My Simple Thoughts…

I consider myself simple. My life is simple. Our home, the cars we drive, the community we live in,  we are simple people. So usually I have simple thoughts, preach simple messages, and try to make everything that I do or say simple. I am not gullible or naive, and I am not stupid…just stubborn sometimes. I spent 10 years in the military and have traveled all over Gods creation…I have a fair amount of common sense and a good bit of what people call in these parts “book smarts”…but I am still just simple.  When I study the scripture, I just believe what it says. I do not try to figure out all of the whys or hows, if Jesus said it I believe it, if Jesus did it I will try it too, you know…simple. I study the scriptures, ask God for wisdom and I enjoy with the best of us when God expounds on something for me, but I still like being simple. You are probably asking…Why all of this about simple?…Thanks for asking!

I am currently reading in my daily readings in EXODUS and MARK and have seen an amazing pattern with God’s people. We are too complex. Moses and Aaron were being used by God to do all of those miracles and the people still just would not believe. I have not figured out if they were trying to reason with God or what but it is amazing what it finally takes to move God’s people and the Egyptians. I do not know about you but I find myself in their shoes often. I try to complicate things many times when God has the answer for me right in front of my face. If we flip over to the Book of Mark, we see the same pattern. Jesus is doing miracles, raising the dead, healing the sick and people still do not believe in Him and what He is doing. They try to rationalize everything by saying, “isn’t that Joseph and Mary’s son?… isn’t that the carpenter from Nazareth?…COMPLEX…man I do not care who He is, if He is doing all of that and fulfilling all that He fulfilled I am in. There again I still find myself in their shoes not believing or trying to do things without Him.

My how things just seem to keep going in circles. Surely we will get all of this someday. Until that day comes I am going to continue to stay simple and keep believing my Jesus for all the wonderful promises that He has promised me. How about you…SIMPLE or COMPLEX…? I have found out that the more simple that I make things, the more people respond to the Jesus I know, love and serve!!! Blessings…

Rodney

Today is the Day…

Today is the day that I start back blogging after a full 2 week sabbatical from posting anything here. It is kind of like working out after not doing it for a while. You know you want to hit all the machines or lift 1000 lbs to make you feel better about yourself…the only problem with doing that is that it is not good for your body. You have to move back into it very slow. So that is how I am going to handle this post today. I have a lot that I could talk about but I am going to take it very slow for a few days.

My family and I have been doing very good. Renee and I feel like we have traveled a lot over the last 8 weeks or so but other than that all is well. My youngest daughter is having a blast just going to school, hanging out with friends, going to church and being a kid. She is not playing a sport or doing anything extra-curricular in this season. Soccer is winding down and my son’s team is playing for the region championship this Thursday…GO BEARS! Turkey season just came in so he is hunting also. My oldest daughter’s team did well this year. The competition was a bit stiffer than it was last year in our region and we did not make the playoffs but we still have a few games left…(insert random thought) “she is also getting ready for prom”(that is a whole other story)…I could not tell you the amount of miles that we have traveled over the past 2 months playing this awesome sport(Soccer not Prom). It has been fun, my only complaint is I wish the officiating would have had a little bit of a better knowledge of the game. Some places we played it was horrible and this makes it unfair for both teams.  Oh well that is just life…I am told by the higher ups or powers that be…”whoever that is” that their is nothing that we can do about it!

Things at Crossway have been doing awesome over the last 2 weeks as well. Easter was totally off the charts! I love resurrection Sunday! I always have, ever since I became a Christian. I love the thought of thinking that the same power that raised Christ from the dead resides in me by the power of the Holy Spirit! How cool…my prayer is that God would use that in me to do whatever He wants to do to change the world around around me and to change me to become more like Jesus. What about you? Got Jesus? If not and you receive Him it will be a journey that will transform you forever!!! Peace and love to all…Until later on!

Rodney

Be Prepared…

Just a quick “BE PREPARED” story. If you were in the Boy Scouts I believe that this is their motto. We used variations of it in the military and the Apostle Paul instructed Timothy in 2Timothy 4:2, …”be prepared in season and out of season”… Monday morning I had a be prepared moment. I was getting out of our van to walk into the fitness center where I work out at 4:50 am in the morning when I hear a voice behind me say “Rodney” and I turned to find one of the co-owners wives. Her husband usually teaches our Monday 5:15 am class and he was sick but had graciously volunteered me to lead the class. I have led a lot of fitness stuff but this was a first! I accepted the offer and it was a blast! In whatever we do we need to “BE PREPARED” to lead. Spin class included! Blessings to all!

Until all have heard,

Rodney

Thank You…

I wanted to tell all of Crossway Church that you guys are awesome…Thank you for continuing to be the best church “EVER” to Pastor! I know over the last few weeks we have really been going after it, but, “WOW” all of you have really put your hand to the plow and made an impact on this great journey that we are on. Keep up the hard work! Rather than naming names a BIG thank you goes out to all of you…and you know who you are…who helped with…

• The Wedding and rehearsal…
• Crossway Men’s Night…
• First Touch Team Training…
• All of our Sunday morning services over the past few weeks…
• Children’s Church Area…
• Children’s Church new curriculum…
• Trash to Treasures sale…
• And the list goes on…

The acts of service and all of your hard work is not going unnoticed. I believe that good servants are GREAT leaders! Thank you so much for all of your hard work, Renee and I appreciate it so much.

Until all have heard,

Rodney