NicWilliams.net

4You!

2011-12-19T00:00:00.003-05:00

A few days ago, I was just about to go to bed and realized that I had not read my devotional that day. There was a question in the middle of my devotional that caught my attention.

How would your life change if you deeply believed God is for you?

Its a simple question. I believe God is for me. I live my life with that belief. But do I make every decision with that belief. Do I believe that in EVERY area of my life. As I continue to think about this...I want to ask you the same question. How would your life change if you deeply believed God is for you?

Do for One....

2011-12-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

There is a quote from Andy Stanley that keeps popping up in my life. In fact, today I received an email from Dr. Purvis that had the quote in it, which got me thinking about it again. I first heard Andy teach on this principle at Catalyst One Day earlier this year. Here is the quote.

“Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.”

As we move into 2012 our church has some pretty amazing things on the horizon. We have some plans to really make a larger impact in our community than we ever have before. As we are planning some of these things and thinking through how to make some stuff happen that is way bigger than we should be able to do, we are constantly confronted with the needs of the people.

On a personal note, I have been struggling with how to help people for a long time. I mean I help people but I always feel like it is not enough. I think Andy's quote helped me put my own struggles in perspective. I am overwhelmed with helping everyone...but what if I stepped back and just started with one person. Maybe the process of making a difference isn't that big after all.

I recently ran across a study online. Here is a small portion of it:

"Daily, nearly 60,000 Floridians live on the street or stay in emergency shelters. Florida has the

third largest population of homeless persons of any state in the nation.

Not included in the above figure are over 49,000 school-aged children who were identified by

the public school districts as being homeless during the 2009-2010 school year.(Taken from the annual report from the Council on Homelessness in Florida.)"

If that didn't mess with your mind.....16.7 million American Children struggle with Hunger. That is something I can't even comprehend. So my question for you today is...This Christmas season....Can you do for one what you wish you could do for everyone? Get involved! Be the Change!

Looking!

2011-12-07T15:25:00.001-05:00

All videos are now live online on our vimeo and youtube sites. Please check them out and share them.

With Everything & Awaken

2011-12-06T14:47:00.001-05:00

Was out of town yesterday when our band released the next song in our daily release...so here is the song from yesterday and the one that was released today. Make sure you listen to both and share with a friend.

2011-12-02T21:57:00.001-05:00

Aubrie had her first trip to the park today. Here is a short video from her adventure. Enjoy!

Take Heart

2011-12-02T15:22:00.001-05:00

Here is the newest song released from our live DVD recording. Enjoy!

Why I love My Church!

2011-12-01T14:00:00.000-05:00

Ok there is not just ONE reason that I love my church. I have to admit that everyday I look forward to seeing what amazing things God is going to do next at Suncoast. In fact moving into 2012 we are going to see some things that are EPIC! I just can't talk about it yet. :)

Recently the church was challenged to simply give back. We were faced with many opportunities to do this and lets just say we stepped up to the challenge. As a church we touched well over 1100 local families in 30 days. Thats just with the items that I can measure. Who can measure how many lives will be touched through the Selah Freedom House, or the truckloads of food and goods, or blood that was donated.

One of my favorite verses is found in Jeremiah 29. Verse 11 tells us that God has plans for us, that he has thought out our future. I love this verse. In fact I love it so much sometimes I forget about the other verses in this chapter. God is talking to his people in exile. In this chapter he is telling them to not simply live in the city but to love, embrace, and work for it's welfare. God’s people are to work for the economic, social, cultural, and spiritual flourishing of their city. This gets me excited...especially when I can see that the church is doing this in a big way.

7Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (NIV)

Well at Suncoast we are making a difference in Sarasota. Here are some of the total's from November. This is just our church not including some of the other churches that partnered as well.

900 Turkeys collected for All Faith’s Food Bank

4 giant Barrels of food collected for All Faith’s Food Bank

2 Truckloads of food collected for Harvest Tabernacle

2 Vanload of goods for Mothers Helping Mothers

$2100 raised for Selah Freedom House

150 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child

35 Single Moms received oil changes

Over 40 units of blood were donated

So here is my question for you. Are you involved in transforming your city for God? Are you doing what God has called you to do? Take some time today and start. Begin by praying for your city. Then partner with us and lets continue to Make a Difference for Christ!

To see more of what is going on at Suncoast, check us out at www.suncoastcommunity.com and follow us on twitter @scconline

Aftermath

2011-12-01T11:38:00.001-05:00

Here is our 4th video from our Live DVD Recording.

Like An Avalanche

2011-11-30T13:21:00.001-05:00

The third song from our Live Worship DVD is now online. Check it out and share it.

Loop Update

2011-11-29T16:30:00.000-05:00

Never did get around to posting an update on how I feel about the loop bands. In fact, I do not like when people write a review when they have only had the product a few days. You can view the original post by clicking here. So here is my update.
I still love them. I have seen many other bands on the market and have still yet to find anything I like even half as much. In fact I loved them so much I now have four of them. Red, white, blue, and black. Although, I may have misplaced my white one but I am sure it will turn up any day. :)
Loops are very stylish, comfortable to wear, and a decent price. Every time I wear them I get tons of comments and inquires. I would definitely recommend you check them out. Below is a pic of the different color bands I own and you can see the white in my previous post.

www.loopattachment.com

Search My Heart

2011-11-29T11:01:00.001-05:00

Here is the second song from our daily DVD Live release. Watch it and share it with a friend. You can also view it on our youtube channel later today. Suncoast Worship Band

www.suncoastcommunity.com

The Church

2011-11-28T14:04:00.001-05:00

This week we our releasing a song a day from our new Live DVD recording. Watch it and share it with some friends.

"The Church" LIVE (From Suncoast Worship DVD) from Suncoast Worship Band on Vimeo.

21 Day Challenge

2011-11-03T10:13:00.000-05:00

Nov 3, 2011

Last night at Encore we started the 21 Day Challenge. Let me first say that it is never too late to start. If you started today, you would end on Thanksgiving. What a great day to celebrate the success of your challenge. If you did not make it to Encore last night (not sure why that would happen) let me take a moment to catch you up to speed and help you start your 21 Day Challenge.

People smarter than me in "Google-land" say that on average it takes 21 Days for a repetitive action to become a habit. 21 days...that's not that long. We normally think of habits as being something negative; yet habits can be positive as well.What things in your life do you need to become habitual? Reading scripture, praying, tithing, spending time with God. We want to challenge you to take 21 minutes for 21 days to reconnect with God and continue to renew your mind.

Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Along with that we all know there are other things that need to become habits. Maybe you need to spend the next 21 days working on being a better steward of your finances. Maybe you need to become a better parent, spouse, or co-worker. Maybe you need to learn to simply be happier and re-affirming of people. Decide what it is that you need to become a habit and spend the next 21 days remapping your mind in that area.

So lets recap. Part 1 is to spend 21 minutes a day with God, and part 2 is to pick something in your life that needs to become a habit or a habit that needs to be changed. If you are up to the challenge we would love to send you a daily reminder for the next 21 days via text or email. You can text "21 Day Challenge" to 941.677.DAYS(3297) or you can email us at scc21days@gmail.com. Just think, 21 days from now, something very positive could be happening in your life!

Pastor Nic Williams

Instant win!

2011-10-23T17:22:00.002-05:00

Just about to board a plane and decided to enter a sweeps real quick....well I was a winner. :)
Won some sort of arm cuff and journal. A wins a win right???

Loop Watch Band Review

2011-08-05T13:28:00.005-05:00

So I have had an ipod nano for a while now and have been looking for a watch band. In my search a friend pointed me to the tiktok watch bands on Kickstarter. I researched them and actually liked them a lot but everytime I went to buy one I talked myself out of it.

Fastfoward to last week and I was once again looking at the tiktok watch band and then searched Kickstarter to see if there were any other bands out there....and that is where/when I found the Loop.

After reading about the loop, and thinking about it a while, I finally made the leap and bought a white loop band. When the band came in (which was fairly quick) I was extremely impressed with the quality and look of the band. After inserting my ipod nano into the band I knew I had made the right decision.

I have since received many compliments on the watch band and expect to get many more. With speaking in front of large crowds every week, I am excited to have an accessory that is trendy and versatile. I am hoping to pick up a few more colors in the future. Blue and Red are the ones I am looking at but there are other options as well. When you get a chance and if you have an ipod nano, plan to get one, or know of someone that has one definitely check out this product and buy a few. :)

www.loopattachment.com

Dry spell, no more.

2011-07-11T17:11:00.002-05:00

So I have not had any wins this week. Been a little frustrating. Part of it is because I am not entering as many sweeps but I am still entering. Well today I won. Not the best win ever but still excited. :)Won a Chip & dip bowl (ARV $30).

I Heart free T-shirts!

2011-07-03T21:39:00.004-05:00

So I was about to head to bed and decided to enter a few sweeps before I did....and...I won another instant sweep. Thats 3 for today. The first one I blogged about earlier which was the $10 visa gift card. And now I won a Nestle Quick/ESPN t-shirt and a bag of sour patch kids. :)

Aubrie needs You!

2011-07-03T19:46:00.003-05:00

Well for the month of July Aubrie needs your votes. I normally get annoyed by these things but when it is your own kid you don't really care. :) SOOOO if you have a minute a day, Aubrie would love for you to vote for her picture to win a gerber contest. You can vote once a day every day in July. Don't worry I will remind you and bother you all month about it. :)
(You must have a facebook account to vote)

Click here to Vote for Aubrie!

P.S. Aubrie will not mind if you share the link with your friends. :)

Coolest gift EVER!

2011-07-03T19:31:00.004-05:00

So this is a semi long story but I will give you the short version. When we first started going to Suncoast we joined a life group and met tons of awesome people and have made some amazing friends. Over a year later we find out that one of those friends comes from a "famous" family. Not famous like the president, famous like a world renown cartoonist. His name is Tom Armstrong and he is the creator of the Marvin comic strip and a winner of the "Elzie Segar Award" among many other things.

I remember seeing Marvin comics in the newspapers growing up. So about a month ago we went over to Mr. Armstrongs house and it was an amazing place of comic strip history. Beyond his comics, there were other comic strips all over the place from other cartoonist. It was a pretty amazing thing to see...the talent that Mr. Armstrong has.

Well fast forward to today; his daughter and future son in law gifted an original comic strip that Mr. Armstrong drew back in the 90's...signed and addressed to Lory, Aubrie, and myself. Needless to say I am stoked. Coolest gift ever. If you want to see it stop by my office!

Instant wins...

2011-07-03T19:26:00.002-05:00

My favorite sweeps are instant win sweeps. In the last few weeks I have not been able to sweep much because work has been busy but I have still won a few things. A twix bar, a demet's turtle bar, and a $10 visa gift card. Still waiting on a big win! :)

Oreo's have arrived...

2011-07-03T19:22:00.002-05:00

So earlier this month I won a nabisco sweeps. This week the package arrived. Included was 4 plates, 4 cups, coupon for free oreos and free gallon of milk, a digital picture frame and a memory card.

iPad 2 arrived!

2011-06-23T15:00:00.002-05:00

Just as I hit send on the last post, the UPS man rang my door bell. Bad news is he woke Aubrie up from her nap. Good news is he had my iPad 2 that I won! :) If only that excited Aubrie like it does me.

Instant wins are the best!

2011-06-23T14:32:00.003-05:00

Have not posted in a while because work has been crazy busy. Last week we had MS camp and this week is VBC. Looking forward to spending some time with Lory and Aubrie sometime soon.
So with all that is going on I havent been sweeping much but have still won a few things. Also received an email that my iPad 2 has been shipped from a sweep I won last month so should have that this week. Definitely excited about it. So this week I have won 2 pencils, 2 movie tickets, a music download, and another bad of skittles.

Pepsi & ESPN

2011-06-11T23:14:00.002-05:00

Been a few days since I have won anything but today I won a Pepsi T-shirt and an ESPN ringtone. Not exactly shout from the roof top wins but winning nonetheless. :) Oh and earlier this week I won two more movie tickets...

Crazy day! Another win...

2011-06-03T20:13:00.001-05:00

So today I have won a few things. Didn't expect to win again BUT I did. This time I won a gift basket from nabisco with an arv of $50.

Skittles Craziness!

2011-06-03T19:14:00.003-05:00

So I just got an email from wrigley informing me that even though I saw a screen that said I didn't win...I DID WIN!!! They had technical difficulties. So add to the winnings for today a bag of skittles. :)

Package Arrived

2011-06-03T15:00:00.005-05:00

So my package from the biggest loser sweeps that I won arrived today. It's exciting because it is like you win twice....the day that you find out you won, and the day the prize shows up. Above is a picture of the items that were in the box.

Surprise win!!!

2011-06-03T14:53:00.002-05:00

Got home and had a nice note from Chick-fil-a along with a coupon for a free MEAL!(not just a sandwich) I love Chick-fil-a and love it even more when it is free. Not even sure how we won this!

I'm Goin to the Movies!

2011-06-03T14:23:00.003-05:00

So today I won a pair of movie tickets. This was an instant wins sweep and is the only way to stay engaged in sweeping. Waiting on the long term sweeps can be de-motivational. So here's to the movies!!!!

Add 1 more to the win column!

2011-06-02T17:48:00.002-05:00

Today I won an item from the Roommates Wall Decals website. It may take me a few days to pick which item Aubrie wants but excited to try their product for free. I have been entering this sweeps for about two weeks so was excited when I got a winning email today. You can win once a month on their site. Ill post a review and pics of whatever we chose.

First win of June....Hopefully the first of many. :)

I heart M&M's & they heart me back!

2011-05-30T14:32:00.003-05:00

So today Lory had me take her to CVS and Walgreens for more couponing madness. Lory got "$61.97 worth of stuff for a whopping $9.84" in her words. :)
One of the items she got for free was a pack of M&M's that had a game code on it to enter a sweeps online. So of course I did. And I WON!!! So today's big win for me is a $3.00 movie card. Not bad for a day's work. :) Plus I enjoyed eating the Peanut M&Ms.

Couponing...

2011-05-25T21:25:00.002-05:00

Recently Lory has gotten into couponing. I guess we all have our hobbies. Mine currently is entering sweeps and hers is couponing. Both of these hobbies can get a little crazy. Today Lory went to the grocery store and bought salad dressing. Ok we don't eat that many salads and definitely do not need 6 bottles of dressing but when you can MAKE money at the grocery store you cannot pass it up. We are not going to get rich off what she made but its neat to go into the grocery store and they give you money.
6 bottles of Wishbone Salad dressing BOGO + coupons = positive cash flow of $.93.....In total Lory saved $17.07.

Wednesday Win!

2011-05-25T10:49:00.002-05:00

So this morning I got up and decided to enter a sweeps. I have already won this one so instead of entering my info I entered Lory's info. So technically I can't say I won today but LORY DID!!!!

So we are the proud winner of 2 more movie tickets. Also sort of felt like a double win today because the movie tickets I won earlier this week came in today. :)

Looks like Lory and I can have two date nights next month at the AMC!

JUST WON 3 SWEEPS!!!

2011-05-23T17:53:00.006-05:00

I am pretty excited about this. Just won three sweeps in about 2 minutes.

1. First win was free music download.

2. The next win is a set of free tickets to the movie.

These two are exciting enough for me. I love free stuff. But then I won....Wait for it....here it is...

3. An iPad 2 and a case.

Super exciting day. Here are the screen shots. "
(One of the emails...I received...) You've won an iPad 2 and Case, which has an approximate retail value of $578. Congratulations!"

Back from vacation with a win...

2011-05-16T16:20:00.003-05:00

"Congratulations! You are the winner of a FREE package of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs! ($5.99 value)"

Home from a quick weekend trip to find this letter. YaY for sweeps win. :)

2nd win of the day...

2011-05-11T22:58:00.000-05:00

So I was about to go to bed but had to enter one more sweep and sure enough I won an instant prize. Box of Oatmeal from Quaker. :) ARV $9.49

Sweeps for the win!!! (FTW)

2011-05-11T16:51:00.000-05:00

So I love sweeps. This is really a little known fact about me. About two weeks ago I started "sweeping" again. I have had a few wins but nothing major. Well today was my first big win. The ARV is $150. Nothing to get too excited about but a win is a win and I AM EXCITED. Here is a portion of the note I received.

"Congratulations! On behalf of Delivery Agent and NBC, I am pleased to announce that your entry in The Biggest Loser Sweepstakes has been selected as a Third Prize winner.

You have won a Biggest Loser “Get Fit” Starter Kit consisting of two Biggest Loser DVDs, two Biggest Loser Cookbooks, a Biggest Loser Protein Blender; and Biggest Loser Protein Bars, Protein Powder and Protein 2 Go. The prize is valued at approximately $150."

So happy sweeping to all you folks...This is just the beginning....again... :)

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2011-05-08T21:29:00.001-05:00

DSC02598, a photo by 29eleven7 on Flickr.

Today was a great day. It was my wife's first mothers day. So blessed to have her and Aubrie in my life.

Church this morning was great. In fact we had just shy of 1700 people this weekend. So excited about things that are on the horizon.

Sweeping...Can't say I won a lot today but as I always say...a win is a win...today's win was a roll of paper towels.

About a month behind on photos of Aubrie so I am trying to do a few right now. Working backwards...starting with the most recent.

Sweeping...

2011-05-07T20:06:00.002-05:00

So a few years back I won my first sweepstake. It was a road bicycle with an ARV of $3000. Since then I enter sweeps randomly but not often. In the last two weeks I have decided to start sweeping again. I have since won a few minor things...coupons, $1 off at Wendys, free Music downloads.

When sweeping you have to realize a win is a win. If you only look for the major wins you will quit very quickly. Nonetheless excited to pick up this old hobby. Here's to a big win down the road.... :)

RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms

2010-10-25T10:11:00.000-05:00

Interesting Video. Touches on ADHD but has a stronger focus on education as whole. 11 minutes long but worth the time.

The Importance of Loyalty - Dr. Bill Purvis

2010-10-20T09:21:00.003-05:00

I have known Dr. Purvis for several years and have had the privilege of sitting under much of his leadership training. Living in another state has not stopped this process. I receive a weekly email and monthly leadership material from him. Here is this weeks email. You can read more from Dr. Purvis at Bill Purvis or for his leadership site go to Bill Purvis Leadership soon to be www.billpurvisleadership.com . Here is the email from this week.

A quick way to take the temperature of an organization is to evaluate the loyalty of its employees. Loyalty is absolutely crucial to the success of an organization. With it, there are no hurdles you cannot cross, but without it, even small struggles take a huge toll.

Evaluate the environment you work in and ask yourself this…Is a lack of loyalty the reason we have not yet catapulted to the next level? If you answered yes, then it’s time to get busy. An atmosphere of loyalty can be cultivated when the leader of an organization takes the appropriate measures to create it.

There are 5 simple ways to create loyalty:

1. Fight for your employees.

2. Be loyal to them even if they aren’t loyal back.

3. Don’t treat them like employees, but like teammates.

4. Don’t micro-manage or be a control freak.

5. Communicate everything, all the time.

Any workplace environment can be turned around when the leader is willing to do what it takes. Start making the right changes today to cultivate loyalty and you will notice a real difference.

David Crowder Band - SMS [Shine]

2010-10-20T09:08:00.000-05:00

Amazing Video work and creativity on DCB's new song. Check it out!!!

Legacy trail by 29eleven at Garmin Connect - Details

2010-09-14T16:58:00.002-05:00

Legacy trail by 29eleven at Garmin Connect - Details

Twitter...

2010-07-21T13:38:00.001-05:00

Aubrie Elizabeth Williams = 20 Weeks, 20 more to go!!!

2010-07-20T19:50:00.000-05:00

God is in the DETAILS!!!

2010-07-03T22:46:00.002-05:00

As I was walking the grand hall at church tonight I was reminded how important details are. It is something I think about often, but today I was reminded by someone else. I watched two people for a few minutes. They were at church early and eager to serve. One person was on their hands and knees cleaning small spots. These spots were almost not noticable yet to them they made a difference. The second person was cleaning the dust off the leaves of the palm trees. The dust was basically unnoticeable yet to this person it was a big deal.
After watching this for a few minutes, I took the time to meet these two people and ask them why they were doing what they were doing. The answer was so simple. The couple looked at me and without skipping a beat they said that God had called them to take care of the things they had been given, including things at the church, and that someone told them years ago to always be about what God called them to do. What a blessing and reminder. Are you doing what God called you to do...even if it seems small?

12 weeks 2 days...

2010-05-25T21:47:00.000-05:00

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

2010-05-04T15:51:00.001-05:00

Due Date is Dec. 5th.

I LOVE GIRAFFES!!!

2010-01-08T10:57:00.003-05:00

Great post on the irreducible complexity of creation.
exerpt... "The giraffe, like all of God’s creatures, are irreducibly complex; a closer examination reveal that these animals could not have been formed by accident or evolved even over a short period of time, their existence shows that there must have been a single creative act that brought them into existence." Creation Tidbits - The Giraffe

Diving the Sheridan

2009-11-28T20:54:00.002-05:00

Video of Lory and I diving the Sheridan with Tanks-A-Lot Dive Charters out of Clearwater, FL. http://www.tanksalotdivecharter.com

6.5 Mile Ride

2009-09-03T17:25:00.000-05:00

6.5 Mile Ride

2009-09-03T09:22:00.001-05:00

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Untitled

Shared via AddThis

Scripture Tagger

2009-08-08T19:56:00.001-05:00

Just added a neat feature to the html of this site. When ever I type a scripture reference, the site will now automatically link to the actual scripture and make the scripture reference a roll over link so you can see the actual passage in a pop-up style window. It is the simple things in life that I like. :)

Jer. 29:11

Brenden wipes out

2009-08-01T19:50:00.002-05:00

West Palm Beach Dive June 2009

2009-06-22T22:29:00.002-05:00

Check out the video from our scuba trip this past weekend.

Honesty

2009-06-06T14:09:00.001-05:00

Sometimes you just have to be honest...

see more Fail Blog

Sometimes you do feel like this...

2009-06-06T14:03:00.001-05:00

see more Fail Blog
Found on Gerald's blog...Thought I could relate...

Todays Bike Ride

2009-06-01T10:16:00.005-05:00

Well over the past year and a half I have been on a roller coaster fitness program. I have found that what works best for me is variety. I may enjoy running for a few months and then get bored. P90x was phenomenal but right now I am taking a slight break from it. Would LOVE to swim but do not have access to a pool. So a few weeks ago I tried to think of something I haven't done in a while. That's when I dusted off the old Mt. bike. Pumped up the tires and then thought about it for a while. Actually I probably thought about it for two or three weeks. :)

Saturday I jumped on it and had a great ride. Yesterday I just never got around to it even though I wanted to ride. This morning I woke up and had NO desire to ride but decided I needed to do something productive this morning. So I jumped on the bike and had a fairly good ride. We are fortunate to live in an area with a great circle that makes a 5 mile ride fairly simple. So that's what I did this morning. Below you will see some of the images of my ride that are captured through mixing my GPS watch with google earth. If you have not read some of my other post, I LOVE my Garmin Forerunner 305. It has been one of the greatest tools in keeping me interested in fitness and challenging myself.

Google Earth Maps

Garmin Training Center screen shot

Cameras for Sale

2009-05-27T18:41:00.001-05:00

Blogging break...

2009-05-17T20:05:00.002-05:00

Been a while since I have written anything. I actually have a lot to say but just can't seem to get myself to sit down and write any of it. A lot is going on right now and I am trying to make the most out of some down time. I will try and sit down soon and write some more...til then...here is a great word from the pastor of the church I attended when I was in college.

"Sometimes You Have to Work for it...
My wife loves bird watching. Many years ago she began hanging bird feeders from the limbs of a few really large trees in our backyard. Now we attract yellow finches, red birds, blue jays, humming birds, wood-peckers, and many other varieties daily. The feeders hang at the same level as our living room window, so it's perfect!

Every morning Debbie watches her feathered friends through the window, while sipping a cup of coffee and spending time alone with God. It has become as big a part of her daily quiet time as reading the Bible, praying, and writing in her journal. For Debbie, this is a pleasant and peaceful way to connect with God.

Unfortunately, things are not always peaceful at the bird feeders. You see, bird seed doesn't only attract hungry birds, it lures in many starving squirrels as well. When I say "many", I'm really not kidding. We're not talking one or two squirrels. In fact, I think a memo goes out to every squirrel in the forest each week, reminding them of the morning buffet that takes place at our house. It's not that the squirrels themselves are a problem, it's just that when they're monopolizing the feeders, the birds get completely left out.

We've done almost everything to get rid of them but nothing works. We've bought every kind of "squirrel proof" feeder there is, only to find that the real solution is that there is no solution. One feeder had a weight limit on its ledge so that the door would close if anything heavier than a bird was perched on it. It actually worked for a while until the squirrels discovered their hidden acrobatic skills and beat the system by dangling upside down on the limb next to the feeder, while scooping out seeds.

Another feeder had a circular ledge that would spin and throw the squirrels off. That was effective and entertaining for a while, but they soon figured out how to grip the hook holding the feeder with their back feet, and stretch out just long enough to reach into it.

Others grew tired of the high wire act and decided to wait patiently on the ground for the seeds that were dropped by birds and the more talented squirrels.

In reality, I can't blame the poor hungry squirrels for wanting to eat. Although it was irritating, their desire was pure and they were simply doing all they could to satisfy it! I think all of us could stand to learn a lesson or two from these persistent little rodents!

Has God placed a desire in your heart that hasn't been fulfilled? Are you longing for a mate, a child, better relationships, financial freedom, or a better job? If so, Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart."

That's your promise today! When your desires are pure, God-planted desires, He will fulfill them- you just might have to work for it! Too often we think, "I'll just sit here and do nothing. I don't have to worry about it or put any effort in. If it happens it happens, and if it doesn't, then it doesn't." That's a terrible way to think! Sure, God doesn't need your help to carry out His plan, but He does like to see that you care. He likes to see that you are willing to go the distance!

There are lessons we can learn from squirrels. If those little guys gave up and didn't work hard for their food, they would go hungry. Instead of moping around that Debbie and I kept making it hard for them, they got creative. They used the raw materials God gave them like good balance, long tails, and tight gripping claws to get what they wanted.

Achieving your dreams and desires may not always be easy. You might have to work for it! How can you get creative and start using the gifts God gave you to make it happen?

Don't get discouraged. Pure, God-given desires are in your heart for a reason. God put them there! Trust in that promise and strive to hold up your end of the deal. Keep your heart pure and your eyes set on God, He will always come through!" -Dr. Bill Purvis

Honestly by Carl Cartee

2009-04-06T10:45:00.001-05:00

Could I let go of all that You've given
If it meant that it all would be Yours
Could I sit at Your feet and forget about me
And remember what I'm here for

Honestly I need to be broken
Honestly I need to fall down
Go ahead and shake my foundations
'Cause honestly I'm figuring out
That of all I have
All that I need is You
Honestly

If I leave behind all that's familiar
Can I do what has never been done
If I believe in You like You believe in me
Would You finish the work You've begun

Honestly I need to be broken
Honestly I need to fall down
Go ahead and shake my foundations
'Cause honestly I'm figuring out
That of all I have
All that I need is You
Honestly

Growing in a Desert

2009-03-27T21:43:00.003-05:00

I love reading ideas on leadership. I think this has always been an area of life that I have struggled. I want to be a leader but I am not what you would call "a natural born leader." Is their even such a thing?

Over the last few years I have had the privilege of working, studying, and meeting some great leaders. The Tampa area has been good to me in this regard. I have met great pastors, visionaries, CEO's, and others that are just strong individuals.

Through LRU I have also met some great people. Dr. Ricketson has taught me a lot about leadership in the past few years and more importantly simply challenged my pre-concieved thoughts on leadership. Through Dr. Ricketson, I was also able to meet Jeremie. Jeremie's blog has offered me some great snippites of ideas on leadership. Can't say that I read a lot of the stuff he writes due to lack of time and too much too read already, but every now and then something he writes catches my eye.

Today he had a great post titled "Growing in a Desert." His insights are not exactly what hit me but rather the idea behind that phrase. You can read his post at the link above but here are a few of the ideas from his post.

"Blooms happen in the desert. The perception is that growth doesn’t happen. The reality is that it does."

Prepare for the rains to come. When they come, be ready. Have all your seeds planted with your customers, prospects and employees.
Pray for rain. Ask the giver of rain to pour it out at the right levels.
Celebrate when the rain comes and create a grateful culture within your team.

"Now, raise your empty glasses to the sky and ask our Maker to fill em’ up to the rim and overflow. Rain will come again. Let’s just make sure the desert challenged us to be better leaders in the process."

I have just entered a season of my life that I know is going to be challenging. Is is a desert? Not yet! And hoping it doesnt come to that...but I am praying that through this season of life that God will grow me, that the rains will come, and that I will be faithful because I already know that He will be.

March 25, 2009

2009-03-26T13:07:00.001-05:00

Change

2009-03-26T13:03:00.001-05:00

March 25, 2009 Saying Goodbye...

We Stand MS

2009-03-26T12:26:00.001-05:00

March 25, 2009

We Stand HS

2009-03-26T12:22:00.001-05:00

March 25, 2009

God Hears by Russ Lee

2009-03-14T21:35:00.001-05:00

Have officially lost 60 lbs so far!!!

2009-03-03T11:20:00.000-05:00