Direction

So one of the biggest challenges we all face in our lives is direction. Where are we headed? What are we doing? How are we getting there? And I'm not just talking about going someplace. I'm talking about life direction. I don't know for sure what God has for me for the next couple of years. I do know one thing though. The choices I make today affect where I'll be in the future.

Let me expound on that a little. The correct choices that I make and the incorrect choices that I make affect where I'll be in the future and what that future will look like. See I believe that when we accept Christ as our Saviour we get a little gps (God positioning system) called the Holy Spirit. And we can listen to that gps and follow where God wants us to go, which is the best way because God has an awesome plan for each one of his children. Jer. 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, give you hope and a future". But too many times we like to do our own thing and ignore the gps (I do this while driving all the time) and we hear recalculating. See God does the same thing when we step out on our own apart from His will. He recalculates. The Israelites had it happen to them in the Old Testament. They were afraid to enter the promised land because they heard a report from some of their spies that giants lived in the land. How quickly they forgot that God had just parted the red sea for them to all walk through it a few months earlier. Hello?? And they ended up wandering around the desert for 40 years. And Joshua one of the spies who said they should go in and take the land because the Lord was on their side. He ended up being the leader God chose to take his people back into the promised land those 40 years later, and what happened to all the people who didn't want to go in? In that 40 year time period everyone over the age of 18 died.

Kinda makes me acutely aware of the decisions I make as I face one of the biggest transitions in my life. I don't want to hear recalculating. I want to get their Gods way. And when I get there I want to hear well done, not dude what were you thinking back there when you made that left? So are you listening to your gps today?

Ramblings

Impossible

So I'm going to pose a question to start off this blog. Is there really anything that is impossible with God? I just finished reading Sun Stand Still today and over the last week it has changed my view of miracles and my view of faith. I guess things really started changing over the last few months and reading this book really helped me understand where I'm at. Fellowship church has really shaped my view on how God can work. I used to pray safe prayers and think maybe God would answer, but I'm learning to pray for things bigger than me and expecting God to make them happen. I'm exercising audacious faith.

I used to think the miraculous was something saved just for the Bible. That it didn't happen anymore. Now I'm thinking it has more to do with us having less faith then they did. Do I have enough faith to believe I can pray for impossible things and that God will answer them? God can do anything period. There isn't a but there. If we are faithful to God He will be faithful to us.

So I'm praying audacious prayers and expecting God to answer them. Already this year i've seen God work in my life in ways that I thought were impossible. So I'm praying bigger prayers now. And I'm expecting God to answer.

Ramblings

Challenging

So I've been reading the book Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick. Talk about amazing. Thanks for the birthday gift Dan. Just what I needed at this point and this transition in my life. God is challenging me to live as big as He is and not as small as I am. I'll be honest in the fact that I don't know what that looks like. I have no clue what God has for me next. And yeah I'm a little afraid. So let me give you a excerpt from this book.

"it's not wrong to feel fear. It is wrong to let that fear have the last word in your life. The people who accomplish the most astounding things for Gods glory aren't the people who feel the least fear. Often they're the ones who deal with the most intense fear. But instead of letting that fear disable their dreams, they start increasing their capacity for faith. They act on the part of Gods direction they do understand. And they leave the rest up to Him."

Talk about amazing. For so many years i have been held captive by the fear that I'm not good enough. that my past failures will hold me back from future successes. That I am less than I think I am. But I know I'm forgivable, I'm usable, and I'm lovely. When God sees me He doesn't look at what I've done. Rather He looks at what He can do through me if I get my stupid self out of my own way. So my Sun Stand Still prayer is that God will use me to reach people for Him in ways that scare me, in ways that get me good and afraid, because I know it won't be me being successful. It will be God.

God I pray that you will give me the faith to believe you can use someone as unworthy as me to change the world for you.

Rambling....

Servitude

So we went to two services at fellowship today. It was amazing. I went to the early service and saw a lot of the same people sitting around me. One of the great things it has offered me the opportunity to serve during the second service. I loved it. I was learning about hosting and security for our kids wing. You know, cause I'm so buff and intimidating. Hahahaha. Anyway, a lot of serving is about attitude and I say all this to say that my daughter Anna gets it. Anna hasn't been feeling good this weekend and I considered calling Dan and telling him I couldn't come. I told Anna and she said "daddy you have to go. You have training". If my 6 year old can get it and understand what holds us back as adults? She is excited about church. She cries when she can't go. So like I said before. It's all about attitude.

Ramblings....

I always wondered....

Growing up there were a lot of things I wondered about. For instance, why am I so much better looking than my three siblings? Hahaha jk. But seriously I always wondered why my grandma and grandpa Scharadin would wake up so early in the morning to read their Bibles. They would be up at 6 or earlier sitting out at the dining room table, at our house or in their chairs at their house. It always amazed me and until recently I didn't understand.

For me early morning is the time of the day when I am most awake. I read a few chapters in the Word and then spend some time worshipping either in song or prayer. It has completely changed my life. Now I'm not saying I get up crazy early every morning. But when I do I can feel a difference in how my days go. I get more accomplished. I think the other part is because I'm giving God the best of me. The firstfruits (kjv) if you will. And by giving God my best He gives me His best. It's awesome. God has truly blessed me over the last few months and I can't wait to see what He has next.

Ramblings....

it's sooo cRaZy

So what are some people thinking. (ok, so i've been one of these people before too) But why do we expect obedience when we are disobedient? All God wants is our obedience, but yet we refuse to give it to Him. We might give Him partial obedience, but do we give Him complete obedience? Do we surrender in all areas of our lives? Including the places people can't see?  So why then are we surprised when we are met with disobedience from our children or people under our authority?  I've found that the days I am completely obedient my daughters are more obedient to me. 

I guess this kinda ties a bunch of my blogs together. obedience, parenting, and craziness. It's crazy to think that when we bisobey God that we will receive obedience. Especially as a parent.  I love my daughters more than any other people in the world. I miss them the nights they don't spend at my house. I expect them to obey me. Just as God, my Father, expects me to obey Him. I'm not saying if your kids aren't listening it's because you are being disobedient to God. But you'd be crazy not to think it has an effect if you aren't being obedient.

So I'll leave you with this. Obedience is as a obedience does.

PS. if you like my new layout you can thank my sister :)

Parenthood

There are a ton of reasons for me choosing this as my blog title today. One is that I am a parent. If you know anything about me you know that I have two of the most beautiful little girls in the world, who I love very much. I can't remember a single day in their lives that I haven't talked to them. I think about them constantly and I make all my decisions with then in mind. How might my next choice affect my girls. I'll say one more thing before I get into the real why I'm writing this. I was paid, what I honestly consider to be the highest compliment I have ever received a few months ago. One of my best friends wives told him that you can tell how much I love my daughters by how I interact with them. Seriously when he told me I cried. I always wonder if I'm doing a good enough job, and to have someone who I have a lot of respect for say that floored me. God knew I needed to hear it. It's great how He gives us affirmation at times.

So the main reason I'm writing this is because I'm focused on Gods best for my life. Which translates to me wanting Gods best for Anna and Sadie too. What I have always known, but sometimes lose sight of. Is how important my role as a father is to them. Their view of their heavenly Father starts with their view of me as their father. And to be honest it kinda freaks me out. I want each of my daughters to have a real and intimate relationship with the God that
I have recklessly fallen in love with. And the best way for me to do that is to love them the same way I love God, with reckless abandon. By letting them know how important they are to me.
Not only is their view of God affected by how they view me, but their whole view of men and the future role other men will play in their lives. I don't want my girls running around feeling like they need boys to affirm their beauty or love. I tell my daughters every single day multiple times a day that I love them and they are beautiful. And i wouldn't be doing them justice if I just told them. I have to invest time in them. They need to see and feel that they are truly important to me as well as hear it.

So I want to live my life completely sold out to God, not only because it's the best thing for me, but also because it's the best thing for my daughters. Because they will see my love for God and my love for them. It's the best thing for my church too. And I'm not saying I'm super dad or I'm amazing and great, but I'll be honest it's the best thing for the world too. Because as a father sold out to God I have the opportunity to affect my family for generations to come. I have a chance to leave a profound legacy. One that will see the handwriting of God throughout it.

Ramblings....