Jason E. Fort's Blog, page 6

Remember the 'leventh of September

I always post something on September 11th. This time I forgot to post, but I wrote this poem on the even of 9/11 lying in bed, and texting it out on my phone in a Facebook Note. Here is my poem:Remember, remember The 'leventh of September When early in the morning It came without warning. Two soaring planes came out of the sky 3000 would cry out, not ready to die. A statement to be made by angry men, So-called religious men committed this sin. They knew it to be a dagger to our hearts, "Surely they won't recover from being torn apart," Complacency and pride could have brought us to this. Could more have been done to make those airplanes miss? So many moving parts, so much still unknown, Conspiracy and truth that can chill you to the bone. Yet like a Phoenix from the ashes, something else revealed itself that day. Something unfurled many times, on porches across the USA. Despite the hateful acts, whoever is to blame And the fact that our nation will never be the same, We should all look back, past the pain and loss. Forget all the theories and the debris that was tossed. We should strive to act like so many others did that date. We should find that common bond that made this country great. For when the dust settled, and the firemen cleaned up the mess, There rose that great symbol that brings out our very best. Although they tried to hurt us and occupy our rescue crews, Not even fallen towers could hide the red, the white, and blue. Though years and ages can pass, and time can change the way things are, That fateful day proved to us, the spirit of unity had made it pretty far. For days and weeks after the attacks, on many streets across the nation. That Phoenix of a symbol gave us cause for celebration. So whether we're singing the national anthem, or honoring fallen soldiers, We should always remember that day, even as our nation still grows older. Let's remember Old Glory, as even on that day she waved. The symbol of America, land of the free, home of the brave.By Jason E. Fort "Where were you when the world stopped turning, that September day?" Alan Jackson

Peer Pressure and Pop Culture - Why It Shouldn't Phase Us

Peer pressure is a common problem that everyone runs into pretty early in life. Peer pressure is when the pressure comes down on us to do what other people are doing, because we are afraid of what people will say, or do, or think if we don't. Peer pressure doesn't always have to be a bad thing, but the way society perpetuates the concepts of body image and entitlement and self-help, has made it have a pretty negative impact on our society. But why do we care so much about what others think?"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."Psalm 139, Verses 13-16These words helped me when I was growing up. I didn't have these verses memorized, but I always remember being taught in Sunday School and church that there is a God, He created us, and He loves us. Perhaps not too many people understood that better than King David himself, and he is the one that wrote these words. And if we start HERE, then should what other people think about us matter? According to the verses, we are like pre-planned characters in a story written by a great author, and He has specific reasons He created us the way He planned. Who are any of us to question that? Don't get me wrong; I understand the yearning to belong. But we have also let the importance of how we treat others decline over the centuries; there is something to be said for politeness and respect to others as well. Belonging wouldn't be an issue if we just fixed this. But there is only one real way this gets fixed, if you believe the book of Revelation. Since there are many out there who will try to bring us down because we aren't wanting to join in on something that is illegal or inappropriate, I think this reinforces the importance of accepting how God made us, and the common rules and laws established by God for us. In other words, our own self value should be higher to US than any opinion of a peer. But not because of us, but because of our Creator. Peer pressure these days tends to try to negate this. Peer pressure tends to encourage us to ignore any kind of Plan our Creator may have. Peer pressure encourages us to avoid using logic. Peer pressure often leads to bad decisions. Peer pressure often leads to more stress. Peer pressure, when falling into the habit of relying on it more than ourselves or God at all, can set us up for failure... and ultimately, death. So, again - why do we care so much about what others think?I had a lot of friends growing up, but I also encountered times where I wished I could be as popular as this friend or that friend. I wanted to be as well-known or recognized by more kids as some of my other friends were. Over time, I realized a lot of these kids knew each other from parties. I didn't go to many parties, but I did listen in on other conversations about them when I missed them. And when I look back now, I am glad I missed out on some of those activities. Not because all the people were up to no good (although I am sure there was some illegal drug activity), but they were exposed to behaviors that open the door for other more negative, more dangerous activity later in life. Risky behavior, once joined, tends to escalate in risk if it becomes the priority. The students and friends whose priority was school work or sports tended to avoid increasing the risk. But what happens when priorities change, or situations change to impact that priority? What happens if the priority is seeking the thrill of risky behavior? The chances of something bad happening increase. Back when I was in school, I saw this happen with some of the people I knew; sometimes in high school, sometimes in college. And I've noticed that the frequency of the risky behavior at an early age has gotten worse each following generation. I even attended the funeral of a football player I once got to coach, and I can't tell you how many funerals my youngest brother has attended; he's ten years younger than me.But peer pressure doesn't have to just be wanting to fit in the crowd. Peer pressure can come indirectly from what the media says is popular, or what the media on magazine covers and news stories, depicts as popular - pop culture. And popular is what sells. Popular is what gets the attention. Popular is what most people think is the goal. One of the greatest problems coming from this is body image. A young teen aged girl sees the body of a model on the front cover of a magazine...and another...and another. She gets down on herself because she feels like she could never look like that. Add to that some mean girls at school who magnify her thoughts, and the poor girl has a psychological break, or worse, commits suicide. Some kid thinking about trying out for the football team sees all these pictures of muscular athletes, then looks in the mirror - and thinks all of the sudden, he will never have a shot. Maybe after some frustrating trials, accompanied by obsessed fanaticism with his favorite team sport, he gives up on his dream. Or maybe a kid who used to be skinny starts to obsess over girls, so he decides to start lifting weights. He sees positive results, but it isn't enough because of what he thinks he's supposed to look like. He pushes the envelope and finds out there is an easier way to get bigger and stronger. He finds out which person in town, or which gym, has a certain reputation for access to the easier way, and he starts using steroids. Before you know it, he damages his body more than he builds his body; he either gets in trouble with the law because of too much aggression, or the steroids get the better of him and wind up killing him.Then of course we have all the popular advice out there that we can just fix things ourselves. All you have to do is walk into a bookstore, and find the self-help section! I guarantee you, it will surprise you how many books are there. If so many people have all the answers, what do we need the Bible for? Oh wait, that's the idea, isn't it? But seriously, if we think we can fix all of our problems by ourselves, and that we can handle whatever stress comes our way - we are fooling ourselves. What society does with this implication is set people up for failure. That failure can lead to the collapse of families; that failure can result in suicide; that failure can result in men and women with egos bigger than the Empire State Building, who fall really far when they think they did it all on their own, and want to brag about it. God has a funny way of humbling just about anyone, including me. Therefore, the best self-help one could use is making the decision themselves to seek God and learn more about Him.But again, that isn't what the world wants anyone of us to think.I was fortunate. I decided pretty early in life that what the Bible told me mattered more than what all the cool kids were doing. Nothing against the 'cool kids'; but somehow I never took my first hit on marijuana, because it was against the law; never thought I needed lung cancer, so never tried a cigarette; never tried enough beer to acquire a taste, so I never got drunk. I am not bragging; I don't think this was wisdom on my part so much as the weight of impression by a strong support system that included my parents, my grandparents, youth pastors, teachers, and head pastors. But the things they impressed upon me all came back to the premise of the verses from the book of Psalms I quoted earlier.If I believe in my heart that God made me just the way He intended, His plan is better than mine, and I'm completely unique to everyone else because of how He made me - Why does anyone else's opinion about ME matter?Alas, I do not envy the parents who are just starting out; the peer pressure and media influence and pop culture now is ten times worse than it was when my own son came to this world 16 years ago. Teach them from the Bible early, and that it holds the answers; not the world, or the 'cool kids.' That's what God tells us to do. Maybe the Creator was onto something.Just my food for thought.

Life's a Road Trip

I just got back from a road trip. I drove from my home in the upstate of South Carolina to Nashville, Tennessee. Now I know that doesn't seem like a long distance trip, and I have certainly driven further. But it was long enough for me to think of some interesting parallels between various parts of a road trip, and various twists and turns in our own lives; I thought I would put a few examples down for you - and as usual, I'd love to know what you think. Now you know my starting point, and my ending point. Just as all of us start from different points for a road trip (because we don't all live in the same place - ha!), the same can be said for where everyone starts their lives. What do I mean?Where we are born and what we are born into has a little to do with how arduous the journey of life might be. Just like a road trip, a lot of how the trip turns out depends on what we make of it; expectations, desires, perseverance, attitude. If I start off my road trip thinking I will take the trip and everything will go just as I planned, and that nothing can go wrong, then I might just be setting myself up for disappointment. But if I am realistic, and understand that sometimes bad traffic happens, or certain restaurants closed since the last time I visited a certain destination, then my attitude could affect whether I enjoy the trip or not. Our starting point in life is not all that different. For example, a certain neurosurgeon was born into a poor family. He was surrounded by poverty, and crime, and violence. He was surrounded by circumstances that he could have allowed him to succumb to bad influence, a life of crime, or a life of violence. Instead, he persevered and rose above stereotypes. He went on to medical school, and even made some amazing strides in the field of neurology. Of course the man I just described is Dr. Ben Carson. Fyi - I started from my house for my trip to Nashville. I expected a smooth trip; I took what I thought might be an easy, quick trip there, and still hit a couple of traffic jams. But alas, I persevered, and eventually reached my destination. Speaking of directions, I had to use some to get to a residence of some very nice people who opened their home to me for a few days. I didn't exactly know how to get there. I cheated and used GPS; Google Maps. But it was handy; I listened to whatever the little voice on my phone app told me. It gave me advice on how to go another route some of the time; sometimes I listened; sometimes I didn't. Oddly enough, when I've listened to the little voice of the app on road trips with my son, sometimes I regretted listening and following what it said; other times my son laughed at me as I regretted not listening. No kidding - there was one point on our last trip together to New Orleans, where the GPS took us on so many wrong turns, my son and I BOTH wanted to throw the phone out the window. Life is like that sometimes. We encounter people along the way that genuinely want to help us get to where we're trying to go. They are trying to help us accomplish this or that. They're sometimes trying to lead us astray, and we have to determine if it's in our best interest to listen - or not. Sometimes we think we know right where we are going, only to find that there was a detour, or something that is not quite like how we pictured it or remembered it. My wife would read this far into this post and gladly point out that, sometimes, you just need to stop and ask for directions. We should approach life in a similar fashion... and face the fact that sometimes, we are just going to be wrong, or even led astray. But how do we react to that? This brings me to the topic of attitude. What happens when things we don't like about our trip occur? It's all about how we handle it, isn't it? Every time I ran into a traffic jam, or got stuck behind that one driver that never made up their mind to drive fast enough (but went just fast enough to not pass), I focused on the music. That's right; I sang to the radio. I'd listen to which song was playing, and if it wasn't good enough, I'd change it to a song I did like. And I'd sing it like it's nobody's business. Or maybe I'd just get off the road altogether, and do something else that I know will make me happy - EAT! That's right; I'd find a good place to eat. What about when life happens? What about when those things that we just don't expect get in our way? How do we handle it? It comes back to attitude. I could pout, and grumble, and complain, and focus on the negative. I could dwell on the issue itself, or I could try to fix it. I could try to focus on something else for a while, and come back to it if I have to. But life definitely throws us some 'traffic jams' and slow pokes, doesn't it? What if I talk to someone else who has the same problem, or just handled a problem similar to mine? Sometimes that can help. And as on the road trip, sometimes food makes everything better :)But I digress - our attitudes can easily make our trip either worse, or better. The roads between cities like Greenville, SC, and Nashville, TN, have various twists and turns. Regardless of which route I take to get there, I am bound to come to some long, straight roads. I am also going to come up and down a lot of hills; some steep, and some gradual. Sometimes I can just coast along, and be perfectly happy. But sometimes, that can get a little boring. Sometimes I might come to a hill, and have to give it a little gas; make the old truck work a little harder to get up that hill. Driving through the mountains, I may have to hang a curve or two. Sometimes I may have to go around obstacles, even when they appear in an instant; I have to adapt and adjust my course of travel, and maintain control. Once again, is life so different? Sometimes we can just coast through life, but when we are, is it really fulfilling? Sometimes I need to do something to enhance the journey. On a trip, maybe I'd take a more scenic route. In life, maybe I try to achieve my goals by changing my approach. Or maybe I stumble upon something new, or discover I'm good at something new. Maybe I take a different route altogether. Sometimes, I might have to work harder to achieve what I want. Sometimes I'm forced to take an alternate route because certain doors are closed to me. Sometimes other people are competing with me to achieve similar goals. I might just have to work harder than they are; I might have to pass them. Then of course, when it comes to road trips, do you travel alone, or do you take someone with you? I traveled to Nashville alone, and I think I need a trip by myself sometimes, just so I can think. But at the same time, I'd rather go on trips with someone else most of the time. I take short weekend trips with my wife sometimes. I take long road trips with my son, and I think it has helped him learn a lot of important things about the world around him. But when it comes to taking a trip I have to take, or a trip with an ultimate destination, I want to take that trip with someone. Not everyone is like that, but I can say without a doubt that my long term goal, when I retire, is to take long road trips with my wife to discover the still yet-to-be-seen states of this great country. I don't want to take that trip alone. Life is one big long journey for most people. Whether you want to go it alone is situational, and really up to each individual. But me, personally? I can't imagine taking my life journey with anyone else but my wife at my side. She's in the passenger seat; and she's awesome at telling me what we want to see next. I always found it funny that despite all our differences, the main things we want in this journey called life all line up perfectly. How about you? Have you thought about any of this? My road trip - my self-road-trip to Nashville this past weekend - was awesome. I loved it. I took the more urban route to Nashville; I took the more scenic route back home. I listened to plenty of music to help the road go by. I stopped and ate at several satisfying restaurants. I took the twists and turns in stride. I enjoyed accelerating at times, and at other times I wished I could just stop driving. When I got to my destination, I had a host family there to welcome me. While I was there, I got to learn more about the writing world with people with similar goals to mine. I even got to moderate and lead discussions on panels of authors, and met several intriguing and intellectual people... and saw some old faces, too. But in the end, I came back home, and I came back home to my family. My wife and dogs and son were all happy to see me, and I got right back on my normal journey. And when you get right down to it, aren't we all just trying to get back home? That could be another post altogether :)I'd love to know what you think? What are some of the things you've experienced on road trips? What about life? I'm an open book, and love to talk to folks. Please don't be a stranger.

Be urgent; be confident - but don't panic.

5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.I Thessalonians Chapter 5: 5-10Panic - fear beyond our control; involuntary fear response; a defense mechanism of the human body triggered by various threat perceptions.So if we look at a few of these definitions of the word panic here, it's safe to say that confidence can help us avoid panic. Confidence can take away fear, and fear is the driving force of panic. Why is this important?In law enforcement, or military, or firefighting, or emergency care, incidents can happen at any time that cause someone in those fields to fear. The people who must act in these times must be urgent in their actions. They have to address the problem then. It's how we perform in those times that determine the outcomes of some of those heat-of-the-moment situations. In order for an officer or soldier to perform better, even if they are afraid, they have to be confident. The less confidence, the more the fear effects them and their senses. If a person gives way to panic, they lose control of many of their skills and decision making abilities; their vision changes and their sense of awareness forces them to focus on the wrong things; their hearing is dampened. If they give in to fear too much, their thoughts even hinder their actions, causing them to hesitate or even freeze, thus increasing the chance of injury - or worse.But if they slow their breathing, talk themselves through it, or even have a partner there with them to get them to focus and be confident - then they can perform better, more decisively, and in many cases even more safely. Also, if they pre-plan for those worst-case scenarios, they will have more confidence in making decisions for their next steps.So what's a synonym for confidence? If we believe in ourselves, we have confidence, but that confidence, though evident through actions, is not concrete; not something we can see and touch. Faith is believing in that which we cannot see. So let's make our synonym for the purposes of this blog post... FAITH.For those that believe in Jesus, it's important that we apply this to our mission. If we believe in our mission, then when we encounter someone who does not believe, it is easier to talk to those people without fear of what they might think about us just because we ARE believers. If we have faith in what Jesus told us, we know He will return one day. We also know that the Holy Spirit is the one that changes people's hearts; not us. But the urgency should still be there. Why?To be frank, it's because nobody is promised tomorrow. None of us are guaranteed a second or third meeting or conversation with someone. Until Jesus returns, this world is filled with death, and darkness; a truth that makes many people uncomfortable. But it's truth nonetheless. If our faith is solid, we control our fear, and perform even under those conditions. There are principalities fighting each other; there is a world we cannot see. If there weren't, then why would Heaven or Hell ever be mentioned in ancient texts? If we believe in Jesus and His teachings, we have to believe in the whole Bible. Therefore, some of the scary things that nobody wants to talk about? Yeah, that stuff exists - and we're not performing well if we don't acknowledge it. But just because we know that time here on Earth is finite, and that there will be a tribulation, doesn't mean we need to panic. Once again, Jesus will return at an unknown instant. We can be prepared, but running around like Chicken Little will force others to panic. They will miss the message that lies at the heart of it all - that God loves us, and He gave us ALL hope. But we have to choose to accept that. It's our urgent duty to tell that good news, and take our mission to do so seriously. Jesus asked us all to go and make disciples of all nations. He gave us different ways to do that, and the Holy Spirit gives believers various gifts they can use to make progress in the mission.One more thing I forgot to mention is that when officers want to have to think less under stress, since cognitive ability is effected - they TRAIN. We believers should train. We should train our minds spiritually by reading scripture. We should train ourselves in our actions by practicing good modeling behavior. We should practice having spiritual discussions, so that we can talk to the non-believers. And the more practice we get, the more natural it all becomes. The less fear we have in those situations, thus setting us up for completing the mission.It's an urgent mission, but there is no need to panic. SO who's with me? Are you willing to start training today? If so, be urgent, because none of us are promised tomorrow. But you never know whose souls you will touch if you never put the training to use.God bless anyone who reads this, and may we all find a way to spread the good news.

The Plight of the American Police Officer: from a Christian Worldview

People don't always get along. This is a fact. That includes common every day citizens and the every day local police officer. Whether it is just an argument that escalates to the point where a young man gets arrested for Disorderly Conduct, or when a violent encounter between a violent offender and an officer leads to one or both of them dead, there is an undeniable probability that some people will not get along with the police. The plight of the American police officer is that whether people like them or not, whether people agree with them or not, and sometimes whether the police officer knows the whole story or not - the officer has a job he is supposed to do, and that job affects many of those people who don't like police. This fact alone, whether the mainstream media wants to admit it or not, will not change as long as laws must exist to govern, and officers are assigned to enforce those laws. Somewhere along the way, this message vanished. Don't misunderstand me. There are plenty of bad police officers; just like any demographic, there are bad apples that ruin it for the whole bunch. What exactly is a police officer's job? Well, the job description is in the name that the mainstream media tends to ignore - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. So what is Law? Well, there are a lot of ways I could answer that question, but I thought we'd look at two main types of law we need to concern ourselves with:God's law, andthe law of man... Government. What is God's Law? In short, the Ten Commandments; they're the original.You know - Don't place other gods before the one TRUE God; don't worship idols; remember the Sabbath; honor your parents; don't take God's name in vein; don't kill; don't lie; don't covet; don't commit adultery; don't steal... you know - all that good stuff. I've been over this before, but isn't it funny how if we all kept these commandments, we'd avoid breaking all the other laws written down in something like a constitution. And that brings me back to the law of man... for my country it comes back to the Constitution of the United States of America, and consequently, constitutions of each state. These laws are voted on and determined by politicians elected by the people, therefore government laws (at least in a constitutional republic like ours and other similar forms of government) come from the people. When we the people formed our government, and when the government had to establish its laws, oddly enough, there were certain laws included in God's laws, that must be accounted for in government laws. For example, we the people can't exactly let people just murder other people. That's not a good plan for continuity of the species. The people can't just allow folks to take whatever they want from other people - theft with no holds barred! This would lead to much murder, injury, chaos, the works. The people couldn't exactly allow people to just report other people for crimes that never happened, or stories that the reporting party just made up. So bearing false witness is also frowned upon in the people's laws... the GOVERNMENT's laws. Now don't get me wrong. We don't need anyone going around enforcing laws such as who you claim to be your god, or taking the Lord's name in vein, or keeping a specific day of the week holy. These are really rules or laws that only effect the individual who decides to keep or not keep those laws. But those other laws that I mentioned that are both God's laws and man's laws? Well, if those laws are not set in place, then people have no standards to keep them from giving in to immoral decisions of what they want to do to someone else. And if those standards are not enforced by SOMEONE, than the sinful of nature of fallen mankind takes over. And so we have the police officer; a person whose very job is to enforce those laws. Someone kills another person, and the crime goes ignored - then the killer gets away with it and does it again. If the crime isn't ignored, and an officer catches the perpetrator, at least there is a chance to keep the perpetrator from doing it again. If someone steals property from another person, but no officer tries to catch this individual - the thief gets away and goes to steal something from someone else. At least if the thief gets caught by an officer of the law, the thief might not get to steal again, or might think twice before they do it again. So we're back to the simple fact that SOMEONE has to fill this role. If nobody does, the sinful nature of us all proves that the world would dive into anarchy and chaos and selfishness. Is it any wonder that the same sinful nature in man that causes some to ignore laws, whether God's or man's - is the same thing that causes an individual to ignore the directions of the police officers charged with ENFORCING those laws? There are consequences for not following those laws, just like there are consequences for not following directions from those who enforce those laws. 'Stop! Let me see your hands! Drop the gun!' Consequences for using that same gun - get shot! 'Thou shall not kill.' Consequences for killing - go to prison or be executed! This is not a difficult concept. Yet the media portrays many of these officers thrown into this obligatory role as the bad guys! Oftentimes these officers are not just trying to enforce the laws, but they are also in the process of providing protection in an instant! And no matter how just an officer's actions may have been, the media has pushed a narrative of late (say the past 8 years, give or take) that the police officers are in the wrong. Oftentimes, those very officers weren't only protecting, but they were attempting to enforce God's law - not just man's. And they're the bad guys? Where did accountability go? When did we stop holding the actual perpetrators of sin and crime, and violations of the law, accountable for their actions? Political correctness has definitely played a part. Corruption has definitely played a part. Money has definitely played a part. The sinful nature of the men at the top who supposedly make decisions for the people by the people - has played a part. But make no mistake about it; the plight of the American police officer has transformed over the years. The further we devolve as a nation, I fear that not only will the burden still fall on those that protect the thin blue line to stop evil doers; but that obligation will be accompanied by absolutely no consequences after initial intervention by law 'enforcement'. In other words, accountability will be lost; virtually non-existent. Therefore, if things continue to go in the direction that some miscreants want them to go, I fear that the true plight of the American police officer in the future - will be that they are completely irrelevant. God help us all should that dark day ever get here.

Chance Encounters?

So an interesting thing happened today during a break between training sessions at work. My partner in crime/training, Jeremy, and I were sitting in McDonald's drinking coffee, and I was just telling Jeremy about my latest writing ideas, and how they related to the second book I am about to release. We were just having casual conversation, but apparently a woman who was sitting nearby was listening intently to our discussion. In talking, the nice lady (Heidi) approached me and said that she couldn't help but overhear that I had been writing. We began talking, and I mentioned to her that I was a self-published author. She began asking about steps I took to get to that point, and I was able to give her some very basic tips. But then I referred her to my friend Jeremy, and explained to her how he was also a writer...and that he actually was the one who convinced me into putting myself out there and using the Amazon tools to self-publish my material. One thing lead to another, and Heidi told us about her unique idea about writing children's stories (For Heidi's sake I won't say what made it unique), and she had plenty of good questions about what her next steps should be. Heidi said that she just happened to be praying with God about writing a certain kind of book before we sat down, when she overheard me talking about my book. Heidi very openly told us that we had both inspired her, and that she would be getting in touch with the both of us for more pointers. But then she did something rare - Heidi asked us if we would pray with her before she left. So there we were - a security officer, a police officer, and a random stranger, sitting around small tables at McDonald's, holding hands, and praying. And Heidi prayed for thanksgiving to God for the opportunity to meet us, and she prayed for guidance and continued success to the both of us, and then she closed as we all said Amen. As she was about to leave us, she stopped one more time and told us she appreciated the line of work we were in, and that she would keep our safety in her prayers. And then Heidi left us to our business. I felt like writing about this today, because I was very inspired by that moment. I wish other people could have seen the encouragement on Heidi's face as she explained to both of us how we inspired her to pursue her goal. I have written before about how I don't believe in coincidences, but this hammered it home for me. I truly feel like God put myself and Jeremy, two independent writers - and Christians, in that exact McDonald's, at that exact time, and opened Heidi's ears to hear what we were talking about as she prayed. Do I even have to tell you how rare it is that a random stranger asks you to sit down with them, hold hands, and pray with them? This is a God-thing, folks. This is a miracle...something that can't be explained by science. Atheists out there reading this - if this offends you, read no further...but there is a God out there who loves us. He uses each of us as his tools; he can use you at any given time in your life to touch the life or inspire someone else. This incident today put my gift of writing in perspective for me. It suddenly made the eventual goal of turning a profit from my books so insignificant. That moment today made me realize part of my purpose in this world...part of God's purpose for me in this world. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity. As for Chance Encounters...I don't believe in them.

Put it in a Box, and Give it to God

I got to take part in a profound short prayer session with my son's youth group last night, and his youth pastor just did a neat little activity that I thought I could share through my unique platform I have on the world wide web and social media. So if you are a believer, please look forward to the next few paragraphs - and if you're not, give the words a little perusal anyway; nothing offensive here.So there we were, gathered in a circle, and everyone in the circle - adults and teens alike - were asked to write something down on a piece of paper. And it was what we all wrote down that inspired this blog post. Each person wrote down one thing that they were struggling with or struggled with often that holds them back or keeps them from glorifying God the way we are meant to. So anyone in the room could think of one problem they've never been able to get over. Anyone in the room could write down the one person they've always held that long-standing grudge against. Anyone could write down the addiction they'd always battled. Anyone could write down the one temptation they can never seem to resist. Anyone could write down that family member's illness that had been troubling or inconveniencing everyone in the family for so long, all while forcing the family to watch the family member suffer. Anyone could write down that heavy burden they felt like they had; that one thing that made them feel like they were the only person in the world with that burden. Anyone could write down that reason for doubt in God's word. Anyone could write down... ANYTHING!And once everyone had it written down, the piece of paper was folded in half, and we all put it in a box. Nobody knew what anyone else wrote - only God and the person who wrote it.Now I am not putting this out there for you to know what I wrote down, but I did write something down. What I want to do is tell you that this short, brief lesson was profound, because if you truly believe in the power of God, then you must believe in the power of prayer. So I did write something down. Now... it's up to God. But that's just it - THAT IS HOW IT WORKS!Faith! Believing in something, even if you can't see it... that is what God is asking us to have.Wherever two or more are gathered in His name, there He will be also; Jesus told us that in the Bible. I assure you some of the people in the room last night were there in His name. And every person wrote something down. If they wrote something down, even half-heartedly, they were at least acknowledging that there was something in their way, something keeping them from doing God's will. I have a strong belief that the people in that room will see something happen. I can't see it happening because I don't know what everyone wrote - but I BELIEVE. And that's the point.I believe that something great will happen somehow in my ability to reach the world for Christ, one person at a time. God told us all to go and make disciples of all nations through the words of Jesus... one person at a time can have a ripple effect. I wrote something down. I believe God will move and effect that obstacle I wrote down.So here's my question for whoever reads this?What's in your way? What is stopping you from doing God's will? What burden do you carry that is slowing down your progress in your mission? What do you think keeps you from glorifying God the way He intended you to do?For those readers who may not believe I also have a question. What is stopping you from believing? What is the one thing that gives you doubt? Forget the peer pressure of the world for just a second; is there some part of you, inside, that feels like there might just be something to all this - but there's always been this influence in the world that just tells you - 'Nah, that's just a fairy tale'?I challenge anyone out there - if you want God to know it; if you want God to hear about it; if you want God to do something about it -Put it in a box, and give it to God.That's how simple prayer can be; just visualize anything you have to say to God as a message sent by carrier pigeon... and send it on its way :)But don't forget the faith part. They go together. If you haven't seen God work in your life yet, give it a chance. Something called the Bible tells me - you might just be surprised.

A Story About Two Sons

"Stories help us understand investment in the mission of God."At least I am pretty sure those were the words from my pastor at service yesterday. And then my son's youth pastor shared his story with the church, and it was evident that the student pastor's story showed how his investment in God's mission had impacted him throughout his life.So I thought to myself, what stories could I tell that could help people make the connection between myself and God's mission? What if I could tell the story of a few characters?I am all about making connections; especially between characters' stories.So the following are two short stories that I will then connect together in the end... and perhaps those connections will lead some readers to more understanding of God's mission.First, let me tell you about a son. This son was the youngest of three children. The son was born and raised in a small town in South Carolina. This son, when he was a little boy, got in the occasional trouble in grammar school because he had a bad temper. But he also always worked hard and got good grades. Nobody ever messed with him, though, because his temper earned him a certain reputation. The son also had a father who was never around. If you asked his momma, she'd tell you that he was an alcoholic. The son's mother worked hard every day as the local city clerk; she was basically a single mom who raised three kids. Fortunately for her, all three kids were pretty self-motivated in school. But the youngest son only knew his dad so well. When the son was 14 years old, his father died. Now the boy had no father, and his siblings were grown up and headed out of town to go to college. The son had to help take care of things around the house, and his mother still worked hard every day. The son still found time to become a great high school athlete and complete his studies. He also happened to get himself a girl. And yet amidst all this, somehow the son got to know God. Growing up, he didn't have a man around to play catch, or take him on trips, or teach him about God, or teach him anything about raising a family. But his mother made him go to church, and taught him the importance of a hard work ethic. And her work ethic was all because she loved and cared for her family. And he saw it every day. He stayed in decent touch with his siblings, and still wanted a family of his own one day. The son grew up and went to college for business. The son married a good Christian girl; his high school sweetheart. The mere presence of the young lady at least sated the hot temper of the man's tougher side. It would never go away, but folks who knew his wife knew, without her, he might just get himself in trouble :)Somewhere along the way, the son knew it was important to raise his family in the church. Whether it be the calm and tender prompting of his wife, or the logic behind the teachings from The Good Book, the son made sure to start things off right. He and his wife had a son of their own, and one day their family would grow even more. And the son would bring up his own family using the foundation laid by his mother - a love of God, and a love of family. This son's story - is yet to be finished, But...Let me tell you a story about another son. This son was the first born son of three boys. This son was born in a small city in South Carolina. This first born son was taught at a very early age that he was a creation of God, and that his family loved him more than anyone else in the whole world. The son had a mother who spent all the time that she wasn't working doing fun things with her son. This son got to see his dad come home from work every day, and always looked forward to getting to eat with Dad, and maybe getting to play with him out in the yard. This son got to miss his dad when he went on short business trips, and always looked forward to Dad coming home with some kind of special treat from whatever city he went to visit. The son often saw and heard his dad tell his mother he loved her. He often saw his mom and dad hug and kiss. He sometimes saw them fuss, too, but then later got to see them get along again. This son got to see his dad be a father, and do what fathers do. His dad taught him right from wrong. He taught him that fighting was wrong. He taught him at an early age that he needed to be nice to his mom. He taught him most importantly that he was to always listen to what his parents said. The first born son soon had two little brothers of his own, and he got to see both his parents somehow spread their abundant love evenly to each son. The son was encouraged as he got older to participate in the youth group at church. This oldest son also participated in church basketball throughout school, and formed friendships and bonds that would last a lifetime. The son's parents knew he benefitted from this, so they let many other activities take a backseat to church activities and church friends. Throughout his school years, the parents learned their son was artistic, so they encouraged him and supported him in the world of art and music. The son was not without his faults, though. He learned at about middle school age that he had a bad temper. He got in fights off and on through middle school and the early parts of high school. The son also disliked reading very much, despite how much importance both parents emphasized on the subject. Although he was no stellar student, the son did well enough in school to go to college. The son's parents encouraged the son to go where his heart led, and he would end up attending a Christian school, where he surrounded himself with even more Christian friends, whose relationships would stand the test of time. And throughout his childhood, and into young adulthood, and even into the days he would finally marry, the son made sure that his belief in God never faltered. One day that son would bring up an only child of his own. He would go on to raise his son in the church, and even by the grace of God, get to baptize his own son. Ironically enough, the son went on to be a teacher, a trainer... and a bouncer! The son one day would enter the field of law enforcement to help protect people and try to be a peacemaker. And although his parents never would have guessed it, he would also go on to write Christian fiction stories one day. This, too, is a story that isn't finished.If you didn't figure out while reading, the first story is a true story - about my father. The second story is about my life. So what in the world is the connection?At our church, the mission statement is 'Reaching the world for Christ, one person at a time'. Go back if you have to, and look at the things that the two sons have in common. Without the love and hard work and encouragement of his mother, my dad wouldn't go on to make family and God a priority in his life. Without that, I wouldn't have been as actively involved in my church youth group growing up. Without that, I might not have even become a believer. But lo and behold, Dad did what he did, and when I was 12 years old, I made an official decision for Christ. Mission partially accomplished, Dad!But moving on, without that decision at 12, and without the influence of my father and mother, and without the emphasis and priority placed on the church, and without the time and effort both my parents made in raising all three of us - perhaps I wouldn't have the family I have. Perhaps I wouldn't have found a church, or taken the time to find a church, where both my wife and I are happiest. Perhaps without that, my own son doesn't make his own commitment to Christ publicly, in front of our church on the day he was baptized. But the stories of both sons are continuing on today... maybe tomorrow. And God is the focal point, with family anchoring onto that point. So the mission continues. Of course stories inevitably branch out from each person. And each person, if they hold most of the things dear that those who started this story do, has a chance to complete their own mission for God. Jesus said go and make disciples of all nations, and He definitely knew the power of the ripple effect. My dad invested a great portion of his life to God, to the point that it encouraged me to do the same. I hope I can say the same for my actions, and their influence on my son. But our own sons - they're just part of the mission. I hope and pray things like my writing, and my son's actions and future decisions, can continue to expand the mission, making those ripples keep expanding.So, what's your story? You notice these stories are not about perfect people. They're just about two ordinary people. But the connection to God's mission is evident, especially if you know their stories.Are you investing in God's mission - and does it show?

The End is Near? (Or is it?)

Why do you suppose we are so fascinated with the end of the world? Why do I bring it up, and how do I know that this fascination exists?First of all, my son and I just watched the new Avengers: Infinity War movie this past weekend. There are many themes that come up in the movie, but I wanted to write about this one theme in particular because the main character in the movie (the villain really becomes the main character of this movie in my opinion), Thanos, has that one line that is almost overplayed in the trailers, "The end, is near."Now if you haven't seen the movie yet, fear not; I will not spoil the movie here. The trailers make it obvious enough, and familiarity with the comic story lines themselves, make it obvious that Thanos is bad news and wants to end the current state of things.But why this fascination? You see prophecy forecast it all the time - Y2K, 2012 (The supposed Mayan apocalypse), each world war, doomsday prophecies predicted by radical preachers in the 1600s, 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s... all sorts of hype based on the idea that our world is soon coming to an end. And that hype gets supporters and followers every-single-time!But why?Is it because we were created in God's image? Do we have it programmed in our DNA, somehow, to just know that we have a limited amount of time here on Earth? I mean what made anyone ever want to start prophesying and warning people of the end, if they weren't convinced that God wanted us to know about it? Is it because we've had astrologists and sooth-sayers, or Nostradamus warn us of doom and gloom for centuries?Is it because astronomers are convinced that it's not a matter of 'if', but 'when' we could possibly get zapped by a gamma ray burst - or struck by some random meteor the size of Manhattan?Whatever the reason for the fascination - the fact is the hype around such forecasting always generates a crowd. And we see fantasy and action movies, books, and graphic novels - all showing dire circumstances that could bring these end times about. From martial law, to apocalyptic wars, to disease and famine, to anarchy, to aliens - the end being near seems to be an always hot topic.But is the end really near?Being a Christian, I believe only God knows; and of course I don't believe there really is an end. An end to all things on Earth, as we know it? Sure - but I believe all of us are spending eternity somewhere. The Bible makes it pretty clear how you determine in which world you will spend forever. My firmly grounded faith gives me a secure sense of my destiny. But what if you do not have that faith?What is it like just accepting the fact that on some unknown date, at some unknown time, all life will be annihilated? What about any notion of life after death? Are we all just supposed to be giant cosmic accidents, who are here one day, pieces of decaying matter the next? What kind of mindset does it take to even want to persist through life with such lack of hope for a future? What purpose or meaning do any of us have if we just vanish in dust at the snap of cosmic fingers? As a Christian, I do believe God has given us signs that the end of this material world is approaching. But could I give you a number of years? No.What do some of you think out there? Are we getting closer? Even though the movie is fiction, there are some pretty large-scale things that could happen to the planet Earth that would make Thanos himself tremble if he knew it were about to happen here. I'm not convinced...But I confess I am just as fascinated, if not more than, the rest of you :)

Why does it all happen?

Looking back over the past two days, I've had a whirlwind of thought and reflection after touring through the National World War Two Museum here in New Orleans. Even as I type these words, sitting in a quaint upstairs visitors' residence we rented for the week, I can't help but wonder if there is a reason why a specific person at a specific time might read these words. It all hit me after I read these words on the wall in the Road to Tokyo Exhibit in the museum. MacArthur spoke these words on board the USS Missouri in response to the official news of the Japanese surrender. Bear with me as I attempt to describe what all this means, but the revelation came to me after much discussion throughout the museum with my brilliant 15 year old son, who is already a fountain of trivia regarding the World War Two era.First, let me give a reader some perspective here. Sure, the museum does an amazing job pointing out the incredible feats of wartime heroes; the sacrifice of men and women from a time when America was initially still reeling from the Great Depression when the first ugly events leading up to the second world war began to unfold. But those magnificent depictions of heroic deeds and the triumph of America is not what spurred any of this on. What spurred my thoughts on, and what lit the spark to write down my reflection was the culmination of the events MacArthur described in the quote on the wall. My son and I had talked on the subject of America being at just the right place, at just the right time in history. And yet - right before seeing MacArthur's quote on the wall, the last exhibit showed the cruelty of mankind, and the potential for death and destruction mankind can wield. But why? Why does this all happen?I've mentioned this before, but I do not believe in coincidences. Throughout my life, I could see that somehow, for some reason, God worked in my life. I've been blessed with some fortunate circumstances, and I cannot possibly just think it is because I am that lucky. I have seen other things work in other people's lives in similar fashion. Now don't get me wrong; I've seen the complete opposite of that as well. And I do not envy those individuals. And this is where I bring in my discussion with my son. How is it, that America, whose military might was the equivalent to that of Romania at the onset of World War Two events, could somehow intervene at such an opportune time as to interfere and cause a butterfly effect that would eventually turn the tide to what could have been cataclysmic for all mankind? Is that, as some strange people would insist, sheer coincidence? I don't think so.As a fiction writer and storyteller, I think I have a different way of understanding all this. It may be wrong; maybe not; but also as a Christian, I see God having a unique and perfect plan in place, a general direction He wants the story to go. He lets us as free individuals pick and choose which parts we want to play, but He still has certain things everything moves towards. Is it just coincidence that had Patton not made it in time to bolster the American forces in the Battle of the Bulge, that Germany would've regained momentum and may have been able to turn back the tide of the war in the entire European theater? Is it coincidence that had Great Britain not been able to rescue their men on the beaches at Dunkirk, D-Day wouldn't have happened? Is it coincidence that Roosevelt died around the same time as most of our last American lives were taken in combat, only to have President Truman tasked with the horrible nightmare ultimatum to decide to end American combat with the dropping of two huge bombs?Is it a coincidence that both Hitler, the leader to reignite his 'master race', and Muslims, hated the Jews and wanted to eradicate them - the 'chosen people of God'? Is it a coincidence that Japan also happened to have leaders who also claimed to be a master race? Is it a coincidence that despite our own racial and socio-economic problems here in America, people would unite and fight together to defeat the forces of evil, racism, and fascism? Is it a coincidence that that very same nation fought a war with itself based on racist beliefs, and people who thought there was nothing wrong with those beliefs? Is it a coincidence that the very same nation would be born out of tyranny so many years before, because their own freedoms were restricted? Is it a coincidence that that same nation would infringe on the rights of the men and women native to this land before it was conquered? Why does it all happen? Where is the author of history (His story) going with this?These thoughts brought me back to things I knew about my family's own past; things I know about my family members, my grandparents, and my parents. Is it a coincidence that my dad's own father would be an alcoholic, and because of tragic events that ended his own life, my grandmother would enlighten me with such information that caused me to not drink? Is it a coincidence that my own grandfather on my mom's side would have a nervous breakdown and battle his own skeletons in his closet after WWII, and still come back and have three children with my grandmother - one of which of course was my mom? Is it a coincidence that my own father would have a head injury and seizure on the basketball court in high school that would be one of the factors that possibly disqualified my dad from having to go to Vietnam? Here I sit, typing the words on the screen, because my dad just happened to go on to college, and marry my mother, and not have to die in some foxhole somewhere on the other side of the world.Is it a coincidence that my own son would develop a deep interest in military history, namely World War Two history, and dream of joining the Air Force one day? Is it a coincidence that my son is here, even though he has a twin brother who didn't get to join him in this world? Why does this all happen? What does it all mean?Is it a coincidence that a reader such as yourself opened the link and decided to read these very words?In my heart, I know the answer. In my heart of hearts, God is still writing his story, and we all have a part to play. But just like characters in a novel, thanks to our intervention in God's story in the first place by inviting sin into the world, we are going to face our fears, face our faults, and face our demons. We will face dark times. Some of us may not make it long in this world. Yet despite the harsh reality of it all, no matter how dark the circumstances get, good things still come. One would have to be a total pessimist to think nothing good ever came out of America. An individual may not see the light in things happening at the moment, but they do not have the perfect vision of hindsight. Their story is still being written. Folks may lose their loved ones in this world, but if you know God's story, that doesn't have to mean their story is finished completely. I know these may not be hopeful words to someone at the moment of sharpest pain of loss, but what if they could discover the rest of their loved one's story. God tells us part of His story and a way we can all find out that part of loved ones who moved on. I encourage anyone to read the New Testament for yourself if you never have. It can move you in ways I never could.Maybe the way I see it still doesn't answer the question for some. But these were my thoughts today. If you haven't had the chance, or if you ever get the chance, I encourage everyone to visit the National World War Two Museum. It is quite telling, and contrary to some strange uninformed or disenfranchised Americans who like leaving critical reviews for the museum, it is very well done and gives credit to all parties. But if you ever sit down and reflect on your own history, and the history of your nation, and the history of the world, maybe you, too, can ask that question, 'why does it all happen'. And maybe you will come to the same conclusion, and just not believe in coincidences.