He Gave ME Rest

I need to share.

Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I wanted to take a moment to share my Saturday with you all. A little background, for those that don’t know, my wife and I have been having problems over the last year or so. In the beginning of November, she walked. Over these last months, I have struggled daily. I have done all that I can to give it over to God, but I have always had a bad habit of giving it to him, then taking it right back onto my own shoulders and trying to do it all myself, to fix it all myself. It was making physically sick for a long time. So, these last few months have been hard, trying to be a single dad of 3 little ones. Wow.
Ok, so Saturday, I am part a men’s bible study that we have every Saturday morning. I was leading the study. What God put on my heart the night before was the verses I put above. I did a lot of reading and looking and came up with the following.
What God is telling us is that we need to take our burdens, our trials, our problems, our hopes our worries and give them to him. He will take care of them. We do this through prayer, through praise, through letting go. He then tells us to take His yoke, he is telling us to do his will, it is easy, and through that we will find rest in him.
After the bible study, I went to church. We have a group of young men like myself that have been called into the ministry and service of the Lord. They go up every other Saturday and preach a sermon. Sometimes it’s only to ourselves, sometimes to a crowd. I have been meaning to make it to these, but I have not. Saturday, I went and I preached the same study.
That was twice that I gave the same message.
After that, my buddy JT asked me to help him go pick up some furniture. I went with him. We ended up over on a side of town I had not been on for years. It was where my wife and I would spend EVERY weekend out off roading. I mean every weekend. I cannot tell you how weird it was to be there. It was surreal to say the least.
So as we are heading back, I get a phone call from my wife. In short, she told me that she wanted to finish the separation, she wanted a divorce. I wont lie, I was pretty sure it was coming but it still felt like a Mack truck hitting my heart. We spoke for quite a while. It was not ugly, She was talking with me not at me.
So, there I sit in the truck. Thinking I should be destroyed, but you know what, I was OK. Right there I said a prayer out loud and told God it was his. And honestly, I meant it.
My point to all this is this. How amazing is it that the creator of all there is. God, who created everything, loves me so much that he took the time to come to me not once, but TWICE on that Saturday morning to get me ready for what was coming. He loves us that much. He is a personal God and will take the time to spend with each of us. He took me a journey that day. He showed me where I was, were I am and where I am going. He loves me that much.
He loves you that much. Give it to him, he will give you rest.
Nash

Posted by rockcrawler69 @ 1:08 pm EDT | Permalink | 1 Comments

True

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Posted by rockcrawler69 @ 3:40 pm EDT | Permalink | 2 Comments

Loose to Gain

Happy New year to all.

This last year has been quite the trial. I will be honest, I am glad 2008 is over. As it turned midnight, I was praying. I prayed THANKS to God. Thank You God for my amazing children. Thank You God for my friends, thank you for putting people around me that do not hesitate to hold me up. I prayed Father, please continue to shower you blessings on me, Father, please help keep the fire insdie me burning for you, please keep heart open to others. Father, I pray for your grace. I know that things are not where I planned for them to be. God, I never expected Christie to leave me, I never imagined that you would let it happen, but Father, I know that it is all for your Glory though I don't know how. Father I pray that you will use my situation, use my wife leaving, use ME God to further your glory. I am reminded Lord of something I read last week that I have posted for me to read EVERy day:

Nash, to get something you never had, you have to do something you never have. When GOD takes something from you grasp, he is not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to recieve something better...remember that The Will of GOD will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

Father, I can only imagine how amazing  you are going to make things for me, how awesome your plan is for me. I can only imagine what it will be like being close to you.

The video below is I can only imagine, the people in the Video are Rick and Dick Hoyt, Rick was born in 1962 as a spastic quadriplegic, cerebral palsy, non-speaking person. The ability of his mind and person have always been strong, and his family have been hearty supporters of his quest for independence and inclusion in community activities, sports, school and the workplace. Rick is a graduate of Boston University.

Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America.

It’s a remarkable record of exertion — all the more so when you consider that Rick can't walk or talk.

For the past twenty five years or more Dick, who is 65, has pushed and pulled his son across the country and over hundreds of finish lines. When Dick runs, Rick is in a wheelchair that Dick is pushing. When Dick cycles, Rick is in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When Dick swims, Rick is in a small but heavy, firmly stabilized boat being pulled by Dick.

The song....

The Story, please, take a minute to watch , it is simply amazing!!!

 

 

Posted by rockcrawler69 @ 1:29 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

Bring the Rain!!`

From a very speacial person to me. Thank you.

Bring the Rain -- Mercy Me

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that
I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory And I know there'll
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain

I am yours regardless of the clouds that may
loom above because you are much greater than
my pain you who made a way for me suffering
your destiny so tell me whats a little rain

[1st Chorus]

Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
is the lord God almighty
is the lord God almighty
I'm forever singing

[2nd Chorus 2x]

everybody singing
Holy holy holy
you are holy
you are holy

[2nd Chorus 2x]

Posted by rockcrawler69 @ 12:33 am EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

Dear Slim

Dear Slim pt1 -- KJ-52

 

Dear Slim I never wrote you or been callin
My name ain't Stan son, nah we've never met and
My name's KJ let me begin by introducing now
Myself to you and these very reasons I'll be writin
Why I took the time, the who what where and why and
The purpose of my verse, the reasons I'm reciting
What I hope your learnin from the truth I pray your finding
And every word I'm writin down upon the dotted lines and
See I heard ya first album, was called Infinite
I shook my head cause nowadays you soundin different
What drove ya take your whole persona and be flippin it now
What makes a man totally change see I ain't getting it
See was you sick of getting booed when you was rippin it
And sick of never havin dough and you your wanted to put an end to it
What good's all kinds of dough
Plus all kinds of flow
To gain a world of fans but suffer the loss of soul

CHORUS
La la la la la la,
La la la la la la la la
To whom it may concern x4

Dear Slim I never wrote you or been calling
This is my 2nd letter cause see son I gots a real problem
It's that to you that I'm always catching these comparisons
And after shows I got these people coming up to me sayin
You sound like Slim Shady son you sound like Eminem
And I be like now really man, do I gots to go through this again
See I used to get mad and sick of people saying that
Till at this one show this one day I met this one cat
He told me how he used to listen to you but now he listens to me
Had your LP but threw it out and bought my CD
I'm like for real he's like yeah he said my music made a difference
It got him away from all your words and images
I gotta mention this, now what about the effects you have on kids
You ever stop to think about the millions you influence
Or is it just irrelevent is it true life you telling it
Or just the way for some record companies sellin it
The only thing we got in common is our melanin
Or lack of it but anyway now this is what I'm sayin
It's for you that I'm on my knees now daily prayin
Prayin that God opens your eyes now to what I'm relayin
Now I'm praying that it's your heart that will soon be changing
Prayin one day that you'll be calling upon His name and
But anyway I'm signin off now don't keep me waitin
This is KJ another cat just trying to make it

CHORUS

Dear Slim I heard about the stuff you's going through
See I could relate to you cause son I'm about as old as you
See we both know what it's like just to be growing up to be in a neighborhood
When you's the only one and only kid that's white
Or to get booed when you on the mic just because your skin is light
It ain't right but sometimes you know that's life
But really tell me what you do
You just push on with hopes on that someday you'll put on your crew
I hope you understand that I ain't even dissin you
And even though its a song you'll probably never listen to
See what I send to you is this
Is that a life without Christ is just a life that is never fixed
Hope you remember this now a few sentences
About a living God who loves you and plus forgives
And I'll be praying for your ex-wife and plus your kid
It's hard to live in a world as crazy as this one is
And even though now it really might sound redundant
God's got mad love for you up in a mad abundance
You'll sell a couple mill I'll probably sell a couple hundred
There's more to life then selling records and just getting blunted
But anyway that's really all I gots to say
Just another word from an emcee now around the way
Maybe some day we meet each other in some way
Till then one love one God one way

CHORUS

Posted by rockcrawler69 @ 8:07 pm EDT | Permalink | 1 Comments