This was a big week for my eldest daughter Claudia. She accomplished two significant milestones in the course of just a few days. The first is that on Saturday night she finally took the plunge … literally … and jumped off a diving board for the first time. The second is that on Tuesday she finally decided it was time to overcome her fear and try to ride her two-wheel bike. For an hour that night we worked with her and she fought through her anxiety and made some great progress. Tonight we went out again and within 15-minutes she had nailed it! I let go and jogged along-side her and she did it! For the next hour she was zipping around the parking lot at the church. I am such a proud papa! Mom and sissy are super proud of her too! Way to go Clau! Check out this amazing video!
Excellence vs. Authenticity
“I respect excellence, but I trust authenticity … authenticity commands much greater respect than production, no matter how impressive.” – Today’s Teenagers (Reverse Mentoring by Earl Creps)
After Obedience – What?
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This morning I read the devotional for today in My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers and it really spoke to me. I thought I would pass it along. If you would like to read the daily devotions online for free you can do so here. July 28th. |
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AFTER OBEDIENCE – WHAT? |
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And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side. . . .” Mark 6:45-52 We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey Him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God’s purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desired goal; He is not. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end. What is my dream of God’s purpose? His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay in the middle of the turmoil calm and unperplexed, that is the end of the purpose of God. God is not working towards a particular finish; His end is the process – that I see Him walking on the waves, no shore in sight, no success, no goal, just the absolute certainty that it is all right because I see Him walking on the sea. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God. God’s training is for now, not presently. His purpose is for this minute, not for something in the future. We have nothing to do with the afterwards of obedience; we get wrong when we think of the afterwards. What men call training and preparation, God calls the end. God’s end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious. |
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Paintings of Costa Rica
I got this rock from the river in the painting and where we saw the animals portrayed as well.
Volcan Irazu, Costa RicaForeign to Familiar
Today I read a little book called Foreign to Familiar. It is a wonderful little book that is very helpful for understanding different cultures and ways of thinking around the world. I would suggest, and in fact highly recommend, getting this book for everyone on a missions team, having them read it, and discussing it as a group before your trip. Click here to order.
Happy Birthday to Adriana!
Today (OK, I guess technically now, yesterday) was my beautiful wife Adriana’s birthday! Happy birthday babe! This morning her friend Amy took her out for breakfast, this afternoon the girls and I took her out for a late lunch, and this evening her mother, sister, and their usbands came over and we enjoyed cake and lots of laughter.
REVKEVJR.COM 