P.E.R.S.P.E.C.T.I.V.E.

Seeing people suffer is one of the things I HATE about being a pastor, but I am so honored to be able to be there at the same time (talk about conflicted!).

So... Can I just cut to the chase on this-week's post?

('Cause, honestly, I really don't want to dwell on this topic any longer than I have to.)


This past week, Jennifer & I had the honor & privilege to stand with a family enduring a horrible tragedy.

And 2 things stood out to me above all else...

1. If you love somebody... TELL THEM!

2. If your mad at and/or offended by somebody... RECONCILE!

Don't outlive them & regret that you didn't. Either one.

Seriously.

Ya Know What?! God's GOT This!

One of the things I have had the, um... Privilege (?) of learning is that trusting God is an act of the will.

The way I've learned it is by being in situations--over & over & over again--where I have to decide whether or not I'm going to trust Him.

Which, of course, means being in situations--over & over & over again--where things don't look so good.

Now, I don't know if I'm just hard headed or a slow learner....

(Well... Yes I do. I'm hard-headed AND a slow learner. But that's another story.)

....But I seem to have to KEEP learning this lesson--over & over & over again.

<sigh>

The process usually goes something like this:

1. Difficult situation presents itself.

2. Panic sets in.

3. God slaps me upside the head (often through my wife).

4. I'm overwhelmed by guilt for being filled with fear of what COULD be (almost always the worst-case scenario, of course).

5. I FINALLY take the matter to God in prayer.

6. I ask God to forgive me for not trusting.

7. God reminds me of EVERY OTHER TIME when He's come through.

8. I decide to trust Him (Finally!)

9. Rinse & repeat.

Maybe you don't have this struggle, but I do.

And I am going through the process again as I write this. I'm currently somewhere between #s 8 & 9.

So, as of this moment, I can say with great confidence, "Ya Know What?! God's GOT This!"