When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and get discouraged, I love and I hate, I feel bad about feeling good, I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. I am trusting and suspicious. I am honest and I still play games. Aristotle said I am a rational animal; I say I am an angel with an incredible capacity for beer.
To live by grace means to acknowledge my whole life story, the light side and the dark. In admitting my shadow side I learn who I am and what God’s grace means. As Thomas Merton put it, “A saint is not someone who is good but who experiences the goodness of God.” Continue reading
Plan Well. But Trust God with the Uncalculated as Well.
(1 Chronicles 5:18-20 ESV)
It says that [18] The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war… [20] And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him.
In our lives we will always have spiritual battles to fight and we should strive to become “experts in war”. We should know our strengths and our weaknesses. We should become skilled in wielding many weapons of faith, character, and aptitude. In doing so we will be valiant warriors equipped for battle and competent in leadership. Continue reading
Rules For A Happy Marriage
Here are the Larche family “Rules for a Happy Marriage”:
#1: Do the work. It takes work and sacrifice to make a happy marriage. Too many people put all the work into the details of the wedding but neglect to put any work into the marriage itself. A happy marriage is a growing marriage, whether you’ve been married 2 or 25 years. Are you still listening to one another? Learning from one another? When you don’t take time to cultivate a relationship, you end up taking that relationship for granted. Sadly, this is where most marriages decline.
#2: Say the words. At least once a day, say something kind or complimentary to your spouse. We all know that words have the power to heal or hurt, restore or damage, build or tear down. But what we often fail to recognize is that silence can be just as harmful as negative words. Often it’s the words we don’t say that leave our spouse feeling devalued or under-appreciated. Continue reading
Get a FREE copy of my book AUDACITY
I’d like to give you a free copy of my book “AUDACITY: Find Your Crazy. Change The World.” in appreciation of your partnership with God’s call on a very special young man’s life.
We first met Antwon in 2007 when he came to our summer camp through Breakaway’s scholarship program for prisoners’ children. At that time, he was 9-years old (2007 photo at right). Since then, he’s never missed a summer camp (attending 7 years in a row). He was baptized at camp a couple of years ago and now serves as a recreational assistant at summer camp.
Growing up with a parent in prison means that, statistically, you already have a 70% chance of ending up in prison yourself one day. This is what statistics tell us. But statistics also reveal that when a youth attends a Christian summer camp for at least three years or more, they have over a 70% likelihood of sticking with their faith in their twenties. Continue reading
Israel as Proof of God’s Existence: The Atheist’s Problem
Dr. David R. Reagan has posted an interesting series called “Israel as Proof of God’s Existence.” He concludes the series by making this claim:
The Atheist’s Problem
Any fair-minded person should be willing to admit that the Jews in Bible prophecy are absolute proof of God’s existence.
The problem the Atheist has in accepting the existence of God is that he knows the moment he acknowledges God’s existence, it will mean that he is responsible to God, and the Atheist does not want to be responsible to anyone except himself. Continue reading
Shame is No Longer My Name: Ministry to At-Risk Youth
Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at Camp David of the Ozarks Banquet for Hope. Their summer camp for prisoners’ kids is very similar to our ministry to at-risk youth, Breakaway Outreach.
Founders Benjamin and Grace Smith are inspiring folks who have written a powerful book about working with at-risk youth called Shame is No Longer My Name. Here are four reasons why you should read this book: Continue reading
Are You Desperate for God?
Are you desperate for God? Or has the Americanized Christian experience left your faith dull, complacent, lukewarm, and wading in mediocrity.
Jon Bloom of Desiring God Ministries observed:
The New Testament teaches us that whether or not our treasure is really in heaven is most clearly seen when it costs us our earthly treasures in order to obtain it. But American Christians live in the most prosperous nation in world history and the one in which it costs the least to be a Christian. Continue reading