I was in seventh grade. I was getting a reputation for being a Christian, which also somehow silently meant students could pick on me without recourse. I would randomly get punched in the hallway and boys (trying to get a name for themselves) would challenge me to fight because I would not fight back. It got to the point that teachers were starting to notice and were trying to keep a watchful eye for me.
Story 5 :: Radically Saved
I was finally done with elementary school and ready to entered the sixth grade. I loved my class and seemed to get along with everyone.
One day, I heard on the announcements that tryouts were going to be held for the middle school talent show. I immediately was like, Hey, I can do that! Well, I just had to figure out what that was.
Story 4 :: Hands In My Pockets
It was elementary school and Takis Poulopoulos knew how to pull my strings and make me mad. He lived two houses down the street. He would call me names at the bus stop every morning and would continue doing so when we got off the bus at the end of the day. By the afternoon, I would have had it. So, naturally I would go over and beat him up. It was not unusual for him to go home with a bloody nose.
Story 2 :: Accepting Christ
At the age of two (or so the story goes), after my toddler behavior had exceeded all patience, my mom sat me on the kitchen counter and said, “Things have got to change. You’re going to accept Jesus now.” She grabbed my hands and, with what limited vocabulary I had, I prayed to accept Jesus into my heart. Apparently, my behavior improved.
Story 1 :: A Promise Kept
It was the summer of 1969, my father was serving in the Air Force and my family was stationed with him in the Philippines. My sister, Michelle, was about to be born and this family of three would become a family of four. My parents were adventurous people, everything from scouring erupting volcanos to witnessing Easter self-crucifixions. A few years earlier, my Mom suffered a miscarriage of a baby boy they named, Joshua David. With this recent birth, my parents were ready to call their family done. However, the Lord spoke to my Mom and told her that she was not done and that she would have one more. Much like Mary, my Mom treasured those words in her heart and waited until the time.
Another Wave of Revival :: Review
Every since I was a kid there was always an undercurrent in church about revival. From bringing revival to our schools to experiencing revival in our churches, it was something I wanted to be a part of and desired for God to work through me. In college, we found ourselves in the midst of revival from Canada’s Vineyard movement to the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, FL. I had the opportunity my sophomore year in college to go to Brownsville for a weekend. Years later, a friend who played bass in the band for the ministry I was a part of gave me this book: Another Wave of Revival by Frank Bartleman – retitled recently to Azusa Street. Probably 10 years later, I sat down to read it last month.
Shame on You
Yesterday, I saw a video of a man heaping shame on a public servant. My heart was deeply angered and at the same time saddened. His anger did not allow him to properly convey his message. In direct correlation, his anger also deprived this public servant the opportunity to receive or acknowledge his grievance.
Work Clean :: Review
I finished the book Work Clean by Dan Charnas. It was a well written book about the behavior and habits of top chefs and how they organize to deliver excellent service each and every day. It is taking their principles of organization called mise-en-place and applying them to our business and every day life.
