Tag: Love

I was reading my Bible this morning and the Lord showed me the above verses in John.  That is a powerful and amazing statement Jesus made!  When we look at Jesus, we are looking at God!  God became flesh and made His dwelling among us as Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the light of the world and all who believe in Him will never live in darkness!  When you believe in Jesus, you believe in God the Father at the same time.  Jesus is God!  God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are One!

“My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

Jesus praying for us in John 17:20-24

The Apostle Paul gave us a beautiful explanation of exactly who Jesus is and why God came to save us:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

Colossians 1:15-20

Jesus was with God in the very beginning of creation and all things were created by Him and for Him!  All of God’s fullness is in Jesus and He is the image of God because God became a man to die for us!  Thank You Jesus!

John explained it this way:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”

John 1:1-5

Jesus Christ is the Word!

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

Our Creator, God, whose Name is I AM (Exodus 3:14), came down from Heaven to take the punishment for our sins upon Himself, so we could be saved.

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

John 8:58

“Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

John 20:28

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

Jesus speaking in John 10:27-30

Think about that amazing truth for a moment!  God became a man and experienced humanity, terrible suffering, and ultimately death on a cross because He loves us and He wants us to be with Him forever!  He is our Father in Heaven.  He created us and He does not want any of us to perish.  I pray you receive His great love today!

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

Titus 2:11-14

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

Jesus is the One and Only full of grace and truth!  It is only through faith in Jesus we are saved because God never became a man in any other way to save us.  God did that one time and His sacrifice is perfectly sufficient to forgive the sins of all mankind (Romans 3:21-26)!  I pray the Lord spreads revival and the whole world receives His great love and forgiveness!  God loves us so much that He came to rescue us!  Each of us has to personally receive that salvation by faith.  It is your choice and I pray you choose wisely.

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned–for before the law was given, sin was in the world.  But sin is not taken into account when there is no law.  Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

But the gift is not like the trespass.  For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!  Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.  For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.  For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

The law was added so that the trespass might increase.  But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:12-21

Christianity is set apart from the world religions because it is the only faith that is all about what God did for us, not what we can do for God.  Every other faith is works based and focuses on what you have to do to “earn” your way into Heaven.  Faith in Jesus is all about what He did for us on the cross.  We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus.  There is no amount of good works that could ever get a person into Heaven.  That is why God came to earth to die for us.  He offers us forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus and that is the most precious gift from our gracious God that the world has ever known!

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Romans 3:21-24

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace and peace to you all in the Name of Jesus!

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:9-13

 

I love that promise Jesus made to us!  Once we belong to Jesus through our faith in Him, nothing can snatch us out of His hand!  Our salvation is eternally secure by God’s grace alone through our faith in Jesus Christ alone and His blood is perfectly sufficient to forgive any and all sin (Romans 3:21-26)!  Let that be an encouragement to your heart today and every day!

Once you know Jesus, you will always know Jesus!  Sometimes we stumble and go through the Lord’s discipline that He gives us for our good (Hebrews 12:1-13).  That’s okay!  Get back up and keep going!  Learn and grow from the discipline and keep walking with your Lord and Savior who loves you!  Be encouraged that He disciplines us and lifts us up again!  You are still saved!

You are saved through your faith in Jesus, not by works (John 3:16, Romans 8:1-2, Ephesians 2:8-9).  Remember, salvation and sanctification are two different things.  Jesus saves us (salvation by faith in Him) and fills us with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14), then He cleans us up and empowers us to live righteously (sanctifies us) by the power of His Word and the Holy Spirit (John 17:17, Acts 1:8, Galatians 5:22-23).  The process of sanctification takes place throughout our entire walk with Jesus (Philippians 3:12-16).  Any good works we do for Jesus after we are saved are done by the power of the Holy Spirit for His glory, not ours (Ephesians 2:10).  We are not earning points to get to Heaven (Galatians 2:15-21, 3:1-14).  Once you belong to Jesus by faith, you are His forever and nothing can snatch you out of His hand!  That is a promise Jesus made to us Himself!

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39

Be at peace in Jesus!  He is trustworthy and we can rest in His promises!  His perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18)!  Have a blessed and encouraging Sunday!

Grace and peace to you all!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus speaking in John 3:16

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

Jesus speaking in John 10:28-30

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.  For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.  For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Jesus speaking in John 6:37-40

 

Many of you know that I am a big fan of Lecrae and the whole 116 crew from Reach Records.  This song is called “Yet” from Lecrae’s new album titled “Let The Trap Say Amen.”  The beats and message in this song encourage my heart and it helps me remember that God has good plans for my life.  In Christ we can look forward to the future with hope!  This is also a great song for a Friday afternoon, so turn it up and enjoy!  Have a blessed and encouraging weekend!

Grace and peace friends!

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

Romans 1:16

I love reading the words of Jesus in the Bible!  In most modern Bibles the words of Jesus are in red.  They are in a different color to highlight the importance of His words, but they are in red because by His wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).  It is by His blood shed on the cross for us that we are saved!  It is only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ that we can be saved.  Why?  Because Jesus is God in human flesh and He is the only One who ever died for the forgiveness of our sins.  Take a look at that verse above.  That is truly a powerful statement!  Through faith in Jesus your sins will be forgiven and you will not be condemned.  You will cross over from death to life and that life is eternal in Heaven, Amen!  That is a serious statement to consider with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind!

That is a picture of my Thompson Chain-Reference 1984 NIV Bible.  This is what I use to quote all of the Scripture on my blog.  I love the red letters.  My kids always love reading them too.  When they were little they would say, “Daddy, let’s read the red letters.”  People love reading the words of Jesus because there is hope in them!  Jesus is our peace and His words comfort and refresh our hearts.  His words are full of love and forgiveness and power that can save your soul!  Our souls were designed to need God’s Word, so like I tell my kids at dinner, “eat up!”  Feed on God’s Word and nourish your soul!

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”

Matthew 4:4

“For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12

Why did Jesus have to die?  Because all of us need forgiveness.  There is not one of us on this earth who is perfect and has never sinned.  Only Jesus lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15).  Jesus had to die and shed His blood for us because that is how serious sin is.  It separates us from God Who is Holy.  In order for mankind to be reconciled back to God a price had to be paid, but God in His mercy saw we could not pay it on our own.  God is love and He loves us, so He became flesh (Jesus) and made His dwelling among us (John 1:14).  When Jesus died on that cross He took all the sins of mankind upon Himself and experienced death, which is spiritual separation from God.  He took the full punishment that our sins deserved and He set us free (John 19:30)!  Jesus rose from the grave three days later defeating sin, death, and the evil one in great victory and power, and He offers that same victory and power to all of us!

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time…”

1 Corinthians 15:3-6

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished–he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

Romans 3:22-26

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

Titus 2:11-14

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

Do you want to cross over from death to life?  I know I did, especially after suffering under the terror of that demon before I knew Jesus!  Through my faith in Jesus, I am filled with the Holy Spirit and I have eternal life and there is nothing better than that in this whole world!  Hallelujah!

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

Romans 5:6-11

Jesus is waiting for you with open arms!  No sin is too great!  Jesus will forgive you completely and bless you with the power of the Holy Spirit!  Come to Him as you are.  He will sanctify you and empower you to live righteously according to His will as you walk with Him.  Read His Word.  Let it wash over your soul.  Let His light pierce any darkness in your life.  Let Jesus set you free!

Grace and peace to you all!

“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Jesus speaking in John 6:40

 

Our family loves Tori Kelly and this is a great Gospel song about loving each other.  There is a lot of hate in this world (especially right now) and I pray along with Tori, “God help us to love the way that you love me.”  This is smooth funky Holy Spirit anointed music folks, enjoy and be blessed!

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:16-19

Amen!  I pray the Lord spreads Holy revival through the whole world!

Grace and peace to you all in the Name of Jesus!

Hello everyone and God bless you all!  Well, it is snowing again today.  I had to shovel a path, so I could take out the trash.  It is bitter cold too!   My phone says 18 degrees right now, but thankfully it is much warmer in the garage.  This post will be a bit different.  I’ve been showing more photos lately and I like photos.  I like seeing where people are from and how they live, so today I’d like to invite you to my garage.  This is my outdoor den and man cave.  I hang out in here a lot because I spend a lot of time outside in the summer and winter doing the chores of owning a home.  I also want to talk to you about how God talks to me and how He reminds of His Word that is written on my heart.  I hope it helps people understand how God and His Word are living and active in our daily lives!

It’s been coming down pretty good.  Check out the walls of snow built up on each side of our driveway from all the other snow I shoveled the last couple storms.  This new snow today made me think about my snowblower again because I will be shoveling again today.  As I was watching the snow come down feeling the bitter 18 degree wind hit my face, I thought about how I need to fix the snowblower, but I don’t know how to fix it.  I can fix many things and I am usually the handy man in our home, but taking apart a snowblower engine is not something I’ve learned.  Sure, I could watch a YouTube video and I have done that many times with other things.  I might still do that, but this machine is fairly new at only a few years old and I think it might be better to leave this one to a gear head pro.  That is hard for me though and God knows that.

The other day my wife called a guy who fixes these things, and I talked with him for a little bit.  I didn’t set anything up yet, but told him I would let him know.  When I was putting out the trash this morning, I started to think about how I don’t like having another man come to my house to fix things.

My father in law taught me an amazing amount of information on how to fix everything in our house.  When my wife and I first moved into this home 12 years ago, he flew out here and he and I finished the basement together.  It was an awesome learning experience and so cool to build our own basement!  Thank you for all of that!  He built the house my wife grew up in and he built several rental properties that he has managed for many decades.  The man can fix anything!  I also grew up working landscaping, so I know how to work the yard and fix sprinkler systems.  I know my tools and I can get it done right.  I really don’t like asking another guy to come to my house to fix something I feel I should be able to fix.  This is my domain and yes, I am very territorial and protective, both spiritually and physically.

Then the Lord started speaking to my heart and I thought of this verse:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

1 Peter 5:6

My next thought was, “Isn’t it prideful to not ask for help?  Would you rather get help and have it fixed or keep shoveling?”  This made me smile and laugh, and I thanked the Lord for showing me these things.  I praise Him that He speaks to me straight up with great love!  Yes, Lord, it is prideful to not ask for help.  Even now I am struggling with the thought of having a “handy man” come to the house.  Why?  Because I am my wife’s handy man!

However, even now God is reminding me that He cares for me and I have been thinking maybe He is sparing my body from any stress or injury from working on it.  He knows the shoveling is rough and it needs to be fixed.  He also knows the amount of work it will take to fix the snowblower.  I have no way to lift that thing into the back of my truck and due to what Celiac did to my muscles and bones, I am not even messing with that crazy heavy machine!  I dislocated a rib a couple years ago trying to lift a heavy box out of the closet.  It popped back into place by the grace of God, but not looking for that to happen again.

That auger is pretty sweet and it can move a whole bunch of snow!  I keep it real clean.  I do the oil changes, Sta-bil in the gas, check and replace the shear pins, and I even put on custom skid plates (which was fun and easy).  I like to upgrade and customize my tools just like I do my guns.  The metal skid plates were a mess, but the new ones glide like a hockey puck!  This thing is a monster when it’s working!  I miss the snow throwing power and so does my lower back!

So, I have a choice to make.  Ask for help or keep shoveling.  Lord Jesus, please give me a humble heart and wisdom to make the right decision, amen!  It’s awesome how You speak to us!  Thank You Lord!

Back inside where it’s warm and cozy!

It’s awesome how God speaks to His children!  He cares for us and knows what’s best.  May we all listen to Him with humble hearts!

Grace and peace to you all!

P.S.

These are pictures from shoveling snow on Tuesday.

This is the dinner my wife made that was ready right after I was done shoveling!  This is what a free range organic chicken looks like.  Thank You Lord for chickens!  Thank you honey for making such a nice dinner!  I was thinking about eating this while I was huffing snow.  So good!

It’s kind of funny to look at when it’s the whole bird!  Looks like it could get up and run away!  It was delicious!  God bless you all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took the kids to the National Western Stock Show in Denver on Sunday.  They loved it and I will be doing a post about it soon.  We go to the Stock Show every year and every year I like to drive home on Broadway through the heart of the city.  Broadway goes right by the Denver Rescue Mission, which is a ministry outreach in the Name of Jesus to help the homeless and those in poverty.  Back in college I was blessed to do a lot of street ministry in this area and the area around Colfax by the Capitol, City Park, and the old Five Points neighborhood.  It was done through Campus Crusade for Christ in conjunction with Here’s Life Inner City (an outreach of Campus Crusade).  We worked with and stayed at Church in the City and we did some ministry with Christ’s Body Ministries and the Rescue Mission.  It was awesome to see the Lord moving in power on the streets of D-Town!  I  have a lot of love for this city and I pray the Lord spreads revival here!

There is always a long line of people outside.  Please pray for all the homeless men, women, and kids.  I also ask the Lord to empower, bless, and anoint the brothers and sisters of the Rescue Mission with favor in their ministry work.  Souls are being lost and won every day on these streets and the spiritual battle is fierce.

I wanted to write this post because of the neon sign that is out in front of the Denver Rescue Mission.  It is a famous sign here in America.  It is in the shape of a cross and it has a simple yet powerful message on it that is timeless: “Jesus Saves.”  I was thinking about that sign today and how it preaches a powerful singular focus on Jesus Christ.  When you see that, you know those folks are ministering to people in the Name of Jesus.  Imagine being cold and hungry on the streets and then seeing that sign shining through the darkness.  What a blessing!  You go there and people treat you with kindness and give you warm food and shelter.  They tell you about Jesus and how much He loves you and that Jesus will save your soul if you believe in Him.  They actually care about you and for the first time in a long time you feel safe.  I have witnessed this focus on Jesus in action and it is beautiful and powerful!

I want my focus to be fully on Jesus at all times.  It is through Him that I live and breathe!  It is through Him that all my hopes and dreams exist and have meaning.  It is through Him that my soul is saved, so I lay it all down at the feet of Jesus!  Jesus saved me and He saved my whole family and He can save you too!

It is fitting that the photo of the sign is kind of blurry.  The light turned green and I was driving away as my wife snapped it with my phone.  It made me think of the verse about fixing our eyes on Jesus and I thought about how I want my focus on Jesus to be perfectly clear!  I don’t want anything hindering my focus on Him.  That simple sign is true!  Jesus saved us when He died on that cross and nothing can ever take that powerful truth away from us!

I hope and pray my focus is always on Jesus just as powerful and simple as that beautiful sign of hope hanging above the streets of Denver.  The whole Bible could be summed up in those two words.  Jesus Saves!  Please don’t ever forget that beautiful truth of the amazing grace of God!

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:2

Grace and peace to you all!

 

Good morning everyone!  We had a blizzard come through last night, so my wife and kids have a snow day.  We are staying warm and cozy and enjoying the day off!  I was very blessed and encouraged to do my first ever podcast interview this morning with BottomlessCoffee007!  He has a great format that is off the cuff and free flowing and it was a lot of fun.  We had a cool conversation and I had a great time talking with him!  Thanks again brother!!!

Here is the link to his blog and our conversation.  Thank You Jesus for the great opportunity to speak about You and what You’ve done in my life!

Author Ryan Callahan Talks Faith and Coeliac Disease: The Voice Behind the KeyBoard, TidePodcast Epic-sode 43

Grace and peace to you all!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus speaking in John 3:16

That is a bold and amazing statement!  Jesus is the only One who ever claimed to be the resurrection and the life.  He is the only One who ever died for our sins to be forgiven.  That is also a very serious question He asked Martha and His statement and question are still valid for all of us in our time.  I am here to testify that Jesus is alive and everything in the Bible is true!  That statement and question that Jesus spoke have the power to change your life and your eternity!  He makes beauty from ashes and His light defeats darkness!  Jesus truly is the resurrection and the life!  He proved that to me in the most miraculous of ways!  If you believe in Him, you will have eternal life!  Wherever you live in the world, please consider these powerful words of Jesus and ponder His question with all of your soul.  God is love and He loves you!  He does not want you to perish!  It all comes down to faith and it is through faith in Jesus that we are saved!  What an awesome gift of amazing grace!

Grace and peace to you all in the Name of Jesus!

 

 

I would like to thank my friend and sister in Christ Dee at Sealed In Christ for nominating me for the Mystery Blogger Award!  I dedicate this award to Jesus!  He deserves all the glory and praise and He is the sole reason for my blog!  Definitely check out Dee’s blog!  She preaches the truth with joy and you will be encouraged and blessed!  God bless you Dee!

The creator of this award is Okoto Enigma.

“The Mystery Blogger Award is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging, and they do it with so much love and passion.”

-Okoto Enigma

Rules

Put the award logo on your blog.

List the rules.

Thank whoever nominated you and include a link to their blog.

Mention the creator of the award and provide a link to their blog as well.

Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.

Nominate 10-20 people.

Notify your nominees.

Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice, specifying one weird/funny question.

Share a link to your best post(s).

Three Things About Myself

I love Jesus with all my heart!

If I were a food, I would be considered sweet and spicy.

I love being a husband and father and I love my wife and kids with all my heart!

Dee’s Questions

Q: What advice would you like to give to your 10 year old self?

A: Yes, God is real!  Jesus really does exist, He is alive, and He loves you!  Receive Him now, so you can rebuke that demon the very second you move into your new home in Illinois in 3 years.  Yes, that move will be hard, but when you know Jesus you will have the power to have victory over your challenges.  It will make it much easier not living with a demon, so be sure to know Jesus and rebuke that evil out of the house in the Name of Jesus!  Don’t live with it all through high school!  One more thing, stop hanging out with thugs and do the right thing.  You have friends that care about you who want to do good.  Go hang out with them.  Also, keep your eyes on Jesus.  He loves you and He is going to work everything out for your good.  One more thing, I love you!

Q: What is your goal in life?

A: To be a faithful soldier for Jesus by submitting to His will to fulfill the Great Commission, a faithful husband to my wife, and a faithful father to my children.

Q: If they produced the story of your life, what genre would it be?

A: Man, my life has been crazy!  Angels, demons, Holy Spirit miracles, and more!  The genre would be part supernatural thriller part action film and part drama with a little romance!  Yep, thank You Jesus, amen!

Q: Are you happy with what’s happened in your life so far?

A: There are things I would like to do over, but I have learned from all of my mistakes and grown from them.  I have been married for 17 years to the same woman I fell in love with in college.  We have two awesome kids who are having a great time growing up in a peaceful neighborhood, and we are very thankful to God for it all.  Of course I didn’t like being diagnosed with Celiac seven years ago and there are days I still struggle with the disease, but God has been so good and faithful to me and my family and He always lifts us up.  He has brought great healing to my body from where I was on 1-6-12, and He has given us peace and blessing after seeing us through terrible suffering.  Thank You Lord!  I am so thankful that He chose to use me to share my testimony and publish a book through me (One Man’s Very Strange Supernatural Life) and I am so thankful for this blog!  So, yeah, looking back on all my amazing memories of growing up in Colorado, my time in college where I accepted Jesus, preached on campus, and met my wife, outdoor adventures like climbing mountains and snowboarding, starting a family (seeing our daughter and son born was amazing), all the supernatural experiences, and everything that has happened in the last 22 years following Jesus, I would say I’m happy with what’s happened in my life so far.  Thank You Jesus for everything you have done for me in my 40 years on earth!

Q: What Marvel superhero would you love to be?

A: I absolutely loved Spider-Man when I was a kid!  I had a Spider-Man chair and a Spider-Man big wheel.  I still love that character, so I’m stickin’ with good ol’ Spider-Man!  It would be awesome to climb and swing through buildings like that!  I would have a lot of fun fighting crime and protecting people in that rad suit!  So cool!

My Nominees

Fractured Faith Blog

Beauty Beyond Bones

Becoming His Tapestry

Daily Hopeful

Benjamin Moore Blog

Melissa McLaughlin

Sister Betty Jo

Mitch Teemley

Michelle at Blessings by Me

Nicole at Trophy Of Grace

I like these 5 questions (orginally from Racheal’s Novels).  Have fun answering them!

Link To My Best Post or Posts

That is a hard one.  Not sure which I would consider the best, but if you would like to know about my testimony of the supernatural way I came to know Jesus and why I love Him so much, then please check out the links below.

Heart Poured Out

Real Talk

My Lazarus Moment

Remember that time when…

A lot of people liked this one too: My Friend Bill & The Holy Spirit

A lot of my favorite posts are also listed on the “My Beliefs” page.

Thanks again Dee for the nomination! 

Grace and peace to you all!

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

Romans 8:1-2