http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/ Team and Leadership tips, Bible studies, Traveling in Bible lands. en-US 2009-11-07T10:11:43-05:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/11/reading-the-map-identifying-foundational-principles-of-gods-plan-.html My parents used to live along the "Outer Banks" of North Carolina, on a small strip of barrier islands that, on occasion, took the full force of Atlantic storms. Most houses were built upon stilts with pylon foundations that extended... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-11-07T10:11:43-05:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/11/life-in-plan-b-delay-of-game-ezra-4551-and-haggai-1115.html One of the most frustrating positions professional sports players can find themselves in is a game that is delayed by outside and uncontrolled circumstances. This past Halloween, the Antonio Spurs needed Batman to help them when they were rather ironically... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-11-04T14:03:51-05:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/10/knowing-jesus-illegitimate-replacement-john-13120.html You are driving down the road in a very unfamiliar and remote area and it is very late. You passed a house with some lights on the front porch about twenty-five minutes ago. A truck came toward you driving in... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-10-31T08:52:24-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/10/life-in-plan-b-welcome-to-the-four-d-ranch-ezra-3145.html One of my favorite cowboy stories is the one about the New York city family that decided to leave the crowded city and head for the wide-open spaces. They bought a ranch out West, where they intended to raise cattle.... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-10-30T14:27:34-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/10/life-in-plan-b-getting-the-ingredients-right-ezra-2.html Photo from Fiddler's Green Farm Catalogue: www.fiddlersgreenfarm.com As my favorite chocolate cake made its way from the oven to the cooling rack, the house smelled like my version of Heaven! I could barely wait for the icing and final decorations... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-10-24T11:22:05-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/10/knowing-jesus-one-used-jesus-john-12.html Every year it seems they bring out the decorations for Christmas a little earlier. That year was no exception. The Thanksgiving turkey décor barely got its due when St. Nick was donning every department store. One department store, not yet... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-10-23T22:25:19-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/10/knowing-jesus-the-titanic-choice-john-114757.html Picture from Wikipedia under shared Creative Commons license When the Titanic embarked on her maiden voyage in early April, 1912, the world was filled with pride and joy. In a few short days, jubilation turned to horror and grief. One... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-10-10T21:08:42-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/10/life-in-the-plan-b-zone-hitting-the-reset-button-ezra-12.html She was on her third marriage and fourth child when she first heard of Jesus. Looking back her life seemed like a plane crash in a forest. There was a long burned chasm of pain leading to the burned shell... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-10-10T16:58:41-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/09/the-secret-staring-down-the-troubles-of-your-life-genesis-2950-selected.html The evil kidnapper stood above Mr. Bond and spoke with the words of a man who had come to believe he was in complete control of the situation. Bond was strong and capable, but this legendary secret agent was now... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-09-26T22:51:08-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/09/knowing-jesus-night-vision-john-11146.html The sentry marched in front of the gate, eyes ahead. Another guard watched the fence line from the tower, angling a spotlight along the fence anytime a rustle was heard from the bushed near the fence. It was difficult to... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-09-26T17:58:54-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/09/missed-opportunity-the-great-illusion-2-kings-24616-2730-2-chronicles-36921.html In 1993 Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver starred in a movie called “Dave”. The movie was about a man that ran an employment office for people in the Washington DC area that happened to look just like the current President... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-09-20T08:06:48-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/09/knowing-jesus-hearing-god-john-102242.html There is an old story about a man who lived near a river that was dangerously rising in flood season. A radio report said that the river was going to rush up and flood the town and that all should... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-09-20T07:30:49-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/09/president-obama-six-reasons-mistrust-is-growing.html Dear Mr. President: As a conservative Christian Pastor in the south, I have to admit that you weren’t my choice to head the nation. You were a northern liberal and I am not. Yet, I was truly hopeful when you... Current Affairs Personal Notes Randall Smith 2009-09-19T16:43:12-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/09/missed-opportunity-the-late-jump-2-kings-2334245-jeremiah-22123.html The pilot was holding on until the last possible moment, as the plane barreled toward the cliff in front of them. His mission was to drop the men in the forest as close to the enemy outpost as possible. Even... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-09-12T20:18:03-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/09/knowing-jesus-ultimate-security-john-10121.html The great ball was in full swing. The main floor of the marble floored mansion was filled with guests. The string quintet was playing, visitors were dancing. Ball gowns and tuxedos poured into the front door as a servant checked... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-09-12T14:34:38-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/09/knowing-jesus-i-can-see-clearly-now-john-9.html A man was sitting on the dock of a bay as the sunset over the water. The warmth of the sun beamed against his face as he smelled the salt air. The sounds of the seagulls surrounded him. The gentle... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-09-06T06:47:28-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/09/missed-opportunity-boldly-going-where-i-dont-belong-2-kings-232833-2-chronicles-352027.html He stood on the edge of the diving board, having made this dive literally thousands of times before. He was not careful this time. It was a simple mistake. The board sprang up and he turned his body downward, his... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-09-05T17:12:52-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/08/missed-opportunity-placing-the-missing-piece-of-the-puzzle-2-kings-23130.html In our last time together in this passage, we saw that Josiah had a missing piece to the puzzle of good behavior, prayerful life, a worshiping spirit, a desire for purity, a priority to lead people in truth, and a... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-08-29T21:32:32-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/08/knowing-jesus-show-me-something-real-john-81259.html In an apocryphal story of wonderland, Alice sat on a riverbank on a warm summer day, drowsily reading over her sister’s shoulder, when she caught sight of a White Rabbit in a waistcoat running by her… The White Rabbit pulled... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-08-29T11:43:27-04:00 http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/08/missed-opportunity-found-missing-piece-of-the-puzzle-2-kings-22.html Did you ever put a large puzzle together and after hours of work find that a piece was missing? There is something that gnaws at you -- deep dissatisfaction at the task not completed. The crowds pack Bible camps, great... Bible studies Randall Smith 2009-08-22T23:35:12-04:00