Climbing out of the trenches to move mountains

Ever have those days where you just feel beaten? When these days come you really find out the strength of your spirit and how solid your foundation really is.

If life was a battle I could equate my day to fighting in the trenches. I keep fighting and pushing with an effort to make forward progress, but every time I look around I still see the muddy bottom and steep walls of clay surrounding me. Every day feels more like a repeat of the day before than it does a new day. To win this war, I literally have to wake up each and every day with a desire and determination to conquer anything before me. Some days that passion is already there, but days like today it is more like searching for a grain of salt lost in a field.

Then, I read ecclesiastes and I hear again about how "there is nothing new under the sun". So, I have to wonder how many people have had similar struggles. How many of them accepted defeat compared to those that found a way to overcome the rough times? Surely these same thoughts have occurred in the minds of parents before in history. Regardless, making the decision to put away meaningless thoughts of failure to focus my eyes on the Lord feels like the best place to start for me. Ofcourse there are several things I would like to do that will occupy my mind enough so I won't have to think about my struggles. But, we were created by an awesome overcoming kind of God who tells us that with enough faith we can move mountains. Mountains??? Yes, mountains. Yeshua said at least two times very clearly that with enough faith we could literally move mountains. I haven't seen anyone in my life with that kind of faith, but it sure is a great goal to set. Forget climbing to the top of Mount Everest. If your faith is strong enough you could relocate Mount Everest. I bring that up just to mention that even on these tough days during our struggles in life our Lord is bigger than the strife. It's absolutely frightening to me to consider the complete lack of power that I possess since I spend most of my time trying to control everything. Nevertheless, the decision to hand EVERYTHING over to God is not only necessary but also the choice with the greatest outcome.


I was listening to a story from a pastor yesterday about this well known pastor in the early 1900s (We'll call him Bob for simplicity). Bob gave "everything" to God, but he never felt quite right. One day Bob was listening to a local younger man speak at his church. The younger man seemed to have something Bob did not. After the service Bob asked the man "Sir, how do you appear to have so much joy of the Lord?" The man simply replied  "when you give everything to God, joy is all you have left". Then he followed with a question. "Have you given EVERYTHING to God in your life?" Bob couldn't help but notice that he had only tricked himself into thinking he gave control of everything to God. He went home and had private prayer time with God who told him that he needed to hand everything over including what he was holding back.


I admit that I have been like Bob at times. I tell God that I have faith in him to provide, yet I make decisions that switch the control to my hands out of fear. I know He has the power, yet I support the doubt that sets in which tells me He "may not want to help me". This way of thinking is not supported in the Bible, and actually can be proven contrary to what His word actually promises. 


Today it is time to make a decision. Tomorrow, it will be time to make a new one. What will your decision be and how will you follow through with it? I have made the decision to give today my best and leave the results up to God. I will fight through struggles, resist pointless temptations of laziness, and refuse to let anger or despair grab a hold on me today. If you are struggling today I encourage you to climb out of the trench and give God your best today. Don't worry about the results, because He has complete control. I pray that everyone struggling today will receive strength and that they will conquer all forms of defeat. May God Bless You!

Worshipping with your children

I woke up this morning with a new idea that should have been an old one. I felt God telling me that I needed to take my devotional time with Him and include my son. "Hmmm, I thought. I have been so focused on improving my relationship with God it never occurred to me that I could do the same with my son at the same time." It was such a simple step that I believe will have tremendous results in the life of my son and both his relationship with God and me.

Is there a time in your day that you could sacrifice for your children to help them grow up with a love for God beyond what you have seen?

My prayer this morning was that my children will have a relationship with God that I have never had. I want them to do miraculous things in the name of our Lord that I have either failed or been too weak to complete. Although I am growing stronger, my children can be stronger than I ever will if they are equipped with the right tools from the beginning. We don't expect a plumber to fix a water leak with his bare hands, or a doctor to use chopsticks for surgery. You wouldn't mow your entire lawn with a pair of scissors or mop your whole house with a toothbrush. We all like to use and expect others to use the proper tools for the job. Our children have a task before them for the rest of their lives and they need proper tools to do the job. Dads, your responsibility is to equip them with what they need to perform their job requirements. I lift up all fathers today in the name of our savior and pray that you will have a passion for equipping your children with the necessary tools to honor God with their lives.

What are you sacrificing for your children?

In our Courageous Bible study two questions are posed that strike a few nerve cords:

What kind of commitment to Christ do your children see in you?

What kind of sacrifices are you making to help your family obey God?

The first one really hit home with me, because I notice my children watching me constantly. From word choices to habits I have seen the echoes of my actions displayed in the daily activities of my children. I don't think we consider often enough how our children see our behaviors. If I tell my children to read their Bible and pray before bed they will be watching to see if I do it.

I heard a story the other day of a man who is wealthier than most. He leads one of the largest companies in his industry and could easily never go to work again and still make millions. However, he can be seen every work day performing the jobs that the lowest paid workers in his company do. Why? He has a passion for great results and cares about both the quality of his company's work and the people doing the jobs. Because of this "lead by example" kind of mentality, I'm sure he has some of the most dedicated employees of any company. People desire to follow leaders who "walk the walk".

Are you practicing the same things you tell your children NOT to do? If something is not good for them to do or watch, what makes it acceptable for you? Embrace the courage to step forward today and become a leader!

Traditions of men

As we approach these last two months in the Gregorian calendar two things always become the most important topics to our culture: Thanksgiving and Christmas. What blows my mind is that often times many people and even public radio stations blow right past Thanksgiving and begin celebrating the "Christmas Season" on by the first of November.

I am personally very fond of thanksgiving since it is the first documented history we have in this country where our ancestors actually made friends with the natives and gave thanks to God. Without that friendship and the generosity of the natives the pilgrims would have died of hunger. God showed his mercy by allowing the hearts of the natives to be soft for the pilgrims and teach them how to farm.

Christmas is a holiday I spent most of my life celebrating proudly because I thought I was honoring our savior. In adolescence, I enjoyed the whole Santa Claus and reindeer belief and lost sleep the entire week before 12/25 in anticipation of receiving my presents. There are many problems with this tradition of men that so many celebrate with a proud countenance. Here are some of the fallacies:

1) Our Savior Jesus Christ (Mashiach Yeshua) was NOT born on 12/25 and definitely not even in December. 
2) If you have to lie to your children to get them to believe something should it really be done?
3) Would you feel honored if I chose a day of one of my friends and said from now on I am celebrating your birthday on my other friend's birthday?
4) The whole Christmas holiday has become mostly about presents and receiving gifts (especially to children who need to learn the spirit of giving the most).
5) We put aside the feasts of our Lord explained in the Bible (which we claim to follow) to celebrate a tradition made up by men.
6) There have been "gods" who had their "birthdays" celebrated on 12/25 but they were not the God of Israel. One of them was Mithras. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/news/2000/dec08.html.
7)The three wise men coming to give birth to "baby jesus" never happened. Our savior was a boy before the wise men came.


In conclusion, I am not condemning anyone who celebrates Christmas. I celebrated it many years even defending the "keep Christ in Christmas" campaign. Many people that celebrate the holiday do so with passion and extreme joy. Some parents are even amazing at teaching the spirit of giving and volunteering at homeless shelters on Dec 25. I commend anyone who chooses to love our Lord and has a passion for serving Him. We all get things wrong sometimes, and I learn new things every single day. I pray that our heart and minds will be opened to anything we practice that does not honor God. I have chosen not to follow any tradition that cannot be fully supported by God's word because that is what I feel is right. Everyone has their own path and I will love my neighbor despite the choices they make that may differ from my own. I posted this to help my brother and intended not to make any stumbling block. I encourage anyone who reads this to pray and ask God for your direction. Don't take my word for it, but read your Bible and find out for yourself.

Do you trust God or yourself with your finances?

I had a recent conversation with a friend who has had no job for months. He made a tough decision to leave his high paying job to stay home and care for his kids and wife who was very ill. Since this leap of faith he has done amazing things for Yahweh (commonly referred to as "God" by many Christians). One of them he told me last night blew me away. As you can imagine he and his family are going through some rough financial times with no income being generated. To make enough money to buy groceries and other things they had a garage sale. When it was done, he knew every penny they made would be needed for basic necessities. Yet without hesitation, he trusted Yahweh with his finances and removed 10% from the profit immediately before considering any other options. His faith would cause some less faithful to wonder if he had gone crazy, but anyone who loves the lord can't help but admire such trust in our almighty God.

I was so touched by this simple act, because I will admit that in my tough times financially I have not had the trust to make the same decision many times. Yes, I have been stuck out on the limb many times and have made good decisions. However, in that same situation I feel like I would have found some reason why my family needed that money more than God. I'm just being honest here, because I don't see any reason to pretend like I am a saint. I am a real man with real struggles, and my heart desires to be pleasing to Yahweh, but sometimes it's hard to give up the power back to Him.

I want to mention that due to my friend's trust in God I have seen many miracles in his life. Just two days ago he even received a random gift card for over $500 from some anonymous donor claiming they felt led to give it away. WOW! They have received utility bills with negative balances when they could guarantee they never paid over or double payments. There have been countless benefits received by a family who has no income yet continues to move forward. I lift my friends up today and praise the lord for his grace and love. He has taken care of my friends who have trusted in Him. I encourage you that regardless of your financial situation trust in God to provide, and not yourself. After all, can you really afford not to trust your creator with 90% of your money instead of trusting yourself with 100%? It seems much wiser to give God the 90%. He can do so much more with even 1% than we could do with the full 100%.

A minute for years of joyful memories

I was with my family last night coming home when we decided to pick up some pizza to bring home. When I began to open my door I immediately heard the voice of my four year old saying "Daddy, can I come with you? I want to go with you". Well any Dad would know at this point my heart is already melted as I couldn't resist the sweet request of my little girl. "Ofcourse, I said", and I walked around the car and got her out. I could tell she was happy as she just laid her head on my shoulder and hugged me as hard as she could. What I didn't realize was how everyone else could notice her excitement. As I was walking around the restaurant waiting on our order, a man stood up from his table and came over to me. "If you could have taken a picture of what I just saw you'd keep it forever" he said. Then he continued, "the smile on that girls face was so bright she looked like the happiest girl in the world. Make sure you take care of her". I was shocked that it was so obvious to a complete stranger how much she was enjoying these few minutes alone with her Daddy.

These are the moments to give our children men. Take a few minutes and give each of your children at least a little bit of one on one time. It's a few minutes of our time that will give them years upon years of great memories to draw on in their tougher times. I can't help but thank God every day He made me a father. Our job is so important, and so many of us just don't take the time to see it. I encourage you to be your kid's hero today. You won't need any special powers other than the strength to put off any other insignificant thing and give them your time.

See the "Big Picture" with your family

In business we are taught to "see the big picture" or work with a "heads up, heads down" approach. What it ultimately means is not to get so caught up in the daily grind of things, but instead take a step back and  view things from a broader perspective. We can often get so distracted with our daily struggles that we don't find time to plan for the future or even see how we are doing on a larger scale. I encourage each of you to take time out of your day to consider the direction and goals of your family.

What do you and your spouse hope to accomplish? What are the most important things your children need to learn from you and are you on the right path for it? How can you create positive behaviors in your children coupled with the motivation for them to desire demonstrating good behavior? These are the kinds of bigger questions you need to consider regularly if you want the little things you do daily to have an impact.

In addition to planning, you'll need at least one day a week for a family meeting or family time. This should be open discussion time for you to really get a heartbeat or checkup on how you're doing as a family. How do your children feel about the way things are going? Did you feel good/bad about the previous week. These meetings can be difficult to squeeze in sometimes, but they are extremely helpful for many families.

Does your spouse come before work?

The marriage statistics are so frightening I try not to look at them anymore. Many factors add up to the ultimate reasons why, but one of them can be easily corrected. To begin, women desire to be loved and feel needed. It is incredibly hard to feel either of those when your wife takes her place of importance behind so many less important things like your job for example. Many men place their career ahead of their spouse because they were trained their whole lives to do so. After all, we spend 16 or more years preparing for our careers so why shouldn't they be first, right? WRONG! After God, your wife should be the top of your priorities. She was designed to be that way, and deserves to take that place. A person cannot feel loved and important when they feel second rate or inferior.

Yesterday, I left the house like any other day to perform some work activities. As I was on a job site, I received a phone call. I didn't hear it ring, but I saw the missed call from my wife when I looked at my phone. I listened to the voicemail, and to my shock she was very upset and stressed out because of the messes our children had made. Now when I left the house it was clean and I had even done some dishes before heading out. So, I was a very surprised at this, but nevertheless I called my wife immediately. She begin telling me what had been done and just sounded overwhelmed and frustrated. What could I do from 80 miles away? I immediately stopped what I was doing and drove home. On the way, I called her very close friend and asked that she call my wife and talk with her. By the time I got home my wife had calmed down, but the house was destroyed. As the father and husband it was my duty to do two things: 1) Speak with my children about not making such messes for us to clean and enlist their help picking it up, 2) Take ownership of the situation and get it cleaned up. I took off my business shirt and began cleaning until it was back in shape. It wasn't my ideal situation to come home to and wouldn't be for anyone. But, just like job requirements there are position requirements for being a father and husband. I seem to learn more of these every day, but I don't think I'll ever understand all of them until I am with God. The amazing part is that God understands what we go through and He sends help when we need it. After I finished cleaning, our friends showed up and said they had come to help. There is nothing that felt better at that moment than knowing we "had help". The feeling of reinforcements arriving just when you are feeling beaten. It's a reviving feeling that gives you new strength. Well, the main areas were clean but the women WENT TO TOWN on a secluded room that was really bad. The girls had taken all of our school supplies, books, and various other items and thrown them all over the floor. The room just looked overwhelming. The women knocked it out and my friend Jason and I got food for everyone and even managed to relocate some tile to a room more fitting. It was an incredible end to a rough day. Praise God for great friends!

The job of a father never ends

Last night my wife locked our home office door to keep the kids out. What she didn't know is that I had placed the keys inside of the office. Now most of my interior doors can be opened with a simple credit card even though the door knobs are exterior knobs with key locks. Although, my office seems to be one of those rare cases where credit cards just won't work. Well, I tried for over an hour to unlock the door with all kinds of gadgets. I went through five cards, and used all kinds of different tools and couldn't seem to get it. I tried being creative and designing lock-picking gadgets and those didn't work either. Finally, after my hands were sore, body tired, and I was just ready to break the door I called my Dad. He had me check a couple of places to make sure there wasn't a spare key. When I told him "no", he simply said "then go get my big channel lock pliers out of the toolbox". I was immediately thinking "Seriously? I can open the door with just a pair of pliers". I reminded him this could break the knob (as if he didn't already know) and he said "Even if it does, the cheap knob isn't worth looking for keys all night". It took me a literal 3 seconds to open the door with the pliers. I was so frustrated that I spent over an hour trying to "do it myself" out of pride when I could have called my Dad and had it fixed in a few minutes. His method didn't even break the knob! It's easy to feel the need to be more independent when you're a father and husband. However, if you still have someone around like your own father who you can call on for wisdom you are only hurting yourself not to use that resource. I had prayed for God's help to open the lock last night, and I was baffled that I still couldn't get it before calling my Dad. It seems that He wanted me to ask for my earthly father's help last night to teach me this lesson. Praise the Lord for teaching a stubborn man like myself.

Are you fighting empty handed?

In Ephesians Chapter 6, the apostle Paul explains how the church members he is writing to will equip themselves to battle the enemy. It is easy to equip ourselves to fight something we can see, because you can identify the enemy's weak points and areas of strength and equip to match. However, we are fighting a spiritual battle every day where weapons of this world are useless. We are powerless in our own strength and we need the help of God to stand a chance. Use the wise words in Ephesians and prepare daily for the spiritual battle ahead. Whether you're ready for it or not the battle will come. Don't be caught defenseless or sleeping when the enemy attacks. Put on the armor of God daily.

Story I told my kids

I have learned just how much my children enjoy stories, especially at bedtime. I decided to start creating a new story for them on most nights where I can incorporate Biblical wisdom. Here is one of the recent ones:

Sam and Jim were walking down a road together when suddenly they came to a fork in the road. The map they had said to go right and they would reach their house, but the left path looked so easy and had an abundance of fruit trees, lush landscaping, and clean drinking water along the way they could see. The path to the right was longer and tough terrain, but it was the only way to their house. After arguing about the decision for an hour the two friends split up and Sam went left and Jim went right. Jim started well, but then he began to second guess himself. "Maybe the map is wrong. This path seems so hard and there is no water in sight." Meanwhile, Sam was eating berries and drinking fresh spring water just loving every minute. "My friend was crazy, he should have listened to me. This path is sooo much better". As the day moved on both men moved along their paths. Eventually, Jim felt so overwhelmed that He asked God for help. "Please Lord, help me get through this tough path and find my house". Suddenly, Jim felt a renewed strength and he rose up, moved forward and found his house. Finally, he had made it home and was surrounded by scenery that made the other path look like a barren desert. There were fruit trees of every kind and waterfalls galore. "Wow" he said, "this is beauty beyond imagination".  He noticed that Sam was not anywhere in sight. "I wonder where Sam is he said to himself?" Sam had finally stopped playing and went down his path smiling and feeling so good about how easy it had been and feeling proud of himself for choosing the "better course". All of the sudden, he saw a cliff in front of him. He could see the house at a distance on the other side of the cliff, but the gap was well over 100ft wide and he knew it was impossible to cross. His confidence dropped and he felt disheartened. He knew he would have to turn back and go take the other path. After waiting ten minutes he took a breath and headed back down the path toward the fork in the road. He eventually reached the beginning, took the right path and met up with his friend the following day.

Point of the story: God has given us a clear path to reach our destination. You may have friends that go the wrong way and make it look easy, but in the end you'll see that your path was right even if it is harder. Some people take longer to find the right path than others so be patient and love them. We aren't promised easy roads for following God's commands; but we are promised that He will be with us along the way and at the end. Remember, John 14:6 tells us which path to take, but the decision to choose it is up to you. 

What is a leader?

Upon searching the web for a proper definition of the word "leader" I can say none of the definitions given seem more accurate than the example given by our Messiah in the Bible. You've often heard of God saying "I am the first and the last", and it makes perfect sense. However, when Jesus was on earth with His disciples what He said shocked them. "And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, and servant of all" (Mark 9:35). John was pretty clear when he told the people that a greater one was coming after him whose sandals John was not even worth of tying. Yet, our savior still taught that a true leader is a servant to those he leads, not a dictator. If He can lead with a servant's heart and He is our God, how easy should it be for us mere men to do it? If we serve our families we will win the hearts of the ones we love which is s much better than having their obedience out of fear. I encourage you to research more on this topic.

Daily past posts from Facebook- They will be on here from now on.

ATTN MEN IN HOUSTON: I have watched and experienced families breaking apart and children suffering too long without taking action. I will be starting a Men's group in my home focusing on the study materials offered by "Courageous" the movie. I would be honored for any men to come and be a part of this learning and bonding between men to hold each other accountable in our struggle to take back our families. This will start as a 12 week study but will branch into a lifelong group committed to help one another be the greatest fathers we can be. I will provide all materials at my own expense. Please contact me to join and expect to be held accountable if you do. I welcome all men ready to grow! The expected start date will be November 1st.


Good morning Men! Let's take today and show appreciation for our wives and/or mothers. Do something nice for them without any expectation of return. Flowers, coffee, make them breakfast, tell them you love them randomly, ANYTHING. I would be nowhere without my inspiring, loving, supportive and amazing wife! How about you?


Cherish your moms. Regardless of any disagreements, frustrations, anger, or past events God commands us to honor them. I could have done much better in this area with my Mom, but you never know when your time is up to make things right until you run out of time. Praise God if you haven't.


Good morning men, Ephesians 6:4 says "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord". Let's look closely at our children today. Every person has a special way they like to receive love. What is your child's love language? One of my daughters loves affection so me hugging her says it all. Another prefers endearment so I have to verbally tell her "I love you". Whatever it is, let's identify one way to tell each child you love them today in the way they will best receive it. May God strengthen you today and give you the courage to stand against complacency for the benefit of your family.


Good morning men, I am challenging myself today to respond to everyone in love. In other words, even when someone cuts me off on the freeway my hands won't be flying in the air :). This is a tough one for me I admit, but change sometimes is hard. I encourage you to challenge yourself today. What is a bad habit you can replace with a good habit starting today?


Good morning men, Ephesians 5:25 says "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it". Today I encourage you to put everything you want to the side and focus on meeting the desires of your spouse. If she is sick, stay home and nurse her. If she is tired pick up the slack. If there is something you have been putting off that she needs get it done today. Let's imitate Christ today and follow His example.


Good morning friends: In Titus Chapter 2 we learn of how we are to be an example for other men & women, and what to teach them so they know how to honor God with their lives. Most of us weren't taught how to be a great parent or spouse, but instead we imitated what we learned from t.v. and our parents. I encourage you to engage your children and teach them daily how to honor God in their lives. Talk to them actively about marriage, being a parent, struggles they may face, and give them a positive example to follow. Invest in the knowledge of your children and you will see generations of fruitful lives. What will you teach the children of our future today?


Good morning men, we are programmed by the world to constantly improve our job skills. We attend anywhere from 12-20 years plus of school to know the latest information that makes us great workers. How much time have you spent learning how to be a better Dad? Husband? It's no wonder why marriages are falling apart and children are suffering. We have spent the first quarter of our lives completely focused on job skills, and then we get married with all of these job skills and very little knowledge on how to love our spouse and/or children. Think about the situation in reverse: If 20 years were spent preparing for marriage we'd have no divorce rate and we'd probably be much happier. However, we would either not be able to get a good job or we'd be fired due to our lack of knowledge. We wouldn't be able to perform the job well because we'd know nothing about it. I believe that divorces happen due to God not being at the center, ignorance, lack of education on marriage, and weak spirit to name a few. In summary, we get "fired" or "quit" because of the frustration caused from a lack of understanding. Today is the day to change all of that. Men, start learning about your spouse. In "The Love Dare" within the Fireproof series they encourage you to strive for a degree in knowing your spouse. School is now in session. Start learning about her today, and don't stop because women were made to be so amazing that we'll never completely figure them out. It's going to be a lifelong university. May God bless you today as you begin to learn about your spouse.


ood morning men,
Have you ever been bitten by a tick? I remember one time I was traveling on the road and went in a fast food restaurant when my wife saw something on my neck that looked like a mole. I didn't remember having a mole there so I went to the restroom and in shock, saw it was a tick. I immediately removed it and threw it away to find a great sigh of relief that the parasite was gone. The problem was that when I removed the tick I forgot to remove the real parasite inside of me which is the one creating the most damage. In Fireproof they mention a parasite is something that clings on to you or your spouse and sucks the life out of your marriage through the form of addictions or bad habits. Do you have any parasites in your life? If so, will you treat it as you would a tick if it were on you or are you going to let it stay and suck the life out of you? If you want relief you must first remove the parasite. I pray for you to have tremendous strength in overcoming what you must face. 


Good morning men,

Psalm 1 tells us that if we are meditating on His word then we will become strong, and will be rooted into solid ground that will not be washed away. We are encountered throughout our day with distractions, including many we add ourselves. I encourage you to be alert today and in the future of what you are meditating on. Is it making your spirit stronger, weaker, or neutral (Hint: there is no neutral)? Whether its music, movies, internet sites, t.v., conversations, etc. if it isn't lifting you up then maybe you should consider departing from it. The Bible is clear about being on fire for God or absent completely, but there is no luke warm.


Good morning Men,

Imagine for a moment that you walk into a cave for the first time. It's dark, cold, and wet but you have to find a way through this cave to get home because it's the only way. There are hundreds of tunnels and caverns going various directions and you don't even have a flashlight. How confident do you feel about finding the exit? Now imagine you come to the same cave, but you know it because it's the cave your father has taken you through many many times together and he has shown you the way and all of the right paths to take. You even have a bright lantern that fills the walls with light so you can see. Do you feel a difference? A father's role is critical in the development and choices of his children. If a father is absent his children will have to find there own paths and will often discover many wrong ones that could destroy their lives. Even worse, if they do not know God they will be exploring unknown dark paths without a light to guide them. Fathers, I pray that you will lead and instruct your children so they know the right paths to take and that you will help them to know God so they may have a light to shine before them.


Good morning men,

I was in the car yesterday thinking about my priorities when I came to a thought about the order I place my wife and children. I have to admit that I found myself wondering if I really put my wife first before my children. I just love being a Dad so much that often times I tend to put my children before my wife. I know this is not God's plan, so I started to think. If a man puts his children first in a marriage before his spouse the marriage will be weaker and could end up in divorce because the spouse feels like she's on the opposing team. If divorce or even a weak marriage is a result, the children actually suffer more. It is not only honoring God's plan, but also it is honoring your wife and children to put your wife first so your marriage will be strong. Your children will see this and they will feel more loved and be more inclined to have a strong marriage from your example when they get older. God's plan always makes so much more sense than my own. I hope this helps if any of you have had a similar struggle.


Good monday morning,

On my recent campout with some great friends we found ourselves forced to hike over 3 miles to our primitive campsite with tons of equipment. It was a grueling journey that left our muscles sore and bodies tired, but we accomplished it as a team and finished "the race". We all had the same goal, clear communication, and switched gear frequently to share the burden and rest. It occurred to me this morning that we can use the same principle in our marriages. Discuss and establish clear goals with your spouse, then set a course to attain it. While on the course, lift up your spouse and make sure you are helping one another and sharing the burden. We often get so so stuck in our "roles" as men and women that we don't take the time to help out in our spouse's responsibilities. It's a team goal and a team responsibility men. If that means doing some laundry, mopping the kitchen, or whatever else your wife is struggling with just get it done and you'll achieve the team objective.

Where are we today?

The time for men to be men is long overdue! The feminized "pass the buck" to the wife and/or government kind of man has to end. We were made to serve God not man.

We should protect our families, not ignore them. We need to love our wives, serve others, and stand up and fight against the evil that is tearing marriages and families apart.

Homosexuality is rising faster than ever before. I have talked with many people trapped in homosexuality and I will tell you 100% that it is NOT born it is developed like an addiction. Of the nine men and women that I have interviewed, ALL of them could trace their desire for the same sex back to an event or circumstance that caused the eventual outcome. Of those nine people, four of them felt they were born with it at one point in their lives until they discovered otherwise.

Pornography ensnares 95% of the men in this world INCLUDING christian Bible believing men. Even worse, many women either have no clue about it or don't know how to stop it. Can you blame them? The sad part is that since women are made differently than men it affects them far greater emotionally than men. To a man it is simply "release" or "pleasure" in most cases. To a woman and to God, it is 100% CHEATING! It is complete and total adultery that tears the heart of a woman just the same as if the man had physically been with another woman. This is the part many men just do not seem to grasp. I have heard men say "It doesn't mean anything" or "I only do it when I am stressed, bored, or upset". Well then, that should be a wake up call that you have a problem. You have an addiction and it is time to seek help.

Next, the divorce rate is 50% for first marriages according to www.marriagestatistics.org. Second and third marriages are even worse at 67% and 75%. However, there shouldn't even be statistics for the second and third marriages.

Kids are fornicating (getting physical) in elementary school. "Sex" is a term even 8 yr olds talk about openly with the opposite sex. The public school system even provides sexual education to kids under the age of 10 in some cases. Condoms are handed out openly in some schools by nurses and/or teachers to "help" prevent adolescent pregnancies. Pre-teens and teenagers share sexual exploits and thoughts back and forth on Facebook and through "sexting".

When will we say "ENOUGH"?!! When will we realize how much we are needed right now? Our children need us, our country needs us, and most of all God needs us to say "WE WILL NOT SIT AND WATCH THIS DESTRUCTION ANY LONGER".