FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Josiah got a package from Nanna a couple of days ago. Every-once in awhile she will send him a care package. This time it had six-lets and clothes inside. This afternoon, Josiah went to change into some shorts, so i thought. But instead of shorts, he put on one of his new outfits. As I walked into his room this is what he told me, “This outfit make me look soooooo good!” Here is a pic of his new outfit that makes him sooooo look good. Thank you Nanna!!!
Well I don’t know where to start. Stephanie took Jackson the the pediatrician on Friday who told her they didn’t think Jackson had a Febrile Seizure but that another type of seizure might be trying to surface. The doctor said we need to see our neurologist to see what the next steps are. I am so sick of going to the doctors!!!!!
So the news Friday was not the news we wanted to hear. Jackson is doing ok. He has pneumonia and is on an antibiotic and motrin/tylenol along with his meds for the mioclonic seizures that he has been on since January. Which until Thursday, was doing amazing things. So we are praying! Praying that God would again intervene like He has Jackson whole life. Even though short, He has a testimony and so do we. Please pray with us, as we pray for his health and our sanity.
LIfe Lesson: Life is fragile, handle it with care and take advantage of the moments you have, you never know how many are left!
“Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.” v.1
This psalm expresses one of the clearest examples of repentance in all of scripture. Countless broken sinners have found in these words an exquisite expression of their deeply felt need for God’s mercy and forgiveness. David’s confession has helped people examine excuses, half-hearted repentance, and lack of sorrow over sin that can keep them from experiencing pardon. David’s words also demonstrate the place of hope within confession. Use this psalm as a starting point when dealing with a sense of distance or with guilt that is affecting your relationship with God. It will help you identify and rectify sin in your life through confession and repentance.
Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible
WOW! God is so big. The devo I read for Friday was supposed to be my devotional for Thursday, but sadly I let the day get away and simply ran out of hours when a family crisis happened in the early Evening.
Yesterday is a day I never want to repeat. I put Jackson down for a nap but when he woke up he was lethargic and not that responsive. Stephanie picked him up out of a pool of drool and ran him down the stairs. As I held his limp, warm, wet body, I knew we needed to get him to a hospital. As a dad, every good and bad thought was running through my mind. Not knowing for sure if we could make it to the hospital, we stopped at the fire station just down the road from our house. As I handed him to the EMT, he immediately took Jackson to the ambulance. After a short stay, they took him to the hospital with lights and sirens. Stephanie rode with him while Josiah and I followed in our own vehicle. We were heading to the hospital in the middle of Rush Hour. All I could do was pray. I had no idea what was happening in the ambulance, was he getting better, was he getting worse. I called one of our friends to ask them to pray and to let them know we were going to the hospital.
As we got to he hospital they put us in a room, the waiting room sign said the wait was 4-5 hours, how can a hospital seriously make people wait that long?? Thats beside the point, we had a room and I was headed there not knowing what I would walk in on.
Jackson was laying there kinda just staring off into space, almost as if he could see us but couldn’t do anything to acknowledge us. After a few questions, and a few test, and 4 hours of not knowing what had happened, Jackson started to return to his normal self. Thankfully, our friends met us there and took Josiah for us. The doctor came in and told us that Jackson has a stint of pneumonia and probably suffered from a febrile seizure. He put him on an antibiotic and told us to give him Motrin and Tylenol. He said they could admit him but he didn’t feel it was necessary since the blood-work looked so good and the x-ray showed a very small development of the pneumonia. As we drove home we couldn’t help but be thankful that Jackson was ok. We were exhausted. Neither one of us slept very well last night. Every cough and move Jackson made last night caused us to look to see if he was ok. He has a doctors appointment today and we will see what the pediatrician has to say.
Last night put a new meaning to verse 4 and it will forever be etched in my heart,
“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”
“The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.” Psalm 23:1-6
Death cast a frightening shadow over us because we are entirely helpless in its presence. We can struggle with other enemies – pain, suffering, disease, injury – but strength and courage cannot overcome death. It has the final word. Only one person can walk with us through death’s dark valley and bring us safely to the other side – the God of life, our shepherd. Because life is uncertain, we should follow this shepherd who offers us eternal comfort.
Taken from the NLT LIfe Application Study Bible
I don’t know about you, but it is hard for me to do anything without some form of music. I love music, but I am finding myself listening to the words more closely now. I think this started happening when I was with some of my interns at the time and “Candy Shop” came on the radio for the first time. We couldn’t believe what we were hearing.
Now l have always said, “I don’t listen to the words to much I just like the song.” Teenagers tell me this all the time. When I look back at my life there are certain songs that I still like. For example, I still like Creed, Metallic, and Live. (Yes I am a youth pastor so go ahead and re-read what I just wrote). Last week I was working on my talk weekend listening to The Unforgivin by Metallica. (thats out of the box) One of my favorite songs this summer was by Lincoln Park called “What I’ve done”. Today, I found myself listing to Creeds, “My Sacrifice”. These song remind me of different things in my life but there are some deep words and meaning in these songs. I have found myself listing to these songs through a christian world view and it has caused me to like some of them even more.
Here is my learning, even though the artist may not have Christian values, God can still share truth with us through their songs. We used this video this weekend and it was amazing!
Any thoughts?
O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
2 You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you.
3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
7 the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
9 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
To respect God’s majesty, we must compare ourselves to HIS Greatness. When we look at the vast expanse of creation, we wonder how God could be concerned for people who constantly disappoint him. Yet God created us only a little lower than himself and the angels! The next time you question your worth as a person, remember that God considers you highly valuable. We have great worth because he put a stamp of approval on us at creation!
Taken from the NLT LIfe Application Study Bible
Tonight, Josiah and I attended the Allen High School Talent Show. Two students from our ministry performed. They both did such a great job. As I sat in the stands I couldn’t help but admire the courage each of them had to perform in front of their peers. I sat with two sets of parents who were just gleaming with pride as they watched their teenager perform and wow the audience. It was a special moment for me and I am glad I got to be a part of it! What an awesome night!!!
“Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.” v.1-3
You can learn how to follow God by meditating on his Word. This means spending time reading and thinking about what you have read. It means asking yourself how you should change so you will live as God wants. Knowing and thinking about God’s Word are the first steps toward applying it to your everyday life. If you want to follow God more closely, you must know what he says.
The more we delight in obeying God, the more fruitful we are. On the other hand, the more we allow those who ridicule God to affect our thoughts and attitudes, the more we seperate ourselves from our source or nourishment. We must have contact with unbelievers if we are to witness to them, but we need to be careful to set an example for them and not become a hinderance for them coming to Christ.
Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible
“So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. In all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers. Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life.” v. 12-17
The main question in the book of Job is timely: Why do believers experience troubles and suffering? Through a long debate, Job’s supposedly wise friends were unable to answer this question. Job’s friends made a serious error for which God rebuked them. They assumed that trouble comes only to people that sin. People make the same mistakes today when they assert that sickness or lack of material blessing is a sign of unconfessed sin or lack of faith. Though normally following God leads to a happier life, and rebelling against God normally leaders to an unhappy life, God is in control. In our world of sin, calamity and suffering come to good and bad alike.
This doesn’t mean that God is indifferent, uncaring, unjust, or powerless to protect us. Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world, where both believers and unbelievers are hit with the tragic consequences of sin. God allows evil for a time although He turns it around for our good. We may have no answers as to why God allows evil, but we can be sure He is all-powerful and knows what He is doing. The next time you face trials and dilemmas, see them as opportunities to turn to God for strength. You will find a God who deeply loves you and wants to show you His love and compassion. If you can trust Him in pain, confusion, and loneliness, you will win the victory and eliminate doubt, one of Satan’s greatest footholds in your life. Make God your foundation. You can never be separated from His Love!
Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible
