Gone Fishin!

New Blog Post: Beware of land mines in your way!

2012-01-14T09:53:00.000-05:00

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 from Him.

But today was different, coffee in hand, my mind fully bent on devoting a few quiet minutes to just me and Jesus; before the house comes alive with teenagers who by their very existence can be a distraction!

I sit, open my book and always just take a deep breath just to relax.....ahhhhhhhhh. But today as I took a long drink of life giving air in through my nose something was wrong. There was a distinct smell.

I thought, "Man, is that me? I know I showered last night!"

I put my book down on the arm of the chair and looked around on the hardwood floors of my office. Sometimes my little Havanese dog, Sophie, will sneak in there and leave me a surprise. I like to call them "land mines".

I couldn't see anything, but the smell....oh Sacajawea!

Usually when Sophie leaves me a surprise its noticeable. Her surprises are usually a distinctly different shade of brown that my floor. But today, nothing!

But then I looked at my shoe and you guessed it smeared all over the bottom was a peculiar substance that gave off a tremendous odor. It happened to be exactly the same color as our hardwoods. Evidently Sophie had eaten something off her normal diet of Pedigree Dog Food. She had deposited her leftovers direclty in front of my quiet time chair.

My shoe was covered in it. I thought, oh crap! Get it?

I immediately looked around and noticed beside my chair, behind my desk and several spots around the room where I had effectively distributed this amazingly distracting stuff all over my office.

I took my shoes off, put them outside, got the paper towels and began the clean up barefooted. Wrong answer!

Yep, there was more, on my bare feet feeling slimy. Tammy joined me for the celebration! If you know her you can imagine how excited she was to have the honor of washing the morning surprise off her husband's bare feet. We had us a good old fashioned foot washing right there! That ought to tell you alot about the character of my wife.

The moral of the story....the enemy will do anything to keep you from spending time with God, to include leaving a "land mine". So clean it up and get back into the Word, pray and get your day started!

That's what I'm going to do!

All for now...more to follow!

New Blog Post: A link to Grant and Charlene's blog from South Asia

2012-01-11T08:26:00.001-05:00

Enjoy the following stories of three young people half a world away! Pray for Grant and Charlene who have given their lives to reaching out in the name of Jesus!

http://grantandcharlene.blogspot.com/

New Blog Post: CH (LTC) Dave Spears

2011-12-30T19:10:00.000-05:00

Dave and his lovely wife Wanda

Hi folks and happy New Year

Yesterday Tammy and I went Sanford NC for the funeral of myfriend CH (LTC) Dave Spears. I worked with Dave at FT Bragg on my last assignment. He entered heaven on Christmas Day after ayearlong fight with brain cancer.

At the funeral there was a host of friends, colleagues and even a general or two payingtribute to a life well lived but more importantly to a God who saves.

Dave loved to hunt, fish and make knives. He was not a touchy feely type at all! Probably why he made a great chaplain to the hardened men of Special Forces.

Dave surrendered his life to Jesus in the late 70's and not longafter that gave his life to the ministry, bible college and seminary.

He worked his way through both undergrad and his master’sdegree with the ultimate goal of becoming a chaplain in the Army. He did so 16years ago at the age of 36.

Dave led countless soldiers to Christ, deployed 3 times bothto Iraq and Afghanistan as a Special Forces Chaplain. Dave was a giftedcounselor and was a straight shooter.

If he didn’t like you, you knew it and if he did like you hegave you a hard time. He was no one’s “Yes man”. Strong and deliberate and aman of few words, when he said something it was important and you had betterlisten. He could be ornery and gruff, but tender in the same breath.

He taught me much about ministry and life.

We had long talks about Jesus, people and ultiamtely his facing death. We had a CMD SGTMAJ in our office one day, a warrior’s warrior. His name was Jeff. Jeff hastaken many a life on the battlefield and has faced death numerous times. He’sseen his friends killed as well.

Jeff was getting ready to leave for another assignment andwas making his rounds saying goodbye. I think he knew that this would be thelast time he would see Dave. After a lot of joking around Jeff got serious andasked Dave how he was making it through this.

Dave very coolly said, “Jeff, I’m dying but 32 years ago Iput my faith in Jesus Christ, and that sealed the deal for me.

After that Jeff said something to Dave that I’ll neverforget. He said “Chaplain, I’ve met a lot of men in my time in the Army, but Ihave never seen anyone face what you are facing with as much strength and faithas you have, you are an inspiration to me!”

After Jeff left the office Dave and I sat and thanked Godfor the privilege of that previous moment. Dave never picked up a rifle on thebattlefield or kicked a door in, but he made a lasting impact not throughexploits in combat, but through the way he held firm with reckless abandon hisfaith in a crucified, resurrected Savior.

I will never forget the testimony that Dave displayed as he was living out his final months. My prayer is that I will be able to live well and finish well too!

At 12:40 on Christmas day, Dave crossed over the valley ofthe shadow of death and said “Happy Birthday Jesus!” and he did it in person,completely healed,….finishing well!

Thanks Dave, keep the lines tight in the river of Life for me, I'll see you someday

But not yet....but not yet

New Blog Post: From Grinch to Santa in 4 hours, all it takes is a little light in your life!

2011-12-22T01:06:00.000-05:00

So today at 4:00 I was the Grinch.

Seriously. Sometimes during this time of the year I get frustrated. I get frustrated with obligatory visits, the pressure to buy gifts, the disruption to life's normal rhythm and to be quite honest I'm not sure what any of this stuff at Christmas has to do with Christ. Don't you? Then I start thinking about it and I get mad, really mad. Your probably thinking, "Brad that never happens to me", well God bless you...you are freed from having to endure this post. But for the rest of you, hang on it gets better.

My mom wanted me and the kids to roll down to Belmont to visit with our cousins Betsy and Lisa. Betsy lives in my Uncle Bill's old house on the same farm where my Granddaddy grew up and became the man we all knew and loved. I love going there. It conjures up so many sweet memories for me about being helped along in life by a great man.

But today, I didn't want to go. It was just one of those days. I did want to honor my mother. I did want to see my cousins. But as my son says, "I'll do it, but why do I have to like it!"

Well today I didn't like it. I was the Grinch. We packed in Tori's car, headed out through Hickory. That is a longer route but the traffic through the Charlotte area is horrible. The Hickory route took forever. The more we rode the madder I got. It was raining too and I was getting seasonal effective disorder in a big way.

Tammy was doing her best to cheer me up...but failing miserably...not her fault...for what is a faithful wife to do with a Grinchy old husband?

I think I became a complete atheist again for a few minutes!

Well the GPS took us to Mcadenville NC. Mcadenville is known around here as Christmas Town and the whole place is like one great big Christmas tree. The city decorates public buildings with incredible flair and the citizens are just as flamboyant. People from miles around drive there to gander at the lights. And they are spectacular. BUT, people from miles around come to cruise at 5 MPH to GANDER! Hundreds of cars inching through a small Carolina town.

And we were stuck, late, in the rain and Tammy and the kids had the Grinch with them in a slow moving car, oh and did I mention we were late and I was Grinchy?

But something about those lights, something about the people hollering out of their cars "Merry Christmas!"
Something about us as a family together, not talking over skype thousands of miles from one another...there was something about all that that "de-grinch-ified" me.

The lights were amazing. One house, pictured here... featured in bright lights a blatant emphasis on CHRIST in their greeting to passers by. We stopped the car and I just looked at it....and took a picture.

I realized then that if Santa's sleigh ran on Christmas Spirit, then I had officially grounded the old guy. The lights shone through the darkness. I was reminded and stunned again by God's love and the beauty of the moment. The wonder of Emmanuel, God coming to be with us, one of us...to save His people.

More De-Grinch-ification!

We were late, but Betsy and Lisa didn't care. We told stories about our family. We laughed alot too. There was joy and fellowship. Grinch was fading!

On the way back to top it all off, because God really really is good, we met this guy in Chik-Fil-A! And who doesn't love Chik-Fil-A?

He gave me his card that read simply.... "SANTA".

He told me I was on his list and he said, "I love you man!"

So long Grinch.....Merry CHRISTmas everybody!

More to follow.....

New Blog Post: Work is a privilege!

2011-11-19T13:18:00.001-05:00

I have been reluctant to commentate on all the "occupy" movements going on across America. I have done this for two reasons. The first is that I don't know the folks out in the streets protesting and its hard to get a handle on what it their collective protest is about. But the main reason I haven't commentated on it is, I just don't have time....because I have work to do. I am blessed with a great job and have had steady employment for the last 25 years of my life. But even if I didn't have a job there would still be work to do.

There is always work to do. My dad and grandfather were big believers in work. I rarely got to sleep in as a young fellow. There was always something to do, mowing a yard, splitting or cutting wood, cleaning up a job site, work on our farm and this time of year the onslaught of the maples, red and white oaks and the poplars....leaves, millions and millions of leaves. And as a kid I grew to hate the thought of hours of raking, blowing and burning leaves. My brother and I got a great life lesson though from dad and granddaddy, get out of bed and get to work! I still feel guilty if I sleep past 7:30 on a weekend!

Every Thanksgiving it was a tradition in our family to spend that holiday giving thanks by raking and burning leaves. I still am trying to figure out that one. Granddaddy loved to burn things. We are all in agreement that he secretly was a pyromaniac. He burnt fires in his fireplace every day if the temperature got below 60. He especially loved to burn leaves, not matter how windy or dry, the leaves must be burned. Many times the Cool Springs volunteer fire department had to be called to extinguish one of his blazes that took off either up a 200 year old oak tree or in my Aunt Becky's yard.

All in all those days were long and tiring, but I have great memories. Now, I am getting the privilege of passing on the thankfulness of leaves to my son. Today he is experiencing hours of raking, mowing, blowing and pushing leaves. We don't get to burn them any more because we live in the confines of the city limits of Statesville. But if I could, I would light them all on fire as sort of a burnt offering in memory and honor of my Grandaddy who taught me so much.

There is always work to do. And work is a privilege. I am thankful that I can work; that my body is healthy enough to do the chores around my house, to get my leaves up, to fix my roof, to mend fences at my farm. All these things and this attitude of work were passed down from my Granddaddy and my dad. And I am passing them to my son. I imagine my brother and I drove my dad nuts griping and complaining about having to work, just like my son drives me nuts. But that is all a part of the process. Someday, Lord willing, Jack will do the same for his son.

So as I think about the occupy movement and all the energy those folks are putting into being angry and hollering about who knows what, I'd really like to see them go find some work to do. If they took all that energy they have in fussing and griping, they could clean up those parks they occupy. They could help some elderly folks who need assistance around their homes. They could do all kinds of meaningful work that contributes to the betterment of the lives of those around them.

But I suspect no one ever taught them about splitting wood, or raking leaves or made them get up early to cultivate the garden. Maybe that kind of thing never got passed on to them. Maybe all they got was directionless modeling and for that I am sad for them.

So, to do my part for the next generation, I will not go out and protest with signs and chants. Nope, I'll work at my job, around my house, my family's homes, around my town and my church. I'll take my son and daughter along with me and teach them that there is plenty of work to do and that work is a privilege!

For that I am thankful on Thanksgiving.

Pics from Arizona

2011-11-04T18:14:00.001-04:00

New Blog Post: In the company of men....suffering together

2011-10-18T19:22:00.001-04:00

Have you noticed the new TVshows about being a man this year, “Man Up” and “Last Man Standing”. Then thereare the beer commercials that make fun of guys who don’t act manly…hilarious.But if art imitates life what are these media portrayals of men really saying. I thinkits saying that the attempt to make men what they are not has failed and failed miserably. Theemasculated metro sexual male inspires no one, leads nowhere and leaves men andwomen crying out “Where are the men?” Not the steroid freak, domineering mancartoon character, but a real live man who inspires and leads and says “I will standhere and hold my ground”.

So this past weekend washuge, I mean huge. I have, along with a few friends, been planning a trip onthe Appalachian Trail for the last 6 months. The biggest part for me was thefact that my son Jack was going to join us in his first “real man” adventure.The route was from Stacoah Gap, NC to Fontana Dam. It’s nearly 17 miles oversome of the most picturesque vistas in Western NC. The Appalachian Trailextends from Maine to Georgia and covers the better part of 2000 miles. Thissection is one of the highlights of the whole thing. Its also physicallychallenging just to complete, rises and drops in elevation, this is no jauntthrough the woods.

I’ve been looking forward tothis since my son was born, to take your boy into the woods, camp, hike, cookwith fire, poot, laugh and experience the journey together and yes suffer together. I’ve been away fromhim quite a bit over the last 7 years, time away serving others, serving mycountry. Now its time to get some of that time back for him.

We went with some old Armybuddies, Pete, John and Dan. All accomplished soldiers and great friends. Alldads themselves. All honorable and strong men. I couldn’t have asked for abetter crew.

A lot of learning to be aman, in fact I’d say most of it, is observed in the lives of other men. Littleboys, good or bad will follow after the roles that are played out before them.Pete, John and Dan are not wimps, not touchy feely, emasculated males, certainlynot metro sexual. They are rough and strong and passionate and live with deepconviction.I want my son to be around men like that, not men who just get by orgo through the motions. This kind of man is opposed today, men who live with deep passion and conviction.

So our trip began on a Fridayand would end on Sunday. Our packs loaded with all the gear we need for a fewdays, stoves, sleeping systems, underwear, socks, flashlights and of courseknives and even a pistol or two. The pistols were not just for bear protectionbut for the lunatic ax murderers that live in the woods. My friend Paul Lowrycalls his pistol a “Lead Injector, good for all sorts of maladies”. This isjust a reminder that we live in a dangerous world. And a little bit of danger is good for a young man learning to be a grown man!

Our first day started goingup. Jack had told me that he was nervous. He had every right to be. It wasgoing to be tough for him. He has never done anything like this at all. Weascended 800 ft in less than a mile. Jack has battled allergies and childhoodasthma all his life. The asthma is exacerbated when he gets discouraged and not 30 minutesinto our 48 hour adventure he was struggling.

I prayed for him. No amount ofverbal encouragement would take the hill away. He was going to have to pushthrough. I took is pack from him and front loaded it, my 45 lb pack on my back,his 30 lb pack on my front. Jack struggled on. John came back and took the loadfrom me and we made it to the top after spooking a flock of wild turkeys. Itwas awesome!

Jack was thankful to make itto the camp site, we cooked freeze dried food, filtered water from a spring, usedthe mouldering site (a fancy name for an outhouse). We slept with sticks in ourbacks, the wind in the trees and strange noises all night long.

We got up and did it againthe next day, 6.7 miles, up and down across the backbone of the Appalachians talking of old Army stories, memories from our childhood, wondering at theviews of the blue ridge mountains in full Autumn color.

Late in the day Jack’s ruckbecame heavy again. He was starting to really feel it. So at a rest point wedecided to get into his pack and distribute his load. Each man took a piece ofJacks stuff, lightening his load. It was a great boost for him and he survivedanother day.

We camped Saturday night at Cable Gap, down in a saddle by a stream and we gotthere early in the day so there was ample time for goofing off. Jack did hisbest to start a fire with flint and steel. He was unsuccessful, but that didnot deter him. I use a lighter! He played in the woods with his SOG knife that I gave him for his birthday. I kept waiting for him to get cut so Pete could use his quik-clot!

We met lots of folks, someweird through hikers (folks that are hiking the entire 2000 mile route) that shared their trail names with us like “Fern Toe” and “FireMarshall”. We shared the shelter with a guy named “Donkey” because his friendssaid he snored really loud. The name fit well.

Everyone on the trail gets atrail name. John and Pete started me out as “Bald Eagle” but they changed it to“War Eagle” for obvious reasons. Dan was “Badger” because his small in staturebut large in ferocity. They wanted to call him “Chipmunk” but Dan was havingnone of that. Pete was “Night Force” because of a new scope he bought for oneof his guns and John was “Kodiak” because he likes bears or wants to be a bearor something like that. Jack was “Tank”, no stretch of the imagination there. He loves that name!

We gorged on trail bars,freeze dried cheese cake and raspberry crumble and crashed about 8:00 pm. More awesome!

We rose early, 0400 early sothat we could make the dam early enough to get me back home to see Tori getinducted into the Beta club, plus Pete, John and Dan were looking at reallylong drives. So in the cover of darkness, in the moonlit woods we struck out,another 6.5 miles to go.

We started again with a longuphill trek, over an hour up. Jack kept asking “Why is it all uphill?” A validquestion that we were all thinking with our sore muscles and aching feet. Jacksfeet were torn up. The pounding of the rocks and his lack of experience startedto really take a toll on his outlook.

About three hours in he broke…inside.We were well behind the others so they did not see this. This breaking pointwas just for father and son. He turned to me and said “I can’t do it dad”. Inmany ways I was hoping for this moment. Its in these very special times ofsuffering, where we absolutely must push on despite our desire to lay downwhere growth really happens. I needed to be stern but loving with him. I prayed“God help Jack to be strong”

I told him, “Jack, you haveno choice but to push ahead. No one is going to carry you. There is no carcoming. All the weight from your pack has been taken, now it is on you. So turnahead and move out.”

And he did. He was not happy.But he pushed on. He did not quit.

This scene happened 3 or 4more times all the way to the end, even at 400 meters from our vehicle. Therewas a huge hill leading to the car. He struggled, hyperventilated. But hefinished, sore feet, sore back, aching muscles, but also a new perspective onlots of things.

One thing I wanted Jack to seehe did. He saw men being men, men that he looks up to. He had big strong menshow him what self reliance looks like. He saw what bearing another’s burdenlooks like. He heard genuine laughter. He suffered with men becasue we were all hurting. He was included inan adventure and I believe Jack left a little boy out there on the trail andcame out of the woods with his first steps into manhood. I couldn’t be prouderof him.

So big thanks to Paul Lowryfor hooking us up with some gear and great intel, because he knows those woodswell. To Pete, John and Dan for their many hours of planning planning and communication, driving long distances and most of all forthe example they set in front of my son. Most of all for acting like Jesus formy boy by bearing his burden on the trail. It was a visual reminder for himthat he will never forget.

A reminder that Jesus bears our burdens, our sins and when we were lost He carries us and shows us the way. His cross is the ultimate in taking the weight. The burden of sin is too much for us to bear, we cannot carry it. It paralyzes us. But Jesus relieves that by lowering Himself to our level, taking the load and carrying it up the hill to Calvary. Just like Jack found out with his pack, so we don't half to carry a load that will crush us! Thanks for that Jesus!

Thanks to "Tank" for a greatweekend as father and son. You earned your trail name by pushing though!

Many more to come bud.

More to follow!

New Blog Post: Serendipitous Football

2011-10-10T13:50:00.000-04:00

So, 13 years ago at 4:30 pm on October 8th I was teaching through the book of Romans with a 17 year old high school dude name Will Long. Will had come to faith in Christ in the weeks prior to that through the ministry of Young Life where I volunteered as a leader.

My wife simultaneously was 9 months pregnant and the 8th happened to be her due date. Our first, Tori had arrived 3 years earlier exactly on her due date!

That day Will and I were on our back porch, my back to the sliding glass door, Will sitting across from me on an awesome fall afternoon. Will, I noticed, kept looking over my shoulder into our den. I said, "Hey dude, this is God's word its worthy of our full attention!"

Will replied, "Man, I think your wife is needing you"

I turned, and saw Tammy sitting on the couch about to rip the stuffing out of the cushions and she hollered, "Its time!"

Of course, I freaked! No warning? Just like that? Yep!

I turned to Will and asked if he could stay with Tori till my mother in law got there. Will being the fine young man he was agreed.

Tammy and I raced to the hospital and an hour later Jack B Borders III was here in the world.

So that's the background

Now, 13 years later Will is 30. Will is a grown man and a lawyer and with all the comings and goings of life we rarely see each other. He lives in Raleigh and I live in Statesville. But randomly a couple times a year Will checks in.
So get this, at exactly 4:30 on October 8th, Will calls this year. He didn't remember it was Jack's birthday. He called wanting to know if Jack and I would like Panthers tickets for the game against the Saints!

Of course we said yes and had a blast at the game.

The question is...coincidence? If you hold a naturalistic world view I suppose you might say yes. But for those of us that believe that God is personal and near, I think not.

It also reminded me that the impact that we have on people lasts far into the future. Will and I chose to spend time together that day 13 years ago and he will be forever linked to our lives as the guy who was there for us on the day our son was born.

Turns out Will was there for us on Jack's 13th birthday too. It should be noted that Jack had been asking me all season if we could go to a Panthers game. Well...we did.

Will asked me to pay it forward so I am. I'm gonna find a way to be a blessing to someone today, and I hope you will too!

Thanks Will!

My new office

2011-09-14T13:55:00.001-04:00

Farm work is good for the body and soul! Longhorn cows arriving soon to Elmwood NC!

New Blog Post: Be THOR3

2011-09-08T22:26:00.000-04:00

Heavy Aircraft Carrier Ropes!

Ray, Chaplain Ken Lewis (a great training partner) and Jason

Laurel took this picture of me suffering!

The THOR Logo, its trademarked so don't get any ideas!

When I first arrived at FT Bragg over a year ago one of the first people I met was Ray Bear. I caught Ray in the halls at our headquarters carrying a giant, I mean like Aircraft Carrier big rope around. I said to him, "Hey man that looks like a rope for undulations!" I thought I was being smart and cool that I knew the term undulation.

Ray said, "Thats exactly what that is for, you should come to my gym and try it out"

I said, "You are on brother!"

That was the beginning of a great friendship with our new strength and conditioning coach. Ray is a veteran and spent most of his career training professional baseball and hockey players, helping them get over injury, get stronger and faster.

Now Ray does the same for soldiers!

Ray is also a believer in Jesus. I found that out in our very first conversation. You'll find that out by the way he cares for folks and by the way he pushes you to be your best.

He added some other amazing trainers, Greg, Jason, Lance and then Laurel came along as our nutritionist to make sure we don't eat too many chocolate chip cookies. When I wasn't training at Southern Pines Crossfit I was at the THOR gym. I'm not sure what THOR means, but it sure sounds cool, especially after seeing that movie. My wife surmised that Thor in the movie had done some functional training! I was jealous until she told me I was still hot for an old guy!

I went by the THOR gym today and did my last workout with Lance. We hit the ropes and swung the kettlebells for a long time, it felt like hours. I figured I'd go hard to the finish. It was brutal but awesome!

I honestly can't believe how blessed I am to have made such good friends. God is so good to us to allow us the privilege of friendship. I have been honored to work and serve around people who just by being with them make you feel better....I call them energy givers.

Those guys get the worlds toughest soldiers ready for missions and back from injury. They keep old guys like me resilient and teach me new stuff all the time.

So many thanks to you Ray, Jason, Lance, Greg and Laurel. Thanks for a great year of fellowship, training, laughter!

So long for now

Brad

New Blog Post: Southern Pines Crossfit, more than just a gym!

2011-09-07T21:00:00.000-04:00

I moved to the Pinehurst-Southern Pines area about a year ago to begin work at FT Bragg. I chose this area to live because its quiet and has a real small town atmosphere. I was looking for a place to workout and discovered a little place called Southern Pines Crossfit. I started doing Crossfit while in Iraq and if you are unfamiliar with this type of training, well its not your average system. There are no machines, just bumper plates, kettle bells, pull up bars, plyo boxes, big tires and lots of sweat. There's no whining, no compromise and no one left behind.

While Crossft is a great training system what has really drawn me to this gym is the people. I've been away from my family for a long time and it gets old spending time by yourself. At the gym each day I worked out with folks who became good friends. I looked forward to the end of my day, so that I could swing by the little garage gym and suffer with my buds.

Today I did my last WOD or workout of the day. It was a crusher, not just physically but it was a crusher knowing that it was my last time there. The owner of Southern Pines Crossfit is a great guy named Dan Kennedy. He and his wife Dena both work so hard, always encouraging. They welcome everyone and there are no strangers no matter their physical ability. The gym does have a family/community feel to it.

My thanks to everyone there, you have made my time separated from my family a little more bearable by giving me something to look forward to each day. I pray God's richest blessings on all of you and even though its tough saying bye, the Crossfit community is small and tight and we shall all cross paths again.

So if you are in downtown Southern Pines go check out the gym, you'll get a smoker of a workout and even better you'll find a friend or two!

Thanks guys....all the best

Brad

New Blog Post- Tribute to an old dog

2011-09-05T16:47:00.000-04:00

The picture above is of our dog Levi in his normal fashion keeping watch on the yard from his guard post. We got Levi from an adoption program 13.5 years ago just after our other dog Austin got killed by a car. Levi, part beagle and something else turned out to be an amazing little dog. He was friends with everyone. Always minded, never ran off and was just a great dog. He loved us and our kids. He barked at people in the yard, but the minute he know we liked them he did too. Just hard to put a value on that.

A week ago Levi started showing signs that something was wrong and sure enough after a trip to the vet, we found he had a bad infection. A couple days later he quit eating. He looked so sad. It was brutal. I took him back to the hospital on Friday and the doc said they'd do what they could with him...13.5 years old is getting up there for a dog.

On Saturday we found out that Levi had an infection that was causing his white blood cells to attack his red cells. He was in need of a blood transfusion. The thing was the doc said that there was no guarantee that it would help him. It was one of those moments in life that you know are coming, but you don't want to face.

After some tears and discussion we decided that we'd rather see Levi's suffering end than to prolong his life, maybe a few months, albeit quite possibly with more suffering to come.

My kids and I went to the vet, where we found our little dog resting in one of their pens. In a moment I have never experienced with my kids, we all knelt by Levi and told him we loved him. We told him he was so good, that's what we always said to him. Because he was. I told him I was going to take him home.

We cried together as a family and we let the doc ease his pain. Then we took Levi home, my friend Robbie I laid him to rest in our back yard under the trees that he loved to patrol. I hope it doesn't sound silly to you, but we grieve for our dog today.

We did our devotion time yesterday and tried to answer the question, "Are there pets in heaven?" Although the Bible is silent on pets, it is not silent on the fact that God created animals and He loves His creation. We certainly learn unconditional love from our pets, that is for sure. And who is the author of unconditional love.

Could it be that God is that involved in our lives, even in the pets we have? I believe so.
How could Heaven be Heaven without the things we love, to include our pets?

I will not be shocked if I enter into heaven and waiting patiently for me there is a little yellow beagle that answers to the name of Levi.

I really believe that God is that good!

New Blog Post- A most wonderful time of the year

2011-07-21T21:42:00.000-04:00

It is a glorious time of the year. I know you are probably sweltering in mid summer heat index that just feels wrong. At FT Bragg I think they actually have a mechanism to actually increase the heat and humidity here just to make training soldiers more miserable. But while it is heating up in our environment something else is heating up too. With September just a mere month and half away, young boys, middle schoolers and high schoolers all across our land are sweating through this unbearable heat with the hope of a 100 yard field, cleats on their feet and shoulder pads and helmets strapped and its time to go to war. Football is almost here!

Football, a purely American game in itself, is also a game for warriors and warriors in training. I cannot tell you how many of my soldiers in the very special community I work in tell tales of Friday night lights and epic games that they played in as young men. This tradition has been reliving itself out every fall for generations, I did it some 30 years ago, so did my brother, my best friends and now my son Jack is prepping for warfare on Bermuda grass.

Jack played one year in elementary school, but this year is different, he's in middle school now. The kids are bigger, faster and stronger than the 4th grade team he played on. Its a little more serious now, a little more intense. And that is a good thing. Just as life gets a bit more intense, a little more serious as we grow up, so do the games we play, mimicking that life.

Football is more than a game of brute force. Its a game of suffering together through forced running, sled drills, and speed work. Its game of taking care of the guy on your left and on your right. Its a game that individuals stand out, but without the rest of the guys the touchdown makers would be toast. its a game of strategy, a high speed collision infested chess match if you will. Its a game where you line up against the guy across from you and every play its "Alright, lets see who wants this more!" And at its purest form its glorious. It is warrior training....every society has had this in some form since the dawn of time.

So today when Jack called me and said, "Hey dad, guess what?" (He does this every time he has good news)
"I can't guess Jack" (My usual response)
"I got got my position today, I'm playing center!"
"That's awesome son, you know I played center back in the day, I'm proud of you"
"Thanks dad! I got my helmet and shoulder pads too"
"That's awesome Jack...can't wait till your first game!"

He's a warrior in training

And I'll be there come hell or high water at that first game cheering him on and making sure his mom doesn't collapse...it really is a most wonderful time of the year!

New Blog Post-Crossroads Summer Camp and Jack's life decision!

2011-07-08T16:28:00.000-04:00

In 1996 my friend Clayton King started a camp for teenagers at Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs NC. What started as small one week event for a couple hundred kids has now stood the test of time, trends and culture. I began taking groups of kids from the church that I worked at in 1997, those kids are all grown up now, in ministry, have jobs, families and kids. Over the years I've observed hundreds of young people see, hear and receive the Gospel in their lives. To be forgiven of their sin, set free to really live. I've also seen hundreds stand before their peers and proclaim that Jesus is worthy of everything that they can give back and commit their lives to missions. It truly has been an honor and a blessing to be both on the board and an occasional speaker with some dear friends in this ministry.

This week though was especially good as my kids, both camp age, joined their friends from our church for another week at Crossroads. My daughter in her 4th year and my son now going on his 2nd trip. My son Jack came back from camp and boldly asked me, "When are we going to Nepal?"

You see over the last 15 years, one of the priorities that I have made is going to other parts of the world to share the news that I received about 18 years ago about Jesus. The Gospel changed me and I know this good news can change anyone! It has long been a dream of mine to have my family accompany me on one of these trips. So when Jack asked, "When are we going to Nepal?" part of my dream was realized...having a child who wants to go.

This week when the opportunity to say, by way of public proclamation in front of all their friends, students rose to the their feet and indicated that they would make the mission of the Gospel their life's focus. My son Jack was one of those students!

I could not be prouder!

Lots of parents want their kids to grow up to be successful, and I certainly want that for my kids...but even more...I want them to be faithful, faithful to the calling of God, to sharing the Gospel, to reaching the lost, to healing the broken, setting captives free...faithful to what God wants them to do and not the world's idea of what it means to be a success or even mine!

So many thanks to faithfulness of Clayton, Charie, Matt, Seth, Brittany and the rest of my friends at Crossroads Worldwide. You can find out more about their ministry here.

New Blog Post - A visit to Walter Reed

2011-03-29T22:22:00.000-04:00

Last week I accompanied four other soldiers from here at Bragg, up to Walter Reed Hospital in DC, to visit with a Chaplain friend under going treatment for cancer. My friend is doing well and you may pray for him, his name is Dave. He's tired from his treatment, but he's a testimony to strength for sure!

While visiting with Dave, we also went to see some of the other soldiers that our unit has there.

This young man was severely injured by an IED (improvised explosive device) back in the fall. I remember when it happened as I was with his family as the news came in. At that time we didn't even know if he was going to live. I just remember praying alot back then.

The excericise room for soldiers with prosthetics is in a separate part of Walter Reed. You have to pass through the prosthetic lab to get there and the moment I turned the corner I saw, one then two then three, then literally dozens of guys with missing limbs. There were too many to count!

Guys who had lost one leg, two legs, two legs and an arm and even all four were more numerous than people with all their limbs. I have a dear friend who has his lower leg missing and I know how much he struggles, but to lose all four and still press on is really just amazing.

The ward is a specialized gym for amputees. There are work tables and therapists. There is tons of equipment.They have golden retriever therapy dogs that provide companionship and fun for the guys. But what struck me were the legs. In one area of the ward were neatly placed at least 20 mechanical limbs. Legs that fit below the knee, above the knee and even legs with computerized knees that extend all the way to the hip for those more seriously injured.

One of the guys from my unit has lost both his legs and his right arm, although they have been able to reattach that. He is an inspiration to me. For the rest of his life it will be a struggle to do daily things we all take for granted, but his smile endures and he presses on.

A soldier in a wheel chair came up to me...bot legs gone and a huge scar across his head. Now four years after his injury Travis still deals with it every day. He told me what happened like it was just occurring, how his vehicle had be blown to bits and how an unnamed soldier had pulled him to safety. He still lives it out, still struggle, still presses on. We stepped out in the hall and I prayed with him, me on my knee and him in his wheelchair. It was humbling.

As I looked around that ward, so much destruction, so many lives impacted....I couldn't help but think of resurrection. As a Christian and follower of Christ I believe deeply in the bodily resurrection of Christ's followers. I couldn't help but long for things to be whole for these brave men who left parts of themselves in lands that most will never see.

Lord how I want things to be whole, in a world free of death and war. I long for a day where there will be no need for Walter Reed, a day when only peace and joy reign supreme in this world. It surely seems so far off as we watch the news or get the latest Twitter feed.

But I rest in the promises of the Author of the resurrection, who said "I am the resurrection and the life". Jesus made some bold promises about the future that awaits us as those who trust Him. He promises wholeness again, the way it was meant to be, the way we all want it to be. Travis trusts that Savior, just like I do and I plan on having a good long run and a basketball game with him and my granddaddy someday....maybe sooner than we think. Come quickly Lord Jesus!

Till then...more to follow!

A new blog post-The power of a baseball

2011-03-01T22:05:00.001-05:00

It was a beautiful day here in the foothills of NC, warm in the 60's much nicer than it had been the past 3 months. The warm weather had folks outside, sweeping up, riding bikes and generally basking in a rare warm February day. I rode up the street to fill the Ford with some gas and noticed a guy who has lived in my neighborhood for many years. He lives close enough for me to recognize him around town, but not close enough that we have daily interaction. But the one thing that stands out in my mind over the years of seeing this guy is a baseball. Every year that I can remember I would see him and his son throwing a ball back and forth in their front yard. I remember when his son was so small he could barely chuck it 10 feet. I've seen that kid grow up over the years and seen this man's hair gray. But as I rode by I wondered who that man was throwing the ball with my neighbor. Well, it was his son all grown up, tall and lanky, with facial hair! Now the kids is hurling the ball at a nasty clip and I bet dad's hands are burning.

I saw that very Norman Rockwell looking seen I couldn't help but think about the power of a baseball and more importantly the power of a dad. The fact that this kid, probably 19 now still wants to have a catch with pop speaks more about fathering skills than all the books experts could write on the subject. A simple game of catch can act as a bonding event that transcends generational issues. Its not a video game, not fancy, not expensive, not even hard to do, but a catch with Pop is awesome. I remember doing the same with my dad, or shooting some hoops. My son does the same with me. Its question asking time, the stuff of life and it is worth millions of dollars....no its priceless, because it can't be conjured up or faked.

I think I'll take advantage of days like that as well and head outside with my son this weekend, throw a ball and make a memory or two.

Hope you will also!

Skeet Shooting New Years Eve 2010 blasting into 2011

2011-01-01T09:56:00.000-05:00

Our New Years eve activities!

New Blog Post: Christmas visits and stories that never die

2010-12-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

My brother Steve, his wife Cindy and her parents from Texas have been in town visiting this weekend. It was a white Christmas here in NC, a rarity since 1947, so its a big deal here. The whole town came to a screeching halt. The police did reverse 911 calls asking folks to stay at home (they laugh at us in Alaska!)

We spent a quiet Christmas Eve together, just me Tammy, Tori and Jack and we broke out the "fancy" plates with gold trim and drank sparkling grape juice out of the wine glasses, it was fantastic!

We enjoyed a great Christmas night dinner at my Aunt Becky's house with my cousin Mary Ruth and her family. The kids went sledding in the front yard and made "snow boulders", and what Christmas is complete without one of those?!

Steve and I met out at our farm yesterday for some snow covered skeet shooting. Steve got a new Browning automatic shotgun and we blasted some clay pigeons with his father-n-law out in our back pasture. Jack shot his first 12 gauge shot gun and nailed a clay pigeon, it was cool to see that! Then Jack and I did do-nuts in the snow.

We had some hilarious story telling times about Christmas' past. I was thinking of some the other day. I remember when my Granddaddy went nuts and bought my mom, my aunt and my grandmother all brand new, red, yellow and orange1974 VW super beetles. They were all lined up in his driveway Christmas Eve.

Or when my mom and dad gave Steve and I Red Ryder bb guns back in 1976. It was just like the movie "A Christmas Story".
I remember the chorus' and the stories of poor kids who had shot their eyes out. I can't tell you how many BB gun wars we had with those things and no one ever shot their eye out!

Last night we made some more memories sledding at Robbie and Kelly's house on their awesome back yard ski slope. Jack and his buddy Daniel and I sledded down the hill over and over again, and at the end of every run a massive wrestling match would ensue. Then back up the hill to do it all over again.

During a lull in the action, I laid back on the sled and gazed up at the heavens with the laughter of those two boys filling my ear. I thought about them and how they actually live in every moment and that is all that matters. Sledding is all they were thinking about. They could care less about Tuesday or Wednesday for that matter. Thoughts of the coming weeks challenges entered my head, the responsibilities, the to do lists, the meetings, the war. I tried as best I could to return to the days of when the moment was all that mattered. And for a brief second as I rose up to grab my sled and fly down the hill and fight off those two 12 year olds, all the stuff was gone. It was an absolutely perfect moment.

All the best stories I remember are those when the moment was all that mattered. All the plans for the future were insignificant all the past failures and victories were inconsequential. All that mattered was the BB gun, the people I was with, the sled, the wrestling match, my kids, my wife...whatever it was that was all that mattered.

As I gazed up in the sky, praying a thankful prayer, the pressure lifted a bit and the Lord seemed to speak very clearly, "Someday, the moment will be all that matters, someday "

Someday....At Advent we celebrate the 1st arrival of Christ implying that there will be a 2nd coming of the King. I have no idea when that will be and it seems so far fetched to the modern mind. But the Bible is very clear that it will happen, and I am looking for it. I've seen enough war and enough sadness to long for it. I've also seen enough joy and enough laughter to long for more. I also know this that eternity is beyond time, a perpetual state of living in the moment becasue moments don't exist beyond time there will always and only be right now!
Now that's a Christmas miracle and story to look forward to....all bought and paid for by a God-man on a tree 2000 years ago and activated for me and you by faith with thanksgiving.

My New Fangled Christmas Card: Update from our family

2010-12-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

Well, Merry Christmas Everyone!

After all the busyness of the last few months you guessed it, not enough time or proper planning for a Christmas card. In years past I had mailed out Christmas newsletters, but it just didn't happen this year. So here is the Borders family update for all of you. It will be in list format for easy reading...and that is becasue I care about you and your time.

Tori- Tori is now 15 years old and has her drivers permit and will be turning 16 next summer. So, the new Geico commercial with the dude handing the keys to his 5 year old sitting in the drivers seat of the their car has great meaning for me these days! She's taller than her mom, still dancing up a storm, reading her Kindle, enjoying her friends and excelling ins school...an all around awesome kid for any dad or mom to have. The future is so bright for her and God could not have given us a finer daughter
Jack: Jack is 12, built like a bulldozer, studying Muay Thai and Brazillain Jui Jitsu. He kicked me in the leg and almost made me cry! I took him to Alaska this summer and he caught his first salmon and saw his first Moose. It was an amazing trip that we will do again. He is in the 7th grade and growing all the time. I took he and Tori to 5th Street Ministries (our homeless shelter) to serve dinner to the folks there and it was an eye opening experience for him. He saw people thankful for a meal and kids his age with no place to live. He said, "I want to go back on Christmas Day dad!" I think we'll make that happen.
Tammy: Tammy is as beautiful as the day I married her 19 years ago and we celebrate 20 in 2011. I'm not sure what we will do to celebrate but it will be awesome I am sure. 20 years tolerating me is something to celebrate anyway. She still works at Clearview Christian Academy where Tori and Jack attend school. She cooks amazing food and generally runs the show around the house and she is good at it. We have been reading John Eldredge's book on marriage called "Love and War" and I am finding a new breath of fresh air blowing through our relationship. She really is a Proverbs 31:10-31 woman!
Brad: I returned from Iraq in May and after a few months at home started a new job as the Deputy Group Chaplain at 3rd Special Forces Group at FT Bragg. Its a humbling job to work around so may heroic folks each day. I work there during the week and come home on the weekends. I am on orders there until at least OCT of 2011. I've been reconnected with my friends from Turning Point and done some speaking for them over the last few months. I continue to try to keep my old body in shape through punishing workouts that have become a very real source of mental clarity in my life.
Sophie and Levi: Our two dogs continue to run our lives, but we love them!

In a conversation with my buddy Carl Cartee the other day we were talking about a passage that I am preaching this weekend at my home church here. Its out of Luke 2 and its the "Song of Simeon" Simeon was an old man that happened to be at the temple the day Joseph and Mary dedicated Jesus there. Upon seeing the baby Simeon rejoices that his "eyes had seen the salvation of Israel" We were wondering together if Jesus smiled at him as infant.

You see, Simeon had been told that he would not see death until he had seen the "Lord's Messiah"
We wondered what that must feel like to actually see the revelation of God and to hold the savior of the world in your arms. And then maybe to catch a smile from the Creator in the form of an infant. It must have been something. It must have been something as well to know that he had accomplished everything that God had for him. There was nothing left on his bucket list.
Charles Wesley at the end of his life penned these words
"Oh could I catch one smile from thee, and drop into eternity"

My prayer for you is that you might catch a smile from the Savior this Christmas...catch a glimpse of eternity and live your life emptying out your bucket!

Merry Christmas!

Tender Warrior

2010-12-03T08:06:00.000-05:00

Every day I go in to work I see heroes. Not heroes in a generic sense, but heroes for real. Upon entering the front door of our headquarters there is a display honoring SSG Robby Miller, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in October of this year. I can't walk by that display without stopping and letting it sink in. Outside near our sidewalk are 28 granite stones, with 28 names. I walk by them every day. Each one is a story, a lasting representation of a life that was offered up.

Yesterday we dedicated that memorial walkway. Families of our fallen came from all over America. All of them are heroes too. Wives, children, moms and dads, brothers and sisters all showed up to honor these men who over the last 9 years have said yes to their country and given everything they had to give.

While getting ready yesterday my commander asked me to come into his office. For a brief second I thought I was in big trouble...Sometimes that is the way a good butt chewing starts..."Hey Chaplain, come see me in my office." But as he closed the door he opened a three ring binder and asked me to help him go over his remarks for the ceremony. He read them to me as if he was out there behind the podium.

My commander is a big tall man, with many years of experience. He's seen alot of life both good and bad. He leads alot of this country's most heroic men. He is well trained, professional, strong and courageous.

But I noticed something as equally valuable in him yesterday, he has a tender heart for people. As he read those comments he broke for a minute, unable to read them. Evidently some memory of one of those guys had come forefront while he was ploughing through his remarks. I placed my hand on his shoulder and just said, "Sir, you are doing fine." I found myself thinking that I would follow this man just about anywhere.

Tenderness is one of the hallmarks of a great warrior. Its not just about courage and strength. Its that heart that makes the valor meaningful. Its that heart for people that is the reason why ultimately soldiers do what soldiers do.

There are many days I think about leaving the Army for a quieter and less costly endeavor.

That was not yesterday.

Engage your heart today...evaluate how meaningful your relationships are, keep the things that are important...well.... important and lose the tyranny of the urgent.

Think about that one

God saved us from our furnace

2010-12-02T15:06:00.000-05:00

Wow, its been a while since I posted anything on my blog, nearly three months....as my dad would say that is just shameful. My deepest apologies. I must tell you a story today so that you can understand how God moves in the most mundane of circumstances. I'm working at FT Bragg during the week and my bride and my kids stay at home and continue the mission back in our home town, you know going to school, Wal Mart, Muay Thai class, dance and all that other "life" stuff. So we spend our weeks texting and doing the cell phone thing and then I get home on the weekends.

It never seems to fail that something always goes wrong when I am gone, something will break, a flat tire, a malfunctioning alarm, busted pipe...all when I can't be there to help. Grrrrrrr, for a man it is the height of frustration because we love to fix stuff and make it right.

It does however provide ample opportunity to exercise faith and to see God's hand at work in our midst. Last night Tammy calls around 11:00 which she never does. So I knew as I picked up my cell phone that there was a problem. Here first words were, "I smell gas!" Immediately I knew that it was probably our ancient heating system that has been pumping hot water through my house every winter since 1967. Its old, noisy, but very efficient. I have to have some type of work done on it every year.

I told Tammy to check the pilot light and it was functioning. She stilled smelled the gas. I got worried, gas is heavier than air and rides along the floor. I was worried about an explosion. So, I told her to call the gas company. I told her to call me when the gas guy got there and told her I loved her, prayed for God to protect them, trusted Him by faith and went to sleep. Unfortunately my phone was on vibrate and I slept through her calls about an hour or so later.

As I woke around 6:15 I called her immediately and asked her if everything was OK. She said that Keith Moore, a friend of ours had been the on call person for the gas company. He came out with all his gadgets and checked everything and the gas leak was minimal. But he did find that the carbon monoxide levels were our of the roof! Keith shut down our furnace and the CO levels went down. In case you didn't know carbon monoxide is a tasteless odorless gas that is fatal when when it fills the air around you. Keith took extra care in evaluating the problem.

Several things I see here:

Tammy smelled gas, when there was very little escaping from our pipes which prompted her to call me. She felt it important enough to make the call
A good friend was the on call guy for the Gas company
A good God was in charge!

Had Tammy not smelled the gas, she could have gone on to bed and instead of me waking up to speak with my wife I could have been waking up to the sound of someone close to me telling my my family had died in their sleep. Gulp!

It took me almost an hour to process this this morning. The realization that I was a sniff of gas away from possibly losing my family poured over my soul, I got nauseous. I was telling my friend Dave about it this morning and was overcome with emotion....the realization that life takes wild turns and there are near misses every day. The understanding that the little things matter, like the sniff of gas or a friend on call.
Then the overwhelming revelation that God is watching, sending little signs, speaking in the small, declaring His power, His goodness, His command....even with a 43 year old furnace and the keen nose of a faithful and awesome wife!

Think about that one for a while!

What would Jesus tweet?

2010-09-20T21:30:00.001-04:00

Its funny how when you read the Bible for a lot of years things can get well.....ho hum. I'm just being real. I get a little suspect of people who blast out on their twitter posts every single day about the "life changing" stuff they heard. But today I found something to tweet about and it might not be what you think. In fact twitter is a very odd thing for me to get a handle on. I know its a great way to get information out. Its also a great way to let everyone know what you had for breakfast or when you are out of toilet paper. But in the world of Christendom it seems to me that twitter has become sort of a bragging board or a lodge pole to hang "spiritual" scalps on. People tweet about the latest conference or church service or the vast number of souls that were saved at an event. There seems every day to be a never ending litany of the next biggest thing out there. Please don't get me wrong, I believe that we need to hear about the successes of the different parts of the church. I rejoice when I hear that people have come to faith.

But (I know when you use the word but you just negated everything that was previously said...but I'm using it anyway)
But...as I was reading in the gospel of Luke this morning and came across a passage that I of course had read before. In seminary they make you read all of it! But sometimes even familiar passages reveal new insights. In this passage Jesus had just sent out 70 workers 2 by 2. A little pre-mission training if you will. Those boys came back to Jesus whoopin and hollerin, "Hey Jesus, when we used your name all this crazy stuff happened." If they had Twitter accounts it would have been trending hard. Maybe it would have digitally read: @Peter_TheRock 10 demons cast out in a village today...the name Jesus rocks the underworld! or maybe @Ipaylesstax_Matthew sickness, disease, palsy all vanish at the name of Jesus!

Those guys were so fired up and The Message even states it like this, "Master, even the demons danced to your tune!"
Check out what Jesus said back to them. "All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God’s authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that’s the agenda for rejoicing.”

In one translation He says, "rejoice in the fact that your names are written in heaven"

I think we do alot more rejoicing over what we do than over the fact that we are kids of the Father. Its just our natural tendency to compare ourselves with others. The twitter world is no different. In fact I read some twitter posts now and again and get mad or envious. How how awful is that? Again, just being real.

I have to fight the urge to rejoice in my own accomplishmnets in the name of Jesus and embrace the fact that I named with Jesus.

And the really cool part of the passage? Well immediately after Jesus tells them to rejoice more about who they are than what they did the Scripture says, "At that, Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit. “I thank you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way."

Notice it says that Jesus rejoiced exuberant, or exceedingly rejoiced! Its the closest I can find anywhere in the Bible where it even comes close to telling us that Jesus laughed. But, in my own experience with God, in my own life I find it hard to imagine a Jesus who doesn't laugh. And what was it that made Jesus laugh?

It was the Truth and the Spirit, Spirit and Truth. The Truth is that its not what we do that makes Jesus roar with joy. The Truth is that we are His and that makes Him a joy filled God. The Spirit as well filled Him with this revelation and brought the joy of knowing the Truth.

Now that is something to tweet!

Don't forget that today, no matter how many people you lead to Jesus today, that is secondary to the fact that you my friend are written in the book of life. If you have trusted Him, you are named with Him and you are righteous.

So put that in your browser and tweet it!

Wounded Warriors

2010-08-26T21:59:00.000-04:00

Beyond the headlines of those killed in action in Iraq and Afghansitan are the more than 30,000 wounded service men and women who in many cases have had life altering injuries. 21st century medical advances have made it possible that many of our combat casualties survive the most horrific of injuries. Although alive, life has become a struggle for normalcy for many. In some cases there are literally years of rehabilitation in clinics and centers, away from the their homes, persevering to return to a life that seems normal.

There is an organization that takes alot of the burden off these guys and its called the Wounded Warrior Project. Today I went to a luncheon put on for our wounded warriors here in our unit. I met men there that exemplify what it really means to be an American. They have left peices of their bodies on foreign fields and are still pushing forward. They love their country and they love each other.

WWP is a nonprofit that was founded by veterans to help wounded service members beyond what the respective branches of service do. WWP reaches out with backpacks filled with supplies at every injured soldier's bedside, helping with rehab, job placement, counseling services and with community and much much more!

I am currently serving in a special operations unit and we have had many casualties, both KIA's and WIA's and the WWP has been there for our guys every step of the way. If you'd like to find out more about the Wounded Warrior Project their website is www.woundedwarriorproject.org

SSG Patrick Patterson's first music video!

2010-08-26T21:09:00.000-04:00

Its the middle of the race when it is hardest!

2010-08-03T13:37:00.001-04:00

I really have come to identify well with the Apostle Paul's statement at the end of his life, that he had run the race and finished the task. Races are something that we all can identify with. At one point or another we have all been in some kind of race or seen one. I've run in races, traithalons, mountain bike races as well. I've watched car races and the Tour de France. I've seen sprinters destroy world records and marathoners press the barriers of endurance. In Crossfit I test myself against the clock continuously. One thing I have found is that the most difficult part of any race comes in the middle. In the begining of any race the excitment of competition is there, either the prospect of taking the tape at the end or the crowd gathered to watch, the beginning is the easiest part. The end as well is accompnaied by some of the same things, crowds screaming for the eventual winner, or just looking at the clock and knowing that the end of the pain is almost in sight.

But its the middle that can be most troublesome. In the middle of the race there are less people to cheer you on and many times its lonely out there and you and your thoughts are all that is present. In the middle of a vicious metabolic conditioning workout its the most difficult, energy is being depleted, pain sets in, the temptaion to stop is at its height. It is the middle that requires the most concentration, the most endurance, the most fortitude.

On our way to church this evening we were listening to my daughter's favorite band called Need to Breath, and one of their songs talks about not turning back... "Tell me why I should run for cover...at the sound of the coming thunder...all I hear is the cry of my lover....so take your shot....I won't turn back"

In the middle of the race, the finish line is not enough to think about. Its got to be more personal that just the race. Many times in the middle of a painful workout I think of my wife, wierd.... but I do. I think of a person to get me through. In the middle of long road march I pray...to a person. I can't even get a handle on the finish its too far off.

I am finding my walk with Jesus, now in those middle years, much like that. The cheering crowds are far behind and the finish seems way out there. I find myself many times alone on the road, in painful circumstances. I see death around me some. It is during these times that I need a person to pull me through the middle of the race. I need a person who knows me, knows where I am, where I am going. I need a person who knows me deeply. I need a person that I can know deeply, who understands the road and that will be the spark of life when I am tempted to turn back.

So if you are in the middle with me, don't turn back. Don't give in to cynisism. Trust the person of Jesus, not the idea of Him. Relate to Him in the mundane like washing dishes or cleaning the gutters or in precious moments with those you love. The middle can be grand, becasue there really is a finish line and the most awesome thing about that is that the finish line of this road really is the begining.

Strength and Honor

What's in a church name?

2010-07-23T18:39:00.000-04:00

You've seen them, you may attend one on Sunday mornings. The latest trend is to have a really cool name for your church. After being in and around different types of ministries over the last 15 years it gets more noticeable the way we follow trends. Even the trends of not following trends. This has even affected the way we name our gathering places or the name of the group of people congregating in the name of Jesus. I think maybe these groovy names for churches came about as a reaction to to the folks outside the church walls who had become indifferent to names like 1st Baptist, or ST John's or Antioch Methodist. Maybe the new church name movement came about as a way of assigning identity to that particular group of people. It may have been as well a breaking away of religious typology. Whatever the reason now the hottest thing going that I have noticed is to name your church with one word. Not two, just one word. Something that is catchy on a bumper sticker and you have to have Macbook generated graphics as well. The names usually have to do with looking or lifting up, or where we are going or it may be some cool Latin word that you have to look up to find out what it means.

Tammy and I were driving through a small town here in NC and we spotted another one today. I got to thinking about what I would name my church. I told Tammy that Fire Hydrant church might be good with the obvious hell quenching motif, but then realized that wouldn't work because it is two words. She agreed.

So I got brainstorming so here is my list for my fictional hipster groovy community fellowship.

ichurch- But we all know there is no I in church and I'd hate to get sued by Steve Jobs
Tree Church- Sounds kind of cool and if it was a Walnut tree would account for all the nuts I'd probably attract
Up Church- But that sounds too much like Up-Chuck and would not be good for obvious reasons
Shrute Church- This would be a place that all lovers of The Office could come and worship and then tend the community beet farm, plus it would be a really cool bumper sticker
Gomorrah Church- Hmmmmm? Nope, attendance would be a problem
Reaction Church- Obviously we'd have political sermons every week and there would be all kinds of classes on how to make placards for all the protests that we'd go to.
Oatmeal Church- No brown sugar, no butter....just oatmeal
Crossfit Church- Now we are getting somewhere....the workouts would crush the devil out of people
Airborne Church- This would be held in the back of a c-130 every week, we'd pray and then jump....the leap of faith illustrations would be awesome!
Mossy Oak Church- I know its two words, but having everyone wearing mossy oak camo each week would be very cool.

I guess my favorite name for church would be the one that Jesus said, he said it was His church. We belong to Him; all of us in these fragmented bodies, some that are mega and some that are minuscule. Whether we come together We are His. In spite of all of our deficiencies, Jesus has seen fit to include people in His Kingdom and meeting together and expressing love for and enjoying fellowship with each other is a good thing. Church means ones who are called out, out of darkness into light, out of slavery into freedom, and out of death into life. No matter what you call it that is a good thing.

Till next time

Alaska!

2010-07-01T03:09:00.000-04:00

I cannot overestimate the value of getting away. Jack and I just returned from a great trip to Alaska with my brother Steve and my dad. We spent 8 days exploring the Kenai penninsula, angling for trout and salmon, panning for gold, hiking on snow covered trails, wondering at glaciers and just plain having fun. I just got through reading a book that my friend Pete gave me called, "The mission, the men and me". Its by a fomer Delta Force commnder. I was expecting a war story book, but its so much more than that. Its a valuable book on leadership. One of the points that the auther, Pete Blaber, makes is that all good leadership and problem solving requires those "eureka" moments of discovery. But those moments are impossible without a process of discovery. The process he calls the saturate, incubate and illuminate cycle. You have to be able to saturate yourself with context and information about your mission, you've got to allow time to incubate or think about what the issue is and only through the first two steps do you reach the illuminate or the "eureka!" stage. This is remarkably similar to our walk with Jesus, time spent just being is so importnat yet so much of the church is characterized by busyness, with lots of activity but so little "Eureka!" momnets. Sometimes it takes an investment of time and money on a trip to a far out place like Alaska, to sit by a river, to have no agenda, to cut the chords of the electronic world...all with the goal of the "eureka!" moment that provides context for the rest of life.

And personally this was a reconnecting trip. This was the first time that my dad, my brother and I had done anything like this since I was a kid. It was a special time getting three generations together. My son, Jack landed his first salmon which put a permanent grin on his face.

One thing a trip to Alaska does for me, it makes me want to go back, the beauty, the wildness, the tranquility definitely stirs the soul and makes you long for more.

I suspect there is a part of heaven that will look alot like Alaska, more glorious than what we have here, but it sure is a good preview.

Oh...what was my "eureka" moment, well its hard to say, but I think that I realized what I knew all along is that I have a great dad, brother and son and that is a blessing.

Crossfit Mooresville

2010-06-12T13:29:00.000-04:00

I just spent the morning with my new friends Craige and Pam from Bare Bones Fitness/ Crossfit Mooresville. You can check them out at www.crossfitmooresville.com Every Saturday they have introductory workouts for anyone that would like to train with them. Their facilities are great with an ample supply of bumper plates, kettlebells, wall balls and other instruments of physical pain to get the most from your workouts. Its not like your typical gym. There are no fancy machines. Its just hard work. You'll see weird stuff like a big giant tire and sledge hammers. Ask them what a muscle up is. Its all a part of a fitness revolution that is growing exponentially. There will be no bicep curls here, only functional movements that people need in life. With obesity rates soaring isn't it time we bag the info-mercials that promise fitness without work. Our bodies were created by God to work and work hard. The great thing about Craige and Pam's gym is that they will work and suffer with you. After we got done with our workout we talked about how much fun it is to suffer together. It builds camaraderie and character simultaneously. If you live in the Mooresville area and are interested just check out the link that I posted above and give it a try. What do you have to lose except a few pounds, maybe you'll gain some new friends who are committed to helping people succeed. Thanks much Craige and Pam for stepping out there and bringing Crossfit to Iredell County!

Mundane ain't so bad

2010-06-09T23:26:00.001-04:00

I read all the time on Twitter and Facebook posts of all the awesome things that people are doing, especially my friends in ministry. I'm proud to know so many people making a massive impact on the world around them. I have been involved in the past in very public ministry, speaking before large crowds, teaching, travelling the world. I regret none of it.

But after being back home from Iraq for over a month now I made some decisions about my time over the next few years. One of the things that I decided through prompting from the Lord was to step back and just be. Just be a man, a husband, a dad. To just be in the mundane of life and by so doing the mundane becomes so much more, the mundane moments become sacred and holy.

Let me illustrate: Today I spent the whole day with my kids. Tammy had to work so we drove up to Boone, N.C. to visit with my mother. Jack caught his first fist with a fly rod. We had awesome pizza at the Mellow Mushroom. I took a 30 minute nap. I had a conversation with a landscaper about fishing and the beauty of NC. We drove home on the Blue Ridge Parkway and stopped at the over looks, even the boring ones. We played the "cow game" on the way home, counting cows on either side of the road and if you pass a cemetery on your side all your cows are dead. Tammy was waiting for us with dinner. A pipe burst in my basement and we had to get a temporary fix till the plumber could get here tomorrow.

Then we all went out back and did a nasty Crossfit workout together at 9:20 P.M. We got bit by mosquitoes We laughed at how tired we got, just the 4 of us. We laughed at the way Tori did her ballerina V-ups.

It was an amazing day. We didn't have an avalanche of "spiritual" discovery. We didn't change the course of history. But we experienced something amazing, the love and fellowship of a family and the closeness of God in the mundane of life...and I wouldn't trade it for all the notoriety or fame or money or awards the world has to offer. It was a mundane Wednesday and it was amazing. I hope Thursday is mundane too!

Fit to Function

2010-05-12T14:59:00.001-04:00

Its hard to believe I've been home (In the US) for over a month and at my at my home in NC for a couple of weeks already. Its a weird transition coming back to life here. Its odd getting used to not having a chow hall that accepts ID cards for food. Its odd going to Wal-Mart and for me aggravating when I hear people complain about standing in a line for a few extra minutes, if they only knew! Its odd driving, its odd seeing everyone in civilian attire, its odd seeing green everywhere....its just odd and weird. But, I'm not complaining.

One thing that I have not let go of from my deployment is my commitment to train physically. I get up in the mornings still at 0500 and meet my buddy Brian Burgess at a local gym and we punish ourselves with the latest W.O.D. or workout of the day from Crossfit or Sealfit. If you've not heard of these training systems/philosophies I highly recommend them. One of the latest fads is actually a really old Russian form of resistance training with the use of a Kettlebell. Brian is holding one in the picture here. Its like a cannon ball with a handle. The lifts primarily consist of swings, cleans, snatch's and other horrific and painful exercise that focus primarily on functional fitness, mimicking actual moves that we do in life. So many Americans these days have never done an honest hard days work swinging a sledge hammer or using a shovel. Kettlebell training can help out with that. I bought a little one for Tammy and the kids and then I got this 62# er. And that is not even the heaviest one you can get.

I sort of had my physical fitness epiphany while in Iraq. I realized that the harder I trained, the better I was at living life. Fitness is marketed in the US mostly to people who want 6 pack abs or tight bodies so they can feel better about themselves. In fact I went to a local gym to see what they had and the guy at the counter had a shirt that said, "Curls get the girls". I walked out. There's nothing wrong with being content in our physical appearance, but if that is the only reason I train, my foundation is faulty. And unfortunately I've been guilty of that in the past. Believe me, when you are an overweight 12 year old the words of your buddies can dig deep and leave indelible scars. These scars carried over into my adult years and I began to train to find value, even identity. This is a perilous road to wander. Even after finding identity and life in Jesus, these old wounds still come creeping in.

But, I am learning and through my experience in Iraq have learned that fitness can be so much more than the way we look. When on missions soldiers rely on their physical prowess to survive, but its so much more than that...when I say fitness. I like to be intellectually fit, reading good books that challenge my previously held presuppositions. I like to be emotionally fit and I do that through the relationships that God has given me, my wife, kids, and dear friends like Brian. I cannot convey in words the value of being able to talk openly with those that I love. I want to be spiritually fit, walking day to day with my Savior, trusting Him, listening to Him receiving life from Him, the life I so desperately need.

Mostly I want to be fit to live, functionally fit to be a soldier, a leader, a husband, a dad, a friend, and functionally fit and combat complete to follow Jesus wherever that leads.

All for now...got a Kettlebell to swing.

If you are interested in taking your fitness to a new level, let me know and I can point you to some resources.

Blessings!

I'm back!

2010-04-12T20:48:00.001-04:00

I took this picture today! That's my lovely daughter Tori and no she is not in Iraq with me...I was at FT Dix with her! I made it back to the states about 5 days ago and am currently doing some out processing and waiting on a few soldiers to arrive here. Its been a long year, but its over and now on to the next thing. The next thing will include lots of naps, taking walks with my wife and kids, reconnecting back into my neighborhood, catching up with old friends and generally just living the life of a simple guy with a great family and being glad to be alive and at home with my loved ones. Thanks for all the support over the last 373 days. I'm going to keep writing here, but my speaking schedule is being put on hold in favor of family, rest, silence, an solitude. Time to recharge. So blessings to you all thanks again for all the encouragement over the last year...you have no idea how much it meant to me. To God be the glory...great things He has done!

Old is Gold

2010-04-03T13:09:00.001-04:00

I got the following email from my Orthodox Chaplain buddy and wanted to share it with you all. We in the Western world of evangelicalism have lost much of the mystery and beauty that still resides with much of the Eastern world of Christendom. We think that the latest and greatest is the best and brightest. But read the following and I challenge anyone to find a more profound, succinct and theologically moving homily anywhere and it takes about 5 minutes to read. And oh by the way it was written in the fourth century.

Happy Easter everyone..He is risen!

Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti! (Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!)

St. John Chrysostom was born at Antioch in about the year 347 into the family of a military-commander, spent his early years studying under the finest philosophers and rhetoricians and was ordained a deacon in the year 381 by the bishop of Antioch Saint Meletios. In 386, St. John was ordained a priest by the bishop of Antioch, Flavian.

Over time, his fame as a holy preacher grew, and in the year 397 with the demise of Archbishop Nektarios of Constantinople - successor to St. Gregory the Theologian - Saint John Chrysostom was summoned from Antioch to be the new Archbishop of Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey.)

Exiled in 404 and after a long illness because of the exile, he was transferred to Pitius in Abkhazia where he received the Holy Eucharist for the last time, and said, "Glory to God for everything!", falling asleep in the Lord on 14 September 407. His Easter Sermon, which follows below, is still read among all 400 million Orthodox Christians on the Great and Glorious Day of our Lord's Resurrection, as it has been for nearly 1600 years...

With Warmest Regards,

CH (CPT) Kevin Millsaps
--------------

If any man be devout and loveth God,
Let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast!
If any man be a wise servant,
Let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord.

If any have laboured long in fasting,
Let him how receive his recompense.
If any have wrought from the first hour,
Let him today receive his just reward.
If any have come at the third hour,
Let him with thankfulness keep the feast.
If any have arrived at the sixth hour,
Let him have no misgivings;
Because he shall in nowise be deprived therefore.
If any have delayed until the ninth hour,
Let him draw near, fearing nothing.
And if any have tarried even until the eleventh hour,
Let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness.

For the Lord, who is jealous of his honour,
Will accept the last even as the first.
He giveth rest unto him who cometh at the eleventh hour,
Even as unto him who hath wrought from the first hour.
And He showeth mercy upon the last,
And careth for the first;
And to the one He giveth,
And upon the other He bestoweth gifts.
And He both accepteth the deeds,
And welcometh the intention,
And honoureth the acts and praises the offering.

Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord;
Receive your reward,
Both the first, and likewise the second.
You rich and poor together, hold high festival!
You sober and you heedless, honour the day!
Rejoice today, both you who have fasted
And you who have disregarded the fast.
The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously.
The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith:
Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.

Let no one bewail his poverty,
For the universal Kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one weep for his iniquities,
For pardon has shown forth from the grave.
Let no one fear death,
For the Saviour's death has set us free.
He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it.

By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive.
He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh.
And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry:
Hell, said he, was embittered
When it encountered Thee in the lower regions.

It was embittered, for it was abolished.
It was embittered, for it was mocked.
It was embittered, for it was slain.
It was embittered, for it was overthrown.
It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains.
It took a body, and met God face to face.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and thou art overthrown!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead,
Is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be glory and dominion
Unto ages of ages.

Amen.

Good Friday and the Pinning Ceremony

2010-04-02T08:15:00.001-04:00

"Pin my medals to my chest and bury me in the leaning rest"....is a line from an old Army running cadence. At the end of every tour in Iraq or Afghanistan there is always an awards ceremony. Th Army is big on awards, especially in a combat environment. Its part retention and part tradition. When people are recognized for the work they have done they are more likely to sign up and serve again. As my time here draws to a fast close, today was my awards ceremony and alot of nice things were said. Its good for your leaders to take notice of what you have done. I got pinned on today and just now realized that today is the day that Jesus' pinning ceremony took place. His award was not a commendation medal or a bronze star or even a medal of honor. His award was being accused of crimes he didn't commit. His award was three illegal trials. His award was to be called a blasphemer of God. His award was to be beaten beyond recognition. His award was to be stripped naked and spit on. His award was to be cursed by the very ones that He loved. His award was to labor under the weight of a Roman timber. His award was a solitary 800 meter walk, His award was the fleeing of his closest friends. His award was the mocking of soldiers like me. His award was crown of 100's of thorns beaten onto his head, His award was to stretch out willingly and his pinning ceremony took place over looking the very city He came to save. His pinning ceremony was not characterized by words of "Job well done" and "Congratulations" but words like, "Save Yourself if can" and "Look...the King of the Jews". His pinning ceremony was characterized not by pride but by humility and pain. His pinning ceremony was accompanied by the darkening of the sun, an earthquake and the tears of the Father. His pinning ceremony cut the veil between you and me and a Holy God and His being pinned and His life's liquid, His blood paid and paved the way for access to Life....the Life of really being able to relate to God without religious hoops to jump through. I'm humbled to have had my pinning ceremony on the same day as Jesus'. Someday soon, I'll get to take all my "Bling" as we call it off my uniform and present it in the real ceremony before my God and King. So today I'd just like to say to Jesus..."Well done sir!...Well done and thank You so much!"

Jesus and crack houses

2010-03-31T04:42:00.001-04:00

This is a picture of my neighborhood, where I have lived in Iraq for the last 10 months. We call them the "crack houses". Probably not the most endearing term, but fitting with all the bullet holes in the masonry from gun battles in past days. Every day I walk toward that SUV parked there on the right at 5:30 pm to go work out with about 30 other friends that I have met here. I'm in my last few days of doing this and a bit introspective as we tend to get towards any change point in our lives. The other day I was making my journey down this road to suffer through p90x and out of the blue was interrupted by thoughts of Jesus. I wasn't singing a praise chorus or in a church building but just walking down a dusty road on an old Iraqi Air Force base. When these thoughts invaded my head I just stopped, looked up at the sky, took in the evening sunset. I didn't hear voices or get a vision to save the world. I just came to a realization the Jesus was with me. I smiled. I looked down the road and saw two soldiers cleaning an MRAP and I was made aware that Jesus was down there too. I wondered about those soldiers, had they lost someone on this tour, did they have a bad break up, were they too just counting days till it was time to go home. And then it dawned on me that I was thinking about two dudes that I didn't even know and had never met and I was concerned with them. I think that is what happens when we live and move daily with Jesus, He leads us beyond ourselves and into the lives of others just like He does. Sometimes its pretty awesome when we can get over ourselves.

Looking Back..Taking Stock

2010-03-25T10:23:00.000-04:00

Last May I had a conversation with one of my young guys...Dusitn (pictured 2nd from the left along with King, Lyons, Clemency and me) outside in the 130 degree heat of the Kuwaiti desert about fear and life and Jesus. Dustin was really worried about the area that he was going to work in, he's 20 years old, his whole life ahead of him. Its not uncommon for a young mad to ponder the bigger things in life as he faces a great and unknown challenge. That day Dusitn and I said some words to Jesus and we prayed that God would protect him. Dustin said some new words to Jesus too, receiving life from the Lifegiver. It was a day that I won't soon forget. Well, today Dustin and I are fast approaching another great day and in a few short weeks we'll be back in the place we call home. His team came in from a post way out in the weeds and in the desert. He's been up there running missions outside the wire on a daily basis with his buds. We are all now gathered at a larger base doing redeployment prep. Dustin and I just got through with a conversation about life from here, school, girlfriends, wives and plans down the road. We are going to have some good time over the next week or so. We broke contact to take care of some things a few minutes ago and as he walked up the street I hollered at him, "Hey Dustin, you remember that conversation we had down in Kuwait about being scared?!"
He answered, "Yes sir, I do!" He smiled real big and so did I. He and I shared a moment together with Jesus that no one can ever take away from us. And we got to relive that memory again after a 10 months of heat, work, trials, late nights, helicopter missions, frustration, missing home so bad you can taste it, sweat, pain, laughter, joy, and memorial services. It was as good today as it was back in May of 09. God was faithful even when we forgot about Him, He did not forget about us and He was there even in the silly and mundane stuff. Dustin looks different now, he's stronger, more confident and I doubt there is anything that he can't do. What a privilege to be a part if his life. A few years ago I was gung ho about being a full time itinerant speaker or working on staff at some huge Mega-lo-mart church that was really moving and shaking. The lure of the limelight, the name dropping, the conferences, the notoriety was intoxicating or even doing something "great for God". The problem I have is, how do your define what doing something "great for God" is. I have dear friends who do this that are not in it for the wrong reasons, but don't get me wrong it can be a death trap for sure and it would have been for me. I traded that life for this one. I'm not famous and that is ok, in fact I kind of like being a nobody. Otherwise I wouldn't have had that moment that I just had with Dustin. Now that is great and that is for God!

Podcast: Irbil

2010-03-06T07:37:00.003-05:00

Podcast from the other Iraq! Enjoy! Sorry for the length but we just had too much to talk about today!

COLONEL (RET.) ROBERT L. HOWARD

2010-02-24T06:55:00.000-05:00

The link here is the Bigraphy of COL Robert Howard, the most decorated warrior in US history to include Audie Murphy. If you have a moment read the USASOC biography on him and be thankful for men who have given a life of service in defense of their country.

Write it down!

2010-02-22T12:51:00.000-05:00

I just started a new book by Don Miller who is something of an enigma in the Christian world these days. I've been reading his stuff for about five years, starting with "Blue Like Jazz" and then "Searching for God knows what", both I highly recommend. His new book I have only read one sentence. I was sitting in my "crack house" here in Iraq pondering the dust storm that is upon us, reading through some Old Testament History books and simultaneously checking Twitter. I think that I might be quite mad at times. But my friend Amanda Brown posted on Twitter that she was reading Don's new book. I like Don, he's irreverent and I think the world needs a bit of that, so I downloaded his latest book called "A Million Miles in a Thousand Places: What I Learned While Editing My Life". I like the title! I have read about one paragraph and am hooked already. He states at the begining of his book that we forget so much of our lives, that we don't even remember half of a half of it. He also stated that he has a friend that writes down everything he can remember, even if it was dropping an ice cream cone when he was 7. So, before I read any more of this book, I remembered something and am going to write it down. It means nothing to you if you are reading it, but this is my blog and the rules are, I get to write what I want!

One the thing I remember was wanting to be a cub scout. I loved the uniforms! There was the blue shirt with all the cool badges. But there was also the neckerchief with a shiny gold ring that had the cub scout emblem on it that held that garment into place. I wanted nothing more than to wear that uniform looking all cool and doing my cub-scout stuff. I had dreams of winning the box car derby. I had visions of learning how to survive in the wilderness, eating wild plants, and hunting animals and cooking them on a stick over a fire. I was 6. I remember my mom took me to the local cub scout den up the street at my neighbor Bill Harper's house. They had the meeting in the garage that they had remodeled into a play room. I remember thinking, "Wow, there used to be a car in here...hmm"

I was ready for the adventure to begin. I suspect I was alot like Ralphie in a Christmas Story, wanting to save the world. I remember Bill's mom getting all of us together to announce what our most awesome project would be. What could it be? Rock-climbing?, learning to use a compass? A river trip?

The announcement came and my hopes and dreams were dashed on the rocks of the mundane. Our project was.....to build a bird house!

I think I quit about 2 weeks later. All the cool stuff was for the older kids!

So...there's my memory for today so I won't forget it.

Maybe you remember something too about your life....don't just sit there thinking how silly Brad was...go write it down now before you forget!

Thanks Amanda and Don

Irbil

2010-02-14T07:53:00.002-05:00

I've just returned from a trip up north in Kurdistan to the city of Irbil. What an amazing place. In the midst of the chaos of what has been the war in Iraq, Kurdistan stands our as an example of what might be if folks could work together. In Irbil there are large populations of Muslims and Christians and from what I can tell they work together for the good of their community. In Irbil there is daily trash pick up by city workers, something that is non-existent in much of Iraq. There are bustling market places, businesses, tourist attractions and even a go cart track. And, most importantly no IED's blowing up innocent civilians.

The city of Irbil is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. In the center of the city is what is known as the old Citadel. It is a castle in the middle of town that stands 200 feet above the rest of the city. I stood on the same ground as King Darius the Mede and Alexander the Great. Its hard to get away from the profundity of being able to do that. It was quite amazing. While there I met with a Catholic Priest, the station manager of a Christian radio station, had fellowship with believers from Fiji who work for the UN as well. I even got to sit down with my brothers from Fiji and drink a local beverage called Cava. Its made from a root that grows on the island nation. It is served out of a giant wooden bowl and it looks like muddy water and tastes even worse. But it was not the Cava that made our night special, it was the camaraderie of soldiers and the fellowship of believers. I couldn't help but think that God was giving me a glimpse of what heaven will look like....we sang, laughed, talked about family, and talked about Jesus. The words of the Bible struck me, every kindred, tribe and nation will be represented there. It is going to be awesome. Take a minute to thank God that He made people all over the world different and that those differences are precious, but we are all unified in one thing, our fellowship with the Son, King Jesus!

2010-01-22T06:33:00.000-05:00

Here's a collage of photos from life around here!

Heart of a Soldier: We're Back!

2010-01-21T05:51:00.000-05:00

After a long hiatus we are back on the air with comments about crazy runner guy, fitness class culture clash and the impact of a great dad!

Listen Now

In His Hands

2010-01-18T07:20:00.005-05:00

Hope you like the picture shown here today taken of my friend Joshua and his little boy. When I saw this photo I couldn't help but think of how profound the image was. I remember walking with my dad in the mountains of NC as a boy, playing by the creek always looking to see if he was near by. When you are a little guy its always comforting to know that Dad is within reach. Dad's are strong. Dad's have experience. Dad's have been there. Dad's are smart. On a stormy night it was good to know Dad was down the hall with all his strength. My son Jack hates going outside in the dark and always says, "Will you come with me?" He thinks I'm bulletproof! We never really have to lose that you know. And even if you never had that kind of dad, that Dad is available to us all. The prophet Malachi said, "Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?" and Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:3 in his opening statements "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ".

The Word of God is very clear on this, that God is our Father in heaven. He is smart, He is strong, He has the experience, He has been there and in the midst of a stormy life, he'll take my hand and get me through, not around, but through storms. He walk with me when I'm scared and its dark, because He is bulletproof! Looking at this picture of Joshua and his son and knowing Josh and how much he loves that little boy, I can say that he would expend all his resources, charge any gate, face any danger, make any sacrifice to make sure his little guy is taken care of. Is not our Heavenly Father the same? Has He not done that in the gift of Jesus who charged Hell for you and I? So, reach out your hand and walk with Him in the assurance that your Dad is there guiding you with His strong hand, even when its dark! He might even take you for a walk on the water!

The Blessing Lady went home!

2009-12-21T09:24:00.007-05:00

A few years ago I wrote about a lady that I used to see all the time while working out at the gym at FT Jackson.

http://chaplainbrad.blogspot.com/2006/12/blessing-lady.html

. She would come up to everyone that she saw in the gym and ask, "Have I blessed you today?"

I always said, "No! You haven't belssed me...please do!" She would then pray a short prayer of blessing. What an encouragement she was to me and many others.

I got this note from her daughter today in the comments section and thought is was nice and I'd like to share it with you all.

Dear Brad, My name is Cyndi Jones. I am the daughter of "The Blessing Lady" that you met out at Ft. Jackson at the Perez Gym in b2006. I just wanted to let you know that she went home to Heaven yesterday. She hadn't been sick, she just went to sleep and didn't wake up. I used the blog that you wrote about her as part of her obituary in The State newspaper...hope that you don't mind. May God Bless you!

Cyndi, your mom was a blessing to us! Now she's home waiting for the rest of us and I'm sure she's still blessing people!

Crossfit

2009-12-15T08:52:00.004-05:00

Being in the Army, physical preparedness is of utmost importance, your life can depend on it. I'm always looking for challenging routines to push myself to newer levels of strength and endurance. I've been working out in one way or another since I was 7 years old, from soccer, to high school football, basketball, tennis and even a few triathlons. But I have come across a training regimen that is pushing the bounds of what I thought I could do. Its called Crossfit. It combines functional movements with short high intensity routines that continually change. SSG Russ Robinson, my phenomenal Chaplain assistant and I have been pushing ourselves to the limit. Russ is a beast and can do about 30 pull ups, which is not fair at all. If you go to the Crossfit website at www.crossfit.com you can see the workouts and follow them. There are video demos and instructions on how to do them. Best part is, the workouts are scalable to ability and age, which for me is a blessing. Some of the workouts are named after girls and many of those are particularly brutal. So we decided to name workouts after the women in our lives. So we have the Jenn and the Tammy after our wives. We are soon coming out with workouts named after our daughters and I'm going to have a "hero" workout for my son Jack. Should be a hoot. So if you are interested in following along with us here is what we did today...its called "Tammy"

15 Decline situps with a 25 Lb. plate

15 overhead squats 80lbs (bar held above your head)

50 reps on speed rope (jump rope)

15 45lb Kettlebell swings

20 minute time limit as many sets as you can do in that amount of time. We did 6 and I about puked!

Was thinking of this and it dawned on me that being disciplined to workout each day, to follow through and restrict myself from giving up actually brings freedom in my life. By training I limit injury, sickness and my overall well being is enhanced.

On a spiritual note, being disciplined to pray, seek God in personal time, to give up maybe an hour sleep a day to rise early and long for His presence like two friends meeting, will also bring freedom in our lives. I have recently picked up a small book that has nearly revolutionized my prayer life. Its called "The hour that changes the world". The author challenges his readers to pray for an hour, because it is through prayer that God changes things. Does God need our prayers...well....thrologically speaking no, God needs nothing. But Jesus gave us in his life an example of prayer and very often early in the morning long before anyone else was up.

I thought long and hard about this, being a Chaplain and a Pastor people kind of expect me to have a solid prayer life. I can honestly say that there has not been one day in the last decade where I did not pray. But sitting down to pray for an hour solid and me having untreated ADD that was asking too much.

But I thought what can I lose. So one morning on leave I jumped out of bed and cracked open this little book, my Bible and my journal...all the things that help me to pray. I used the author's suggestions of 5 minute section of 12 different types of prayer. Guess what, I couldn't pray for an hour....I prayed for an hour and half! I got lost in it, talking to God, reading His word, meditating, confessing, listening, interceding, petitioning, even singing. The next day was similar, and now I find myself going to bed itching to get up and spend my hour...at least with Jesus.

What has it produced...freedom for me! Freedom to follow Jesus daily in this place called Iraq. Freedom to hear from Him. Freedom to interact with those that He loves empowered by His Spirit.Even today as I spent my prayer time I was praying for one of my friends here who is a true seeker, I has spent a couple of days with his team and we had a long conversation of a particularly spiritual nature. I my prayer time I felt prompted to pray for him and that God would reveal Himself. Just as I was praying that there was a knock at my door....guess who it was...you got it!

He walked in my room and said, "So, we've all got to be saved...right?"

It was on after that. I just laughed inside all the way through at the way God works.

I could go on an on.

So my challenge to you is spend some time changing your world through time with Him. You'll be different and the world around you will be different!

Have yourself a great day!

So be Crossfit!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T08:42:00.003-05:00

Its been a while since I've posted. I've been at home with my family, completely immersed in spending time with them, so blogging has not been my first and foremost concern. I head back to Iraq tomorrow. Its a sad and happy day here. Its sad because I'm leaving again, but its happy too because the next time we see each other I'll be done. I've been in the Army for almost 6 years now, a reservist (yeah right). We knew what we were in for. I've been either in a school, mobilized away from home or on deployment for 4 out of those six years. We have grown accustomed to it now. It is a part of our lives. One thing I have found out is that no matter how many times you leave your family in the service of your God and your country, it does not get easier. And to be quite honest that is a really good thing. I fear the day that I am ready or happy to walk away from my family. This feeling of dread that I have of leaving them is a blessing. It reminds me that I sit here in this modest home with the most important people in the world, my wife, my daughter and my son. The Kingdom of God is made of families and I have been entrusted with these here with me now. The Army is not my career, my family is and the Kingdom is. Some day the uniforms will be packed away, the deployments will be summed up in a plaque on the wall, but my family will remain. My identity is not found in being a Chaplain or an officer in the Army, but in being a follower of Jesus, a husband and a dad. And for that I am thankful. So, I'll leave tomorrow...again...but a few short months from now I'll see them again, waiting for me at the airport....and we'll come home together, back here to the place God has given us to love each other and build a life. And I am thankful for that too. So...back to work now, back to taking care of soldiers, pointing them to Jesus and the Kingdom.

2009-10-25T05:21:00.004-04:00

This video is from our Chapel service here at COB Speicher. We are in transition now with our brothers and sisters from 25 ID out of Hawaii handing off to our new friends from 3ID out of FT Stewart GA. Lightning Chapel as it is known now will give way to the Rock of the Marne Chapel. Both are the call signs of each division. We have a great crowd each week and I have been honored to be one of the pastors that gets to preach. I have enjoyed getting to know so many fine folks. We are finishing up a series on the Kingdom of God. And the more I study the King and the Kingdom the more He blows my mind. It has been my distinct honor to share the pulpit with CH Dave Shoffner and CH Tom Wheatley, both of whom have made a great impact on me. They have years of experience taking care of soldiers and I have watched and listened with an open heart as they have mentored me.

Our band is amazing too, led by the precocious one, SPC James Doty, from Corpus Christi TX. He'll be famous someday....I hope he remembers us little people!

Hope all is well back home. I'll be there for a visit soon! Some of the things I'm looking forward to are hunting deer with my son and my buddies, drinking a cold cheerwine, going to church and seeing all my brothers and sisters in Christ, falling asleep in my chair, playing with my dogs, seeing my mom, dad, and brother, listening to Tori tell me about her awesome life as a teenager, and finally having morning coffee with the love of my life....Tammy.

I am a blessed man.

See you all soon!

Stupid Story Night

2009-10-03T07:05:00.001-04:00

Its stupid story night here in Iraq. We pull out our worst jokes ever. All done around a campfire on a roof at the men's night "Gathering"

Listen Now!

Prone to Forget

2009-09-10T09:54:00.004-04:00

"We often forget the things that we thought we would never forget".

I found that quote today and put it my briefing for my commander. I had forgotten all this week. I sit here hacking this email out just a few miles from the Tigris river in the desert of the middle east. I am surrounded each day by soldiers who leave the "wire" and expose themselves to death. Just this week I was reminded again of how real all this is. At our combat surgical hospital, the choppers came in, the docs were scrubbed and ready to go to do what they do, but that didn't happen. Because there was no one to save. All three young soldiers had been killed when an explosion blew up their MRAP. So this week some Chaplain and another officer had to go to some poor woman's house and ruin her life that her son or husband was killed in action. And that was done three times this week. It was a sobering day.

I met with a soldier from that unit today. His best friend was killed in the attack. He's a strong man, but the weight of the instantaneous loss of his buddy is taking its toll. The strain is ever-present in his eyes. As he knelt in tears all I could or needed to do was pray with Him.

Like it or not the events of this week began 8 years ago today, actually back further than that, but the hinge point was September 11th. I know it was for me. It was the day that I knew I'd be at some point serving in the Army, kneeling with soldiers in grief and smiling with them in joy.

We are prone to forget. I forgot that I was working on a sliding glass door with my buddy Nathan. I forgot as we watched through that glass at some lady's house in Troutman NC and wondered what could be going on in New York. I forgot about the smoke and fire that came out of those buildings. I forgot the replays over and over again of that plane tearing through that building in a giant ball of fire. I forgot that the three of us watched on live TV, most of us did, as those massive buildings fell in seconds. I forgot the sick feeling I had in my stomach. I forgot how mad I was. I forgot the prayer that we prayed on our knees in that living room of some woman that I have not seen since. I forgot the conversation that I had with my wife on the phone, "Can you beleive it?!" What is going to happen now?" I forgot how we cried as we watched on TV all that day and all the next week. I had forgotten it all. That is until I remembered it. Then it all flooded back in. And one way or another I sit here, half a world away from my family and my home simply because 9-11 happened. I am here now, because that day quickened my soul and I could no longer sit by and just let things happen any more. Small is it may be, I had to play my part.

We had a 9-11 memorial service today to jog our memories. We saw the pictures again, heard the news clips. The stories were shared again. It is through this sharing of experience that we lessen the plague of forgetfulness. Remember today what you felt like that day. Don't forget the thing that you swore you could never forget.

I am even more aware now of Jesus' words, "Do this in remembrance of me", because He knew that if we did not have a reminder, some way of jogging us out of our daily slumber, we'd forget the thing we swore we'd never forget.

I have not forgotten today.

God is Faithful

2009-09-06T12:27:00.004-04:00

Welcome to all the Mcullough family and friends as Mark's participation in the Podcast has increased the readership of Gone Fishin Again to a whopping 45 subscribers. Wow! Who would have thunk it!

I spoke at "Big Church" this morning at what is known as Lightning Chapel here on COB Spiecher. The message was from Exodus 3 and Moses' encounter with God at the Burning Bush. God's faithfulness is the source of my faithfulness. I saw four things emerge from that text and from the context and thought I might share them here for you all.

God is Faithful to Follow us- God had been following Moses since his unlikely salvation from death as a baby. God had followed and provided and watched over Moses through his childhood, even into his adulthood as a warrior and then even as he committed murder and ran from the charges. You can rest assured that God does the same in your life...He is faithful to follow!
God is Faithful to Find us- Moses had been wandering the desert in his safe little job, his risk free life of a shepherd...40 years he did this! But God found him, exactly at the right time for God's purposes. He found me 15 years ago. He provided Moses a burning bush...He provided me a radio broadcast (See the video clip at the bottom of this page). Understand this, that God is the one that pursues us. He's just waiting for us to notice!
God is faithful to Free us- He told Moses to take off his sandals. Our shoes have been everywhere we've been. They know all the dirt of our past. God, set Moses free of that and he does the same for us. The holy ground that we shed our "shoes" is the ground at the cross. The blood covenant that God promised was sealed there. Our freedom ensued!
God is faithful to Fill us- God took Moses, an 80 year old, stuttering, murdering, running from his problems kind of guy and set a nation free with him. He'll take you and me and we can be used to bring freedom to this world, freedom in Christ. He'll fill us with power of the Holy Spirit, he'll empower us to have the fruit of the Spirit. He'll fill us for His purposes, partners with God in the Kingdom, servants of the King. And all it takes is us to simply say yes...Lord...be faithful and fill me!

God is faithful when we are not.

On a lighter note we had a Baptism service today(Pictures above), but the water truck forgot about us (no running water here) So me and and about 5 Chaplain assistants opened up 2.5 pallets of 1 liter water bottles, one bottle at a time, in about an hour to get the pool ready for dunkin!

It was a sight!

Have a great week everyone!

Heart of a Soldier: Rabies Awareness Podcast

2009-09-03T05:21:00.002-04:00

Under a Gibbous Moon its a podcast from the heart, including crazy captain guy and the rabies awareness run and more shout-outs!

Listen now!

Heart of a Soldier: Podcast Four!

2009-08-17T05:10:00.001-04:00

Its been a while and we're glad to be back! Mark has been to Baghdad to see Flintstone Village and Brad has been infected and is highly motivated at all times!

Listen Now!

Another Podcast is on the way!

2009-08-17T03:07:00.003-04:00

Don't worry, we've got another podcast in the can and it will be up here soon. We know all of our 17 listeners can't wait! Hang in there, its coming!

Highly Motivated at All Times!

2009-08-09T12:18:00.005-04:00

Some people have mottoes that they say, you know "The buck stops here" and "I did it my way" and other life mottoes that people spout off. Most of the time they are really just words. Words that have no real value attached to them because the words are not accompanied by any such action. But when you come across one of those rare individuals that has a motto and then lives by it, now that is something to take notice of. Then you find a guy with one of those mottoes that is so high above the standard, so far from the norm and then that guy lives by it, brothers and sisters, you find out what makes that guy/gal tick and you get some of that. Now, my friend Jeff Pugh would be appalled if he knew I was writing this. Because guys like him don't seek the spotlight.

Jeff is Major in the Army. He's a commander. In the civilian world he's a police officer and a commander. He has a commanding presence and no he's not 6'3" and built like Arnold. He's actually kind of….well…..ok he's short. But what he loses in height he makes up for in encouragement. You can tell a good leader by one thing…do people follow him? When a real leader gets up to go do something, everyone in the room follows.

That is the kind of guy Jeff is.
Jeff's motto is "Highly Motivated at All Times!" He greets me with it, he says goodbye with it. He says it in the heat and in when the AC is blowing and going. And guess what…He actually means it. In a world steeped in sarcasm, lethargy, and mediocrity, Jeff is not any of those things. He leads from the front. He does the little things like staying with the trucks that need guarding while his soldiers eat. He is the last guy to lie down. He is the first with a good morning. He is the first with a smile…even when its 125 degrees and no one is physically happy. He really is motivated at all times…I mean really. And do you know what effect that has on people…yep they get motivated too. They want to follow him. Hec, I do too.

If you hang around a guy and you feel better about yourself and your life for having been around that person, then that is an encourager. Ask yourself this question, "When people are around me, are they encouraged or discouraged? Are they full of energy or are they sucked dry?"

Jeff told me that he wants to be an energy giver, not an energy taker. What if we had more people that had that as their motivation every day? I mean really? What if we all said, "Today I'm going to pour myself into the lives of others!" What would it look like. It would probably look a lot like Jeff Pugh's Civil Affairs Company, Alpha 490th. It is an organization that has been infected with Jeff's attitude and they are so much fun to work with and be around.

Ultimately where do Jeff and other people like him get their energy from. Well, I would submit that it can only come from our God. Jesus was a energy giver. Everything about him was giving. His healing, his encouragement, his teaching, his loving, his dying, his resurrection and his soon coming all were and will be acts of giving. Giving glory to God by saving the crown of Creation…mankind, giving of Himself, Giving of His power.

Now, post resurrection and post-Pentecost we all have access to an unlimited supply of spiritual encouragement and motivation. The Holy Spirit offers us fruit and gifts. Fruits like love and peace and patience, gifts like evangelism, encouragement, service, prophecy are all offered to us…conditionally mind you.

One of my new favorite Pastors here is Chaplain Dave Shoffner. He gave a great message today in Lightning Chapel. The sermons series has been on the Fruit of the Spirit and today it was peace. Hear what Jesus says in John16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

One thing I had never noticed about that verse. The offer is there from Jesus for peace. Notice that "you may"…its there for the taking, but He also says in the world "you will have tribulation".
Peace is offered, Trouble is certain. Peace comes with submission to the Spirit. Trouble comes with getting up in the morning and just going outside. Peace is offered, trouble is certain.

But notice…Jesus says that He has overcome the world…He means the world system, tainted and broken by sin and the devil. And since Jesus is an overcomer, by faith I am an overcomer. I take those things quite literally.

Jeff has a lot of peace in his life. He's cool with who he is. Does he face trouble, are you kidding? After 3 combat tours in the war you better believe he's faced trouble. But how he stays motivated comes through a supernatural interaction with the Power that is available to all of us. Jeff is an overcomer!

Simply put, when we submit ourselves to God's plans and The Spirit we become a real live energy givers and not energy takers.

I hope you'll do that today..And be Highly Motivated at all times!

Heart of a Soldier Special Podcast: James Doty

2009-07-23T22:46:00.002-04:00

Mark took the day off to make sure people can communicate with each other and Brad interviews James Doty. James is the worship leader for Lightning Chapel at lovely COB Spiecher. He'll be famous someday!

Listen Now

My Iwo Jima

2009-07-21T16:26:00.001-04:00

This picture was taken outside a little village in Iraq. As our MRAP was coming through this check point the antenna got hung in this gate and tore it loose. So being the kindhearted American soldiers we are, we set about fixing it. I got to hoist the thing into place and our combat cameraman caught the action and the result was this photo. Enjoy!

Heart of a Soldier: Movie Night Podcast

2009-07-18T17:40:00.002-04:00

Brad and Mark after movie night discuss, fobbits, battle rhythms, the eye of Sauron, crack houses, GI Moke and Chinook Helicopters....Enjoy!

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Roof Top Podcast!

2009-07-04T09:44:00.002-04:00

Brad and Mark philosophize about life in the desert, dust storms, and over eager Ugandan security guards!

Listen Now!

Pics from Work

2009-06-29T14:33:00.004-04:00

Heart of a Soldier Debut Podcast

2009-06-07T07:49:00.003-04:00

The first podcast by Brad and a few army friends. Introducing the Heart of a Soldier Podcast!

Listen Now!

Isaiah 58:11

2009-06-05T07:40:00.004-04:00

"And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

Its hot here! Its dry, dusty, arid, and any other descriptive term you can use. I was walking across the compound the other day saying "This place is devoid of life!" I could not have been more wrong. Did you know when the rains come in January in Kuwait the entire desert springs forth life? Flowers and green plants come popping up everywhere. It often seems that where there seems to be death that life is just waiting under the surface to explode. According to God's Word this is a spiritual fact as well. I have been experiencing in this land a bit spiritual dryness. I find myself as a Chaplain feeling marginalized and unimportant. its the nature of things in the military, no one thinks of the Chaplain until something bad happens.

Just when I thought there could be no life in this place, God showed up. I had my Pastor, Mack Jarvis pray for me as many of you do. I realized...again... that as Scripture teaches, our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the wicked powers of this world. Its not people who are the enemy, its the system that sets itself up against God.

At breakfast, still feeling sorry for myself a young soldier in my unit asked me if I had a few minutes for him. As we sat and talked I found out that he is being sent to an area where enemy activity is at its highest and that he'll be going outside the wire on a regular basis. He had deep and profound questions about life and death, the taking of life and the losing of life.

We talked through breakfast, through a trip to the PX and then finally back to our tent. I took him to 1John 5:11-13 which speaks of the profound truth of "knowing" that we have eternal life when as John says it, we "have the Son". I could see in his eyes that God had established this time for this young man. And on a couple of sandbags outside our tent, in the 120 degree heat, in a dry and barren land, God poured out some living water. My young trooper confessed his need for Jesus and received the "life" that John told us about.

I sat for a minute dumbfounded....again....as God continually reminds me that He is in charge, that He can make a way even in the scorched land.

What an amazing ministry this is with soldiers, in the rough and tumble world of weapons, stark conditions, war, life and death God is still who He is and still reaching out, still dispensing grace and mercy.

Who knows what He will do today! I can't wait to see!

On an administrative note, my friends here, Mark and Travis and I are putting together a Podcast called, "Heart of a Soldier". It'll be a time of laughter and theological reflection (as best as we can do that!)
Be looking for it on here and on itunes!

Blessings from the sun scorched land!

A soldier dispenses his views!

2009-05-30T13:12:00.004-04:00

I get to meet and make friends with some hilarious people in the Army. Many could have sob stories that are truly legitimate then others just seem to make the best of things and their situations. My friend Mark was out of the Army in the Individual Ready Reserve for over 12 years. That means he was out, like not ever putting on a uniform. He had a great job, a great wife and a gaggle of kids. But in December he gets a letter in the mail saying, "Welcome back! And oh by the way its involuntary, you are going to Iraq" (my paraphrase).
Instead of ducking the mission, instead of griping and complaining, Mark chooses to laugh and make others laugh. I thank God for him and others like him in these trying times. I hope you will as well! Enjoy....by the way, its really hot in Kuwait in case you were wondering!

Wheels Up

2009-05-27T10:46:00.004-04:00

I'll be wheels up soon as we head to Iraq for our mission there to button up this conflict and get all my soldiers home safe and sound. Once I clear everything with public affairs, I'll continue to update this blog and keep everyone abreast of how I and my soldiers are doing. We had a predeployment service last night, it was awesome to get together and sing songs, read God's word, pray together and to experience the presence of an almighty God. Today is frenetic and busy as we load trucks and prepare for the flight line. I have a great sense of anticipation watching and waiting to see what God will do over the next 10 months. Much love to you all. I will be in touch. Tammy, Tori and Jack....I love you with all my heart!

Strength and Courage

Joshua 1:9

Double Bull Podcast

2009-05-24T08:50:00.001-04:00

Turkey season wrap-up, the Double Bull Blind story, Lord of the Spring, and Brad is home for a few days before heading to Iraq!

Listen Now.

Dave

2009-04-30T22:34:00.004-04:00

You never know what is going to happen as you rise from bed each day. Every day of our lives God provides junctions of obedience opportunities. I got up Thursday at beautiful FT Dix for an exciting day of Dr's appointments...woo hoo! My task was to get a ride off post to a civilian doctor to check my hearing....for the 3rd time, good grief. I was picked up here on post in 15 pack van by a big ol jolly guy named Dave. As we left post I found that Dave was the talkative type, just me and him in this van cruising the NJ countryside. The drive was about an hour. I didn't feel much like talking, I had the doctor's eval on my mind. But, I found out some info about Dave that would come in handy on our return trip. Dave is 62 years old and his job is to take soldiers to physician appointments. It seems that Dave loves to talk to other drivers while he navigates....you know the type. I also found out that Dave's wife died just a year and a half ago after a 14 month battle with cancer. But, he seemed happy. I would also find out why later on.

I got done at the doctor, where I had promptly failed my audiogram. Now once a again my deployment lay in a state of limbo. I came back to Dave's van feeling sorry for myself. Dave and I headed back for FT Dix. I made some small talk with him about the weather, NJ cops, convenience stores and other insignificant dribble.

There was a lull in the conversation and I began to gaze out the window, noticing that spring is busting loose all over NJ now. Just then, God spoke in my spirit. "You need to talk to this man about me" I quickly replied, "No God, he is just fine, he's happy driving his van and he does not want me to talk about You." How stupid was that?! I continued to look out the window avoiding God. But...you know what...you can't avoid God can you? There is no hiding from Him is there? Just check out Psalm 139:7

It kept on, "Talk to this man about Me". I continued to disobey what I knew was the right thing to do. So... relented. I tried to think of a springboard to talk to him. Football? Van driving? The pleasant weather in NJ...not likely. Finally I blurted out, "You know a friend of mine lost his wife to cancer last weekend." My friend Steve's wife did pass away last weekend.

I said, "Even though it has been a year and half for you, it still must be very difficult." He replied,
"It will really test your faith."

Hmmm, I thought, "He said faith, I wonder where this is going?"

Dave said, "Its funny that I'm riding with a Chaplain today, do you mind if I tell you a story?"
I said, "Dave, I'd love to hear your story."

He went on to tell me of the pain that he had gone through at the death of his wife. How he had almost given up. And of how his cousin invited him to an FCA breakfast. He said, "My cousin is one of those born again guys, do you know what I am talking about?"

I slyly said, "Yes Dave, I do know about those guys."

He went on to say that he had gone to the breakfast and the speaker had him hanging on every word. And at the end of the guys message there was an invitation of some kind.

Dave said, "He asked us all to close our eyes and bow our heads. Then he asked us if we wanted to receive Christ as the savior of our lives that we should raise our hand! Brad, I can't explain it but my hand shot up in the air and then the guy asked us to come up front with him. And there were 700 people there. Guess what I did Brad?"

"I don't know Dave, what did you do?"

"Brad, I was the first guy down front, and I still can't explain it. All I know is that as weird as it sounds, with my wife dying , I am more at peace now than I ever have been in my life. Do you understand what I am saying?" He reminded me of the blind guy in John 9:25 who said, "All I know is that I was blind but now I see!'

I said quietly with tears hidden behind my sunglasses for effect, "Yes Dave, I know exactly what you mean."

For the rest of the ride Dave and I talked about the goodness of Jesus. We prayed together as he dropped me off at my place of duty. I left the vehicle stunned.

I was stunned and my stiff neck, stunned at God's continual work. I was grateful that in the moment I had to be obedient God persisted. Not because He wanted me to have an evangelistic scalp to hang on my spiritual lodge pole, but because God wanted to display His glory to me and to Dave. We were just two guys whose journeys crossed paths that day. And beleive me God's glory was on display!

I told Dave what I tell alot of people in those situations, maybe at an airport or in a big city. I'll probably never see Dave this side of heaven. With that in mind I closed with this.
"Dave, If don't see you here, I'll see you there!"

He answered back, "That is the truth!"

And that is the truth.

5 weeks in!

2009-04-25T13:34:00.002-04:00

Its been 5 weeks since I left home for the lovely confines of FT Dix New Jersey. Our time here is fast winding down. It won't be long before we board our plane for the middle east. In that time our unit has been trained up well by the cadre here and we have grown together as a unit and as friends.

Now we are in the medical screening process. It is a nerve racking time especially for us older guys. One thing in the medical screening can get you taken off a mission and health issues are more prevalent as one tips the calendar after 40.

I am not immune to this. I have failed a hearing exam. I am now classified on profile for moderate to sever hearing loss. Its frustrating, because there is little I can do about it. I have worked all my life around power tools and weapons. I should have worn ear protection but never did. I am praying that the docs will allow me to go with my troops in spite of this. Funny thing is, I can hear people when they talk to me and I can hear a deer in the woods when I'm hunting.

In my prayer time I've been asking alot of why to God. It was 4 years ago that I was removed from a mission to Afghanistan due to a paperwork issue. It feels alot like groundhog day for me.
But praying this morning I was reminded of Psalm 145 that says the following:

The Lord is righteous in all His ways

And gracious in all His works.

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him;

He hears their cry and saves them.

The Lord preserves all who love Him

The verse that jumped out at me this mornig was, He hears their cry and saves them. Even if I cannot hear, God hears. He hears my cry. He saves me. Last night I prayed with my friend Wes, who is also going through a physical issue that might jeopardize his mission. We prayed together and cried out to God, mainly because there is no where else we can go. I feel alot like Richard Gere in An Officer and A Gentleman. The Gunnery SGT was trying to get him to quit through some tortuous PT. But he wouldn't quit and he screamed out, "I got no where else to go!"

I really feel like that today. I know without a doubt I am where I am supposed to be today. I got no where else to go!

So pray for us old guys as we try to live out this mission. Pray that health issues will not get in the way.

I'll post another update in the near future and I'll let you all know how the medical stuff shakes out. Thanks again for your prayers!

My quarters....tight!

The Company Guidon

Good Morning 1st SGT!

2009-03-28T19:01:00.003-04:00

Back in the 80's there was a great Army commercial that showed all these high speed Army guys jumping out of a C-130, landing gathering up chutes, and having coffee afterwards. The tag line was,"we do more before 9 am than most people do all day!" The commercial ended with some bubba saying, "Good morning 1st SGT!"

Well, my new 1st SGT has taken that to a new level. He likes to get up every morning at 3 a.m. This morning he told me that he did more before 5 a.m. than most people did all day. And I believe him.

I'm writing to you all from lovely FT Dix New Jersey. Its not really that lovely. It has been cold and wet and then it gets wet and cold. Luckily we have been issued some really good wet weather gear. As you can see from the photo that body armor is required for all training. It weighs about 40lbs. And a ruck sack and you are toting from 40-70 lbs and that is without ammo, because as a Chaplain I don't carry that.
Will, our battalion XO hates the body armor. He's an old Ranger type and believes in using cover and concealment to avoid incoming rounds. He says he feels like a turtle, he would rather wear a baseball cap to war.

We have a great mix of soldier, 19 year old privates to men in their 50's with years of experience. Its a diverse group and God is beginning to knit us together. I have had many opportunities every day to engage soldiers in conversations about the Lord. This morning we talked about the possibility of Jesus returning today and how that would change the way we thought about people. It was awesome. I pray that many more opportunities will present themselves as Jesus sees fit. I plan to be ready as He opens doors.

Much love to you all, thanks for your prayers and your continued support. All for now.......TBC

Podcast: Turkey Fest in God's Country

2009-03-20T06:45:00.001-04:00

The HOS fellas head to God's Country Outfitters in Albemarle, NC and meet up with Virginia State Turkey Calling Champion, Ricky Higgins. Shortly after our interview, Ricky walked away the winner of yet another calling contest - listen and you'll even get to hear one of the calls that helped him win the championship. ALSO - this will be the last podcast for Chaplain Brad as he will be heading to serve our country over in Iraq next week. God Bless Brad and God bless America!

Listen!

The great tug of war

2009-03-16T10:26:00.003-04:00

Publish Post

Last Saturday my son, Jack, and all his buddies from church participated in the AWANA Olympics. AWANA is a church program that incorporates games and Scripture memory. Jack loves the games! Jack is a big bruising kid so he doesn't get the speed events, but he does get the strength events. He slapped his gloves on and off he went. The goal is to pull the rope and get hold of a bean bag laying on the ground. Its called the 4 way tug, but in this case it was the 3 way tug. They didn't win, but that didn't matter!

I love yelling for him when he is competing. Being a father is a great job. Even when he doesn't win I'm proud, proud that he competes and that he is great little guy. I was praying for my children this morning and facing a year away from them, it got very emotional. God spoke very clearly to me though. As the pain of missing events like this swept over me, the missed time, the instruction in life that I'll miss with Jack and Tori, God spoke. "Do you love your children Brad?"

I answered, "Yes, Lord...more than my own life"

Then it came, "I love them more than you do!"

That realization eased my spirit, that even though I leave to proclaim the Gospel, the God of the Gospel will not leave my kids. He is their heavenly Father and always has been and always will be.

That was my tug of war this morning, I greatfully lose that one in total dependance on God.

Grace in the midst of the mess

2009-03-04T15:24:00.004-05:00

I had an opportunity to give a class on suicide awareness and intervention last night to a Celebrate Recovery class at a church nearby. It was a group of about 20 people. The group was diverse both in race and gender. There were old and young alike. Celebrate recovery applies the 12 step recovery process but is specifically Christ centered. It has brought hope to literally thousands of people around the world. In this little group I met two people that really struck me. During my workshop I deal with what you should do when a person is dangerously close to suicide and has a weapon. I talk about removing the weapon from the person. As I was doing this portion I noticed this lady break down and sob. I obviously knew that this had touched a chord with her and apologized publicly for opening an old wound for her. She came up to me after the lesson was over and shared with me why she became so emotional. It seems that 14 years ago her daughter had a friend who was suicidal and had a gun in his mouth threatening to pull the trigger. This woman's daughter grabbed the gun and a struggle ensued at which point the firearm discharged and the round struck her daughter in the neck. The would severed her spinal cord and and she has been paralyzed ever since. I was dumbfounded as she shared this story. To think that her daughter cared enough to physically wrestle with her friend to save his life at risk of her own was truly remarkable. She said her daughter gave up everything for her friend. Her friend has survived and gone on to live a healthy life. She is stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. As you can imagine both mother and daughter have struggled with these events.

The other lady I met had been a heroin addict for 30 years. She showed me the ravages of addiction on her arms, needle scars even between her fingers. A young man was there speaking with me and mentioned that he had though about doing heroin and she overheard. Immediately she jumped into the conversation showing this young man her arms and telling him of the years she spent in jails and in poverty and addiction. She told him that she had never had a childhood, only years with the needle and that her addiction had even spilled over into the lives of her kids. But 18 months ago she found freedom, freedom in the saving life of a savior who is a man of sorrows, stricken, wounded all for us, to set the captives free. It was awesome to hear the hope in her voice after so many years of despair.

In both lives there was grace in the midst of the mess, grace in the life a mother who has watched her daughter imprisoned by an act of selflessness. Grace in the life of a drug addict set free from the pit of despair. If you ever get a chance to go to a Celebrate Recovery meeting, go. If you can support one where you are support it. They are messy places, but in the midst of that mess the light and love of Jesus shine really bright.

Many props go out to my friends Peter and Renee Gray for starting this ministry at our church. For more information go to www.celebraterecovery.com

Podcast: Treeing Walker Days

2009-03-01T08:46:00.001-05:00

All the fellas at the 35th annual Southeastern Treeing Walker Days (That's coon hunting for those that don't know) festival at the Rowan County Fairgrounds.

Listen now!

Here we go again!

2009-02-25T14:02:00.002-05:00

Well after almost 2 years at home (except for 4 months training at FT Bragg) its time to once again put the uniform back on for another mission. My last tour was 27 months at FT Jackson as a Chaplain for basic training soldiers. This next one will take me half way around the world to Iraq as a Chaplain for a Civil Affairs unit. It'll be a long year away from my wife and kids but it will also hold many opportunities to bring the light of the Gospel in many different ways. I'll be updating my blog hopefully on a regular basis so that you all can keep up, with pictures and stories from the front. I hope you will continue to support us as a family in your prayers as we enter together a new season of ministry. Tammy is doing well as we face this term of being apart. She is a strong woman and totally committed to the ministry that we both have been called to. I would ask you to pray for her. Its still a few weeks before I leave, so I'll be updating again soon. Keep an eye out for links to the podcast Jeremy Harrill and I do for the Heart of a Sportsman ministry. I thank you in advance for your prayers and may God bless each and every one of you.

In Christ Alone

Podcast: Live From I-85

2009-02-16T20:20:00.002-05:00

Podcast live from I-85 as the guys make their trip home from Westover Church in Greensboro, NC.

Listen.

God's Containment System

2009-02-16T14:25:00.003-05:00

My pastor, Mack Jarvis, www.cornerstonenc.org gave an awesome message this past weekend on suffering and how to deal with it. I wish I could take credit for his brilliant opening illustration, but I can't. The weight loss drug ALLI is an over the counter pill that causes your body not to metabolize the fat that you take in. If you don't metabolize the fat obviously it comes out of your body the old fashioned way. ALLI however has side effects, uncontrolled flatulence and bowel movements and they company has renamed them "treatment effects". Even to the point that if you take ALLI, make sure you keep dark clothes with you just in case! That is classic!

Mack went on to say that there are also side effects with life, discouragement, job loss, broken relationships and the like. we've all experienced these things. Many times believers go through "treatment effects" in our relationship with God that we just don't understand.

Mack talked about the different kinds of suffering that we experience. The suffering we bring upon ourselves by being stupid like driving a car when we are drunk. He also talked about the suffering as a result of a broken world, the cancers and hurricanes, you know the stuff that is just a product of the world being infected by sin.

And one of the hardest to understand is the discipline of God. The bible clearly tells us that He disciplines those He loves. This idea became crystal clear to me today as I have purchased a wireless containment system for our fuzzy little dog Sophie. She is a great little dog, but prone to wander. I've seen one of my dogs get hit by a car and I'm not about to see that or let my children see that horrific event again. Sophie wandered into the neighborhood behind us yesterday investigating the sounds of children ecstatically screaming in some backyard game.

To Sophie it was all harmless enough, but to me and Tammy it was absolutely dangerous and deadly. Because we know what is in the roads around our house. Large self-propelled machines that can kill little dogs in a fraction of second.

So we bought today a shock collar for Sophie. Its an ingenious device, wireless and easy to set up. There are no cables to bury and you are training in a matter of moments. We took Sophie outside on her leash and eased her up to the flags that are placed at the edge of the invisible force field. We deliberately take her into the danger area to let her get a little shock.

And...she did...it was traumatic. She yelped and ran back towards the house. But then I got an unexpected reaction. As I approached her, the dog who greets me every day wagging her tail and licking my hand, was deathly afraid of me. She tucked her tail between her legs and ran to the front porch in terror. I was thinking, "maybe this shock thing wasn't such a great idea"

But then I remembered the car that hit my other dog. I remembered the hurt that I felt. I realized that the temporary pain that my little dog went through was for her own good, keeping her from something that could kill her. But guess what, I cannot explain that to her. She just does not understand me. My words mean nothing to her. She has no capacity to understand my reasons for setting up the shock collar. She still does not understand and maybe never will. But I understand that by doing this and setting these boundaries I am setting the stage for our little dog to live.

I suspect that is much the way God interacts with us. He sometimes sets painful boundaries that we have no capacity to understand. We look up in the sky and wonder why we are going through the pain that we are going through. I suspect that even if God did explain it to us we'd be alot like Sophie, still wondering what in the world this massive being is talking about. Psalm 94:12, Proverbs 3:11, and Hebrews 12:6 just to name a few are verses of Scripture that point us to the loving hand of God that disciplines. Its not punishment, discipline leads to life, it is correction from an errant course. It is the boundary line of God's love to save us from ourselves.

But when we learn God's boundaries, life follows. I think that I can live with that.

The Heart of a Sportsman: The Road Less Traveled

2009-02-03T09:28:00.000-05:00

Great article from my ministry partner Jeremy Harrill. Enjoy!

The Heart of a Sportsman: The Road Less Traveled

Superbowl 2009

2009-02-02T05:54:00.000-05:00

It's the Heart of a Sportsman Superbowl Podcast!

"Old People!"

2009-01-17T13:57:00.005-05:00

Tammy and I are in Gatlinburg TN this weekend. I'm teaching at Crossroads Winter Conference. There are about 800 High School and 300 college students at this event (www.crossroadsworldwide.com)
I've been teaching at these events with some of my best friends in the world for the last decade or so. I'm almost 4 years past 40 and find that I keep getting advanced in my years and the kids all stay the same age. Tammy and I went out to lunch today and decided to come back to the fabulous Edgewater Hotel and get a bit of rest prior to teaching time. We headed up the elevator and a young man about 14 years old, dripping wet from the swimming pool joined us. I asked a stupid question, "You been swimming?". He was very polite and said "Yes, it was awesome!" Then he inquired, "Did you bring your trunks?" I told him..."No, we thought we'd just take a nap." He snickered and in an exasperated voice said, "Old people!" The doors opened and he stepped out of our lives....thank God! Tammy looked at me, still in shock from the profundity of the moment and declared, "He just called us old!" Yes he did! I put this picture on here for all to see that my wife is 41 years old, proud of it and still is an amazing beauty! It must have been me that kid was looking at!

Power in a life lived well

2009-01-17T10:08:00.004-05:00

A friend of mine sent the following link. Its sort of a video diary of Penn Gillette of the comedy/majic team of Penn and Teller. Penn is an avowed atheist, but a very thoughtful man. If you've ever seen their act or heard him speak, he's quite brilliant and a great entertainer. Take about 5 minutes to view this and think long and hard about what he has to say. For those of us that follow Christ he has some profound things to say. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM

Coal For Christmas!

2008-12-25T13:49:00.006-05:00

Its been threatened many times but rarely delivered on. It is the DEFCON 5 for all parents at Christmas. Its the thing that is held over every kid who has ever been bad in the weeks and days leading up to Santa's arrival. You know exactly what I'm talking about, its the dreaded, "If you don't straighten up you'll get a lump of coal for Christmas". Now from all the stuff I've read it seems to be an old tradition from Italy where parents would tell their kids that an evil witch would bring coal to naughty children on Epiphany or around new years. That's pretty harsh when you think about it, on Epiphany of all times! I suppose that the tradition migrated to America and has now become the threat of choice for several generations for frustrated parents. My brother and sister in law have three kids and two are twins. They are 4 and are great kids but as anyone can attest 4 year olds can be a handful. Yesterday was evidently the straw that broke the coal barrier. There seemed to have been an incident in Target or Wal-Mart to get things to this crisis. So early this morning the joy of Christmas, the "unbridled averace" (to quote A Christmas Story) came crashing down in flames for my nieces. As my sister in law tells: it was early and dark with just the Christmas tree lights on. Payton the oldest (10) came prancing in looking for Christmas bliss, but the room was empty. the twins soon followed in like fashion, nothing. No barbies, no make up kits, no candy canes, no ponies or unicorns and no princess paraphernalia of any kind. There under the tree were three stockings, each filled with coal! I was floored that they actually did it! How awesome!

Then the tears came and Melanie said, "I've been telling you for three months that this might happen!" Payton said through her tears, "I know! I know! I'm sorry!" They all got their pictures made with their "lumps" of coal. But, all was not lost, Santa had come, after all the cookies were gone! The kids were then lead through the house till finally Christmas was redeemed and grace was shown. They all got everything they asked for and more!

I know what you are thinking, "That was mean!" But really if you think about it, it was a beautiful reminder of what grace really is. How many of us really deserve gifts at Christmas? I mean when its all laid out there those kids didn't do anything to earn the gifts and neither did mine. If I categorized and wrote down everything my kids did wrong this year, they would owe me, big time. But isn't it awesome what God has done for us. The idea of a gift in God's eyes is one that is not deserved. In all reality we really don't deserve Jesus, we deserve less than a lump of coal! But God's grace is lavish and scandalous. His Word is pretty clear what we deserve, an eternity apart from Him. But Jesus came in a lavish way, a most ridiculous risky way to give the world what it did not deserve, a life with a living God. Now that's better than a Wii or an XBOX 360! Merry Christmas everyone!

December Update

2008-12-21T15:54:00.004-05:00

Its been about a month since I've blogged, my apologies for my lack of updates. I realize that most of you were not sitting at home freaking out because my blogs weren't coming through on a regular basis. So here are some highlights. Just before Thanksgiving I was invited by Dr David Jeremiah to Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego to share my testimony with his congregation. Tammy and I flew out there for a busy weekend of services and meetings. It was amazing to say the least. I have no idea how many the church building holds but it was a very large crowd for three services. Tammy and I got to sit back stage with Dr Jeremiah and enjoy some private time with him. It was something I'll never forget. Here I was sitting face to face with the man that 15 years ago had preached the sermon that showed me the way to Jesus! I tried to glean as much wisdom from him as I could in our short time together. He truly is the real deal, just as humble and sincere as you would want him to be.

Then we got a chance to tour Turning Point's studios (check the picture of me and Tammy behind Dr J's microphone), the place where the broadcasts both TV and radio originate from. The crew there came out of their offices to meet us. I really could not fathom why. But I realized that they work and work all year long and rarely get to see in the flesh the fruit of their labors. And on this particular day there was, in the flesh a married couple who had been changed by God through the impact of their ministry. It was a blessing to see the look in their eyes. I'm grateful to have been a part of it. They interviewed both of us for an upcoming edition of their monthly magazine; I think it'll be out in February or March.

We also got to spend some time with Sean and Vicki Brennan. Vicki works for Turning Point as the national representative for Dr. Jeremiah and is his point person on his nationwide events. She is amazing and they opened their home to us. Sean is a retired pilot from the Navy so we obviously had much to talk about. He's an amazing guy and it turns out he came to Christ through watching Dr Jeremiah on TV, amazing! Coming home we met some folks in the airport that had been at Shadow Mountain that weekend and we had a great time meeting them and praying with them in the airport. All in all it was a trip we'll never forget.

On another front we have a new dog. Her name is Sofie. She's a Havanese which I think is Spanish for a mop with legs. She is hilarious, but continues to use my house a septic tank. She chases her tail and licks my face while I do push-ups and sleeps in my bed. I think she's got me trained.

Finally in more sobering news, this will be the last Christmas I spend with my family till 2010. In the Spring I deploy overseas with the guys from my unit for a year long mission of winning hearts and minds and hopefully by the grace of God it'll be our last. I just got an email from my dear friend and Chaplain, Matt who has been there for almost 15 months. This is his 2nd Christmas away from his family. He told me that when he first got there and saw the faces of the guys he was replacing, the weariness the exhaustion, he swore he'd never look like that. He told me today, that he does look like that. He's doing a great job with his soldiers, but he's tired and ready to come home. I don't blame him a bit. I suspect my old buddy Ray is in the same boat, ready to see his family after nearly a year there. No matter how strong you are, 15 months of war takes its toll. I appreciate your prayers for me and my guys as we prepare to go. I wish you all a most blessed Christmas, Christ with us, Christ in us the hope of glory.

The fringe benefits of a morning in the woods

2008-11-28T22:35:00.004-05:00

Late November, nothing more needs to be said if you are an outdoorsman. thanksgiving week is traditionally in NC the best time of year for hunting Whitetail deer. It is one of my most favorite seasons. I love getting up at 0430 when its bone cold and making my way into the dark woods and settle into my stand to wait on that monster buck that is sure to appear. Now anyone who has ever done much deer hunting knows that the monster buck is indeed a rare sight. Most mornings are cold and alot of waiting and watching. Today I got up earlier than usual to let my new dog out to do her business. My son was supposed to go with me. I stirred him from REM sleep and dreams of fighting orcs about 0500. He informed me that he was tired and didn't want to go, so I blessed him with the sleep a 10 year old needs. So I took off for our farm to hunt alone. It was an awesome morning, cold but not bitter, no wind. It was perfect, but no deer. I don't get frustrated with these days though. I'm learning alot about life still, learning that God uses really small stuff to teach us.

Today I was watching the forest come to life and this morning the birds were particularly frenetic. All varieties, robins, wrens, sparrows, and several species of woodpeckers were just having a blast. Sitting in solitude for 4 or 5 hours is really good for you and your senses about the environment around you become heightened. I was watching these birds, chirping out a symphony, sprinting from limb to ground, to bush to tree. I set my stand up right next to our small creek. Its really a pristine little corner of the world. And as if someone hit a switch every bird within a hundred yards of me made a bee line for a small shoal in the bend of the creek not 15 yards from me. I watched as they splashed and played and sang and drank. It was amazing, literally 50 little birds converged all at once to get their fill of the water. I forgot completely about the deer and just watched in amazement. Now being one who is always looking for God to be saying something I began to ask, "Lord, what are You saying in this display?" It was so crystal clear, Matthew 10:29 says that not even one sparrow falls to the ground without Father knowing it. All those little birds flopping and splashing in that water, Father knows! He knows them as I write this. He knows them as the seas ebb and flow with their tides. He knows them as hotels are attacked in Mumbai, as soldiers are aching to be at home on thanksgiving, as a nation wonders about its future. As all the Universe is held together and orchestrated by God, He knows those little birds that frolic in the small patch of woods at my farm in NC.

I began to dwell on that for a bit, and a very contented smile broke across my face at the realization that amidst all the stuff, the trouble of the world, the hairs on my head (or lack there of) are numbered. My life is not merely my own it was bought with a price and tended by a most gracious, kind and loving Father who speaks both explicitly and implicitly through His word and His world.

That is a benefit of 5 hours in the cold and not seeing one deer!

Thanksgiving Podcast

2008-11-20T05:43:00.000-05:00

Its the Heart of a Sportsman Thanksgiving Edition Podcast. Have a great time in the woods and around the table!

Listen Now

The History of the Army Chaplain Corps

2008-10-26T12:40:00.000-04:00

It's the post Redneck Olympics Podcast!

2008-10-26T06:03:00.001-04:00

Its the wrap up edition podcast of the 2nd Annual Redneck Olympics!

Listen Now!

The Pre-Redneck Olympics Podcast

2008-10-16T05:48:00.000-04:00

Discussions about the Red Neck Olympics, opening day of deer season, idol worship and building relationships!

Listen Now

New Podcast: Kirks Moose Hunt

2008-10-09T06:28:00.001-04:00

After a hiatus the boys are back with Kirk Fessler talking about a moose hunt in Newfoundland, shout outs galore, and swan hunting...whoever heard of that!

Listen Now

Unexplainable!

2008-10-07T17:21:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure how to really write this but I'll give it my best shot. My life changed 14 years ago on a bright spring day riding in a 1992 Saturn sedan on NC HWY 18 in Western NC. That was the day that I met Jesus Christ. Many of you know my story and for the sake of blog brevity I'll be brief, because its about a 28 year tale. Long story short, my life had been in a tailspin for many years from the age of 16 on filled with wrong turns, bad decisions, poor judgment and faulty ideas. Enough said! On that March 22nd 1994 I was driving alone on that curvy rural highway, deeply engrossed in of all things a sermon on the radio. the gentleman speaking was a guy named David Jeremiah out of San Diego, CA (www.davidjeremiah.org)

He was teaching through the book of Revelation of all places and I was basically an atheist listening to a guy teach on the return of Christ. For some unexplainable reason it all made sense that day. I came to the very real conclusion that there was a God, His name was Jesus, that I didn't know Him and that if I didn't get to know Him, my life was going to continue to be the mess that it had been. Worse than that, I realized that the question of my mortality hinged on the very words from this 2000 year old book we know as the Bible. Weird huh!

That day, Dr. Jeremiah gave a call out over the radio to those listening via the airwaves to stop and take a moment to evaluate one thing, "What will happen the day that you die?"

Believe me, I had no idea. I waited for the answer and it was clear as the windshield after coming out of auto bell. I needed Jesus. I needed forgiveness, I needed to know this God who made me and you and everything else. So, without much fanfare I asked Jesus to forgive me. to take my life and make it what He wanted. And true to His Word, he has done just that.

14 years later, beyond my first days of being mentored and discipled, my classes at seminary, being ordained as a pastor, speaking to thousands now, caring for soldiers as a Chaplain, carrying the Gospel around the world to strange places, I find God has indeed done what I could never have done.

That brings me to today's post. In gathering materials for our unit my Chaplain assistant SGT Russ Robinson contacted dozens of ministries. We have been overwhelmed with support. Books came flooding in and with it, materials from Dr Jeremiah's ministry in CA. With it came an invitation to attend a small event in Winston Salem, NC with DR. Jeremiah. We of course responded yes!

Russ, being the sneaky soldier he is, emailed a Dr J's personal assistant, Vicki, and told her that I had come to Christ through the ministry. I then received a phone call from her and she asked me if I'd like to tell my story at the event. I of course said "Absolutely!"

We met at the stadium where Wake Forest University plays football and I got to meet and hug Dr Jeremiah and personally tell him thanks for his ministry and then I was given a few minutes to share what God had done. As I spoke Dr J sat on the front row along with 170 other folks, my wife, Russ and his wife. I looked down as I spoke and He was crying. I thought it odd, but realized with great clarity what God was doing for him. For 14 years I have been living my life with Jesus, following him as best I know how. My story of conversion is very common to me, because its mine. I don't find anything particularly powerful about it. But, this man had never heard it. For 14 years as I lived my life, he had no idea what his obedience to proclaim Jesus started in me.

Standing before him in flesh and blood was a brief confirmation of the power of the proclaimed Word of God. It was pretty some kind of cool to be a part of. The great thing about it is that I can take no credit for it. I just rand into Jesus and He did the rest.

I got to go on the radio for an interview the next day with Dr Jeremiah, who had been taped earlier in the day. If you'd like to listen to it you can just click here.

So take courage if you preach the Gospel, there just might be a guy listening out there and it just might change his life too, and if your not careful 14 years from now you might get to meet him!

1 minute to make a difference

2008-09-21T23:21:00.004-04:00

I ran into a LTC (LT Colonel) today at my unit and we really hit it off. She's a nurse and looking for a home at our unit. After speaking with her a few minutes it became gloriously obvious that she was a follower of the "Way" as many Christians were called in the early days of the church. She had a right side patch (meaning combat deployed) so instantly she carried with her credibility. She shared with me how some of her family members were missionaries to France of all places. Upon finishing our day at Battle Assembly, taking care of soldiers, going to meetings, checking the block I saw her again in the hallway near the bookshelf that SGT Robinson (my chaplain assistant) has put together. She began to tell me of a ministry that is devoted entirely to prayer for the city of Baghdad. This ministry began right around the surge back in 2007. The word prayer is used 139 times in the Bible. The word "pray" is used another 195 times. I suspect a word that is used more than 300 times in God's word is probably pretty important. Verses like psalm 5:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Mark 1:35, and many others stress not only the importance of prayer, but also the effectiveness of that prayer.

I logged on to http://prayercentral.net/baghdad/ and signed up to take part for 1 minute a day to pray for Baghdad. Many of us in the military have a vested interest in the peace of Baghdad. I have friends there right now.

Many of you may have asked, "What can I do to help?"

Well its fairly simple....pray. If you sign up the team from Baghdad Prayer Patrol will send you a 1 minute prayer for a section of Baghdad. Here is today's prayer:

Scripture: “And it will come about after this, That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.” -Joel 2:28

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are worthy of all glory and honor and praise. There is no other God besides You, and one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that You alone are God.

Bullets and rockets are not enough to subdue the wicked, so we look to You. I bring Your attention, Lord, to the main troublemakers in Baghdad, and You know who they are.

I want to target one of them in prayer right now, and ask that tonight and every night this week You would disturb his sleep with dreams and visions he cannot forget. Speak to his heart and convict him of the wrong he has been doing. Break down the hardness that violence has forged in his heart, and give him a fresh new outlook.

Give him no rest Lord, until he turns from his wickedness, and accepts a better way. Birth a new hope in his heart and give him the grace to let go of the past and lay down his violent ways. Tame the troublemaker Lord, and make him a man of peace. In Jesus name, amen.

One striking thing about this and don't let this slip by, how many times have you or I for that matter made it a priority of each day to pray for our enemies, to pray that they would indeed come to know a better "Way".

Take a moment and lift those who would persecute us up in prayer today and take a moment to check the Baghdad Prayer Patrol and pray for the peace of that city.

September 17th Podcast

2008-09-18T05:48:00.001-04:00

After a two week absence the guys are back and live from Cleveland with special guest Brent Sears and issues like noodling, community, and shimmying up pine trees.

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Stained Glass, Wood Pews, and Deep Roots

2008-09-16T15:05:00.002-04:00

When you walk in the building a real sense of "You probably should be quiet in here" comes over you. I remember as a kid hating that, little kids never want to be quiet, they never want to sit still, they certainly don't think reading from a prayer book is nearly as cool as playing with a G.I. Joe. I'm speaking of the church building of my childhood, Trinity Episcopal Church in Statesville, N.C.

This past weekend I attended the 150 year anniversary of that church. My former priests came back to visit, Clay Turner and Joel Keys were both men that modeled much of what i wanted to be in life. Clay and Joel both birthed in me a love for fly fishing. I took it up late in life but remember well seeing them heading off to the mountains with their rods and wicker creels hoping someday that would be me.

I remember as those men administered communion, "The body of Christ, The Cup of Salvation". I remember looking up from those deep, rich brown pews high to the cathedral ceilings in the center of the church to the stained glass window of a triumphant resurrected Jesus. But I also remember a gentle nudge to follow this very wild God in the way that they had. I remember their vestments and "Holy" cloths. I remember how kind those men were and how I wanted to be near them and listen to them.
I suppose my vocation as a Chaplain and Pastor was very much birthed by Jesus using those two guys in my life as a little boy.

I remember that it didn't make that much of an impression on me then.

But add 40 years of life, death, war, joy, encounters with God, blessing, pain, struggle, marriage, children, successes and failures and it leads to a renewed view of the inside of that building. Yes the building is wood and brick and glass, but as I look back I see how God was moving me along in those years where I had so many questions unanswered.

I sat there this past Sunday and heard the current Bishop, and African American man full of passion break open God's Word from John 12:31-34. He spoke of the heritage of that church that in 1968 at the height of the Civil Rights movement when the denomination I currently align with sat on the sidelines of the hatred and the violence. In the middle of the south not 65 miles from the Woolworth's in Greensboro NC, where a young black man refused to get up from his place at the lunch counter, in the same year when Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were murdered, when it would have been easy to sit it out, two small churches did something amazing. Trinity Episcopal a white church and Holy Cross Episcopal Mission a black church decided to combine congregations. In the midst of all that mess, Jesus was lifted up and men and women of different colors came together to worship him.

I sat and listened to that story with my mouth open, because in all my years I had never heard it. I am so glad it was told again. Bishop Curry spoke baldy and loudly and something happened in that church that I had never heard, spontaneous applause! That just doesn't happen in the reverent atmosphere of a liturgical church. It was inspiring. Jesus was present and he was drawing all men unto Himself.

I left there proud that my mom and dad joined that church when I was a child. And even though I wasted many years chasing the world and being unappreciative of my spiritual heritage, I have been renewed this week and for all intents and purposes I am better for having spent my Sunday morning among those pews, and stained glass and getting a new look again at my deep roots

September 3rd Podcast

2008-09-04T05:59:00.002-04:00

Shout outs galore! Opening of deer season, geese, the wilderness and other musings by Brad and Jeremy.

Lodge Creek Calls

2008-08-27T22:25:00.000-04:00

Featuring Joe Finney, Scott Isley and Lodge Creek Calls.

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Another marker along the way, Splitting firewood!

2008-08-24T22:59:00.004-04:00

My dad and my grandfather both were big believers in hard work, sometimes really hard. My grandaddy grew up on a farm plowing fields with mules and working in a saw mill. My dad was a Navy man and self employed for 40 years after that working hard. One of the chores we had to do as kids was to cut, split and stack firewood. We all partially heated our homes with firewood and my grandaddy would burn a fire when it was 70 outside. So that meant lots of cutting and splitting. Splitting wood became something that I had a love hate relationship with. I love the smell of fresh cut wood, the crack of the maul slamming into a new piece. I hated the stacking and moving. It just never seemed to get done. But splitting wood did alot of things for me. It made me physically strong. I can still swing a maul or hammer for a while before I get worn out. It really made me feel like a man to be able to bust up a large chunk of wood into something that would provide for my family. There's nothing quite like it, the simplicity of that.

A few weeks ago a very large maple tree gave up the ghost in the woods behind my house and fell almost on the back corner of it. Its limbs were precariously close to every window on that side yet nothing broke. The funny thing is there was no storm or wind that day. I came home and there it was laying my yard. I found my newly reconditioned chainsaw and enlisted the help of Brandon Brothers and we began to work on this giant behemoth. Brandon is a college wrestler and budding MMA star and strong as an ox. He was good to have around. After about 5 hours of work we had most of the major limbs off and the trunk cut into workable sections.

Even though we made a sizable dent in the job, I was still left with a considerable task, so every evening I go out in the back yard and toil in the joy of wielding a chain saw and cracking maple logs into burnable pieces.

Little jack is obviously interested, though not quite strong enough yet to be a great help, I still allow him to piddle in the yard with me giving him jobs that sound really important, like fetching my saw files, or rolling the wheel barrow. He loves it. But the other day I bought a new shiny maul. Its basically a big sharp steel wedge on a stick. Its heavy but has a plastic handle so its lighter than my man-killer maul with a solid steel handle.

Jack took up with the new one and asked if he could split some logs. His momma wasn't too keen on the idea, but I looked at this boy desperately wanting to exert his manhood and relented. I found a piece of wood that would split easy enough, taught him some technique, "keep your legs apart, keep your eye on the wood, let the tool do the work, raise it high and let fly!"

He fumbled with it a bit, barely denting the log. But I give credit to him. He wouldn't quit. He kept on, I kept correcting him. I went back to work not standing over him inspecting every move, and every now and again sneaking a peek his way. He just kept hammering away. It was an odd looking ballet him and that tool. It looked more like the maul was swinging him around. Then I heard a sweet sweet sound, "CRACK!" and followed by an "OH YEAH!"

He had actually done it! That log splintered in two halves and flew apart. He stuck out his chest and bowed up. He hollered, "Dad, I did it!" What a cool scene. I high fived him and acted like he was the toughest kid around.

I imagine God is alot like that when he sees us tackle something and succeed. He instructs us on how to do things through His wisdom, encourages us that we can do it, then steps back and allows us many times to be man-handled by our task, but when the "CRACK!" happens and we achieve a measure of success in our walk with Him, I imagine He's quite pleased with all that.

So keep swinging away at whatever you are doing, the "CRACK!" is not far down the road. Listen for Father's encouragement and instruction and be blessed this day.

And then you too can say "Dad, I really did it, just like You taught me!"

Its good to be free to sing

2008-08-23T20:03:00.000-04:00

http://view.break.com/407691 - Watch more free videos

Back In Cleveland

2008-08-20T21:58:00.000-04:00

We are back home, jet-lag, Dog ear rubber bands, Pastor Mack and Cookin Keith Sell, the wildlife wild man!

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school days!

2008-08-20T07:05:00.002-04:00

Well...its back to school today for Tori, Jack, Tammy and me! Yep, I'm going back to school as well. I start teaching middle and high school today. I'll be teaching history and New Testament every day till lunch. I'm only doing it till Christmas because I have to prepare for the upcoming deployment. I've never really taught school before but teaching something I've been doing for the last 20 years in one way or another. I'm going to utlize the internet as I have put together blogs for each class for my students to post some of their school work there. I'll let you all know how that goes. So its off to school now transforming minds full of mush into real thinkers, I hope. Take care everybody!

Live from Salt Lake City

2008-08-18T18:55:00.001-04:00

Our last Alaska Podcast, short but sweet with our new snowboarding friend, Greg Bombeck. We met him on the plane from Anchorage to Salt Lake City. We spent an hour with this bright young man who is pursuing the Living God and just had to interview him. Now we'll start once a week podcasts so your inbox won't be so full, thanks for listening!

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The Wayne Myers Interview

2008-08-18T06:16:00.003-04:00

The last official podcast from Alaska with our most hilarious guest yet, cattle rancher, knife maker, and all around good guy, Wayne Myers!

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The Ron and Robbie Interview

2008-08-18T06:16:00.001-04:00

Walking with Jesus, Cod Catching, Halibut off shore and sportsmen Ron Ridenhour and Robbie Fero in this podcast recorded live in Kenai, Alaska.

Listen now.

Podcast Delayed

2008-08-17T07:14:00.000-04:00

If you're wondering where the latest podcast is from the guys, well, it's been delayed a bit. However, don't worry! The last two podcasts should be up tomorrow night. Thank you for all the support you've shown the guys on their trip, and keep an eye out for their last installment!

Campfire Podcast

2008-08-15T07:25:00.001-04:00

The campfire addition of the Heart of a Sportsman Podcast recorded live from the banks of the Russian River, special guests, outdoorsmen Shane Brock, Trent Smith and Scott Isely along with Pastor Mack who has a new nickname!

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