go get something, leaving me lying under the floor where it was cold and dark. But strangely enough, it was peaceful at the same time. But then my dad started hammering nails into the beam. He missed one and it was weird being under there seeing nails come through the floor. But we got the job done and I guess now I can chalk that up to construction experience. Then a few days later, we hung some sheetrock. My mother and I worked our tails off trying to get it up there right. Unfortunately, we are going to have to use a lot of mud. But I guess that is why they make it. We often feel trapped or buried alive when we start to think about everything we have going on. We wonder where the next meal is going to come from. We feel helpless when a loved one is sick and there is nothing we can do. And when you’re down, there is usually a nail that comes through the floor and makes things worse. We want to just lay there under the floor and hide. But at some point we decide to get out of the hole and just by doing that is a reason to celebrate. It takes a lot to get up out of the hole. Yes, you may still be standing knee deep in it, but at least it is not over your head. Sometimes you need to use some sheetrock mud to fill in the holes, because your work will not always be perfect. For me, that is the beauty of it. As I walked around Lowes the other day, I noticed all the products they have to fix stuff. I have become a believer in Great Stuff. It's this foam sealer and you fill in holes to keep cold air from getting through. There are about 352 other items that are used to help fix imperfections. We all need to be patched up from time to time. It does not make us any less of a person, it simply makes us human. We suffer from depression, addictions, our past, stress, and a whole list of other things. But when we get broken, God is the fix. He is the one that patches us up again. God knows what we are each capable of because He gave us the potential. We just have to use it. So let God patch you up and seal up the holes in your heart. We often feel trapped or buried alive when we start to think about everything we have going on. We wonder where the next meal is going to come from. We feel helpless when a loved one is sick and there is nothing we can do. And when you’re down, there is usually a nail that comes through the floor and makes things worse. We want to just lay there under the floor and hide. But at some point we decide to get out of the hole and just by doing that is a reason to celebrate. It takes a lot to get up out of the hole. Yes, you may still be standing knee deep in it, but at least it is not over your head. Sometimes you need to use some sheetrock mud to fill in the holes, because your work will not always be perfect. For me, that is the beauty of it. As I walked around Lowes the other day, I noticed all the products they have to fix stuff. I have become a believer in Great Stuff. It's this foam sealer and you fill in holes to keep cold air from getting through. There are about 352 other items that are used to help fix imperfections.
We all need to be patched up from time to time. It does not make us any less of a person, it simply makes us human. We suffer from depression, addictions, our past, stress, and a whole list of other things. But when we get broken, God is the fix. He is the one that patches us up again. God knows what we are each capable of because He gave us the potential. We just have to use it.
So let God patch you up and seal up the holes in your heart.
]]> Sun, 13 Feb 2011 23:00:30 GMT 970BCBEA32FBDDAA0B2F7CB4B2A3C282 http://saul2paul.org/home.cfm?feature=1157938&postid=729758 Who is watching you? Is it your parents, kids, friends, or your dog. Everyday of your life you impact people. Some for good reasons and others for bad. But even good people have bad days. And those who know you and see who you really can tell who you really are. We understand that people look up to us as a band. But we do not want people to look up to us because we are a band, we want to be looked up to as strong christians, first and foremost. I started thinking about all this a few weeks ago when I found out my wife was going to have a baby. Yes, I'm gonna to be a dad. I'm scared to death, but last week something a 3rd grader said about me and Bev brought tears to our eyes. When his mother told him that we were going to have a baby, he just started jumping up and down and got really excited. His mother asked why he was so excited. He told her that means that's going to be one more person that loves the Lord. He said that because as much as Dusty and Bev love the Lord, the baby is going love Him, too. I didn't share that to brag and say we are better, because we are far from perfect. Well I am anyway, Bev is pretty dang close because she puts up with me, lol. The thing is by the way we live our lives, people judge us by our fruits. And that in itself is scary and humbling at the same time. I have bad days, I'm human. And God loves me just as much on a bad day as He does when I'm helping lead worship. There is no measure of how much God loves you or me. He loves both of us from nail scarred hand to nail scarred hand. And God knows that we are going to mess up along the way. But God is the only one who can turn the bad into good. He takes our mistakes and turns them into opportunities. By you living your life from day to day, people will see that you're not perfect. Yes, they will see you mess up. Yes, they will hear you let a cuss word slip. Yes, they will get mad at you sometimes. And yes, they will see a not-so-perfect person made whole by a perfect God. A God who loves you and them. The ones around you will see that you're still trying, and that your walking with your head held high. Despite all the times you have failed, you still have the strength to get back up and walk into the fire again. God will never give up on you. We just have have to learn not to give up on ourselves. And then we can live this verse Jesus said to us, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Who is watching you? Is it your parents, kids, friends, or your dog. Everyday of your life you impact people. Some for good reasons and others for bad. But even good people have bad days. And those who know you and see who you really can tell who you really are. We understand that people look up to us as a band. But we do not want people to look up to us because we are a band, we want to be looked up to as strong christians, first and foremost. I started thinking about all this a few weeks ago when I found out my wife was going to have a baby. Yes, I'm gonna to be a dad. I'm scared to death, but last week something a 3rd grader said about me and Bev brought tears to our eyes. When his mother told him that we were going to have a baby, he just started jumping up and down and got really excited. His mother asked why he was so excited. He told her that means that's going to be one more person that loves the Lord. He said that because as much as Dusty and Bev love the Lord, the baby is going love Him, too. I didn't share that to brag and say we are better, because we are far from perfect. Well I am anyway, Bev is pretty dang close because she puts up with me, lol. The thing is by the way we live our lives, people judge us by our fruits. And that in itself is scary and humbling at the same time. I have bad days, I'm human. And God loves me just as much on a bad day as He does when I'm helping lead worship. There is no measure of how much God loves you or me. He loves both of us from nail scarred hand to nail scarred hand. And God knows that we are going to mess up along the way. But God is the only one who can turn the bad into good. He takes our mistakes and turns them into opportunities. By you living your life from day to day, people will see that you're not perfect. Yes, they will see you mess up. Yes, they will hear you let a cuss word slip. Yes, they will get mad at you sometimes. And yes, they will see a not-so-perfect person made whole by a perfect God. A God who loves you and them. The ones around you will see that you're still trying, and that your walking with your head held high. Despite all the times you have failed, you still have the strength to get back up and walk into the fire again. God will never give up on you. We just have have to learn not to give up on ourselves. And then we can live this verse Jesus said to us, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
]]> Sat, 29 Jan 2011 04:24:58 GMT E57B6667763141A083D175487A78E1F4