Risky Business

One summer, my two friends Dustin , Will, and I went on a surfing trip down to Puerto Escondido, Mexico. If you're familiar with Escondido, you know it's known for a surfing break called "Mex Pipe" or the Mexican Pipeline, a rather large, hollow wave. Even though I'd been surfing for several years, even though I had surfed decent size waves before, I could put this one down as the largest I had attempted. I remember paddling out....being so unsure how things were going to play out....being so nervous and scared....the further I paddled into the surf the more vulnerable and susceptible I became....would I be successful or would I fall in defeat.......right then and there I new I had taken a risk..............................

I've been reading through a book by Charles R. Swindoll called The Strength of Character. In his book, Swindoll writes about having courage:

"All who live risk something.

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement.

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To hope is to risk despair.

To try is to risk failure."

Don't be afraid to take a risk. We need to have that risk taking faith for Christ! So many times we just need to let go and just turn it all over to God....because that's when great things happen....Goliaths are conquered, lives are changed, the storm is calmed, the blind see, the lepers are healed.

Pretty Righteous

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Into the Deep

During hard times I've had in my life, I've read through Jonahs Prayer. It's amazing to see Jonah just pour himself out! Check it out!

Jonah 2: 1-10

"In my distress I called to the Lord and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all of your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple. The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you o Lord brought my life up from the pit............

Brave Heart

1Corinth. 16:13 - 14 Stand firm in the faith; Be men of courage; Be strong. Do everything in love.

Many times we find ourselves a little afraid to do certain things, perhaps things that are new, that make us different and unique, because we worry about what the rest of the world thinks, says, or does. We worry we'll be mocked and criticized...we worry about failure. As Christians, we cannot be afraid to fall, to be hurt, to be humiliated.....we cannot be afraid of rejection of being shut down. We cannot be afraid to take a stand and to love!!

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” - T. Roosevelt

A warm bowl of...........

Recently, a very special person in my life introduced me to something that is now very near and dear to my heart......something that can warm you up when it's cold outside.....that can be both bitter and sweet......a special something that can be eaten with bacon and chedder, with butter or even shrimp. That something is GRITS (and Yes, I am eating some as I write this). If you've never tried grits before, check out your local grocery store. Who knew that something so simple could be so great................