The Morning Of Grace

Well how do you begin a morning full of grace?!

That is a good question and often people ask me "why are you such a happy guy all the time?" Is it because i'm ignorant of current circumstances, trials, adversities or dilemmas? No in fact I'm very aware of many circumstances and trials but what makes me smile in the morning, what makes me really happy; it's the simple things in life. Counting your blessings and being actively aware of what God has done and in doing so, I see He always has good things ahead. Sometimes the road is rough, maybe even brutal, laced with blood, sweat and tears but eventually God always works it out for His good and for mine as well.

The joy is knowing God always has everything under control and He's not surprised by what we face or what we must endure. He is always perfect in His love, mercy, grace and His timing. He knows just how to turn the most impossible things from sour to sweet, from ashes and dust to a mountain of victory. That's the God I serve, the God of perfect grace and that makes me smile, makes me overjoyed in every circumstance. I'm not dumbfounded by adversity but rather I'm inspired by God's perfection and His faithfulness despite overwhelming odds.

When you feel discouraged, count your blessings and literally name them one by one. Suddenly things seem much brighter in the end.

~Letting Go~

I wrote this today, thinking about experiences I've had, people I've met, friends, family etc. and the tough reality of some choices made and how time shows how friends come into your life and how time can show others quickly fading. I look back and amazingly enough I have fond memories of good childhood friends who were unbelievably faithful and kind and without a shadow of a doubt they would remain consistent. Things change, life hands you new circumstances and the song begins anew.


Thankful for the beauty in ashes, the oil in mourning and the joy in mercy...

The Little Things

We so often want a grandiose change, something sudden, awe inspiring and pivotal but surprisingly enough, some times the greatest change is in the little things that cause a big tipping point. I remember when I was younger, I thought of how amazing it would be to be like samson from the bible, a superhero, someone with massive strength! You daydream and imagine, thinking of all the cool things you would or should do. Laying down in a field of dreams and just chuckling at different ideas that pass through your mind like clouds dancing across the sky on a windy day.

As you grow up you realize that some amazing things can happen by dedication, courage and determination, not to say that God doesn't do miracles in any way but we are held with gifts and each according to His plan, now the question is do we bury them and do nothing or do we cultivate them, tend to them and watch them grow. I began training extremely hard after my stroke happened and learning to do everything over was no small task and by God's grace I overcame and am overcoming huge obstacles. Currently I'm training five days a week and seeing a huge improvement but not without blood, sweat and tears. The profound thing is this, even in my weakness I was determined, focused, purposefully pushing forward no matter what; little by little I've come to the point I'm at, and it is paramount. I look back and realize that I've done what seemed literally impossible and what has taken root is more than strength in muscles but rather strength in character, in diligence and fortitude. Now that's a change I would never take back...
I faced a lion of improbable victory and came out the winner and so can you by God's grace.

The Challenge

Life is a challenge and so many times we struggle with sudden change but change can easily become a catapult for something new and exciting. The greatest issue can easily be the fear of the unknown, wondering if that very change I good or bad. You could easily have a 100 people with the same circumstances and yet you will always have one who deals with that set of challenges in an amazing way, they see the change that initially felt fearful and made it into something inspirational, they see it as an opportunity instead of a huge obstacle waiting to crush their hopes and dreams. The difference is in the mindset, in how you approach the difficulties, the unknown.
When I had my stroke I had to learn to read, write, walk and talk again and it was deeply life changing and when faced with every daily challenge I had to decide will I rise above it or will I cringe and hide from life. I chose the the former and the struggle was honestly brutal but in the end I found a much stronger man. I became a deeper person with roots that reached much further into the grounds of courage, faith and hope! We may not have the luxury of an ample amount of ideal choices when dealing with adversity but we can have an amazing perspective and or hope in dealing with adversity and that is where healthy change can occur.

Grace

Grace...

The beauty of grace is far deeper than we can imagine, it's a lifelong journey of seeing and enduring through life's choices, trials, the valleys and the mountain tops. We See things in the moment, maybe even when we reflect on the past but it's always foggy through the eyes of humanity.
God speaks to us profoundly and with depth of love when He tells us to walk in our weakness, endure in our suffering, because in our suffering God is glorified and we are humbled. Pride is buried quickly in our struggles and that lense of cloudy muddy perception quickly fades and we begin to look more fervently at the light when it breaks through the clouds; like a lighthouse we become far more dependant on where God wants us to go and less on where we want to be.
When we see the light with joy and with reliance we begin to celebrate the destination, the journey, God's wisdom is always far better than our own. In the end our weakness is His testimony to a loving Father, an amazingly gracious giver of hope and victory. The light always breaks through the darkest storms...

Some Destinations

Some destinations are just worth the fight!

We can often lose the focus when hardship is in

our view, when we only see the valley or the long

road ahead; God always has a plan and in the end

it's beautiful beyond compare.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
                                                                                  Genesis 50:20

Whatever we face, no matter the trials, God will turn it around

for His glory and we can rest on that perfect plan. His love writes our story each and every day.

From This Moment

   There I was, standing before a simple pathway. I had often walked and jogged that same route with ease and not a care in the world, now I was standing there with one leg shaking and quivering and one arm doing who knows what and words and thoughts had melted like wax; I felt a war was going on inside my head. Yes this was the hill that suddenly became my mountain, just after the stroke everything seemed almost impossible to overcome; miles and miles away.

   I quickly looked down at my feet, the very feet that brought me everywhere without any complications, there I was fighting for every step, every moment, every dream and trying to silence every single nightmare. I took the reigns of my worries and doubts and laid them before God and said "I'm here in this dilemma and you are a God of miracles, so make your miracles happen in every fear I face!" I held to those very thoughts and pushed and pushed my way through. Whatever we face, the beautiful thing is this, God is always bigger than our biggest fears, our biggest trials, adversities and our tears. He always has a plan, sometimes it's among a haze, a fog of war but God is the lighthouse and He is ever faithful.

We can have comfort in knowing that whatever was meant for evil, God can make it for His good. Now I'm doing public speaking, demonstrations in martial arts as well as creating art, poetry, photography and much much more. Never let go of God's promises, He is faithful and true...

Run The Race

As I was training yesterday, I had the most difficult time running after cross-training, though I'm sure it was me testing my limits physically, it really felt like a mental battle. I knew that in the back of my mind, the stroke was playing a big part, I had bouts of sudden weakness (stroke symptoms) and word finding was a definite fight. I paused along my run and just took a deep breath and realized this was a good battle, this was a victory I was searching for.
I wanted to tell this stroke again and again that it had no place inside my mind for limitations. I prayed quickly and thanked God for every little ounce of blood, sweat and many tears along this massive uphill battle with my stroke over the years. It had taught me the greatest things I know in life. First off, I train with a purpose both in physical goals and in spiritual goals, for without purpose people perish; people wander and lose their way. Life isn't about how easy it should be but rather how will you overcome it despite the adversity. I trust in God and it is well with my soul and whatever I face I face it with confidence, with a heart after His glory and His purpose and whatever my lot is in life, I will do it well.

Lions Den

When I faced my stroke,

there were many times I couldn't speak,

express my thoughts,

move or understand

but I knew one thing,

I was facing a circumstance for which I could only simply be still and let God do what He does best, turn hungry circumstances of potential great loss into a victory for which only God can be glorified. That is truly what He has done for me :) Just trust Him and keep on praying, keep on living the gospel message and let God do the impossible.

Psalm 18:2
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.

I Will Remember

~Lord Have Your Way~

I woke up this morning and realized how precious God truly is, sometimes the storms we face are but a turbulent storm that passes in the night and the light quickly comes and warms our faces and we are hardly fazed by our momentary trials. Then there are those moments that seem like an endless storm, as though we are right in the eye of it's deadly anger and we wonder will we survive, will we triumph. Our flesh becomes weak with fear and our minds are shaken by the darkened tide of endless tossing. For such a journey, such heartbreaking adversity does one find strength in God and quickly the weakness of mankind. It is God alone who can sustain us, bring us a lighthouse of hope that no one can put asunder! No torrential heartache, no mind numbing disappointments in our common soothing comforts that once stood by our sides so faithful. When the deepest cut of our trials bleeds us, it is Christ who is faithful, who is understanding, who is devoted in love, faithfulness in compassion. Remember that the storm you face will end someday, some time and in that trial of the heart, mind and soul; remember you are loved and God always has a plan!

Your Life, His Glory!

The crayons are the life that God has given you (symbolic) and the blowdryer is the hardships and difficulties you will face but God knew this and designed your life to be a beautiful work of art, a joyful praise to His love and mercy and above all else His victory in your life.

The World Will Tell You

     The world will tell you "Don't Let Anyone Define You" but the actual fact is something always will. We are defined by our experiences, our circumstances, our thoughts, our goals etc. God says in the bible

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 

                                2 Corinthians 5:17

     That in itself is truly beautiful and amazing to know! We are a new creation and if the old has passed away and we are new in Christ then of course we are defined by God our creator and the victory is in Jesus's victory at the cross. We no longer have goals that are our own but rather we are alive in him and our journey is in Christ. We live in His suffering and we also live in His victory! We are defined, we are something beautiful and precious in God's sight and how amazing is that joy. We live and breath as a new creation and everything we do is to the glory of God and by that we have our being. When Satan reminds you of your past, remind Him of your future ;)

Take The Step

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

Beyond The Pain

There I was, quivering, shaking uncontrollably...

     I felt a lightening bolt surge through my body and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground shaking. I just fought to walk just a few feet and it took everything in me to do it and then I found out seizures became another battle I would surely have to face on a regular basis. The daily tasks that so many people take for granted, I took for granted, now they were mountains of trials; journeys I never new that would test my determination. I felt often frustrated, taxed by new challenges that would face my life. 

     The stroke took everything from me except one thing, my determination, it simply couldn't find a way to remove that very thing that would lead me to where I am today!

Yesterday was a monumental moment, I ran a huge distance along a winding trail with so many ups and downs and there I was, persistent to the very end. I finished my goal and after 8 long years I came to this very point! VICTORY!!!

God always has a plan and when we feel like He isn't there, He is the very one who is sustaining us, challenging us, encouraging us softly. My roots have grown deeper than ever, my understanding of what really matters in life is far greater than before and my joy for life, thankfulness in the simple things makes me one happy guy!

Thankfulness is an art and its returns are endless...

Determined

Determination is a choice

and it's exercised

in every moment

                    By Ernie Kasper

When I Am Weak

                      It has been my greatest inspiration for poetry, artwork, photography and everything else I do, my stroke broke me and God healed me in ways I thought would never happen. He brought me confidence when my flesh was weak, He brought me faithfulness when faithfulness in friends could not be found, He restored my courage when no courage could be seen. My faith is in His devoted love and His perfect plan.

For The Call

   

     Today is one of those days, the kind of day that when you wake up you just feel thankful. You wake up and you realize that God in all His wonder and grace, somehow made your life amazing not by what you can do but rather what God can do in it. A moment comes and goes without distinction sometimes but when there is love it soars through the skies of joy and when we suffer pain or loss we drudge through the mud and mire of hurt. It's inevitable, change is always happening but it's when we are in our darkest moments that we see an even greater light of hope, it's because of it's sheer brilliance when in darkness we wander that it becomes so precious, so paramount, so inspiring that it leaves an indelible mark that can spur us onward and upward.
     When I woke up this morning I had that very feeling, that type of praise to a God of wonder and absolute faithfulness. I had realized that through my stroke, my learning how to read, write, walk and talk that God made that mark, that profound statement in my soul that said "I will never leave you or forsake you!" and that is what He did. He prevailed over my suffering, He conquered over my doubts, He triumphantly showed is everlasting love over my hurts and pains and today I am doing things that once were deemed impossible because I have a God of all possibilities.
     No matter what you face you can face it as long as God is the rock by which you stand or crawl or what have you, you are not alone and on His strong promises you are victorious.

Overwhelmed

The Tipping Point...

There always is that moment when something little may have just broke the camels back on patience. You are doing great and BAM someone yells at you from another car or you have little mishaps along your day and they put you off a little bit until something hits a tender spot in your life. You start thinking negative, you start speaking out things like "Of course this was going to happen!" or "Go figure!" when easily before you were in the mindset of  "It's okay, just a small bumped in the road, don't sweat the small stuff."
It can easily be just one domino that starts the whole thing in motion and that is the place where grace is so important, so precious and valuable, knowing that things do happen and we fall sometimes and it's those times we need forgiveness. Beating yourself up over a tough situation doesn't help anyone and it surely won't help you get back up and shake the dust off of a bad moment and learn to step forward. The sign of a good boxer is on how well he or she can take getting knocked down. Will they get in the ring and practice and learn from their mistakes and become better or will they just sit in the corner and complain about how useless they were in the ring. Our duty is to look to God for hope and encouragement and when we fall, He wants us to know that He is there for us because that's what a father wants, to be trusted, to be counted on, to be a source of wisdom and encouragement.

Isaiah 41:10: "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand" (NLT).