If you will ask

Denver granddaughters, the Keister young ladies.

Theresa and I are enjoying a snowy Christmas in Denver wiwth Fletcher, Jennifer and girls.

Just finished reading "If You Will Ask" by Oswald Chambers - a challenging short book on prayer. Cost me six cents on Amazon (plus shipping).

Some interesting tidbits:
When a man is born from above, the life of the Son of God begins in him, and he can either starve that life or nourish it. Prayer nourishes the life of God.

Prayer to Him is not a way to get things from God, but so that we may get to know God... the very presence of God.

It is not cowardly to pray when we are at our wits end; it is the only way to get in touch with reality. As long as we are self-sufficient and complacent, we don't need to ask God for anything; we don't want Him. It is only when we know we are powerless that we are prepared to listen to Jesus Christ and do what He says.

The whole meaning of prayer is that we get to know God. May that be a greater desire on our parts for next yer.

Love - fall, lose or build

"People don't fall out of love. In reality, their love cools as other things gradually take priority and focus." I was caught by these words of Byron Paulus, Executive Director of "Spirit of Revival."

Paulus continued with, "Then one day they realize that there's no real connection, nor real relationship that feels worth preserving."

I would add to his challenging statement. Lost love can also happen through the escalation of disappointments, hurts and resentments - toward our wife, closest friend or even to God.

We're left with the question: have I, have you, left our first love with Jesus? You and I are makng daily choices that are leading us toward or away from intimacy with HIm. The same for those of us who are married. Daily we make choices to either focus on expressing love and appreciation to him/her or we focus elsewhere.

I stand challenged. Do you? BE back with you after New Year's. Go Boise State Broncos and "Roll Tide" Alabama.

Latest news on Paige

We prayed for Paige, a precious 14-year-old friend of ours with thyroid cancer. Here is the latest report.

"We just returned from the surgeon's office and received the best news we could've HOPED for...Paige is cancer free!!! Although the tumor was bigger, the actual part of it that was cancer was only 4 mm. They removed ten lymph nodes along with the entire Thyroid. All the cancer was confined to that one growth. That means she will NOT need the Radioactive Iodine.

She can return to normal activity including basketball on Monday. Unfortunately, they did remove one of her Parathyroids during surgery. We are hoping that her other half that is left will produce enough calcium. She will have her level tested tomorrow and more than likely will be on a small dose of calcium along with her Thyroid replacement for the rest of her life. But, that's okay...the cancer is gone! We will meet with her Endocrinologist in early January. She will monitor Paige going forward.

We can all breath a huge sigh of relief and now enjoy our Christmas. This is truly the best gift Jeff and I could've wished for.

Thank you all again for everything you have done to pull us through this. We couldn't have done it without you.

With love and HOPE, Kaycee

MONEY 2

No particular reason for this picture. Just thought it was grossly cute.

Part two of a two part series: A Guest Editorial from Our Heavenly Father by Austin Pryor in Soundmind Investing.

It's true that hard times deter some from giving. They take their eyes off of me and become fearful they won't have enough for themselves. I understand this, and I never want you to give more than you really want to. Cheerful givers are the ones I prize.

If you are really eager to give, then it isn't important how much you have to give. I want you to give what you have, not what you haven't. But giving from your scarcity is one way to prove that your love for me is real, that your trust in me goes beyond mere words.

Jesus is your model. You know how full of love and kindness he was: though he was so very rich, yet to help you he became so very poor, so that by being poor he could make you rich.
And this gets me to the heart of the matter: Jesus is not only your model, he's your true security and treasure. It is out of my glorious riches in Jesus that I have committed myself to supplying all your needs.

I have blessed you with every blessing in heaven because you belong to Jesus. Long ago, even before I made the world, I chose you to be my very own through what Jesus would do for you. I decided then to make you holy in my eyes, without a single fault.
My unchanging plan had always been to adopt you into my own family by sending Jesus to die for you. And he did this because he wanted to!

So I ask — what do you say in response to this? If I am for you, who can be against you? What are your light and momentary problems in comparison to such blessings?
I want your hearts to be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future I have called you to share! And that you will begin to understand how incredibly great is my power to help those who believe in my promises.

May your roots go down deep into the soil of my marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand how long, how wide, how deep, and how high my love for you truly is!
So, take heart. You can come fearlessly right into my presence, assured of a glad welcome. Know that my mighty power is at work within you and for you, and is able to do far more than you would ever dare to ask or even dream of — infinitely beyond your highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.

I am on your side — today, tomorrow, and forever!
Your Heavenly Father

This letter is based on verses from The Living Bible.
[2] 1 Peter 5:7 [3] 1 Peter 1:7 [4] Matt 6:25-34 [5] 2 Cor 1:20 [6] Psalm 24:1, 1 Tim 6:17 [7] 2 Cor 9:8 [8] 1 Tim 6:18 [9] Phil 4:18 [10] 2 Cor 9:10 [11] 2 Cor 9:11 [12] 2 Cor 9:13-14 [13] 1 Tim 6:19

[14] 2 Cor 9:7 [15] 2 Cor 8:12 [16] 2 Cor 8:8 [17] 2 Cor 8:9 [18] Phil 4:19 [19] Eph 1:3-4 [20] Eph 1:5 [21] Rom 8:31 [22] 2 Cor 4:17 [23] Eph 1:18-19 [24] Eph 3:17-18 [25] Eph 3:12 [26] Eph 3:20

MONEY

Barron Olaf Burwick is one years old


Austin Pryor, publisher of Sound Mind Investing, wrote an article as if it were A Guest Editorial from Our Heavenly Father
My dear children, blessings and peace be yours!
I know many of you are discouraged by financial matters. Your concerns are my concerns, because I care for you so dearly. I want to encourage your faith, which is so very precious to me, during these trying times.

First, you know that you have my personal promise to provide for you as you rest in me. And you know I always keep my promises! After all, everything in all the world is mine, so economic cycles never hinder my ability to richly provide.

In fact, I enjoy giving you even more than you need so that you will have plenty left over to give joyfully to others. I delight in my children who are rich in good works, who give happily to those in need, always ready to share with others whatever I have given them. Such gifts are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is highly pleasing to me.

Just as I give seed to the farmer to plant, and later on good crops to harvest and eat, so I will give you more and more seed to plant and will make it grow so that you can give away more and more fruit from your harvest.
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Those who receive your gifts will break out into thanksgiving and praise to me for your help. In this way, your generosity brings glory to me! And that's not all — they will pray for you with deep fervor and feeling because of the wonderful grace I have shown them through you.

It's for your sake that I remind you of this. By your generosity, you will be storing up real treasure for yourselves in heaven — it's the only safe investment for eternity!

God speaks

God speaks through the Scriptures to us today. It is exciting when one senses God speaking in that still quiet inner voice. But His “normal” way of communicating with His children is through the Bible. I like Glyn Evans’s thoughts on the subject.

“Jesus called the words of the Bible ‘life’ (John 6:33), and Peter called them ‘seed’ (1 Peter 1:23-25). The Word of God is seed that contains the life princiiple of God Himself, and when that Word is read, digested and obeyed, it manifests itself in a living reproduction of God, just as the seed will manifest itself again the the new plant. The Bible is not history, biography or anthology; it is God’s life in the crystalline form of words that, when read and obeyed, releases that life for the benefit and blessing of the reader.

“The Bible is food (Deuteronomy 8:3) and food is nothing more than the chemical continuation of life. Unless the Holy Spirit has food to give me, He cannot maintain the level of spiritual life in me that He desires. That is n why He pleads with me not to live off experience, service, ritual, dogma, or fellowship, but to live off the Word, which alone carries the capability of sustaining my spiritual life.”

Question: do you and I read the Word as a ritual exercisde of do we read it as one searching for a love message?

Response to Prayer For Paige

Thanks for praying for Paige. Surgery was successful. Cancer was removed from her thyroid; a lymph node removed and they are hoping the parathyroid was not damaged, which apparently would cause a calcium problem. Her calcium count was a little low this morning.
So continued prayer for her safe recovery, for the parathyroid to function and that her voice will do well. And for her parents - Jeff and Kaycee, for strength.

Prayer for Paige

Please pray for Paige. She is a beautiful 14-year-old friend of ours who is prepping right now for thyroid cancer surgery. Pray for wisdom for the doctors. Pray for her parents that this will deepen their walk with God. Pray that Paige, who just a couple weeks ago, drew a picture of her hands placed in God's hands (not knowing she had cancer), will see God's hand at work in her life even through cancer. Thanks for praying. I'll let you know the (visible) outcome.

Anger

Coach Renta and Conference Player of the Week - Brian Barkdoll

What is your anger score? I was asked this week to administer an anger measurement test to an occupant of the Lighthouse Mission. Upon googling it I came across William Snell's tool. For kicks I thought I'd share it with you for your perusal. If you take the test, PLEASE BE HONEST IN RESPONDING TO THE STATEMENTS.
________________________________________
1.
A. I do not feel angry.
B. I feel angry.
C. I am angry most of the time now.
D. I am so angry and hostile all the time that I can't stand it.
2.
A. I am not particularly angry about my future.
B. When I think about my future, I feel angry.
C. I feel angry about what I have to look forward to.
D. I feel intensely angry about my future, since it cannot be improved.
3.
A. It makes me angry that I feel like such a failure.
B. It makes me angry that I have failed more than the average person.
C. As I look back on my life, I feel angry about my failures.
D. It makes me angry to feel like a complete failure as a person.
4.
A. I am not all that angry about things.
B. I am becoming more hostile about things than I used to be.
C. I am pretty angry about things these days.
D. I am angry and hostile about everything.
5.
A. I don't feel particularly hostile at others.
B. I feel hostile a good deal of the time.
C. I feel quite hostile most of the time.
D. I feel hostile all of the time.
6.
A. I don't feel that others are trying to annoy me.
B. At times I think people are trying to annoy me.
C. More people than usual are beginning to make me feel angry.
D. I feel that others are constantly and intentionally making me angry.
7.
A. I don't feel angry when I think about myself.
B. I feel more angry about myself these days than I used to.
C. I feel angry about myself a good deal of the time.
D. When I think about myself, I feel intense anger.
8.
A. I don't have angry feelings about others having screwed up my life.
B. It's beginning to make me angry that others are screwing up my life.
C. I feel angry that others prevent me from having a good life.
D. I am constantly angry because others have made my life totally miserable.
9.
A. I don't feel angry enough to hurt someone.
B. Sometimes I am so angry that I feel like hurting others, but I would not really do it.
C. My anger is so intense that I sometimes feel like hurting others.
D. I'm so angry that I would like to hurt someone.
10.
A. I don't shout at people any more than usual.
B. I shout at others more now than I used to.
C. I shout at people all the time now.
D. I shout at others so often that sometimes I just can't stop.
11.
A. Things are not more irritating to me now than usual.
B. I feel slightly more irritated now than usual.
C. I feel irritated a good deal of the time.
D. I'm irritated all the time now.
12.
A. My anger does not interfere with my interest in other people.
B. My anger sometimes interferes with my interest in others.
C. I am becoming so angry that I don't want to be around others.
D. I'm so angry that I can't stand being around people.
13.
A. I don't have any persistent angry feelings that influence my ability to make decisions.
B. My feelings of anger occasionally undermine my ability to make decisions.
C. I am angry to the extent that it interferes with my making good decisions.
D. I'm so angry that I can't make good decisions anymore.
14.
A. I'm not so angry and hostile that others dislike me.
B. People sometimes dislike being around me since I become angry.
C. More often than not, people stay away from me because I'm so hostile and angry.
D. People don't like me anymore because I'm constantly angry all the time.
15.
A. My feelings of anger do not interfere with my work.
B. From time to time my feelings of anger interfere with my work.
C. I feel so angry that it interferes with my capacity to work.
D. My feelings of anger prevent me from doing any work at all.
16.
A. My anger does not interfere with my sleep.
B. Sometimes I don't sleep very well because I'm feeling angry.
C. My anger is so great that I stay awake 1—2 hours later than usual.
D. I am so intensely angry that I can't get much sleep during the night.
17.
A. My anger does not make me feel anymore tired than usual.
B. My feelings of anger are beginning to tire me out.
C. My anger is intense enough that it makes me feel very tired.
D. My feelings of anger leave me too tired to do anything.
18.
A. My appetite does not suffer because of my feelings of anger.
B. My feelings of anger are beginning to affect my appetite.
C. My feelings of anger leave me without much of an appetite.
D. My anger is so intense that it has taken away my appetite.
19.
A. My feelings of anger don't interfere with my health.
B. My feelings of anger are beginning to interfere with my health.
C. My anger prevents me from devoting much time and attention to my health.
D. I'm so angry at everything these days that I pay no attention to my health and well-being.
20.
A. My ability to think clearly is unaffected by my feelings of anger.
B. Sometimes my feelings of anger prevent me from thinking in a clear-headed way.
C. My anger makes it hard for me to think of anything else.
D. I'm so intensely angry and hostile that it completely interferes with my thinking.
21.
A. I don't feel so angry that it interferes with my interest in sex.
B. My feelings of anger leave me less interested in sex than I used to be.
C. My current feelings of anger undermine my interest in sex.
D. I'm so angry about my life that I've completely lost interest in sex.

Scoring: A = 0; B = 1; C = 2; and D = 3. Clinical interpretation of the CAS scores is accomplished through the following interpretive ranges: 0-13 - minimal clinical anger; 14-19 - mild clinical anger; 20-28 - moderate clinical anger; and 29-63 - severe clinical anger.

Does anyone need a copy of my anger book? !!!! :-)

Feeling God's Pleasure

David Reeher, behind the back and under the legs dunk.

Watching the Northwest Nazarene University basketball team win a 114-108 overtime contest last night reminded me of the movie Chariots of Fire, that outstandingly inspirational movie of the life of Eric Liddell. It had this line: “I feel God’s pleasure when I run.” Liddell was an Olympic runner from Britain who won a gold medal in the 1924 Paris Olympics. He was a prime example of a man with a God-given gift to run, yet his eyes were set on the goal the Lord had given him – missionary work.

Os Hillman tells of Liddell’s experience.
“He spent years training for the Olympics. He passed each hurdle and qualified for the Olympics. Finally, the day came for him to run in the games that were held in Paris. There was only one problem. One of his running events was held on Sunday. Liddell refused to run on Sunday, believing it dishonored the Lord's Sabbath. He held to his convictions and brought great persecution on himself. He made a decision that even if it meant losing his opportunity to compete, he would not run. God's laws were greater than man's applause.

Just when the circumstances seemed hopeless, another situation arose that allowed Liddell to run on a different day. So often this is the case in the spiritual realm.

God tests our hearts to see if we will remain faithful to Him at the cost of something important to us. Once He knows where our loyalty lies, He opens a new door that meets the desires of our hearts. God takes pleasure in seeing His creation used for His glory. Liddell understood why he was made to run; he used his gift of running to bring pleasure to his Creator. Later, Eric Liddell went on to serve God on the mission field.

“Does your life work bring pleasure to the Lord? Do you understand that God instilled certain gifts and talents in you so that He might find pleasure in His creation of you? Take pleasure in the gifts God has given to you this day. And let His glory shine through you.”

The Impact of the Bible

A beautiful lady and an old koot, ringin' dem bells

“Listen to the Book. By that I mean read the Bible; read books about the Bible, about the spiritual life and the lives of ‘great’ saints,” challenged Henri Nouwen to a friend Marc. The quote is found in “Mornings with Henri J.M. Nouwen – Readings and Reflections.

Nouwen goes on to say, “I know you read a good deal; but a lot of what you read distracts you from the way that Jesus is showing you. The secondary school and univesity offer you little in the way of ‘spiritual reading.’ That’s why it’s very important for you to read regularly books which will help you in your spiritual life. Many people are brought to God through spiritual literature that they choose to read. Augustine, Ignatius, Thomas Merton and many others have been converted through such books.

The challenge, however, is not to read a ‘spiritual book’ as a source of interesting information, but rather to listen to it as to a voice that addrsses you directly. It isn’t easy to let a text ‘read’you. Your thirst for knowledge and information often makes you desire to own the word, instead of letting the word own you. Even so, you will learn the most by carefully listening to the Word that seeks admission to your heart.”

I love to take note of anything that challenges one to read, meditate upon and memorize the Bible. Being three score and ten, I can look back on a life well-lived, not because of my great ability, but because the Bible has been a road map leading to success and away from destruction. Praise the Lord for His Word to us.
“Your Word is a lamp onto my feet and a light onto my pathway.”

Maturation

My beloved Birmingham pastor Frank Barker

Building relationships is so key in our personal development. Words of affirmation, kindness, correction and "kick butt" from a friend (or even an enemy) can so expedite our maturation process. Gary sent the following to me this morning, for which I am eternaly grateful.

How difficult it is for us when we cannot communicate the way we deem to be effective. While I do not know your particular experience personally, I do know what it is like to be unable to express Jesus into lives that matter to me, express Him in a way that I see as effective. But I have come to recognize He is responsible for using what He has given me to be effective for His desires—I can only be who He gives me to be today.

I was talking (sorry how difficult it has become for you to be vocal) to a retired pastor earlier this week and we were discussing what had been most important to us in pastoring. We both agreed it was not the ministry to the masses but those times we were able to touch individual lives for Jesus even when we were not aware of the grace of the moment. Both of us had plenty of stories of individuals telling us years later how some particular touch of God came through us—sometimes we were aware at the time but often we were unaware of what God was doing until dozens of years later they revealed it to us.

It is easy for us to lose track that divine communication happens in many ways, at many levels and that we seldom recognize what God is actually doing, even that He is touching through us.

You mentioned recently trying to give the devotional to your college team, not being able to speak, having the coach read what you wanted to say. Ray, there are so many ways that God can communicate into hearts that we are unaware of. Who but God knows the impact of something like this (beyond your frustration) to the team, staff and even the coach. We don’t know what God knows or what beyond the words touches the hearts of men. We just don’t know and God is wise to not always make it clear to us while He does His good work in others.

As you have said through your writings in so many ways, it is our availability, willingness, humbleness and faithfulness that God speaks through—vocalizations are only one of the means. We need not deprecate the ministry of vulnerability, the ministry of humility, the ministry of presence, the ministry of touch, the ministry of touching through concern, none of which must be vocalized audibly. Ray, you speak loudly in ways that touch the heart of men, that demonstrates the reaching heart of God way more than speech. Do not be discouraged, Brother, but keep on speaking through the language of the heart of God which reaches into the souls of man.

Blessings for today from our gracious Lord

Isn't it fantastically reassuring and humbling to have a friend like Gary! Thanks, Gary.

Stand Firm

Gracious women from Birmingham's Whole Life - 1970's

It is difficult getting out of Philippians chapter 4. As Howard Hendricks would say, “it is a delightful concoction of tonics for the spirit.” The chapter has a plethora of guides for successful living and dying. I’m reminded again of the first one – STAND FIRM.

This time my thoughts venture to the enemy – satan. When are his attacks the most crucial – when I’m down, discouraged and hurting? No! My own “flesh” is doing sufficient damage to the “abundant life” Christ promises.

The evil one’s assault is during or after victory. After victory, case in point: Elijah after the supernatural event on Mt. Carmel where he challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest to demonstrate the identity of the true God (1 Kings 18:1-40). After the victory, Elijah is seen high-tailing it, running from the tool satan used – Jezebel. He ends up in deep depression. Satan is the great spoiler and loves to suck the sugariness out of a sweet victory. Stand firm against the wiles of satan after victory.

During victory also. Nehemiah is in the process of building the great wall. To thwart that success satan uses Sanballat to threaten and harrass and then sweet-talk Nehemiah. His reply? “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.” (Nehemiah 6:3) Nehemiah stood firm during victory.

I’m usually victorious over the fallout of stuttering and my Parkinson’s. Since the intensity of both has increased lately, I’m noticing that the lure toward frustration and self pity is stronger then normal. I believe the enemy was not happy with the results of the trip to Birmingham where I had such wonderful affirmation from Whole Life – a singles group of 30 years ago that Ann and I ministered to (and they to us).Not able to get a word out is a frustrating event; but the event has elongated into a chronic fear and frustration that is taking on disproportionate characteristics. I’m just now seeing this clearly as I write. It is more than the normal periodic flesh trip.

“Stand firm, Burwick, in the knowledge that God continues to have a plan for your life that includes stuttering and PD. BE thankful. Flee, satan. Go to Hell! And take all your discouragement and harrassment with you.

Anyone else needing to stand firm right now?