Consider Jesus

I’m beginning to understand everyone has a story.  It seems we all have had struggles we’ve had to endure which have made us into the people we are today. (DUH)

I walk around the local mall and see the variety of stores and styles available to suit the desires of individual shoppers.  I notice the amount of people looking for ways to uniquely express themselves.  I saunter into the store that has the perfect style for me and spend ample time looking for just the right colors and patterns.  I want to express a bit of what I’m feeling on the inside through my clothing for the outside.

I walk away with a vintage silk wrap made in Pakistan.  Flowers and paisleys intertwine to form an eccentric pattern which distinctly expresses my taste.  Does it really suit me?  What does it say about me?  I’m a whirly twirly girl in love with design.  Baubles and beads suit me well.  A bit of the bohemian, I suppose.  Until I look up the origin of the word…

No, I’m not bohemian on the inside…but those who know be best have made that assertion.  Do they really know me?  So I examine myself…and…get all confused once again.  Discombobulated?  Eccentric?  Distinctive?  Maybe…Unique?  Yes, that’s the word for me.

AND…for you.  We each have a story to tell, but do we know our personal stories?

We (Phat and I) met at eighteen.  We were both desperate for love and acceptance. We knew our parents loved us, but other things, the struggles of life and the “squeaky wheels”, received more of them.  So when we found eachother and knew it was true love, not just teenage hormones , we hung on tight.

I was already in counseling with the college chaplain so, many times, Phat came along.  We joke that we had two years of marriage counseling before we were even engaged. The best advice we received from those sessions: Remain teachable.  Socrates said it another way: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Each of us has experienced “stuff” but not everyone wants to deal with “the stuff of life”.  Some people don’t want to examine things, to look at the source of the wounding or test the bacteria which caused an infection.  They are bound to carry the wound with them, festering and never completely healing.  As hard as it is, I think it’s best to get wounds lanced.  Cut that wound open, let all the “gunk” drain and apply the healing salve of God’s Word.  We do heal when our wounds are treated effectively.

Phat and I have been cutting away at some sources of infection; we’ve spent many years helping one another grow up in the Lord.  We don’t think we have all the answers; we do continue to seek professional Christian help when we need it.  But, daily, we rely upon the Son of God to lead us through our trials.

He will never fail us.  He promised to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish us, yet He also commanded us to do some things too.  Please note the bold lettering (our responsibility) and the italicized promise at the end of the 1 Peter passage.

And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you. Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering. And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him belongs the power forever. Amen.  ~1 Peter 5:5-11

A person should examine himself first…  ~1 Cor. 11:28

Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you – unless, indeed, you fail the test!  ~2 Cor. 13:5

But examine all things; hold fast to what is good.   ~1 Thess. 5:21

Have you examined yourself lately?  Do you choose to participate in the sanctifying process God has ordained for your life?

Oh, and I’ll sneak in the meme (Debs and HW)…my memoir title…”The Unexamined Life Isn’t Worth It”

First grade was a turning point in my young life.  If given the chance, most children will relentlessly tease tiny, freckled-face redheads.  And if you’re a chatterbox, teachers get frustrated with telling you to be quiet, and in the sixties they used paddles to get their point across.   First grade was a culture shock and set the stage for twelve years of teasing which, at times, could cross the line to bullying.

Do you feel sorry for me?  Don’t.  I was a fighter…not with fists, but words.  I was too little to take anyone on physically, and many times other children took advantage of this weakness.  But I was smart and I could talk.  However, many times I wished I had an older brother to come to my rescue.

Fight or flight?  In a moment of crisis what do you tend to do?  Do you get ready for a fight, fists held high, and jump into the fray…or…do you run as fast as possible for the nearest help?

Fighting comes naturally for me.  Mother Bear can rear her frightening head when children are involved or when an injustice is obvious.  But I struggle with this tendency.  Mom taught us to always be ladylike, it’s a “suthun thang”, and the Word tells us to be controlled by the Spirit, not to fulfill the deeds of the flesh.    Balancing being a ladylike Christian and a fighter is not always easy…I’m learning to be a runner.

Yes, I understand we are told to stand firm in the strength of the Lord with our armor on, and I agree wholeheartedly.  But I now see we are not told to engage in the fight, but allow the Lord to be our strength.  It is His battle.  You see, one way you are fighting with your own strength, be it fleshly words or fists, it’s still about you.  The other way, running for help first, allows the Lord to do the fighting for you.  He will give you the words…His words…spiritual words to deal with the situation.  Keep your sword sharp (the word of the Lord) so when the battle comes, you will remember His words of truth and only speak when He has told you what to say.

Do you believe He will fight for you?  If you are in Him then you have been given covenant promises, and one of those promises is protection.  He is your big brother.  He is your friend.  He is ready to protect you when the need arises.  Do you know you can run to Him for help in the time of need?

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe. ~Proverbs 18:10

The battle is the Lord’s and you have all the strength you need in His name.  Let Him protect you.

Rejoicing!!!   I have a big brother!!!!    Do you? 

While man looks on the outward appearance, I am so thankful, God looks upon the heart:

To: Jesus, Son of Joseph
Woodcrafter’s Carpenter Shop
Nazareth

From: Jordan Management Consultants

Dear Sir:

Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests…As part of our service, we make some general comments for your guidance…

It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search…

Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew had been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus definitely have radical leanings, and they both registered a high score on the manic-depressive scale.

One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind, and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious, and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your controller and right-hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.

We wish you every success in your new venture.

Sincerely,

Jordan Management Consultants

Eating Problems for Breakfast by Tim Hansel, Word Publishing, 1988, pp. 194-195

But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.  ~ 1 Corinthians 1:27

Aren’t you glad man wasn’t consulted before choosing the twelve…or…before choosing you?

I’m sure my age will show on this post…it’s testimony time!!

When I was a little girl, at some time during the Sunday evening service (do people go to church on Sunday evenings anymore?), we would sing “Victory” songs and then commence with the testimonies.  Being the “talker” I am known to be, most often I had something to say.

At our annual church camp, one evangelist explained that each time we stand up and give a testimony, it’s like building a brick wall against the devil - each time another brick is added.  I took him at his word and started right in…giving testimony of the awesome, powerful, burning within.   I now understand this burning as the God-given fire (read: Holy Spirit) which causes us to move in His power, to do the works He marked out beforehand for us to accomplish.

Anyone who has a desire to share what the Lord is doing in your life, speak right up.  Let’s bring glory to our God!!!

Debs exclaims:
My passion…People, people, and people. Saved, unsaved, old, new, dirty, clean, past, no past, doesn’t matter people and praise…that’s me!

Society testifies:
My greatest passion is for my community to realize how to be a community…It’s my life’s goal to see this endeavor furthered and also to become someone that aids people (offering grace) instead of someone that burdens them…This is my passion - to see true revitalization of a broken people(s) - and I spend my time where the healing is needed…I guess I just couldn’t ignore it anymore. I also enjoy it…so I thank God for this.

Love expresses:
The water within? I want that to spring from the centre of who i am, come up flooding through me, washing me clean of my flotsam and bringing eternal life and then overflowing out to flood (spread out over) the entire world.

Mandy contemplates:
drew and i are facing these questions as we face the final 20 months of seminary…. yeah. what burns in us? we’re chewing on that.

and chewing.
and chewing.

…and I’m praying, Mandy…

Ric affirms:
I long to know Him, learn from Him, write about Him, and tell stories about Him. I want to sing about what he’s done in my life. I’m learning to sing. I’m stepping up to the blog and the mic.

Gchyayles clarifies:
My passion is to help people who are lost and suffering without hope. I worked in domestic violence for 4 years and then became the ED to my local homeless coalition…I also have a passion to help Christian marriages. I am going to grad school to get my license in Marriage and Family Therapy and want to be a Christian-based marriage counselor at some point. I don’t know when that will manifest but God has confirmed that as a calling and so I press on until He tells me I’m ready for it.

Gothique Fae praises:
The fire that consumes me is writing…it is actually very hard for me to accurately describe how it consumes my heart. I almost feel like I need to say something grand and profound but with things like this that are close to my heart I lose the words. The same thing happens when I try to describe what God has done for me and how He has changed me, I become unarticulate. And I get all choked up. It seems impossible to me to describe the fire that burns in me for writing…

Dan (Born4Battle) synergizes:
“And I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: but it was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I became wearied with holding in, and I could not.” Jeremiah 20:9…Does that sound like you, Michelle? I have been praying that for my life, that His word would become that to me more and more each day. Specifically the gospel as Paul preached, the crucified and risen Lord!

Sam shares:
Lately, aside from writing, my passion can be summed up in this song, “She’s All Heart” by Daniel Amos…especially the part:

My longing:
Not to be a god or hero, but to change
Into a tree that grows for ages
Hurting no one

Brandy explains:
I love people (most of the time) and I love to take care of them. Cook for them, help them, anything like that. Make them a cup of coffee…Right now though, my babies are my fire.

Great testimonies, everyone!  What an amazing community of believers we have in the blogosphere, if you didn’t get a chance to share your testimony, or have anymore to say, let the Spirit lead in the comments below.  Let’s pray for those who are in need and for those who willingly try and meet those needs…What great work He is doing in and through you!!

And all the people said…AMEN!!

Have you struggled with the will of God for your life?  Are you asking the hard question:  ” What is it You want me to do?”  I have spent much time asking this question and have found throughout the years the answer has been the same - I must speak about God.  I’ve felt this urge, this burning, from a very early age and it has only become stronger as I’ve become older.  Did I become a preacher?  Not in the traditional sense of the word, but I do preach throughout my day.  Wherever I am I find I’m talking about God.   It’s a burning within that I’ve never really understood, but I MUST talk about Jesus.

I was reading through my devotional based upon Max Lucado’s writings (thanks again, friend!) and this one spoke to me, of my burning within:

My God, I want to do what you want.  Your teachings are in my heart.  ~Psalm 40:8

Want to know God’s will for your life?  Then answer this question:  What ignites your heart?  Forgotten orphans?  Untouched nations?  The inner city?   The outer limits?

Heed the fire within!

Do you have a passion to sing?  Then sing!  Are you stirred to manage?  Then manage!  Do you ache for the ill?  Then treat them!  Do you hurt for the lost?  Then teach them!

As a young man I felt the call to preach.  Unsure if I was correct in my reading of God’s will for me, I sought the counsel of a minister I admired.  His counsel still rings true.  “Don’t preach,” he said, “unless you have to.”

As I pondered his words I found my answer:  “I have to.  If I don’t, the fire will consume me.”

What is the fire that consumes you?               

     ~taken from Lucado’s book, The Great House of God

My question is the same, what burns inside you?

Do you remember your first love?  How excited you were to have someone you hoped would be with you forever?  If you were anything like me, you made plans for the future and then tried not to think about the little things that might not be what you were hoping - the idiosyncrasies of the other.  Not really looking at your own, but definitely seeing all of theirs.

In my mid-forties, I don’t think I’m intolerably critical anymore; I have developed past my teenage ways.  But when you think you may want to live with someone for the rest of your life, you do tend to notice things, wondering if you can “take it” for a lifetime.  Of course, once you’ve crossed that threshold into married life, you better have decided to stick it out for the long haul.

I heard once, the thing which attracts you to the person you married, more than likely, will be the thing that detracts you in later life.  For instance, you may have thought the other was hilariously funny with all their joking ways, or incredibly insightful with their “realistic” view of life.  Then come to find out the jokes were a way to avoid thinking seriously, or the realism was truly pessimism.  Then what do you do?  Give up and walk away, look past and hold fast, or recognize your own issues and grow in love toward the other.

Let’s look at TRUE LOVE  -

• Love is patient.
• Love is kind.
• Love is not jealous.
• Love does not brag.
• Love is not arrogant.
• Love does not act unbecomingly.
• Love does not seek its own.
• Love is not easily provoked.
• Love does not take into account a wrong suffered.
• Love does not rejoice in unrighteosness.
• Love does rejoice with the truth.
• Love bears all things.
• Love believes all things.
• Love hopes all things.
• Love endures all things.

When I read that list…I just shut my mouth.

The “True Love” list is taken from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

“I feel so guilty” is a common phrase in my mind.  Honestly, I struggle with guilt feelings because there is a standard of living I am not able to fulfill.  My guilt is irrational, based upon an overactive conscience and a legalistic upbringing.  I see imperfection and recognize my lack of energy to “fix” things, and beat myself up.  It is Satan’s way of keeping me down and I give in to his taunts when my helmet of salvation is not firmly fixed on my head - around my mind.  You see, I have come to Jesus and have accepted His gift of salvation.  Now, I must actively “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” and frisk the thoughts that get past my helmet.  It’s hard work, some days harder than others.  But I know I am His and He is mine so I press on toward the goal….

My struggles with false guilt are not everyone’s struggle.  Some people are truly guilty for they have never come to God for salvation, they are still trying to work their way to heaven or conceptualize a guilt-free life.  Give it up.  It can’t be done.  Having your conscience clean happens at the cross, realizing He paid it all and He will redeem your past with new life in Him.

I found this excerpt, again, from the book Pleasing God, by RC Sproul:

In considering guilt we must be careful to distinquish between guilt and guilt feelings.  Guilt feelings are subjective.  They arise from within us.  We can feel guilty even when there is no guilt.  Guilt, however, is objective.  It involves a real state of affairs.  Whenever we sin we incur guilt.  Guilt involves a debtor relationship to God.  It is tied to sin.

The Westminster Catechism defines sin as “Any want of conformity to, or transgression of the Law of God.”  This is a masterful definiton.  It captures both sins of omission and sins of commission.  When we fail to  conform to the Law of God, we fall short of what God requires.  We do not do what God commands.  That is a sin of omission.  When we transgress the Law of God, we do what God forbids.  This is a sin of commission.

Either way, by ommission or commission, if we violate the Law of God we incur guilt.  That guilt is real and objective.  It is also devastating.  Appropriate guilt feelings may of may not accompany guilt.  We know that guilt feelings make us uncomfortable.  We employ numerous devices to rid ourselves of those feelings.  We excuse ourselves.  We rationalize.  We shift blame to other people or to our circumstances.  We blame society.  We blame our environment.  We blame parents.  We appeal to everything we can to escape the pain of personal responsibility.  We use every kind of avoidance mechanism, because our guilt is indeed great.  It is too much to handle, and unless we cope with it in the right way — appealing to the saving work of Christ — we spend valuable time and energy running from guilt.

We have learned to harden our hearts.  We can lose the capacity to blush.  Jeremiah declared the word of God to Judah:  “You have had a harlot’s forehead; you refuse to be ashamed” (Jeremiah 3:3).

The rest of the chapter is excellent but the quote is getting too long.  My point: We must distinguish between real guilt and false guilt.  Some of us have false guilt, a tactic of Satan to keep us down and ineffective for the Kingdom of God.  If we have come to Jesus for salvation, we are clean.  However, we will violate the Law of God by sins of omission or comission, even after salvation.  We must deal with sin in the proper way.  We must determine to not hide from what God has strictly forbidden and refuse to blush.

Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth.  But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.   ~1 John 1:5-10

If we are willing to blush over the transgressions we know we have committed against the known Law of God, we can be free of real guilt.  If you struggle with false guilt, take the thought captive, look at it in the light of His word.  If you have sought forgiveness previously, you are clean before your Lord, no need to continue asking for forgiveness for the same sins.  He promised to remove your sin as far as the east is from the west.  Put on your helmet of salvation and walk in confidence before the Lord.

I am not disciplined.  I hate to admit it, but it’s true.  I was at one time in my life, throughout my school years I could set goals and meet them.  I knew the requirements and reveled in fulfilling them.  Then, I quit.  I don’t know what happened, somewhere after having children I became more laid back.  Well,…I do know what happened…I burned out.

I had such an unrealistic picture of what a Christian mom “should” be.  I would be the perfect mom with the perfect home, a full hot meal on the table at six o’clock each evening after having homeschooled my children most of the day.  Our homeschooling activities were to be the most creative and enlightening I could find, with us galavanting around the city to take advantage of all cultural events.  We were to be involved in all activities the homeschool community planned and be active members at our local church.  I was to continue teaching Bible studies, Sunday school, Children’s church and sing in the choir.  My home was to remain spotless for we would have a tight chore chart to effectively move us through the day with our house intact.  Saturdays we would joyfully work in the yard, together, to create the most lovely park setting for our domestic enjoyment…

Needless to say, somewhere between the second and third pregnancy, I could not keep up.  My body quit.

I was devastated and knew I must have sinned against God in some way, I just couldn’t figure out what I had done.  Some things came to mind, so I went around asking forgiveness of anyone I thought I had offended, just in case.  I wrestled with God, but I didn’t get better…

That was fourteen years ago and now I know, I have an illness that may have been with me since high school.  I recently went to the neurologist for another round of tests and he determined I needed to begin physical therapy (this is where the discipline comes in).  I have not been able to keep up, so in an effort to deny my need for perfection, the pendulum has swung the other way, and I don’t get much done.   I let things pile up from a lack of strength…or discipline…or motivation…or whatever.

So now I’m in therapy.  I must get out the door three days a week and go work with a therapist to strengthen what is weak — my whole body!  She has me doing the simplest movements, almost laughable, and I’m breaking a sweat!!  Discipline…therapy…not joyful for the moment, but afterwards…it yields fruit.

Do you know where I’m going with this?  That’s right…Hebrews 12:3-13

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been  trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.  Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feeet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. (verses 11-13)

Dealing with those who are weak, God does what He must to strengthen us.  He disciplines us.  At times it can feel like scourging (v.6) but He does it for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. (v.10)

Three days without the internet and I’m going crazy!!  What is wrong with me?  Six months ago I could have cared less but then this wild idea came to me…BLOG!  I call it wild because I would’ve never come up with it on my own.  I hate computers!  Everyone in my family is connected to people around the world through this invasive technology.  For years I’ve been laughing at their ‘friendships’ refusing to believe they could actually have a relationship with someone they’ve never met in person.  I couldn’t fathom the idea that they actually ‘knew’ anyone they had not met face to face.  It was inconceivable to me…

Enter…technical difficulties and I am disconnected from my new circle of friends!!  I must return to books, tv, crocheting, gardening, and napping.  OK, I haven’t quit all other activities, but nearly.  Blogging is a whole new world with exciting possibilities and interesting conversations.  I can click onto someone’s blog and get a glimpse into the life they want to share.  It could be make believe, I’m not totally naive, but more often than not, in the comboxes it becomes obvious if the blogger truly believes what is claimed.  And I find that fascinating.

I love people and ideas.  I become frustrated sitting with my own thoughts and if others don’t want to get into a stimulating conversation, then I feel stifled within myself.  I devour books but have the inablity to retain what I’ve learned for long.  It’s back there in the recesses and somehow through conversation the bits of information come forward, but alone?  I can become lost in my own thoughts.  I need people.

No man can be an island unto himself.  We were created for fellowship, and this is where my rant turns toward my mission…consider Jesus.  We were created to abide, to have relationship, to experience life together.  We were not created to be alone but to be connected.  Some have lots of connection through work, school, play, church, neighbors, home…others are more isolated.  I was one of the others (NOT “the others” as in my favorite tv show).

I can be one of the isolated due to physical limitations.  Over the years, as my illness has progressed, I’ve had a more solitary existence.  Not totally isolated for I have lots of family and friends, but my ability to leave the house has been hampered, so if people don’t come to me, I can spend many days by myself.  But, am I truly disconnected?

No, I am not — I am completely connected to my best friend, Jesus.  He promised He would never leave me nor forsake me.  I have been given the Spirit of truth and can be in complete communion with the Father and the Son.  I’m connected.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.  I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.  In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.  ~John 14:18-23

Do you have the Friend who will never leave you?  Are you truly connected?

At sixteen I went with a group of teenagers from Dallas to Estes Park, Colorado for a World Youth Conference.  In our church district many kids wanted to go, but only twenty openings were available, so we had to be interviewed before a panel of church leaders.  We were to memorize 2 Timothy 2:1-15 and be ready for questions.  I was very nervous but did the best I could.  Most all of my responses started with “My mother says…” or “My grandpa teaches…”

After learning I was one of the twenty kids chosen, one of the adults from the panel came forward to tell me she would love to hear her children speak so fondly of her, or to have that kind of an impact upon her grandchidren.  Now, as a mother, I know what she meant.

One of the questions they asked, “What is a disciple?”  At first I wasn’t sure how to answer.  I thought about the disciples and Jesus’ words to them, so I plunged right in and said I thought it had something to do with sitting under a teacher and following in his footsteps.  Then they wanted to know who had taught me the most about Jesus.  That’s where the bits about Mom and Grandpa came in — no question in my mind who were the most outspoken people in my life!  You couldn’t get through a conversation with either one of them without Jesus being brought into the picture.  The next question, “Who is your hero on earth today?”  Hands down…Mom and Grandpa…no question…and not one without the other.   What Mom knew she had learned sitting under her dad.

Grandpa was the best Grandpa anyone could ever wish for.  He was big and jolly, always laughing and playful, and best of all, he could whistle like a songbird.  He wanted to show us the world of wonders, taking us to the zoo,  driving through the safari, going to Sea World and riding the roller coasters at 6 Flags.  We went fishing several times and played checkers every visit, rarely did he let us win.  One of my favorite memories – after a family fish fry, having my oldest son playing checkers with Grandpa, my younger son watching closely, while my baby girl sat in Grandpa’s lap.

He was an amazing grandpa and a wonderful man of God.  He became a Christian at 21 and shortly after, his bride followed.  He felt called to the ministry and became a pastor, raising four beautiful daughters with his “girlfriend,” he called her that ’til the day he died.  He was a model of a man, not perfect, but very good.  Living on the other side of Dallas, we were able to visit often and frequently went to hear him preach, but even if we hadn’t gone to a service, we still got to hear him preach.  Everytime we got together we heard him preach, around the dinner table, over coffee and dessert, visiting in the living room, walking through the garden, Grandpa preached.  He was remarkable and I wanted to walk in his footsteps, I wanted to take the same path he and my mother took.

In our faith we follow in someone’s steps.  A parent, a teacher, a hero — none of us are the first to walk the trail.  All of us have someone we follow.  In our faith we leave footprints to guide others.  A child, a friend, a recent convert.  None should be left to walk the trail alone.  It’s the principle of discipleship.    ~Max Lucado

He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.”  Matthew 4:19

Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”  Luke 9:23

“All the people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.”  John 13:35

Who discipled you in the things of God?  Who is your hero?  Who do you follow?