today has been a great day but for unusual reasons. i have been a part of a couple of different discussions that were at times filled with tension. in many instances tense conversation can derail a relationship, hurt feelings and compromise trust. however, when honoring Christ is central and primary tense conversations help identify weaknesses and undergird strengths.
i'm grateful to work with people who are willing to tell me the truth. i'm blessed to journey alongside of friends who care enough to wade through difficult waters with me. I'm honored to know that i have people around me who will ask the hard questions and call "bull" when i try to skirt the issue.
i suppose easy days are the ones that bring about no meaningful conversations. however, the days when i feel like i have grown the most are the days when difficult conversations happen. growth through tension.....who would of thought?
"as iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another." proverbs 27:17
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
86
this afternoon i had the privilege of baptizing two of my friends from cLife. although it is always an honor to share in that proclamation of ones faith today was extra special. one of the ladies i baptized was 86 years old! she told me just before her baptism that she had given her life to Christ, asked Him to forgive her of her sins and wanted to be baptized. it was an amazing blessing for me and for the countless others who were there to share in that moment with her. today....at 86 years old she has a peace because of what Christ has done in her.
as i think about today i can't help but wonder if there is someone who reads my blog that still feels like something is missing?? do you feel like life has handed you far more questions than answers? perhaps you wonder if there really is a God.....
i hope that you will seek resolution to your questions. if another believer has ever told you that asking hard questions is wrong please forgive AND ignore them. i believe hard questions open up the door for big answers to emerge. scripture says "seek and you will find."
my prayer is that you will find peace. my hope is that you will have the courage to ask the hard questions. my desire is that you would be willing to ask the questions that you fear will bring about ridicule because in that humility i believe God will answer.
i'm praying that you too will find peace......today.
rwade@clifec.com
as i think about today i can't help but wonder if there is someone who reads my blog that still feels like something is missing?? do you feel like life has handed you far more questions than answers? perhaps you wonder if there really is a God.....
i hope that you will seek resolution to your questions. if another believer has ever told you that asking hard questions is wrong please forgive AND ignore them. i believe hard questions open up the door for big answers to emerge. scripture says "seek and you will find."
my prayer is that you will find peace. my hope is that you will have the courage to ask the hard questions. my desire is that you would be willing to ask the questions that you fear will bring about ridicule because in that humility i believe God will answer.
i'm praying that you too will find peace......today.
rwade@clifec.com
Thursday, November 5, 2009
permissible or beneficial
the following is a blog post by mark batterson. i found it encouraging/challenging and thought i would pass it on to you.....i hope you enjoy!
"Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial."
Your future is found in I Corinthians 10:23. It reveals two options: permissible or beneficial. And your destiny will be determined by which option you choose. Who we become is determined by whether we settle for what is permissible or strive for what is beneficial.
It's so tempting to live down to what is required. It's so tempting to live in our comfort zone. It's so tempting to take the path of least resistance, but the path of least resistance never takes you where you really want to go!
What am I getting at?
Well, are you setting for what is permissible? Or are you striving for what is beneficial? Are you giving God leftovers? Or are you seeking first the kingdom of God? Where are you compromising? Where have you become comfortable with what is permissible?
Don't let short-term comfort short-circuit God's long-terms plans for your life. Spiritual short-cuts always turn into detours! Take the hard way. Take the high road. Strive for what is beneficial.
"Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial."
Your future is found in I Corinthians 10:23. It reveals two options: permissible or beneficial. And your destiny will be determined by which option you choose. Who we become is determined by whether we settle for what is permissible or strive for what is beneficial.
It's so tempting to live down to what is required. It's so tempting to live in our comfort zone. It's so tempting to take the path of least resistance, but the path of least resistance never takes you where you really want to go!
What am I getting at?
Well, are you setting for what is permissible? Or are you striving for what is beneficial? Are you giving God leftovers? Or are you seeking first the kingdom of God? Where are you compromising? Where have you become comfortable with what is permissible?
Don't let short-term comfort short-circuit God's long-terms plans for your life. Spiritual short-cuts always turn into detours! Take the hard way. Take the high road. Strive for what is beneficial.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
healing
let me start by saying "thank you" to everyone who took the time to ift me up over the course of the past couple of weeks. it has been a humbling process for me but one that i think i really needed to go through. for years i have been the guy who walks into the pre-op area and encourages the person wearing the fashionable surgery attire to "relax." i don't know how many times i have told someone not to "sweat it" because "doctors do this stuff all the time!" it seems so different when you are the person laying on the table wondering what the news will be when/if you wake up. i needed to be on that side of the process.....
the operation went well. the dr was very relieved to only find infection in my left maxiallry sinus. today at my post-op visit he mentioned 3 different times how glad he was that he didn't have to deliver bad news. i think he was leaning toward a more negative result. i'm glad he was wrong.
the recovery period has been smooth. honestly the pain has been minimal....i would like to think i just have a ridiculously high level of pain tolerance but i'm pretty sure that isn't the case.
all in all this journey has been beneficial for me for a couple of different reasons:
1. as a pastor i need to remember the emotions the patient is dealing with....they are very real
2. as a person i need to remember that there is nothing stopping me from a different test result down the road. each day matters and is truly a gift. the great theologian tim mcgraw got it right in his song "live like you were dying."
everything in life has some takeaways.....don't miss them
the operation went well. the dr was very relieved to only find infection in my left maxiallry sinus. today at my post-op visit he mentioned 3 different times how glad he was that he didn't have to deliver bad news. i think he was leaning toward a more negative result. i'm glad he was wrong.
the recovery period has been smooth. honestly the pain has been minimal....i would like to think i just have a ridiculously high level of pain tolerance but i'm pretty sure that isn't the case.
all in all this journey has been beneficial for me for a couple of different reasons:
1. as a pastor i need to remember the emotions the patient is dealing with....they are very real
2. as a person i need to remember that there is nothing stopping me from a different test result down the road. each day matters and is truly a gift. the great theologian tim mcgraw got it right in his song "live like you were dying."
everything in life has some takeaways.....don't miss them
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