tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33500732918840981382024-03-13T13:22:58.304-04:00RHETT-orical: musing about Faith, Family, and Freedom"My heart is stirred by a noble theme; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer." - Psalm 45:1Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.comBlogger1737125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-37571105615046235182024-03-10T22:06:00.001-04:002024-03-10T22:07:33.773-04:00The Unrealistic State of the Union Address<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Jody Hice,
President of the <a href="https://www.frcaction.org/" target="_blank">Family Research Council’s Action</a> group, offered a good
response to the State of the Union . . .<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">President
Biden's State of the Union (SOTU) address last night desperately attempted to
convince the American people that our country is healthy and moving in the
right direction. But reality tells another story, and political spin cannot
eradicate the truth facing our nation. Nonetheless, the President charged
forward, much to the agony of informed listeners.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT5LeQVEi1_kI8XZrfbNhK0H-KaaMxmSKXgo2jNSMlhIGyolWmCOCGG6auiooxrZf6UZ8mN6W_WJlqpYfhFyL56jvFUT0QUGoTxWcaW5PYo-tebqyraohXpwuUySKEes_OE12Ytk-zxzSuuWFACRBmFM6FubTC_1N8A0EAAsYM7D-oVcsPATFMH7LNMni1/s1280/pinocchio-2917652_1280.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT5LeQVEi1_kI8XZrfbNhK0H-KaaMxmSKXgo2jNSMlhIGyolWmCOCGG6auiooxrZf6UZ8mN6W_WJlqpYfhFyL56jvFUT0QUGoTxWcaW5PYo-tebqyraohXpwuUySKEes_OE12Ytk-zxzSuuWFACRBmFM6FubTC_1N8A0EAAsYM7D-oVcsPATFMH7LNMni1/s320/pinocchio-2917652_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />Like a
lecturer who knows his talking points are laden with feeble opinions, Biden's
only choice was to "yell loud" in an unimpressive attempt to convince
people that his policies are good for America. And "yell" he did,
virtually the entire speech. Although his Democratic colleagues cheered him on,
I do not believe he achieved his desired outcome. He neither fooled the
American people nor overcame the torrents of truth that contradict his frail
assertions.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That said,
the speech highlighted a frightful certainty: both President Biden and his
allies seem to completely believe the myths and deceptive mantra. To them
(America's radical Left), this speech was not simply a rehearsed set of
political talking-points. It represented their agenda.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, what
were some of his major points we need to take note of?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Requesting more financial aid
for Ukraine</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
It was strange that President Biden chose to begin his speech with an
appeal for more financial aid to Ukraine. Such a strategy begs the
question, why would a president who is giving a State of the Union
Address, required by our Constitution as an update regarding the condition
of our country, begin with a call to support another nation? One would
think that America would be first on the president's mind. It definitely
felt as though he was more concerned about Ukraine's national security
than he was about ours.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Calling to expand abortion</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
Another disturbing issue that dominated President Biden's speech was a
call for expanding abortion and the culture of death for babies, all in
the name of "reproductive rights." In fact, he and the Democrats
on the House Floor spent a heartbreaking amount of time cheering and
celebrating the "right" to kill innocent unborn babies. It was
painful to behold.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Passing blame regarding the
border crisis</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
When he finally addressed our open borders, President Biden essentially
blamed Republicans for not signing a bill he supports, which would
actually do little more than provide faster processing of illegal
immigrants rather than securing the border and stopping the chaos. It
certainly appeared that he is not serious about stopping the flow of
illegal immigrants into our country. Unquestionably, because of this
reckless policy, nearly every state and community has now become a
"border state" and is suffering the consequences.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Walking both sides of the fence
when it comes to Israel</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
When mentioning Israel, President Biden tried to walk both sides of the
fence. He expressed support for Israel's right to defend herself while at
the same time essentially pressuring them to bend to some of the tactics
of Hamas. Hamas' attack on Israel was detestable, and it now uses
civilians as shields in the ongoing conflict. Biden also revealed that as
Commander in Chief, he is ordering U.S. troops to provide humanitarian aid
to Gaza. Undoubtedly, that will be a very complicated mission and likely escalate
tensions in the region.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Many other
issues were discussed, ranging from the economy to gender ideology to the
Second Amendment to a call to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act (which
would essentially federalize elections). But on the other side of the coin, it
is interesting to note the issues that were not dealt with like the botched
Afghanistan withdrawal, illegal criminals or terrorists who have entered our
country, the weaponized government, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But truth is
hard to refute, and President Biden's depiction of America is far from the
reality average citizens experience daily. In fact, most people I talk with
believe America is rapidly declining. Their concerns are deep and varied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">They are
alarmed about:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The open borders that are
allowing terrorists, criminals, and others to enter our country unchecked.
Crime is out of control in many cities, and an open border only
exacerbates the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The devaluing of their
hard-earned money as inflation steadily increases the cost of living and
the national debt continues to soar.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The weaponization of the federal
government against Christians, conservatives, and political opponents.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Parental rights being replaced
by government guardians and education degenerating into indoctrination by
promotion of harmful theories such as CRT, DEI, and transgender ideology
that are destroying children's lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The world being on fire with
unrestrained tyrants. Meanwhile, our current administration exhibits no
significant leadership but rather continues focusing on things like
chemical abortion drugs, woke policies, and climate change.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The list
goes on and on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Again, no
amount of political spin can change the facts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But make no
mistake: <b><i>the need to address these problems facing America is the
driving force behind our efforts at FRC Action</i>.</b> If there has ever
been a time for us to unite in prayer and action, the time is now! This 2024
election cycle will determine the future of our nation, and we need your
partnership and support in order to continue shining the light of truth as we
pursue the right path forward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">President
Biden says this upcoming election is about "protecting our
democracy." But like many of you, I believe his policies and the current
trajectory this administration is leading America on is, in fact, the greatest
threat to our republic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I urge you
to pray. I urge you to take a stand. And I urge you to partner with us. <b><i><a href="https://www.frcaction.org/d-2403_2" target="_blank">Your generous
donation will enable us to stand in the gap.</a> Together, with God's
help, we can move the moral, spiritual, and political needle</i></b> into
greater conformity with the biblical principles upon which this nation was
founded.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">FRC
Action is heavily involved in this upcoming election. </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Among a host of activities, we are
attempting to distribute 14 million voter guides, register new voters, identify
and train biblically informed leaders to step into the arena, and help them
cross the finish line victoriously.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Jody Hice<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">President, Family
Research Council Action<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Picture courtesy of Pixabay</i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></p><br />Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-24451415217443688092024-02-26T16:20:00.002-05:002024-02-26T16:20:14.903-05:00The Life and Legacy of Henry Blackaby<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5veeZirlV6J2QxHqOcULwY_VZ8dyhhdd5gnJB_MA4Wb1lZUJL82hmigjhHXHXsvFFFKYbsn3X1maLzWKJikgge_ibfTEJJrhsz1cjJgl4r-D8BedoSwuqBGsQksrOhDQ8Y9IzdEfjcQN3idYdUzIfmj_acNZ86JTtD7HrR3YIEtz6C1jjEmpgRS9rZUS/s600/424639510_10232852122273139_2120359398969885836_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5veeZirlV6J2QxHqOcULwY_VZ8dyhhdd5gnJB_MA4Wb1lZUJL82hmigjhHXHXsvFFFKYbsn3X1maLzWKJikgge_ibfTEJJrhsz1cjJgl4r-D8BedoSwuqBGsQksrOhDQ8Y9IzdEfjcQN3idYdUzIfmj_acNZ86JTtD7HrR3YIEtz6C1jjEmpgRS9rZUS/s320/424639510_10232852122273139_2120359398969885836_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the spirit of a John the Baptizer he came. And like a prophet, he sometimes ruffled religious feathers and did not fit into the spirit of the age. He made his own trail, and the Lord opened the way before him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://news.lifeway.com/2024/02/10/lifeway-remembers-the-life-and-legacy-of-experiencing-god-author-henry-blackaby/" target="_blank">Henry Blackaby, this modest, unassuming preacher</a> became a great tool in the hand of the Lord. In my opinion, in the last 25-50 years of Southern Baptist life, I believe four men had the greatest significance, and all in very different ways. Charles Stanley, Paige Patterson, Albert Mohler, and Canadian-born Henry Blackaby all shaped Baptists in deep and varying forms.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The prophet Elijah introduced himself in light of his relationship with the Most High God: <i>"As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand . . ." ( 1 Kings 18:15 ESV). </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Henry learned to stand before the Lord. As he did, people became small and his God loomed large. Consequently, he often did not fit into religious cookie cutters, he cared nothing for denominational politics, an d he avoided manipulation and slick-looking machinations. Unafraid of controversy and unwilling to pander to popularity, he sought to be an authentic representative of the God before whom he walked.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ICWy-1fcqTeqRdJntTLIONF51VJVCyCVHX-N72Xcx_y5gKWEd6Uxg8EoLFY-K7SYlUUq9Dre6UCHhKD9r27OY4DFWlokZS2oIf9hRiAOMRpoTCqA-yhWapmmqnTX70aqGJP_mLW5sGK2Z7WgK6ATWK5d2WqJmqOhXuXyuwB7leIxPQohsm9rnxpnAz4R/s600/424791077_10232852122553146_2090744325683720961_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ICWy-1fcqTeqRdJntTLIONF51VJVCyCVHX-N72Xcx_y5gKWEd6Uxg8EoLFY-K7SYlUUq9Dre6UCHhKD9r27OY4DFWlokZS2oIf9hRiAOMRpoTCqA-yhWapmmqnTX70aqGJP_mLW5sGK2Z7WgK6ATWK5d2WqJmqOhXuXyuwB7leIxPQohsm9rnxpnAz4R/s320/424791077_10232852122553146_2090744325683720961_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Calling people to repent of their sins and half-hearted devotion, he taught of a real, personal, and practical love-relationship with Jesus Christ. Henry experienced the deep waters of intercessory prayer, revival and spiritual awakening, and a closeness to the Spirit of God.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Charles Stanley once said that he knew no one who had been as used of God to orient Southern Baptist preachers to the Holy Spirit as much as <a href="https://research.lifeway.com/2023/03/03/bertha-smith-women-in-church-history/" target="_blank">Ms. Bertha Smith</a> - the last several decades of her life. After experiencing tremendous moves of the Spirit of God in China, <a href="https://www.danielakin.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Galatians-2.20-Bertha-Smith-A-Soul-Winning-Missionary....Manuscript-kh.pdf" target="_blank">Bertha sensed a commission from God</a> upon her missionary retirement to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Home-Tell-Library-Baptist-Classics/dp/0805412581" target="_blank">"go home and tell"</a> - spending the rest of her life testifying of genuine revival and spiritual awakening and of the place of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It has been my theory for years that, when Ms. Bertha died in 1988, the spiritual mantle of orienting Baptists to the work of the Holy Spirit then transferred to Henry Blackaby, whose infamous study, <a href="https://blackaby.org/experiencing-god/" target="_blank"><i>Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God</i>,</a> was first published by Lifeway in 1990. The workbook sold more than 8 million copies in more than 75 languages. At one point, it was estimated that 1/2 of the students entering Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, said they sensed a call to go to seminary while studying <i>Experiencing God.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blackaby.org/henry-blackaby/" target="_blank">The power of Blackaby's influence</a> flowed out of his intimacy with the Lord. I heard H. B. London, head of Focus on the Family's ministry to pastors at the time, interview Blackaby years ago. London asked him how he, a busy pastor, learned to spend time alone with God.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Blackaby shared that as a young pastor, he often hurried through his devotional time - until the day the Lord gave him an arresting word. He said the Lord whispered to him, "Henry, you are rushing Me." Henry repented, and from then on, he ordered his life so that he could spend unhurried time in His Presence.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrVxy2F8lEbPtjUDwxegJkSCqcwxV_4SCSVBCAp2zdKh76Iilnhe6KK-bsQIPu_VR9g-uboVm7qrED-xbBishMplzG88jx9JGHMUAJrP5HSjT2PXBs7k508BUqK48r8pHWNJyyHEX6kuH-yuLUosjs2S63TdCXpmrhLdCJU14CCrehBUCN9R4D2hsBor6/s2048/428647727_10232939814865399_6305929728467234943_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrVxy2F8lEbPtjUDwxegJkSCqcwxV_4SCSVBCAp2zdKh76Iilnhe6KK-bsQIPu_VR9g-uboVm7qrED-xbBishMplzG88jx9JGHMUAJrP5HSjT2PXBs7k508BUqK48r8pHWNJyyHEX6kuH-yuLUosjs2S63TdCXpmrhLdCJU14CCrehBUCN9R4D2hsBor6/w320-h240/428647727_10232939814865399_6305929728467234943_n.jpg" title="The Blackaby grandchildren stand at his funeral" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />The Blackaby grandchildren stand at his funeral</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2016/10/why-is-it-so-difficult-to-believe-god.html" target="_blank">Henry believed God was able and ready to speak</a> to and guide the believer individually - and he taught countless others how to walk in that reality. He was a man who walked by faith, trusting in the Lord's promises - and showed the way for others to do likewise.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One of his most common teachings was of the "crisis of faith." He wrote, "When God invites you to join Him in His work, He has a God-sized assignment for you. You will quickly realize you cannot do what He is asking on your own. If God doesn't help you, you will fail. This is the crisis of belief when you must decide whether to believe God for what He wants to do through you" (EG Unit 7 Day 1).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My wife and I have gone through more copies of his EG workbooks than I can remember - all the way back to the original 1990 black and orange cover one from the Baptist Sunday School Board. The original video recordings of him standing in front of a huge orange paper-board, making marks with a big black marker, are in my opinion the richest ones he ever recorded. In his typical, unassuming way, he simply gave testimony of his Lord. My wife and I enjoyed sitting at his feet in 1999 at Ridgecrest Conference Center at the North American Mission Board's "On Mission" summer conference. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In a world of skinny jeans, smoke screens, and political correctness, how desperately <a href="https://decisionmagazine.com/henry-blackabys-funeral-to-celebrate-legacy-of-joining-god-at-work/" target="_blank">our world and culture needs more leaders like Henry Blackaby.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">See Richard Blackaby's article, "<a href="https://blackaby.org/why-is-it-so-difficult-to-believe-god-speaks/" target="_blank">Why Is It So Difficult to Believe God Speaks?"</a></span></p><p><br /></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-85878036461087001532024-02-07T14:27:00.009-05:002024-02-26T16:23:40.686-05:004 Mountains of Men Who Shaped My Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6XE8T6sAU8esPA2KkYfLSJclUgl4X5DWyxM7O4T3V3rB90PFo1E9jcCe4bG0a2yHYUFzp6ZQOVBqTGKxmP_gXvLbL4i_Y9gdrOT8NBWQehapSHelAkKXPv8TtML_p9zUOXM1wa7A80TVdE0ovtj3cUR4VyJsGXJ14tK6wHA_f9HbG2QBPWPXjRAslNBr/s2200/pexels-sagui-andrea-618833.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1469" data-original-width="2200" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6XE8T6sAU8esPA2KkYfLSJclUgl4X5DWyxM7O4T3V3rB90PFo1E9jcCe4bG0a2yHYUFzp6ZQOVBqTGKxmP_gXvLbL4i_Y9gdrOT8NBWQehapSHelAkKXPv8TtML_p9zUOXM1wa7A80TVdE0ovtj3cUR4VyJsGXJ14tK6wHA_f9HbG2QBPWPXjRAslNBr/s320/pexels-sagui-andrea-618833.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Four mountains of men who shaped my life all died within a thirteen-month span. I suppose that goes
with being fifty-something.<o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In recent
years, my wife and I commented several times, “You realize that people our age are
the ones in charge and running things?” The adults who were in charge and in
their forties to sixties when I was a child and teenager are now in their last
quarter of a century and graduating to heaven one by one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Shannon
Harris, a blogger, writes, “A special kind of pain is felt when your mentor’s
time on earth is through.” We remember significant conversations, lessons, and
nuggets of wisdom they shared. Memories from their lives, which resonated with
value, begin to feel out of reach. And those who loomed larger than life –
almost immortal to us – show their mortality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUO1ZyWY5ljzIL9v6_BrlLiT2_9qJ5lfvOPSTr0m2T7aJPORG5kduYSH_qDlQoJsh2wDb-O2FEm4YsHxsqEG4WqpwqADUbXcYqDumhhyphenhyphen9SBymiEsyCVneP3ekeTOzC7lqNvHIDUx7yNaHQgq5W8b_NApULeo-EcDzvxv01o9x6M88VF3egdMmHXAhD_Vc/s1025/22868.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="760" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUO1ZyWY5ljzIL9v6_BrlLiT2_9qJ5lfvOPSTr0m2T7aJPORG5kduYSH_qDlQoJsh2wDb-O2FEm4YsHxsqEG4WqpwqADUbXcYqDumhhyphenhyphen9SBymiEsyCVneP3ekeTOzC7lqNvHIDUx7yNaHQgq5W8b_NApULeo-EcDzvxv01o9x6M88VF3egdMmHXAhD_Vc/s320/22868.webp" width="237" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>The Worshiping Pastor</b></span></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2022/12/make-me-child-again-christmas-eve.html" target="_blank">Pastor Jack Hayford</a> passed peacefully in his sleep in early January of 2023. Christianity<br />
Today magazine once dubbed him “The Pentecostal Gold Standard.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A world-renown leader, he pastored The Church
on the Way in Van Nuys, California, eventually became Chancellor of The Kings
College and Seminary, and wrote over 400 worship songs, including the popular
chorus, “Majesty.” His radio and book ministry took his practical Bible
teaching, heart for authentic worship, and love for the kingdom of God into the
homes of countless Christians.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I benefited greatly from his preaching-teaching, his authenticity and vulnerability, and his ministry of writing. For three decades I listened to him and read many of his books, like <i>Manifest Presence, The Key to Everything, The Spirit-Formed Life, </i>and <i>Blessing Your Children</i>. I vividly remember his message from Exodus 3 at the Atlanta 1995 Promise Keepers event, when he had every man get on his knees in the arena.<br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Pastor
Jack’s emphasis on integrity – first learned when his mother asked him to
answer her question “with Jesus in the room” - his presence as a bridge-builder
in the Body of Christ, and his passion to experience Christ intimately made him
a shepherd of shepherds across denominational lines. My wife and I traveled once
to the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove to spend a weekend under his
teaching.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcw2IaMmEZz4PX3yJDv1Q0crW9EK6W9QK_AjkvbnzK4u3AMsN9q-4wlNg-VMQeBBqq3g5ZDDW2dCMkdp8jtGDjLzdXTibN31Vgp96TN6vWVvSyVglF78AM991BCd7rRGwYBmvjJHNe-_BcDRGZDRI6zqx1Tq47uFXNlMOtiMrdWq6O3BPpOn4OOIPUmcqO/s2048/1398278_10202472077149136_1028397998_o.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1529" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcw2IaMmEZz4PX3yJDv1Q0crW9EK6W9QK_AjkvbnzK4u3AMsN9q-4wlNg-VMQeBBqq3g5ZDDW2dCMkdp8jtGDjLzdXTibN31Vgp96TN6vWVvSyVglF78AM991BCd7rRGwYBmvjJHNe-_BcDRGZDRI6zqx1Tq47uFXNlMOtiMrdWq6O3BPpOn4OOIPUmcqO/w149-h200/1398278_10202472077149136_1028397998_o.jpg" title="Pastor Jack and Rhett at The Cove" width="149" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastor Jack and<br />Rhett at The Cove</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>The Discipler of Men</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Last
February, <a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2023/02/moose-mentor-of-men.html" target="_blank">my long-time friend, mentor, and cousin, Morris “Moose” Keller </a>went
to be with the Jesus he loved. Though almost forty years apart in age, our
friendship continued for more than thirty years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Moose loved
to fish for men, and life was his fishing pond. Whether on the job, at the
grocery store, or in church. His signature line was, "Can I ask you a
personal question? Do you know if you died today, you would you go to
heaven?" And then, often using a "Steps to Peace with God"
gospel track, he told them about King Jesus who died on the cross for their
sins.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">During my
college days, he and I met every couple of months. I'd drive from Clinton to
Greenville and meet him for lunch at Stax Omega.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuoBBAogo3twRqudWVSMYLIrzbuQt4NZpetMNjUvOCS-X2AMT1XMLblbwlhsBkiQbSWnGUi5LHRNlIrahyvGrwv7NiqMvaGqoB0Og6wn3CL7_IcbJ2-95rLsWgA7-BKPtFbXfV3h7iJNwgzOaXhApAFyHBKsq_ot-FHHttwbzburh6W1W9rSO9-8fvmnA/s279/morris-keller-greenville-sc-obituary.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="240" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuoBBAogo3twRqudWVSMYLIrzbuQt4NZpetMNjUvOCS-X2AMT1XMLblbwlhsBkiQbSWnGUi5LHRNlIrahyvGrwv7NiqMvaGqoB0Og6wn3CL7_IcbJ2-95rLsWgA7-BKPtFbXfV3h7iJNwgzOaXhApAFyHBKsq_ot-FHHttwbzburh6W1W9rSO9-8fvmnA/s1600/morris-keller-greenville-sc-obituary.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We talked about life, the Lord, and our struggles - things that matter. That's what
mentoring is. Spending time with someone, connecting over important things,
listening, helping them grow and learn. Moose trusted God. His faith was
consistent. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The last
time I visited his house he lay in a Hospice bed. His body frail but his
mind bright, he quoted Scripture after Scripture to me, telling me how he was
learning to trust God, and sharing how he led one of the hospital nurses to
faith in Jesus Christ a few weeks before. Moose asked me about my wife and three
children - all by name. He talked about my father, who had been gone for
fifteen years. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">He got out
his IPhone and said, "Ooooooh. I have to share with you what I read in my
quiet time this morning. I read it in the Message and I've never seen it say it
quite like this." He proceeded to read his morning reading to me. The last
several years, I could expect a daily email sent to several dozen people
outlining the notes from his daily Bible reading. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">He told me,
"We've been through a lot, buddy." That time was probably the only
one he ever ended our conversation without, "Call me if you need me."
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>The Consummate Bible Teacher</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Then in
April, <a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2023/04/where-is-god-of-charles-stanley.html" target="_blank">Charles Stanley, pastor of First Baptist Atlanta, Georgia,</a> died. I tuned
into his ministry as a freshman in college, listening to the InTouch radio
broadcast. Attending a liberal religious college, which jettisoned the
authority of Scripture and basic evangelical theology, his preaching helped
anchor me in eternal truths.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcT9E_9yS-szfgIb5OHM2gcvFNBa4zLylwDZq3SlMAq455pt2M4OfhWqQywBx6Op2dq-2PNLkokCIyZs1WQ-cspMac9NkKIT8-MKWd9BsH3EQTJsu5W97uyYUmv4nCBSUYtKn7PciCcT8oOXgyu2NmyGuX40O7WRDCF42WsbJT-fN3ZwefaCllPphXB5g/s320/341852191_200369076074356_5747633537959752313_n%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcT9E_9yS-szfgIb5OHM2gcvFNBa4zLylwDZq3SlMAq455pt2M4OfhWqQywBx6Op2dq-2PNLkokCIyZs1WQ-cspMac9NkKIT8-MKWd9BsH3EQTJsu5W97uyYUmv4nCBSUYtKn7PciCcT8oOXgyu2NmyGuX40O7WRDCF42WsbJT-fN3ZwefaCllPphXB5g/s1600/341852191_200369076074356_5747633537959752313_n%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My first
year of school, I picked up his book, <i>How to Listen to God</i>, which
had a shaping influence on my nineteen-year-old life. The first of more than
two dozen of his books I would eventually read, I experienced his practical
teaching that drew deeply from the Bible but also was illustrated with personal
experiences. In that book I would find what was one of his constant
exhortations: develop a lifestyle of meditating on the Word of God, expecting
Him to guide you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I first
learned to preach from listening to radio teachers like Stanley. His winsome,
conversational style combined with practical exhortations and challenges to
trust God marked his teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I met Dr.
Stanley only once quickly at a book signing in Atlanta. After waiting in line, I
said, “Dr. Stanley, thank you for teaching me about intimacy with God.” He
stopped, lowered his pen, and stared directly into my eyes. Then he
emphatically said, “That is the most important thing!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkaMLV6mrD-jse1SLZCvrnp3JjmkeAmIH1948woUERhO1URCrPMN4h9ny7t05dJ_e84DqAJOmW19CP6UqZh27ADFGPvAPtFsnR02ED5NSW7t1ooH6-q6hTtw7ZjSRNIJxBFCn8KrSvkiiBkpJvoMVsRWwjzYXJ7scrWmJ8z9Pk0iS2KxtJMfjDa4qaWkK/s1300/b0c114f-7cd3-7d5e-863b-6aa6f5bf54b7_2.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkaMLV6mrD-jse1SLZCvrnp3JjmkeAmIH1948woUERhO1URCrPMN4h9ny7t05dJ_e84DqAJOmW19CP6UqZh27ADFGPvAPtFsnR02ED5NSW7t1ooH6-q6hTtw7ZjSRNIJxBFCn8KrSvkiiBkpJvoMVsRWwjzYXJ7scrWmJ8z9Pk0iS2KxtJMfjDa4qaWkK/s320/b0c114f-7cd3-7d5e-863b-6aa6f5bf54b7_2.png" width="246" /></span><div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>The Encouraging Eagle</b></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div>And then on
January 21 of this year, my friend and business mentor Dan Miller left this
earth. <a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2024/01/the-eagle-has-flown-tribute-to-dan.html" target="_blank">Dan’s books and podcast</a> helped open the door for me, and many others, to
become entrepreneurs, explore nontraditional work, and challenge conventional
thinking about work opportunities.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dan wrote, “Putting
yourself in the driver’s seat requires creating a clear sense of where you want
to go. A clear plan of action will separate you from 97 percent of the people
you meet.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Creating the 48 Days Eagle Community, he mentored modern entrepreneurs, which he called <i>eagle-preneurs,</i> to create the life they want, building their work around their life.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">He modeled
for many businesspeople how important it is to balance your life with both
faith in God and making deep deposits in your family relationships. As he often
said, “Success is more than a job.”</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">When we lose
mentors, sometimes we grieve the lessons we’ll never learn from them. And then we
realize we can cling to their God, embrace the same unchanging truths they
believed and practiced, and make the world a better place by shining our light
and investing in others – one person at a time.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">- <i>Three days after writing this post, another mountain of a man who influenced my life left this earth. <a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2024/02/the-life-and-legacy-of-henry-blackaby.html" target="_blank">Read my article about Henry Blackaby here.</a></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Mountain picture used courtesy of Pexels</i></span></span></p><p></p></div>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-62565343154263752672024-01-29T19:37:00.010-05:002024-02-03T17:56:31.231-05:00The Eagle Has Flown - A Tribute to Dan Miller<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZL2XV0GuJqIdtpVg-mL3JEFvVw3WC9D4zQnauYb9OU_tI_qwDRTMHFUIttAUEz8Nc8vJBch7C7hyphenhyphenuY8wIwFBza3_ajdzXlS7p6XhVTc2J70d2qaquiC7Hl8fhqcY2KqLfc14X4t_Mz5PDlgeFvNc7GUL_ph1m2uQSetFb7CpglXLoYtcoImYCjZ2RH1ke/s1300/b0c114f-7cd3-7d5e-863b-6aa6f5bf54b7_2.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZL2XV0GuJqIdtpVg-mL3JEFvVw3WC9D4zQnauYb9OU_tI_qwDRTMHFUIttAUEz8Nc8vJBch7C7hyphenhyphenuY8wIwFBza3_ajdzXlS7p6XhVTc2J70d2qaquiC7Hl8fhqcY2KqLfc14X4t_Mz5PDlgeFvNc7GUL_ph1m2uQSetFb7CpglXLoYtcoImYCjZ2RH1ke/w154-h200/b0c114f-7cd3-7d5e-863b-6aa6f5bf54b7_2.png" width="154" /></span></a></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I<span style="font-family: helvetica;">t was a
moment I’ve never forgotten. Driving home from a frustrating day at the<br /> church
office, I listened to Crown Financial Ministries interview a career coach
on their radio broadcast. Dan Miller was promoting his book, 48 Days to the
Work You Love. As I listened, it was like this man was speaking directly to me.
He was speaking my language, like he had been reading my mail.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For several
years, I’d wrestled with vocational angst. I gradually realized numerous
desires shouted within me to use my gifts and pursue interests outside of the
scope of what we consider traditional church ministry. And, I wanted to find
ways to make money and prosper outside of the limitations of depending on a fulltime
church salary to provide for my growing family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In the years
since then, I’ve come to realize many pastors and ministry leaders wade through
similar struggles. My friends Les Hughes and Jon Sanders, both pastors, have an
entire business, <a href="https://www.entrepastors.com/">EntrePastors,</a>
dedicated to helping pastors realize that following God's calling into ministry
doesn't mean you have to live a life of scarcity and meagerness. They share, <i>“We
believe God is a God of abundance who gave you multiple talents to build and
serve His Kingdom. By using ALL of your God-given talents, you take better care
of yourself and your family, and become a better pastor in the process.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But at the time
I was wading through those questions alone, learning to work through the needed
mindset changes, personal assessment, and exploration of possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Dan
Miller was the first person I heard – outside of my own head and heart – that affirmed
my struggle and gave me hope that there was a positive path forward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORY23EseIX0nFMI9QOb6-_hiVoOZWSUCQFA7vzbGQs9CyISyt_zKGlrP2KRXUQVyuZyqkRhtA-MRqo7oZToGilCph2snK5hCgyrXWyNsc3qFdLtNAE7UWEI6Fp7pkmMUiKkBz-yxhXHCGLWMHZFnOC4Q0nc94EcQ-nMo3FzGN2PbS14qW3xxYJ_P800ni/s2811/Perpetual%20Success.%2048%20Days.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1479" data-original-width="2811" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORY23EseIX0nFMI9QOb6-_hiVoOZWSUCQFA7vzbGQs9CyISyt_zKGlrP2KRXUQVyuZyqkRhtA-MRqo7oZToGilCph2snK5hCgyrXWyNsc3qFdLtNAE7UWEI6Fp7pkmMUiKkBz-yxhXHCGLWMHZFnOC4Q0nc94EcQ-nMo3FzGN2PbS14qW3xxYJ_P800ni/w400-h210/Perpetual%20Success.%2048%20Days.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As I reflect
on Dan’s life-message, coaching, and writings, so many words come to mind. Here’s
just a few of those that impacted me.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Understanding
Divine Calling <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Remembering
the happiest times in your life and the times when you felt most fulfilled are
better indicators of your calling than just knowing what you have the ability
to do.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>You can have
different careers at different points in your life. Conversely, two or three
different careers can all support one’s calling.</i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>The word
vocation comes from the Latin word vocare, which means “to call.” It suggests
that you are listening for something that is calling out to you – something that
is particular for you. A Calling is something you have to listen for, attuning
yourself to the message. Vocation then is not so much pursuing a goal as it is
listening for a voice.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Never
separate your work from your worship. See what you do during the week as a form
of worship. Remember, you are in full-time service, doing what God has called
you to do if you’ve engaged your unique skills, your personality and your
dreams and passions.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXknk6h-W8LDEid1oC7NiMwVvbwY2Pqw1tL-xVYalSK-MvaE_QtjgKVRg2n7rldrmxicIeb6MorIka1VffHNGCf0NPb5n0xpO6VOcea-nlHPGkdkh_T1bUMXqX4ZSjWbrmoXTnR6CB4TBh3Xx1ypku2xF-fgErA60HMGJOUioBjM3kZYfPPk1L6mrhDki4/s2079/dan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1567" data-original-width="2079" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXknk6h-W8LDEid1oC7NiMwVvbwY2Pqw1tL-xVYalSK-MvaE_QtjgKVRg2n7rldrmxicIeb6MorIka1VffHNGCf0NPb5n0xpO6VOcea-nlHPGkdkh_T1bUMXqX4ZSjWbrmoXTnR6CB4TBh3Xx1ypku2xF-fgErA60HMGJOUioBjM3kZYfPPk1L6mrhDki4/w400-h301/dan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />In 2022 I sent Dan this eagle carving I found at Dollywood.<br />He posted this picture in the Eagles Community and said,<br /><br /><i>"Thanks so much for this awesome Eagle, Rhett Wilson, Sr. <br /></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #141921; text-align: start;"><i>I love the natural wood colors and the kind expression of the eagle. <br />I'll find a prime place in my office for this new addition!"</i> </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Mastering
Motivation<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>It’s tough
to make good choices at eighteen that will be meaningful at forty-five.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Your only
security is knowing what you do well. Knowing your areas of competence will give
you freedom amid corporate politics and unexpected layoffs.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Our culture
glamorizes being under time pressure.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Work doesn’t
have to drain the energy from your life. You can have work that resonates with
your soul and draws you into a deeper, more intimate relationship with God.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Learn from
any failure. See it as a stepping stone toward the success you ultimately want.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Exploring
Opportunities<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Your best
opportunity may not look like your last job.<br /><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>The
opportunities in today’s work environment are endless. You can change course
several times in a lifetime without feeling like you’re derailed or starting
over, if you have a sense of calling to act as a consistent compass.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3cr7ohyphenhyphenLqHuUMO6UuHAaDPzXokLdkxJLLahK37J8iizZBYi1jHZ4s2TdefEDXS2hs24pt-UzhH6-1a6GQYJkY3-rnQP6gEBtd-APZOsYL9woVDZsTvxXmMgmeTWffXRbpRD7dNdNDlw3_hEHXYKVLz4UXO2B9a8LDqf-BkP4cYSw_gML2_m8q9dxMLBm/s1400/48-days-dan-miller-2021.jpg.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3cr7ohyphenhyphenLqHuUMO6UuHAaDPzXokLdkxJLLahK37J8iizZBYi1jHZ4s2TdefEDXS2hs24pt-UzhH6-1a6GQYJkY3-rnQP6gEBtd-APZOsYL9woVDZsTvxXmMgmeTWffXRbpRD7dNdNDlw3_hEHXYKVLz4UXO2B9a8LDqf-BkP4cYSw_gML2_m8q9dxMLBm/w200-h200/48-days-dan-miller-2021.jpg.webp" width="200" /></span></i></a></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Your work
must integrate your skills, your personality tendencies, and your interests.
The more you know and understand about yourself and match that up with your
business direction, the more you exponentially increase your chances for success.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Many people
are finding that it makes more sense to use this model [of nontraditional work]
than to attempt to find the one right job that provides all their needs. One of
the hottest terms for creating a work life today is “multiple streams of income.”
You may have two or three things that are creating income for you, rather than
only one all-important job.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Taking
Action<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Putting yourself
in the driver’s seat requires creating a clear sense of where you want to go.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>A clear plan
of action will separate you from 97 percent of the people you meet. Everyone
has dreams, but very few ever turn those into goals.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>If you are
in a negative environment – one that causes you pain and anguish - maybe its
time to take a fresh look at yourself, define where you want to be, and develop
a clear plan of action to get there.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In the years
following that introduction to Dan Miller, I would read and re-read and re-read
his books, <i><a href="https://www.48days.com/product/48-days-ttwyl-20th-anniv-amazon-link/">48
Days to the Work You Lo</a>ve</i>, <i><a href="https://www.48days.com/product/no-more-dreaded-mondays/">No More Dreaded
Mondays</a>, </i>and<i> <a href="https://www.48days.com/product/an-understanding-heart/">An Understanding
Heart</a>. </i>Hours of my time were invested listening to <a href="https://www.48days.com/work-you-love-podcast/">his podcast</a>, consistently
rated in the top ½ percent of the top 1% of all business podcasts, and his
audio course from NightingaleConant, <i>Dream Job</i>, which was rated their #3
most popular audio course.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHTVzN8GwIIV3VAnA10rkslpFgQ6bHi6J-rUimCV0zvrAo4ftCLWnsxHmVtb30XMMPxN6h2U6vuqbuaqnNZyaa19HIfF50q3Lju_ToJENNgT9jOt0MaTCKcRLwA_VGPn2Q-jDbKzOi7CXygyA5Vblg1Rp-CSvZq3sIQ3u8N50VIx119kM0YsDdcQcBzak/s962/IMG_2440.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="962" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHTVzN8GwIIV3VAnA10rkslpFgQ6bHi6J-rUimCV0zvrAo4ftCLWnsxHmVtb30XMMPxN6h2U6vuqbuaqnNZyaa19HIfF50q3Lju_ToJENNgT9jOt0MaTCKcRLwA_VGPn2Q-jDbKzOi7CXygyA5Vblg1Rp-CSvZq3sIQ3u8N50VIx119kM0YsDdcQcBzak/w200-h191/IMG_2440.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />He opened
the door for me to explore and benefit from the world of motivational speakers,
authors, and coaches in the business and motivational world. Today, people like
Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Napolean Hill, Earl Nightengale, Og Mandino, Andy
Andrews, Jim Rohn, Bob Proctor, and Russell Conwell line my shelves and audio
library.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Dan
introduced me to the world of modern entrepreneurs, guys in the mid-stream of
life learning to pivot and create multiple streams of income in this rapidly
changing world and economy. <a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2022/03/benefits-of-working-remotely-first-six.html" target="_blank">He knew remote work was cool</a> years before COVID. He
assured me my questions were valid, my desires to experience more, good, and
that challenging my mindset in some traditional areas was wise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Success
if More than a Job<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Miller
modeled for many businesspeople how important it is to balance your life with
both faith in God and making deep deposits in your family relationships. As he
often said, “Success is more than a job.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It was a
long time before I’d realize how many other people he had helped in similar
journeys. The more I became familiar with this world of new entrepreneurs, or
eagles as he called them, the more I heard stories like my own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRL3YQS-IEKvd-016IuzAEggPgJyixrh5sa9esjNj0Cnn-UktLgHKvPEikLkwd-MPw_feSHhIjL1u85msSN1dd3Yyl1NhMK892WFjEPnyeC-X-Ffp4MyupA9yzmMn8pxUa3G9tVBFtM2niDzVp_UtsrQgBwus3GMafK0I6b3GfFR2Eomgf8hLLFZohHXaw/s4032/image0%20(2).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRL3YQS-IEKvd-016IuzAEggPgJyixrh5sa9esjNj0Cnn-UktLgHKvPEikLkwd-MPw_feSHhIjL1u85msSN1dd3Yyl1NhMK892WFjEPnyeC-X-Ffp4MyupA9yzmMn8pxUa3G9tVBFtM2niDzVp_UtsrQgBwus3GMafK0I6b3GfFR2Eomgf8hLLFZohHXaw/s320/image0%20(2).jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p>In the years
since that Crown radio broadcast, I followed my interest and passion in
writing, developing that skill. I became a published freelance author, landing bylines
in numerous print and online publications well-known in the evangelical world.
I wrote for newspapers, magazines, devotionals, online news sources, compilation
books, and more. I worked as Senior Writer for the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association and started my own company, <a href="http://www.rhettwilson.org">Hendrix Communications</a>. I also serve as
Senior Communications Director for Leighton Ford Ministries. And I dove into bivocational
ministry, which is actually how the apostle Paul often operated.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I considered
it quite an honor when Dan endorsed my first solo book last year, </span><a href="https://www.rhettwilson.org/the-7ps-of-prayer-book" style="font-family: helvetica;">The 7 Ps of Prayer: A Simple Method to Pray for Your Family.</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Here was a man who considers Dave
Ramsey his best friend and participated in a men’s small group for more than a
decade with high-achievers Ramsey and Michael Hyatt. Yet Dan always saw value
in the person standing in front of him.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgxjhHTHalHaxOfDtlIITw1ZYvuyEn1uZK_FZsZryEIP88GeXUzvmHPybbnuKqVQrnwAUf2O2XatJytNd0QwpCKiWVBRTiBUCnTxM7qoWJK4sQfHg8lTgpP-4hbajdt_dGx21_VU9yfVVXGAi1Re2tnNW3OoShMjvaHXyvz-f22E60E6sJ0UpZHh8Q-bI/s225/48DaysLogo.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="225" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgxjhHTHalHaxOfDtlIITw1ZYvuyEn1uZK_FZsZryEIP88GeXUzvmHPybbnuKqVQrnwAUf2O2XatJytNd0QwpCKiWVBRTiBUCnTxM7qoWJK4sQfHg8lTgpP-4hbajdt_dGx21_VU9yfVVXGAi1Re2tnNW3OoShMjvaHXyvz-f22E60E6sJ0UpZHh8Q-bI/s1600/48DaysLogo.png" width="225" /></span></a></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">On December
19 last year, I received a personal email from Dan, thanking me for a 7 Ps coin
I had mailed to him for Christmas. He told me of his recent diagnosis of Stage
IV cancer with an expectation of less than six months to live. He wrote, <i>“Totally
out of the blue – no warning until I had some abdominal pain two weeks ago. . .
. I’m savoring the time with my precious wife, children, and grandchildren. And
the opportunity to live out all those wonderful principles I’ve been teaching
all these years. Thanks for your support and friendship.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://murial.life/dan-miller" target="_blank">Many people in the entrepreneurial world</a> were shocked, saddened, and grieved over this
news. Dan had the ability and warmth to make you feel loved, appreciated, and
valued. And his life and teachings helped so many of us pursue and create work
that is fulfilling, meaningful, and profitable. Dan challenged us to “plan our
work around our life, rather than planning our life around our work.” He taught
us to find the sweet spot where work and play become indistinguishable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qQOZm9_yy7cCqBtP0XQimY4w6SGYFFux0arZpb4K2VrbNiJxx1QTg-6HPtvpGVs8dsTQ9KJOS8Lvcsv4rg7ryLpbxYqPBnhNVAkk3uAbKsrvna53m5VfbLF09Qy6vNLt9kiMeaPljVfbLLXiX5eDoe4BF6RGec-XHXTKWs17616BM2BFyrWROJ8r3ZIb/s1170/IMG_9370.jpg.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1170" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qQOZm9_yy7cCqBtP0XQimY4w6SGYFFux0arZpb4K2VrbNiJxx1QTg-6HPtvpGVs8dsTQ9KJOS8Lvcsv4rg7ryLpbxYqPBnhNVAkk3uAbKsrvna53m5VfbLF09Qy6vNLt9kiMeaPljVfbLLXiX5eDoe4BF6RGec-XHXTKWs17616BM2BFyrWROJ8r3ZIb/w200-h199/IMG_9370.jpg.webp" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.48days.com/"><br />The Eagles Community</a> received word last week
that Dan passed away from this earth on Sunday night, January 21. He had shared
with his followers that he was looking forward to his spiritual transformation.<br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The Eagle
has flown. Thank you, Dan. You will be missed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Check out my 2022 post, <a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2022/03/benefits-of-working-remotely-first-six.html" target="_blank">18 Benefits of Working Remotely.</a></i></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2022/03/featured-on-dan-miller.html">Click here to listen</a> to one of Dan's 48 Days podcasts when he responds to an email of mine. Through this podcast I got connected to Jon Sanders and Les Hughes of EntrePastors.</i></span></o:p></span></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-15124223938824842222024-01-08T19:38:00.001-05:002024-01-29T19:40:39.258-05:00Out with the Old, Embracing the New<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zg-SFg4RKm0aWeOzehroXBTclKoSLevFUh0MFuJXr41ETmYRRJMUWyELNMsC5VDijEidLKNZbIsS5FD1U1LrWKcJBCQ8C6w4ivBlhS8y-EcMIR-JufuK_sCPECkG1_tq_F9USDQb9x_9OCzYhRBtuxhpFjHqmw-AuPyPnk5sXJQAGn-f9rJV9XB750v4/s320/49518538_10218698794366925_7986407101826072576_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zg-SFg4RKm0aWeOzehroXBTclKoSLevFUh0MFuJXr41ETmYRRJMUWyELNMsC5VDijEidLKNZbIsS5FD1U1LrWKcJBCQ8C6w4ivBlhS8y-EcMIR-JufuK_sCPECkG1_tq_F9USDQb9x_9OCzYhRBtuxhpFjHqmw-AuPyPnk5sXJQAGn-f9rJV9XB750v4/s1600/49518538_10218698794366925_7986407101826072576_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We bought the television from Kmart in Taylors in 1988. Long before flat screens or digital technology, this set included the turn knobs and required the antenna wires to be wrapped around the screws on the back of the tv. I watched many a show on that set while I lived at home. My mother – not one to be abreast of the latest technology – just got rid of this set one month ago. I surprised her with a new flat-screen television in early December, and we unplugged the old set that served our family for thirty years. I left the set at the dump to be released into 1980’s household electronics after-life.</span><p></p><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Moving into another year involves letting go of old things and embracing some new ones. For me, the first couple of week of January include getting my mind in gear as I shift from the holidays into the winter of another calendar year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">I love the sights, sounds, routines, and excesses of Christmas. And partly because of my melancholy temperament, I find my spirit somewhat deflated the week or two after Christmas as the decorations go down and the feasting turns into dieting!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">I find it helpful to embrace disciplines early in January, turn my mind into preparing for a productive year, and set my spirit to seek the Lord afresh.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Here are five suggestions to help embrace a mindset of moving forward towards a successful year:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><b>1. Make time to pray.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;">January offers a good time to retool my prayer life. Spend extra time in prayer and Bible meditation. Ask the Holy Spirit, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Prepare my mind and spirit to</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">walk with Jesus this year. Lead me in Your will and purposes. Let Your Word find a fresh home in my heart and your hands mold this clay as You wish.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;">Some Christians ask the Lord the first few weeks of January to put a word on their mind and heart for the new year. They ask, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lord, give to me a word, Scripture, or idea to be a theme for me in the coming days.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><b>2. Make plans to grow.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIq5jqftTK3QK66M1sa0dTCSoc2UUiIWXOHkNrXRP-8q3H4V9DjB8IWbLR8eOHYY2tloTzhN9B2PrrP-v68rmzJ-x8oJXZm0uN4JxUO0eVvSqdV4ax5-QqT_bW0f4tnfEReA9U57bNNIgb/s1600/49535863_10218698800447077_7776290949449121792_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIq5jqftTK3QK66M1sa0dTCSoc2UUiIWXOHkNrXRP-8q3H4V9DjB8IWbLR8eOHYY2tloTzhN9B2PrrP-v68rmzJ-x8oJXZm0uN4JxUO0eVvSqdV4ax5-QqT_bW0f4tnfEReA9U57bNNIgb/s320/49535863_10218698800447077_7776290949449121792_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">I try and start my year by reading some positive instructional and motivational material. Stretch yourself with some plans to read. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By reading (or listening via digital audio resources) 30 minutes a day I can easily finish a book a week. Turn off the television and pick up some books! This week I chose five books to dig into this month:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><a href="https://www.christianbook.com/power-purpose-breaking-through-intentional-living/michael-catt/9781433650437/pd/650437?event=ESRCG">The Power of Purpose</a></span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"> by Michael Catt<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><a href="https://www.christianbook.com/a-resilient-life-gordon-macdonald/9780785287919/pd/87914?product_redirect=1&Ntt=87914&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP">A Resilient Life</a></span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"> by Gordon MacDonald<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><a href="https://www.christianbook.com/reading-finding-life-through-great-books/karen-prior/9781587433962/pd/433960?product_redirect=1&Ntt=433960&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP">On Reading Well</a></span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"> by Karen Prior<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Wanderings-Learning-Live-Zigzag/dp/1530144353/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1546750380&sr=8-2&keywords=wilderness+wanderings">Wilderness Wanderings</a></span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"> by Bill Lawrence<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><a href="https://www.christianbook.com/its-not-supposed-be-this-way/lysa-terkeurst/9780718039851/pd/039851?product_redirect=1&Ntt=039851&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP">It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way</a></span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"> by Lysa Terkeurst<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><b>3. Get organized.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">As the decorations come down and a sense of tidiness arises, I decide afresh what in my life and family needs to be tackled organizationally. As taxes loom on the horizon, January always seems a good time to gather appropriate financial records. I loaded my Turbo Tax program on my laptop on December 29.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gko1jap6cLtFoLx1y4JhaDBsMYyQKGU3dUDVtLpCg9vHgdTeQz77mwl_W8SZnkPkDh7E-xMygEdmq9rZyDjTAhA8eA2Y5SxrURrqDiVe-ulOnGrFSZkfD0lMiFgkYV8FH7PLNVgQrdhy/s1600/office-594132__340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="510" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gko1jap6cLtFoLx1y4JhaDBsMYyQKGU3dUDVtLpCg9vHgdTeQz77mwl_W8SZnkPkDh7E-xMygEdmq9rZyDjTAhA8eA2Y5SxrURrqDiVe-ulOnGrFSZkfD0lMiFgkYV8FH7PLNVgQrdhy/s320/office-594132__340.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">But, with a fresh surge of inspiration, I also ask what other areas need attention. This year I am diligently working to make sure my external hard drive backup is up-to-date. For me this includes tediously going through several saved and recovered backups from previous crashes and collecting everything I want to keep in one digital location.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">This undertaking also involves deleting some of those unnecessary pictures (who really needs 30,000 pics of their family!!!) and organizing them into useful files. If I can never access them, they don’t help me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Maybe you should work on a new system for your personal calendar, remembering birthdays of people you love, storing your addresses, planning for a family vacation, or preparing to shop in more efficient ways.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><b>4. Review.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">January offers a logical time to review some big-picture items from the previous year. I take some time to reconsider my journal entries from last year, asking the Holy Spirit to show me anything He wants me to remember.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;">You can ask questions like the following as you review: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Are there recurring themes in my life from last year? What promises from God’s Word meant the most to you? What were your most meaningful moments with the Lord? What were you trusting God for last year? What was going on in your heart? What failures did you experience? Review any areas of neglect or disobedience. Did you let anything drop the Lord gave to you? Note any high or low points in your entries.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><b>5. Set goals and move forward.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">As you have done numbers 1-4, ask the Lord to help you set goals in various areas of life for 2019. Just like moving forward with a flat screen television meant I had to let go of the old set, we may have to let go of some things from 2018 – good and bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">We didn't achieve every goal from last year. We made some poor choices. We have room to grow. But, we made progress in other areas and learned valuable lessons.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDnrwfwwSj3QyugyrzhdsYcnAz_7t3jUmI3MyB2XH31IHqunxc-HIJB75pYFNBgTurSvmPX14SccDRFSoNAgzOq4DdaDk5t9y5RhvJfNhb0JgdePoVBbg_2-zTmC6D-qTVE88X7qy_cTi/s1600/motivation-3227624__340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="850" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDnrwfwwSj3QyugyrzhdsYcnAz_7t3jUmI3MyB2XH31IHqunxc-HIJB75pYFNBgTurSvmPX14SccDRFSoNAgzOq4DdaDk5t9y5RhvJfNhb0JgdePoVBbg_2-zTmC6D-qTVE88X7qy_cTi/s400/motivation-3227624__340.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">Where do I want to take my family this year? What books will we read as a family? What's a plan for leading some family devotions this year? How can I intentionally build into a meaningful relationship? What work skills do I need to add or improve? How can I better use my time?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;">As we learn from the past, let’s set our focus to learn new things from the Lord, trust Him today, and accomplish His purposes in our lives in this fresh year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I’ve just started Michael Catt’s book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.christianbook.com/power-purpose-breaking-through-intentional-living/michael-catt/9781433650437/pd/650437?event=ESRCG">The Power of Purpose</a>. </i>In the Introduction, he writes, “As long as God is on the throne, there is hope. . . . Whatever you are facing, look it in the face and look God in the face and ask Him what He wants you to learn. Wherever you are, it’s not an accident. God can take a setback and turn it into a stepping stone. . . . I believe hope and purpose are tired together. If I have a sense of purpose, I have hope. If I have hope, I have a sense of purpose. Purpose matters. . . . God didn’t place us here and wish us good luck. He didn’t make us in His image to be a victim of circumstances. He put us here to be overcomers.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><i>Pictures used by permission from Pixabay</i></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-62289413129847049412024-01-01T19:41:00.005-05:002024-01-29T19:44:10.751-05:0010 Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The first days of January off<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">er a great time for <span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">evaluati<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">on<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">, r<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">eflect<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">ion, and planning. </span></span></span></span></span></span>The following is a helpful article by <a href="http://biblicalspirituality.org/">Donald Whitney</a>. </span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. <span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">'</span>Consider your ways!<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">'</span> (Haggai 1:5) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them.</span> <span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVgdcVUTJn331Kq_bd8VmZe3Kcvargdfaj0LX-3Wc6lILPO44sRTL4NLTfF8VRXNknrNew-ymL_HrWQlBjTY-kj6podR76TN7KKmA_fet2MeHWj63UIH_p03J7JBofwg6f05fGAR99gPm/s1600/new-years-eve-1953253__480.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVgdcVUTJn331Kq_bd8VmZe3Kcvargdfaj0LX-3Wc6lILPO44sRTL4NLTfF8VRXNknrNew-ymL_HrWQlBjTY-kj6podR76TN7KKmA_fet2MeHWj63UIH_p03J7JBofwg6f05fGAR99gPm/w320-h213/new-years-eve-1953253__480.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It’s so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we’re going and where we should be going.<br /><br />The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God."<br /><br /><a href="http://ht.ly/GC3y9">Read the entire article, 10 Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year or On Your Birthday, here.</a></span><br /><br /><span><br /></span><i><span>Picture used by permission from Pixabay.</span></i></span>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-51862523486782058762023-12-26T19:37:00.004-05:002023-12-28T13:41:24.222-05:00The Jealous King<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFGtWNrMkEPXiZohoaeCxaJN8SeZgAir_V1EK0BfATSJNvcChA-MuCe0_eu7V9K8B8BD5b-KyrXOpaTP5V7TNwyoCEtxIgzXS7MR88MkSXK5SQlaUNCgPWKCULPvv6o_hGTD5wMPfJjfv2tk-dhxx-mfhejVXbaSH5cNEP6nhy08nN0YcoKs8Vt5wtLYJ/s1280/watercolour-1768925_1280.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1280" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFGtWNrMkEPXiZohoaeCxaJN8SeZgAir_V1EK0BfATSJNvcChA-MuCe0_eu7V9K8B8BD5b-KyrXOpaTP5V7TNwyoCEtxIgzXS7MR88MkSXK5SQlaUNCgPWKCULPvv6o_hGTD5wMPfJjfv2tk-dhxx-mfhejVXbaSH5cNEP6nhy08nN0YcoKs8Vt5wtLYJ/w200-h155/watercolour-1768925_1280.jpg" width="200" /></a></span><br /><span>He was a
madman. He exiled or killed off all of his wives. A master of manipulation, he
worked to gain the favor of the people above and below him. Known as a
“ruthless fighter, a cunning negotiator, and a subtle diplomat,” (Nelson’s
Bible Dictionary), he was the first of six King Herods, Roman rulers in
Palestine around the time of Jesus’ life. The biblical account presents Herod
the Great, a self-designated title, as the narcissist in the Christmas story.
He was so bad that when people recognized the leadership potential of his son,
the buzz around Jerusalem became, “Herod is great, but his son is greater.” To
eliminate the competition, he ordered the assassination of his son.</span><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In direct
contrast to the magi, the joyous kings, who came to worship the newborn King of
the Jews, Herod was the jealous king. The Herod spirit is an insecure,
manipulative, self-serving one. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Narcissism,
a term derived from Greek mythology, designates a person obsessed with
themselves. Modern psychologists even designate a narcissist disorder for some
people, though many people would simply be described as having narcissistic
tendencies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Unfortunately,
the church is not immune from this reality. I’ve spent more than twenty years
studying the effects of narcissistic ministry leaders on churches and people.
I’ve seen it surface in a senior pastor. I’ve experienced it in a pastor’s wife
(not my own!). I’ve seen it in a church treasurer. And likely, you may have
too. The manipulation and politicking I’ve occasionally – not often – seen in
churches by someone with narcissistic tendencies rival anything that happens in
Washington, D.C.! And it leaves much damage in its wake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98srwJMp1sek5DE4rvCDcvY8qD4vaCQl3jHr4pCZjWS1nvG7VTX5SC78Bgvgw4bSu4ldYXDYheio7DaPqZKN6rs2j8Q3H5qd2sFsXk29CBegC-T5mh_mpw4lvABiKmEccKXLT6si2dFD48VZ7Tax1SN_cF_U2A6mQqxpL5b90Q6xqVqwHrK7a9n6jeHin/s400/841590.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="251" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98srwJMp1sek5DE4rvCDcvY8qD4vaCQl3jHr4pCZjWS1nvG7VTX5SC78Bgvgw4bSu4ldYXDYheio7DaPqZKN6rs2j8Q3H5qd2sFsXk29CBegC-T5mh_mpw4lvABiKmEccKXLT6si2dFD48VZ7Tax1SN_cF_U2A6mQqxpL5b90Q6xqVqwHrK7a9n6jeHin/s320/841590.jpg" width="201" /></span></a></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Earlier this
year I read Chuck DeGroat’s recent release from InterVarsity Press, <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/narcissism-church-healing-community-emotional-spiritual/chuck-degroat/9780830841592/pd/841590?product_redirect=1&search_term=when%20narciss&Ntt=841590&item_code=&ps_exit=PRODUCT|legacy&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP" target="_blank">“When Narcissism Comes to Church.”</a> DeGroat offers several characteristics of the
narcissistic ministry leader.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Decision-making
centers on them. They must keep their hands in the decision-making, and they
are offended and angered when people make decisions different than what they
would choose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Impatience
and lack of ability to listen to others. He may call his impatience
decisiveness, but he lacks curiosity, empathy, and compassion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Delegating
without giving authority. She wants people around her to carry out her wishes,
resulting in micromanagement. She may call a team together and ask their
opinions, but at the end of the day she instructs them to do what she wants in
sundry subjective details.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Feeling
threatened or intimidated by other talented people. DeGroat says they often
“feign connection in order to woo followers.” They pour it on to people they
want to sway, yet they are deeply threatened by someone who does not seem to
need them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Need to be
the best and brightest in the room. The narcissistic ministry leader wants to
outshine others. In a healthy team, when one person wins, it makes everyone
look good. In an unhealthy one, jealousy and turf wars erupt when one person
shines. The narcissist needs to be special, needed, and the hero. Henry Cloud
writes in his new book, “Trust,” that narcissistic “people have a great
investment in being seen as ‘ideal’ or ‘perfect.’ They must be adored and
idealized by others in order to feel secure and trust.” A narcissistic parent
will even feel threatened by the success of other people’s children and may
even target them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Intimidate
others. Highly insecure, “they are always on the watch for disloyalty, and when
they find it, they punish it severely.” They see their opinions, views, and the
way they would do things as the “right” way. And they will not hesitate from
using intimidation to try to back you down into your corner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Praising and
withdrawing. She will pour it on to praise the person that she feels approves
or her, submits to her, and can be controlled by her. But watch ought if you
disagree with her, because she cannot tolerate disagreement. To her, it is
disrespect and worthy of correction. Her correction. When she realizes you will
not be controlled, she withdraws – and often begins plotting how to get you out
of her system.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The narcissist
works hard to control themselves, their family, and those around them. However,
staying in control will attack your spirit of joy. Herod was crazy in part
because he would not give up control. He tried to perfect his life by
controlling everyone around him. But the spirit of joy is in direct contrast to
the spirit of Herod.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjah1NotbQPwOAxDsStRQ1TL1o-Zd7nBOaNBC7jGiE4ZUOatdgAp0hJ80zq4m1LmUWqs_EBn918BSNzDIiDsuPsbIbY3zXkNRT-9rCl9IBZkE6CqlVsWTGJOep_JN6Q9i4l-tAaJyV3odE71Qmoya5RV72j-NxVPhl_g449oFxnQJ7fr3lXcWtkk8-styxd/s1280/jesus-3852478_1280.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1280" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjah1NotbQPwOAxDsStRQ1TL1o-Zd7nBOaNBC7jGiE4ZUOatdgAp0hJ80zq4m1LmUWqs_EBn918BSNzDIiDsuPsbIbY3zXkNRT-9rCl9IBZkE6CqlVsWTGJOep_JN6Q9i4l-tAaJyV3odE71Qmoya5RV72j-NxVPhl_g449oFxnQJ7fr3lXcWtkk8-styxd/s320/jesus-3852478_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />The Bible
describes the magi, after their 1000-mile journey that likely took six to nine
months, as being “filled with joy” (Matthew 2:10 NLT). Unlike Herod the Great,
they focused on One even greater – the true King of Kings. Seeing themselves as
one part of a much grander plan, they served others, valued input from others,
and helped others to accomplish their goals.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And the
young Child born in the manger modeled the opposite of the Herod spirit. The
Creator of the universe came to earth as a vulnerable baby, needed to be
carried, nourished, and helped by the very humans He created. Giving up His
rights, and giving up any need for acclaim, He humbled Himself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And because
He did, you and I can know everlasting joy. The spirit of great joy comes from
submitting to and worshiping the King of Kings - and serving others with your
life. Give up your control and trust Him.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2023/02/lessons-learned-from-church-crap.html" target="_blank"><i>Read Lessons Learned from Church Hurt</i></a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Pictures used courtesy of Pixabay.</i></span></span></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-61328956201467870442023-12-25T19:51:00.000-05:002023-12-28T13:47:28.285-05:00Letting Go of Christmas<p></p><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Reposted from December 2013 . . .</span></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It is always
hard for me to let go of Christmas. <br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GDg0HvfcHF7Vk2Wg2NQd7n4aMPcO-I4Z8ZO_qosFUerXI0udsN9K6nb-3O8jckaf5Nn4WfYqwLz1JIMsecgHqJASEtiEaTEouhOa4JN8tAZ98oDm7Rtpy8Og55h_GpF2O5irwUhrgUKjd1vFqCFVS3zK9S7BhhGULWE0vwsyef7RSslTXA3XnbTy1BdR/s1280/christmas-tree-2928142_1280.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GDg0HvfcHF7Vk2Wg2NQd7n4aMPcO-I4Z8ZO_qosFUerXI0udsN9K6nb-3O8jckaf5Nn4WfYqwLz1JIMsecgHqJASEtiEaTEouhOa4JN8tAZ98oDm7Rtpy8Og55h_GpF2O5irwUhrgUKjd1vFqCFVS3zK9S7BhhGULWE0vwsyef7RSslTXA3XnbTy1BdR/s320/christmas-tree-2928142_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The fall
months are my favorite time of year – all leading up to Christ’s
birthday. For our family, the celebrations begin with birthdays for
my wife and I in August and September. Then each year fun marks
October as our children pick out costumes to wear on Halloween. As
the bright leaves of October begin turning into November’s duller hues, my
oldest son has a birthday the first week. After that celebration, we
anticipate Thanksgiving, trying each year to give the holiday more attention
than simply one Turkey Day. I pull out some CD’s with traditional
Thanksgiving hymns, and we read stories of the
Pilgrims. Thanksgiving Day (or the weekend thereafter) our family
works on our Thanksgiving tree, each one writing down specific matters of
thanksgiving on construction-paper leaves. <o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanksgiving
afternoon includes Daddy pulling out the sale papers and making strategic plans
for Black Friday! Christmas is the only season when I really enjoy
shopping (and when I give myself permission to really splurge and enjoy
spending). Black Friday finds me most years leaving the house hours
before the rest of the family awake. And over the course of that
weekend, as Thanksgiving hymns give way to Christmas ones, the Advent season
comes alive once again! </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Our family
enjoys the various aspects of December. Tree-decorating always
stands out as one of our favorite experiences. We love unpacking the
various ornaments – many that we have forgotten since packing them eleven
months ago – and enjoying the memories associated with them. We have
fun Hallmark collectibles ranging from superheroes, Disney characters, and
movie nostalgia. There are classy, blown-glass ornaments including
Santas, manger scene people, and drummers from Colonial
Williamsburg. Small treasures adorn our tree as keepsakes from the
places we have traveled – a clear holy family that we obtained at The Biltmore
House on our honeymoon, a small Ryman Auditorium from Nashville, a beautiful
one replicating the barn at The Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, and a red
round ball with the inscription “Thomas Road Baptist Church” which we bought to
remind us of our December-trips to Lynchburg, Virginia. There are
even ones that remind us of friends from long ago – childhood friends, our
families of origin, a star that deflects the light of the tree that was given
to me in memory of a dear old friend, Gloria Taylor (the person who gave it
called it my “Glo Star” to remember that sweet woman). During the
month we can hear Kermit the Frog sing the rainbow song, the Indiana Jones
theme song, and Linus repeat the Christmas story as our children press various
buttons on the ornaments with batteries! What fun are Christmas
trees!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUYg450o5Juai_0NPlQDfH7YcD6HiZwjPFeLTGCXETf055PT2agoZyRcv5HagePT_fl6MFajX51iHPM5M_06ViDcqKXxQCGNHvBduDBxao4DkJqAeOBBWkmTxjvA8rO0OKiyuFxi0cELn5QiF6E1BnCJ5H3NkHOwtSQLGZWSWj5qxdIDOfDAYdrtS4z0N/s1280/christmas-3030279_1280.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1280" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUYg450o5Juai_0NPlQDfH7YcD6HiZwjPFeLTGCXETf055PT2agoZyRcv5HagePT_fl6MFajX51iHPM5M_06ViDcqKXxQCGNHvBduDBxao4DkJqAeOBBWkmTxjvA8rO0OKiyuFxi0cELn5QiF6E1BnCJ5H3NkHOwtSQLGZWSWj5qxdIDOfDAYdrtS4z0N/s320/christmas-3030279_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />We enjoy
reading books about Christmas. One series we have used in recent
years explains from a Christian perspective the traditions of the candy cane,
the Christmas stocking, the Christmas tree, and the history of Saint
Nicholas. What a rich heritage surrounds Christmas. I
suppose one reason that Christmas is so wonderful is that, whether the world
understands it or not, it is as if the modern world adjusts their lives for one
month to remember and celebrate what happened at Bethlehem. You can
turn on virtually any radio station – country, rock, classical – and hear
people singing about Jesus Christ. On our CD players we hear
The Robert Shaw Chorale singing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” The St. Olaf
Choir sing “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” Nat King Cole roll out “The Christmas
Song” and “A Cradle in Bethlehem,” Kenny and Dolly frolic and play with “I’ll
Be Home with Bells On” Michael Buble croon with “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot
Like Christmas,” Alabama share “Christmas in Dixie,” and The Oak Ridge Boys add
my children’s favorite from this year – “A Peterbilt Sleigh!” <br />
<br />
People often take time to be friendlier, to show generosity, compassion, and
goodwill during December. People share their goods with the
needy and hungry, often purchasing toys or meals for children or families in
want. Church services abound with songs about Jesus, festive lights
and colors, and genuine wishes of cheer and blessing to one another.
Dickens also said, <i>I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a
kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time when men and women seem to
open their hearts freely, and so I say, God bless Christmas!</i><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In early
December our family celebrates the birthday of our daughter, often by taking a
road trip to Lynchburg, Virginia, to experience The Virginia Christmas
Spectacular, a fantastic Christmas show at Thomas Road Baptist Church.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yes, to me
it is the most wonderful time of the year. Charles Dickens wrote,
“There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I enjoy
giving. I often don’t have the money to give the type of gifts
through the year that I would like to people I love. But Christmas
offers an opportunity to find ways to express your love and appreciation to
those around you. I find it a great yearly joy to prepare and give
those over-the-top presents for my own children and to enjoy their pleasure in
them. (We chuckled happily at our seven-year old falling on the
floor as though he were fainting when he saw that Santa had left him not one or
two but six Star Wars action figures!)<br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cgnSm7prTgOQCk0vvMcjK2MZKZPXqFFN6HYymfEjOGI5_U4aEBWHTu_j7YOm6IfRTWqMWJG6yJ1tLePNbNiB7bN0qd9LIJQlsIl_u7x1fd-vNjdvl9DR6RdPXJcSXzz-5ey-_SJsAwPd2CJuf19KK7LMbizWu2olYVfA21SHbpK3ILHePkwwjlmHdgPY/s1280/snowflakes-1014159_1280.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1280" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cgnSm7prTgOQCk0vvMcjK2MZKZPXqFFN6HYymfEjOGI5_U4aEBWHTu_j7YOm6IfRTWqMWJG6yJ1tLePNbNiB7bN0qd9LIJQlsIl_u7x1fd-vNjdvl9DR6RdPXJcSXzz-5ey-_SJsAwPd2CJuf19KK7LMbizWu2olYVfA21SHbpK3ILHePkwwjlmHdgPY/s320/snowflakes-1014159_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The few days
before and after Christmas offer time to devote almost completely to the
family. For my wife and I, that may be the best gift of
all. To have a few days to spend in almost uninterrupted leisure
together – that is surely a taste of heaven on earth. Each
year I am surprised afresh at how little I long for the outside allurements
around Christmas. Email and surfing the internet hold little appeal,
I don’t want to spend any more money on anything after the gifts are purchased,
there is little pleasure in engaging the outside world of stores, shopping, and
the like. I suppose it is because when you have focused on Jesus and
His coming for weeks, when you have given your best to those you love, and when
you take time to really enjoy the people around you – that indeed is
a blessed, contented taste of heaven. Time to play long with the
children without feeling the need to "hurry it up." Time to
say, "What do you want to do," and mean it! Time to get on
the floor and engage the children and play with their toys in their
world. Time to talk with your spouse and enjoy the blessings of marriage!</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Oswald
Chambers rightly says that the real test of spiritual maturity is not how well
one does on the mountain but how well he descends the mountain. As
we walk forward with the afterglow of Christmas 2012 on our backs
and still ringing in our ears, may we remember the words of Charles Dickens, “I
will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.” <br />
<br />
May we remember and live our lives in light of the things that really do
matter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-83870087741467667492023-12-06T18:47:00.000-05:002023-12-06T18:47:02.462-05:00Hendrix Performs at Liberty University<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHmNNb1XULKQ8WsCNZv7KlSBV_ee2BVNYzYNoFMAvkkLWLoSFeFfOZeoxCUBwf-ynOETmIRoutqQ11T_Je55OhTY6dayDzA9r-4PQiICS-3vqMX7gTKHr_jHUuUGpLAYdT89zoL_dCGWTlVVd6d2c32niqLL77gOtpckC6yi3Uh1ZzrO853zrE9q8Ri7s/s2048/405459084_2070792623297369_5204849334270015750_n%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHmNNb1XULKQ8WsCNZv7KlSBV_ee2BVNYzYNoFMAvkkLWLoSFeFfOZeoxCUBwf-ynOETmIRoutqQ11T_Je55OhTY6dayDzA9r-4PQiICS-3vqMX7gTKHr_jHUuUGpLAYdT89zoL_dCGWTlVVd6d2c32niqLL77gOtpckC6yi3Uh1ZzrO853zrE9q8Ri7s/w400-h266/405459084_2070792623297369_5204849334270015750_n%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Our son, Rhett Jr. (Hendrix), and his band rocked the house last Saturday evening at Liberty University's coffeehouse held in the Vines Arena. Watch (below) the L Street Band perform "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gntxyfT4mho" width="320" youtube-src-id="gntxyfT4mho"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-34692942939557180132023-12-05T18:59:00.002-05:002023-12-06T19:03:26.230-05:00Rhett's Interview with Bob Crittendem - The 7 Ps<p> </p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYXznSDivyofkfMjy9TsCRa40Y6BgyBL0Jbu1m0-Vtb3JLUbuNErWjKVywDN6qeeo7ppMbRDBvZ8nyCq41d2F6JJfDu4g5bpxz1ZFphm0B7WtR0S7Ugpb6Kmq9bB0pYF8fp1VmRg_SSrWpoLHbPFtE36CHTVb7lY1o8SedrHBQZbe4gyScB3RqxGS0FTq/s1212/PROOF-4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1212" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYXznSDivyofkfMjy9TsCRa40Y6BgyBL0Jbu1m0-Vtb3JLUbuNErWjKVywDN6qeeo7ppMbRDBvZ8nyCq41d2F6JJfDu4g5bpxz1ZFphm0B7WtR0S7Ugpb6Kmq9bB0pYF8fp1VmRg_SSrWpoLHbPFtE36CHTVb7lY1o8SedrHBQZbe4gyScB3RqxGS0FTq/s320/PROOF-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Here's an
interview with me and Bob Crittendem of Faith Radio that recently aired. Bob
and I talked about my new book. <a href="https://www.faithradio.org/programming/media-center/wilson-rhett-the-7-ps-of-prayer/?fbclid=IwAR1PHOw15oss531k3vPkaxPurs8drakaYcso5ENP-qP30kVQYeWuf7qAbRc" target="_blank">Click here to listen.</a></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bob and I talked about the release of my new book, <a href="http://7psofprayer.net" target="_blank">The 7 Ps of Prayer.</a></span><a href="https://www.faithradio.org/programming/media-center/wilson-rhett-the-7-ps-of-prayer/?fbclid=IwAR1PHOw15oss531k3vPkaxPurs8drakaYcso5ENP-qP30kVQYeWuf7qAbRc" target="_blank"><br /></a><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><br /><p></p></div>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-19059655140504483972023-12-04T20:44:00.001-05:002023-12-06T20:51:01.062-05:00Christmas Concert - Rhett and Tracey <p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Tracey and I enjoyed performing last November at Edwards Road Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. You can enjoy our concert <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky-scYzH_Ac" target="_blank">by clicking here.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9zzC_JK78jjP2UFLTo__GmD6y90gWqvZzQPN4JWUIm_EMC0KnfWNQsUsC_WSlIQ__z_iCioSdBkncLal-aExUvrQyDeUvhkLtZ8Na9X3b_UEzXC2SCI1tr07TuCYp1n8LEt1nRTa6jNhI6olwQ46jsUVXxn_pmmGhAhOM4hRbH3mwiSQ30WByma916iH/s2159/11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="2159" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9zzC_JK78jjP2UFLTo__GmD6y90gWqvZzQPN4JWUIm_EMC0KnfWNQsUsC_WSlIQ__z_iCioSdBkncLal-aExUvrQyDeUvhkLtZ8Na9X3b_UEzXC2SCI1tr07TuCYp1n8LEt1nRTa6jNhI6olwQ46jsUVXxn_pmmGhAhOM4hRbH3mwiSQ30WByma916iH/w400-h196/11.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-20506088540486890792023-11-15T17:41:00.006-05:002023-11-15T17:41:58.643-05:00Here’s Why We Should Still Celebrate the Pilgrims at Thanksgiving<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">"For most American families, Thanksgiving is a time to gather with loved ones, eat delicious food, and perhaps watch some football.</span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFu3VNStbyrP06GTXV6i84Ez_5VVr3eSB6hNjEXgnn5Am7wRRMrikkV27lrg6RaLMYutHd7hxnul0xK_1dspxZvz6AMI8zFJwG2DxyVjte0u4Ki08LoVs7utvQapXiEZH36csZl_P4yMcD/s1600/pumpkin-3759587__340.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="510" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFu3VNStbyrP06GTXV6i84Ez_5VVr3eSB6hNjEXgnn5Am7wRRMrikkV27lrg6RaLMYutHd7hxnul0xK_1dspxZvz6AMI8zFJwG2DxyVjte0u4Ki08LoVs7utvQapXiEZH36csZl_P4yMcD/s320/pumpkin-3759587__340.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">But not everyone is pleased with the celebration of this holiday, and some have taken to maligning its 'originators,' the Pilgrims.</span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">An editorial in Al Jazeera labeled Thanksgiving a 'thoroughly nauseating affair,' one that is 'saturated with disgrace.' Other articles have called the Pilgrims genocidal toward Native Americans, or argued that the original idea of a Thanksgiving feast is a 'myth.' ”</span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Read the entire article by Jarrett Stepman at <a href="http://dailysignal.com/2017/11/20/heres-still-celebrate-pilgrims-thanksgiving/?utm_source=TDS_Email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBell%22&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTVdSaFpqZ3dZVFk1TjJFeSIsInQiOiJoNGZyaVRwdnIrMlMxREJXbWs0eWI0TEFaQjY2OXlFNktCclN0Y3V0Vkg3SlZ1bzZwRk1kWENqS0F3OWJFNFU5ZEgxdHE3OGZmMHlnaWo1UDNwTXBEUlBWRjJUY1hzOGtKVmJUWHR1U2V1azJYOGJRWVFXOGxzcTVLRFhRcm9MOCJ9" target="_blank">The Daily Signal here.</a></span><br /><br /><i>Picture used by permission from Pixabay.</i></span><br /><br /></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-48210760216804562352023-11-15T17:39:00.007-05:002023-11-15T17:39:42.413-05:00Preparing for Thanksgiving<p><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TtdGG_8oOxjDSgQdGL3L1-aoG_qrapy7NNBN52fAELSKGMXx2hojziOTUv1AkRqF9EZjx-Wr7f75lFkSkUXuYcHk-ApaFDBuhG3qSY_0Ap6tmxtav4LSg49vqLGhhTEuzIQaJrfC7TTN/s1600/DSCN6556.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TtdGG_8oOxjDSgQdGL3L1-aoG_qrapy7NNBN52fAELSKGMXx2hojziOTUv1AkRqF9EZjx-Wr7f75lFkSkUXuYcHk-ApaFDBuhG3qSY_0Ap6tmxtav4LSg49vqLGhhTEuzIQaJrfC7TTN/s320/DSCN6556.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">I love the beauty of the leaves as October turns to November, reminding us that autumn is passing and winter approaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it aggravates me every year when the stores try to sell Christmas to us way-too-early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pursuit of the dollar tempts us to overlook one of the year’s most important observations: Thanksgiving.</span></span><br /><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"> </span></span><br /><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Here is one holiday that avoids commercialism, brings people together, offers fantastic food, and calls us to forsake our selfishness and instead practice gratitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t lose the spirit of Thanksgiving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Claim it, prepare for it, and practice the art of that holiday.</span></span><br /><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"></span><br /><br /></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; line-height: 18.4px;">As we plan for Thanksgiving this month, here are a few ways to intentionally lead your family to be thankful.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; line-height: 18.4px;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; line-height: 18.4px;">Read the entire article, <a href="http://rhettwilson.blogspot.com/2015/11/preparing-for-thanksgiving.html">Preparing for Thanksgiving, here.</a></span></span></div>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-788482366612396512023-11-15T17:37:00.004-05:002023-11-15T17:37:39.933-05:00Thanksgiving in America<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The tradition introduced by European Americans of Thanksgiving as a time to focus on God and His blessings dates back well over four centuries in America. For example, such thanksgivings occurred in 1541 at Palo Duro Canyon, Texas with Coronado and 1,500 of his men; </span><a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN1"><sup>1</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R1"></a><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> in 1564 at St. Augustine, Florida with French Huguenot (Protestant) colonists; </span><a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN2"><sup>2</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R2"></a><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> in 1598 at El Paso, Texas with Juan de Oñate and his expedition; </span><a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN3"><sup>3</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R3"></a><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> in 1607 at Cape Henry, Virginia with the landing of the Jamestown settlers; </span><a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN4"><sup>4</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R4"></a><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> in 1619 at Berkeley Plantation, Virginia; </span><a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN5"><sup>5</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R5"></a><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> (and many other such celebrations). But it is primarily from the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving celebration of 1621 that we derive the current tradition of Thanksgiving Day.</span><br /><br /></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bmC-A94ggm3TtrqSUqWlPjY4RMiHbWlER2JIwMvFHKnW3jWU15PGdLNNpdgGY2kt_AwWCU4hVRClm8jQrLYXc3YgQ-H2FD-ZaQR_a8sTPmw1XWTbqA3EdxRbl0_d2VOpWai_PYci8CL4/s1600/the_first_Thanksgiving.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="500" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bmC-A94ggm3TtrqSUqWlPjY4RMiHbWlER2JIwMvFHKnW3jWU15PGdLNNpdgGY2kt_AwWCU4hVRClm8jQrLYXc3YgQ-H2FD-ZaQR_a8sTPmw1XWTbqA3EdxRbl0_d2VOpWai_PYci8CL4/s400/the_first_Thanksgiving.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">The Pilgrims set sail for America on September 6, 1620, and for two months braved the harsh elements of a storm-tossed sea. Upon disembarking at Plymouth Rock, they held a prayer service and then hastily began building shelters; however, unprepared for such a harsh New England winter, nearly half of them died before spring. <a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN6"><sup>6</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R6"></a> Emerging from that grueling winter, the Pilgrims were surprised when an Indian named Samoset approached them and greeted them in their own language, explaining to them that he had learned English from fishermen and traders. A week later, Samoset returned with a friend named Squanto, who lived with the Pilgrims and accepted their Christian faith. Squanto taught the Pilgrims much about how to live in the New World, and he and Samoset helped forge a long-lasting peace treaty between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians. Pilgrim Governor William Bradford described Squanto as “a special instrument sent of God for [our] good . . . and never left [us] till he died.” <a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN7"><sup>7</sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; line-height: 17.12px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">That summer, the Pilgrims, still persevering in prayer and assisted by helpful Indians, <a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN8"><sup>8</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R8"></a> reaped a bountiful harvest. <a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN9"><sup>9</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R9"></a> As Pilgrim Edward Winslow (later to become the Governor) affirmed, “God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn”; “by the goodness of God, we are…far from want.” <a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN10"><sup>10</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R10"></a> The grateful Pilgrims therefore declared a three-day feast in December 1621 to thank God and to celebrate with their Indian friends <a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN11"><sup>11</sup></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/null" name="R11"></a> – America’s first Thanksgiving Festival. Ninety Wampanoag Indians joined the fifty Pilgrims for three days of feasting (which included shellfish, lobsters, turkey, corn bread, berries, deer, and other foods), of play (the young Pilgrim and Wampanoag men engaged in races, wrestling matches, and athletic events), and of prayer. This celebration and its accompanying activities were the origin of the holiday that Americans now celebrate each November.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://wallbuilders.com/celebrating-thanksgiving-america/#FN10">Check out the entire article by David Barton here at Wallbuilders.</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><i>Picture in the Public Domain.</i></span></span></div>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-47065247294176394572023-11-14T17:40:00.001-05:002023-11-15T17:40:55.519-05:00What's the Truth About the First Thanksgiving?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a33Fuz8wKDA" width="320" youtube-src-id="a33Fuz8wKDA"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-80837485449608667632023-11-14T16:58:00.007-05:002023-11-14T17:06:15.927-05:00The Church's Response to Cohabitation<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Cohabitation has become a growing trend in recent years in American culture. How can Christians - and the church - think and then act biblically, in a way that honors the Lord, about this trend? Here are a collection of articles and podcasts I've put together from some great Christian thinkers and communicators.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNjy-z9aImVZikeHsG2IzvxguH-5Ck1zVhzLxDZIRYkkimK7tIUYcQ89Yr3ELohYcGPt5k9HdpkTZuaydPyKXnwYmsscyrm7oZZ388mzxU1U9x190-dYkheUQfGQYIE40cwUhL56XyvtvIl-8NQsrlx3W1wq82puTzJejVWr2E-EcAd5gfW0PVExbg1Dq/s5472/pexels-jasmin-wedding-photography-1415131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNjy-z9aImVZikeHsG2IzvxguH-5Ck1zVhzLxDZIRYkkimK7tIUYcQ89Yr3ELohYcGPt5k9HdpkTZuaydPyKXnwYmsscyrm7oZZ388mzxU1U9x190-dYkheUQfGQYIE40cwUhL56XyvtvIl-8NQsrlx3W1wq82puTzJejVWr2E-EcAd5gfW0PVExbg1Dq/s320/pexels-jasmin-wedding-photography-1415131.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Articles
and Podcasts on Cohabitation and Pastoral Ministry<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Articles<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.denisonforum.org/church-leadership/when-a-cohabiting-couple-wants-to-join-your-church/">https://www.denisonforum.org/church-leadership/when-a-cohabiting-couple-wants-to-join-your-church/</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/living-together-before-marriage-how-to-have-a-conversation-with-someone-making-the-wrong-choice/">https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/living-together-before-marriage-how-to-have-a-conversation-with-someone-making-the-wrong-choice/</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/women-leaders/2013/october/what-intimate-cohabitation-means-for-ministry.html">https://www.christianitytoday.com/women-leaders/2013/october/what-intimate-cohabitation-means-for-ministry.html</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2023/10/pastoral-policy-on-cohabitation.html">https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2023/10/pastoral-policy-on-cohabitation.html</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/christians-and-cohabitation-what-you-need-to-know.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/christians-and-cohabitation-what-you-need-to-know.html</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/faith/essentials-faith/reaching-out/when-your-friends-are-moving-in-together-before-marriage/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/faith/essentials-faith/reaching-out/when-your-friends-are-moving-in-together-before-marriage/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/9-things-you-should-know-about-cohabitation-in-america/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/9-things-you-should-know-about-cohabitation-in-america/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/tgc-documents/carson/2010_cohabiting.pdf"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://s3.amazonaws.com/tgc-documents/carson/2010_cohabiting.pdf</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/getting-married/engagements-and-weddings/gods-way-is-always-the-best-way/">https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/getting-married/engagements-and-weddings/gods-way-is-always-the-best-way/</a></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://billygraham.org/answer/why-is-living-together-unmarried-considered-a-sin/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://billygraham.org/answer/why-is-living-together-unmarried-considered-a-sin/</span></a><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: hyperlink;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Podcasts
and Videos<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/video/wrong-engaged-couples-live-together/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/video/wrong-engaged-couples-live-together/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://biblicalcounseling.com/resource-library/podcast-episodes/til-040-talking-to-couples-who-are-living-together-feat-kevin-carson/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://biblicalcounseling.com/resource-library/podcast-episodes/til-040-talking-to-couples-who-are-living-together-feat-kevin-carson/</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: hyperlink;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-today/cohabitation-good-or-bad/">https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-today/cohabitation-good-or-bad/</a>
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: hyperlink;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-today/speaking-truth-to-a-culture/">https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-today/speaking-truth-to-a-culture/</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: hyperlink;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-today/cohabitation-the-new-norm/<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://churchanswers.com/podcasts/rainer-on-leadership/six-cultural-pastoral-issues-where-pastors-often-struggle-rainer-on-leadership-542/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://churchanswers.com/podcasts/rainer-on-leadership/six-cultural-pastoral-issues-where-pastors-often-struggle-rainer-on-leadership-542/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.familylife.com/?s=cohabitation"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.familylife.com/?s=cohabitation</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.focusonthefamily.com/episodes/broadcast/gods-blueprint-for-a-healthy-marriage-part-1-of-3/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.focusonthefamily.com/episodes/broadcast/gods-blueprint-for-a-healthy-marriage-part-1-of-3/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVpksSumfyM"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVpksSumfyM</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Picture used courtesy of Pexels</i></p><br /><p></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-89493862424131716542023-11-01T08:36:00.003-04:002023-11-01T08:36:30.177-04:00All Saints Day - November 1<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Today, November 1, is the church's traditional observance of All Saints Day. Often lost in our evangelical community, this day has a rich heritage of remembering saints who have gone before us.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphbTov8qpG2Qs8QMEsj5j3c4txmlYkqyXB5zcvwS2A1Hwh2njUzwt_2K0Ym3kA_Y7koWBeDmEuTYYJ2kQUCzJqF-l0DA2HSBGFrXk7QNe19Zfu7uIfKhtMpdQF8RhyOONQX0oKTutVAmQZ0iS68L6Iv6iIPU6HadE7ePCh9QTGVP7r2FhZz6uZCnW9dSg/s4100/pexels-paolo-3993922.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2733" data-original-width="4100" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphbTov8qpG2Qs8QMEsj5j3c4txmlYkqyXB5zcvwS2A1Hwh2njUzwt_2K0Ym3kA_Y7koWBeDmEuTYYJ2kQUCzJqF-l0DA2HSBGFrXk7QNe19Zfu7uIfKhtMpdQF8RhyOONQX0oKTutVAmQZ0iS68L6Iv6iIPU6HadE7ePCh9QTGVP7r2FhZz6uZCnW9dSg/s320/pexels-paolo-3993922.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Charles Colson shared some great words about All Saints Day in his commentary <a href="https://www.breakpoint.org/honoring-the-witnesses-all-saints-day/" target="_blank">Honoring the Witnesses</a>:</span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"In case you’ve missed it before, the name Halloween is a
shortening of All Hallows’ Eve and signifies the night before All Saints’ Day.
For centuries on All Saints’ Day, the Church celebrated the lives of Christians
who went before us. And rightly so: We can learn so much from those whom the
author of Hebrews calls that great cloud of witnesses. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The tradition of remembering the Church triumphant dates
back to the time of the first Christian martyrs. When soldiers of Marcus
Aurelius Verus came to arrest Polycarp, a beloved church leader, Polycarp
greeted them kindly. According to the third-century historian Eusebius,
Polycarp “ordered a table to be laid for them immediately, invited them to eat
as much as they liked, asking in return a single hour in which he could pray.”
When Polycarp later stood in the coliseum, accused and surrounded by the jeering
crowds, the governor pressed him to recant his faith. Instead, this man, who
himself had been discipled by the Apostle John, said this: 'For 86 years, I
have been [Christ’s] servant, and He has never done me wrong: How can I
blaspheme my King who saved me?' As they were preparing to burn him alive,
Polycarp offered up prayers of faith and praise." </span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.breakpoint.org/honoring-the-witnesses-all-saints-day/" target="_blank">Read the entire article here at Breakpoint.</a></span></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Image courtesy of Pexels</i></span></div></div>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-30490241099741995632023-10-26T15:59:00.006-04:002023-10-26T15:59:46.712-04:00Addressing Clergy Mental Health<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">"Mental
health includes emotional, psychological, spiritual, and social well-being. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It affects
how we think and feel, and how we experience the experience of our lives. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is a
major factor in our capacity to experience joy in life, work, and
relationships. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our mental
health determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Challenges
to the mental health of clergy commonly involve stress and burnout, marriage
and family adjustment, and emotional and functional impairment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Work-related
stress and burnout among clergy have been the focus of many studies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Some
research suggests that burnout results from systemic factors including
bureaucracy, poor administrative support, and difficult work
conditions—ministry is hard, and getting harder. Other intrapersonal-related
factors include religious idealism, Type-A personality factors, narcissism, and
perfectionism.(4)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4Pfg_S5KKd8LX46IXzLYQvNDG4pG-Xv0clZ2KSAuD2ReQnqqXD2rerWX1WMK8p43RmhOaM12o_BJn3HDpk2XaofOibh1-0EXqgsKyjsIPkhIq7rQ-2MrOgME-KE0-fYAPWUu49Keh0U09N_xSZSuuDaMZj_TM0FRjJiHoSEkVNG-rAZEXa0xRhDHk1Jd/s5522/pexels-mohamed-hamdi-16282307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5522" data-original-width="3944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4Pfg_S5KKd8LX46IXzLYQvNDG4pG-Xv0clZ2KSAuD2ReQnqqXD2rerWX1WMK8p43RmhOaM12o_BJn3HDpk2XaofOibh1-0EXqgsKyjsIPkhIq7rQ-2MrOgME-KE0-fYAPWUu49Keh0U09N_xSZSuuDaMZj_TM0FRjJiHoSEkVNG-rAZEXa0xRhDHk1Jd/s320/pexels-mohamed-hamdi-16282307.jpg" width="229" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In addition,
one research found that clergy experience excessive guilt and issues with their
families of origin more frequently than other groups.(5)<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As a group,
pastors also experience social isolation, often extending even to their
professional peers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One study
revealed that ministers have higher levels of occupational distress and
depression when compared to national averages."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Read the entire article from <a href="https://www.ctsnet.edu/addressing-clergy-mental-health/" target="_blank">Columbia Theological Seminary here</a>.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The above article was written by </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Israel
Galindo,<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning at the <a href="https://www.ctsnet.edu/the-brain-and-teaching-and-learning-pt-3/%5bhttp:/www.ctsnet.edu/lifelong-learning%5d(http:/www.ctsnet.edu/lifelong-learning)">Columbia
Theological Seminary</a>. He directs the <a href="https://www.ctsnet.edu/the-brain-and-teaching-and-learning-pt-3/%5bhttps:/www.ctsnet.edu/lifelong-learning/postgraduate-programs/%5d(https:/www.ctsnet.edu/lifelong-learning/postgraduate-programs/)">Pastoral
Excellence Program</a> at Columbia seminary. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Picture courtesy of Pexels</i></span></span></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-30745965597117844612023-10-26T15:50:00.002-04:002023-10-26T15:50:36.013-04:00Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Stress,
Isolation & Political Division Factor into Pastors’ Desire to Quit</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2mUpu8DHjL0_AknrBfyx6CJ4ausIsRKBTX1IxQ_Sre76HckHqH5t6Bx5XFJu9MZTkiaJe96tFp8p1IKY1tPZXkJIHWvF12Q3mYrZSg0Bu5fbG3NOGGHeVwwgrL4ZP51lWKTdbe0J4pvjeKpUYMNIa5nmthfeYj-wflGqbJ7J32FEesM-FZ3TVsIsr0FK/s5260/pexels-ba-tik-3754243%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5260" data-original-width="3507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2mUpu8DHjL0_AknrBfyx6CJ4ausIsRKBTX1IxQ_Sre76HckHqH5t6Bx5XFJu9MZTkiaJe96tFp8p1IKY1tPZXkJIHWvF12Q3mYrZSg0Bu5fbG3NOGGHeVwwgrL4ZP51lWKTdbe0J4pvjeKpUYMNIa5nmthfeYj-wflGqbJ7J32FEesM-FZ3TVsIsr0FK/s320/pexels-ba-tik-3754243%20(1).jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"As of March 2022,
the percentage of pastors who have considered quitting full-time ministry
within the past year sits at 42 percent. This is consistent with data from fall
2021 when Barna first <a href="https://www.barna.com/research/pastors-well-being/" target="_blank">reported</a> on
a sharp increase in pastoral burnout, and it confirms the growing number of
pastors who are considering resignation—up 13 percentage points from 29 percent
in January 2021.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What reasons
do pastors give when asked why they’ve thought about stepping down for good?
Stress, loneliness and political division are the three items that rise to the
surface.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Over half of
pastors who have considered quitting full-time ministry (56%) say 'the immense
stress of the job' has factored into their thoughts on leaving. Beyond these
general stressors, two in five pastors (43%) say 'I feel lonely and isolated,' while 38 percent name 'current political divisions' as reasons they’ve
considered stepping away."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.barna.com/research/pastors-quitting-ministry/" target="_blank">Read the entire article by Barna Research here.</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><i>Image used courtesy of Pexels</i></span></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-65900385079167383062023-10-26T12:26:00.001-04:002023-10-27T12:31:22.801-04:00What I Wish I’d Known: Reflections on Nearly 40 Years of Pastoral Ministry<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"What follows
has been adapted from a brief talk I delivered to the <a href="http://www.gospeloklahoma.org/">Oklahoma chapter of The Gospel Coalition</a>.
Here are 10 things I wish I’d known when I first started out as a pastor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJcGKn0uyA6FewpvUPu0GT22hzR7U_MNo7ivmYuMgfix1pasMrwiQ8QoOl-T_aD32b0b5pzQAPRvTqkwkxj50r-5II-H5GsNqRSuuGCypsWYemU9Z6_4hNmHaHHvBRGveSYZ2BcqNzmorpKF2m1440SZ_zVaSthyphenhyphenE0bnQfwMija6zyNwV3ac3n-vDBpla/s4032/pexels-julie-aagaard-1368521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJcGKn0uyA6FewpvUPu0GT22hzR7U_MNo7ivmYuMgfix1pasMrwiQ8QoOl-T_aD32b0b5pzQAPRvTqkwkxj50r-5II-H5GsNqRSuuGCypsWYemU9Z6_4hNmHaHHvBRGveSYZ2BcqNzmorpKF2m1440SZ_zVaSthyphenhyphenE0bnQfwMija6zyNwV3ac3n-vDBpla/s320/pexels-julie-aagaard-1368521.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
wish I’d known that people who disagree with me on doctrines I hold dearly can
often love God and pursue his glory with as much, and in some cases more,
fervency than I do. The sort of intellectual pride that fuels such delusions
can be devastating to ministry and will invariably undermine any efforts at
broader Christian unity across denominational lines.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
wish I’d known about the inevitable frustration that comes when you put your
trust in what you think are good reasons why people should remain loyal to your
ministry and present in your church. I wish I’d been prepared for the feelings
of betrayal and disillusionment that came when people in whom I’d personally
invested so much love, time, and energy simply walked away, often with the most
insubstantial and flimsiest of excuses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
wish I’d known how deeply and incessantly many (most?) people suffer. Having
been raised in a truly functional family in which everyone knew Christ and
loved one another, I was largely oblivious to the pain endured by most people
who’ve never known that blessing. For too many years I naively assumed that if
I wasn’t hurting, neither were they. I wish I’d realized the pulpit isn’t a
place to hide from the problems and pain of one’s congregation; it’s a place to
address, commiserate with, and apply God’s Word to them."</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-i-wish-id-known-reflections-on-nearly-40-years-of-pastoral-ministry/" target="_blank">Read the entire article by Sam Storms here at The Gospel Coalition.</a></span></p><p><br /></p><p><i>Image used courtesy of Pexels</i></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-65051882958702591632023-10-25T00:13:00.000-04:002023-10-26T12:57:13.944-04:0010 Ways to Encourage Your Pastor<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Pastoring a
church is not an easy job. Here are 10 ways you can encourage your pastor (or
pastors):</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1. THANK
HIM (OR THEM).</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflQfO_BcEZ4Wjuy0C4ot96zkHVWgS_xAH-w3LkL83w5r6RgSP2GWIH8wjI0skwUjk0QYiy7560P7HTpaMTUktis8m7xWw2JdtgUYS_qYwR99qeQTglGeRVBIOdr93P9JlRzQnNV-cZIw1U4nXZ2pAkxzrOtNO3pDKEc_FQ63PWerZiYOx5isQ8kewxHEW/s5551/AdobeStock_570949571.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3705" data-original-width="5551" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflQfO_BcEZ4Wjuy0C4ot96zkHVWgS_xAH-w3LkL83w5r6RgSP2GWIH8wjI0skwUjk0QYiy7560P7HTpaMTUktis8m7xWw2JdtgUYS_qYwR99qeQTglGeRVBIOdr93P9JlRzQnNV-cZIw1U4nXZ2pAkxzrOtNO3pDKEc_FQ63PWerZiYOx5isQ8kewxHEW/s320/AdobeStock_570949571.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It’s not
easy to preach every week. It’s not easy to carry the burden of ministry every
day. A pastor rarely hears “thank you.” A good pastor isn’t in the ministry for
a thank you from the congregation. They are not after man’s approval but work
for God’s approval (Gal. 1:10). They shepherd as one who will give account to
God (Heb. 13:17). But a thank you can go a long way. Pastors, like nearly
everyone, are severely under-encouraged. My guess is you appreciate the work he
does. Tell him so.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One
practical way:</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Write
him a letter. Emails usually include a criticism. Handwritten letters nearly
always include encouragement. Letters also have a way of sticking around for a
while. Emails get buried quickly. Letters are sweet reminders on the desktop
after a long, hard day of ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2. BE
SPECIFIC IN YOUR THANKS.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A general
“thank you” is more than what many pastors hear week after week, but a specific
thank you is life-giving. Find one phrase or thought or action and thank him.
Specificity implies gratefulness. If a phrase from his sermon last week stuck
with you, let him know. Lots of pastors hear very little specific feedback on
their sermon. Imagine spending hours each week to prepare something and never
know how it lands on the people you’re speaking to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://baptistcourier.com/2023/10/10-ways-to-encourage-your-pastor/?fbclid=IwAR3UEdvepXSLeOfs3hf37aSuaiNc4EIlt0LGnauHvmFRr07k1p97yr-x8Ws" target="_blank">Read the entire article by David McClemore here</a> at The Baptist Courier here.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Image used by permission from Adobe Stock</i></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-2296394997474231172023-10-24T00:18:00.002-04:002023-10-24T00:18:39.652-04:00Why Honor My Pastor?<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>The following article, written in 2014, has been one of my most-viewed posts through the years.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Dick Lincoln once said, "Church at its best is as good as it gets, and church at its worst is as bad as it gets." No one understands this reality more than pastors and their families.</span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVL48bU9pfABuuYIED6955ec4DcE4fDh-jE3Ih18dQyK19h5Rskbarh7DbUfpDXGbpuiuNAMJeFwMsqL6trCW6pIhqA6XkWIjC99F9xEpyyP5mwsC-EAEsBfafsAfVAxIZqqGcsN1Voc7/s1600/20140521_111944.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVL48bU9pfABuuYIED6955ec4DcE4fDh-jE3Ih18dQyK19h5Rskbarh7DbUfpDXGbpuiuNAMJeFwMsqL6trCW6pIhqA6XkWIjC99F9xEpyyP5mwsC-EAEsBfafsAfVAxIZqqGcsN1Voc7/s1600/20140521_111944.jpg" width="150" /></span></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Every October I consider writing a post about <a href="http://rhettwilson.blogspot.com/2013/10/remember-to-show-appreciation-to-your.html">Pastor Appreciation Month</a>. However, being a pastor, it seems awkward. John MacArthur said it well when teaching his church about honoring pastor-elders, "I feel a little bit awkward up here telling you that you need to honor elders of which I am one. Obviously I could be accused of a conflict of interests and I could also be accused of having a self-serving motive. So I want to put in an immediate disclaimer on any of those things. I'm trying to teach you the Word of God."</span><br /><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I will bite the bullet this year and write a post with the hope of eventually providing encouragement to <a href="http://rhettwilson.blogspot.com/2014/09/man-of-god.html">some man of God</a> out there serving his church. Hopefully, persons from other congregations will read it and the article will spur them on toward love and good deeds toward their pastors.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.wilsonrhett.com/2014/10/why-honor-my-pastor.html" target="_blank">Read the entire article here.</a></span></span></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-88353500728097919482023-10-09T16:59:00.001-04:002023-11-14T17:04:58.403-05:00Pastoral Policy on Cohabitation<p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9hBQ18p3w_wqiQYI8jkzsBnq34Wj5VyMqaei27r6SpXARDviVnIGOxV3-Mb4f7fZZLgirqIoc69HEkSl7g0Jpx3UAzFPdjuMKvjOV2UjVy_DNYm5w2bTuAw3_RJVN33jRVN2Jkk2TgRlHC6O61molv2NhdlUPSBSZX4icW-psLFfmQhEu_5nDDsnFbji/s6636/pexels-anastasia-shuraeva-5482148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6636" data-original-width="4424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9hBQ18p3w_wqiQYI8jkzsBnq34Wj5VyMqaei27r6SpXARDviVnIGOxV3-Mb4f7fZZLgirqIoc69HEkSl7g0Jpx3UAzFPdjuMKvjOV2UjVy_DNYm5w2bTuAw3_RJVN33jRVN2Jkk2TgRlHC6O61molv2NhdlUPSBSZX4icW-psLFfmQhEu_5nDDsnFbji/s320/pexels-anastasia-shuraeva-5482148.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The social trend of cohabitation before - or instead of - marriage is a growing trend in North America. I reached out to an older pastor friend of mine whom I respect to ask how he responds to cohabiting couples in his congregations. The following is his response:</span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The policy that I have used and what I each that I am
asked this question is:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">1. I share the biblical truths on marriage and sexual
purity with the couple in a private session with them both present. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">2. I don’t ask for a response from the couple in that
session but ask them to study the scriptures that reviewed in that session and
to spend a week in prayer but privately and together seeking God as to His will
for marriage <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">3. I meet with them for a second time to discuss
what decision they have made based upon their time praying, studying the
scriptures and discussions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">4. If they agree to marry I then move into that
discussion </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">5. If they don’t agree to marry then I share that they
are welcome to participate in the life of the church and worship but that they
cannot join as members. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.familylife.com/podcast/familylife-today/cohabitation-good-or-bad/" target="_blank">Listen to Cohabitation: Good or Bad with Glenn Stanton</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://biblicalcounseling.com/resource-library/podcast-episodes/til-040-talking-to-couples-who-are-living-together-feat-kevin-carson/" target="_blank">Hear Talking to Couples Who Are Living Together with Kevin Carson</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Picture used courtesy of Pexels</i></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-56142591899697729562023-09-11T19:05:00.007-04:002023-09-12T22:02:21.796-04:00Help Promote Rhett's New Book!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiWB2b7ORvuDjKbiGvRul2mAnXlY2LBQyecjzBIyg5AkRC4YEpZ5T3vzbN-5UFjMk_yMRU4CxUtX-7x1cUMPZmYl1gWDV_XOcLpsV7C8jKdAaV6mjyQeGZTCiFEEfeilS2jF0bXbBm95o5tpS7o0k39Eah6Pz9sRa76ZqqTzNzvtXRaCChIbt22ZUiVp5/s2048/IMG_2276.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiWB2b7ORvuDjKbiGvRul2mAnXlY2LBQyecjzBIyg5AkRC4YEpZ5T3vzbN-5UFjMk_yMRU4CxUtX-7x1cUMPZmYl1gWDV_XOcLpsV7C8jKdAaV6mjyQeGZTCiFEEfeilS2jF0bXbBm95o5tpS7o0k39Eah6Pz9sRa76ZqqTzNzvtXRaCChIbt22ZUiVp5/s320/IMG_2276.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Launch day is here! Rhett Wilson's new book, <a href="https://www.endgamepress.com/store/p/sevenpsofprayer" target="_blank">The 7 Ps of Prayer: A Simple Method to Pray for Your Family</a>, releases Tuesday, September 12, from <a href="https://www.endgamepress.com/" target="_blank">End Game Press</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The book is filled with many stories from our family's life as well as many people who have come in and out of our lives through the years. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Here are a few simple things you can to do promote the book:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>1. Pray</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Ask the Lord of the harvest to work through this book and its accompanying resources to bring Himself glory, equip many people to faithfully pray for others, and bring people to Himself. Pastor and New York Times bestselling author Mark Batterson shares that he prays for God to put his books in the hands of people daily and use it for life-change.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>2. Share</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Share the link for the book on social media sites and via email:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.endgamepress.com/store/p/sevenpsofprayer" target="_blank">Order The 7 Ps of Prayer from End Game Press here.</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://app.flashissue.com/newsletters/fdca77c36e1690300542ab948c1d28400db238bf" target="_blank">Rhett's Book - 30 Years in the Making!</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhL9jaBpyE9dpRVejFUQcccaGOJ6IF6utOWuoRF6WT7mBv9D8TcXPCUOrI3fA2AL1GfwsSTW05wbIQLKyAR8Nu7bLOMDPd0ijT95soeLID0OJfxzYOpiUU3RHwfCD5J1XsfmLK7fCaDHRO1qlaHZT7oYxZRM1RUostuYKYwXaVPOJI0nRIdZa_WkBHaIo/s819/1%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhL9jaBpyE9dpRVejFUQcccaGOJ6IF6utOWuoRF6WT7mBv9D8TcXPCUOrI3fA2AL1GfwsSTW05wbIQLKyAR8Nu7bLOMDPd0ijT95soeLID0OJfxzYOpiUU3RHwfCD5J1XsfmLK7fCaDHRO1qlaHZT7oYxZRM1RUostuYKYwXaVPOJI0nRIdZa_WkBHaIo/s320/1%20(2).jpg" width="206" /></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">3. Inform influencers</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Let people know about the book who are "influencers" - pastors, ministry leaders, podcast and radio hosts.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>4. Check out the upcoming resources on the site.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We have just <a href="https://www.rhettwilson.org/the-7ps-of-prayer-book" target="_blank">started a website for the book.</a> In the upcoming days and weeks, we plan on releasing several resources, including a free study guide, sermon/teaching resources for pastors and teachers, as well as a corresponding video series that will be available later in the fall.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">View the site at <a href="https://www.rhettwilson.org/the-7ps-of-prayer-book">www.7psofprayer.net</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>5. Leave a review</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Depending on where you purchase the book, some outlets, like Amazon, allow you to leave a review. In today's book market (especially on Amazon), this makes a difference.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Thank you for helping to pass this along. Rhett hopes the book will encourage people to put their trust in God - and intercede for their families. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>The Lord has
done great things for us; we are glad (Psalm 126:3 ESV).</i></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><p></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3350073291884098138.post-80013371682334752002023-09-08T08:24:00.000-04:002023-09-08T08:24:04.211-04:00New Podcast: Rhett Wilson's Faith, Family, and Freedom<p><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rhett is about to launch a new podcast called "Rhett Wilson's Faith, Family, and Freedom."</b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It will be available soon, and it will be available on the
normal podcast outlets. In 2010, I started a blog, Faith, Family, and Freedom.
Thirteen years later, I’ve done more than 1700 posts. One post in 2020 received
more than 40,000 views in one month.</span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBvUep2XZyoLEktCXK8Q1nfzDJkZ2eZg3qrVwwVuzJW4D7CVoXnIlvZdTLju3iaNmmodC6_uhCBkzjGQIliNWCa0Ur4GZl_3D-6Rxppat8PXn9vMp3oHQx7G_O7wbLL_cDn0UGQJ-ao3Y7n4PrtwVJWTut_DZTONlDZIIOVB4NVgS4eq2YXhUu8uvhsF8/s3000/1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBvUep2XZyoLEktCXK8Q1nfzDJkZ2eZg3qrVwwVuzJW4D7CVoXnIlvZdTLju3iaNmmodC6_uhCBkzjGQIliNWCa0Ur4GZl_3D-6Rxppat8PXn9vMp3oHQx7G_O7wbLL_cDn0UGQJ-ao3Y7n4PrtwVJWTut_DZTONlDZIIOVB4NVgS4eq2YXhUu8uvhsF8/s320/1.png" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Here's the intro. to the podcast:</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Do
you want to connect positively with your family? Are you looking for ways to
bridge the gap between your Sunday faith and your Tuesday living? Do you
believe that freedom is one of our greatest, God-given, gifts? Welcome to Rhett
Wilson’s Faith, Family, and Freedom, where we explore how to think and act
clearly about the things that matter most.</span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Here’s
what you can do.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Watch Rhett’s blog and site for more
information:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.
Listen to it! 2. Review
it! 3. Share it! 4. Pray for it!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Rhett Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10324317477983015949noreply@blogger.com0