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I Took My Sabbatical Before John Piper Did

April 28, 2010 in Discipleship, Life with 6 Comments

I had to set that straight; people were wondering if I was following Piper in a Sabbatical. I did not. I followed Jesus.

My Last 30 Days: A Review

My time off of blogging has been very beneficial to me. At first I had no idea what was going to happen, but as time passed, I think I began to realize the purpose for my time off. I’ll share with you what I learned (among other things).

I needed the break

I was spending a lot of time writing, not only here online, but also on a few other projects. The break was good.

I was able to implement a devotional time I had fallen away from, which I am very thankful for. Currently I am reading through TableTalk: The Devotional Magazine and the Bible daily. Thanks to Daniel C. Wilson for referring me to the free 3 month trial.

I was able to spend some really good time with my children. This was really neat. We played a lot. The more you give yourself to your children, the more they want you and the more you want to give.

If you have children, please, please, please do not neglect them for the sake of your career. You will never get that lost time back.

What I learned about my blog

That it was not needed. Continue Reading…

My Blog Sabbatical

March 24, 2010 in Discipleship, Life with 3 Comments

Want to know what’s been going on in my prayer life?

Well, I won’t tell you everything, but I will tell you this: stop blogging for a while. I suppose it’s been about a year that I’ve been thinking about this. I don’t really know what triggered it, other than God—plain and simply put.

In the past year, while I would pray in quiet time, I’ve had this re-emerging thought to break from blogging. You heard me right: a year. Well, here in the past six months it has been happening more. Moreover, the past three months has been even more intense.

Thing is, when I usually hear from God about something to this degree, I sense a pretty strong conviction. This time, it’s been very subtle and almost silent. When I pray, it doesn’t matter what I’m praying about, this thought will “introduce” itself into my mind. It’s not a strong voice, and it’s not overwhelmingly convicting. But it is persistent. This may be the softest God has spoken to me that I am aware of.

Lately, I’ve Been Hit

March 3, 2010 in Life, Reviews with 0 Comments

With lots and lots of writing.

I just went through a class called “Life of Christ,” but was really an “Introduction to the Gospels.”

We really didn’t get into the life of Christ much, but we covered some amazing topics leading up to the life of Christ and the writing of the Gospel accounts.

We talked a lot about different types of criticism, such as source criticism, form criticism, and comparison. Our text material for this was Jesus and the Gospels by Craig Blomberg. Great book!

We also got to read through The Harmony of the Gospels. But one of my favorite books we read through in that class was The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey. That’s a really good read.

There were lots of good stuff in that class, and I’m surprised I wrote at ALL on this website during that time.

In just six weeks, I wrote 78 pages of assignments and final papers, and 12 pages of notes!

That’s why last week I had three guest writers. Their posts were really, really good. You need to read them. Right now. Go do it. They are the last three posts.

So, as much as I have loved that class, boy am I glad to be finished.

What’s coming up next?

Did You Notice?

February 10, 2010 in Life with 6 Comments

My site broke the other day.

I’ve been working on this website to optimize it and make it run better.

One of my problems is my theme—it runs slow.

The other problem was actually not a problem at all. I was just adding plugins to optimize this website. One of those plugins was a wp security scan.

I installed it and it locked me out!

I couldn’t view my plugins, my themes, my editor, and finally my site broke!

Luckily I host with my friend Don and he helped me get back and running.

That being said, I will be back to updating my posts.

If you have tried to view this site and was unable to… my apologies. Thanks to all my readers who have stuck around for so long!

Please be patient as I find a possible new theme. And yes, I want your feedback. You are the users, and I want to create a site that is best suited for you.

So what do you like about this site? What would you improve here on SB? Leave your comment below

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Looking Forward

January 25, 2010 in Leadership, Life with 15 Comments

There was a time when shape, fitness, and health were of no concern. Since passing the wondrous age of 15, the concern slightly emerges. Reaching the age of 30, my fat-to-muscle ratio inclines me to consider taking interest in my physical well being—not without the help of my incredibly low levels of cardiovascular stamina!

As a youngster (which would include teenage years) I have always been quite the energetic one. No sports for me, just run, run, run all over the neighborhood; bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, fighting—you name it! Those were the Happy Days!

It was nothing for me to take up a working trade that demanded much physical activity. That being said, I began a professional occupation of installing flooring products at about 17 years of age. Two years later I would be self employed, busting you know what to make the big bucks.
Continue Reading…

Eat Without Ceasing

January 21, 2010 in Leadership, Life with 11 Comments

: Image by akuban via Flickr

And have it biggie sized.

Many of us have busy lives and hectic schedules. I can certainly vouch for that.

People have jobs, families, side jobs, school, organizations, and other parties they are committed to.

As a personal commentary to this, I am a husband, dad, college student, have ministry commitments at church, write on this here blog, write on that there blog, and oh yeah follow Jesus.

We’ve all got our lives to manage, and at times it can be a lot to manage. Especially the unnecessary things we add to our lives.

In other words: It’s tough to be responsible!

So how do we (“I”) deal with this?
Continue Reading…

Re: Focus

January 5, 2010 in Life with 12 Comments

: Image by Steve Wampler via Flickr

I’ve spent some time doing this lately.

More specifically, about this website.

What do I want with it?

What can I do to make it more useful?

Is there anything I can provide for more interaction?

What’s my vision for 2010?

I think I have landed on something. But first thing is first: I have to get it ready to launch.

I’ll give you a hint, though. There is a clue somewhere on this page.

C’mon, it’s not that hard to see.

So, before I launch this thing—this thing you don’t really know about—I need some help.
Continue Reading…

It Broke

December 29, 2009 in Life with 8 Comments

: Image via Wikipedia

And I am the one who broke it.

I love listening to sermons. Actually, I have 13 podcasts that I update and listen to regularly via iTunes. I sometimes listen to other resources, but these are the main people I listen to. They are:

Acts 29 Network Sermons (Multiple)

Desiring God Sermon Audio (John Piper)

Grace to You: Pulpit Podcast (John McArther)

Just Thinking (RZIM)

Let My People Think (RZIM)

Mars Hill Church: Mark Driscoll Audio

NAMB Church Planting Group Podcast

National New Church Conference

Passage Church Podcast

Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Truth for Life Broadcast (Alister Begg)

The Village Church – Sermon Audio

I used to have many more, but I realized I only listened to these frequently.

Here’s the point: Continue Reading…

Crunch Time

December 28, 2009 in Life with 5 Comments

Crunch Time!

That’s right, I crunch.

See, I knew this week I would be off work. Also, I’m on break from College.

So what that means is that I do the responsible thing: I put aside all my homework and wait until the week after Christmas to do all my assignments. Right?

I should be easy enough. I’ve got a week. Continue Reading…

Big Questions From Little People

December 21, 2009 in Life, Theology with 9 Comments

: Image via Wikipedia

And my daughters hashed some out to me.

The other night, while I was reading bedtime stories to my children, they began to ask me questions about eternity. They know what happens to people when they die if they believe in Jesus, but I have not spent much time explaining the other end to them. I have done this intentionally. My oldest is only six years old. There’s no way I want them focusing on a subject as intense as hell. So, I figured when they would reach a certain age, or when they ask, I would just spill the beans!

They did. They asked. I answered.
Continue Reading…

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