Gone Fishin!

Have you ever had one of those moments in life when you just knew something outside this world had intervened? One of those weird times where reality is suspended for just a moment and everything seems unreal? Back in August was one of those times. I was asked to speak at a Christian Music event called The Awesome God Fest. It was a weekend event with lots of bands at the Van Hoy Campground in the northern part of Iredell County where we live.  It had been a long two weeks, with one week on the road with meetings for my boss, Dr David Jeremiah and then I spent the next week as an observer/instructor at the US Army Chaplain School at Ft Jackson. the week with the Army was spent in a field exercise and if you've ever been to Columbia SC in the summer you know what that was like...it was sticky and hot! So, I was pretty much exhausted. I had spend all week trying to fend off dehydration by consuming as much water as possible.  I was struggling for what text to preach and fin

One year ago, there was a major change of life for us as a family. Since 2003 the Army and all that comes with that was the focus of our ministry as a family. Those 9 years were a dramatic life change. That calling took me away from Statesville for 6 years in stateside and overseas assignments. But on October 15th last year, I began serving Turning Point Ministries in a job I have never done. I had no experience representing a large international ministry. My journey to Turning began 18 years ago on a rural highway with my radio tuned to WMIT here in NC where I heard David Jeremiah proclaim the Gospel. On that day in March of 1994 I had no idea what God was doing. I had no idea how my life would change. But it did, in dramatic fashion. Over the last year I have had the great pleasure of serving along side the man who led me to the truth of Jesus, to serve as a representative for the ministry of Turning Point and it has been a great honor to do so. Words are hard to come by to say h

Moreland Gap Shelter 1 15       “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne  will shelter them with his presence.       16       They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;  the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.       17       For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of  living water,            and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. REV 7:15-17 I spent the Labor Day weekend on the Appalachian Trail.  I joined two old Army friends, rucked up and hit  the trail plodding over the mountains of East Tennessee. We powered through meadows, along creeks with  wildflowers teeming, we swatted bugs, and we sweated and toiled under the load of our packs. Our goal on  day 2 was called the Moreland Gap shelter at about 3900 ft. The route was winding and as we walked  nea

A fuzzy picture of the nest outside our stained glass window Tammy noticed a robin building a nest on the sill of  the stained glass window in our bedroom. We watched with curiosity as that bird toiled and labored to construct a suitable home. The window is up high in the wall so Tammy being altitude challenged would get her little stool and peer over the edge to observe the progress. Then there were little blue eggs there and the mother robin would come and go keeping a watchful eye on her little house. A week or so ago, Tammy discovered that the little eggs had hatched and two chicks were starting out their journey in life. Tammy would tell me to be quiet as I lumbered around our bedroom. She would check that nest as if it were hers every morning. She came and got me from my office yesterday in a hushed voice, "Brad, come back here!" The mother robin was busy feeding the babies. They were so small. We watched as our teenagers rumbled around the house being loud busy

Rob Farley of Our Daily Bread How far are we willing to go? Its a great question to ask, in sports, in school or in a career. But it can also be asked when it comes to the Gospel. We often read of people that gave their entire lives to the cause of Christ, Moravians selling themselves into slavery, missionaries selling all to enter a foreign land, or even Mother Theresa. But how often in life do you get to meet someone like that. I had that very real privilege this past week in our nation's capital. Jack and I went there with a group of middle schoolers from St Davids School in  Raleigh on a short term mission project to serve in inner city DC.  It was there that we met Rob Farley. Rob is a lawyer by trade but serves on a volunteer basis at Capital Hill United Methodist Church not a 1/2 mile from Capital Hill.  Rob tells the story much better than I but I'll give you the big picture. About 7 years ago Rob was a successful attorney at a very large law firm in DC. He had

You really never know. I fly America's skies on a regular basis. I don't much care for it, the seats are small for the big man. Airplanes break and leave you on the runway for long periods of time, luggage gets lost and then there are the crowds...oh my. But every so often I find myself stuck in one of those seats that reminds me that God really does divinely appoint times, places a people in our lives. I flew back home from a retreat for the ministry I work for, www.davidjeremiah.org, yesterday. After a great event I was just looking forward to getting home to see my family. I was lamenting the fact that I had a late flight and would not be home till after 8:00 pm last night. I even thought of paying a change fee. I'm glad I didn't. I found myself next to a young lady from Idaho on her way back home from vacation. At 26 she recounted to me all the fun she had had in Florida and was not looking forward to the cold and snow of Boise. It reminded me of the trips I

So, this morning I awoke to a cold crisp January morning here in the Piedmont of NC. I slept in a bit and headed directly for the kitchen to brew up some coffee. My immediate plans were to have my coffee and sit and read in a devotional book that has been a blessing to me over the years. Its a 90 day plan to praying through the Scriptures by Ken Boa called Face to Face. If you don't have it, get it...its amazing. Nothing but Scripture to pray. Now I know that distractions are a part of the Christian walk and overcoming those can be a challenge. That's where discipline comes in for sure. Most of the time my distractions like yours are usually the calender or the to do list. Those little things that wedge their way in between us and God. They become so urgent that we say, "I don't have the time to sit and read and pray this morning". I find that on those days, I REALLY need to sit and pray...taking the time to really hear what God wants from me and what I need