iLog 2009: Prologue

I plan to keep a journal-like account of our time of immersion. I will call it my iLog, as in "immersion log". Apple could sue, and if they do, then I'll just change it to ILog. No big deal.

In John chapter 15, Jesus talks to his disciples about abiding. "Abide in me as I abide in you," he says. "Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches." Our time of immersion is to be a time of deep abiding. We so strongly desire to abide with Jesus that we are going to fast certain things in our life for the month of February to focus on him.

Now, the idea is that this abiding will simply become our lifestyle (as it is supposed to be). I would say that we abide with our Lord most of the time now, but we want it to become so much more. Hence, this focused time of intentional abiding, this immersion in Jesus.

Follow us during this time, if you will, and I'm sure God will take us on some great adventures. We are praying for new wisdom and insight. Some things, I'm sure God will want us to share with you; some things, may just be for us. Again, here, I will call it the iLog. Over on Sounds From the Batcave, any new music that is born of this I will talk about in the "Immersion Sessions". Why I'm not so compelled to call them the iSessions, I don't know. It's just the way the cookie crumbles.

Today, I have Bids for Bargains at the radio station, a remote immediately following, and I should hopefully be home by 1. Then, we shall spend the afternoon preparing the Batcave. Some rearranging and remodeling are in order, so that this time of immersion can be at least aesthetically pleasing.

Tonight, I've got tickets to go a "Christian rock concert," but we'll see if I make that.

Tomorrow, after an institutional church service, I think we may head over to some friends to hang out and watch some game on TV. I think the Blue Jays and Loggers are playing, or something like that.

As it all begins, I'll keep you up to date as possible. (Because I know you are glued to the edge of your seat.) We should have some fun. Be encouraged.

Soli Deo Gloria

Pre-Immersion

Immersion (from Dictionary.com):

1. an act or instance of immersing.
2. state of being immersed.
3. state of being deeply engaged or involved; absorption.
4. baptism in which the whole body of the person is submerged in the water.
5. Also called ingress. Astronomy. the entrance of a heavenly body into an eclipse by another body, an occultation, or a transit. Compare emersion (def. 1).–adjective
6. concentrating on one course of instruction, subject, or project to the exclusion of all others for several days or weeks; intensive: an immersion course in conversational French.

Well, we're not taking a immersion course in conversational French, but we are going to take one in conversational relationship with God. For the month of February, Bridge and I will immerse ourselves in God and in our music. We hope to grow immensely during this time, and hopefully our music will reflect that.

Over on the Sounds From the Batcave, I wrote:

Seasons change. Wisdom grows. Philosophies evolve. Passions intensify. God remains the same. Music reflects it all.

Our prayer for this time of immersion is for God to reveal himself in fresh ways, for him to draw us closer to him and each other, to gain insight and wisdom into his will for our ministry, for new and fresh music to be born (and recorded and produced), to come close to completing the CD, to set a release date, and to just walk with our Lord. Will you join us in this prayer?

I will keep you up to date on the goings on during the immersion. I'm sure there will be a lot to talk about. I hope so, anyway. Be encouraged.

Soli Deo Gloria

OK Senate Bills 472 & 308

I never really thought I'd be one to get into a fight like this, but apparently, I am. There are two new bills to be proposed in the OK senate on Monday, February 2. I first saw this story here. It intrigued me as I felt our home schooling rights were being stepped on a little bit. So I started doing a little research.

First, I found this. I felt a little better considering the Chairman of the Senate Educational Committee, State Senator John Ford said,

“Our home school community is a vital asset to this state. The way home schooling parents currently educate their children is a process that has worked fine, and I feel it is important for them to have the freedom in determining what will best serve their children’s needs.”

So, he, at least, is opposed to these two bills.

Upon further research, I discovered the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) was in action on these two bills. See here for Bill 472 and here for Bill 308.

So, where do I come in on all this? We home school our children. My wife has prayed about it since we started having children, and we pray about it before every school year. We didn't home school Bobo or Bear until we moved to Altus. We have absolutely nothing against Altus schools, we just felt the Lord was telling us it was time to teach our children at home. Again, we pray about it before every school year, because we don't want to be disobedient to God. We will put them in the public school system as soon as God doesn't want us to home school anymore. This is the Lord's will for our life in this season, so we do it.

We believe it is a parent's right and God-given duty to teach his or her child(ren). See Proverbs 22:6 and Ephesians 6:4 among others. The fact that society has created public (and even private) school systems to teach children en mass, does not change this truth. In fact, it endangers it. Read Matthew 18:6, 7 and 14. Does a worldly school system not put a stumbling block in front of our children?

Both of my parents were school teachers. My mother-in-law still is. They taught/teach with integrity and respect to the children, their parents, and God. I have nothing against the teachers. They are doing their job. We, as parents, are doing ours. If the government feels the need to control that, then we are headed for a sad day indeed. I encourage you to pray about this issue and then act as God would direct you. Read up on it yourself, and make up your own mind. Don't just take my word for it. Be encouraged.

Soli Deo Gloria.

"That Smells Stinkowith"*

I live in Oklahoma. I root for Oklahoma teams. I knew we were in trouble when we came away with zero points after two trips to the redzone. Plus, Tim Tebow is a darn good football player. And a believer. A passionate believer. However, that doesn't make all the hype about him before, during, and after the game any more tolerable for OU fans.

I didn't pay too much attention to it all. At least, I tried not to. But when all the announcers talked about was "Tebow this" or "Tebow that", then it became difficult to ignore. That particular sentiment was echoed by many Sooner fans in the days that followed the BCS Championship game. I heard plenty of, "Yeah, but did they have to keep talking about Tim Tebow?" Well, apparently they did.

The guy is good. He loves Jesus, and he's not afraid to tell you about it. If anybody deserves all the fuss about him, it's Tim Tebow. I like the guy. I don't know him personally, but I'd like to. Goodness oozes from him. Some would argue that greatness oozes from him. Victory seems to follow the guy around. For Florida and Tebow fans, you can't talk enough about him. For Oklahoma and Sam Bradford fans, you can't shut up fast enough. All the praise and hype for Tebow is sweet music for the Florida faithful and fingernails on a chalkboard for Sooner Nation.

Then, as I was pondering all of this, I was reminded about a particular passage of scripture. It comes from 2 Corinthians 2:14-16a, from the NIV:

14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

In a Roman victory procession, the Roman general would display the spoils of war, including any captives, amidst a cloud of incense burned for the gods. To the Romans, the victors, the smell was sweet, but to the captives, it was the stench of slavery and death. To the one, the smell was sweet victory, and to the other, it was bitter defeat.

As a believer, the message about Christ and his love and forgiveness smells sweet to me. But, I know for some, it stinks; they don't want to hear it. Even though it is a good message, a message of hope and mercy, there are some who don't want any of it. They would just as soon you shut up about it as to keep on and on about how good Jesus is.

Any of this making sense? Are you connecting the dots yet? I'm not saying that Tim Tebow is Jesus, nor am I calling Sooner fans unbelievers. But the illustration can be drawn. Losing to the Gators, and all the hooplah about Tebow, have put a practical case in point for me concerning this passage of scripture. Even though the Sooners lost, I sure am glad to be on the victorious side of Christ and smell that sweet aroma of his glory. Be encouraged.

Soli Deo Gloria

*(You might check the spelling on that word, but Star Wars fans will recognize that one from the mouth of Jar Jar Binks in Episode I)

Developing Thoughts

• a lesson from the BCS
• the battle for the body
• homeschooling bills in the OK House
• fresh focus and vision
• thoughts from inauguration day

These are just a few of the thoughts swimming around in my head. I have some of them on paper. I plan to post soon. As soon as I will make the time. Walking through a valley that includes some self employment is a 24 hour endeavor.

A New Attitude

Breakthrough this morning! God always knows what you need. He knew what I needed, and he provided in a big, big way. Again, after hearing it, it may not be something completely new to you, as it is not new to me, but perhaps you'll see it in a different light, as I have.

Lately, I've been struggling. Mightily. If you've read any of my posts on any of my blogs, you know how I feel about worship. Worship is a lifestyle. It is a daily laying down of one's wants and desires to please the one, true God. Your life should be an act of worship before the Lord. However, in today's Amercian-ized, super-sized, mega-mall church, worship has become little more than singing some songs with a cool rock or pop band at weekly gatherings. We even call it "worship music". During the service, music is the "worship time". When, in actuality, giving of your time and resources, hearing the scriptures, praying for one another, and other "events" that take place during a "service", are all worshipful acts. So, music is not the end-all worship time. Here's my struggle:

Music is what I do. It's what Bridge and I do. It's who we are. It's what we believe is to be our tool to reach out to the church and to the lost and hurting. Music is a major thread of our life's garment. We want to make music that enhances a person's personal time of prayer and "worship". We want to create events or gatherings where music, prayer, healing, prophecy, teaching, and the move of the Spirit are regular, normal, and welcomed elements. (Kingdom Crossings - read the definition under the blog title)

Sunday mornings have been tough. We talk about worship being a lifestyle, but we push for more "worship" during the music. "Worship the Lord!" "Close your eyes and worship!" Both Bridge and I have had a hard time with this lately. We have felt like the emphasis is misplaced. It has made it difficult to really get "into it". Now, you'll have to understand that music as worship isn't all that seems out of place. There are other issues at hand here, some of which I have discussed earlier, and some of which we will discuss later. (None of these issues, for clarification, deal with our particular church on a specific level - all of our issues concern the American church as a whole, and therefore do not reflect any displeasure with any one person or persons at our particular church.) This touch of God, however, deals with the music.

I run the sound for our particular church. This morning, I was asked to lead in prayer before the praise team started rehearsing. I prayed for things that I have heard before, and know, but God had me take special note afterward of what I had prayed. I prayed for the music to become an extension of our life. I prayed that our lifestyle would reflect our attitude toward our God, and that this music would be an extension of that. After the prayer, I wrote this down:

We want our music to be an extension of our heart - an extension and expression

It was like God was saying, "Live a life of worship, and let your music become an extension of your life, and an expression of your heart. Let your life reflect your attitude toward me and my attitude toward you. Then, let your music reflect that."

I sang and expressed my heart with a lot more vigor this morning than I have in a long time. I didn't feel like I was "worshiping", but I was simply expressing what was in my heart for the Lord. It made singing the songs a lot easier. Maybe you already do that. Maybe you don't. Maybe you should. If you have trouble "worshiping" on Sunday mornings or Saturday nights, then try looking at it as an extension of your life and an expression of your heart. Don't let the semantics get in your way like I did. I won't anymore. I have a new attitude.

Soli Deo Gloria

Inmates Running the Asylum

Apparently they are over in England. Check this out this story.

Note: if you click the above link, it will take you to the article on the UK website, The Sun. I felt that in order to stay within legal boundaries, I needed to link back to it. However, there are a lot of "distractions" on the site, so I've copied the story below, too.

Judge throws out robbery case: Victim is too HONEST
By JOHN COLES
Published: 14 Jan 2009

A DRIVING instructor robbed by savages as she gave a lesson was branded too GOOD a witness by a judge — who THREW OUT the case against a yob she identified. Beaten-up Denise Dawson, 36 — whose nose was broken by a gang that
surrounded her car — was hailed by Judge Jamie Tabor QC as “honest, utterly
decent and brave.”

But amazingly he ruled that her evidence against a lout she picked out in an ID parade was so compelling it would unfairly sway the jury. He awarded the mum of two £250 for her courage — but let accused robber Liam Perks, 20, walk free. Judge Tabor declared: “The jury may lend more weight to her evidence than her facts allow. You cannot be sure she got it right.”

He added bizarrely: “Had this been the Archbishop of Canterbury’s son, would I have allowed (the trial) to go on? The answer is no.”

Horrified Denise said afterwards: “I felt sick. What more can I do? I positively identified someone from a video ID parade and was prepared to risk everything in
going to court. But it’s still not enough.”

Denise, of Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, was practising hill starts with Jodie Dickinson, 26, when the thugs swooped.

One yob smashed her Ford Focus’s rear window with a brick and grabbed her laptop and £80 cash.

Denise told Bristol Crown Court others punched her in the face and stole her mobile.

Prosecutor Ed Burgess said Denise told cops at the ID parade: “It’s No7. I know that face. It made my stomach go over.”

The jury heard Perks, of Henbury, Bristol, is awaiting sentence for conspiracy to burgle.

Last year Judge Tabor, 57, handed a suspended sentence to a wife who gave her cheating husband rat poison.

The dad of three also freed a pervert choirmaster, saying his 11-year-old victim
seemed to “enjoy” being abused.

The Crown Prosecution Service defended the latest ruling — saying it too felt there was insufficient evidence against Perks.

But Labour MP Dan Norris said: “It’s bonkers. The message to
criminals is if it’s your word against theirs, no matter how trustworthy they
are you are likely to get away with it.”
j.coles@the-sun.co.uk

At least the people who left comments seem to be in their right mind. I can just imagine "Honest Abe's" testimony being thrown out at John Wilkes Booth's trial. (I know that Lincoln died and Booth was later shot, I'm just sayin'.)

So the moral of the story seems to be, don't be so convincing in your convictions, because you might not be right and irresponsibly lead others astray.

Barf.

Oh, God, help us to redeem the day!

Crossing With the Family

This past Sunday, my wife and I were afforded the opportunity to sing and dance and rap and have fun with our children. My wife wrote a song, I put the music with it, and our oldest two boys carried it. Our little girl decided she wanted in on the fun, too, so she snuck up on stage with us toward the end. All the righteous goodness can be found on the Babione 6 blog. Enjoy!

R.C.

God At Work

I know that God is very present in my life and constantly working in, and on, me. What's cool is seeing God work in others's lives, as well. This past Saturday night, I got to witness an awesome God experience.

Please note, as I tell this story, there may be issues that come up that you may disagree on with me, or that you don't necessarily believe. This is not a discussion on those topics; this a sharing of an amazing act of God in people's lives. We can discuss, debate, deal with, etc. these issues at a later time. For now, please allow God to encourage your spirit as he displays his glory in the following tale:

What started out to be a perfect, early January evening in southwest Oklahoma transformed into a cutting, cold blistery night in the matter of seconds. A wintry front blew in from the north with little warning, and everyone gathered around the outdoor fire suddenly clamored to get inside. A few brave souls fought the wind and the cold to put out the fire, and once they were safely inside, next to a simulated fire on the tv, the blustered bunch of believers began their bout with the Bible.

Ok, seriously, we were meeting together to eat and hang out and had to come inside because it got too cold outside. Then we started talking about what God was doing in each of our lives. We had two new couples at the gathering, so it was great to hear about their walks with God. After the elder of the two couples shared some things, my wife was moved to have the rest of the group pray over them. So, we did.

Iceman and Fiona* sat on our couch in the middle of the room while the rest of us gathered around them. Then we prayed. Good prayers for faith, strength, supernatural intervention, and the like were offered up. And they were offered in various languages. "Tongues" some people call it. It has become natural for several within the group to pray in such a way, but not everyone is familiar with, comfortable with, or understands praying in tongues. As was the case with Iceman.

After praying over this wonderful couple, we all sat back down when the other new couple, Maverick and Ariel, spoke up. You could tell that it wasn't easy for him, but he asked if any of us had ever had our "tongues" interpreted. Um, no. Of course, I thought that was odd, because I didn't realize that my "prayer language" should or could be interpreted. Maverick quickly teared up, because he was trying to be obedient to the Lord telling him to tell us what we had said in our prayer. Thus, he continued.

He told us that I was saying over and over, "Praise be to God!" To another in the group, she was saying, "Jesus is in control!" Wow. How cool is that? To have God tell you what you were saying to him in the "deep calling deep!" Maverick said that God has anointed him with the gift of interpretation, but he hasn't always used it when he felt God prompting him. So he was taking a big step that night to speak in front of strangers in obedience to God. Major move of Messiah in Maverick's life.

After Maverick spoke, and we all were trying get over the coolness of that, Iceman spoke up. He described how, while we were praying, and he heard us praying in "tongues," he told God that if this was real, we wanted an interpretation. Um, double wow. He went on to explain how he had had two very negative experiences with "tongues" and those who "spoke" them. He said he had a very large mountain in his life pertaining to this topic, and Maverick had completely crumbled it. (still get goosebumps thinking about it) Iceman said that if he hadn't received an interpretation, that the mountain would've only grown.

Well, Maverick gave God the glory for bringing down the mountain, and Iceman agreed. But Iceman also told him that if he hadn't been obedient, that the mountain would probably still be there. To add to the validity of it all, the words being prayed were ones that spoke directly into Iceman's life and situations for this particular season. God is so good. He moves in unexpected ways. We were all pretty stoked from seeing God at work in the lives of our new brothers and sisters in Christ. For me, God fulfilled his promise in Matthew 18:20 -

"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

And where he is, the Kingdom can be crossed.

Soli Deo Gloria

*names have been changed to protect the innocent (and not so innocent)

My "Ah-ha" Moment

We all have them at some point or another. That moment when suddenly all the planets align, two and two actually make four, and everything fits into place. Last night, I had one such moment. Once you read it, you may not think it to be very earth-shaking, but for me, it all made perfect sense.

At our Life Group's meeting last night, Proverbs 19:8 was presented and discussed. From the TEV it says,

Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper.

From the Message:

Grow a wise heart-you'll do yourself a favor; keep a clear head-you'll find a good life.

The question: "What is something you enjoy learning about, and how can it benefit other people?"

My thoughts: You know, I really enjoy reading the Bible and learning new insights about what the Lord has to say and is saying to me. Wait..do I really? It's hard and tedious to read, research, look up, write down, and prepare for a sermon. I really don't enjoy that at all. But I do enjoy just reading and suddenly being interrupted by God. That is quite fulfilling. I like to write down what he says to me in those moments. And it is a heck of a lot easier to prepare from notes I've already taken. Plus, I have a better time communicating something God has taught me for my sake and my life, than to try to communicate something I know but am not really experiencing or have experienced. Interesting...

My notes: When I try to read and learn in order to teach people, it becomes hard and tedious. When I read to learn for my own sake, it comes much easier, and I hear God speak so much more clearly.

Ah-ha!: Well, whaddya know?! While in "ministry," I was always reading and learning more so that I could teach others what I think they need to know. But that came with great difficulty. When I learn for my own benefit, I then am armed with insight and blessings for others. Go figure. I was always trying too hard to go in the wrong direction. The scriptures say to "love others as you love yourself." When I love myself enough to learn more and better my spiritual journey, it can then benefit others.

While I was having those thoughts last night, God reminded me of Psalm 51. Perhaps you know verses 10-12:

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit. (NRSV)

Long ago when I was memorizing those verses, God had verse 13 stand out to me, as well:

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.

In other words, after I seek God on my behalf, I will have what I need to teach others his ways. Thanks, God, for that little mile marker on this road while crossing the Kingdom.

Soli Deo Gloria

The Press and Teenage Sex

While I no longer do my show at the radio station, I still go in every weekday morning to take care of the early production needs. Eddie, the AM morning guy, handed me an article he printed from The Wall Street Journal website written by William McGurn. You may have seen some of the following headlines and stories, but I have not. I think this article does a great job of clearing some things up, so I thought I would share it with you.

It seems Janet Elise Rosenbaum of Johns Hopkins University conducted a study called "Patient Teenagers? A Comparison of the Sexual Behavior of Virginity Pledgers and Matched Nonpledgers," and published it in the Jan. 1 edition of Pediatrics. The numbers show little difference between those who pledge and those who don't, and that most do not make it to the wedding night as virgins. Well, the press had a field day. The following are the headline and a few excerpts from McGurn's article (click on the headline for the full article):

"Like a Virgin: The Press Take On Teenage Sex"

"Virginity Pledges Don't Stop Teen Sex," screams CBS News. "Virginity pledges don't mean much," adds CNN. "Study questions virginity pledges," says the Chicago Tribune. "Premarital Abstinence Pledges Ineffective, Study Finds," heralds the Washington Post. "Virginity Pledges Fail to Trump Teen Lust in Look at Older Data," reports Bloomberg. And on it goes.
In other words, teens will be teens, and moms or dads who believe that concepts such as restraint or morality have any application today are living in a dream world. Typical was the lead for the CBS News story: "Teenagers who take virginity pledges are no less sexually active than other teens, according to a new study."
Here's the rub: It just isn't true.

...the only way the study's author...could reach such results was by comparing teens who take a virginity pledge with a very small subset of other teens: those who are just as religious and conservative as the pledge-takers.

The first to notice something lost in the translation was Dr. Bernadine Healy...[who]...pointed out that "virginity pledging teens were considerably more conservative in their overall sexual behaviors than teens in general -- a fact that many media reports have missed cold."
What Dr. Healy was getting at is that the pledge itself is not what distinguishes these kids from most other teenagers. The real difference is their more conservative and religious home and social environment. As she notes, when you compare both groups in this study with teens at large, the behavioral differences are striking. Here are just a few:
- These teens generally have less risky sex, i.e., fewer sexual partners.
- These teens are less likely to have a teenage pregnancy, or to have friends who use drugs.
- These teens have less premarital vaginal sex.
- When these teens lose their virginity
they tend to do so at age 21 -- compared to 17 for the typical American teen.
- And very much overlooked, one out of four of these teens do in fact keep the pledge to remain chaste -- amid much cheap ridicule and just about zero support outside their homes or churches.
Let's put this another way. The real headline from this study is this: "Religious Teens Differ Little in Sexual Behavior Whether or Not They Take a Pledge."

What...parents hope to do is direct these [sexual] desires in a way that recognizes sex as a great gift, which in the right circumstances fosters genuine intimacy between a man and a woman and at its freest offers the possibility of new life.

[However,] these families live in an environment where most everything that is popular -- television, the movies, the Internet -- encourages children to grow up as quickly as possible while adults remain locked in perpetual adolescence.

For these parents, the good news here is that the striking behavioral differences between the average American teen and the two teen groups in this study show that homes and families still exert a powerful influence.

Really, please take the time to read the entire article. There's honestly not a lot more, but it will help to fill in some blanks. Again, I hadn't been exposed to the uproar of media hype following this publication, but it sounds like the liberal media. At the bottom of this article on WSJ.com, it has links to some of the headlined stories. See if you can pick the one that is different:

Related News From the Web
The truth about teens and sex - The Boston Globe JAN 03. 2009 boston.com
Study: Religious Teens More Likely to Abstain from Sex JAN 03. 2009 foxnews.com
Virginity Pledges Don't Work, Study Finds DEC 29. 2008 news.aol.com
Abstinence Pledges Have No Effect On Sexual Behavior DEC 29. 2008 huffingtonpost.com

Ah, you never know what you might find when crossing the Kingdom. Father, help us to redeem this world.

Soli Deo Gloria

Crossing On Faith

In my attempt to journey through the Kingdom, I have entered a new valley. It is a dark valley for the moment. I cannot see what is ahead or around me, and I know that I can't go back in the direction from whence I came. Even that is starting to fade, and frankly, it's a little scary.

During my last year, year and half, in Montgomery, TX, the 23rd Psalm took on new meaning for me. Generally used for comfort during times of great grief, namely deaths, I found great hope in exploring all of its implications. Honestly, I owe that to my pastor at the time, Dowen. He helped point out a lot of significance this passage of scripture had for my life. As I started writing this post this morning, the passage was brought back to mind, so I re-read it. From the NRSV:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff -
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.

I ended 2008 with a full time job (albeit one that didn't pay every bill, but it paid most of them) and a part time job. I begin 2009 with 4 part time jobs. Right now, I'll only be getting paid for 3 of them, but that 4th one is what I know God wants me to do. So. Dark valley? I can't see a heck of a whole lot. Bright horizon? More than you and I can imagine!

While I know God is walking me through this particular valley (like he does every valley) he doesn't promise a peaceful valley. While he promises to be there, to give peace and comfort and rest, the valley and the journey aren't going to be easy. That's why it's called a dark valley or the valley of the shadow of death - not very pleasant imagery.

However, this I know: the other side of this valley will be like a land flowing with milk and honey! While I desperately already want to be on the other side, I know that I've got to journey through this. It's in the journey that God reveals his glory, and I don't want to miss it. What started the idea for this particular post came from Ephesians.

As someone was praying over us recently, he said that it was important to daily put on the full armor of God. So, after reading that passage again, I came across verse 18 of chapter 6:

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.
Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

That is my request of you. Pray for me. I may not be in chains, but I am to be an ambassador. So, "I must speak". "Pray that I may declare it boldly." And pray that I may learn what I need to learn, so that this valley isn't necessarily a long one, but one that bears much fruit for the Kingdom. After all, that's all I'm doing - journeying through the Kingdom. Crossing on faith.

Soli Deo Gloria
R.C.

I am testing out the mobile blogging thingy. If it works, look out! If it doesn't, oh well.

A New Beginning

In oh, so many ways. First, welcome to my new blog. I will continue to post to my others, but this one shall be reserved for more focused thoughts on God, church, life, and all thoughts pertaining to, but not limited to, God, church, and life.
(wow, that was a big, complicated sentence)

Second, welcome to a new year! '08 is gone and '09 has arrived! May God bless you and keep you in the new year, and may He cause his face to shine upon you.

Third, my time at the radio station has been dramatically cut. When the economy bottomed out in October, so did ad revenue, and so did the funds for my salary. So, no more morning show, and no more headaches and major responsibilities at the station. Scary? Most definitely. Exciting? You have no idea. I now have been given the time to pursue those things that I know God wants me to pursue, and to discover other things He may want me to do, as well. It also will allow me time to work with my father, which will be a treat and hopefully a viable means to support the family until these other developments really take off.

So, please pray for us as we enter this new, exciting, scary season in our life. Also, I will keep you on the mailing list from Sounds From the Batcave (if, indeed, you were on it) for this blog, unless you tell me otherwise. If you would like to be added, please let me know.

Thanks for your prayers and support, and be encouraged!