It’s a Lonely Thing…
I know I said “It’s a Faith Thing…” would be my next post, however, because of the sheer number of people who have surfed on and read “Do You Want a Fix For Loneliness?” there is obviously a lot of us who have or are currently suffering from this.
I won’t pretend to understand why so many are lonely. I can assume a number of things. I know the lonely times in my life have happened when I went through a tragedy, experienced failure, felt rejected, lost a job, didn’t feel my wife and I were intimate, had unresolved sin in my life or wasn’t sure what God’s purpose was in my life. I know when loneliness set-in I tended to withdraw. Withdraw from people and God.
But you know, I figured out that is exactly what satan wants. He set out at the beginning of time to break our fellowship with God and each other. His sole purpose is to make sure our life is a lonely thing. But it’s not God purpose! “God makes a home for the lonely…” >(Psalms 68:6) God wants time with us and He wants us to have time with each other. He created a family for us to find refuge, the church and He created a way for us to have time with Him, prayer. He wants us to watch out for each other and to depend on each other.
Lonely times come and go. But know today you are loved. I wish I could just embrace you and let you know that you are special. Fight the urge to withdraw and find comfort in your church, let someone know how you feel and look for someone else who may also be lonely and let them know you care. It may be a lonely thing today but God said, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3 NIV). Click here for more help
Be Happy!
Bryan
It’s Just Things…
Obviously I am stuck on this “thing” thing. So, let’s go with it a little more. I don’t consider myself a materialistic person, but I do appreciate nice things. I like a nice house. I would like a nicer car, a nice boat, a nice camper. I like nice clothes that make me look cool. I like nice restaurants and nice entertainment. But how much does the want for nice things affect my life. When I think about it, for the most part, the miserable times in my life have always had something to do with money. Why?
“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” (Matthew 6:30-33 The Message)
I guess my next blog will be about, “It’s a Faith Thing…” I have to work hard to remind myelf that God is much more concerned with what we are getting from Him rather than what we are getting from the world. Things aren’t bad, it’s only when we serve them before we serve God. You know what? The marketers, the crediters, the advertisers and the corporate world aren’t concerned with our serenity, they just want our surrender. Tomorrow…I think I will surrender to the God things, how ’bout you?
Be Happy!
Bryan
It’s the Little Things…
I used to imagine myself doing something grand or on a huge national scale when it came to ministry or doing something that would impact the world. I would tell myself that there had to be an idea somebody hasn’t thought about or there was something I could do that people would really take notice of. I would plan and dream and was waiting. Waiting on that thing to happen or that big door to open, waiting on just the right time or event for me to participate.
THEN IT HAPPENED! As I was at a gas station this morning, a lady was going in before me, unknowingly, she dropped a $20 bill. I caught it just before the wind took it completely into the parking lot. I approached the lady and told her what happened and gave her the $20. She gasped and then exhaled, “I really needed something nice to happen to me today. This was my last $20. Thank you, Thank you for your gift of kindness”. I thought nothing of it, but it’s the little things that make the biggest difference.
Be Happy!
Bryan
It’s My Thing…
In case you wanted to know a little more about me.
I AM the Connection Pastor for UpRising Church, affectionately known as The UC.
I AM NOT not the singer who keeps going “back to one”. (I do work by day at 94FM The Fish)
I LOVE the outdoors. Walking through the woods, canoeing, hiking, fishing…pretty much all of it.
I HATE the indoors. Desks, cubicles, walls…stuff like that. However, I do prefer INDOOR bathrooms over the traditional OUTHOUSE.
My DREAM house is a log home in the woods with a creek, pond, garden and plenty of animals.
My NIGHTMARE house was the the thirty year old, 28′ camper Dana and I lived in (with the kids) for 10 months while clearing the land we had in Arkansas. (BTW…that was a long 10 months).
My PET PEEVES are Inconsiderate Drivers (I want the courtesy wave when they cut-in), Walmart Shoppers (I am working on this with the God Thing), Telemarketers (Hate the sin…love the sinners), and Television Commercials (thank God for remote controls).
Dana’s PET PEEVES: My Inconsiderate driving, the fact I don’t like Walmart, when I won’t answer the phone AND REMOTE CONTROLS (at least when they are in my hand).
I love my wife and kids. I love to observe people and all of our unique differences. The season of Fall and Spring mornings. I love a good Louie L’Amour book, a cool sci-fi movie, but mostly adventures. I love to see my kids smile and my wife laugh. I love God and I look forward to getting to know many of you a lot better
That’s my thing…what’s yours? Comment a brother.
Be Happy!
Bryan
It’s A Walmart Thing…
Ok, I’m one of those people that can’t stand to go to Walmart. I can’t even stand to go in the parking lot. It just seems like Walmart is a paranormal twilight zone that changes the actions, attitudes and common sence of otherwise “normal” people…including me. We will get frutrated and mad in the dash for the perfect parking spot, we get angry because of other people’s obvious inability to navigate a simple shopping cart and we will purchase things we don’t need and somehow get to the check-out lane with things we didn’t put in our cart. I am sure Walmart has a cell phone signal scrambler so you will shop, not talk, they have 34 check-out lanes and 6 cashiers and Lord forbid if you need to get something off a top shelf or you need help finding something. AND to top it all off…they no longer have LAY-AWAY!
I am reading John Maxwell’s book, The Difference Maker “Making Your Attitude Your Greatest Asset”, and although I don’t want to admit it, I quess it’s not really a Walmart Thing…It’s an Attitude Thing. The first key in attitude is knowing that attitude is not set, it’s a choice. Today, I am going to put the theory to a test. I am choosing to make Walmart a better experience. According to John Maxwell and, more importantly the Bible, our joy is ours alone and no one or thing can still that joy! TODAY I CHOOSE TO MAKE IT A GOD THING. I will blow people away with the joy of the Lord and if they are angry I will bless them with a smile. Much like Mark Twain once said, “I have been through some terrible things in life, some of which actually happened”.
Be Happy!
Bryan
Fewer Is Better?
It’s been said, “Everyone has a story to tell”. I believe it. We all have something in our lives we would rather stay a secret or would be the life of the party if it were told. We also have events, tragedy, sickness, sorrow, happiness, joy, the wierd and the unbelievable that would be interesting, to say the least, and would be a good made for TV movie.
I’m writing a small group study about “getting past your past” and I’m starting to see how hard it is to get all the words and experiences in your head down on paper. If somebody could just push a button and it would all print out, that would be nice. I guess then we all really would write a book. Oh well, God said, “Be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few” (Ecclesaistes 5:2). Today, I will let my words be few.
Be Happy
Bryan
Jesus
Jesus Painting
This will be the coolest 9 minutes you spend all day. As you watch this, take in all that you see and hear…worship Jesus and watch Him come to life in your life as much as He does in this painting!
Do You Want A Fix For Loneliness?
“I’d rather be lonely than have a knife put in my back by so-called friends”, commented a colleague. Unfortunately, many of us have experienced betrayal from close friends. Or we have been the subject of gossip, the object of ridicule or the unsuspecting target of abuse. Whatever the reason, we have become suspicious and lonely.
Suspicious and lonely? Doesn’t that sound a bit paranoid? Probably. But for many people it is somewhat justified. After all, most have had to endure the rudeness and bitterness of so many people it just seems better to stay secluded. However, as you must have guessed, that is not the answer. Read the rest of this entry »
Membership 411
February 25, 2007 4-6pm
Sign-Up Sunday at the Connection Booth
Membership 411
We had a great Membership 411. The fellowship was good and getting to know each of you better was great. Our next Membership 411 will be April 22, 2007. Be sure to sign-up at the Connection Booth on Sunday!
IT IS a Spritual Walk! (Part 2)
“I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands” (Ezekiel 36:27 The Message). With a tongue-and-cheek attitude, I referenced this passage the other day. But as each day passes, God is pressing this passage on my heart with a huge burden. What is the burden? That life should be a spiritual walk. I said the other day that, “I hear what’s it’s saying, but I have a hard time living it everyday, all the time”. WHY is that? Why do we struggle with life? right choices? prosperity? relationship? and happiness? It’s because we don’t walk the spiritual walk.
