God Doesn’t Make Mistakes. He created you for a Purpose

I see it has been a month today since I last posted on this site. I have been spending most of my time posting at: www.dailysignsofhope.com. That is my blog. The response there has been tremendous. In just a little over one year the followers have grown to over 1380. Hope you check that out.

I hope you will start joining me here as well,  because I am back here spending much more time.

Just go the to the  “Networked Blogs,” icon and click on “Follow me,” below it. You will then be able to keep up with what is going on with my book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World, and my new book, “Signs of Hope: In Sports.” (Title may change)

Let me tell you a little bit about the new book. It is still floating in my head. (It is giving me a headache!)

I have grown weary of all the negative press that sports has been getting. Just this last week there was a national  news items about a Washington Red Skins lineman who was arrested for assault. Now I certainly don’t condon what he did, but I have heard about many more assault in my own home town and they don’t even make the local newspaper.

I prayed about this, and God seems to be leading me towards putting together a book that speaks to the positive side of sports. I want to talk to some Christian athletes in pro sports. I want to interview them, and let them tell their side of what it is like to be  a Christian in a not so friendly world of sports. There will be a chapter for each person written about.

God is opening some doors that I can’t mention yet, but for a teaser, there is a NBA retired player who has two championship rings that is interested in working with me on this, and I have a connection with a chaplain for a pro baseball team.

There are several other possiblities, that just happen to become known to me in just the last few days. I think that is God at work, and I look forward to working on this, all for His glory.

If you know of any pro athletes who are Chrisiatns and may be willing to share their story to help others who may be struggling in the sports world, please let me know, by commenting to this post.

Think on this:

  • God doesn’t make any mistakes. He created you for a purpose.
  • He made you in His own image. You are His son/daughter.
  • Never let Satan plant negative thoughts into your head. It’s time for selective hearing.

We are All Disciples Once we Accept Christ into our Hearts

Where Did all the People Go?

We had 2,500 people at my home church this last Easter Sunday. Many of the people were visitors. I always wonder where the people are the rest of the year? There a is great number of people in the world that only go to church at Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter.

Some people think the church isn’t reaching out enough the other Sundays of the year. The members talk about Christ on Sundays, and about Duke beating Butler on Mondays.

We as Christians have been giving the title of disciples as soon as we accept Jesus into our hearts. Agreed that it takes a while to grow enough to speak to others about Christ, but we face people everyday that may be searching for the word we will be telling them about our journey to becoming a Christian.

It could be the mailman, the appliance salesman at Sears; your next door neighbor, or the person waiting with you for the bus.

God provides us with the opportunities, and we should use them as a vessel to share.

Many don’t. They feel uncomfortable talking about a man that was put to death, and then rose again. Who could believe that?

I placed a post on Facebook this week that said this, “People are upset because the stores are all closed. Some are putting jokes on that say have a nice hare day. Am I missing something… HE HAS RISEN!!!””

The second response I got from a woman said that I needed to know that there are many people on Facebook that do not believe like I do. The myth of Jesus’ resurrection comes from the word Easter meaning a day of egg hunts, and hares being celebrated.

I was very blessed by over 31 people responding to her remarks with, “Yes indeed, He has Risen!” Many supported my statement and went on further to praise God.

I made another post at the end saying, ” We all have a right to our own opinions, and I will use my right here. If you feel that Jesus is a myth, then there are choices to make. If He is a myth then you can live your life any way you please. But, if He really did rise from the dead, then you may want to seek atonement, and find ways to ask for forgiveness.”

I hope that wasn’t a slam of the woman that made her point. Like I said she had that right to speak, but when she said Jesus was a myth, I couldn’t  let it ride. That is when I stood up and gave my witness. I took the extra step to defend my belief, and hopefully helped others to see the truth.

What about you? Have you been faced with ridicule, and harassment? How did you handle it? Did you clam up right on the spot, or did you stand up for Jesus and share your beliefs with even more vigor?

When the next opportunity comes up, put on the armor of God, and be strong in your faith. God will reward you for each time you have had to “defend,” your beliefs. I put the word defend in parentheses because we aren’t really defending anything. We are sharing the truth, and it is up to the listener to discard or accept our thoughts.

March on Christian soldier!

HE iS RISEN!!