Live, learn, be free

Marks of Jesus

Peer pressure still gets us as adults, we call it "keeping up with the Joneses."  What we wear, what we drive, and where we live can all be influenced by those around us.  Even our vocabulary can be affected, have you spent any time in the south?  That sweet southern accent can rub off in a second.

We are often tempted to change our behavior in order to be accepted by others.  This lifestyle has a very high price tag.  We need to figure out who's approval is worth it.  We all feel cultural pressure around us.  We must lay every pressure around us at the feet of Jesus. 

Sometimes you may even be tempted to hide your Christianity to make a good impression.  It is important that not matter what comes our way we bear the marks of Jesus.  These are marks of Jesus are the evidence of our faithful service to the King.

Do you have marks of Jesus?  Let us purify our motives in this life.  Let's not go after the approval of men, but let's chase after the approval of God.  The good news is we don't have to run as long or as hard to get God's approval.  He loves us just the way we are, all we have to do is run to him. 

Read through Galatians 6:11-18.  You have already made a good impression on God.  Wear your marks of Jesus with pride.  Give up chasing after man's approval you have already been accepted by God.   

Asperger's Syndrome: An Inside Look

Our family has dealt with Asperger's Syndrome for over 8 years now.  You would think we know it all by now, but we don't.  Just when we think we completely understand something, we realize we don't.  We continue to learn each and everyday about this syndrome.

God has opened the door for us to talk to others about what it is like for us as a family to deal with this.  We have been blessed beyond measure through this experience.  Asperger's Syndrome is not just hard for the person but it is hard for those who love them.

As the insiders it can be devastating until you realize that God is in control.  God created them this way for a reason.  We fully trust God, we know He has a plan that will glorify Him.  There are still times we question and we do still mourn losses at times. 

It all comes back to the fact that God has always been faithful to us, we must be faithful to Him.  In due time this will all make sense either in this life or the next.  God will not hang us out to dry.  He has always provided for us and He will continue to do so.

Asperger's Syndrome is not a sprint it's a marathon.  We are in a for a long haul but we continue to pray for ways to glorify God through our troubles.  Asperger's Syndrome is welcome to be a part of our family but it can not take control of it. 

Elijah is doing so well right.  We can really see God working in Him.  The progress he is making right now is immeasurable.  It is so cool to be a part of this and we thank God for making us "flies on the wall" of His work.

Persevering

We are faced with Mt. Everest sized mountains of work in this life.  We have a multitude of rules to follow.  Life can get very challenging for us.  It can be tempting to just coast through life.

Last year Dave Ramsey was a guest speaker at our church, Browns Bridge Community Church.  He spoke about what he calls the "Momentum Theorem".  He talked to us about how the enemy does not want us to persevere. 

The enemy wants us to be quitters.  God calls us to persevere.  In this theorem Ramsey tells us the following: Focused intensity over time, multiplied by God equals unstoppable momentum.  This theorem really struck me.

In our society today it seems people really struggle with focus, there is always something new that draws our attention.  Intensity can be seen at sporting events by those who choose to paint their faces or bodies to support their team.  But where is the intensity in the things that really matter in this world?

As we think about the time required in this theorem we can relate this to perseverance.  It takes time, Ramsey talked about the story of the "Tortoise and the Hare".  You can be slow and ugly but if you keep moving you will eventually win, perseverance is the key.

We can not do any of these things alone, we need God.  God is the power source behind our efforts, when His power is multiplied with our efforts it equals unstoppable momentum.  The key to this whole theorem is to heed the words of Winston Churchill: never give up, never give up, never give up, never give up!

The Upside of Asperger's

I think I will try something new with my blog.  I would like to help educate people about Asperger's Syndrome, so every Wednesday I will try to give some insight into what it is like for our son and what you can do help those who struggle with Asperger's Syndrome, like my son.  I hope this raises awareness as well as sensitivity for those who are different from us.

A few years ago a friend asked me, "if they invented a cure for Autism would you give it to Elijah", I thought for a moment and answered, "No".  That may sound strange to think I would not want my son to be healed from this disorder that torments him at times.

Let me explain myself.  Elijah is a wonderful child, he has setbacks and struggles.  He is a very loving and caring child.  This is not a typical trait of Asperger's Syndrome, usually they are not very emotional or empathetic people.  Elijah on the other hand has always accepted hugs and affection from us. 

I am thankful Elijah was diagnosed at such a young age.  We have had privilege of early intervention.  I think what we have been through with him has made us better people.  Elijah has learned so much in the last 8 years.  He really has come a long way. 

I love him just the way God created him and I would not want to jeopardize what we have right now with the possibility of a "cure".  I think as Elijah gets older we continue to trust God with his life, we pray and we need to continuing putting his life in God's hands. 

We must trust God, because there is an upside to Asperger's and God is showing it to us.  We get the opportunity to help our son through life's struggles with a different set of eyes.  I do believe God has a plan for our son and we trust Him to continue to guide us through this maze of Asperger's.

Remembering My Sister

It's been 5 years since my oldest sister passed away.  I don't usually dwell on anniversaries like this but it seems some years it feels fresh again.  Sometimes I still look at her picture and think I can call her.  Fall will always remind me that there will come a day when there will be no more sadness or tears.

I know she is better off where she is now than when she was here.  I must admit sometimes that does not make me feel better.  I miss her crazy laughter, and her calls every night to give me a run down of her day.  I miss her for selfish reasons of course.

The other day I found one of the many dresses she made for Alexa.  It reminded me of what a great person she was.  She really did not have a mean bone in her body although I have to say I did pick on her a lot as one of her younger sisters.  There were 6 years between us but we were close.

I am grateful for what the Father has taught me about her death.  I know that we are here for a short time, right now I am the same age she was when she passed away.  We need to take each day and live like it's the last because we just don't know.  God has so much for us if we just live our lives.  

We can't dwell on the past but learn from it and move on.  I am blessed with memories and hopeful of what the Father has in store for me.  I miss my sister but it only builds anticipation for the day we shall meet again. 

Turn the Page

If you were a fly on the wall in my house you would hear those words a lot.  We say "turn the page" all the time to our children, especially our son.  We say this because we want them to move on from whatever problem they are having. 

As humans we tend to dwell on the problem at hand.  As Christians we need to remember that God is in control and He will help us if we ask Him to.  When we get stuck in a bind we tend to start down a path of negativity that leads to fear.  We lose track of the original problem and make more problems along the way. 

When we have problems in our life we need to give it the appropriate attention and then we need to move on and turn the page.  We need to trust that God will take control and help us overcome the problem at hand. 

We will stumble and we will grumble but we will make it to the mountaintop with God.  Remember Moses?  He did a lot of grumbling and stumbling but he knew God was in control.  Psalm 119:113-114 tells us that God is our hiding place.  When we are down because of a mistake or problem we need to remember that God is our hiding place.

Let's start a new thing, let's believe God will do all that He says He will do in our lives.  Let's move on from the things in this world that bog us down and let's turn the page.  Trust God and He will help you turn the page.

Life at the Edge of the Pool

Are you one of those people who loves to jump into the pool or are you the one who tests the water?  There is a big difference between the two.  No matter what your personality type, in life we should all be working towards jumping in with both feet. 

I know that seems hard for those who want to test the waters of life.  For Christians it should be easy to make that decision.  God is in control of our lives we don't need to test the water because God already has a plan for us to succeed.

I know it is easier said than done for some people but we need to work towards building our trust of God.  Just like our earthly parents do not wish us harm, our heavenly Father wants us not just to do well but to be victorious. 

God's plan for us is clear we just have to trust Him, do what He asks of us and we will be successful.  The problem is we live here on earth.  Sometimes we let fear creep into our lives and it holds us back from jumping into the pool with both feet. 

Don't let fear take hold of you, don't test the waters, jump in with both feet.  God has already made the plan if you follow His directions you will succeed.  Stop testing the water because there will be times when God calls us to jump in and the water may still be cold, but don't fear.  Don't spend your life at the edge of the pool.

Dropping The Ball

I am sure by now many of you have realized I am a big sports fan.  My sisters and I would watch football and hockey when we were young.  Football is fun and frustrating to watch.  It's hard to understand how the players can make so many mistakes.  Football players are unique, they are some of the most handsomely paid athletes in the world. 

NFL players are paid millions of dollars, their job in most cases is to catch a ball.  I know this is a simplistic view of a very complicated game.  It is said that the average career for a professional football player is 3.7 years.  That does not seem like a long time given the financial outcome.

Terrell Owens has for several years held the record for most dropped passes.  He is currently getting paid $6.5 million for one year with the Buffalo Bills.  How is it that a professional athlete making this much money still can't do the one thing being asked of him?  I am not just picking on Owens.  A lot of players drop a lot of balls. 

I think most players have several problems which we all can relate to in our lives.  Most guys who drop a pass are thinking about the player waiting to tackle them as soon as they get their hands on the ball.  They know they are about to get hit hard.  The same can be said of us in our lives, we get scared of what may come and we fail to complete our jobs.  We are afraid of what is around the corner.

The next problem I see is players thinking about the next step, they start to run before they catch the ball.  We do the same thing, we get ahead of ourselves and we fail to do what God has asked of us.  Finally I think players think about the glory they will receive if they score a touchdown after catching the ball they lose focus of the first step, to catch the ball, and they drop it. 

I think we all daydream about what the end result will be, we take our eyes off the process, the necessary steps we must take and we drop the ball.  God wants us to succeed, He has set a course for us to win.  We need find a balance between taking each step and keeping our eyes on the prize.  God has set the game plan and we just need to put aside our fears, greed and focus on the job at hand.  We need to catch the ball. Pray, ask God to help you balance the necessary steps and keeping your eyes on the prize.

Fearless: Book Review

I enjoy Max Lucado's writing.  His books are practical.  I started reading Fearless, expecting the same.  This book however exceeded all my expectations.  I may go as far as to say that this book is Max Lucado's best book yet.  It has changed my life and the way I live.  It should be required reading for all Christians. 

I am not one of those people who is afraid of everything.  I am usually the person who helps others with their fears.  This book shows me I am living in fear to a certain extent.  Fearless pinpoints fears that we think are just innocuous thoughts.  

I love this book because it not only shows us that we are not the only ones who battle fear, but it shows us how to overcome our fears. I like the way Max uses not only Bible illustrations but also real life illustrations, including his own fears. 

I have been recommending this book to everyone I know.  It will show you that your fears can ruin your life, if not addressed.  Max gives practical ways to overcome these fears and live our life, fearlessly. Pick up a copy of Fearless, you will not be disappointed. 

Smashing Strongholds

It never ceases to amaze me how we as humans get ourselves into so many predicaments.  We have the answer to our many problems in front of us and we can not see it.  We become so consumed with our current troubles that we can not see that we have already been set free. 

I was reading Matthew 8 recently.  As I read this chapter I thought to myself, the disciples were with Jesus, they didn't have anything to worry about.  The storm started up and they were afraid, how could they be afraid, Jesus was with them.  As I continued to read it occurred to me that God is with me, what do I have to fear.  Many times I am no different than the disciples.  I am afraid and give I in to strongholds when Jesus is right there with me. 

A couple of years ago I memorized Psalm 27.  It has been a great thing to have in my mind.  I am constantly reminded that God is my stronghold, who or what could I possibly be afraid of?  There is nothing to be afraid of, yet we fear.  We would live a very different life if we could just realize that God is with us.  We can not be taken down by anything, God is bigger than any problem we may have. 

Live today in the light of Psalm 27.  God is the stronghold of our life, whom shall we fear?  Smash the stronghold in your life, with this truth.  Live free today.