Revision

  We live in an era where the family structure has taken a beating with the popular opinion that "it takes a village" and not necessarily good parents to raise and train our children. While I don't deny that good mentors and even a few great teachers along the way taught me some important things about life and myself, the thought that I am talking about here are parents that relinquish or even shrug their responsibility to nurture and raise their children to be the best that they can be. I am always shocked to hear people agree that parenting today is harder than ever and that they welcome the influence and uninhibited input from our schools and media. I may be wrong, but looking back in my family's past, I see plenty of tough times. My parents came from relatively poor families, and as kids, my brothers and I had to work for things that we wanted. Extravagance was never part of our lives. So it seems perspective makes a big difference when you are looking at your surroundings, both financial and spiritual. As small children, we all learn our value and self-worth in a few short years. We pick up the mannerisms and habits of our parents or guardians, good and bad. If you have ever struggled with your self-image, an addiction, or abusive behavior because of what you learned as a child, then the rest of this message is focused for our mutual thought and healing.

     What formula in life can take children who overcome a family history of drug and alcohol abuse or physical and mental exploitation, and lead them to become happy and healthy adults, seemingly free from the hereditary hangups of their past? How do you take a tragically bad memory, learn and grow from it, without digging it up all the time? Just referring to it in a discussion can seem to cause us to relive it again and again. My mom and dad both came from families where alcohol and the abusive behavior of their fathers were almost considered normal. Neither my mom or my dad brought up those bad times very often, most of the time they only referred to their families' in good ways and how they had learned from the bad experiences that they never wanted to burden their children with such pain. And they never did.

     They were so convinced that they could alter who they were, that they took what were sometimes extreme measures, to make sure that the example that they set for us boys was not one filled with the same abuses that they had grown up with. They began by first dealing with their own lives. I think they decided that if they didn't have those things in their lives, then we would learn that it wasn't necessary to have them in ours either. Within their self-examinations, they also returned to roots involving the church and began to seek out God. Both of my grandmothers were very good women; although my mother's mother admitted that she wasn't a very good judge of men, married four times and eight children; one day as a young boy I asked her if she was ever going to get married again, without any time to consider the answer, she retorted, "I surely don't need another man in my life". For all of my life, and until her passing, she was true to her word. My father's mother was a very religious and kind spirit, she provided the very early dialog that pointed my mom and dad towards the church. I think that was the final step for them in finding what could make a difference in changing their life... Eventually, they found and started to attend a very actively growing and friendly church. In the lives of my brothers and myself, that church and the determination that my mother and father had to change their lives for the better, created a paradigm shift within our family, one that would change the course of who and how my brothers and I grew up. Certainly, we were not perfect, we made our share of mistakes and got ourselves into plenty of trouble, and still do on occasion. However we all grew up to find success; success in business, success in marriage, and success with our families and children. How can you look at that outcome and not realize that mom and dad had really figured out something big?

     You may find yourself being that person who needs to do the changing, or you may be the one hoping to live through something horrible and are simply trying to survive. I encourage you to find something positive and real, not fantasy or a temporary fix, to put in your field of emotional and spiritual vision. Try not to focus too much on what is painful or wrong in your life; instead, seek out the One who made every part of you. The creator of who and how you are. It may seem overly simple, but God does have a plan for you, and it isn't being abused or abusing others, or yourself. I don't want to talk specifics about steps to success here, there are plenty of groups and organizations out there that do that. I am talking to you directly and saying, we all have our life moments when we have to rise above the noise that is the evil and sorrow of this world. My point here is simply to reaffirm to you that it is possible to overcome such adversities. Regardless of the method that you choose to make change happen, be encouraged that success is within your grasp. Remember that you may not be able to change your past, but you can decide that your future will be different. You choose each pathway in your life, and how you choose will determine not only your destination but the legacy you leave when you're gone.

     There are so many self-help books out there, and slickly advertised plans that are guaranteed to "fix" your life and make you happy, it boggles the mind to think about the money we all spend, trying to find that permanent fix to our addictions, depression or failed marriages. But it's like someone who's trying to quit smoking. They can chew the special gum, get hypnotized, wear a hidden patch, or go to meetings with other smokers that all talk about quitting in-between "smoke" breaks, but until they decide to quit, until that, "I'm quitting right now" moment comes to them, most of these other answers will be short-lived and ineffective. That said, let's look at our own lives, the real picture of it, not the mask we wear in public, at church or to work. Maybe you always feel overwhelmed with mountains of depression or an addiction that controls your every train of thought; In the quiet of your own heart, and without the distractions of your life crowding inward, ask yourself for an honest answer to this question, do you really want to make a change? Is it time for a paradigm shift in your life? If so, then now may just be your time to put your mind, heart, and soul at work together toward a common goal, to make the things you need to change in your life, become reality.

  Start by seeking God. Have a conversation with Him, and be honest. Pray for strength and wisdom to identify the habits and the people in your life that need to change, or completely be rid of. Sometimes we hang on to people and things that just remind us of where we have failed. Choose those whom you can talk to, and don't just dump on them, listen; and be open to the thinking that you can change. To be clear, I am not saying that everything or anything is your fault. Change sometimes means that we are giving others too much responsibility in our lives. There are far too many avenues to explore here to usher in a new you in this short message, but if I can keep it simple and just say, God understands who you are. He knows your habits, and how hard it is to put them down. All He asks of you is to try. To seek help where it can do you good. Find friends and a church that makes a difference in your life, one where you are moved to stretch your spiritual legs and grow. Real followers of Christ, Christians, are still at best, sinners. So don't put anyone on a pedestal. Live in His grace, it is free, and it's the only secure path to finding peace. Learn to love yourself in spite of what you see in the mirror of your memories. God's forgiveness is fathomless, that means as far as it is from the earth to the sky, and then a thousand times more, He has forgotten your failures. Choose to end your addictions, abuses and bad habits and give them over to His love and grace. That probably will not be an easy thing, it usually isn't, but it is a worthwhile endeavor. You and your family can start today on your path of deliverance from whatever separates you from the perfect path God has chosen for you. Do not give up when you fail. The disciples failed, lied and hid-out to save themselves during their painful learning process, and God picked them up, dusted them off and helped them to become more than they could ever dream. You can live a life of purpose, overcome your past and its hold on you, but the first step is yours, you have to seek God and accept the grace and love that He will pour out on you. It's not easy, I know all to well the trap of fear and complacency when it comes to change, but the joy and freedom that will come from winning this battle, and the story you will have to share with others that suffer from the same trials you have won victory over, will shine the light of glorious transformation over your life, and prove beyond a doubt, that God is a God of renewal and revision for the beggar standing at the doorway of grace.

Thunder in the Desert - Alternate Ending

    I was reading recently about a man that had been lost in the desert alone for nine days. His ordeal was surely one that I cannot imagine. The thirst from not having water to drink would make anyone desperate and willing to drink just about anything in order to stay alive. In his story, life-saving rain came at just the right moments every few days; just enough to keep him alive, when he was too weak to manage for himself. But hours and days came and went, when there was no rain, no deliverance. I'm sure that he thought the end was near many times; that his story in this world had come to a desolate and lonely conclusion, there in the dry and isolated desert.

    Life can be a series of events that range from your happiest day to being lost in your own desert. Whether it's a desert of failure, in school or work, or one of financial ruin. Perhaps, the cruelty of human weakness in the form of illness has come to you, or you can't control an addiction that seems to weigh over you like a massive boulder quarried from shame and self-loathing. Our personal deserts of depression or despair, often come into our lives without warning, and can leave us wondering where God is when we obviously need Him the most.

    Imagine yourself in the midst of a quiet, starlit night. Your surroundings are dark, blurred forms and it’s hard to see far from where you are. Your eyes strain to make out definition and shape. It's a dry and lifeless place. What little light there is from the stars is intermittently blocked out by clouds which have no color, only darker shades of grey to black, and in the distance you see the faint flashes of lightning at the horizon. After days in the heat of your dry existence, you long for drops of rain to touch your burned and aching skin, to wet the tip of your tongue if only to cool it for a while. Not only is this the image of a desperate person in a dangerous physical place, but I think it also describes our lives in those times when we find ourselves in our darkest, driest moments. Those times when our spiritual tongues and lips are dried and cracking from the lack of living water.

    (*) When we've gone as far as we can emotionally go, and we are desperate for the relief of compassion, grace, and forgiveness by the understanding of what it is we are going through. This is the training ground that God uses to help us relate to each other, and to give us insight for what others are going through. It’s not to say that you cannot have compassion without experiencing the same tragedies, but our own trials teach us wisdom, either through success or defeat. On occasion, we all learn through failure, what not to do; what it is like to lose a job, have a life-threatening illness, or not be able to pay your bills. Our ability to help others is vastly improved through our own journey’s path. With our experiences and lessons in life, we may be someone else's flashes of lightning, or promise of rain.

When we come out of our desert, we are usually thankful to be rescued, happy and relieved to be back on our feet. When that happens, don’t forget your calling. We are all witnesses of what God has done for us. To be that voice in the wilderness that gives hope when others are lost and thirsty. To tell our story, and relate to a hurting friend or possibly a complete stranger, that there is hope for them right where they are. In John 1: 19-23, the people of Jerusalem asked John who he was, they were perplexed by his teaching and thought he could be a prophet or someone even greater, but John just kept on preaching.. He was a very loud and boisterous personality as we know him. You may not be an outspoken beacon of teaching like John, which is okay. John told them that he was thunder in the desert, that he prepared a way for the coming Messiah. And that is our job as well.

What does it mean to “make a way” when John is responding to the crowd? I believe it means that he was sharing his own experiences and trials with them. That through his life’s up and many downs, he was shining a light on how grace and forgiveness had been poured out on him. I’m sure that with his reported temperament, that he did it in a way that was on fire for the scriptures and prophecies of the Jewish people. With a loud and direct manner about him, he was certainly hard to miss for the theocrats of the day. We each “make a way” using the skills and talents that we are gifted with. Some people write songs, words, and music that inspire emotion and reach out to people in ways that John possibly never could have. There are storytellers, managing leaders, children's workers, greeters at your church, and servers at your favorite restaurant. An almost endless list comes to mind of calling styles that serve as conduits for making the way of the Lord.

While in our desert we learn how to trust God for our next drink of water, our food, and our very lives. Once out of the desert, we can share the hope of being rescued with others that are still in their isolation. But during all of those times, we are called to be God's messengers. We are responsible to share the good news whether we are in times of tragedy, experiencing joy and happiness, or not really sure where we are; God is not a far away ethereal being, only reachable through highly religious and specific rituals of the chosen few. Absolutely not. He is walking the path with you, beside every step. You cannot lose Him or get hidden from His sight. And a simple and soft whisper of His name is all the further you will need to go before He answers. No, He does not reserve His attention and love only for the “worthy”; if that were the case, none of us would ever know of it. It is a gift, as between friends, without strings or entanglements, He gives to every single one of us, the friendly, the mean, the saintly, and the criminal. For all.

The question is, how will you make His way known through your life? He has walked through your desert with you, given you water when you were dry, laughed when you were happy, and cried when you were hurting. Our call to be His messengers isn’t necessarily a call to become a ‘John of the Wilderness’. Your calling may be with your friends and family, to change the destructive course that your parents or grandparents chose. Perhaps you are a teacher or work with children, and maybe you can’t openly share about what God has done in your past, but you can show them through your attitude, the difference you have in your life. Trust me, looking back I can tell you I knew when a teacher or mentor was a Godly person. They were different. Maybe I didn’t realize it at that moment in time, but it made an impact that I always remembered, and admired. You may be a doctor that gives hope and at the same time honors God when something beyond your ability goes right. The truth is that no matter where you are, no matter what you do, God has called you to be his messenger. Pastors are not the only ones called to reach out and minister to people, we all are. Through the way you live your life, and love those around you, the life that you present to others will get their attention. Just as John’s life raised the questions of the leaders in Jerusalem, and compelled them to search him out and ask him what was so different about him and who was he, those around you will notice that you are different than most people that they know. Be diligent. Be ready. Live the best life that you can to acknowledge that you are blessed by God, that He walks with you, and that no matter what isolation or worry comes to you and your world, you will be His voice of thunder in the desert.

Blessings - Randy

John 1:19-23 (msg)

(*) - The following content is an alternate conclusion that differs completely from my previous message entitled, "Thunder in the Desert". 

Thunder in the Desert

          Recently, I was reading about a man that had been lost alone in the desert for nine days. His ordeal was surely one that I cannot imagine. The thirst from not having water would make one desperate enough to drink just about anything in order to stay alive. In his story, life saving rain came at just the right moments to keep him alive, when he was too weak to manage for himself. But there were days that came and went, when no rain fell. I'm sure he thought that the end was near many times; that his life's story in this world had come to an end, there in the California desert.
          One of the dictionary's definitions of desert is, 'any place lacking in something'. It sounds so unassuming, yet a place where any and all organisms struggle to survive is not a place to be. Life can be a series of events that range from your happiest day, to being lost in your own desert. Whether it's a desert of failure in school or work, or one of financial ruin. Perhaps the cruelty of human weakness through disease has come to you, or you can't control an addiction that seems to weigh over you like a massive boulder quarried from shame and self-loathing. Each time you see an end to your circumstances and pain, it turns out to be a mirage of lifeless vapor.
          Imagine yourself in the quiet, starlit night of a dry and lifeless place. The sky is intermittent with clouds, and in the distance, you see the faint flashes of lightning at the horizon. The delusion of hope grips your heart again. Days into your ordeal, you are ready to move toward the promise and find out, for certain, if the rain is real or not. After a seemingly eternity of thirst and heat, you long for the drops of wet redemption to touch your burned and aching skin, to wet the tip of your tongue if only to cool it for a while. This is the image of not only a desperate person in a dangerous physical place, but it also describes our lives in those times when we find ourselves in our darkest, driest moments. Those times when our spiritual tongues are dried and cracking from the lack of living water. When we've lost our direction or misplaced our purpose. We wander in our search for what makes us happy, or fulfilled, and yet rarely discover the answer on our own. The desert can be a place of great peril, and even death. So it is spiritually. If we stay in the desolation of a purposeless life, we will eventually die to the ways of good, mercy and hope. The desert will consume us.
          Unlike the man in my story, we do not have to wait and hope that the thunder will bring us spiritual rain. In John 1:19-23, God calls us to be His prelude. To announce that He is coming to a world of desolation and drought with the healing everlasting water. In John 4: 13-14 Jesus tells the woman that His water will forever quench our soul's thirst. In a few short chapters, John tells us that as we wander in our desert we should keep telling others about what God has done in our lives. Even when we are thirsty ourselves, dry and parched, we should point the way to His living water. In fact, I think that we are the most useful to God, when we've come through our own solitary wasteland. When we have seen and felt the sorrow of loosing a loved one, we are ready and trained to help those in need. To come through a life crisis such as the failure of a business, or betrayal of a friend, this is our desolation ordeal, and if we put our faith and resolve in the right place, it makes us a very credible voice to others in similar situations. I'm not saying that you have to die to understand what death means, or that unless you have been divorced, you can't know the feeling of abandonment or failure. Some people are gifted with the ability to empathize with those in need. But for most of us, the experience of life circumstances trains us to know when others truly need our grace and support.
          I believe that the church was called to help fulfill this function, to share with each other's passion and loss, in ways that would strengthen one another. Sadly, many times that seems to be the lacking ingredient as the modern church searches for purpose, instead of hearts. But do not give up on your search for genuine lives being lived with passion and those willing to share what they have experienced and learned from their conflicts. We do not come together to judge or count sins, we come together to find strength, and endurance. Find your place of belonging, where God's message is emanating from hearts full of grace and a natural caring for others, living day to day by His unchanging words and promises.
          If we are to have a chance for others to see our lives as a light of credible understanding, the fact that we have lived the same crisis or tragedy is a big first step. We are to be that thunder in the distance, the hope of good things to come. Seeing our survival, our continued resilience under fire, gives others an example of what may be close at hand for them, if they pursue with diligence the path towards the well of the living water. Our desert is not one of complete desolation, even though many times it does feel that way. There are many today on this journey with us, as well as those who came before and will come after, and we all look to each other for that promise. That hope of thunder in the desert.

John 1:19-23 / John 4: 13-14 (msg)

A Calling Lost

     While going through some old notebooks in my studio, I came across this missive. It was written almost ten years ago, when I was struggling with the loss of my father, and the loss of a ministry lifestyle that was very bold and somewhat notorious in the community. I thought that God had finally planted me where my vision of using my gifts was going to be up to my expectations. Notice all of the "my" in that last sentence? While we did have a dynamic time of local ministry, and were used to accomplish some great and fun things, God had plans for us to grow and be used in other ways; plans that were not stagnant, and certainly not on our radar. In the years since that time, my friends and I have suffered tragedy, sickness, and change beyond our comprehension. The good news is this, through all of the hurt and struggle, God has been shaping us to His form. There have been great and wondrous times where I have grown to do things that I never considered possible. My calling swerved from sound engineer/producer and background singer, to worship leader then from worship leader to writer, speaker and author.

  What I want you to see by sharing my thoughts from years ago is this; you are made by God with a purpose. He has a plan to use you to affect the lives of others, but be aware of this, the needs of the kingdom of God change with the flow of time. The opportunity to serve God is never dull or monotonous, your calling is a journey through life's maze. It's something that needs shaping and experience, that's where life's trials and triumphs come in. Don't loose your direction, look for ways to renew it, change it, shape it into something that gives you meaning and relevance towards sharing God's love and grace. Callings aren't lost, they are abandoned. Don't walk away from yours, I promise that God has a purpose and a plan to use your life, every good and bad thing in it, to change a life of someone in need. The following was a time of just such transition for me...

  I was thinking lately that even people that we consider 'big time' in the ministry can lose their way, or worse decide it's just not for them anymore. It surprised me to read that the lead singer of a 1980's Christian rock super-group is now selling real estate. Once thought of as a premier voice in the industry, he isn't really singing or performing much at all these days. It's not that he had vocal issues, or the band ran out of material, he said that he just grew tired of the grind that touring had become. A close friend of mine, whom I consider to be one of the best public speakers and Christian teachers alive today, shared with me that he isn't really preaching at all anymore. He has other duties in his new church, administrative and financial responsibilities that govern the church, and really leave little time to think about sermons and sharing publicly. There is also our band, Last Second Chance. We have spent countless hours together writing, producing and recording music to share the gospel; we haven't sang together in months, and have no plans to play, write or lead worship together in the near future. What happens to us that makes us forget the importance of our calling? Certainly there was a lot of fire burning within us at one time. Is it burned out? Did we push so hard to get going that now we are too weak to sustain our passion? Or does the passion that we have, over time and spent energy,  just diminished on its own? A sort of natural leveling out of enthusiasm. Whatever the reason, the outcome seems the same, we retire ourselves from God's mission in our lives. Is that in His plan? Is He simply just done with us? This can hardly be the case! In many phases of life things change, priorities change, our needs wants and desires change. Sometimes our abilities change, but should this be a sign of dismissal to us? Positively not.. It should trigger us to think, "How can I change or adapt myself to stay relevant and effective". I hear those words and wonder why I cannot apply what I just wrote to my own life. Maybe it's all just about timing, God's timing not ours. Maybe, it's about ego, ours not His. Perhaps our biggest fault in ministry is thinking to ourselves "look what a great job I'm doing". Thinking that our plan is better than waiting on God's is never a good idea.

  Lets get back to basics for a thought or two, shall we. We all have gifts, you may know for certain what yours are. Some of of you may still be searching. Others of us search for fresh and new gifts and callings as we feel the old ones become less effective or needed. But the fact is, God has always known what your gifts were. He put them there after all and His intent is for us to let Him use them through us. So does it sound like something he would have us do for a short time and then quit or retire? Doesn't it seem a bit unreasonable that God would prepare, protect, and then deliver us into His time and place of meeting people where they have a need, only to have us throw in the towel after we get tired or worn? Could the purpose of God's plan, planting us into a special opportunity to share an experience through words or song, be that we are especially forgiven through grace, to be a credible witness for what He has done in our own life? All of my past and yours made you and I uniquely qualified to use the special talents that he has given to us in order to reach the hurting and make a difference in the lives of others. There is no retirement from giving yourself fully to Christ; there is however a renewal and seeking in Him, a path that keeps us vigorous and effective. Our calling allows us to joyfully and tirelessly share the good news of Jesus. Change is one of the few consistent things about living. It is certain to happen. How we respond to change will set the bar for our usefulness as a tool for God. How are you responding to the 'change' in your life. Are you finding more ways to share Jesus with the gifts that you have? Or are you more like me, you're wondering why God has put you on hold? After a little thought.. Has God really put us on hold? Or did we hang up on him... I think now would be a good time to pray and call Him back..

Inventory

     Taking inventory of our lives and actions, what a daunting task. When I think of it I am both terrified, and joyful. Because like most of you, my life is full of failures, some of them whoppers to be honest. But also some really wonderful times sprinkled throughout a life of learning what it means to be human. When I was younger, I worked part-time in the summer and winter breaks as an inventory specialist for a local tractor company. Actually, I started out hoeing weeds and picking up litter, and as they ran out of things to assign to me, I was put to use performing the least favorite task of just about everyone that worked there. No, it wasn't being the bathroom janitor for a bunch of burly mechanics that spent their lunches at the near by flea market enjoying the local taco truck cuisine. I was put to work in the parts warehouse, opening every drawer, looking on every shelf, counting how many nuts, bolts, and washers that the company had on hand. The regular parts staff usually hated this job. But for me, it was money for girls, cars, and all those other things a high school boy needs or wants, so I was open to pretty much whatever it took to get paid. One thing that I learned from that experience was to be thorough. Count twice, check and recheck, never assume.
     When I think of taking inventory of my life actions and attitudes in that same thorough way, I start to run for the proverbial door to escape my own condemnation. If we look back on our own failures and emotional tragedies with the power of the 'truth', we will find that we are all evil by nature. In fact the Bible points out that we have all lived lives that have fallen short of God's plan for us. (*) That we are all sinners in need of a miracle to fore go the just reward earned through the deeds of our nefarious nature. Certainly we should look back. Not to judge ourselves as evil, but to learn and improve from our mistakes. Forgiveness from stupidity and ignorance, should not be viewed as a license for repetition. Looking back, taking inventory of our lives, must include the sight correction that grace affords us. Don't use that opportunity to pronounce yourself unworthy, or worthless, use the knowledge of the past to inspire your future. See the good in your life, not just the bad. In all of us is the ability to feel overwhelmed by life's speed and relentless tug to do more, be more, accomplish more. That idea is a trap.

     I spoke of life lessons, higher learning and success often with my Dad. He was a kind soul, with a flair for wisdom through experience. One day we were talking about a man that I knew from work, he was going to school at night and online to finish his masters degree. The man had spent countless nights apart from his children, become somewhat estranged from his wife. He had lost part of the fire to pursue happiness without the reward of money, or power. I'm sure you're beginning to see the picture. My Dad finally asked me, "how much do you think is enough"? He was asking me to think about the man's situation; was the fact of having the degree, going to school, worth the losses he was experiencing in his marriage, his home, and family? As God would have it happen, a day or two later, that same man asked me into his office to discuss a business matter. When the subject of his hard word and struggle with school and the decision of whether or not to continue with it came up, I just listened. I didn't go into his office intending to say anything about what my Dad had said to me. After a minute of talking he paused, and I finally asked him what my Dad had asked me, "how much is enough"? We discussed the raise that it would afford him and his family. We talked about the respect of his peers as he would then be as "successful" as they were. I just kept asking him the same question, but in different ways. Will this degree make you closer to your wife? Will this promotion help your relationship with your children. We spent a few minutes taking inventory of the causes and effects of his choices. Later, he eventually decided to postpone his masters efforts until his children were older and he had more time. And happily, his marriage, children, and his promotion all worked out for the best. That day did make me think about my own choices though, and take a hard look at why I was pursuing some of them.

     When you look back and inventory your own life, what will it consist of? Where will your priorities and gifts be accountable? I am not saying that higher learning and gaining a degree or promotion isn't Godly or the right thing for you to do. What I am saying is, why are you doing it. Is it a positive in your life? In the life of your spouse or family? Or is it weighing you down, changing your priorities to less than righteous plans? It doesn't have to be job or school related. Putting your priorities anywhere that takes away from your responsibilities to your spouse, family, or faith is the way that your inventory gets altered. You see, we all have inventory. Choices and events in your life, both good and bad, create inventory. We control what kind of stockpile that is built up as a result of our lives and efforts. Do you suppose that when we stand before God, in the life after this one, and He asks us, "what have you done for My kingdom?" that you or I would likely answer; I abandoned my kids and wife in order to complete my degree, so that I could gain respect or get a raise. Do you think that we will answer, I didn't spend time at home, because I was serving and volunteering at my church, they needed me after all. Again, I'm not trying to say that being successful, or having a great higher education, or serving in your church or community is a bad thing; please hear that. But the inventory that is really important, the account that God seeks from you and I the most, is our inventory of people. How many lives did you affect for good? Did you love your kids and teach them the honor and respect of having a great earthly father? Did you stand by your commitment to love their mother through sickness and health? That is the inventory that someday, you will be asked to recount. Did we feed the hungry, cloth the poor. And try this one, did you share the grace of the Gospel with someone that really desperately needed to hear it? Money, fame, education and power, those things alone don't make a good inventory. Most of the time though, they don't ruin it either. We do that all on our own. When we rely on our status to make us happy or worthy, we've set ourselves on a path towards disappointment in God's eyes.

     When you look back at your life, whether you live to be 20 or 100 years old, what will you see? Will you see the emptiness of success without God's calling upon your life, or will you see the balance of serving His purpose and loving others into His kingdom. The storehouse that I want to see in my life's history is full of family and friends, but less familiar faces as well. People that I ministered too without knowing it or them necessarily, by living a ragamuffin Christian life. A life that isn't perfect, but is seeking to do anything that I can, to share the grace that I have been given. It may be that your time has come to adjust your inventory. That's what we used to do when the number of actual items found in the stock room didn't match what the list said we should have. If you have been looking into your own personal storehouse of life and are not liking what you see, adjust your inventory. Take the proactive approach to change your priorities, to seek God's plan in your life, to make your marriage and your family the valued asset that it's intended to be. Seek out the Master's list for your inventory, and in the end, the result on that day He calls you to recount your life's priorities, you will find it full of loved ones that know God's grace, family members that love and respect you, and a lot of surprising strangers that, through your life of virtue and goodness, are better off for having known you.

(*) Romans 3:2