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I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what the he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:1-4 NLT) …  ( Click for more )

In the 440 relay race there are four runners who are equally spaced around the track. The first runner starts with a baton in their hand. The objective is for the runner to place the baton into the hand of the next runner. The difficulty is that as they place the baton in the next runner’s hand they are still running and the receiver of the baton is also beginning to take off down the track at high speed. The best hand off is to a runner who does not look back at the approaching runner. They feel the smack of the baton in their hand as they are starting to run. Once the baton…  ( Click for more )

There is a silent city in my city and in many other cities in our world. They are not in movies, in books or are they high profile. The silent city consists of those who have no finances in the bank, no car in the driveway and may have no food in the cupboard. They refuse to be part of the government system and chose to trust God instead. Are you part of the silent city and a christian? Then lift your voices to God and not to man. He sees and he will bring you out of this silent city. He WILL humble the proud who knew your circumstances. Remember; As Christians revenge is not…  ( Click for more )

When my eyes opened this morning, I instantly felt a quietness within me. There was no hurry up feeling to jump into my day. Instead I felt an assurance that all is well with my soul. A couple of hours later this quietness turned into tears and prayer. I received a message that a dear friend went in for surgery a few days ago and 7 days later did not awaken from the surgery, but he is still with us.. This dear one, was one of my leader encouragers in one of the seasons of my life when I was working on my Pastoral Ministries degree. There are times we do not realize the impact someone…  ( Click for more )

Walking in a God given vision requires faith. Walking by faith requires us to allow God to remove the chains we allow to be placed around our legs by others or by our own fear of moving forward. Once we submit to God's journey for our life and begin walking by faith step by step, the chains begin to disappear and we begin to move forward into the destiny that God has placed before us. We are to walk forward in relationship with Jesus Christ. In prayer and by reading his word we find encouragement for the journey he places before us no matter what language we speak, what country we…  ( Click for more )

Contrary to the world's way of thinking as a Christian there are times that going back is going forward. Do you remember Moses? God kept sending him back again and again to speak to Pharaoh and tell him, "Let my people go!" Can you imagine being in Moses shoes? He knew in advance that each time he returned to speak to Pharoah he was to speak the same words and his request would be denied. Yet, Moses was not abandoned by God! Eventually the time arrived and Pharaoh gave permission to Moses to take the people and go. I'll bet Moses may have been wiping …  ( Click for more )

Tired, the word for today. Lost as I looked at my priority to do list. Feeling overwhelmed with the thoughts that I am now doing what at one time was only on paper. A reality check that yes this is my life. Yet, wondering where this lost feeling was coming from? When I feel this way it usually means I need to take some time off. Today, became the day off, but a day off with a purpose in mind. It was a day to rearrange a few things in my office. Get rid of a couple of bags of clothing that sat in one place way to long.Walking in my neighborhood, sitting on a bench, enjoying…  ( Click for more )

Arriving on my doorstep this morning is something that was not on my to do list of things to do for the day. It came as a quietness and a peace, that speaks the words all is well with my soul. I am recalling my trips to Washington and my ride on the ferry on Puget Sound as I gaze at a picture taken from the ferry. This picture was taken as I stood on the front deck of the ferry as it glided across Puget Sound. This area is a writer and photographers dream. I would love to spend one full day on the ferry gliding back and forth across the sound, take pictures, write and record…  ( Click for more )

This is always my most difficult statement to make in regard to leader's and their prayer lives. It is important that Leaders appoint Elders in the church to assist with prayer and to organize other prayer teams. The biggest temptation with this is that we may stop praying altogether because we have delegated this task to others.

Why do I say this? I speak from experience on this. There is something that slowly begins to erode if we stop spending personal prayer time with God, for our personal life, the ministries we lead and for others in our community. When we delegate…  ( Click for more )

Excuses, excuses, the list may go on and on. Excuses for what? The excuses of why we do not pray more. I include myself in this group. There are times my prayer life is a very present sincere part of my life. Then there are times it drops away. When this happens I begin to feel something is missing in my life. As I realize the missing piece is prayer, my first prayer is. "Lord, bring me back to you, draw me back to you and give me the words to pray. May I hear from you what you desire me to hear and words to speak to you."

Today, I am reminded of the many…  ( Click for more )

There was a time in my life that the grief and pain was so deep that I wondered how I would make it through the pain in my life. Many have read about the death of my loved ones and the many struggles in my life and ministry. I found during these times I did not think about going to my knees in prayer. Instead I somehow ended up there, which usually happened when I was listening to music. and feeling lost or weeping with tears streaming down my face. As I write this I recall a time a few years ago.It was Sunday morning and usually I loved to attend church and worship together with…  ( Click for more )

Have you ever opened your eyes one morning and as you began your day, you realized something was missing? Recently this happened to me. I began to feel an unsettling in my spirit as I went through my day. I usually begin to realize that this is a problem between God and I when I begin to work on a writing assignment. The words refuse to flow and as I continue to write I find that I cannot continue. As I review my writing I am usually never pleased when I am struggling in this area.

It is in this struggle that I finally begin to pray. Within a short time the usual reminder…  ( Click for more )

Tornados, typhoons, thunderstorms, earthquakes and volcanoes are shaking our world. They are a reminder that with all of our technology that exists today we still cannot be in control of everything that happens on this earth. Our world is ever changing, but in the midst of the upheaval and tragedy there is someone who is never changing. God never changes. His word never changes. He is the author of the heavens and the earth. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1. According to Genesis chapter 1 the world came into being as God spoke it into existence.…  ( Click for more )

A couple of weeks ago, as the Footstep Traveler, I once again moved to a new neighborhood in my city. Although I am familiar with this neighborhood, there are still always people to meet, changes that happen, new people who move in and others that move on. Neighborhoods are people.

I became the Footstep Traveler by necessity a few years ago, when I could no longer afford a vehicle. I learned something new when I lost my vehicle. I learned that this city does not welcome those of us who do not have vehicles. We are not a city that see's public …  ( Click for more )

In its simplest form Jesus walked among the people when he was on earth. What if we did the same? Would we be part of changing the world for Jesus? For some of us this may mean writing God's words among the people along with walking among them. As I write this, I am reminded of a banquet from long ago. I was a guest speaker in another state. The theme was, Touch A Life, Become A Friend. Today, I received a letter, that brought tears to my eyes. It was from one of my readers. I had no idea that the words I write were touching the life of another. There are times God…  ( Click for more )

As I listened to a song called, "The River" by Grace Williams, I recall my time in Africa. The humidity and temperature were very high. Everywhere I went I had 1 or 2 large bottles of water with me. During my first few hours in country, with not much time to spare to prepare for my scheduled time for preaching and teaching, the heat began to overwhelm me. My plane had arrived late, which meant I had no time to adjust to the new culture, sounds, and most of all the temperature. Even when I would stand in one place I would perspire endlessly. It was in this country,…  ( Click for more )

Have you ever looked at a situation that did not make sense? It may have been a situation that started out bad and then turned into something good and wonderful? Yet, once the wonderful settled down, once again life became tough. The life of Paul was one such life.

He was a man who hated Christians and spent his time making sure they were violently persecuted. He knew the law frontwards and backgrounds and lived a life trying hard not to violate the Jewish laws. He was very zealous in his persecution. It is not hard to see why once God came along and changed Saul to the man we…  ( Click for more )

Recently an issue arose in my life that was very difficult to deal with. Words were written that described me specifically according to a one sided view. I was not allowed input or was I contacted on the subject that was sent to me. I only received a typed letter. The toughest part of this was that I had no idea who the people were that made comments about me. According to God's word, if I am offended I am to go to the person, but how can a person go to those who have no name. In all honesty before long I was in despair.

In this despair, I realized that God desired me…  ( Click for more )

When I was in school I took the required course for Christian Leadership. I spent my time, writing papers on the subject, researching, reading, and coming to terms with, "where I as a leader" understood God's direction on the subject. The course was not titled, "Servant Leadership," but this became my thesis of sorts as I wrote my papers. On a personal level if anyone spends time with me, even for a short time, you will find that I am not one that agrees with what I call, a high authoritative style of leadership. I became a christian at the age of…  ( Click for more )

Now and then I find myself awake late at night. When I am awake late at night it is during this time that God refills my heart. The phone is quiet, the texting has stopped, the in-box for email quiets down. It is here that I find a place of quiet worship, contemplation and pondering. It is in this place that I find rest. Not a rest with my eyes closed, but a quiet rest within my spirit. My NLT Bible defines rest as; peace of mind or spirit, to repose, to take relief or respite, freedom from activity or labor. Tonight is my late night Sabbath's rest.

I did not set out…  ( Click for more )

There is an old saying that was spoken in business circles, that is no longer a common saying. The words don’t burn your bridges, was used to remind a person not to destroy a business relationship. In destroying a business relationship we may not be aware that in the future, this relationship may be a strategic connection for future business growth. Lately the words, “Burn your bridges is on my mind.” These words speak to me that there are some things in life, that God may be urging us to leave behind. It is the same as burning a bridge, but the goal is different.…  ( Click for more )

So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the Priests carrying ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during the harvest. Yet, as soon as the Priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the waters edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away at a town called Adam in the vincinty of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the sea of Arabah (the salt sea) was completely cut-off. So the people crossed over opposite Jordan. (Joshua 3:14-16)

Let us remember that…  ( Click for more )

During his life on earth, Jesus Christ was a true example of a life that exemplified humility. The affluent Phillippians were unable to understand a life of true humility. The Philippian culture exalted the lifestyle of the rich and famous. They viewed a humble person as someone with no intelligence and as a groveling, wretched slave. In the book of Philippains, Paul writes of a different type of humility. "Let nothing be done out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you, look not only to your own interests,…  ( Click for more )

This morning for some reason, as soon as my eyes opened I began to think about the word leadership. A few minutes later, I began to think about my life, specifically as a leader. The question came to my mind, “Am I doing what God is calling me to do, or is all the energy and time I spend writing and with people amounting to nothing?”

As a leader there may be times that we may all sit back and wonder, if the ministry we lead is having an impact in the lives of others. The question may arise in our mind and heart as a leader, “Is the time I spend with people,…  ( Click for more )