Month: July 2013

Reckless Pursuit: Ch. 10 – Are You Still There?

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Do you remember the last time you sat in your grandfather’s lap? Do you remember the comfort of it? The joy of being engulfed in his arms?

The following is a snapshot excerpt of the upcoming book…

Reckless Pursuit: God’s Story of Relentless Love – Chapter 10: Are You Still There?

                   Buddy is my grandfather. I have strong childhood memories of him because of our holiday vacations at my grandparent’s home each year. The unmistakable smell of his pipe as we entered their house. The recliner he was almost always found in, sitting as a king on his throne, watching sports. His flattop hair cut. His infectious laugh that shook his whole body, much like the image I had of Santa Claus. But my most enduring memory of Buddy is his gentle, loving spirit. This is what drew me to him the most. He completely enjoyed just about any interaction he could have with the grandkids. He would turn his hands into a pretend man named “Tom Walker” and walk his forefinger and middle finger after us – which would send us, for some unexplainable reason, running into the next room. He would take turns asking one of us, “Do you know how Josh eats corn?” And then proceed to clamp his powerful hand down on a leg, just above the knee and squeeze; resulting in uncontrollable laughing and squealing. While we were still small enough, he would grab us up, put both of our ankles in one of his hands, turn us upside-down and tickle us with the other hand. This would instantly cause us to flop around like a trout dangling from the end of a fishing pole.

                   And then, there was the awe and wonder of his magic hands. He could make money appear from behind my ear! And more than that, he could put his hands together, pull on his finger and make the first knuckle completely separate. There would be a full inch of air in the middle of his finger. Then he would put it back and it would be normal again! 

Oh, the magic of childhood! Could there be a life available that is constantly that alive? That free? That exciting?

Reckless Pursuit is currently being prepared for publishing. It will be made available to the public early this fall. Keep coming back here for more updates and teasers.

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Reckless Pursuit: Ch. 9 – You Won’t Believe This

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Can you identify with this? Sitting at a broken desk top, trying to create but feeling as fragmented as the surface you’re working on.

When was the last time you sat down to write but the words just wouldn’t come. You crumple up your paper, clear your head and start again. But this time it’s even worse. You pick up your pen and there’s nothing. No words, no thoughts, no ideas, nothing but frustration. What do you do?

Do you get up and go for a walk? Do you quit for the day, knowing it’s just not going to happen? Do you let it get the best of you. Does the tension begin to rise, starting in your hamstrings and climbing ever so slowly up your back and into your neck?

This is a choice, right? We have the ability to step away, don’t we? Whether we’re frustrated because of writers block or because that home project that was supposed to take twenty minutes has now moved into its third hour – we still have a choice, right? We don’t have to allow it to overcome us, do we?

But what about those times when we don’t have a choice? When life suddenly spins out of control – and not by our doing! What about when our dreams are crushed and there’s absolutely no way to reclaim them? What then?

Where do we go in our hearts? Do we rage? Do we retreat? Do we look to self-medicate? Where do we turn for relief?

And what about God? What do we do with him?

The following is a snapshot excerpt of the upcoming book…

Reckless Pursuit: God’s Story of Relentless Love – Chapter 9: You Won’t Believe This

How difficult it is for the people of God to objectively view the story when we find ourselves in the midst of it. We sit in our lives, surrounded by the love and blessing of the Father, asking, “Where are you? Why don’t you…? You said you would…” We echo the ancient forerunner of our faith, Abram,  and cry out saying, “What good are your blessings when this is where I find myself?” Whether we say the actual words or not, we find ourselves in the position of putting the Father’s love on trial. His character is questioned and for so many of us, he becomes unsafe.

What a tragedy in view of Yahweh’s story! Especially in view of his reckless pursuit of us. Yahweh understands the struggle in our hearts. He understands our hurts, steps into our pain and responds with unbelievable dedication.

Reckless Pursuit is currently being prepared for publishing. It will be made available to the public early this fall. Keep coming back here for more updates and teasers.

reckless_pursuit_book_cover

Reckless Pursuit: Ch. 8 – Would You Like To Choose?

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Is there anything better than birthday cake when you’re a toddler? Even though you have fork in hand, you can’t resist grabbing a handful and shoveling it as fast as you can into your mouth. And before it’s even possible to chew, there you are, reloading for the next bite.

When was the last time you attacked food with this much reckless abandon? For many of us, if we are honest, it was probably yesterday! Go ahead, admit it! We are a people of passion and often submit when no one is looking.

Question: How are these passions impacted by the people around us? When they are looking? When they join in? Whey they stand back and wait? When they give us a real opportunity to choose?

The following is a snapshot excerpt of the upcoming book…

Reckless Pursuit: God’s Story of Relentless Love – Chapter 8: Would You Like To Choose?

                  After all, who among us, if given the honest choice, would not take the best for ourselves? If your family is raiding the refrigerator for dinner and you are given the choice between cooking the last New York Strip or reheating the Hamburger Helper, what would you pick? Many of us would defer at first, giving up our desire for the other person but if given the ability to really choose, of course, we would choose the best. New York Strip, here I come!

                  But what if the meat was rotten? What if, on the outside it looked like the most delicious steak you ever tasted but when cut into, it was ruined…full of maggots? Wouldn’t your stomach turn? Wouldn’t your desire to sink your teeth deep into that beef immediately turn to disgust? Wouldn’t the Hamburger Helper become instantly attractive?

Reckless Pursuit is currently being prepared for publishing. It will be made available to the public early this fall. Keep coming back here for more updates and teasers.

reckless_pursuit_book_cover