Sight is for the Blind

Confluence

2016-09-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

I guess you could call it a bucket list experience, yes it definitely was! Being in Rio for the 2016 Summer Olympics and being able to watch Usain Bolt win his 3rd gold medal in three straight Olympics in the 100m final was absolutely electric! At the same time, with less fan fare however, Justin Gatlin also became the first American in history to medal in the Olympic 100m final in three different Olympics. The 100m final at the Olympics is basically the Super Bowl of Track and Field. It was super cool and unusual to even be able to get tickets for this event and experience it in person.

The whole thing happened because several things came together in just the right way at the right time! Confluence is defined as 1. a flowing together of two or more streams, rivers or the like. 2. a coming together of people or things. As cool as watching "the fastest man in the world" was in the temporary physical realm greater things were happening in the spiritual realm.

The main reason we were at the Rio Olympics was to distribute about 100,000 John and Romans and 20,000 gospel souvenir pins (mostly in Portuguese). Rio itself is more populated than New York City and there were well over 500,000 visitors that came from all around the globe. Most of the time our group of 40-50 spent long hours in tourist areas having gospel conversations and sharing the Word of God one on one (our translators were amazing to work with). Our primary source of transportation was the Metro (Subway) and each day we spent about 2 hours going in the morning and coming back in the evening. By the way did I mention we carried back packs full of these souvenir John and Romans all day long until we gave them out and then someone usually brought us more to carry! Talk about the burden of the word of the Lord :-)

One day as we were headed back I was completely exhausted and worn out. I said a little prayer and notified God that "I can't talk to anymore people. I am so tired and I don't have any emotional or physical strength left. So, God, that's just the way it is". I guess I felt a little guilty that I wouldn't even consider sharing anymore but hey, I had done enough for God that day already!

We were 20 minutes into our ride back and the Metro was getting so crowded and uncomfortable that I just wanted to stand there with my eyes closed and ignore the smells and tune out the whole world. Then I saw a gentleman trying to get on the Metro and I knew immediately I had to help him, he was blind. I guess no one else noticed or knew what to do so I reached out to him and helped his hand reach the pole in the middle of the subway car so he would not fall. I could not speak Portuguese and I didn't feel like talking but I wanted to give him one of our souvenir gospel pins. I used the little Portuguese I knew and told him it was a gift. He gladly took it! I knew this would interest him because he could touch it and it had weight to it. Having 2 blind children myself I knew that the tactile part of it would interest him. The part that bothered me was that I could not find any of the translators that were usually with us and I knew that this man could not read the gospel that was on the card and neither could I since it was in Portuguese. Even if I had decided I wanted to talk now it really wouldn't do much good (I see the irony in that, as God chuckles a little at me). At that very moment we stopped at another metro stop. Several people got out but more people got on, ugh. It's always a mad rush when the metro doors open, you better be quick or you will miss your stop. A very kind Brazilian lady happened to make her way to where this gentleman and I were standing and after a moment I guess she could tell I was from the USA and started speaking in English to me. I shared with her what we were doing and gave her a gospel pin also. Somewhere during our conversation she noticed that the blind gentleman had a pin. Then something amazing happened. This young lady took the gospel card and began reading it out loud in Portuguese to this man. She read it loud enough that not only did he heard it but many on our right and left began to listen.

There was a "Holy Hush" that came over many of the commuters and it was obvious that the Spirit of God was working on hearts. The blind man (who I now knew was named Pedro) after hearing the message was grinning from ear to ear and the young lady had a tear streaming down her face. Pedro gave me several hugs and then we came abruptly to the next stop. The young lady said I have to go but before she did she explained that she worked as a teacher for the visually impaired and blind in Rio. The very next stop after that Pedro got off the metro using his cane finding his way home. I probably will never see either of these two people again in my life and had never seen them before but God had a plan for that exact moment in time!

WOW! In a very short span of time he brought a father of two blind children, a blind man and a teacher of the visually impaired to the exact same place! We had our own little "See you at the Pole". I love it when God has a plan and he brings it together. How can so many specific things happen and specific people come together in such an enormous city in a way that you can only say "God did that". It was a little glimpse of infinite wisdom, power and glory of God. God is always working bringing things together - He is The God of Confluence! I have found that when we are seeking to do God's will and we go wherever he leads that Confluence happens quite often, especially at TheOBP.com and GoCityReach.com mission trips I have been on. Astronomical odds and unusual events seem to be the norm when we join God where he is working and in what he is doing. The God of Confluence is working everyday sometimes we just get so caught up in every day life, so comfortable with routine and habit that our eyes are just not open to it. Open our eyes Lord and help us to see what you are doing so that we will join you today!

"All this also comes from the LORD Almighty,

whose plan is wonderful,

whose wisdom is magnificent"

Isaiah 28:29 NIV

She Believes In Her

2015-08-17T20:34:00.000-07:00

Recently I saw newsreel footage from 1930 that had been put on YouTube that featured Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan. It is a remarkable and historically significant piece. Anne is filmed sharing how she was able to teach her blind and deaf student to speak. I was moved to tears at the end when Helen said " I am not dumb". Having two blind children I know that many times people assume my children are less intelligent or unable to learn because of their blindness. My children can sense this and it has a negative impact on them in a variety of ways. Assuming the ignorance of others is a growing and dishonorable practice among so many today, it is an unfortunate trait of a society that seems so often to base it's worth and significance on how much it knows and showing someone else up.

I asked my children to listen to the video. At the end of it my verbose offspring were both left entirely speechless and in awe. They both have had a fear of losing their hearing and being left in a condition like Helen Keller was. We have talked about the fact that if anything did happen to their hearing that like Helen Keller there are still ways to communicate and learn. They rely so heavily on their hearing that they can't imagine what it would be like to not have it but they are more aware of the reality that it could happen because they are already blind. I let the whole video sink in a little and then asked them, "What impacted you the most about what you just heard?" It took a while but then Allison said, "Dad, I think what hit me the most was how much she believes in her." I asked "How much Helen believes in Anne?" She said "No, how much Anne believed in Helen."

Do you believe in people? The people that have impacted me the most are the ones who sacrificed for me and loved me and encouraged me (yes, even with their words). Those who saw my positive potential and communicated that to me. Those who believed that I could reach my goals and be better than I was made a difference. I'm not talking "expecting that they should" but rather "believing they will" those are two totally different things. Teachers who believe in their students can especially have an enormous impact. Don't give up on people because of circumstances or situations, don't judge a book by its cover! That turning point may be just around the corner! My kids are blind but I believe in them and I know they will do greater things (whether similar or different) than I have ever done. Go give someone the gift of your belief in them. Bless them with your belief. People can sense whether you really think they are worth the time or not! Jesus Christ our greatest example also believed in his students when he entrusted them with the spreading of the gospel and told his disciples they would do greater works also.

"But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak;..."
I Thessalonians 2:4

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do..." John 14:12

That Golden Sunshine

2014-11-17T11:52:00.001-08:00

Did you ever find yourself in a Sunday Morning Service singing a beautiful, Spirit filled, God honoring, Blessed gospel hymn? One of those hymns that your mamaw would play on a good ole high back piano and she did it for Jesus as she suffered through it with a smile! She wasn’t going to let her arthritis stop her! You remember singing that song when Uncle Joe or little Bubba who you had been praying for for so long came down the aisle and was gloriously saved by the blood of Jesus! For me, I get that feeling and remember back to when I was 7 or 8 years old in a rented school gym in Mississauga, Canada singing my heart out to “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder”. Is it just me or did the sun previously shine a little more golden, was the sky crisper and bluer and didn’t people seem to be more sincere in their singing? What happen? ........ Wake Up! You got older!

Five to Ten years ago teenagers and college age students (And many older adults as well like myself) were singing the following songs and listening to them on Christian Radio. 1. How Great Is Our God, 2. Mighty To Save, 3. Our God Is Greater, 4. Blessed Be Your Name, 5. Here I Am To Worship, 6. Revelation Song, 7. Everlasting God, 8. Amazing Grace(My Chains Are Gone), 9. Jesus Messiah, 10. In Christ Alone, 11. Your Grace Is Enough, 12. Forever, 13. Open The Eyes Of My Heart, 14. Forever Reign, 15. How He Loves, 16. You Are My King(Amazing Love), 17. Holy Is The Lord, 18. From The Inside Out, 19. Hosanna, 20. Shout To The Lord, 21. Come Now Is The Time, 22. The Stand, 23. Hosanna(Praise Is Rising), 24. Lord I Lift Your Name On High, 25. Glory To God Forever, 26. How Great Thou Art.

This is the CCLI top 26 most commonly used song list from 2012. This list was compiled by a survey sent out to 150,000 churches across North America. These are the songs that mean something to this generation. Ten years later (which is now) when they are having families, raising children and looking for churches to join they are going to look for churches that sing these songs. Why? Because that was the song being sung when they got saved at church camp! That was the song that was playing on the radio when they got the courage to share their faith with their best friend when they were driving down the highway. Tell me, wasn’t the sun shining a little more golden that day? Wasn’t the sky a little crisper and bluer and didn’t people seem to be more sincere back then? You may choose to not go to a church that doesn’t sing songs you like or prefer…..Hey, guess what? The next generation does the same thing! You’re the same!

Some will object and say “But these new songs take out “The Blood””. Stop reading e-mails from people who make stuff up or repeat things because it supports their preference without checking it out! Apparently they never checked out the lyrics to “You Are My King” or “In Christ Alone” which has been banned by some denominations because it speaks of the wrath of God!

Some will object and say “But these new songs say the same thing and repeat themselves over and over and over!” Really? Apparently you haven’t sung “Standing On The Promises” or “Blessed Be Your Name” out of the old hymn book lately. Maybe you need to be reminded of Psalm 136 and the inspired repetition of the words in that song.

Some will object and say “I don’t like these new instruments and those drums”. Maybe you have forgotten that King David invented a new musical instrument in his day and commanded that it be used in worship! For those of you who don’t want drums in church is it not hypocrisy for you to sing songs to an mp3, CD or cassette in church that has drums in it?

In conclusion, we wonder where all the 19-49’s have gone from our churches? Maybe it’s because many of them have chosen their likes, preferences and feelings just like many of us have! Obviously this isn't the only reason but one that is having a negative impact. When we point the finger we have three pointing back at us. Let us not be guilty of trying to enforce on others the song styles, the preference of what is in our church names and the translations we like as "The Commandments Of God" and somehow more spiritual than theirs!

Watch this video of my son Matthew getting his worship on! Enjoy!

Dancing For Jesus!

All Things

2014-05-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

After 30 hours of flying and who knows how many layover hours we finally arrived in Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia. Then we hopped on a single engine prop to Terpones and then another one to Bias where we landed for our second time on a grass air strip. Then it was time to get in a hand carved canoe and go down river! We are talking five hours in a river that had crocodiles, piranha and snakes in it.

Finally we arrived at Kumiolen in the heart of the Papuan Rainforest. Where we were exactly is a mystery because that river and village do not appear on any maps that I have found! The medical/ evangelistic team was greeted royally by the Yetfa people in that village! Our group, including the Reynolds (missionary family) were the first Westerners (white people) to ever be there. After a glorious welcome that I will never forget we needed a bath, we thought. We walked further than expected and took a bath in the dark; in a creek that was at the bottom of a 20 foot muddy/jungle embankment (we only had one little flash light for all of us). Once we finished our bath and climbed back up the miry clay it felt like we were dirtier than before even though we smelled a little bit like soap. We got back to our tents that we had brought with us and went to sleep on our somewhat inflated air mattresses. When one is sleeping in a Rainforest it becomes clear that sweating while you sleep is really par for the course. The sounds of the jungle are really amazing at night with all the exotic birds and critters and I did manage to sleep a little.

When the morning came I awoke suddenly to a sound that was very unsettling and it wasn't a cockatoo. I heard what sounded like a grown man yelling, moaning, groaning and laughing and then nonsense noises like “owiowiowiowioh”. At first we thought this man was crazy and out of his mind because he walked around the village completely naked and very dirty. He roamed around by himself and was often hit and ridiculed by the kids from the village. Later that day we were eating and because he was hanging around we surmised that he was hungry and wanted food. We ran some of the kids off that were mocking him and motioned to him to come into the hut where we were. We offered him food and he grunted, hit his head a few times and sat down. We decided we would love him and share with him even though he was very unruly and quite a sight to behold. He began to calm down and he ate.

watch video

As he sat there we tried to communicate with him but it was very difficult and he seemed to ignore us. Of course we thought it was the language barrier but even when Chase spoke Yetfa to him he seemed like he did not understand. After a while we figured out that this man was deaf and mute. Chase asked some of the older men and they told him that this man had been very very sick as an infant. The experience that we had with this man stayed in my mind and heart and I am sure in the minds and hearts of all that were in our group!

As I returned to the States a single question kept coming to my mind, “how is that man ever going to know the gospel?” I mean, he lives in a tribe in one of the remotest places on our planet. He has no Word of God, no written language and he himself cannot hear or speak! During the trip Chase spoke several Bible stories and the Gospel with the Yetfa in their own language for the very first time. What good is it going to do this man I wondered? How will this man be reached? God how are you going to do it? God I know you SEE this man! YOU ARE THE GOD WHO SEES (Genesis 16)! God I know you love this man but how will he be reached?

About 6 weeks later I was on facebook and I heard the following story from Eddie Williams a friend of mine who is a missionary to the Turkana in Kenya, Africa!

“I encountered another thing not covered in missions class. I preached today and led into the invitation. A few folks began to respond. Then an 15 year old girl comes crying (snot freely flowing...you know the type) and stands right in front of me. I asked how I could help her. She just stood there...bawling. I called pastor Emmanuel over to help. He told me the girl is an illiterate, deaf, mute. Great! She obviously has come for help...but how can I know what she needs me to do.
I remembered when I was in Bible college, I was taught that sometimes you have to become a fool for Jesus! I began a 20 minute game of charades with this girl, right in front of the entire church. Through gestures and grunts, I asked what is the problem. She points at herself and then down to the ground several times and cries harder. It took me a minute to figure this out. But THEN it hit me! She realizes (maybe for the first time) she is going to hell.
Conveying the concept of sin was made easy when her mama yelled out she likes to hit people. Once I was convinced this was why she was standing in front of me (and the entire church), I acted out the Gospel as best as I could. When I got to the resurrection, I asked if she wanted to pray. She nodded yes! She prayed and her entire countenance changed! Her tears stopped and were replaced with the biggest smile! The church broke into spontaneous shouts of joy, whistling, and applause (sorry for you if that kind of thing offends you).
How to share the gospel with an illiterate deaf mute? must of missed that class! But God still breaks through muted ears and silent mouths...IT WAS AWESOME!!!”

God is using so many awesome people and there are so many God things happening in our world today. In the trip to Kumiolen, Papua, Indonesia I saw God use so many people to accomplish His work! He used Translators, Nurses, EMT’s, Doctors, Mechanics, Pilots, Youth Pastors, Canoe Guides, College Students, Missionary Kids and many more.

Perhaps there is a teacher of the deaf, someone who knows how to sign or someone who is willing to learn! Maybe God is calling you to reach people like the Kumiolen deaf man and the Kenyan deaf girl! There is a huge need in missions among unreached people for this! Check out this article about such a ministry and see the need and the value of it! God is calling people to ALL THINGS!

“To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be a partaker thereof with you” I Corinthians 9:22-23

“When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:25-26

Priceless

2013-08-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

I am one of the most blessed men that I have ever known.....seriously!! I have an absolutely amazing wife. I still can't believe she chose me out of all the guys in the world! She continuously teaches me new things and I have seen God do magnificent things through her. I want to brag on my wife a little :-) Recently, she became certified to teach students with visual impairments. I am so proud of her, she was a woman on a mission and she got it done. God worked in her life and led her to a certain purpose and she accepted it, embraced it and owns it! When she was first starting this endeavor she was applying to get into a program and wrote the following as part of the application process...I am using it with her permisson!

Nine years ago I was a fourth grade teacher. I loved my students….I had worked my way through school and LOVED my career. And then I found out I was expecting. Thrilled is probably an understatement to describe our long awaited babies coming! Our firstborn arrived in April and she was delightful. We were concerned about how her eyes bounced, but our pediatrician assured us that was “normal for some babies.” I would try to get her to track objects, lights, or even to convince myself she was looking at me as I fed her, but I wasn’t convinced. We had no reason to believe she couldn’t see, no family history to fear, but we were sure there was a problem. I finally convinced our Pediatrician to do a more thorough exam when Allison was 4 months old. She didn’t finish the exam and she left the room without a word. I worried that the doctor had gotten sick. Instead she was on the phone getting us worked in for an emergency appointment with an ophthalmologist. She never told us why we were going. The Ophthalmologist told us that afternoon that our daughter was cortically blind. He said that she was living in darkness, and that we needed to adjust our expectations accordingly.
That day changed our lives. We spent several months visiting different doctors searching for answers. We got in contact with ECI, and through them we met the Mansfield ISD Orientation & Mobility Specialist and the Teacher of the Visually Impaired. The support we received from our O & M was amazing. She was dependable, helpful and encouraging. There were weeks on end where she was the only person I spoke with that I thought had a clue about my life. They have worked with me to get my daughter where she is today- a third grader who was commended on her TAKS test.
I believe that as a VI Teacher I will be able to help my students and their families with the unique perspective I offer- of someone who has taught regular education as well as being a parent of a visually impaired student. I understand the classroom teacher’s perspective and I believe that this will benefit my students and their classroom teachers. I will be able to share the needs of my students to help them become independent learners as well. I also have a clearer idea than most of what the parents are thinking and need. I want to help other families by providing the kind of support and encouragement my family has received.
As a teacher I believe that all kids can learn and that it is my responsibility to see that learning takes place- even if I have to change my plans. Sometimes this meant delaying and re-teaching a concept. Some days this meant scrapping my plans and going back to basics that the students did not have, but needed to comprehend the concept. I played games, created songs, and used stickers instead of pencils. My goal was to help students love to learn and to create lifelong learners. With a blind child, I have learned that sometimes learning takes more conversation but the smile that occurs when they realize the solution is just as priceless.

Jill Smith

As I said earlier, I am soooo proud of my wife! Steve Jobs founder and CEO of Apple once said "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something..." My wife and I trust in God and it gives me great joy to know that through all of our experiences in having 2 blind children she has embraced the guidance and the purposes of God in her life! To God Be The Glory by Jesus Christ :-)

The Blind Blaming The Blind

2013-02-12T14:59:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago I was just standing in my living room doing absolutely nothing. I don't know what I was thinking and I don't know what caused me to remain in that one spot for more than a few seconds. As I stood there I was about to witness an event that forever will be burned into the deep recesses of my mind. All of a sudden in an instant both of my children began walking quickly (for my children it was effectively a run) from the two opposite ends of the house toward the living room. Directly in front of me I saw them collide hard enough that both of them fell backward to the ground. Usually I would have reacted but I just stood there like I was in a paralysis. I watched the events unfold with a little smirk now creeping onto my face. Immediately after hitting the ground both of my blind children began raising themselves up and in perfect unison while scowling in the direction of the other said "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!!!" They were about to really get into it when I busted out in laughter and reminded them that they are both blind! It was at that point that I saw both of them stop and give that perplexing "Oh, I Forgot About That" look. By now my wife was in the room and she was laughing about as hard as I was!
A well known older pastor that I greatly admire always says "To Blame is to B-lame". Jesus talked about the blind leading the blind and I believe there is an awful lot of that happening! In America today it seems that in the political realm we have a lot of "The Blind Blaming The Blind" going on. I think this is an appropriate time to write this post! The President of the United States "State of the Union" speech was just given to the country. When you look at things that are taking place in our country so many still seem to be thinking in a partisan paradigm where one party is wrong or mostly wrong and the other is right or mostly right. It is time that we stop being blind blamers of the blind! We are all to blame and sin is everywhere!
I actually like the statement "Be the change you want to see in others"! It is time that everyone takes personal responsibility and begins changing. America's problem is not Political it is Spiritual. Christians from both parties are guilty of not standing against abortion. We are guilty of not standing against a culture of debt, not standing against homosexual marriage, not standing against compromise in what we allow ourselves to be entertained by. We are guilty of not standing against greed, prejudice and oppression. We are guilty of not standing against perpetuating government reliance and not standing against the manifold lies materialism and secular humanism! The list of our wrongs goes on and on for all sides! May God grant all his children repentance and give us grace to trust His righteous ways and live by them!

Disability or Challenge?

2012-10-16T14:48:00.001-07:00

This is a great question concerning blindness and if nothing else one which deserves and requires sincere contemplation and thought. I recently came across this great essay by Kenneth Jernigan called "Blindness- A Left Handed Dissertation." Maybe it will help you come to a conclusion on whether you think blindness is a disability or a challenge but either way you will definitely have a greater awareness. It will open your eyes and show you that without realizing it society can really make things difficult for people who are not "normal". On a side note, I am including a pic of Allison! So proud of her for accepting the CHALLENGE and riding the bus to school everyday on her own! Way to Go Sweetheart!

Grasp

2012-07-23T14:16:00.001-07:00

Not long after we came to the realization that Allison was blind I had a very long and good conversation with my next door neighbor about the situation. Jill and I have always seemed to be blessed with great neighbors. The Brown's were no exception. As Jack and I were talking one morning he said something that really struck and stuck with me! He said "what a blessing it will be to have the privilege of describing the world to your children, in large part they will see the world through your eyes". In reality this is true for all parents but for us it seems even more so. The responsibility of such a task was a little overwhelming to handle at the time. As years have passed I have thought about this over and over and asked myself, "How am I doing at describing the world to my children?" Some days I think I'm doing pretty well and then other days I think I am failing miserably! Where I usually fail is in describing the small and seemingly insignificant details. Like the fact that apples can be red and not just green. That when we say a person's eye is blue it doesn't mean the whole thing. If you want to understand what I am talking about there is a great write up done by a dad who has a much better grasp on describing details than I do for his blind daughter. The article is called "Dad, Where's the plunger?"

I just want to encourage all parents to remember the small stuff. So many times we assume our children are picking up on things we are trying to teach them or want them to know but yet we haven't verbalized it in detail to them. So many times I see Christian parents who have good expectations for their children but yet they have never stated those expectations to them. Somehow, they thought that their children would just magically pick them up along the way! I want to encourage you to help them grasp the specifics of what it means to live a Christ like life. Sometimes we are so focussed on the big picture, the end result, the goals, that we forget to talk about the little things! We go from A-Z and forget that there are important letters in between. Someone once told me "It's not the height of the mountain that will keep you from getting to the top, it's the little pebble in your shoe". My dad always used to tell me "Jon, if you take care of the little things the big things will take care of themselves". Make sure they aren't just seeing the big picture on the box but that they are grasping all the pieces that bring it together!

Thunder Dog

2012-04-30T08:34:00.003-07:00

I really don't like that I do it but I do. There is no excuse! The truth is that I am guilty of giving in to a temptation that all parents face. It seems that I am guilty of being over-protective. Well, when you have two blind children one might justify the fact that they are so or even just plain deny it based on necessity of circumstances. NO, the truth is that I am over-protective. Over-protective is even, really, just a nice way of saying "controlling parent full of worry and anxiety, scared to death something might happen to their kid". Ok, now that that is off my chest let me tell you about a wonderful book.

The story of Michael Hingson and his guide dog Roselle and how they escaped from the 78th floor of the WTC on 9/11 is absolutely remarkable! You can check out an ad for the book called "Thunder Dog" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nRU4Rh2rBM
It is because of Michael's story that I decided to encourage my son and daughter to try riding a bike! Matthew absolutely loved it! Yes, a 5 year old blind boy learning to ride a bike.

I am so proud of my son and the courage that it takes to try. Don't gasp and think that I am throwing caution to the wind, I am not. I just refuse to be that person that limits my son from doing all that he can do or atleast trying. I am not going to disable him by my fear! He will get hurt and he will fall but I will be there (if at all possible) to help him back up. Thank you Michael Hingson!

"...Safety is from the Lord" Psalm 4:8
"...When I fall, I shall arise" Micah 7:8

Welcome to Holland!

2010-11-22T06:12:00.000-08:00

This story has been a blessing to many people including myself. Just the other night I had a dream that my son and I were out at a park and I was passing a football to him and he was catching it and having a great time. Some things are difficult but this story is VERY encouraging!

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Emily Perl Kingsley 1987

Matthew Chases Daddy

2010-05-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

Matthew is blind and usually doesn't run very many places because he is afraid he will run into things and be injured. However, when he chases Daddy he knows it's safe! What if God's children learned this lesson? We walk (run) by faith and not by sight :-)

click below and check out the video

Matthew Chasing Daddy

10 Things I Have Learned From Raising Blind Kids

2010-01-22T13:47:00.000-08:00

10 Things (among many others) I have learned from raising blind kids!

1. If there is candy in the house they will find it just as fast as any sighted kid (or faster)!
2. The cat isn't the only one who gets into the Christmas tree.
3. Facial expressions are natural not learned in most cases. (including sticking out their tongue)
4. It doesn't take sight to have a fascination with flushing strange objects down the toilet.
5. Many things in life are impossible to describe.
6. It is NOT ok to touch some things because they are blind and they want to know what it is.
7. Fear is far more disabling than being blind.
8. Two year olds know alot more than anyone thinks (our kids started talking in full sentences at 15 months).
9. Dogs aren't the only ones who can recognize people by their smell.
10. They still want to drive :-0

Your Eyes Will Adjust

2009-07-11T10:15:00.001-07:00

Had a Seriously Ridiculous Awesome week at The Bogg Teen Camp. I heard a cool little story from David Vance about how he and his wife went to a very expensive restaurant for a Candle Light dinner. The music played and the food was great but as he looked across the table he wanted to see more clearly his wife's face. He motioned to the waiter and said "Could you please bring the lights up a little more" The waiter said "Don't worry sir your eyes will adjust".

As the World becomes more sinful we must be aware as Christians that it is natural for people to adjust to the darkness. I am not talking about adjusting as a missionary would to a foreign culture. I am talking about allowing sin into our lives and becoming Ok with it. It is easy to adjust to traditionalism and rituals in our religion rather than persuing a relationship with Christ the Light of the World. It is easy to adjust to the status quo of religion and an outward show. It is easy to adjust to duality. There is an outward show and we appear to be keeping sin out of the church but our lives are entrenched in the ungodly away from the assembly. Soon we are in a rut, soon we are pleasing ourselves, soon we are going through the motions soon we have forgotten that Christ desires mercy and not sacrifice. Soon we are not being a light to the World and we are Isaiah 58...read it when you have a chance. I would suggest that you use a version other than KJV so you can really understand what its saying!

P.S. Thanks for that scripture reading Josh King :-)

Give Me Your Eyes

2009-05-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

Lyrics for Dove Awards
Song of the Year 2009
Brandon Heath
"Give Me Your Eyes"

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere,
Why have I never cared?

Chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
YeahYeahyeahyeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of workHe's buying time
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?

I've Been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glanceS
o give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all along

10 Reasons To Have A Victorious Outlook On Life!

2009-03-05T09:15:00.000-08:00

For the Believer in Jesus Christ here are 10 Reasons to have a victorious outlook on life!

#1
Jehovah God is still Lord of Heaven and Earth.....
Some will fret and worry becaue the devil is the "god" of this World. The "god" of this World means he is in control of this World System. The financial system, the educational systems, the religious systems, the media etc. During the millenium Jesus will control all these things. This does not mean that things are outside of Gods ultimate control. He is still Lord of Creation! He holds all things together. Acts 17:24-32

#2
Jesus Christ the Messiah is still Risen from the Dead.....
There is no other system of faith on the Earth that has a risen savior. Religion after religion can take you to their founders grave however Jesus is risen and has assured us that he is alive. I serve a risen savior

#3
One Day I will see the Miracle of the Ressurection and get my new body....
My eyes will see one of the greatest miracles of all time. I can't wait, I want my children to be close to me when it happens. As we are changed in the moment and in the twinkling of an eye they will receive their new bodies and they will be able to see my face for the first time. Then we will see Jesus together!

#4
Our Labor is not in Vain....
The things that we do for Jesus will one day be rewarded. I Corinthians 15:57,58 says "But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." I like what proverbs 14:23 says to the wise "In all Labor there is profit".

#5 All things work together for good.....
There are alot of things that seem bad to me but God tells me that they will all work out for good to those who are the called according to his purpose....well that's me and I am standing on this promise....how about you?

#6
He will never leave us nor forsake us.....
Ok, sometimes I hear sermon after sermon that somehow seems to say that if I don't follow God just right then he will abandon me or leave me hanging out to dry. I don't know where these thoughts come from. I don't think they are God.....He is a good father and even though he may discipline me it is in his amazing love and he will never leave me nor forsake me.....I can boldly say the Lord is my Helper......Since God is for us who can be against us? No One!

#7
Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the World......
I get tired of defeatest mentalities. Things are getting worse and worse...well that may be true but that doesn't mean that Christians are going to be defeated. I read the back of the book and we win! The Holy Spirit lives in me and he is stronger and mightier than the devil! When Lucifer fell he took one third of the angels with him, that means there are two thirds left! So for every demon the devil throws my way there are 2 angels on my side ready to overcome them. We are in a spiritual battle and our heavenly father is good and he has given us everything we need to Win!

#8
The Gospel of Jesus Christ can not be stopped.....
Before Jesus comes back the Bible says that the gospel will be published in all nations. In Matt 13:31-33 the bible also tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven that will spread and fill the whole. Finally in Revelation 7:9 there are the saved that are from every nation, tribe, and kindred. The Gospel will not be stopped and people from every it goes will accept it! Jesus said all power is given unto me....go ye therefore!

#9
The churches of Jesus Christ will never go out of existance and hell can not stop her......
Jesus said I am with you "even unto the end of the world".....Jesus told Peter that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.....even if their are few accepting the truths of the Word and even though men won't like to hear sound doctrine.....there will be faith (the system) of faith that was once delivered to the saints when Jesus comes back!

#10
We will reign with Christ and live forever in the New Heaven and Earth!
Revelation 20....Read It!

Don't be defeated in your mind and actions....Don't let the World get you down! Go forward with Victorious Outlook! Be Like Caleb and Joshua not like the other 10 that no one remembers!

What Does God Smell Like?

2009-02-24T13:20:00.001-08:00

Well, this is a continuation of "Mature Christians Use All Their Senses". After talking about touch, I decided that I would go on to the sense of smell. After hours and hours of looking at scripture and doing searches on every bible software I have come to the conclusion that God does not have a smell!

Now in my studies it became clear that human beings do have many smells. Many times God smells us as opposed to false gods who can not. Deu 4:28 "And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell." Whether it be good smelling things or bad smelling things. Our evil actions are seen as bad smells. Amos 5:21 "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies."

Our good actions are seen as good smells in the nostrils of God. Phi 4:18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things [which were sent] from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

Have you ever noticed that there isn't a single smell that the human body makes naturally that is really very pleasant.....that could be a result of our sin nature.....makes sense to me.

Nowhere in scripture does it say that God has a smell. I guess that's pretty consistant with purity and holiness. See smell happens when tiny particles are added to the air. God is 100% pure and the bible seems consistant with that in that God does not have a smell!

If anyone ever comes across a verse that would share something different please let me know! Thanks

Life Without.....

2008-11-26T20:15:00.000-08:00

It's Thanksgiving and I just want to give Thanks to Jesus Christ who died for my sins! Thank You! Two weeks ago I learned about a young man from Australia named Nick Vujicic. This guy is absolutely amazing! Nick was born without arms or legs....but what's amazing is that he is an incredibly happy and joyful person. Sometimes I think that I have been given a pretty tough challenge by having two children born blind but then I come across a story like Nick's. This young man is having an incredible impact for Christ. He is reaching millions with his story! If you don't know about Nick go to his website www.nickvujicic.com and be inspired by his greater purpose. The purpose that he found in Jesus Christ! Life without_______ . Could you be happy in Christ no matter what you put in that blank. I pray that I will continue to find my joy in Christ and I pray that my children will find their joy and happiness in Christ even though they live Life without sight! Happy Thanksgiving :-)

Color Blind...Praise the Lord!

2008-11-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

I just have to be blatantly and boldly honest. I am sick and tired of racism, racial prejudice, and racial preference in my country and in the churches of this country! I sometimes envy my children because they are color blind. I hear so many comments here and there...on tv...on radio...in music...in movies.....at social gatherings and sometimes at churches...that it is hard not to live where I live and not be influenced by some sort of race issue!

Even though I didn't vote for Barack Obama there is a part of me that is glad that he won. I can see the little minority children who had an extra twinkle in their eye and extra length in their smile the day after the election and it makes me happy for them. I can tell that some of my neighbors are a little more happy and that they are looking to see if I am happy for them too! If you can't see that then you are not looking or else you live in Utah.

Yes....my children do have very limited light perception but they see absolutely no color....Praise the Lord. My daughter goes to a school where she is the minority. She goes to a school where there are only 5 grades and yet their are over 50 languages represented. I am glad that when she comes home and talks to me about her friends at school that she doesn't have a clue what color they are. I wish we could all be color blind.

I am right on with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr a Baptist Preacher who was a Republican, he said

"I have a dream
that my four little children
will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged
by the color of their skin
but by the content
of their character.”

That's one of the dreams I have for my children too!

Why is it that Sunday Morning is still the most segregated time of the whole week in America? Lord help the Christians and the Churches in this nation to repent and be a shining light to the rest of the World.

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

God's design for the Local Church was for it to be an example to the World of how people of all races and tongues and cultures could love each other in unity in Christ.....And look what America is on Sunday mornings! Can the local churches bring glory to Christ when they aren't keeping his commands? Let's pray that revival will come to the churches of America in this issue and many others.....ie Abortion

Long Time No Blog

2008-08-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

Wow....has it been that long since I blogged on this site? It has been one crazy and wild summer!
We started out going to Ohio in May for my wife's grandmother's funeral. I flew back to Texas and then took a van load of kids on our CityReach mission trip. Then a week and a half later I was back in Texas and the air conditioner on our house had broke. As soon as we got that fixed we took 70 people to camp at Pine Springs then the week after that we took a load to Bogg Springs. The week after that we were in full preparation mode for VBS then we had VBS (we had a record average attendance of 240 for that). Then a week later I went to China for the Olympic Bible Project. I got back from that last week and have been catching up with honey do's that piled up over the last 3 months.....by the way did I mention that we moved into a new house in April and are still unpacking? We have seen many people saved through these ministries and I wouldn't trade the time for nothing! But now I am going to spend some time with my family! I might get to "Senses Part II" and a report about the China trip when the rest of the group gets back from over there!

God Bless!

Is Our Doctrine Really Beautiful? If Not Put Some Make-Up On It!

2008-02-10T20:40:00.000-08:00

I go to an awesome church!! Our youth ministry has had "True Love Waits" Youth Revivals for several years now and they have always been a huge success. This year Sublett Road Baptist Church led by our Pastor Bill Morrow decided that purity wasn't just for youth and that we were going to have a Purity Revival for the whole church. So far it is going great.....Our evangelist did a great job today and I am looking forward to the rest of the week!

Chase is preaching to us out of Titus chapter 2 and today he shared something about Titus 2:10 where it says that we should live pure lives and do good works ".....that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." I studied it some more tonight and the word adorn is "Kosmeo" in the greek which is the same word that we get "cosmetics" from in English. Does the purity of our lives and our good works make our doctrine more beautiful? We are always hearing people say that we shouldn't try to appeal to the World but these verses clearly say that we can and are commanded to make our doctrine more appealing to the World! Get a load of that!

This made me think of verses like 2Ti 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine" and I began to wonder if this is the fault of those of us who profess Christ in the end times....After all the Bible does say "For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?" I Peter 4:17 Is it possible that we who profess Christ and are in the Lord's Churches are actually turning the lost and new believers away from sound doctrine because we are not living pure lives and not doing good works like we should. Could it be that our doctrine is not beautiful because people actually see the lives we are living. It's time that we started adorning God's doctrine with our pure lives and good works so that it will be Beautiful to the World and to new believers! Is Our Doctrine Really Beautiful? Is Your Doctrine Beautiful? If not put some make-up on it!

What Is Really Going On?

2008-02-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

I associate with a group of Churches known as The American Baptist Association.....recently my dad wrote a blog on his website http://www.goxstream.org/ about our missionary efforts and I thought I would share what he wrote.

"It was recently reported that over 13,000 souls have been saved in the collective work of our missionaries. This is worth shouting about!However, without dampening the spirit of this wonderful report, we must ask the question, "why have there only been 14 new works started in six months on the foreign field and only 6 new works on the home front so far?" There is something very ominous about this.

Now, I do understand that you can't get everybody baptized that gets saved, and everybody that gets baptized doesn't necessarily end up in church or part of a new church. But if only half of these people ended up in church or a new church there would have been significant church increase and new works being started and it would have been widely reported. But there hasn't been that I can tell.

What's going on? Can someone answer my question? Maybe I'm missing something.With 13,000 plus having been saved we should have heard of dozens if not hundreds of new churches being started. Someone enlighten me?"

I had never thought about it before but the statistics are taken from the 120 or so missionaries recommended by the churches of the association. If you divide 13,000 by the 120 missionaries you get approximately 110 professions per missionary. I agree with my dad ......why aren't we seeing more missions and churches started? What is even more stunning is that many of the new 20 missions and churches started globally in our work are done by the unrecommended missionary force......that larger group of forgotten missionaries that are sponsored by ABA churches that do not go through the recommending process and are never recognized at the "Meetin' ".

I am in full support of the ABA but sometimes we have to take a hard look at what is being done and ask ourselves.....What is really going on?

Asleep in the Light

2008-01-28T11:53:00.000-08:00

I had a great time at this years North Texas Weekend 4 Jesus. The theme of the weekend was "Now Is the Time" and the emphasis was on evangelism and outreach. Spencer Davis was our Worship Leader for the Weekend and he did an absolutely great job for the honor and glory of God. I hadn't heard it in years and had forgotten about a great song by Keith Green called "Asleep in the Light" when Spencer sang and played it for us on the Keyboard. I wanted to share it with you all......and if you go to my other blog www.myspace.com/cityreachdude you can hear the original song for yourself! It reminds me of when Jesus said "Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest". Then later he told the church at Laodicea who was rich, increased with goods, and had need of nothing that they were blind.

-----------------------------------

-------------------------------

Asleep In The Light

Do you see, do you see,

all the people sinking down,
Don't you care, don't you care,

are you gonna let them drown,
How can you be so numb,

not to care if they come,
You close your eyes

and pretend the job's done.
Oh Bless me Lord, bless me Lord,

you know it's all I ever hear,
No one aches, no one hurts,

no one even sheds one tear,
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds,

and He cares for your needs,
And you just lay back and keep soaking it in,

oh, can't you see it's such sin?
Cause He brings people to your door,
And you turn them away,

as you smile and say,
God bless you, be at peace,

and all Heaven just weeps,
Cause Jesus came to your door,

you've left Him out on the streets.

Open up, open up, and give yourself away,
You've seen the need, you hear the cry,

so how can you delay,
God's calling and you're the one,

but like Jonah you run,
He's told you to speak,

but you keep holding it in,
Oh, can't you see it's such sin?
The world is sleeping in the dark,
That the church can't fight,

cause it's asleep in the light,
How can you be so dead,

when you've been so well fed,
Jesus rose from the grave, and you,

you can't even get out of bed,
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead,

come on, get out of your bed.

How can you be so numb,

not to care if they come,
You close your eyes

and pretend the job's done,
You close your eyes

and pretend the job's done,
Don't close your eyes,

don't pretend the job's done.
Come away, come away,

come away with Me, My love,
Come away, from this mess,

come away with Me, My love.

Mission, Vision and Morphing

2008-01-19T20:35:00.000-08:00

A year or so ago our church had a "vision casting" service on New Years Eve. For those that actually stayed awake and were able to concentrate there were alot of really interesting things that were said. In the whole process of thinking and praying about what "vision" God had given me for the ministries that I lead at our church I came to really understand the difference between "mission" and "vision" for the first time in my life.

If someone were to ask 10 carpenters to each make a dining room table and gave them a certain amount of money and a certain amount of time each of those carpenters would create a table that was different from the others. The task of making a table would be "mission". What those tables actually looked like would be "vision".

The "Mission" of the Lord's Churches is obvious Matthew 28:19-20 etc. The "Vision" is not always so obvious. In my experience almost all of the church splits that I have ever known have not been about "Mission" but in the area of "Vision". Different people have different ideas of what the end product should look like. Most of the time the differing opinions are neither doctrinal issues nor moral issues but usually "vision" issues. In a desperate effort to justify their divisions to "the brethren" I have literally seen people jump through incredible hoops trying make it look like it was about doctrinal issues when in fact it was nothing of the sort.

Even in denominations most splits and divisions are over "vision" issues and not "mission" issues. In the association of churches that I fellowship with there is a growing differences of opinion concerning what starting new churches should look like. There really isn't a doctrinal or moral issue at stake its mostly just a preference of which terms should be used, which methodology should be followed and a lack of trust from those that have never done it that way before.

It is interesting to note that the word "division" with the prefix "di" actually means "Two Visions". In this group of churches neither of the "visions" for how to start churches is necessarily unscriptural they are just different. When such a situation exists the key to avoiding a division is to have "morphing" take place. "Morphing" is when two visions are turned into one. When "morphing" two pictures you lose parts of both pictures but a new and interesting picture develops. The problem is that it takes humility on both sides in order for morphing to take place, both sides have to give up something. Most of the time its really just pride that has to be given up....to actually admit that there is more than one way of doing something.

I grew up in Canada a country where interacial marriages are almost the norm. Something that I came to realize in most cases is that the more diverse the parents race often times the more beautiful the children were. Do you think that this is a coincidence.....No! God is trying to teach us something. The more diverse the differences between two people, two visions, two groups etc.....when they are willing to "morph" the more beautiful they can be. When a couple comes together and a child is created each parent gives DNA to the process. Some is used from one parent and some is used from the other. It is Gods way of making something beautiful out of two seperate entities. I believe that if there is a willingness to morph among our churches that God can take the city churches and the country churches and make something beautiful, the older generation and the younger generation and make something beautiful, the small churches and the large churches and make something beautiful, the mission methodology and the church planting methodology and make something beautiful. The bible says "submit one to another". If we do this then we can be morphed into something very very very beautiful. I pray that this would happen in our churches!

Green Eyes

2007-12-31T08:34:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken on Christmas day at Grandma's house. I love Christmas espescially for the children. One of the best parts of Christmas is the anticipation, the imaginations (sugar plums dancing in their heads) all that goes in to looking forward to that moment when the gifts will be opened. The best part is often the days leading to Christmas. Then Christmas comes the gifts are opened and many times the kids play more with the boxes the gifts were in than the actual gift! What happens? You know the Christmas day blahs, after all the presents are opened and that deep down in the gut feeling comes over you that says "Is that all there is". It's called disillusionment. We have a vision of what we think should happen and that the things we wanted will bring us happiness and reality falls short. Why is there so much disillusionment in this world. Why so many disenchanted people?
The answer is that many of our dreams and visions for our lives are not from God but from our own fleshly desires. If we would expect in life what God wants us to expect then we would be disillusioned (freed from illusions) to begin with!

Disillusion
1.
to free from or deprive of illusion, belief, idealism, etc.; disenchant. –noun
2.
a freeing or a being freed from illusion or conviction; disenchantment.

Some think that to keep from being disillusioned in life you should just lower your expectations and not think big at all......therefore some are against the whole "Vision" concept. This is not biblical. The problem is that when this is taught the person is assuming that another persons "vision" is not from God! What a presumption! What a judgement! What a sin! Who called you to be an inspector and destroyer of dreams. Did it actually cross your mind that you may be the one causing the the "disillusionment".....but its actually a false disillusionment because the person never needed freed from an illusion to begin with.

God did not call us to tear down peoples dreams or visions. Are you going to be like Joseph's brothers who mocked him, sold him into slavery and abandoned him because of the vision God gave him?.....Who are you to judge someone elses dream?......What if God put that in a person to dream that?......What if you are fighting Gods purpose in that persons life? You might say.....then it will happen anyway......Not necessarily......not every dream is predestined! Just like we may have the blood of the lost on our hands we can end up with the tears of a lost dream on our hands too when we stand before God!

When a person has a vision of what God wants them to do......It usually is pretty big and its usually not accepted by most people. There are those that will try to find something unscriptural about it. Matter of fact in church work some go so far as to come up with the ridiculous notion that "church growth" isn't scriptural and that if your church is growing you're compromising on truth. These same people nitpick and find a handful of random churches across the country and find something unscriptural with them and superimpose that image on all growing churches or at least the ones they don't like. Its interesting to note that most of the time it comes down to opinions and or perceptions not anything substantial or factual.

A God vision is much bigger than what man can come up with and in the end it doesn't bring disillusionment it brings about the workings of God in the lives of men! We accuse those with vision many times of trying to do the work themselves and not letting God do it. We use scripture like "God gives the increase" and terms like "We need the power of the Spirit" to make our case against those who are laboring hard in the Lords work because of a vision. Did it ever occur to you that in reality you are guilty of the judgement you are giving and doing the same thing by trying to work at tearing that persons vision down instead of letting God do that work(if its even necessary)? What hypocrisy! Maybe someone destroyed a vision you had long ago, that doesn't make it ok to do the same thing. Maybe the real truth is that you have Green eyes, full of envy.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" Ephesians 3:20

Distracted

2007-12-11T07:04:00.000-08:00

Distracted by the things around us we are! Not to sound like "Yoda" but it's so true. In what age or what generation have men been more distracted? It is amazing to me how many things there are that keep distracting me from my mission in life. I'm not going to make a list of everything because you know what I'm talking about. I want to show you some quotes from an "eyes on the prize" sort of Christian lady. Listen to the focus and feel the mission Fanny Crosby was on. Her eyes were literally on Christ.

"It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me."

"If I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind...for when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Saviour."

I am so blind at times that I get distracted even by the things that God is trying to use to get me focussed! I find that the most happy, joyous, fulfilled times in my life are when I am totally focussed on the mission that God has for me. When I get distracted my whole life seems out of whack. Listen to what she wrote when she was only 8 years old.

Oh, what a happy child I am,
although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this
world contented I will be!
How many blessings I enjoy
that other people don't!
So weep or sigh because
I'm blind, I cannot - nor I won't

Its incredible how one that was so blind was so focussed. I want to stay focussed, I don't want to be distracted. I want to teach my kids to think like this amazing woman. God help me not to be distracted, not to turn to the left or to the right........ Help me stay on mission!