Bill then encouraged us to write up our own axioms. Statements that have helped us gain clarity in a delicate or difficult situation. Meaningful sentences that guide us in leading, counseling or confronting. Most of them are from books that I have read or believe it or not, came from my brain! I will try to acknowledge the source whenever possible.

Allow me to share them with you. I hope to expound on each axiom when time allows.

1. We have stress because of our blessings [paraphrase from a Max Lucado book which title escapes me]
2. Right people in the right seats [Jim Collins-Good to Great]
3. Say no to good things [a counselor that I was meeting with during a difficult time in life]
4. Who will cry at your funeral? [Pat Morley-Man in the Mirror]
5. We’re a team!
6. I am a child of God – my identity is based on what God says about me in His Word and what He did for me in sending His Son to die for me. [Neil Anderson - Steps to Freedom]
7. I can be considered wise by listening a lot and talking little [Proverbs 17.28 "Even a stubborn fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent. He is considered intelligent if he keeps his lips sealed."]
8. God is still on the throne!
9. Publicly praise and privately critique
10. Being critical is just complaining with no solution. Critiquing is affirming the person, giving your input along with solutions and suggestions [loosely paraphrased from Bob Thune, Sr.]
11. It is spiritual to say no. [same counselor as in #3]
12. Down hill, no brakes, only steering [Irving Malm]

I’m sure I’ll think of a few more. For now, I’ll take one or two of the axioms and explain the circumstances behind them. Go ahead and think of your own axioms and share them with me.

Blessings!

And a lot of times, it creates “ugly religious people,” he said.

In 1987, Bloye made a decision – not a salvation decision because he already had that down – but a decision that involved total commitment and one that not many Christians have made.

“What God really wants from us is total commitment,” he stressed. That means, giving God everything, holding nothing back and not playing the game.

“For someone who’s been a believer for 32 years, I have found that not being totally committed just doesn’t work.”

While the phrase “total commitment” may conjure up an image of a serious Christian who doesn’t have fun and is “robbed” of everything that’s out in the world, Bloye encouraged his congregation to look at it a different way.

Total commitment is the “smartest, most reasonable thing you can do in light of what God has done for us,” he said. Total commitment is “a channel through which God’s best and biggest blessings flow.”

And the motivation is the mercy of God, His grace and love, and gratitude, rather than fear.

“God doesn’t want your church attendance, your money, your Bible time, … your religious list,” he said. “What He wants is you. That’s all God wants from you.”

That is what we here at CCC are asking when we challenge you to be a R.I.S.K.S. disciple. One who is totally sold out and committed to Christ. Not just publicly and on Sundays, but privately and 24-7.

A simple yet profound way of going through the Bible on your own letting God speak to you through His Word.

I read in Haggai 2.11-14 this past week.

“This is what the Lord Almighty says; ‘Ask the priests what the law says; If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated? The priests answered, NO. Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?” YES, the priest replied, ‘it becomes defiled.’ Then Haggai said, “So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord, ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.”

I couldn’t figure out that passage. I looked in a study Bible and in just a short sentence it made sense. The commentator said, “Sanctification cannot be transferred, but defilement can; just as health is not contagious, but disease can be.

I encourage you to think about that and ask if you are “contagious” or not.

Here at CCC-Sarpy we will end up with a 5 week series because…well, trust me. We have to have an extra Sunday.

Anyway, I preached on Jesus: The Man with a Purpose. I challenged the men to realize that if they lived with purpose, the purpose God intended for them to have….they will impact and influence society. I Corinthians 16:13-14 tells us, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”

This was a challenge from the Apostle Paul to the men, challenging them to step up and act like men! Jesus was THE man, we have an opportunit to live like a man and make a difference.

I came across a quote that caused me to reread because I am in the “manly state of mind.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

I encourage you to attend or at least go to www.cccomaha.org to listen to the messages addressed specifically with men in mind.

Cathleen McGuigan wrote an insightful review of “Invisible” Montalembert’s memoir in a recent Newsweek article.

Cathleen wrote,
“De Montalembert is clear about the good fortune in his life. “The fact that I lost my sight is very spectacular,” he says, “but there are things which are much more terrible.” Hugues wears a cool-looking, custom-made steel mask in the shape of aviator glasses to cover his damaged eyes. In Paris one day, a Cambodian taxi driver extended his sympathy for de Montalembert’s obvious plight. The author thanked him but remarked that there were “peopole much more wounded than me.” The cabbie was silent and then said that his wife and children had been killed before his eyes in Cambodia. “So there he was,” de Montalembert writes, “driving his cab in Paris with this huge wound that nobody could see. ”

Cathleen insightfully closes her article with, “except, of course, for the man who was blind.”

It is my prayer that we\me can slow down, ask questions and listen to others. Maybe then can we/me see those wounded around us.

Can’t say that I did a good job in any area except I did finish the book on Apollo 11. The other book I’m half way through reading is “God, as He longs for you to see Him” by Chip Ingram

That brings me to what is going on in my brain.

Did you know that there was only three computers on Apollo 11? Each weighed 17.5 pounds and had 36K of memory. We have more memory and computing “power” in our cell phones than what those men used to land on the moon! I’m impressed that NASA even sent men to the moon, and shocked that they did it with such limited computer power!

Thankfully, God is never limited. Chip Ingram states in his book that God is without equal or limitations. He quotes A.W. Tozer from “The Knowledge of the Holy.”

“God’s sovereignty is the attribute by which He rules His entire creation, and to be sovereign God must be all-knowing, all-powerful, and absolutely free. Were there even one datum of knowledge, however small, unknown to God, His rule would break down at that point. To be Lord over all creation, He must possess all knowledge. And were God lacking one infinitesimal modicum of power, that lack would end His reign and undo His kingdom; that one stray atom of power would belong to someone else and God would be limited ruler and hence not sovereign.

Furthermore, His sovereignty requires that He be absolutely free, which means simply that He must be free to do whatever He wills to do anywhere at any time to carry out His eternal purpose in every single detail without interference. Were He less than free, He must be less than sovereign.“

Wow, may I be more impressed knowing that God is limitless and sovereign than realizing how limited and puny we were in getting a man on the moon.

In a press conference before playing Duke, eventually losing and consequently having a 2-7 record he said this:

“Our massage therapist told me, ‘You know, coach, what happened in Haiti is a catasrophe. What you’re having is disappointment. ‘I told her that depends on what chair you’re sitting in. it does feel like a catastrophe to me, because it’s my life.”

I was driving and blurted outloud to the radio, “You’ve got to be kidding!” I couldn’t believe that Roy Williams was equating a poor season to the death of thousands of people!

As I write this blog, Mark 8.35-37 comes to mind. “Those who want to save their lives will give up true life. But those who give up their livs for me and for the Good News will have true life. It is worthless to have the whole world if they lose their souls. They could never pay enough to buy back their souls.”

Roy Williams is wanting to gain the world with fame and sucess. He has is priorities messed up. Life is more important than a basketball game. Life is about saving souls, especially your own.

The Bible says that death is an enemy. I agree. Death stinks. It is reality, all of realize that. We know that none of us are immortal.

I have done a number of funerals over my 27 years of ministry. I have noticed over those years that I can usually pick out those who have hope and know of eternal life in heaven from those who don’t. Its the eyes and face. The people who have hope and know of the promise of eternal life are those who believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins AND that He rose from the dead and defeated death.

Just this past week I chatted with an elder from our church. He pointed out two verses that pretty much summarize the Gospel.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” Psalm 116.15

“I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked but rather that they turn from their ways and live Turn! Turn from your evil ways!” Ezekiel 33.11

Wow, what a concept. God delights when He sees a saint die. Not that He is happy about the grieving, mourning and takes a morbid joy in seeing people die. No, God delights knowing that that person is coming to Heaven and will be spending eternity with Him!

However, God takes no delight or pleasure in seeing a sinner die. He is sad because that person has rejected God and the Gospel and will spend an eternity totally separated from God and live in hell for eternity.

We don’t like death, but know that God is pleased knowing when a believer dies, he/she will be with God forever!

As you would imagine, that bold statement got Mr. Hume in a lot of hot water. Many denounced Hume’s words as evidence of chauvinism, bigotry and gross stupidity.

Ross Douthat of the New York Times defended Hume as not being a bigot. He said, “Indeed, his claim about the difference between Buddhism and Christianity was perfectly defensible. Christians believe in a personal God who forgives sins. Buddhists, as a rule, do not.”

Douthat stated in his column,

The differences between religions are worth debating. Theology has conseuences: It shapes lives, families, nations, cultures, wars; it can change people, save them from themselves and sometimes warp or even destroy them. If we tiptoe politely around this reality, then we betray every teacher, uru and philosopher – including Jesus of Nazareth and the Buddha both – who ever sought to resolve the most human of all problems: How then should we live?

Personally, I appreciate Brit Hume unapologetically wading into the reality of seeing how religion can be practically “applied” to real life situations. Ross Douthat and I agree, “the debate he started is worth having, in fact it is the most important one there is.”

Gavin also pointed us to www.thetravelingteam.org to find out more information about missions and the current state of world religion, needs and unreached people.

It was in that website that I came across interesting statistics about the history of martyrdom. Each total includes the cumulative martyrs to date since AD33

AD33 to 500 – 2.1 million
AD501 to 950 – 2.8 million
AD951 to 1350 – 11.8 million
AD1351 to 1500 – 17.3 million
AD1501 o 1750 – 21.9 million
AD1751 to 1815 – 22 million
AD1816 to 1914 – 24 million
AD1915 to 1950 – 56 million
AD1951-2000 – 69 million

From AD 33 to 1914 24 million Christians died for their faith
Since AD1915 an additional 45 million Christians died for their faith in Christ. That means more Christians were martyered in the 1900′s than all the prvious centures combined.

This means that today over 400 Christians will die for their faith in Christ.

Wow.

God, stop me if I complain about ministry pressures and schedules. Give me joy to serve and a heart willing to die for You.

“As man alone, Jesus could not have saved us; as God alone He would not.
Incarnate, He could and did.”

May Christmas and the incarnation, or as we humans say “birth” of Jesus Christ be real and fill you with joy.

….a welcomed friend? Think about a time when you had had a very busy, noisy day. Then think of how nice it was to have silence. That silence could help you breathe and relax. That silence could also help you think through what next steps needed to be taken.

….from God. Psalm 46.10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” I can’t help but see a correlation between being still [silence] AND knowing God along with the opportunity to see God exalted. Could it be that if you aren’t silent, you won’t know and see God exalted?

Just a thought.

In the Middle Ages, Christian scholars believed that Satan did not want human beings to be alone with God, or with each other, fully alert and listening.

I was intrigued with that statement. I decided to not listen to the radio or music while in the car. I also committed to not listening to my iPod Nano while working out or watching TV while on an elliptical or arc trainer.

Three days into it….so far so good. Weird, but good.

With that little bit of silence or escape from noise I’ve discovered I am thinking more, thinking more of other people, singing or humming songs from Sunday and planning more. In my commute, I’m also hearing a variety of noises I never heard before. I’ve heard the sounds of other cars, the rattles and creaks of my ’97 Honda Accord, how the road makes different sounds depending on the lane or type of road.

How about you? Do you have moments of silence to flow over you during the day? Time to just sit and think or observe life, without noise washing over you?

Julia Baird in her Newsweek article “The Devil Loves Cell Phones” adresses an issue we all struggle with. Silence. Whether it is music playing in the car, iPod, or via Muzak or the tendency to have the TV as white noise – we are daily emmersed in noise.

This past week I have been hunting. Which entails sitting still in the woods for hours on end. It has been during those times that I have had time to think, evaluate, pray and reflect on life. I have seen nature flow before me, I have seen shadows move and stars shift in their heavenly positions. It was for the most part – a worshipful experience.

Time at first crawled by minute by minute. However, after several days of hunting and sitting, time started going by fast and I eventually was surprised that an hour had passed by without once looking at the time.

After hunting and reading this article, I have decided that for the next few weeks I am going to keep the car radio off and look for opportunities to say no to filling my life with noise. I’ll keep you updated on my progress in grabbing nuggets of silence.

1. I’m preaching this Sunday on how David in II Samuel 16 handled criticism. Because of my reading and studying, I am wondering if our society is increasingly becoming a critical society or if there is more freedom and opportunities to express our opinion. You can email me at: stevew@cccomaha.org or go to my Facebook page to wade in with your opinion.

2. I stood in front of a couple bathroom sinks this week waiting for the water to turn on automatically.

3. I have stood in front of a couple paper towel dispensers waiting for a towel to appear.

4. I love having the opportunity to preach – its just the time and effort for me [I'm not saying I'm slow, but I'm not that brilliant either] to hear what God wants me to say and put it in a logical, understandable way.

5. I love doing weddings. I get to officiate on Offutt AFB for a couple with one who is in mid-60′s and the other is in early-70′s. What a privilege and celebration!

Now, you may be wondering how could I read the paper on the day Bethany was to get married? Easy. I’m the FOB [Father of the Bride] whose job is to put on a tux, show up for pictures and walk down the aisle with, if I might say, the lovely bride. I’m there for moral support and to stay out of the way. I did both and had time to read the paper that morning.

I digress.

On the opinion page there was an article about “wackiest places to visit” in this wonderful nation. I was relieved to know that Nebraska’s own Carhenge near Alliance was second place.

First place was the Toilet Seat Museum in Texas, honorable mention Pez Memorabilia display in California, and the tension between who has the biggest ball of twine. Darwin, Minnesota has a 12 feet in diameter and 17,400 pound ball, yet in Cawker City, Kansas there is a ball of twin weighing 17,980 pounds and 40 feet in circumference. I sense a conflict.

I tell you of the wacky tourist spots and twine ball wars article because I realized in an amazing way what is truly newsworthy. Love and family.

We had a wonderful weekend with family and friends seeing Bethany and Jared marry. A couple that obviously love God and each other very much. Where two families are now in-laws to each other and where the parents are happily married to their “original” spouse.

As I stood up at the reception to thank people for attending, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and was humbled to think that people from around the nation came to celebrate this wedding.

I wish there was more attention to weddings and marriages than toilet seats and twine.

Tuesday I read a quote that made me smile. Then I read it outloud to others as soon as possible, interrupting the existing conversation if necessary.

I guess those are my two criteria for a good quote.
1. Makes me laugh/smile
2. I have to tell others.

Enough of my opinion.

This quote is from the business section of Newsweek in discussion about technology and computer security.

“Passwords are like underwear: you don’t let people see it, you should change it very often, and you shouldn’t share it with strangers.” October 19, 2009 Newsweek-Business section

Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams proposed that the seal for the United States be of Moses leading the Israelites through the Red Sea as the water overwhelms the pharaoh. Abraham Lincoln found reason to highlight the accomplishments of Moses as he spoke at Gettysburg. Barack Obama declared his candidacy for President while referring to Moses leading people out of bondage into freedom.

I like that thinking, but came across a paragraph in the article that gave me pause.

“With the rise of secularism and the declining influence of the Bible in the 20th century, Moses might have melted away as a role model. But something curious happened. He was so identified as a hero of the American Dream that he superseded Scripture and entered the realm of popular culture, from novels to television. Superman was modeled partly on Moses. The comic-book hero’s creators, two bookish Jews from Cleveland named Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, drew their character’s back story from the superhero of the Torah. Just as baby Moses is floated down the Nile in a basket to escape annihilation, baby Superman is launched into space in a rocket ship to avoid extinction. Just as Moses is raised in an alien world before being summoned to liberate Israel, Superman is raised in an alien environment before being called to assist humanity.”

Maybe you view Moses as Charleston Heston in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments.
Personally, I see a average man who with all his foibles, faults and problems – was used by God all the while “he was more humble than any man who was on the face of the earth.” [Numbers 12.3]

What struck me was how the audience laughed, clapped and cheered when he confessed that he had slept with staff members. That seemed really weird. The audience seemed so flippant and nonchalant.

I was also surprised to hear the Today show experts question if David Letterman’s confession was the right thing to do or not. Was it a good “pre-emptive strike” or was it “too much unnecessary information” that could get him in trouble. Besides, they said, he wasn’t married when he slept with his employees.

Our church is doing a church wide study on the life of David. After watching and reading about David Letterman’ confession, I couldn’t help but think of King David’s confession in Psalm 51.

I encourage you to read the Psalm yourself. Here are some excerpts from the Psalm that struck me.

v. 4 Against you and you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.
v. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts and teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
v. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
v. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners wiill turn back to you.
v. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Confession is to be good for the soul, not a premptive strike against public opinion.

Here is what a few famous people said before they died.

• Humphrey Bogart said “I should never have switched from scotch to martinis” before he died.
• Marie-Antoinette said “Monsieur, I beg your pardon” before she was executed. She said that to the executioner because she accidentaly stepped on his foot on her way to the guillotine
• Lady Nancy Astor awoke during her last day to see family standing around her bed. She said “Is it my birthday, or am I dying?”
• Conrad Hilton [Hilton Hotel] supposedly said when asked if he had a final advice for the world, “Leave the shower curtain on the inside of the tub.”

Let me add some of my favorite quotes.

From Jesus while on the cross He said “It is finished.” Meaning, my sins have been paid for and taken care of because of Him dying on the cross….AND raising from the grave.

Them my very most favorite is because He rose from the dead and is able to say in the last book of the Bible in Revelation 22.20, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Can’t wait. I hope my last words will be “yahoo” because I am then I’m going to see Jesus.

The June 22 issue had an article entitled, “Can you Cheat Death?”

With life expectancy for the average American man 75.2, for a woman, it’s 80.4. There are factors beyond our control that can stretch or shrink one’s probable life span. However, this article pointed out some other factors that are in our control that can lengthen or shorten our life span.

Here are behaviors and the years you will supposedly add:
If you regularly go to church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +1.7 years
If you floss daily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +2 years
If you eat five servings of veggies/fruit . . . . . . . . +3 years
If you are a married man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +5 years
[on a side note, if you are a married woman it doesn't add or subtract years]
If you regularly play puzzles like Sudoku . . . . . . .+5 years

Here are behaviors and the years you will supposedly subtract:
If you get less than six to eight hours of sleep . . . .-1 year
If you frequently feel stressed out . . . . . . . . . . . . . -5 years
If you eat red meat more than twice a week . . . . .-5 years

Problem is, I know that I should floss daily, eat more veggies and fruit and play puzzles, but I haven’t since reading this article. Yes, I will go to church regularly and I will be married until whenever I reach my life expectancy.

Remember, there is not only behaviors to extend your physical life but there is also factors that can enhance your spiritual life. Talk to God. Spend time evaluating your life. Remind yourself that you are not eternal but mortal. Acknowledge that you can’t get through life on your own but that you need God’s help.

God said in Jeremiah 29.11, “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.” [CEV]

I always have a hard time spelling ‘sovereignty.’ Seems like all the spelling rules I learned in grade school are either ignored or I didn’t pay attention when those particular rules were taught.

Regardless, this past week I learned about planning versus sovereignty.

Each week I take time to lay out the upcoming week, putting down when I should work on a project, write, read, make calls, blog, etc.

This week I had laid out well. I had most of my projects slotted perfectly with the appropriate minutes or hours needed.

Except….it didn’t work out the way I had planned.

There were calls from people who had questions, problems and situations that needed dealt with. There were meetings that went long and projects that took longer than I had planned.

I heard a friend call the pastorate, ” a ministry of interruptions.” It is during those times that I remind myself of the soverignty of God and trust in His timing and schedule for my life.

I’m sure you too have experienced the same. Lots of planning and ideas and schedules that go by the wayside. May you have the perspective that your life is a “ministry of interruptions.” Where God may be giving you an opportunity of ministry because of a phone call or a drop in visit.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…” – Isaiah 55.8

On the journey,
Steve

Let me continue.

Kelly states that if we make Satan God’s enemy we then turn into a dualistic religion where there is a good God and an evil angel. He said that people instead should focus on the causes of bad behavior: Be more accountable; don’t blame it on an invisible force below.

I date myself by quoting Flip Wilson of TV comedy and when there were only three channels to choose from. On his show he would state in a sketch: “The devil made me do it.”

That is what Mr. Kelly is saying we should avoid. Don’t blame sin on Satan. Satan tempts us, but there is a choice we make.

Now, I disagree with Henry Kelly that society and culture has created a misunderstood angel. The Bible is very clear that “your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion look for someone to devour.” We know that Satan was out to divert Jesus from His mission [Lk 4.6-7 ] rules the kingdom of darkness [Colossians 1.13] and is the “Father of Lies.” [John 8.44]

However, I do find myself agreeing with Kelly in that we essentially make excuses for our behavior by blaming it on Satan. When in actuality our behavior is a choice.

Here is the summary of sin. “each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is draged away and enticed. Then, after has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” [James 1.14-15]

Remember, temptation is not a sin, but choosing to sin because of the temptation is wrong.

Send me your thoughts and reactions to: stevew@cccomaha.org

On the journey,
Steve

Before I left for Minnesota I came across an article about Henry Kelly. After reading the article I knew I would comment via several blogs on his views on Satan.

Mr. Kelly is a UCLA English professor who spoke during a four day international Catholic biblical conference on the Creighton University Campus. His soap box was to argue for “an angel that popular culture incorrectly portrays as the pitchfork-toting emodiment of all evil.” His talk was titled, “Lucifer: The Good, the Bad, and the Really Bad.”

I need to reread the article so I can give some semi-intelligent thought and reaction to what he had to say.

Stay tuned…..

On the journey,
Steve Walters
CCC-Sarpy Campus Pastor

As promised at the Sarpy Campus two weeks ago, I checked out the number of hours donated last year and the monetary value of the volunteerism from Step Out.

2008 – 6,000 participants averaging 4 hours of work = 24,000 total hours
2008 – estimated monetary value? $408,000.

Here is another tidbit. Total monetary value donated to the Omaha Metro area since Step Out began five years ago? $ 2 million.

I’m not only impressed with those figures but love the thought that those who participated got to know a ministry in a unique way and were able to get to know the other participants in a unique way too.

Besides, you get a t-shirt and a lunch.

For this Sunday there are 109 partipants registered to first eat lunch in the cafeteria at Lewis & Clark and then car pool to the five different sites in east Sarpy County.

May God use us to be a blessing!
May you be blessed by being a blessing!

Steve Walters
CCC-Sarpy Campus Pastor

However, last week – life was bleak and dark. Not sure why. Too full of days with no think time? Too many counseling appointments or counseling requests? Not enough sleep? Dissappointed in hearing of Christians shooting their wounded? Not enough exercise?

Regardless, I was bummed.

Through an event and discussions and scripture reading – I was encouraged.

The event was spending the week scampering onto my roof or running into the street at twilight to watch the International Space Station and the Shuttle glide across the sky. I don’t know, there was something mesmerizing about watching that multi billion dollar project containing 13 people look so tiny in the sky. I realized over the week that God is big, hugemongous and is not contained by anything. Everything is in Him. I knew that, but it was still hard to feel it. But I was beginning to.

Later in the week, I went on a walk with my wife and was able to think outloud on how I was feeling about life. It is always good for me to think outloud and get feedback from my soul mate. I also was able to share with the men’s group on Friday how I was feeling – they encouraged me as only guys can with their teasing, humor and pat on the back. I was feeling better.

Then, Friday I read, meditated and journaled on:

Psalm 8.3 “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”
Psalm 42.5-6 “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

Realizing that God is mindful of me and that my hope is in God touched my soul. Thankfully I had people to talk to about it and let God speak to my soul through His Word.

Do you have community and deep friendships to share life together?
Do you go to the Bible for comfort and encouragement?

On the journey,
Steve Walters
CCC-Sarpy Campus Pastor

Those instructions made me climb on the roof of my house last night to look for the space shuttle Endeavoour and the International Space Station in the sky. I saw it.

Here you had a creation by man that has cost millions and millions of dollars over many, many years scooting through the sky at 17,500 mph with 13 people inside. I couldn’t take my eyes off of this bright blip as it raced from horizon to horizon.

Watching it made me smile, feel small and feel loved.

I smiled with pride seeing man’s ingenuity demonstrated and visible from miles and miles away.

I felt small because even with all of man’s ingenuity and kajillions of dollars – it doesn’t hold a candle to what are orbiting this solar system.

May you feel loved today. If you don’t… feel free to come and sit on my roof and see God’s love!

On the journey,
Steve Walters
Campus Pastor
CCC-Sarpy
stevew@cccomaha.org