Word of the week - Mothers

“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem”.  Isaiah 66:13

Love of a mother – Have you ever contemplated the amazing innate love of a mother.  How a mother’s love is so natural and pure that it is hard to put into words.  There is something so very special about the love of a mother.  There is no doubt that God designed woman with an amazing motherly instinct.  It has been scientifically proven that a woman’s body and brain change when they get pregnant and become mothers.  There is no love greater than a mother’s love except the love of God.  A mother’s “Love is patient and kind. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres” 1 Corinthians 13:4&7

Motherly love is yet Another way God shows His love for us – I think God’s design for life and family is so amazing and perfect.  There are so many different ways He could have brought human beings into this world and developed them into adults, but He chose to deliver us into the world through our mothers.  As we all know, life is formed as a man and woman come together to sow the seed of life through a pretty amazing process, which is made holy and sacred through the sacrament of marriage.  The process of a mom getting pregnant and a baby being formed inside a mother is really an amazing miracle in and of itself.  Then the mother has a 9 month period of pregnancy where she carries the baby in her womb until the baby is born into the world.  I have 3 daughters and witnessed all of them being born and it was definitely the most amazing special experiences of my life, a true miracle.  I can only imagine what it must feel like to carry and birth the baby, but as am man I will never know. What an amazing privilege and sacrifice for moms.  After going through such an intense process, it is no-wonder why they are so attached and connected to their babies/children.  I think we would all agree that a mother’s love for her children is an amazing godly blessing that is yet another way that God shows His unconditional love for us.  He is the One who designed this perfect process.

Unconditional and all-consuming love  – It is apparent to me that most mothers possess deep unconditional love for their children no matter the circumstances.  Children don’t have to earn maternal love it just comes naturally and it is always there.  As the number of children increases, a mother has amazing ability to show and give love to all of her children and make them all feel uniquely loved.  There is a special feeling of love and security that comes from a mother that we cannot get from anywhere else.  Motherly instinct is so critical as it is what is needed to give a baby what it needs to survive and thrive as it comes into this big world needy and defenseless. Maternal love is of divine nature and something we should deeply cherish and all value.  I have personally experienced this with my own mother Lillie who was always there for me, even when I was being an unkind and disrespectful know it all teenage boy.  I lost my mom just over 20 years ago and there are very few days that go by that I don’t think about her and how much I love and miss her.  I am so grateful for my mom who loved me so well, she had an amazing influence on me becoming the person I am today.  I have also witnessed my wife Amy’s unconditional and all-consuming love for our 3 daughters over the years and have always been amazed at the depth of her love and connection with all 3 of our daughters.  It is truly a beautiful thing that I deeply value but don’t fully understand as a man.  Now I am watching my two eldest daughters Mary Kathryn and Saige birth, raise and mother our 7 grandkids 😊, and it is truly amazing to see the depth of their love and sacrifice towards their children, our amazing grandchildren.  This is a view from another angle that helps me see an appreciate the love and significance of mothers and their roles in our lives.

I have often heard it said that a mother has one of the most significant jobs on earth and I think we would all agree that there are few roles more important than that of a mother.  Billy Graham once said “Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in molding of character in her children”

Happy Mother’s Day to you mom, Mamie, Amy, Mary Kathryn and Saige and to all you mother’s.  We are so thankful for you and all you do!!!!!

Blessings on Mother’s Day from Verona Italy,

-Duane

Word of the week - Sabbatical

“Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. "So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28

Last weekend we celebrated our firm’s 20th Anniversary (see Word of Week message from last week below on Celebration) by hosting a 3-day retreat at Pursell Farms with our team, their spouses, and close friends of the firm.  The weekend culminated with a Gala celebration on Saturday evening that included a wonderful dinner followed by a celebration presentation, which highlighted the story of Founders in four short videos about our History, Culture, and Future, along with a Lighthearted look inside Founders.  You can watch the videos by clicking the blue links.  It was an amazing and memorable time together with friends and family.  These are some of the special moments of life that are so sweet as we take time out to count our blessings and give thanks for what God has done in our lives.

Tomorrow, I begin a 12-week Sabbatical (so my “Word of the Week” messages may be spotty over the next 12-weeks as I am breaking from my routine).  I am excited about this time of extended Sabbath and grateful that I am blessed with an amazing team at Founders who can carry the load while I am away.  By the way, part of the concept of Sabbath is intentionally planning and preparing for your time of rest.  I have worked over the past 10 years to build a team and business that is not dependent upon me.  Encouraged by my Pastor Chris Hodges who introduced me to this concept, I took my first Sabbatical 10-years ago after we celebrated our firm’s 10th Anniversary.  It was a meaningful experience for me that I believe changed the trajectory of my life, family, and business.  I was close to burning out and it was exactly what I needed to recharge. The closest thing I had done to a Sabbatical up to that point was take a 2-week vacation with my family when I was 40 years old.  I remember that during the second week of my vacation I reached a state of rest that I could not remember experiencing since I had become an adult. Life slowed to a pace where I was hyper present and content, it was amazing! 

Sabbatical is defined as a rest or break from work; an extended period or time intentionally spent on something that is not your routine job.  A sabbatical is typically longer than a two-week vacation.  This longer period gives us time to unwind, settle in, and recover both physically and mentally from our regular routines.  It is essentially an extended time of Sabbath.  The following is a “Word of the Week” I shared on Sabbath and its benefits.  You may not be in a position to take a Sabbatical, but we all have the opportunity to observe the Sabbath each week.  I can assure you that your life will be healthy, and more enjoyable if you practice the Sabbath. 

The principal of Sabbath seems to be misunderstood by most.  As the 4th of the10 great commandments, many of us associate it with the old covenant and see it as a constraining and legalistic religious tradition from Jewish custom.  Or, we simply believe it is a day to attend church, which should be a major part of our Sabbath. The truth, as stated in Mark 2:27 above is that Jesus gave us the Sabbath for our own good and health. 

The Sabbath is for our us and our health - Since God actually designed and created mankind, He understands what is best for us and desires only the best for His sons and daughters.  In Exodus 20:8-11 God makes a clear connection to the Sabbath day by modeling it for us in the Creation story “on the seventh day God the Creator rested”.  Sabbath observance therefore involves the affirmation that God is Creator and Sustainer of the world.  If God needed a day off to rest surely we would benefit from doing the same.   

Observing Sabbath is an act of Faith – It seems pretty simple, if we really Trust God for who He is we will Trust that He is our provider and we can rest in Him.  He makes it clear that we are here on earth to glorify Him and serve others through our work and being productive, adding value to this world.  We should work heartily at all we do with passion and vigor.  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”, Colossians 3:23. But God is so amazing and good that He did not create us to be production machines; He created us for soulful fellowship with Him and His creation. He truly desires us to be healthy and enjoy the blessings of life.  Since He is our Maker, He knows we need time away from the day to day grind of life to recharge and be refreshed spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally, even if we love our work. 

Sabbath is beginning the week with faith, trust and rest so we can start our week rested and refreshed - We all need space between us and our work or else we run the risk of burnout, not to mention the fact that we are more productive and creative when we take time away to recreate and recharge. This is the principal and gift of Sabbath.  To cease from our work to simply rest in knowing God.  To honor God by putting our faith in action by demonstrating we trust God and desire to set apart one day a week, typically the first day, to refocus your energy and attention on Him and those closest to us.  Most Christians who observe the Sabbath on Sunday because that is the day they are off of work but the Sabbath is not necessarily a specific day of the week.  For some like pastors who have to work on Sunday, they make other days of the week their Sabbath. 

Personal Testimony - For years it was very hard for me to do this but over that last 10 plus years I have made it a priority in my life each week.  I begin my Sabbath at 5:30pm on Saturday and end it at 5:30pm on Sunday.  I found that it is important for me to spend some time on Sunday evenings preparing for the week, so I have adjusted my weekend to ensure I get a full 24 hours of true rest/time away from work.  Since I love being productive this is not always easy for me, but it has been a blessing to my life and my family.  I literally try not to think about my work/business during this time and surely don’t engage in emails or correspondence unless it is an emergency.  You would not believe how much God has blessed me over the past 10 plus years.  My life health meter is running at the highest level ever and I believe it is largely due to the principal of Sabbath (margin).   

If you are not already doing so, I encourage you to take one 24 hour day of your week and make it your Sabbath by not engaging in your day to day work/job.  Instead of working spend your time fellowshipping with the Lord, your family and other believers (Church and more) enjoying praise and worship, prayer, bible reading and just hanging out with family.  Enjoy great meals with family.  Take a long walk with your wife, kids or good friend.  Spend time doing things that refresh you and bring energy like playing golf, pickle ball or taking a jog.

If you really want to experience Sabbath rest, plan an extended time of Sabbath and see what God will do when you rest in faith.

Shalom!!!

P.S. – Over the next 12 weeks I am limiting access to email and technology.  If you really need me you can email or call Katie Burns and she will deliver the message.   

-Duane

Word of the week - Celebration

“This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it”.  Psalm 118:24

Founders Advisors 20th Anniversary Celebration – We are celebrating our firm’s 20th Anniversary this week by hosting our team and their spouses along with a group of close friends of the firm to include Board Members, Clients, Referral Sources, Past Employees etc, to the beautiful Pursell Farms for a long weekend of Celebration. We have been working on this for quite a while and have a fun weekend planned for our team including a crawfish boil with live Cajun/Zydeco music on Friday night, who would have guessed that😊, and a Gala celebration on Saturday night with a fun after party.  We are looking forward to our time together with the team and many who have helped us on the journey over the past 20 years.  This is an opportunity to “Celebrate” and practice what we preach.  As I was preparing for the festivities, I read my word of the week on Celebration and figured I would recirculate it as part of the Celebration.

Celebration is one of the most exciting aspects of our Christian heritage that I find most believers overlook.  It simply means to set time aside to remember and rejoice in what God has done.  It was common practice in the Old Testament.  The Jews were known for having multi-day festivals to celebrate and commemorate the work of God in their lives.  These celebrations were communal as well as theological.  In modern terms I would call this a party with a purpose, whereby we gather to recognize our blessings and give proper honor and thanks to the Lord and to those who have helped us along the way.  Taking time out to count our blessings as we walk through the journey of life.

Being from South Louisiana, I grew up in a culture that valued partying and probably took it a little too far.  It was “fun” but after the party was over there always seemed to be a feeling of emptiness.  As I have grown in my walk of faith, I have learned that our God is a God of celebration.  There are many examples throughout the old and New Testament of people coming together to enjoy life and celebrate together.  The big difference is that they are coming together to celebrate with a heart toward God and using the celebration as an opportunity to give thanks and honor to God.  I believe there is something holy and meaningful about taking the opportunity to set aside time and resources to celebrate what God has done and looking forward in faith to what He is going to do.  To take time out of our day-to-day schedule to celebrate victories and mark milestones in life. In our family we call this having a “Donner moment”.  This is one of the joys of life.  All too often we are so busy achieving we forget to take time out to celebrate. 

Heart of Gratitude

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances: for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  One of the keys to our walk with the Lord is to have a healthy perspective of God as our provider.  All things come from Him and it is good and healthy to continually count our blessings and give proper thanks to the Lord.  As noted in this verse, we should make this part of our daily communion with the Lord.  It is also important that we set aside time to celebrate special occasions such as big life victories, milestone birthday & anniversaries and the like. 

God’s principle of Sabbath

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His”. Hebrews 4:9-10  God is so good that He desires for us to enjoy this life and fruit of our labor so much so that He commands us to take time out to rest, rejoice and restore our souls.  Rest for our souls is at the core of Sabbath but it is also a time set aside to celebrate the goodness of God in fellowship with those we love and are close to us.  It is hard for most of us to relate with the reality that God is divine and Holy and to be feared but He is also loving and relational and desires for us to Rejoice in His goodness and celebrate.  To set aside time specifically to enjoy the fruits of this life and those who we are doing life with.

A Time for Everything

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;.” Ecclesiastes 3:4  Celebrating life is part of our worship. We engage in celebration when we enjoy ourselves and our lives in conjunction with our faith in light of God’s greatness, beauty and goodness.  We see our lives as simply a part of God’s great plan.  Typically, this means that we come together with others who know God to eat, drink and relate stories of God’s blessings and work within our lives.  To honor God and those who have shared the journey.  Holy delight and joy is the great antidote to despair and is a wellspring for genuine gratitude.

“A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their work.  This too, I see is from the hand of God.” Ecclesiastes 2:24

I am grateful to God and to all the wonderful people who have helped us along the way over the past 20 years.

Cheers,

-Duane

Word of the week - Easter - Christ is Risen!!!!!

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.  Romans 8:11

The death and Resurrection of Jesus over 2000 years ago is by far the most significant event in world history.  Jesus death by crucifixion and His resurrection from the grave are historically recorded events that changed the world.  These facts are most meaningful because of their spiritual significance in that through His death on the cross Jesus bore the sin of all mankind (past, present and future) so we can be saved from the wrath of God through forgiveness of our sins and have eternal life.  16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. This is truly Good News for us to embrace by faith and celebrate on this special Easter day!!! 

By receiving and believing in Christ and what He did for us on the cross, we receive the full benefits of the Resurrection.  First and foremost, we receive access to forgiveness of our sins by the blood of the Jesus, the lamb of God who was slain on our behalf.  This is what allows us to be restored to fellowship with God our Father and have eternal salvation.  This is the “Good News” and truly the focus of this day, but there is much more for us to receive in Christ through what transpired on the cross at Calgary.  Through the cross we have access to the same power that allowed Jesus to rise from the dead.  God has empowered us as His sons and daughters to walk out our faith with confidence and trust in Him, which is what activates this power in our day to day lives.

The following are 5 additional benefits/opportunities for His resurrection power to come alive within us:

• Resurrect Hope – “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

• Resurrect Purpose – “ For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared for us in advance” Ephesians 2:10

• Resurrect Faith –  “Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

• Resurrect Joy – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

• Resurrect Life – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 

In a world that lacks hope, purpose, faith, joy and life; Easter (Resurrection Day) is a day that reminds us that we have access to God’s power so His life can come alive in each of us.  Jesus is the source of our Resurrection power.  "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;” John 11:25

My friend Chuck Scott continues to remind me of all of the R words we have access to “Today” and every day, due to the Resurrection of Jesus:

We are REDEEMED, RENEWED, RESTORED, RECONCILED, RESCUED & made RIGHTEOUS in Christ. 

Hallelujah Christ is Risen!!!!!  Have a blessed Easter!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Duane

Word of the week - Community

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching” Hebrews 10:24-25

Community?  The definition is simply to have common unity with others.  When people come together under common values and beliefs with shared identity, purpose, interest, passions and objectives.  God created us for relationship, first and foremost with Himself and secondly and as important with each other.  It is impossible to live to our full potential without being in Community with others. “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12: 4-5  As a body of Christ, we do life with others in healthy interdependent relationship that allow the body of Christ to function in fullness. 

Community is Life Giving – Life Giving Community should lift us up and bring out the best in us as we help bring out the best in others by using our God given gifts to love, relate and serve others.  I love the quote from John Maxwell that says “show me your friends and I will show you your future”.  The bottom line is that we become who we commune with; life begets life and but bad company corrupts good character.  It is very important that we develop Community with people who are like minded and share our core values, especially as it relates to our faith.  We need to pursue Community with godly people who desire to grow and live to their full God given potential.  People who are authentic and speak the truth in love.  Friends that will challenge us and love us enough to admonish us and call us out if we are headed down the wrong path.  Friends that we enjoy spending time with and have our best interest at heart and visa-versa.  Friends that will be there for us in the good times and especially through the storms and challenges of life.

Community is Covering and Protection  – Part of the reality of life is that we will all face trials and adversities in life.  “In this life you will have trouble.  But take heart, I have overcome the world”  John 16:33.  One of the keys to going through tough times and persevering through the trials is to have a strong Community support system around us to provide encouragement and protection as we endure the trials of life.  We were not created to do life alone and we all need help and encouragement to navigate the challenges of life.  We can comfort one another with words, physical presence and prayer.  “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” Galatians 6:2.  We can encourage each other in the process and always point to the hope of the Lord and his promises, helping each other keep an eternal perspective.  We often are inclined to give up too early but with good Community of believers “band of brothers” we can be encouraged to hang in there through the pain to get to the other  side so we can experience God’s best for us.  “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all”.  1 Thessalonians 5:14

Community is Health - Research has proven that that being actively involved in Community has positive effects on our mental health and emotional wellbeing.  Community involvement provides a sense of belonging and connection that is vital to staying healthy.  Man was made for relationship and Community and was not made to do life alone in isolation.  The abundant life that God promises is one of Community with others.  I have truly found that the most joyous experiences in life come through being connected to others through Christ.  It can be hard for some of us to commit to Community, especially if we’re guarded due to past wounds or simply more introverted and prefer solitude.  Community is God’s desire and design for us and a sign of mature faith.  At the end of the day, when we grow in our relationship with other through authentic and vulnerable Community with others, we are growing in our relationship with God.  We really are better together!!!! “Carry each other burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” Galatians 6:2

We can find and have Community in many ways to include social clubs, sports teams, workplace, neighborhoods to name of few.  These are all good, but they are not complete without having a spiritual Community.   If you are not connected to Community of believers (local church), I encourage you to make that a priority.  This is God’s plan for us, to be connected to God and others through the local church where we can be part of a community of believers.  “So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” Romans 12:5

Have a great Holy Week in anticipation for the greatest day in history, Resurrection Day!!!!

-Duane

Word of the week - Love your Enemies

“But to you who are listening I say:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you”.  Luke 6:26-27

My last several “Word of the Weeks” have focused on relationships, see below.  I believe relationships are the most important aspect of our lives, especially as followers of Jesus.  It starts with our relationship with God through Jesus and flows from there to our other relationships.  I was reminded this week that Jesus calls us to even more – to Love our enemies.  To love them, we need to have some relationship with them.  This does not mean we have to agree with them, hang out with them or even like them, we simply have to love them. 

Love your Enemies  - I read this verse in the One Year Bible during my first fruits time this week and it convicted me.  Do I really love my enemies?  I have heard and read this verse many times and it is always challenging, but for some reason this time around it really struck me deeply.  I started asking myself if I have really loved my enemies or simply tolerated or tried to ignore them?  First, we have to take time to identify our enemies, so we can love them.  By definition, an enemy is someone “who does not like us and is trying to harm us”.  You know the person – the one whose name spikes your blood pressure when you hear it or think about them. The person you avoid if at all possible.  It is likely someone’s face comes to mind.  If so, that person might fall into the category of enemy.  Did you notice Jesus made the word enemy plural in the verse above.  He knew we could not live in a broken world without accumulating a few enemies along the way.  He does not question whether we will have enemies, He assumes we will, and instructs us very clearly and directly to “love them and pray for them”.  This seems hard and radical.  Even if I want to love my enemies, will I have the courage and strength to actually follow through?  Here are a few thoughts and supporting scriptures on this challenging commandment from Jesus. 

How we love our enemies – Well, Jesus gave us some suggestions on this topic.  He says, “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  If someone slaps you on the cheek, turn to them the other.  If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them” Luke 6: 27b-29) Wow!!  This is not making this any easier.  So, we love them, by praying for them, blessing them, doing good to them, showing gentleness and generosity towards them.  This seems impossible until we realize that this is exactly what God has done for each of us.  “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8 While we were enemies, he showed His love by laying down His life.  It is by this radical love that we have the strength and power to love radically.  “What is impossible with man is possible with God” Luke 18:27 As a new creation in Christ, we receive God’s power through the Holy Spirit to live a radical and supernatural life that glorifies God and shows His love.  This is one way we separate ourselves from the world and live the gospel of Jesus. 

Just do it – With Jesus in mind as the greatest example for us, the question is no longer “can we love our enemies, but rather will we love our enemies?”.  The worlds way of loving is typically based on the principle of reciprocity. If you love me, then I’ll love you.  It is conditional and transactional.  God’s love is agape love, meaning it is unconditional.  He loves us even when our hearts had enmity towards Him.  God’s definition of love is to “go first” and initiate even though the other person is not willing.  This is the greatest form of love because it is pure and motivated by our love for God.  It is our response to what He has done for us.  The golden rule in Luke 6:31 commands us to “Do to others as you would have them do unto you.”  This is not conditioned on what others do or how they act, we cannot control those things.  What we can control is how we love others, and we can obey the Lord and decide to love others even when they don’t deserve it, or in the case of our enemies, when they may deserve recourse in the eyes of the world.  Loving our enemies by going first is an amazing demonstration of generosity and has to touch the heart of your “enemy”.  Mahatma Gandhi said “Whenever you are confronted with an opponent.  Conquer him with love.”  Try it and see what happens.  Prayerfully initiate an act of love and kindness toward someone you see as your enemy and see how they respond.  Even if they do nothing in response, be assured that you have gained an eternal reward in heaven. 

A great opportunity – As Christians this is one of our greatest opportunities to show our love toward God.  To live the great commandment at its highest level.  It is great to love God, our family and friends.  But how hard is it for us to love those who love us?  If we desire to truly relate with Christ and His amazing love, grace and mercy for us, then we need to experience what He experienced.  We connect and relate at a deeper level with Jesus and others in our pain and suffering.  “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps.” 1 Peter 2:21

As followers of Christ, we are called to be God’s channel of mercy.  He desires to use us to pour out His grace and blessing upon the world.  Let us be willing vessels so His love and goodness can flow through us.  When we love our enemies, we receive a blessing for ourselves and our families for generations to come.  “But showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments” Deuteronomy 5:10

Lord, show us who are enemies are and how to love them.  Today!!!!

-Duane

Word of the week - Family Relationship

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.  Psalm 133:1

Family Relationships  - God created the family as the primary unit for procreation, support and development for all mankind.  When you think about it, our family of origin is the likely the most important influence on our lives and who we become.  Thus, our family is a big deal!  None of us get to choose our family.  Since we live in a fallen world, this can make family relationships complicated and not always ideal.  The good news is that we have a heavenly Father that loves us and desires the best for each of us and our family.  When it comes to our relationship with God, we do have a choice.  We can choose to accept Him as our heavenly Father and trust in Him to bring healing and harmony to our family relationships.  Or we can try to go it alone and do it our way.  Of course, there are all types of families, great ones, more normal ones and terribly broken ones.  Whether you come from a great family or a broken family, all families have some degree of dysfunction and need God’s healing hand upon them.  This is part of the sanctification process, that despite our issues and dysfunction, we learn to live together in unity and harmony through the power of God working in us and through us.  I am convinced that the only way our families can live in peace and harmony is by the power of the Holy Spirit working in each family member.  “Bear with each other and forgive one another, if any of you has grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

What are the characteristics of a healthy family – There are several characteristics that are generally identified with a healthy and well-functioning family to include:

• Caring deeply for each family member – unconditional love

• Providing support and encouragement

• Providing security and a sense of belonging

• Having a deep commitment to one another

• Making time together a top priority

• Making each person within the family feel important, valued, respected and esteemed;

• Looking out for one another

• Resolving conflict quickly and promptly

• Having fun and enjoying time together

• Sharing values and beliefs

Healthy relational order  – Divine order fosters diving blessing.  I am convinced that order is one of the most important principles of life, especially when it comes to God’s economy and family relationships.  Even with the best of intentions it is easy to get things out of order since our family is always in transition.  We start life as a child within our family then transition to adulthood and ultimately to building our own families.  If we are not clear on our role and responsibilities within these different phases of life, we can easily get things out of order and create dysfunction, disharmony and relational damage. 

• God first - When it comes to proper order of relationships, as believers I think we would all agree that our relationship with God should be our highest priority.  If we are not connected and secure in our relationship with God, it is very difficult to have healthy and harmonistic relationship with others, especially family members.  Knowing who we are in Christ allows us to love, forgive and accept others even when they hurt us, which will happen in family relationships.  Abiding in Christ daily gives us what we need to bring health and life to our families at every level.

• Self - I would suggest that the next most important relationship is our relationship with self.  If we don’t have a healthy view or ourselves it is very difficult to love and accept others in their humanity, especially those closest to us in our family.  God tells us in His great commandment “Love your neighbor as yourself” Matthew 22:39 This means that if we are to love others unconditionally, we will need to love ourselves that way too!”  This is one that is easy to overlook because it is counter to our belief that being a Christ follower means we are selfless.  The truth is that to be selfless, we must have a healthy view of ourselves, so we can be less focused on our own needs and insecurities.

• Spouse – The husband/wife relationship is the core of the family.  Thus, for the family to flourish and realize its full potential, the marriage relationship should be the priority.  This can really be challenging at different stages of life when kids are demanding so much attention and it is easy to prioritize the kids above the marriage relationship.  Later in life as our parents and relatives age it can also be easy to get things out of order. There are many studies that confirm that in families where the parents have a healthy and prioritized relationship the family flourishes.  Make your spouse the top priority.  For more insight, see message below on Marriage from a few weeks ago.  “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” Ephesians 5:31

• Children / Grandchildren – Of course as parents it is our responsibility to “Raise up your children in the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 There are many things that our kids need at different stages of their development through life, and it is not always easy to discern.  See word of week message below from 2018 on Children and attached “Journey of Transition” for more details on parenting through transition from toddler to teen.  Our children don’t come with an instruction manual, but we do know that unconditional love trumps everything and they surely need to be loved unconditionally.  As far as grandchildren, they are an amazing blessing!  We have the opportunity to enjoy them and influence them in a huge way without the day-to-day responsibility.  Lord, thank you for the gift of grandchildren.  “Children’s children are a crown of the aged, and parents are the pride of their children” Proverbs 17:6

• Extended Family – This includes parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and beyond.  If healthy this can be an amazing gift to have the love and support of our extended family.  Often, there is brokenness and strained relationships withing extended family.  If this is the case, I would like to emphasize the importance of reconciliation and healing.  If there is brokenness and lack of relationship whether a parent, sibling or distant cousin, we should pray for our relatives and do whatever we can to restore the relationship while maintaining healthy order and boundaries with our immediate family.  “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar.  For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen”.  1 John 4:20  We serve a God of healing and restoration, and He desires to heal our family. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:2-3

“And He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” Malachi 4:5-6

Lord, thank you for the gift of family.  I pray your Holy Spirit will lead us as we love and lead our families.

-Duane

Word of the week - Relationship

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength;  the second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.  Mark 12:30-31

Relationships - The more I live the more I realize that the key to life is authentic and healthy relationship with God and others, especially those close to us.  There is nothing more fulfilling and challenging than relationships.  On one hand, the true joy of life is sharing in the journey with others and experiencing the ups and downs of life with those we love.  On the other hand, the deepest pain and challenges I have experienced in life are associated with relational challenges, generally with those closest to me.  This is such a dichotomy but also the way God set things up because people are what matter most on this earth and their souls last forever.  If we allow Him, God will use our relationship with Himself and others to refine us and mold us into His image, this is the process of sanctification.  “As iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another” Proverbs 27:17

Relationship with God – I believe the most important relationship in life is our personal relationship with Jesus.  Whereby we surrender our hearts to Jesus and connect with God by spending time with Him by getting to know Jesus.  Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you had known me, you would have known Him.” John 16: 6-7.  We make a decision to allow Jesus to be Lord, then we pursue our relationship with Him.  Our goal should be to get to know Him, who He is, what He loves and cares about, what He desires for us and from us etc., and be known by Him.  To be open and transparent with the Lord to share our deepest desires, fears, needs and wants with Him so He knows us and our hearts desire.  God desires to know us and be connected to us through our personal relationship with Jesus.  Daily abiding (connecting) with Jesus is how we connect with Him and get to know Him through His word, prayer, worship, fellowship with other believers etc.   Jesus said “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide in you and your will bear much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5 

Relationship with Others  – We were not made to do this life alone and need relationship and community to live healthy and productive lives.  God set it up this way from the beginning and I am so grateful that He did.  In last week’s word of the week, I shared about the marriage relationship, see below.  God ordained as a special covenant relationship between one man and one woman.  Next to our relationship with God the marriage relationship is the most important earthly relationship.  That being said, if we want to flourish and live to our full God given potential, we need to have healthy relationships beyond our marriage and family.  This can include relationships with people in our work/business, church/ministry or just friends we enjoy spending time with doing things we enjoy.  The true richness and joy of life is experienced through personal relationships and doing life with others.  We learn and grow from being around others especially those that we have deeper and more intimate relationships with.  “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2  Relationship with others has a meaningful influence on who we are and our success in every aspect of life.  My friend John Maxwell says “show me your friends and I will show you your future”.  Who we desire to build relationship with really matters because they will influence who we become and visa/versa.   To grow in relationship with others we must simply desire to be in relationship and spend time getting to know the person and allowing them to get to know us.  The 3 most important things that make a relationship healthy and productive is Intimacy, Commitment and Communication.  Of course, trust is key and as we build relationships over time, we build trust which leads to deeper and more fulfilling relationships over time.  “Two are better than one, because they have good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his friend.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”  Ecclesiastes 4:9

Relationship with Family  – This is a pretty big topic that deserves to be a stand alone “word of the week”.  I will plan to share on this one next week.

Lord, thank you for the gift of relationships.  We are surely better together in relationship with God and others. 

-Duane

Word of the Week - Marriage

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” Ephesians 5:31

My wife Amy and I hosted our first Heritage Forum Couples event last week at Pursell Farms and it reminded me once again of the blessings of my marriage relationship with Amy.  This is the first time Amy and I have ever really done ministry together especially at this level.  Over the past 5 years since founding the Heritage Forum www.heritageforums.com, I have worked with a team of friends/leaders to minister to hundreds of high-capacity men in the area of building a godly Heritage to leave a lasting godly legacy.  This is something God put on my heart several years ago, which led me to start the Heritage Forum.  It has been an amazing blessing over the last five years to watch God do great work in many men and their families.  Being able to host a couple’s event with Amy this past week was an answer to many years of prayer and “immeasurably more than I could have hoped are imagined” Ephesians 3:20. This was truly a blessing from God that did not seem like a possibility just 6-12 months ago, but not for the amazing grace and healing power of the Lord.  We started the event by welcoming everyone and then together as a couple having Amy share our/her testimony with the 20 couples that were present.  God used it to do His great work like only He can do.  We experienced the joy and power that comes from ministering together as a married couple in unity in Christ.  It reminded me of the purpose and power of the sacrament of Marriage.

The sacrament of Marriage is a beautiful gift from God; whereby one man and one woman become united as one through the sacrament of holy matrimony.  For followers of Christ, this union is the only life-long covenant relationship before God (spirit) and man (law).  God established the sacrament of marriage to mirror Christs relationship with His bride, us the Church.  “Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!  For the wedding of the lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Revelation 19:7-8

Our most refining relationship – The marriage relationship has many benefits and has the potential to produce our greatest blessings in life such as children/family, deep companionship and unconditional love.  It also has the potential to produce the most pain and strife if not submitted to the Lordship of Christ.  Since it is a God ordained covenant relationship, when we get married we are signing up for a lifetime commitment (covenant) regardless of the circumstances that life throws at us, “until death do us part”.  This is pretty intense when you really stop to think about it.  I am not sure I really understood this on my wedding day.  There is no doubt that God knew exactly what He was doing when He instituted the sacrament of Marriage, where two people from different families of origin come together to become one, which in itself can be a major challenge.  No matter how much we love our spouse, there is always going to be friction as we die to ourselves to become one, and navigate the blessings and challenges of life.  This is truly a refining and sanctifying process that either breaks us, or if we allow the spirit of God to work in us, it helps us conform to the image of Christ.  I can honestly say that after 32 years of marriage, there is nothing on earth that has challenged and refined me as much as my marriage relationship with my wife Amy.  I know that God has used my marriage to make me a better person in every area of my life, thank you Lord Jesus!!!!  Ephesians 5 is one of the most beautiful books in the bible as it describes our relationship with Christ in the context of the marriage relationship; “and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2. Paul goes on in Ephesians 5 to give us instructions on our roles in the marriage, first and foremost that we die to ourselves by submitting to Christ and one another, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” Ephesians 5:21.  Specific instruction for wives “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything” Ephesians 5:24, then to husbands, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25  I think the Lord makes it pretty straightforward for us but are we willing to trust Him by His word?

Marriage prepares us for our eternal union with Christ  - God is so good that He designed marriage for our benefit to enjoy the beautiful blessing of covenant companionship and the process of reproducing and building our families so we can have a heritage and legacy that we can pass to future generations, which is a wonderful blessing.  That being said, I think His greatest purpose in the sacrament of Marriage is to prepare us for our union with Him as the bride of Christ.  He gave us a tangible way to experience a small glimpse of what we have to look forward to for eternity and to help prepare us for our great wedding banquet with Christ.  I have found over the years of marriage that the most important key to having a good marriage is to stay connected to your spouse.  This requires intentional daily pursuit, we have to continue to put logs on the fire to keep the fire burning strong.  In other words, we have to make our spouses a top priority to keep a healthy and growing relationship.  Our marriage begins with a great ceremony exchanging vows before God and man but only thrives if we stay connected over a lifetime, which is easier said than done.  I believe our marriage relationship resembles our walk with God through our relationship with Jesus.  It begins with the day we surrender our hearts to Jesus and commit our lives to Christ but it only survives and thrives if we stay connected to the vine of Christ through our daily abiding walk with Him. In fact Jesus said we can do nothing of the Spirit unless we are connected to the vine of Christ.   “I am the vine and you are the branch, if you abide in me I will abide in you, and you will bare much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

As we grow in marriage and unity with our spouse we must depend upon God to give us what is needed to become a godly spouse and as we abide/connect with Christ, we become more Christ like in preparation for our eternal union with Christ.  These things work together to help us become who God called us to be in Him.  What an amazing God we serve.

If you would like to enhance your marriage especially as it relates to communicating with your spouse, I would highly suggest you watch this message from Jimmy Evans with your spouse if possible on Successful Communication in Marriage Jimmy Evans - Successful Communication in Marriage.  I have listened to this message 4-5 times since I first heard it back in the fall.  Amy also really valued the message and we have referenced it many times.

-Duane

Word of the Week - Worry

"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:25-27

Worry is defined as the process of giving way to anxiety or unease; allowing one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.  A state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.  Words associated with worry include: agonize, fret, dwell on, panic, lose sleep, stew, sweat, stress etc….

Do not Worry - Jesus makes it very clear and simple, He simply tells us not to Worry about our life.  Just like most things of God, that does not seem to make sense to us.  We have all been conditioned to worry about things big and small, it is our human nature to worry and be concerned about the uncertainty of the future.  I love the fact that Jesus commands us not to worry and reminds us that there is no benefit to worry.  It is truly futile and not healthy. Instead, we should turn to the Lord in prayer and bring all of our concerns before Him in prayer and petition and His response will be peace of mind.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God, and the God of peace, which transcends understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:6-7. 

Recognize God’s Sovereignty - If we really think about it, we recognize that God is sovereign over all things and our fragile lives are in His hands.  He has a plan for our lives and already knows our divine destiny.  In knowing this, our main focus should be to pursue a daily connection with Him so we can be led by the Holy Spirit.  If we know God, then we will trust Him and “cast our cares” on the Lord and surrender our worry and anxiety to Him.  It is really a form of arrogance on our part to think we are in control of what happens.  God desires for us to humble ourselves by putting God in His proper place.  “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble”  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares of you”. 1 Peter 5:5-7  

Relinquish “control” and simply trust God who loves us and desires the best for us.  We live in a fallen and sin filled world and have an enemy of our soul who’s is trying to keep us from our destiny and purpose in Christ.  Fear, lies, intimidation and insecurity are some of his main tactics and they manifest in the symptoms of worry and anxiety.  This force is real and is coming at us every day, but God makes it very clear that He has already won, and we have victory in Christ; so no matter what circumstance we face we do not fret.  As son’s and daughters of the living God, we turn to our Lord and King and put our hope in Him by laying our fears and anxieties at His feet knowing that He is a good, good Father and He always has our back, yes even when we mess up.  In our human frailty God designed us to be dependent upon Him, so we will pursue Him and abide in Him daily to resupply our faith and receive our “daily bread” that He has for us each day. “Trust the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths and keep them straight”. Proverbs 3:5-6

So, “Don’t Worry” and enjoy the fruits of redirecting that energy towards payer and thanksgiving.  “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18.  This is how we tap into the true Joy of the Lord, and we find strength to overcome.

Have a great week!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Pace

“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths and keep them straight” Proverbs 3:5-6

Pace defined – The speed at which someone or something moves, or with which something happens or changes: Rate of movement or rate of progress.

Personal Experience – I learned early in life that being efficient and productive was valuable.  So much so, that in my formidable years, being productive became one of my top goals and values.  Early in my career, I worked around people and leaders that could get a lot done.  I saw them work at an amazingly fast and intense pace, many times literally running through the day to get things done.  There was something exhilarating about a fast and intense pace that I gravitated towards. Through this process, I started to associate a fast pace with being more efficient and productive.  Over time my mode of operating became fast paced, especially as I took on more responsibility in life and business.  As I have aged and matured in my walk of faith, I realize the importance of a healthy and sustainable pace.  It is not healthy or desirable to sprint through life.  If you have ever run a marathon or a long-distance race, you quickly realize the importance of setting the right pace if you want to stay healthy, perform well and finish the race. 

Just a little over 10 years ago, I was close to burning out.  I was living life at an unsustainable pace and realized I needed to adjust my pace, or I might end up in a bad place.  I was encouraged to take a 6-week Sabbatical to reset my pace and it was very helpful.  Over the past 10 years, I have worked intentionally to live my life at a more healthy and sustainable pace seeking the Lord to find my divine pace.  I have come a long way, but I am still not where I want to be.  I have learned a lot about pace and wanted to share a few things that may be helpful to my friends and family on this topic, especially for type A personalities.

Hurry: the great enemy of divine pace – I recently read a book titled “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Ortberg.  How to stay emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.  His thesis is that hurry (fast pace) and love are not compatible.  I could really relate to this in my own life as most of our worst moments as a husband, father, friend and leader, even as a human being, are when I am in a hurry – late for an appointment, behind on my unrealistic to-do list, trying to cram too much into my day.  In my fast pace, I carry anger, tension and frustration with me, which is the antithesis of love.  Hurry and love are oil and water, they simply do not mix.  In fact, in 1 Corinthians 13, the verse that defines love, it starts with “Love is patient, Love is kind”.  It is nearly impossible to be patient and kind when you are in a hurry.  The scripture refers to walking with God and not running with Him, because God is love and He wants to walk with us.  God walks slowly because He is love.  Like most things of God our value system is turned on its head.  The world says slower paced is bad and faster paced is good.  But in God’s value system slowing down is better because Jesus is what love looks like in the flesh and blood.  Jesus was never in a hurry but he was always on pace with His God ordained purpose. 

God’s answer is Sabbath – This is where we find room to adjust our pace to a healthy and holy level.  Sabbath is simply a discipline of us trusting God “with all of our heart, mind and strength” to be God and provide us with what we need.  It is a discipline of starting our week with faith, trust and resting in God.  We all need space between us and our work or else we run the risk of burnout, not to mention the fact that we are more productive and creative when we take time away to recreate and recharge. This is the principal and gift of Sabbath.  To cease from our work to simply rest in knowing God.  To honor God by putting our faith in action by demonstrating we trust God and desire to set apart one day a week, typically the first day, to refocus your energy and attention on Him and those closest to us. “And He said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”. Mark 2:27 

Pruning is one way that God helps us adjust our pace - As a type A goal-oriented achiever, I am always striving to do more and accomplish more.  This makes it challenging for me to stay in a divine pace.  God recently took me through a season of pruning.  In this season I was forced to slow down and evaluate all the things in my life to determine what things in my life needed to be pruned away to give me more room in my life to live a more healthy pace and focus on the things that matter most.  As life goes on, I have tended to take on more and more until I find myself in an unhealthy place running at an unsustainable pace.  This typically impacts those around me more than anything, especially those closest to me.  God loves us so much that He will do whatever is necessary to get our attention.  If we are abiding in Christ He will take us through the process of pruning, which is painful but necessary.  It is not about doing more it is about doing the things that really matter most, especially eternal things.  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2

Challenge Questions:  Is your pace healthy and sustainable?  Are you living at a pace that allows you to be the best version of you, especially with those closest to you.  Do you find yourself frustrated or impatient with people?  If so, you may want to look at adjustments to your life to find a more divine pace. 

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” ” Psalm 37:4

-Duane

Word of the Week - The Gift of Life

"Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” 2 Corinthians 4:16

Life is a gift  - “Life – A precious gift from God” Psalm 139:14.  Every day that we have on this earth is a gift from God and having that perspective is truly a blessing.  This is the principal of a “Heart of Gratitude” and it is a godly perspective that brings life.  If we really think about it, the fact that we are alive and breathing is a gift from God and we should rejoice and be thankful.  Life is fragile and can be taken in an instant, so count each day as a blessing and a gift.  This in itself is enough, but God is so good that he blesses us with so much more such as our family, friends and the opportunities to live and enjoy life through relationship with Him and others in our ministry, life work and recreation. 

Count your blessings - I am celebrating my 55th year on earth this week and as I reflect on my life this morning, I am almost overwhelmed by the amazing blessings I have been given from God.  From a heart of gratitude with thanksgiving to the Lord, I would like to acknowledge just a few of my blessing to include:  My dear wife Amy who I am growing deeper in love with after 32 years of marriage, we are more excited about our future and growing old together.  My 3 amazing daughters Mary Kathryn, Saige and Isabella who love God and are walking with Him.  My six precious grandkids Selah, John Michael, Lilly and Hazel, Neriah and Kyle with another one on the way and due in March, who are the joy of my heart like sunshine on a clear spring morning.  My two godly sons-in-law JD and Blake who are great husbands, fathers and providers for our daughters and grandkids, and my favorite duck hunting padnahs. My loving and supportive dad who is still active at 84 years old along with my wonderful sister Leslie and brother Mike and their families, who I love dearly and treasure spending time with.  My band of brothers/close friends, too many to name, who have stood with me through the challenges of life and whom I have shared many great times, laughing and enjoying life together, especially at Heritage Farms.  My church family lead by my friend and pastor Chris Hodges who led me to Christ 22 years ago and is a spiritual father to me.  Our growing business Founders Advisors that will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this spring, co-led with my two great and godly partners, Wesley Legg and Zane Tarence along with an amazing team I feel privileged to lead.  And the list goes on and on.  I surely don’t deserve any of this but I am tremendously grateful for every blessing and want to make the most if it for God’s kingdom and glory.

Making the most of life  - “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12  There is a saying I heard at JH Ranch “We only live once but if we live well, once is enough”.  I believe that this is true if we live our lives in Christ and ask for His wisdom to direct us in our daily lives.  I believe the key to living this way is understanding that our lives and our blessings are a gift from God that we get to steward while we are on this earth.  This godly perspective is a game changer that gives us a more eternal God perspective.  The paradox of giving to receive “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses life for me will find it”. Matthew 16:25  The way we make the most of life and get our lives ordered towards God’s priorities is through abiding in Christ.  His spirit leads us and directs us along the way.  “I am the vine and you are the branches, if you abide in me I will abide in you and your will bear much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing”.  John 15:5 

Living the abundant life in Christ – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10.  Out of all the abundant blessings I have experienced in my nearly 55 years on this earth, I can truly say that the most precious blessing I have experienced to date was coming to know Jesus in a personal way almost 22 years ago.  It was truly a game changer that has allowed me to grow and flourish in every area of my life.  I was truly born of the spirit and my eyes were opened to whole new way, God’s way.  I cannot properly articulate in words what I experienced but I can relate with the blind man in John 9:25 “He replied, “whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know.  One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!” 

Pruning is Part of the Process of Growth and Maturity – During my 55th year of life I was reminded that if we truly desire to be all God has called us to be then we must be willing to embrace the principle of cutting and pruning.  “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1 This is not necessarily a fun process and surely not a refrigerator scripture for most of us, but it is part of the refining process of our walk of faith and maturity in Christ.  Pruning is how God answers our prayers when we pray for God’s abundant blessings and that He will make us more like Jesus.  When we are praying that our lives will please Him more and have a greater impact for eternity.  In desiring to grow and go deeper in the things of God, if we choose and allow Him, God our gardener cuts and prunes to remove things that are dead and not productive from our lives to make room for sunlight and nutrience to get to all fruit-bearing branches;  to increase the quality and quantity of the fruit; and to encourage new fruit to develop.  This is the path to abundance, we must all be cut and pruned from time to time.  He must first cut away parts of our lives that drain precious time and energy from what is truly important.  To allow the sunlight and nutriance to flow to the most fruitful areas of our lives so we can live in our highest and best use.  Live to our full potential in Christ.  His plan for pruning is not random – He works in each of our lives uniquely to find what needs to but pruned so that we might bear our best fruit.  If we understand that this is part of the process then we can “Count it pure joy” as outlined in James 1:2-4 “whenever you face trials of many kinds (cutting/pruning), because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Life is a gift so let’s live life to the full by being renewed in Christ day by day.  This is the abundant life!!!!!!

You are a blessing to me,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Legacy of a life well lived

“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”  Psalm 145:4                                                                                                  

Sue Sterne Mitchell – On Tuesday I attended a funeral service for Sue Mitchell.  Sue died tragically in a car accident on January19th, just over two weeks ago.  I know Sue’s husband Mr. Bobby Mitchell and her 3 sons Bobby Jr., Lee and Chris primary through an organization called Fellowship of Companies for Christ International FCCI.  Bobby and Sue Mitchell were founding members of FCCI.  The mission of FCCI is “To equip and encourage Christian business leaders to operate their businesses and conduct their personal lives in accordance with Biblical principles”. I have been involved with FCCI over the past few years and have recently joined the board.  I knew Sue from a few interactions with her and her family at recent FCCI annual conferences I attended, but I did not know her that well.  In just spending a little time around her I got a sense that she was an amazing woman of God.  Well, my intuitions were right and this past week at her visitation and Life Celebration service I got a clear view of who Sue was and the amazing impact her life had on so many people, starting with her family.  I was impressed by what I experienced in interacting with her family and friends and hearing from her 3 sons at her funeral service.  I would encourage you to watch some of the service, especially her 3 sons sharing, by clicking on this link Sue Mitchell Celebration Service.  I wanted to take the opportunity to share a few thoughts from Sue’s life and legacy that I think can benefit us all.

A life well lived in Christ:  Sue was born on July 1, 1947, and married Bobby in 1968.  She and her husband Bobby both had a life changing experience of faith shortly after they were married, which transformed their lives.  As a result of their faith experience, they both made Christ and His great commandment “To love God and love people”, their primary focus.  The following is an excerpt from Sue’s epitaph in her Celebration Service program.  “Sue was a faithful conduit of love to all around her and encouraged others in a quiet and unassuming way.  Her warm smile and humble demeanor conveyed others importance and her deep care for them.  She was a peacemaker, a selfless helper, and a faithful prayer warrior.  Sue shined light in dark places and deeply desired for others to experience the love of Jesus.  For over 40 years, she and her husband Bobby together served the Fellowship of Companies for Christ International, encouraging their peers and mentoring a younger generation of business leaders.  As a parent at the Lovett School in Atlanta, she faithfully prayed and served the students and community.  For decades she woke up early every Thursday morning to prepare and serve breakfast for the weekly FCA breakfasts.  Sue and Bobby also served as committee chairs for Atlanta Young Life and passionately championed sharing the gospel with teenagers.  In her local church, she mentored many young mothers through “Mom to Mom” and then served the children of the church in Vacation Bible School.” At the funeral service, Sue’s 3 sons each shared about their mom, and the impact she had on them along with so many people.  I was so encouraged and convicted by how God used Sue through her faith and obedience that she walked out in her day-to-day life as a willing servant.  There were numerous stories of how Sue’s influence through service and prayer led so many people to Christ. 

Godly Heritage – A Heritage refers to the spiritual riches and deep-seated treasures of character that we leave to our kids, grandkids, and future generations.  This is the greatest gift we can give our family and all too often we miss the mark on this because we are focused on the wrong things.  There is no doubt that Sue’s life manifested in building a solid godly heritage for her children, grandchildren, and generations to come. Here is another excerpt from Sue’s Celebration of Life program.  “Sue, or Gram, as she was known by her 10 grandchildren, loved no one more than her family.  She poured her life into them and served them with a joyful spirit, constant encouragement, and wisdom.  Sue passed on her love for scripture and prayer, teaching her children and grandchildren that God alone gives us all we need for this life.  She modeled what it means to love and put others ahead of herself.  Her commitment and marriage of 54 years to Bobby were a beautiful example of a life shared together”. God desires for every person to have a spiritual heritage.  The reality is that God instituted family so we can train and equip our children with godly values so they live to their full God potential and pass godly values on to their children, live multi-generationally. “Train them up in the way he/she should go, And when they are older they will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6  Sue’s life was an amazing example a life devoted to building a godly Heritage.    

What most impressed me about Sue was how God used her so powerfully right where she was.  In her quiet and unassuming personality many times behind the scenes, God did an amazing and powerful work in so many.  Her life had a major Impact for eternity.  She was a faithful and committed servant who lived intentionally with a heart towards God and people.  God promises us that if we make God’s values our priority, He will bless our lives and our descendants up to a thousand generations.  “Know therefore that the Lord God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9  What an amazing and powerful promise of God.  I hope this encourages you toward living on purpose with intentionality to plant seeds for Generational Blessing in your family.  The is the opportunity we have as followers of Christ and Kingdom builders.

I hope this excerpt from Sue’s life inspires you like it inspired me.  Please keep the Mitchell family in your thoughts and prayers as they grieve their loss, Sue will be deeply missed by so many.  There was no doubt by anyone who knew Sue or who was present at the service of her eternal destination.  Praise God for the assurance of salvation for those who are in Christ.  “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Sue Sterne Mitchell

JULY 1, 1947 – JANUARY 19, 2023

-Duane

Word of the Week - Authority

"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” Luke 10:19

As followers of Christ, we have divine Authority over the enemy of our soul whose primary goal is to “steal, kill and destroy” John 10:10.  Our enemy is not an imaginary, mythical character, but a spirit being whose objective is to keep us away from God’s plan and purpose for our lives.  He uses all types of tactics including temptation, confusion, lies, pain, relational strife, fear, anxiety and much, much more to keep us from God’s best.  The good news is that through the cross and by the blood of Jesus, we have been given Authority over the enemy, but we must expose the enemy and exercise our Authority if we are to overcome.  God has provided everything we need to walk in victory over the enemy and his schemes.  2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of sound mind”.

Satan is our enemy and he knows our weaknesses.  He is watching for opportunities to catch us off guard so he can slip into our lives and create havoc.  He is the great deceiver and desires for us to put blame elsewhere opposed to seeing the truth, he loves confusion.  As a subtle manipulator of circumstances, the enemy works to deceive us by blaming events, people or even God for the destructive things he does.  Make no mistake about it; your spouse, parents, children, pastor, employer, friends, foes, God – none of these are the real enemy.  “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  Ephesians 6:12.  Satan is the real enemy.

As followers of Christ, we should be aware and on guard but not intimidated, because we have been given the Authority to overcome!  That being said, we must exercise our Authority to win the battle.  By recognizing and exposing the attacks, resisting the enemy, taking an offensive posture by praying scripture and standing firm in faith, we have victory over the enemy and his schemes.  God has given us all the Authority we need to defeat the enemy and his works.  We have spiritual armor but we must have the discipline to put it on daily.  “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” Ephesians 6:10-13.  “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all of the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:14-17

Our ultimate Authority is the name of Jesus!  “Therefore, God also as highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” Philippians 2:9-10.  When we use Jesus’ name, the enemy’s strongholds cannot stand, they must flee!!!!

So lets expose the enemy and use our Authority to fight for victory over the enemy in the name of Jesus!!!!

Have a great week…

-Duane

Word of the Week - Commitment

"The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully Committed to Him” 1 Chronicles 16:9

We will never get the best of God for our lives without being fully Committed.  I think we would all agree that the first step in beginning anything of value is making a decision and a Commitment.  Whether it be a new exercise routine, job, friendship, business venture or spiritual discipline, any new pursuit towards something meaningful begins with a decision to do something then a Commitment to follow through.  In todays digital age of instant gratification and having more flexibility/options available coupled with an emphasis “feeling” good and pursuing happiness, there seems to be a resistance toward Commitment.  It is almost as if Commitment is a negative word.  The truth is that the best things in life come out of making Commitments and being Committed.  One of the best examples is the Marriage relationship.  This is a legal covenant relationship before God, which is the highest form of Commitment.  Even though marriage can tough and is one of the most challenging things I have experienced in life, I have never heard anyone say they regret staying married.  I have heard numerous people who have been through divorce say that it was a terrible experience and if they had to do it over again they would have tried to work it out.  I am not condemning divorce, I am simply making the case for being Committed through the good times and the bad.  There are certain situations that make it nearly impossible to stay married because ultimately you cannot control your spouses decisions or behaviors but you can remain Committed nonetheless.

God is fully Committed to us, “God shows His love (Commitment) to us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” Romans 5:8 This verse says it all in that God loves us so much that He came to earth as a man and died for us while we still rejected Him.  This is the utmost form of love and Commitment that God gave His life for us before we accepted Him.  If we grasp this reality and its implications, we are compelled to respond by receiving this truth and loving God by fully Committing/devoting our lives to Him and making Him a priority.  How we live our lives really demonstrates what we are Committed to.  Does your life and how you live express Commitment to God?

God wants us to be fully Committed to Him so He can bless us, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this;  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:4  Since God is the source of all good things, the best things of God come through our relationship with Him.  The foundation of relationship is trust and Commitment.  The response to trust is Commitment.  We must trust and Commit to get all the good things God has for us.  Some of the best things in life come through delayed gratification and God’s ways typically involve perseverance and “waiting upon the Lord”.  Commitment over time is truly the test of our hearts and demonstrate the degree of our love.

Being fully Committed is the only way we realize our full potential, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your path and keep them straight” Proverbs 3:5-6  According to this passage we only get the best things of God if we are fully Committed to Him.  As a child of God He has an awesome plan and assignment for each of us individually (Ephesians 2:10), which is our full potential in Christ.  We can only know and realize this potential if we are Committed to Him and making Him the highest priority “first fruits” in our lives.  We show our Commitment by how we live and pursue God.  Putting God first in our thoughts, conversations, actions, daily/weekly routines, finances is how we demonstrate our Commitment to Him.  This also demonstrates to others our love for God and we become a light for Christ in a dark and broken world.  “In this same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5:16

As we begin 2023, I encourage us to decide and Commit ourselves to God and watch what He does.  “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act” Psalm 37:5

Have a great week…..

-Duane

Word of the Week - Vision

Where there is no vision, the people perish.  Proverbs 29:18

Vision is the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination, creativity and wisdom.  Vision allows us to see a picture of a preferred future, which infuses us with energy, enthusiasm and passion for life.  It can truly be the difference maker in our lives that determines if we are flourishing or simply surviving.  Unfortunately, statistics tell us that most people live with very little personal vision and thus don’t really experience the fullness of the life that God intended. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Vision – As we prepare to commemorate Dr. King’s life, I was reflecting on the amazing impact he had on our world and was reminded of the power of his God vision.  We are all familiar with Dr. King’s “I have a Dream Speech”, and the amazing impact his vision has had on our nation.  I believe this is the power of a God inspired vision!!!  “With Man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”  Matthew 19:26

Our Vision is a function of our God Purpose:  If you are alive and breathing then you have a God purpose for being on this earth that I believe can only be discovered and revealed through a personal relationship with our Creator through the person of Jesus.  Ephesians 2:10 tells us “We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to do”.  The first step is to acknowledge this reality through a personal and intimate relationship with Christ by surrendering our hearts and life to Him.  This is an amazing and life transforming step that is the eternal difference maker.  As amazing as this is for us, this is just the beginning of our eternal journey, there is actually much more that God has for each of us.  God’s plan for us during our time on earth is that we live and grow to our full potential in Christ so that we can realize our God purpose and experience the abundant life. 

Having a God Vision is the difference between surviving and thriving: “For I know the plans I have for you, “says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11  I know this sounds great and most everyone desires to hope and a good future but the biggest life question is how do we find our purpose and get a clear Vision for our lives.  First we have to understand that we have an enemy of our soul that is working overtime to keep us from God’s best for our lives and he will use anything he can to distract us from our God purpose because this is where we are most effective.  The main way the enemy keeps us from our purpose is through our pursuit and conforming to the customs of our culture/world.  We are typically so caught up in our day to day lives that we lose track of what is most important or we are constantly playing the comparison game trying to keep up with the Joneses.  “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy but I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full”.  John 10:10.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit living within us, we can overcome the enemy of our soul and live with God Vision and purpose.

How do we develop our God Vision:  With this in mind, we must intentionally seek after God and pursue Him to know our God purpose and Vision by asking God to reveal it to us.  We should also take time to reflect on our lives so we can discern our God given gifts, talents, passions and values; those innate things that we were born with, because our design reveals our destiny (Vision being lived).  We should also take time to get feedback from those that are closest to us who may be able to see things in us that we cannot see in ourselves.  Self-assessment tools like disc or the Enneagram can really be helpful.   Studying God’s word and knowing His heart will also reveal Vision and purpose in our lives because we are made in His image and thus our life vision and purpose should be aligned with His word and will.  We should also look for opportunities and doors that are being opened for us that lead us toward our God purpose.  Finally we should abide in Christ daily and pray to hear from God directly through a personal encounter with the almighty and be willing to step out in faith when we hear from Him, even if what He tells us does not make sense.  Our faith is activated when we step out of our comfort zone and walk in faith and trust by God’s spirit.  This is how we access the the abundant life in Christ.

How do we know if it is God?  We can confirm if we are hearing from God or something else by testing what we are a hearing against a few simple litmus tests.  Does our Vison and purpose align with God’s word.  Are we being motivated by fear or faith, a godly Vision promotes faith rather than fear.  A godly Vision motivates people to action and requires risk-taking.  A godly Vision glorifies God, not us.  As with everything we do in our lives, we must stay connected to the vine of Christ and keep our eyes focused on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. 

As we begin this new year, I pray we will come to see more clearly our personal God Vision so we can live out our God given destiny in Christ.

Have a blessed MLK Day!!!

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today."  Martin Luther King Jr. 1963

Word of the Week - Fasting

“Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” Acts 14:23

Fasting is a powerful discipline of our faith that many believers overlook.  Most professing Christians believe in the practice of praying on a regular basis and have the discipline of prayer integrated into their lives in some form, but rarely do I find believers that value and practice Fasting on a regular basis.  The word of God is full of many scriptures that reveal the power of Fasting especially if combined with focused prayer.  Jesus told His disciples that there were certain spirits that were only cast out by “Prayer and Fasting”.  “However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting;” Mathew 17:21. Even Jesus, God in the flesh, went out into the desert to fast and pray for 40 days and 40 nights Luke 4:2-4.  There is no doubt that as disciples of Christ we are called to fast and pray if we desire to realize all that God has for us:

What is Fasting, Fasting is essentially giving up food or other things that you desire, need or enjoy for a designated period of time in order to focus your thoughts, attention and prayers on God.  Fasting is most powerful if combined with prayer, worship and scripture.  In Fasting we are simply working to intensify our spiritual connection with God by seeking connection to the spirit of God by feeding the things of the spirit and depriving the things of the soul and flesh.  As I shared in my “word of the week” on January 12, 2020, see below, we are Triune beings comprised of body, soul and spirit and these 3 dimension of our being are in constant competition with one another.  By Fasting we are willfully and intentionally making our spirit the highest priority and thus our flesh and soul man tends to decrease and our spirit man comes more alive, which gives us heightened connection to God that results in increases spiritual awareness and power.  “Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded” James 4:8 Fasting is simply a way to intentionally live out James 4:8 and draw closer to God.

What does it look like, Since Fasting is a personal and spiritual practice, there is no right or wrong way to Fast but there are some best practices that are helpful.  Most Fast involve giving up some or all food for a period of time.  Of course, our body must have food and water or it will die so Fasting needs to be well advised to ensure we are not doing something that is dangerous to our health.  That being said, we can go many days without food if we are drinking water or juices.  There are many different food related fast that include short term total fast whereby you give up eating for 24 hours or for 2-3 days; or more extended selective food fast where you may give up meats, sweets and breads and only do fruits and vegetables for 21 days.  This is referred to as the Daniel Fast. You can also Fast certain meals each day for a period of time.  You can reference the following link for more detail on various types of fast  https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/fasting.  You can also starve your soul by fasting certain hobbies or activities that you enjoy.  Minimizing media and social media intake is also a great way to quiet our emotions of the soul and feed become more attuned to the voice of God. The key is that you are giving up things that feed the body and soul and focusing your heart, mind and body on God and the things of the spirit. 

Benefits of fasting, The goal and most exciting benefit in Fasting is getting closer to God and that should be enough, but God is so good and loving that He gives us many more benefits.  Since our spirit is heightened and in deeper connection with God, we often can experience major breakthroughs and miracles in our lives through prayer and Fasting such as physical or mental healing and deliverance from strongholds or addictions that have plagued us or loved ones.  We can also experience revelation and gain clarity for our lives, especially if we are in seasons of trying to find direction or make big life decisions.  During times of fasting it is not uncommon to have revelation on new ideas and new vision that can profound and life changing.  Physically our bodies benefit from Fasting and typically become more healthy by ridding ourselves of toxins and other things that are purged out of our bodies through the process.  Most people lose weight and simply become more healthy and just feel better.  The act of Fasting by depriving our soul and flesh helps to cleanse and purify our hearts, minds and bodies.  God ways are so amazing because He truly knows what is best for us and there are always practical benefits to doing things the way God intended. 

The bottom line is that Fasting is a powerful discipline and tool for us as believers and when combined with prayer can really be the difference maker in our lives and walk with the Lord, especially when it comes to breaking through strongholds as noted in Matthew 17:21.  I have been practicing this discipline for the past 22 years since I came to faith and it has had a tremendous impact on my life.  Our church does an annual 21 days of prayer and fasting in January each year, which we are starting today.  We come together each morning at 6am for one hour to worship, get a short word from scripture and pray both individually and collectively as a church body.  We typically have thousands of people praying together each morning.  It is powerful!!!  I encourage you to visit in person at one of our 24 campuses or check it out online at  https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/.  Fasting is the act of humbling ourselves before God and declaring that we are dependent upon God as our provider and sustainer.  “Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life”.  Proverbs 22:4 

“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer.” Ezra 8:23

 -Duane

Word of the Week - everything "New" in 2023

"He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”  Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” Revelation 21:5

As we begin 2023, we have the opportunity to start fresh and begin a “New” chapter of our lives, especially in our walk of faith.  I love this about God and our faith as Christians; as foundational as God is in the fact that He has been around since the beginning of time, He is the same today as He was in the beginning, but He is a God who loves to make everything New.  He desires for us to be born anew in His spirit so that we can experience the abundant life He promises us.  He also desires for us to be renewed and refreshed so we can continue to experience the fresh life of God and have the capacity to minister this hope to others.  In the Spirit of God there is always life and Newness and He calls us to pursue New things in Christ so we can flourish and rejoice in this truth. 

New Life in Christ, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 The New life in Christ, which is the abundant life that He speaks about in John 10:10, comes to us when we surrender our hearts and lives to Christ and are born afresh of His spirit.  In order to experience the New things of God we have to get ourselves out of the way and allow Him to do His work in each of us.  This is where salvation and New life begins and we literally become New persons in Christ.  I experienced this at the age of 33 and literally it changed the way I see God, myself and the world and I have not been the same since.  I was given a New identity in Christ and it awakened in me a New perspective that has truly been the biggest blessing of my life and made me a New person with New priorities, values, interest, disciplines, hopes and dreams.

New daily perspective, disciplines and rhythms, “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17  The truth is that no matter how much we love God, life has a way of taking a toll on us as the years pass and we experience the challenges, pain and disappointments that we will all experience since we live in a fallen and broken sin filled world.  According to this passage in God’s word, the key to living a healthy life is that we allow God to renew us each day by connecting to the vine of Christ, which provides the sustenance that we need to stay strong and faithful within our inner spirit man.  This is what gives us the strength to press on through the challenges of life with strength, faith and hope.  To maintain a healthy perspective we must have daily disciplines and rhythms that keep us in connection with the Lord.  Investing focused time each day with the Lord by talking with Him about life and our challenges (prayer), receiving guidance and instruction from Him (reading His word), and telling Him how much we love Him while gaining love and encouragement from Him (praise and worship), are some of the basic disciplines and rhythms of our faith that are key to having intimacy with the Lord and experiencing New things in Christ.

As we begin this New Year I pray we will take inventory and make adjustments to our lives so we can experience the Newness and Goodness of God.  My friend John Maxwell says “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily.  The secret to your success is found in your daily routine”  Like any relationship, our relationship with the Lord is something that requires daily focus and attention.  Since it is the most important relationship in our lives, I would submit that it requires the most focus and attention. 

I pray you experience God in a New and Fresh way in 2023…

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Christmas

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

Have you ever taken time to think about the impact that Christ birth had on our world?  Beginning with the celebration of Christ birth on December 25th, which has culminated in the holiday of Christmas that is recognized and celebrated by most everyone around the world.  It is by far the most celebrated holiday in the western world and has an unrivaled impact on our world both economically, relationally and spiritually.  Further, our entire world calendar is based upon this event!!!  We actually measure time BC (Before Christ) and AD (After Death) by this single event.  This was obviously a major historical event that changed the world forever but yet it was such a simple and humble happening; a child being born in a stable amongst a handful of people.  The most amazing part of the Christmas story is that God sent Jesus “Unto us” you and me, as the gift of all gifts.  This is truly the reason for the season of Christmas, to celebrate the amazing gift of Christ unto us, all of humanity.  Anyone who wants to receive the gift has access, through a relationship with the person of Jesus.  Jesus came as God in the flesh and He is known as the great “I am” everything we need He is for us.  Jesus is both awesome and magnificent but personal and intimate, which makes Him our God, our friend, our comforter.  740 years before Christ, Isaiah prophesied the birth of Christ and some of the characteristics of Christ:

Wonderful and Mighty  – In His awesome and eternal power, Jesus is King of all the heavens and the earth.  He is beyond our ability to understand, which makes Him our wonderful and magnificent God almighty.  His power is endless; He has been given authority over all things and literally sits at the right hand of God our Father and intercedes (advocates) for us.  We will ultimately stand before Him and He will have the final say as it relates to our eternal destiny.  If we “know Him” then we will enjoy eternity with Him.  “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22-23  He will ultimately return to earth in His second coming as a mighty King with a legion of angels with a mission to reconcile the world. Whether we choose relationship with Jesus or not, ultimately we will acknowledge who He is. “It is written, “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God” Romans 14:11

Everlasting Father – We all desire to have a loving and caring Father in our lives to be there for us in the ups and downs of life.  There is nothing like the presence of a loving father when we are struggling and need strength and encouragement.  It is also a blessing to have a father who can share in our victories and success in life and who has our back no matter what the circumstance.  This is who Jesus is for us, He gives us access to Father God through the trinity and desires to be our loving “Abba” father in all circumstances of life.  Regardless of the status of our earthly Fathers, who are also a very important to us and our wellbeing, Jesus is there to be our connection to our Everlasting Heavenly Father. “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."”

Counselor and Prince of Peace – As our Counselor, the Lord desires to be our friend and confidant in times of need. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14  The death and resurrection of Jesus gave us access to the Holy Spirit who comes as the great Comforter to give us what we need in times of trouble.  As the Prince of Peace, the Lord offers us the ability to stand in peace even during the most trying times of life.  One of the names of Christ is Jehovah Shalom, the giver of Peace.  We all desire to have peace in our lives but it is not something we can produce in our own strength but we can surely find peace in Christ our Prince of Peace.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

I pray that the Lord’s grace over each of us to receive the true blessings of Christmas in Christ and remember the reason for this holiday season.  “For unto us (you & me) a Child is Born”.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!

 -Duane

Word of the Week - Solitude and Reflection

“After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.  When the evening came, he was still there alone” Matthew 14:23

In the busyness of our day to day lives and our desire to be more productive and “do more” for God and others, we can easily overlook the importance of solitude and reflection.  We can all learn from Jesus’ example of taking time to retreat from the crowds and day to day activity to go away to a place of quiet and solitude to pray, reflect and listen for the still small voice of God.  It is easy to miss some of the most important things God is trying to tell us if we don’t take time to get in a quiet environment to posture ourselves to hear from God.

Jesus often withdrew from people, daily life activities and the demands of His ministry to be alone with the Father and pray.  His solitude and silence are prevalent throughout the Gospels.  His ongoing, intimate relationship with His Abba father was the source of His compassion, wisdom, and power.  Withdrawing to solitude is how Jesus began His ministry, how He made important decisions and dealt with troubling emotions like grief.  How we dealt with the constant demands of ministry and cared for His soul.  It is even how He prepared for His death on the cross.

I started doing 24-hour solos over 20 years ago and it has become a meaningful part of my life and faith journey.  God has revealed some amazing things to me over the years through my solo retreats.  This is on my mind today as I am preparing to take a year-end solo this week, and I am looking forward to hearing what God might have to share with me. 

For me, this is a day when I retreat away to a quiet place to reflect on my life as it relates to the bigger picture life purpose (why am I here and what has God uniquely called me to do), vision (picture of a preferable future), Mission (how I live and structure my life to realize my vision), values (what defines who I am and want to become), and goals (what I hope to accomplish in the future to live out my God purpose and vision).  I try to do this several times a year but always at the end of the year.  I believe in it so much that we make it a mandatory paid day away for our team members at Founders, see attached Founders Solo guide as a resource.  If we want to grow and mature to realize our life potential in Christ, I believe it is paramount that we all take time out to examine our lives and hear from God. “A life not examined is not worth living”. Socrates

 Here are a few practical tips for your solo (this is what I do):

• Quiet Place - Go to a place that is quiet and has limited distractions – farmhouse, cabin in the woods, lake home, retreat center, Pursell Farms etc.

• Limited Distractions - Put away your phone and technology and plan to disconnect for your time away – do not do work or take calls – enter into Sabbath rest (not trying to be productive just restful and reflective)

• Posture - Spend the first part of your time (1-2 hours entering) “His courts with praise and Thanksgiving” – Turn on your favorite praise music and just worship and praise the Lord.  Thank Him for your blessings.  Count your blessings by writing down everything you can think of that you are thankful for. 

• Read some scripture that inspires you – I love reading John 15, Proverbs 3, Galatians 5, Ephesians

• Write down anything that stand out to you from the scripture

• Review and Reflection

• Review your personal Vision, Mission, Values, Purpose, goals, life plan etc. – if you don’t have one then you can start by developing a draft  

• Review your calendar for the year – analyze how you spent your time and if you invested time in the areas of priority

• Spend time thinking about your calendar for 2023 and how you want to prioritize

• Review special memories – I just started doing this.  I go through my photo album on my phone for the year and reflect on all the special times I spent with friends and family.  Helps with framing your memory of the year, counting your blessings and fostering a heart of gratitude.

• Look at daily, weekly, monthly rhythms and load them into your calendar (first fruits time, date nights with spouse, recreation time, retreats, family time etc) If it is not on your calendar then it probably is not a priority

• Journal Review – if you keep a journal, it is great to review it and look for patterns and insights that may help you

• Listen and Dream

• Think about the possibilities for you and your family – Vision – Heritage Vision

• Take walks to pray and listen to hear what God has for you

• Listen for a theme or word from the Lord – I try to get a word for the year to focus on such as:  Gentleness, Graciousness, pruning etc. 

    “Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee.  And He went up on the mountain and sat down there.” Matthew 15:29

• Capture it - Write a one-page summary from your time away and file it somewhere where you can pull it out to review during the year and at your next solo

Be still and know that I am God.”  I will be exalted among the Nations; I will be exalted in the earth”.  Psalm 46:1

I hope this adds value to you and blesses you as much as it has blessed me over the years.

Have a great week…

 -Duane