I am a simple man, a little bit country, but with some different forms of education.  My views on life have grown out of walking through mountains of challenge and valleys of loss.  I love the outside and I am not afraid of hard work, in fact, I enjoy manual labor, because I find that it often frees the mind to travel to amazing places.  As I have journeyed through this life, I have found and I am finding that there is an order to life and living.  The sun rises and sets.  The moon goes through its phases.  The earth grows, the tides come in and go out and the seasons change.  I have seen the miracle of death and been a witness to the dignity of death.  I have been touched by thousands of lives and in return have been blessed by having my life touch thousands as well.

I love the night, when the darkness falls and the star’s light up the sky.  One of my favorite things to do, is sit by a fire and share life with those that are interested.  I enjoy painting a picture with words that help to express what I think and what I feel inside.  I have discovered that the best lessons for me to share are the ones that I have learned from my very own personal experience.  Life is movement and is greater and more vast than anything our human minds can imagine.

We are all runners on a path, the path is life and it is taking us to a place called eternity.  There is much for us to learn and so much for us to gain.  I cannot know everything and this is a good thing, because it means that there will always be something for me to learn.  My path is in front of me and so I will run and see where it will take me.

Every now and then, I tend to convince myself that life is about me, but deep down in my heart, I know this is not true.  I know that life is so much more than me and what I want.  Six verses in Romans 15 remind us of what is really important and why:

1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.  5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Romans 15:1-6

We are all stronger than someone and we owe it to those that are weaker than we are to help them to get to a better place.  If we were all lifting up, then this world would be a very different place.

When I was younger, we knew our neighbors, we loved our neighbors.  Our neighbors were family and we enjoyed visiting on the front porch, sharing a glass of sweet iced tea and swapping stories of enjoyed lives.  We need to get back to a neighbor being more than just the person that lives beside you.

People will talk about you, insult you and even tell lies about you.  The good news is that you don’t have to worry about that or be distracted by it, because Jesus has already taken care of that for you – so let it go.  No need to live in a prison of your own construction!

We have God’s Word to teach us and encourage us.  Read it, believe it, live it and watch your life fill up with hope that enables you to do the extraordinary.  The Bible gives you encouragement and endurance to run this race called life and be victorious.

Pray that God will give you the same mind as Jesus, who took the worst that others could fling at him and still loved them anyway.  When we get this, we will come together with one mind and one voice.  In unity, we will give great glory to God and He is more than worthy!