Proud!

Another school year is coming to an end and we've been going to a number of events for my kids, from band concerts to award ceremonies. I'm super proud of both of them.

In just a few days my daughter will be moving into a whole new realm of life...High School! I can't believe it...it seems like it was just yesterday since she was a little cute munchkin running around the house in diapers. I'm super proud of her. She so smart and beautiful. This year she got high honor roll and won a band award and history fair award.

Then you have my son. Conner is going to be in the 8th grade next year. He's incredibly gifted in school and made the President's honor roll for straight A's all year. I was thinking back to when he was in kindergarten and remembered something he told us on the last day. It went like this.

I have good news and gooder news. The good news is Miss Crossman liked her gift, and the gooder news is, I'M GOING TO THE FIRST GRADE!

Priceless.

As I was thinking about my kids, I couldn't help reflect on how proud God is of all of us. I don't think we realize this enough, but it's true. He's rooting for us, shouting for us, and saying..."That's my boy, that's my girl...I'm so proud of them."

The Bible tells us this in Ephesians 3

And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Don't ever forget that God loves you more than you could ever know and he is so proud of you no matter where you've been or what you've done. Put your trust in him today...You'll never be sorry!

Chilling Thought Indeed!

Have you ever prayed a prayer that sounds like this, "God, use me for whatever you want, however you want, whenever you want?" We all have. But, think about it, do we really mean it when we say "whatever, however, whenever?"

I was reading in Acts 25 & 26 today, which chronicled Paul's arrest and incarceration. It gripped me when King Agrippa (no pun intended..get it gripped...Agripppa...never mind) said that if Paul wouldn't have appealed to Caesar for his trial he would have been set free.

One has to ask themselves, "why would God allow him to go to jail for one small slip of the tongue?"

Then it dawned on me that the Bible tells us "the steps of a righteous man are ordered by God." What happened with Paul was designed by God because Paul's life was one that was lived in total abandonment before God.

Then came this chilling thought. If we are totally abandoned before God, then success is measured totally different than most of us think.

For example, I once heard of a missionary who spent his life in some remote country and never saw the results he dreamed of, only to have someone come behind him to reap what he sowed...and God designed it that way.

We all want earthly success and I believe God designed us with that drive. However, here is something to remember and to hang your hat on. The world's definition of success is always centered around results, but God's definition of success is always centered around obedience.

Chilling Thought Indeed!

Mother's Day

This coming weekend is Mother's Day and we are gearing up for a great Sunday at ConnectionPointChurch.tv.

Here's what is happening...This Sunday is going to be more than a mother's day weekend service, it's going to be a ladies day.

Tracy is going to be speaking and I know she is going to knock it out of the park. We were going over the message today and she was sharing with me what she wants to say to our young single ladies, married ladies/moms, single moms, and ladies of all ages. Trust me it's going to be awesome.

Make it a point to be there and bring a friend as well...See ya then.

Christ Exchange Principle

Ever heard of a guy named Edmond Locard. He was the pioneer of modern day forensic science.

Locard came up with a concept known as the "Locard Exchange Principle." In essence it says that every person that comes in contact with a crime scene, both takes and leaves something from that scene. Hair, threads, fibers, skin, blood, etc. all have been used to solve crimes that before seemed unsolvable.

I got to thinking how this principle could be applied to those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ and the mission that He laid out for us.

We could call it the "Christ Exchange Principle." In essence it would say that with every place we go and with every person we meet, we have the ability to learn something from them and, more importantly, to be a God given blessing to them.

I have a quote in one of my journals by a dear lady who seemed to have the "Christ Exchange Principle" down. Her name is Mother Teresa and these are her words.

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."

Join the conversation this Sunday at ConnectionPointChurch.tv as we continue in our series "Go Fish" and to look at how we can apply this principle.

click here to join the discussion on my web page stevewulf.com