Tony Romo and Misplaced Hope


Hope is a tricky thing. Some of the most peculiar events can trigger a episode of hope, and the slightest change in a situation can make it all but disappear. I have been a Dallas Cowboys fan for as long as I can remember. I suffered through the ups and downs as a kid, thinking Danny White’s middle name was an expletive. Through the highs and lows ups and downs I have rooted for my Boyz. However, lately I haven’t watched many games. Mostly due to my Sundays being pretty busy, but I must admit when I have had the opportunity to tune in, the games have been extremely hard to watch. I find myself yelling at the screen, while my daughter generally looks at me dumbfounded and makes obvious statements like, “Dad, they can’t hear you.”

The final two games of the regular season, I found myself getting drawn in, during the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Playoff hopes were still alive, if they could only pull off last minute heroics. I was especially disappointed in the last game when all our playoff hopes where on the line. Mr. Tony Romo, who is the quarterback of the Cowboys didn’t play very well under pressure, and I found myself getting frustrated with him, rather than his performance. I had to truly check myself. It is only a game after all.

As I reasoned within myself, “Why am I so frustrated at Tony Romo”, it dawned on me. He was … Continue Reading

Painting Lifes Perspective

My youngest daughter offered a bit of sage advise a few weeks ago, on how perspective can be slanted based on who is telling the story.

As we sat on the sofa watching a Tom & Jerry cartoon.   She said, “I always go for Tom.”   A bit flustered I asked “What?”  Her response, with confidence was, “I root for Tom!”   She explained, “He is a house cat, the mouse is stealing from his owner, and he is just doing what house cats are supposed to do.”   A light bulb went off in my head, and then I looked at Tom in a whole new light.   He is simply doing what he was designed to do.

Since Jerry is a cute cartoon-ized mouse, in which the writers of the cartoon decided to make the hero, we tend to like him.   However, in the world we live in, we would loathe Jerry, and would try to exterminate him with extreme prejudice if he were ransacking our fridge in the middle of the night.  There is even an idiom for success and ingenuity that  urges us to “Build a better mousetrap.”  So how did we come to love find ourselves duped into loving a cute cuddly, thief?   It’s all about the perspective the story teller decides to paint in our minds.   We live in a world were there is also a story teller, who wants to blind our perception of God. The Bible calls this story teller out as “the god of … Continue Reading

Overcoming First World Problems


I’ve been reading a great book written by a very influential person in my life, Will Davis, Jr.  The book is titled “Enough“.  My recent reading of the book has provoked me to begin a category on my blog entitled, “Overcoming First World Problems”.   First World Problems, they are silly little anecdotes meant to bring perspective to the mundane everyday issues experienced  by those of us who tend to take our luxuries for granted.   If you’re not familiar with First World Problems perform a quick Google search on the the subject and you will quickly see how they are amusing, yet sobering if we pause and think about them.

I have to admit I have even tweeted a few first world problems of my own.  Either relating to my smartphone, laptop or both depending on the point of annoyance.

The above tweet, although offered in good spirits, speaks to how good I have it.   First off, I live in a place that the electricity comes straight to my home the majority of the time, not to mention I have a job that allowed me to afford my smart phone, data plan, and Netflix subscription.   Even the things I mentioned up until this point are a bit superficial in the bigger scheme of things.   I am surrounded by a wonderful family, and have knowledge of … Continue Reading

What Can Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie Teach You About Biblical Marriage

Mr. & Mrs. SmithIn the 2005 movie, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”, Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie play the roles of typical suburban married couple named John and Jane Smith.  On the surface they appeared to be successful business owners, with a nice house in a nice neighborhood, complete with the picket fence and detached garage.  However they had secret’s they even kept from one another.  They were highly trained assassins.  They did a pretty descent job of keeping one another in the dark about their secret lives, until their professional paths crossed, and they realized they were each other’s next target.

I saw this movie years ago with my wife while we were on a weekend get away. After my initial viewing, I thought it was okay. But after thinking about the story line a bit further, I fell in love with its spiritual implications on marriage.  The character’s Brad and Angelina played in this film ended up destroying the beautiful home they had created together, before they realized that they weren’t each other’s real enemy.  The story consist of tender moments, followed by one or the other’s feelings being hurt because they, thought the other didn’t feel the same as they did.

After several fight scenes with rocket launchers, daggers, c-4, and automatic weapons.   The couple realize that they have a mutual enemy, and become an elite fighting force.

So I found 4 take-a-ways from this film, that I believe would benefit most marriages.

Love is the key ingredient
1 Corinthians chapter 13 verse … Continue Reading

Sex Strike: Take Back Control

The women in  Togo, a small country in West Africa, may be onto something.  These Togolese women are staging a Sex Strike, which they have branded “Keep the gate of your ‘motherland’ locked up”, in an attempt to remove from power a dictator.    As I read the headline earlier today, I admit I was intrigued, but as I continued to read, I thought the power and intent of the strike wouldn’t make a dent in the power structure of the nation.   Why am I so cynical?   Well the strike is only scheduled to last 1 week.   Sure a guys resolve wouldn’t be weakened after only one week, right?

I couldn’t help but think how this would work back home in the United States.   The land of the oversexed.  I am not surprised by the statistics I read about sexual activity in the U.S. anymore, but the nonchalant attitude towards the act of sex is disheartening.  Especially among people who profess a relationship with Jesus Christ.   Much like the battle the people of Togo are waging for control, we are getting our hats handed to us, spiritually by a very controlling dictator.

Some opponents of this strike say it further devalues women, and makes them looked at as only sex symbols.   I somewhat agree with that statement, using sex as a bargaining chip in my perspective cheapens the experience.   From my biblical worldview on sex, I believe it’s a sacred and holy act, to be … Continue Reading

SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT GOD

Several years ago my wife and I decided to build our would be dream home ourselves.   Our initial plan to simply supervise a general contractor went south in a hurry, and I found myself doing a lot of the labor myself.  In the process, I got quite familiar with the gentlemen who contracted various tasks on the project.   One of my favorite encounters during the building of our home was with Richard, the electrician.   Richard is an older gentleman with adult children who were my age at the time, and would often ask my perspective on various subjects.   We would talk for hours sometimes when we should have been working.

One day as Richard was installing the circuit breaker we began to talk about life and God.   He shared a point of view that I had heard several times before.  He began by saying, “I believe in God, I just don’t want to be fake and run to Him only when I’m in trouble”.   I sat quietly listening to Richard tell me of his upbringing, and experiences with the church.   He continued by saying, “One day I will get it together, but I just don’t want to play with God”.   Some of you may be able to identify, because you have heard or even said those exact words.

As Richard continued splicing wires, I asked him a few questions.    I said, “You’re a good dad, right”?  ”Yes”, he replied.   I … Continue Reading

Failure? Meet Jesus at the Fire

In a day and age where it feels like our human pursuits are wrapped up in the idea of perfection. Equations like perfect job + perfect house / perfect family = happily ever after. I hate to kill your pursuit of perfection, but it simply isn’t obtainable. So drop the bar bells, and put down the protein shakes for a second, there is no such thing as a perfect body. However, the one perfect person wants to minister to you in the midst of the inevitable failures that you will encounter in life. As the Body of Christ, His Church, He wants to minister to us even though we are no where near perfect. Jesus takes our moments of failure to teach us invaluable life lessons, and display His everlasting love towards us. I was blessed with the opportunity to communicate this truth at Austin Christian Fellowship. (See video above on Vimeo)

In John 21:9-19, Jesus finds His friend Peter just after a terrible public failure. In the scriptures we see Jesus ministering to Peter at the fire. What does significance does that F.I.R.E. teach us about Jesus in our time of need.

(F) Focus on grace
Jesus knows our struggles, and wants to minister to us despite our ability to blow it. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

(I) Identify sin
Sin is the very thing that keeps us tangled up, Jesus wants us to identify those things that cause us to fail, and cast them away (Hebrews 12:1)

(R) Continue Reading

I’m Starving … Really?

Disclaimer: First and foremost I would like to say this is not an anti-international missions post.   I wholeheartedly believe supporting the less fortunate in other countries is totally a God sanctioned activity, and I look forward to spending more time serving internationally.   So for the 3 or so individuals who actually read my blog, if you have a passion for international ministry, please don’t comment on the beauty of serving Christ internationally.   I got  your back, and I believe in what you do!

Now that I have placed the disclaimer out there,  I want to speak to a hidden enemy in America that weighs heavily on my heart.  When I speak to people about serving the less fortunate, places outside of the U.S. have a monopoly on their thoughts, prayers, and emotion.  While the less fortunate in this country are considered unmotivated to do better, and the federal governments problem.   There is a certain underlying  school of thought that I pay taxes that deal with “those people”.   This attitude further annoys me about the struggles of poor folks in the U.S.  However, I am recently being forced to examine my heart even more closely.  Does it really annoy me that much?   Has my heart really been broken for the less fortunate in my own backyard?

Don’t get me wrong,  I give to worthy causes, and have even co-started a initiative with my friend Ryan called the Arimathea Project (http://www.arimatheaproject.org) designed to empower folks … Continue Reading

Typewriter

I am a writer

Jeff Goins challenged his readers to make the declaration “I am a writer”. I am a writer! I must admit I feel a bit uneasy as I wrote the previous sentence, yet it was so liberating at the same time. My primary concern with stating “I am a writer”, has been the fact that I am not very good at it. I’ve never really had enough time to devote to becoming a good writer, nor the discipline to be consistent in my writing. I have been gifted with the ability to speak, and people listen, however I know my writing doesn’t command the same attention. Despite my shortcomings in communicating in written form, I am declaring today, “I am a writer”.… Continue Reading