Soakin' Up Life . . . at a 100 MPH!

Ever found that when you begin something for God or respond to His calling that life tends to heat up - not in a good way, but in a struggling way? Why are we so surprised when the enemy shows up? Like our greatest rival didn't have a clue what we were up to. What's up with that?! Believe it or not it didn't begin with you and it won't end with you. In the first year of the rule of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, he sent the captive Israelites back to Jerusalem to re-build the temple of God. He even returned the articles used in worship & sacrifice in the temple to take back to Jerusalem ( Ezra 1-6 ). Of course, it would be wonderful if that was the end of the story, wouldn't it? I'm not so sure that it would be so wonderful. Stick with me here. So, the Israelites head back to Jerusalem, set up life & shop, and begin work on the temple. If that's all that happened God would definitely received the glory. But life's never that easy, is it...

Got the chance to fill in for Clay at Trinity Church , one of our church plants, this Sunday. Had a blast. Everyone was so encouraging. Here's what I shared with them. Everything that grows moves into the unknown. These are areas in our lives, families, &/or churches that we've never been before. Moms, remember the first day of school for your children. . .unknown. Guys, first day at a new job. . .unknown. Moved to a new neighborhood. . .unknown. Started a new ministry. . .unknown. They are all areas of our lives that tend to make most of us cringe just a little. Now I know there are some of you out there that thrive off of living in and for the moment. You're the person who hits the road with no destination in mind. Or makes plans at the last minute. Let me be perfectly honest. . .that just FREAKS ME OUT!!! No, seriously, what's up with that? How can you do that? I'm just too much of a control freak and a planner to do it. Sorry. Anyway. . .in...

I love reading and learning about leadership. Always have. . .and probably always will. My first lesson in leadership came from my one of my mentors - Gene Wilkes - who taught me to lead, not manage . And that's stinkin' hard for me 'cause I'm a control freak . It's probably the main reason I don't ride roller coasters - no steering wheel. . .I'm not in control. Another lesson I've learned over the years is that leadership is influence . If you're not influencing people then you're probably not a leader. I've learned this one the hard way. Again, I'm a control freak, so I've been guilty of telling people what to do rather than influencing them. I say all this because I was reading about the life and rule of Jotham, another of the kings of Judah. 2 Chronicles 27:2 says that Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet the people continued their corrupt practices. This lead me to wonder how effective a leader he was...

Love this video from Longhollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, TN. They are very creative. Let me know what you think. Mike

Back in 1978 the group Van Halen released an album called, what else, Van Halen. The first song on the album was Running with the Devil . Now, if you remember it, don't act like you don't. And you know who I'm talking to. This phrase hit me this morning as I was reading the biography of Joash. A king who was saved from the persecution of his grandmother and shown incredible grace by the priest at the time. Eventually, through the work of Jehoiada, the priest, Joash became king at 7, yes, that's right, 7 years old. Don't know many 7 year olds I trust the keys to my house with, much less the keys to a kingdom. But we're told in 2 Chronicles 24:2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years of Jehoiada the priest. Way to go Joash! That's huge, because at the time not many leaders and certainly not his father, Ahaziaha, were pursuing God. But there's a hitch in the verse. Read it again and see if you find it. Did you? Check the...

Have you ever faced a situation that you felt, or knew, you were totally unprepared for? Something you absolutely knew was over your head? Parenting? A project at work? Marriage? A relationship? A situation with a friend? Know what I mean? I have to admit that I've been there a number of times - new positions, a new responsibility that falls under number 13 on the job description - you know, the one that says "And additional responsibilities as assigned by your supervisor," or a problem at the office. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. If you're anything like me you just push on. If you know me you know I tend to work harder. I seek out people to give me advice. I read up on it, as though learning more about it will give me the "wonder answer" I'm looking for. Yep, that's what I do. More times than not, my attitude is "I won't let this beat me." Like I'm in some kinda competition or something. What's...

I've been reading through 2 Chronicles. And as Israel was being divided into Judah and Israel I noticed something. ***SIDENOTE: Now remember that Rehoboam (Solomon's son) became king of Judah and Jeroboam became king of Israel. I know that trying to keep up the names and who's who can be confusing, but this is all you need to know for now.*** Ok, getting back to the story. So in chapter 11 is says . . . 13 The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him. 14 The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property, and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD. 15 And he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made. 16 Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their fathers. 17 They strengthened ...

As you may have noticed, I've changed the look of the ol' Soakin' Up Life blog. . .again. There's a couple of reasons for that. I haven't really felt like writing like I have in the past. The passion and the thoughts and the energy to put stuff down just wasn't there. Now I do and now it is. I have a renewed desire to share via the blog. If I am going to re-re-start writing again and I wanted to start fresh with a new look. I am going to be tweaking some things on the page as I go. So don't wig out if something looks out of place or doesn't fit. Right now my pics are wider than the main page. Don't know why, yet, but we'll get to it. I chose this look because I love the mountains. I love getting to the mountains. It's a place of refreshment, renewal, and re-creation for me . I also love the variety of experiences the mountains provide - from skiing, to hiking, to camping, to fishing, to biking, to . . .well, you get the picture. Th...