1 Peter 4

Here's the second sermon that I preached in Brookings, based on 1 Peter 4:12-18:

Can you think of some people who’ve had to suffer just because they’re different? I can think of some people who have. Some people get picked on in school because they look different. They’re maybe too short or too tall, too fat or too skinny. But that seems trivial when you think that people in this country, as recently as sixty years ago, were treated like second class citizens, or even physically harmed simply because of the color of their skin. We could go on and on listing examples of how people suffer for being different. Now, when you imagine these scenarios in your mind, how do the people react when they’re mistreated? The child in school might cry or tell an adult. Those who were denied basic liberties stood up for their rights. One thing is for sure, no matter how many examples we looked at, it’d be hard to find someone who just rejoiced when they were forced to suffer. Well, that’s exactly what Peter says to do in the section of Scripture before us today. He tells us,

Rejoice when you suffer as a Christian

• Because God is with you

• Because God is faithful

Now, this was an especially timely message for Peter's first century audience. Right from the beginning of the letter, Peter mentions that many of them had been going through some painful trials. This was apparently one of the reasons that Peter wrote the letter. He wanted to encourage them and give them some words of wisdom to help them get through their trials.

The first piece of wisdom that we see today is that Peter told them not to be surprised as they faced this suffering. Instead, they should be ready for people to persecute them because of their Christian faith. While they had experienced some suffering already, Peter wanted to prepare them for what was about to come their way. And, apparently, what was about to come their way was going to be a lot more difficult to deal with than anything they had seen before. You see, shortly before Peter wrote this letter, the Roman government had banned Christianity. The worst was on its way. Peter wanted these Christians to expect that, so they'd be ready to face it in a God-pleasing manner.

But what is a God-pleasing response to tribulation? Peter told them to expect it, but how would they actually deal with it when persecution came knocking at their door? How would they react when the authorities would tell these early Christians that they couldn't hold public worship services? How would they react when a loved one faced physical harm? Peter tells them: Rejoice. But he can't be serious, right? I mean, you all know your history. You know the brutal ways that the Romans persecuted the early Christians. How could someone rejoice through all of that? Well, Peter tells these Christians that they can rejoice no matter how bleak their situation may seem because God is with them as they suffer.

• Peter said, “Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” Jesus made it clear several times throughout his ministry that his disciples could expect to receive the same kind of treatment that he did. People called Jesus names; the disciples could expect that too. Eventually, Jesus was executed, and the same would happen to some of his followers. But as Jesus' followers would go through these trials, they could rejoice because their Savior wasn't a distant figure that was unable to relate. No, Jesus had gone through all these struggles too, and because he persevered through them all, he won the forgiveness of sins for all people. As Christians struggle to bear their crosses throughout this life, Jesus is with them, ready to remove their pain and give them the crown that he has won for them when the time is right.

Thanks be to God that Jesus' story didn't end with his sufferings on the cross. No, he was raised and glorified and is seated at God's right hand. Peter reminds his audience here that they can expect to be glorified in the end as well. Even if these coming persecutions took their lives, they knew that death wasn't the end for them. When Jesus returns in glory, they will also be glorified. They'll rise from the dead to go to be with God forever. Because of this picture, Christians can rejoice in their sufferings, knowing that they will share in Jesus' glory, just as they have shared in his sufferings.

Peter went on to explain how God is with Christians in the midst of their sufferings by saying, “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” With these words, Peter made it clear that the Holy Spirit will accomplish his work despite the sufferings that Christians face. As Christians face these unpleasant trials, God is there, using these events to accomplish his will.

For example, the persecution of Christians helped build the church. First of all, the persecution spread Christians out so that they could reach more people. As Christians were pushed out of one city, they took the gospel message with them to another. And not just that, but the martyrs provided a terrific witness. From our vantage point, we can look back and see how God used these tragic events to spread the gospel. And the gospel spread so quickly that by the end of the apostles' lives, there were Christians all throughout Asia-Minor, and into Europe. God certainly was with the early Christians, allowing their testimony to spread, and because of that they could rejoice.

But even in all of that, the Holy Spirit wasn't just working through these suffering Christians. No, as he stayed with them through all their troubles, he worked on them too. He had created faith in their hearts, and he sustained that faith. So, no matter what they faced, they could rejoice in God's promise that nothing can separate a Christian from God's love. These Christians certainly had plenty of reasons for joy even as Peter warned them that significant trials were on their way.

So, what's the takeaway for us from Peter's words here? First of all, let's be clear that we're certainly deserving of any suffering that comes our way. Because we're sinful people, we deserve not only for difficulty to come into our lives now, but we really deserve to be punished in hell forever. Thanks be to God that he has spared us from that suffering and from many other sufferings in this life as well. As far as we can tell, there's no imminent physical persecution on its way from our government. But that doesn't mean that we're not gonna have any troubles in our lives as Christians. Quite the opposite, Scripture tells us that we have to endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. So, we too should be ready for those hardships and not be surprised when they come our way.

And when they do come our way, just like the apostles, we can rejoice that we share in Jesus' sufferings. But, How, today in 2012, might we find ourselves suffering like Jesus did? Think about this:

Jesus had a message that was unpopular with a lot of people in his day. At times the Pharisees tried to trick him into misspeaking. Other times they tried to silence his message so that no one would hear it. In the end, they hated what he had to say so much that they arrested and killed him. While it's unlikely that any of us will be imprisoned or crucified for speaking God's Word, we also have a message that's pretty unpopular today, don't we? You see, the message of the cross is always counter-cultural. While the mantra of society says, “I can do anything I set my mind to” the Christian says, “I can't, but Jesus did.” that doesn't sit too well with man's proud sinful nature. So the sinful man tries to do away with everything that he doesn't like about God's Word. You can expect that people will try to silence your viewpoint when you speak the truth about God's will for our lives. You can expect that the unbelievers you come into contact with will mock you and try to make you sound silly for believing what God has to say about the history of the world. But as we go through these problems, we realize that Jesus has been there. Jesus went through all this and has won the victory for us. So we rejoice.

But there's plenty more reason to rejoice even as we suffer. Not only is God with us as we suffer, but the reason he is with us is because he's faithful. That faithfulness gives us great comfort and allows us to rejoice.

Peter reminded his audience of God's faithfulness by reminding them that judgment was coming. He said, “it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And, 'if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?'”Christians didn't need to fear this judgment because they knew about the ransom that Jesus paid. Yet, While Christians knew that their salvation was secure, they might've been a little bit irked by the fact that the wicked seemed to prosper so much in their world. And While it is true that those who were in power at the time were not friendly to Christians, the day was coming when those rulers would face judgment. Peter pointed his hearers to a teaching that is found throughout Scripture – the way of the wicked will perish.

So, until then, Peter urged them that “those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” There are a couple points to be highlighted in the name that Peter used for God here. In the title “creator”, God's power is emphasized. God was powerful enough to create the entire universe, he was certainly powerful enough to bring Christians through their trials. This title also points us to God's faithfulness. God has demonstrated his faithfulness ever since creation by sustaining the world and caring for it. So, Christians can rejoice in their tribulations because they have a God who is powerful and faithful, as we see in his creation.

You, too, can be sure of God's faithfulness and rejoice in your sufferings. One reason to rejoice is because you can expect vindication. When people bring trouble to your life, you can keep your coming glory at the front of your mind. You will struggle, but that struggle won't last. Still, it might not always be easy to keep that vision in focus. After all, if you take a look around at the who's who in our country, doesn't it seem like the wicked are doing pretty well? We don't need to name names here, but you can probably think of several examples off the top of your head of people who seem to prosper despite the fact that they lead ungodly lives. But you have chosen what is better. Instead of chasing money or the pleasures of this world, you've clung to the promises of God. Because God has given us that faith and sustained it in us, we can rejoice despite all of our sufferings.

As we rejoice, we're placing our souls into the care of our faithful creator. And because he has faithfully sustained creation, we're confident that he'll sustain us too. After all, The sun comes up day after day. Jesus tells us that God cares for even the seemingly insignificant sparrows. He'll care for us too.

So what's our response now that we have this confidence in God? What will this look like in our lives? We'll continue to do good. We do good even to those who cause trouble for us. That lets our light shine, that they, too, might come to faith in Jesus. And it gives thanks to God, for giving us reason to rejoice no matter what comes our way.

So, while it might not be fun that we have to face trials in this life because of our Christian faith, we still have plenty of reasons to rejoice as we suffer as Christians. We rejoice because our God is with us through it all, and we know that he will be faithful to us no matter what comes our way.

Engagement Revisited

Perhaps it's a little bit cocky to say that I think the post on my previous blog could be valuable resources for people as they face certain issues.  But, if I didn't feel that way, why would I have written them in the first place?  So, if anyone asks for specific posts or topics from my previous blog, I'll look to revisit them here.  Topic #1 is engagement:

"This is a touchy subject. As I begin to write, I find myself hesitant to write because I know I'll need to tread gently due to the life experiences of my potential audience. I pray that I can walk the line to speak authoritatively, but gently. . . .

When you become engaged, to whom are you promising? Your fiance(e).
I know, I've heard people say, 'When you get engaged, you're married in God's eyes.' I don't think I've ever heard this from a pastor or a teacher, so I'm not sure where this thought has come from, but it is wrong! God says that a man will leave his father and mother to become one with his wife. This isn't some bachelor movin' in with his girlfriend. No, it's a young man making his commitment in the eyes of his parents, society and God that he will be united to this woman for the rest of his life. Is this what happens in engagement? His friends may view him as tied down for the rest of his life, but has he voiced this commitment before society and God? No. Society says that in order to be committed for the rest of your life in their eyes, you need to sign on the dotted line along with an authorized representative.

I'ma just come right out and say it: Can you have sex when you're engaged?
. . .
No.
When you've made your promise to another person that you will marry them, you have promised to them that you will commit to them for the rest of your life. You have not publicly pronounced that commitment before God and his people. So, until you make that before God, his people, and his other kingdom (the state), don't do it.

So, if the promise of an engagement is not so binding that you can consummate it, can you break it off at your own will?
Certainly not.
While the commitment you have made is not one that takes place before God and his people, it is a commitment nonetheless. When you say that you will marry someone, you are making a promise. If you promise someone that you'll give them half your cheese curds at lunch and you don't do it, that's a sin. If you promise someone that you'll marry them and you don't, that's a sin too. I'm going to go on the record and say that there can be cases of casuistry and that what I said is not necessarily absolute, but I don't intend to go into those here. This is getting long enough as it is.

You just heard the news from a friend, "I'm engaged!" You're not really sure how you feel about these people getting engaged at this time. So, how do you react?
Given that we've established that breaking an engagement is not the right thing to do, once a couple is engaged, Shut your mouth. Voice your doubts when a couple is dating. If you voice your doubts when a couple is already engaged, you are encouraging them to sin. Don't be that guy. If you think it's too soon, shut up. If you're not sure if they're really compatible, shut up. If you find that person's fiance(e) annoying, shut the heck up. Instead, encourage the couple to figure out how they can love one another more perfectly and fulfill the roles that God has given them in marriage."

Now to add a little bit more to an already lengthy post:
I did not intend to say, "never address any concerns you have with an engaged couple."  You should talk with your engaged and married friends about concerns you have, just like you should with your single friends.  However, don't do so in such a way that discourages people from keeping their promises.

Any questions?

First sermon

This is the first sermon that i ever preached in a church.  I also preached this in Brookings as my first sermon on 8/19/12.  I hope that all the sermons that follow this one will be significantly better.  But, for historical purposes, here it is:

“I said 'I love you. That's forever. This I promise from the heart.” If you listened to popular music in the late 1970's, you probably recognized that line from a popular song. If you didn't catch that one, don't worry. I'll quote a couple more that you might recognize. Here's another one: “I think you ought to know that I intend to hold you for the longest time.” And one more: “As long as I have you by my side, there's a roof above and good walls all around.” Now, these songs might seem to just be sappy love songs, but there's something significant about them: 
The pop singer Billy Joel wrote all three of these songs, and he wrote them for three different women. I have absolutely no doubt that he was completely sincere when he wrote them; he was in love and found a woman he considered a treasure. But you have to wonder if he underestimated how much it would cost him to cherish those treasures forever. 
Sometimes Christians underestimate how much they need to cherish the treasure they have from God. We know Jesus is important; we hear his Word on Sundays, and we put our faith to use during the week, especially when times are tough. But we can admit that there have been times when we haven’t thought all that much about God’s gifts, when we haven’t considered the tremendous value we have in our relationship with God.
In the Gospel for today, Jesus reminds us how important it is to consider his kingdom our most valuable treasure. He's talking here about his forgiveness, his love, and his willingness to take care of us—all the things that he does for us in his kingdom. He talks about these things in three parables. This is the lesson he wants us to learn:
Be serious about your priceless treasure.
x Value it
x Prize It
x Share It
Here’s the first parable Jesus told:
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
1. Jesus tells us about a man who was walking through a field. He doesn't say why he was walking through the field. He may have been taking a shortcut from one place to another. Maybe he saw some flowers he wanted to take home for his wife. We don't really know. As he was in the field, he stumbled upon a treasure. Again, Jesus doesn't bog us down with the details. He just tells us that he found the treasure. What he focuses on is the man's reaction. When the man found it, he went away and sold everything he had so that he could buy the treasure.
So, why does Jesus tell this story? He wants us to know that his forgiveness is the most valuable treasure we have. In fact, without this treasure, we live in absolute poverty. No matter what our bank accounts may say, we are dirt poor because of our sins. In fact, we're not just broke, but we've got a huge debt. We've got so much debt that we can't even begin to chip away at it. Anything of value that we may want to bring to pay off our debt is about as valuable as old paint rags. But because he loved us, God erased the debt. God saw us in our state of poverty and sent Jesus to turn our rags to riches. By his death on the cross, Jesus gives us the forgiveness of sins and every other blessing we need. With this story, Jesus wants us to recognize exactly how valuable this treasure is. Just like the man in the field, we value this so much that we experience great joy, give up everything, and hang on to this priceless treasure.
By the grace of God, you have received this treasure through the Word. You've heard it here in church Sunday after Sunday. God brought you into his family in Holy Baptism at a time when most of you couldn’t walk or talk. You've heard the incredible treasures it contains. You know that God loves each and every one of you so much that he sent his Son to die for you so that you wouldn't have to spend eternity apart from him. 
We know this treasure is more valuable than anything else. Because of its great value, Jesus encourages us to cherish it above all else and to strive for it and hang on to it with all we have. 

2. Why? Why does Jesus care so much that we strive for his treasure and hang on to it? He gives us the answer in two more parables.
The first of these two parables is very similar to the one we just considered. He said:
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
At first glance, it seems that these two parables are practically identical. I mean, they both are about a man who finds something valuable, sells everything he has and buys it. But there is a difference between the two. The difference is how the two men come upon the treasure. The first man simply stumbles upon the treasure in a field, but in this story, the merchant man was looking for fine pearls. This is what he did. He bought and sold valuable pearls to make a living for himself. The man had certainly seen a treasure or two in his day. But this one pearl was so impressive that he gave up all the other pearls in his collection to have this one. Once the merchant man recognized the value of this pearl, he cherished it greatly.
We see this sort of situation play out in real life too. Most people understand that there is a god, and they crave a relationship with him. Unfortunately, this often points people in the wrong direction. Some cling to worldly philosophies or other religions. But some find the valuable pearl that surpasses all others. When people are exposed to the love of God, they realize that this is far better than anything else they had been clinging to before. A person who has had to sift through the supposed pearls of this world certainly cherishes the treasure of God's forgiveness greatly.
Now, many of us may not have had to sift through many other “pearls” before we came to possess this treasure of Christianity. But Jesus wants us to compare our treasure with all the other treasures people chase after. He wants us to know that it's of the utmost importance for us to cherish this treasure. 
To show us how important it is for us to cherish the treasure we've received, Jesus told another story. This time the story isn't about treasure; it's about fishing. 
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
He described a huge net going out and scooping up all kinds of fish. But when the fishermen lifted up the net at the end of the day when it was full, their work still wasn't done. They had to keep the good fish and throw the bad fish away.
Jesus doesn't leave us guessing what we're supposed to take from this parable. He says in no uncertain terms that this is what's going to happen on the last day. The people who don't cherish the treasure that they've come into contact with, will have bad things happen to them. This is eternal punishment in hell that he's talking about here. If we don't hang onto this treasure, we could find yourself ourselves among the bad fish facing punishment.
The problem with the bad fish wasn't that they weren't in the net. No, the net of God’s grace scooped them up. The problem was that they were still bad fish, despite the fact that God loved them. 
And for bad fish, there was only one place: the fiery furnace. The truth is that there is a day when God will return in judgment and condemn everyone who fails to cherish him and his priceless treasure, and everyone who wonders about the value of God’s treasure would be wise to listen to Jesus words carefully. 
But to those who do cherish the prize, there is a wonderful reward. When the time comes that each one of us faces death, we can face it fearlessly, knowing that we will stand blameless before the throne of our God, dressed in the robe of righteousness that Jesus has won for us. Of all the treasures, our treasure is the only one that has eternal value. Retirement funds are subject to market change. Even if things work out well for us, earthly wealth only lasts through this life. All the possessions and treasures we build up in this life are simply left to decay after we’re gone. Jesus want us to compare our prize with all the other treasures people chase after and cherish the one treasure we’ll be enjoying when all the other treasures on earth are gathering dust.
The treasure that we have, contained in the Bible, changes lives. First of all, it lasts forever. This treasure will be just as valuable to us long after we’re gone from this earth as it is now. If we hang on to this treasure, we will be rewarded with eternal life with Jesus. Second, this treasure puts everything we face in this life into perspective. Since we have the confidence of eternal life, we can say with the apostle Paul that any sufferings we face in this life are simply not even worth comparing to the glory that awaits us. I mean, think about the treasures that other people chase after. People who have family troubles often seek solace in alcohol or other temporary pleasures. And when people have been beaten down by the pressures all around them, leaving them down and out, they make themselves feel better by talking bad about other people. But we don’t need to concern ourselves with things like that. Certainly eternal life with God is far better than a few hours of dulled emotions or a few moments of fleeting social glory. So let’s cherish the treasure that we’ve found, because it provides us the sort of comfort that no other treasure can.
After all, you have received the most valuable pearl of all. There are billions of people in the world who are searching for exactly what you've got. That is: peace with God. There is nothing more valuable. Cherish it as such.

3. But Jesus doesn’t want us to stop there. Since we have this treasure that we value and cherish so much, he wants us to share it with as many people as we possibly can.
He explains to his disciples how they should share this treasure by telling them a metaphor. He said, “every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Now, as we read this metaphor, it’s important to call to mind that these words wrap up a section of seven parables that Jesus told. At the beginning of this set of parables, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Why do you speak in parables?” The answer to that question included a condemnation of the Jewish nation. Jesus wasn’t about to speak to eh Jews plainly because they had already rejected him. They were content with their Torah and the writings of their Jewish Fathers and weren’t really interested in what Jesus had to say. Jesus was teaching new things that Jewish believers refused to understand. Jesus’ point here is that a wise student of the scriptures accepts both the teachings of the Old Testament and the new teachings that Jesus brought.
So, what is Jesus telling us here? I mean, we‘re New Testament Christians, who cherish both the Old and the New testaments. Well, Jesus wants us to learn more and more about the Scriptures. He wants us to learn about the old parts we already know as well as the new parts we don‘t know. He wants us to focus daily on his law and his gospel, but he also wants us to broaden the scope of learning.
But there’s still more here. The owner of the house didn’t use the treasures that he gained only for himself. He brought them out and presented them to his servants and guests. We do the same. As we continue to learn more and more, we don’t let that knowledge just stay in our heads. We take this treasure and share it with others. Because we know that this treasure is so valuable and we know that it is the pearl to be cherished above all else, it comes naturally that we would want to share it. So, keep studying God’s word so that you can be ready, at a moment’s notice, to bring out the gems of God’s Word that you have in your storeroom. Bring out both the ones that you’ve had for your whole lives and the ones that you’ve just discovered this week. It is these things that make up the priceless treasure that we value, cherish and share.
Brothers and Sisters, I don't want you to look back on your confirmation vows like an embarrassed musician looks back on a love song. People who have written great love songs were passionate about the treasure they'd found, for sure. But a lot of times they didn't do all that they needed to do to hang on to that treasure. But you can hang onto your priceless treasure. Be serious about your priceless treasure by valuing it, cherishing it and sharing it. When you do these things, you can understand, appreciate, and experience the joys of this treasure to their fullest.

There's Nothing Wrong With Ohio?

In the build up to receiving this vicar call, it was somewhat inevitable that thoughts would cross my mind about where I might be going.  I tried to fight those thoughts off as much as I could since I really had no control over it, so to dwell on or worry about it wouldn't do too much good.  There was one thing that I let myself hope for: fun sports teams to cheer for.

So, I got called to South Dakota.  The nearest major sports market is at least a 4 hour drive away, but that's alright.  Who needs the Vikings or the Twins when you've got the Jackrabbits?  This got me to thinking today: what would be the worst possible place to get called as far as sports go?  Let me throw in the disclaimer here that it would be a privilege to be involved in gospel ministry anywhere, whether or not there are good sports teams there.  This post really could probably simply be titled, "The worst sports city in America." But, since I plan to adopt the local teams as my secondary home teams once I get a permanent call, it'll be entertaining to look at the possible landing spots and consider which cities would be harder to enjoy sports in.

In order for an even comparison, we've really gotta limit this to markets that support franchises of each of the big 3.  That limits us to 16 markets, which are: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Arizona, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Wisconsin, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Washington, Minnesota, Denver and San Francisco.

Here are my top 3 least desirable:

1. Cleveland.  If we're talking superlatives in any major sport, I'm not sure there'd be a "least desirable" franchise that's not located in Cleveland.  I don't even think this requires discussion.
2. New York.  There are six major sports franchises in New York, and the only one I have positive feelings about is the Knicks.  The Yankees and the Jets need no explanation.  The Giants are just irritating.  The Mets inexplicably manage to be irrelevant despite the fact that they're located on the biggest stage in the world.  And do we really need to talk about the team formerly known as the New Jersey Nets?  Even the Knicks have been most noteworthy in recent years for squandering playoff chances with talented teams.  New York is a Patrick Ewing away from overtaking the #1 spot.
3. Miami.  It surprises me a little bit that the home of the reigning NBA champs could make it this high.  That just speaks to how undesirable the other teams are.  The re-branded Marlins still can't get anyone to come to their games.  The two biggest questions for the Dolphins this year are, "how will we replace Dan Marino?" and "is it worth keeping Ryan Tannehill around just for his lady?"  Miami is in rough shape, but having the best player in professional sports will keep you out of the top two.

There they are.  I'd be happy to hear your thoughts as to which city should've made the list and why my picks are entirely wrong.

At Least I'm Not Like All Those Other Old Guys

I decided that it's time for me to get a grown-up blog.  My former blog displayed me developing from a young, fiery, intelligent but arrogant sixteen year old into a still developing, but hopefully more refined, passionate, understanding and humble young man who now serves the church full time.  While I cherish the growth that blogger has facilitated and reflected for me over the past eight years, that doesn't need to be displayed for the world to see.  I have retained all the posts in my own, personal files, but they don't need to be on the internet.

But I didn't want to stop blogging altogether.  I value the practice in composition that a blog offers.  A blog also gives me a venue in which I'm able to voice my thoughts and opinions that wouldn't necessarily get discussed in such detail in other places (especially since I'm separated from so many of my friends this year.)  Perhaps most importantly, this will give me an opportunity to update my friends and family on what's going on in my life this year (perhaps this would've been more appropriate to start a couple months ago...oh well.)

My posts will include some devotions and sermons that I've prepared, some chronicling of our adventures here, and sometimes just my thoughts on life.  Hope you enjoy it.  This is gonna be fun!