Fill In the Blanks

Fill In the Blanks

The Boys spent the night with us last night, our grandsons, Jon-Mical and Jakson. We rented a RedBox movie, Middle School. The rule for us is no bad words in the movie and Jon-Mical assured us that it had none. At nine, he is our movie and TV ratings expert so we took his word… Continue Reading

Simply Free

Simply Free

In John 8, verse 32, Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” If today’s blog sounds like a commercial…it’s supposed to. In March of 2007, Branches was just being born. Chonda had a dream. I had an encounter with God and Mark Laaser. We had just found… Continue Reading

Holding On and Letting Go

Holding On and Letting Go

It is one of the great challenges of life, how long do I hold on and when do I let go? A few years ago we were fishing and swimming and just chillin’ at the little lake on my sisters farm. The kids, including my two sons were swinging on an old rope swing and… Continue Reading

Burnette Chapel

Burnette Chapel

My youngest grandson Jakson is goofy cute. Jakson is 6. He is snaggle toothed with the teeth that are there too big for his little mouth. His hair is so blonde that you can see through it and it spikes up most of the time. He has a way of making faces that just cracks… Continue Reading

Turkey Feathers

Turkey Feathers

Doris and I spent a few days on my uncle’s river farm in Northern Kentucky a couple of weeks ago. During our early morning walks I started picking up turkey feathers and buckeyes. By the end of the week I had twenty or so large turkey feathers and a dozen buckeyes. Last night we went… Continue Reading

Wineskins

Wineskins

Okay, no more Mr. Nice Guy. Let’s start dealing with some of the tougher things that Jesus said. In Matthew 9, Jesus is confronted by the disciples of John the Baptist about the religious practices of His own followers. They ask, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?” (Matthew 9:14)… Continue Reading

Sammy

Sammy

My parents went through a very difficult divorce. I’m not sure what kind of divorce is NOT difficult but this one was devastating for my mother. She had just lost her third child, two to death and me to marriage. Her husband left. Her finances were non-existent. She had no place to live and nowhere… Continue Reading

What Did Jesus Say About Anger?

What Did Jesus Say About Anger?

We moved to Augusta, GA in October, just after my last quarter at Trevecca Nazarene University to be youth pastors for a great little church. Doris had never lived very far from her family in Gallatin, TN so it was a big deal to go back home for that first Christmas. We left Sunday night… Continue Reading

Today

Today

I have a hard time living where I am. I don’t mind living where I do. I just struggle to live where I am. Maybe I’d better explain. I tend to live in two worlds, the one behind me, fretting over the past, haunted by my mistakes, rehearsing the “should haves” and “could haves” until… Continue Reading

Gentile Faith

Gentile Faith

Josh, our oldest, was stung by a bee when he was very little. He still has healthy fear for bees. On the first day of pre-school I got a call from the school nurse. She knew us, attended our church. She said, ”Pastor, Josh fell off the monkey bars and cut his head. It’s not… Continue Reading