PROstrata Foundation

Twenty Principles for Making Prudent Decisions

2012-02-08T14:25:00.000-08:00

Research the subject as thoroughly as possible.
Consider the information you have assembled.
Seek out Godly counsel but sift it carefully.
Follow your convictions.
Decide what you really want to do but don’t let emotion rule.
Listen to the Holy Spirit and your conscience.
What does your experience teach you about this decision?
Pray for wisdom and direction.
Don’t react, but act boldly.
Persist with your plans and do not give up too quickly.
Develop an action plan.
Execute your plan.
Adjust your plan as necessary.
Own your decision and do not blame others for bad outcomes.
Establish a time frame for evaluation of the decision to be made – urgent vs. important.
Prioritize options.
Ask yourself if this is the core decision that needs to be made first which will unlock the other smaller decisions that follow.
How will you measure the correctness of your decision – based on outcome or process followed?
Remember failure is not fatal but it is inevitable when you are doing anything.
Lead your decision. Remember that not making a decision is actually making a decision – don’t procrastinate.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." ~ James 1:5 NIV

Star Wars

2011-11-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching Star Wars again for the umpteenth time and loved it. Although an amazing futuristic fantasy, it is so full of redemptive themes and good lessons that are true to life.

My favorite part is when Luke Skywalker finds out that Darth Vader is his father (Anakin Skywalker) and they are re-united in vanquishing the evil Emperor (Darth Sidious) at the end. Then in the final scene Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda all appear as apparitions who have “died” and become part of the eternal Force as immortals.

These themes align with my belief system in real life and with most of our hopes and dreams. What could be better than to have good win out over evil and to eternally share immortality with those we love? Did you ever stop to think about the fact that this is what Christianity offers its adherents in real life?

The one significant deviation of Christian teaching from this storyline is that we cannot save ourselves by good and valiant acts but that we need a Savior who intervenes on our behalf. No doubt we all see the struggle between good and evil and hope that Good will succeed in the end; but how do we see that accomplished? This is the all-important question!

Do you remember that Anakin Skywalker had no human father? So we have a little taste that he was of spiritual origin but then succumbs to the Dark side and becomes an agent of evil for most of the story - so the point is lost. What I would love to have seen would be for the Hero to have been pure throughout the story despite the challenges of the enemy; more like the character of Aragorn in Lord of the Rings. So what is my point here? It boils down to this: We need a savior who is perfect!

Now let’s shift to a real-life scan of all the major religions of the world and ask two important questions:

Who is the Hero?
How do you get to heaven?

Except for Christianity – the hero is flawed in some way and you must work your way to heaven. Christianity is absolutely unique on these two points. Think about that and you will have an important clue to the reliability of every other option.

We are living out Star Wars in our every-day life but it is not a fantasy. Let’s settle down to reality and choose to align ourselves with the Hero who has no flaws and is therefore the perfect Savior we all need.

"Any Hero small enough to fail is too small to be my Savior"

Choices

2011-10-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow about 15 girls are coming to our home to eattheir team dinner together. They do thisevery week of the volleyball season on a rotating basis at each girl’shome. This team dinner has specialsignificance because it is the last one we will provide for the girls. My daughter is a senior and it is the end ofan era for her and us.

We started volleyball in 4^th grade and haveliterally played year round since then. This past March the Lord allowed Tyler to get hurt in a volleyballinjury that effectively ended her volleyball aspirations for a scholarship in DivisionI ball. Crushing!

My daughter has been a good student all along so this doesnot mean her life is over by any means, in fact it will undoubtedly take a turnfor the better soon, but a lot of effort seems to have been wasted … or was it?You see I believe our life is the sum of all our choices; not just of what wedo, but more importantly of how we think. How do you process the things that take place in your life? That’s the difference-maker.

“You are born and eventually die and in-between you make a lot of mistakes”

You have a choice as to what you will do with your experiences. Will you be defeated by them or will theymake you wiser and strengthen you for the future? I feel I have made many morebad decisions than good ones, but I have been blessed to understand thatfailure is not fatal. I can turn mymistakes into diamonds that will pay for my future if I am wise and thoughtful. I will continue to make bad choices because Iam only human. But I can also continueto excel if I refuse to let my mistakes and disappointments defeat me. It’s a mental game and boils down to a choicewhich only I can make.

When I think about all the girls coming over tomorrow, I praythat they are wise enough to understand the power of choice. They will not be able to control what happensto them as they progress through life, but they can decide to learn from their experiencesand keep growing. They can be winners nomatter what befalls them in life because they have a choice… and so do you!

Work hard to make good decisions. Don’t be a fool! But when your good choice turns out to benot-so-good, you are not defeated. Whenlife hands you a lemon – make lemonade. That is a choice that only you canmake.

“You are the sum of all your choices, so choose well!”

Failure and Loss

2011-10-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. “

~ Winston Churchill

I am a very upbeat, optimistic “can-do” guy. For me the glass is almost always half full. But tonight I almost lost if for a little while.

Early this year my beautiful daughter broke both bones in her lower leg in a freak accident and had to have a titanium rod placed in her tibia. She was a great prospect for a Division I volleyball scholarship and that all went down the drain after 9 years of intense competition at a very high level. A month ago we found out that the trauma probably triggered type I Diabetes and she will have to live with that for the rest of her life.

This all started me to thinking about what has happened in my life over the past 5 years. Both of my parents have died, my son discovered he had Type I Diabetes; I left my employment after 13 years and the organization tanked; I started another venture that tanked; I am in serious debt, and on and on. It has not been pretty! From almost any perspective, my life has been a disaster zone the last five years.

Here is the irony … just before all this happened I told myself how satisfied I was with my accomplishments. I had made a significant contribution to my start-up church and been a leading elder for many years. I had brought my ministry out of a long downward spiral and quadrupled its annual income and my new business was thriving, Last but not least my family was all healthy and serving the Lord – Who could ask for more?

Well now I’ve lost all my pride of accomplishment. But today I am battle hardened to an extent I never knew before. In the past, I believed the same things about God and His faithfulness but I had never put Him to the test – I never needed to

Today the enemy has tried to discourage me. He has been whispering in my ear that I am a failure and responsible for all the crummy stuff that has happened. “Maybe God is paying me back for my sin or lack of faith or …?” He wants me to think I am a failure and undeserving of my Heavenly Father’s love and grace. The Devil wants me to quit. He wants me to forget my God’s promises and His faithfulness. He wants me to take my eyes off of eternity and my soul and focus on the here-and-now and my present condition. Satan is a master deceiver who has come to steal and rob and harm me in any way he can, but I refuse to let him. I’m not even going to stop and feel sorry for myself because I am focused on God and not myself.

Right now I am counting my blessings and there are many … too many to count. I am focused on the battle I am fighting and humbled that He has counted me worthy to be His son. I am getting ready for my assignment in eternity and will not let Lucifer pull me off task by his wily strategies. No one can take my soul and I am safe in God’s hands. How about you?

“The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.”

II Corinthians 10:4-5

Creating Your Own Opportunities

2011-10-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

“Man proposes but God disposes.”

~Thomas a Kempis.

I once heard of a man who proudly proclaimed, “I am a self-made man,” to which he heard a resounding retort from a nearby listener, “That must be terribly disappointing.”

Many of today’s leaders are Type A and very aggressive. When they see something they want, they go for it with all the gusto they can muster. They make their own opportunities and are not used to waiting for anything or anyone to give them permission to proceed. All of that is understandable for a person who has no knowledge of God, but it is totally unacceptable for a spiritual man. A man who understands God’s ways knows that he can never be responsible for his own destiny or success. I am ashamed to admit that I have been guilty of being too sure of myself and going through closed doors from time to time. Have you?

Self-confidence has led to some of my biggest failures. I was working on a very large event a few years ago. It had a massive budget but we were gathering momentum and sure of our success. I remember telling our staff one day that we did not have time for a prayer meeting because we were too busy and needed to get right into the work for the day. But now in looking back I see something I did not see then. It was not my hard work, know-how or even our gathering traction that could make us successful; only God can give us the victory we need. I was old enough and spiritually seasoned enough to know better but my carnal nature got the better of me and I failed as a result.

Confidence is good but be sure to place your confidence in the right thing; not yourself and not even your gifts. Place your confidence in God. Only He can make something out of nothing. He can make your bad plan into a good plan and He can take your experience and throw it into the trash can. My greatest successes have been totally unexplainable and certainly not attributable to my own intelligence or hard work. Only a fool thinks he can create a lasting legacy apart from God.

So here is a summary of what I have learned: 1.) Work as hard and smart and you possibly can. 2.) Prayerfully observe as God opens and closes doors – be flexible to attend to the movement of His Spirit. 3.) Do not go through closed doors but wait on God. 4.) Give Him the credit for your success. If you follow these guideposts you can never fail. If you don’t you will never succeed.

“A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.” Proverbs 16:9

2011-08-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

Life Happens

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.” ~ Charles Dickens

Today was one of those crushing days for me and my family. When you face failure and disappointment how do you respond? There is no doubt that day will come barreling down on you and Wham! … you are flatter than a pancake with the weight of the world pressing down on you. What did you expect? Did you think suffering was for everyone else and not you? It’s your turn now. Can you handle the reality of life?

I am very blessed. In fact, I am blessed beyond measure, but I’ve had a few tough breaks along the way too. I’ve come to expect them. Not in a cynical way or with angry resentment, but as part of the package we call “life.” It can be very disheartening and even defeating if we do not process disappointment properly, so let me give you a few pointers that helped me today.

1. Things can always get worse. So as bad as life seems, it is not as bad as it could be.

2. Don’t get hung up on the one thing that didn’t work but focus on all the other things that are working. I have many other blessings for which I can be thankful.

3. Every disappointment is a lesson learned and gives me a platform on which I can build future success. My pain is too valuable to waste. I must learn everything I can learn from it.

4. Life is for being on the way and heaven is for arriving. In other words, I am being prepared for something greater than I can possibly imagine. Pain is the price of admission.

5. My limp is a medal of honor which I can wear proudly. If I survive and use my experience to make me stronger, I am in the top percentage of all humanity.

6. If I have committed my life to God and placed my future in His hands, I can rest in the knowledge that nothing but good can come of the circumstances in my life. I can trust God completely.

7. Difficult circumstances prove my faith and make it real. Anyone can believe in God’s goodness when there is nothing for which to trust Him.

All of these things did not take the pain out of my suffering today. I cried a little while. But my outlook gave me hope that I am going to persevere and even prevail in the end. I trust these truths will give you determination to keep on keeping on. Life happens in ways we cannot control but we can respond in the right way and that will make all the difference.

“Life is a battleground in which our mind either works for us or against us. Never give up!”

Crutches

2011-04-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

My beautiful daughter had an injury recently and needed crutches to get around for weeks afterward. Actually, she needed more than that, but her crutches were the last thing to go. It wasn't easy to give them up either. At first they were essential and then they became less important physically but more and more important psychologically.

Eliminating your crutches is not as easy as you might think. There is a fine line between giving them up in the correct time and giving them up too early, which might cause you to develop a limp that you could carry with you for the rest of your life.

Some people use god, or more correctly, “religion,” as a crutch. They are in trouble and religion is just the thing to help them out; that’s not entirely bad, but they need to get rid of the crutch at the right time or they may permanently limp through life.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but God is not meant to be our perpetual crutch. In reality, he is the whole hospital, but if you spend all your time in the hospital, that is a sure sign of being unhealthy! God has everything we need but he intends for us to eventually be able to stand on our own intellectually, emotionally and psychologically. We will never be able to handle all our own spiritual problems without God, but he wants us to be logical and normal to the fullest extent possible. He desires for us to be dependent but not to be permanently debilitated by our situation or circumstances. His goal for each of us is that we would be complete in the power and strength of Jesus.

The danger is in not finding the balance between trying to go it alone in life and ending up limping through it, or never trying to walk on our own and not maturing to become that which we were intended to be.

“Wouldest thou be made whole? The sick man answered him, Sir,
I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the
pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
Jesus saith unto him, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk. And
straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and
walked.” John 5:6-9

Report

2011-04-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

Ministry Update

Spring 2011

Greetings from sunny Dallas to all of our wonderful friends! We only send out one update a year so I hope you will take time to read this.

An Auspicious Start In 2011

Some of you know that my 17 year old daughter, Tyler, recently broke her leg in a horrible volleyball accident while participating in a tournament. She had to have a titanium rod surgically inserted in her Tibia, but we expect a full recovery. What you may not know is that while she was in the hospital and we were searching for some answers as to how all of this could possibly bring glory to the Lord. Well it didn’t take long to find at least one answer when we had the privilege of leading Roger into a saving relationship with Jesus. He was at the hospital due to the pregnancy of his wife and the unfortunate loss of one of their newly delivered twins. His marriage was under stress and his heart was open to the Lord who marvelously stepped in to his life. I was able to share how a solid relationship with Jesus is the only foundation on which to build a strong marriage and complete life. It was a slam dunk!

The other very big blessing came in the form of having one of our board members (and our pastor), Wayne Braudrick, make a visit to Tyler’s room. Before he left, Wayne asked us all to hold hands as he offered thanks to the Lord for the blessings of good friends and asked for God’s healing hand to be on our precious daughter. This small gesture has opened up amazing opportunities to continue to let our lights shine for the Savior – so the answers keep coming. Jesus is glorified whenever we give him first place; even in our disappointments. Please remember to pray for both Tyler and Roger and the other friends with whom we are sharing Christ as a result of all these circumstances.

2010 First Full Year of Operation

In addition to my paid consulting, training and coaching work with the Daniel Southern Leadership Group; I serve on a volunteer consulting basis with PROstrata Foundation. Our budget is not huge. Last year we brought in about $20,000 and spent almost all of it helping the ministries which the Lord has brought our way. This year we need your help to keep going. All gifts are tax-deductible.

In 2010 we took steps to help launch two other very exciting ministries. Early in the year I connected with Todd Pierce who serves as the chaplain of the Professional Bull Riders Association (PBR). Todd’s ministry is called “Riding High.” He is focused on ministering to the athletes and staff of PBR but they have an open door to reaching the audience of PRB as well. You can check out more at their web site: http://www.ridinghighministries.org.

The other fledgling ministry we are launching is called “Champions2Heroes.” C2H is based on the concept of helping successful athletes and professionals find the inner accomplishment they have experienced outwardly. We plan on launching this work May 26^th at a dinner here in Dallas. Please let me know if this is something you might like to attend and I will provide you with more details. Anthony Dorsett Jr. will be sharing his thoughts and we have a few other big name professional athletes we hope to see there. Our strategy is to begin with professional baseball pitchers and we are on a fast track to getting it under way. You can learn more at: http://champs2heroes.blogspot.com.

PF has taken on many existing resources from other ministries including my work with actor Stephen Baldwin. It is our aim to be a resource to as many start-up ventures as we can in the hope of assisting them get the traction to become viable and self-sustaining. It is our aim to equip them so they can reach their segment of the world for Christ. Maybe you know of a young ministry which needs our help or perhaps you want to get involved with PF as a volunteer. We all see needs every day as we seek to launch believers into more effective ministry even on a personal level. We can put you to work or maybe you can put us to work.

Coming in 2011 and 2012

One of our new partners is Jay Lowder’s Harvest Ministries. Jay is one of the most gifted evangelists I have met in a long time. Jay will be looking for help in the coming months. See: www.jaylowder.com. We will be looking for skilled teachers to go with us at their own expense to Ireland and train Christians to counsel and mentor new believers and we are planning a major outreach at a Texas university campus. So if you are willing to help in some way, just let us know. We can help you figure out a place of service based on your availability and gifting.

Inspirational Thoughts

If you like this blog, maybe you will subscribe. I write very sporadically so I promise you will not be inundated with spam in your inbox, but it is a good way to stay up on our work and prayer needs too.

We are thankful for all that we have accomplished in 2010 and look forward to a promising year ahead. I truly believe Jesus is coming back soon. As my mother used to say: “I am looking for the upper-taker; not the under-taker.”

Your encouragement, prayers and financial support are huge to us and we are so grateful for your friendship.

An Awesome Portion of Scripture

meditating and memorizing

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS!” ~ Revelation 19:11-16 KJV

Finishing

2011-03-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

“Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.” ~ Barbara Johnson

I could hardly sleep last night as I thought about all the unfinished projects and work I have. It’s perplexing and overwhelming at times; there is the ceiling in the garage that needs to be patched; the parking light that is burned out on my truck, the garden lights that quit coming on like they are supposed to at night; the leak in the spa, and the list goes on…

Most of these jobs are not crucial and require a number of steps to complete; so procrastination is an issue because they are involved and sometimes tedious. Other nagging projects are expensive or technically challenging and need an expert to perform them. And then there is the time required which I usually just don’t have very much of. So my life is full of unfinished projects!

I was thinking about this in relationship to Christ. Remember when he was on the cross of crucifixion and uttered the words “it is finished?” That was a project He had been working on for thousands of years if not longer; since we know it was in His heart from the foundation of the world. Then there is the promise that He will come back after He has prepared a place for us. He is still working on that promise made 2000 years ago.

Here is an interesting question to consider: Is God bothered by projects that are left undone until He can complete them? Probably not in the same way we are. He has all the resources we lack and it is not about know-how or procrastination either; it’s much more involved. For God it’s about timing and blending all that He is doing into one consistent and perfect plan – Awesome isn’t it!

So when you wonder why God doesn’t just do something the instant you ask Him to, remember who you are talking to and what is involved. For God it is about the end result and not our instant gratification. God always achieves His goals perfectly; but not necessarily in what we would call a timely manner. He gets the job done but finishes His work in His way and His time; not ours. The good part is that He can be trusted and never makes a mistake. So rest easy tonight. God always finishes what He starts!

“Although the goodness of God may sometimes be hidden, it can never be extinguished." ~ John Calvin

Devastation

2011-03-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

"Fight on merry men. I am wounded but not slain. I will lie down to bleed a while, but when I have rested, I will rise to fight with you again." ~ Robin Hood

Today my dear sweet 17 year old daughter is in surgery as they insert a titanium rod in her leg. She broke both bones just below her calf during a volleyball tournament yesterday. Ironically it was the tournament of her life and she was tearing the court up! Then unexpectedly she got caught up with her teammate and boom - you could hear the snapping bones from across the court.

She was a real trooper at the scene of the injury and in spite of her pain, she never gave in to the desire to scream out. When they wheeled her from the court on the stretcher to the ambulance, a spontaneous round of applause broke out and I almost lost control of my emotions.

The prognosis is favorable and we are confident that a lot of good things will come out of this experience.

What do you do in the midst of devastation? Do you have a safe place to go where you can find the assurance that all is well? Right now we are clinging to the promise that our Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for our life and that nothing takes Him by surprise. When things happen that we think are bad, it is because we do not understand how the event either moves us in the right direction or takes us to a mental decision to place our trust more fully in Him.

When I was 17 my parents were divorced. When I was 18 I broke my ankle and missed an entire season of basketball eliminating me from contention for a scholarship to play in college. When I was 21 I dislocated my knee in a wrestling match and could no longer play football or even pass the physical to play intercollegiate sports of any kind and lost my scholarship.

That all sounds pretty bleak doesn't it? But my story is anything but sad. All of these circumstances pushed me to where I am today and gave me a far greater understanding of my God's love and His purpose for my life. These were not stumbling blocks to my happiness but stepping stones leading me to it in a most amazing way.

When you fail or are disappointed, don't succumb to the temptation to give up. Look for the answer to where these things are taking you and embrace the new opportunities with all your heart.

My prayer for my daughter and for you is that you will learn to do more than just accept what happens in your life, but that you will embrace it enthusiastically; knowing that your mental attitude makes all the difference in the effect circumstances will have on you.

"Decide to take what life throws at you and use it as a foundation on which to build your future."

Just wondering … could it possibly be true?

2011-02-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

"Faith is reason grown courageous." - Sherwood Eddy

For the last 5 days we have been iced and snowed in here in Dallas. It was fun at first but then the bad stuff started to take place; like frozen pipes and no hot water. It even got a little scary when the rolling blackouts started to take place. Then it hit me how blessed I am to have the things I usually take for granted.

What are you taking for granted? Is it your health, warm food, clean drinking water, shelter, a steady job; we all take something for granted until we lose it. And here is the saddest part; we moan about so many little inconveniences that are really not basic to the good life we are leading. For example did you realize that if you make at least $47,500 a year, you are in the top 1% of the wealthiest people on the earth? Most of us don’t feel so privileged do we?

How much money would you need to be happy? Or put another way, “How much is enough?” For me it is really about security. How much money do I need to feel safe and secure? Then we have to ask, if we are putting our confidence in wealth, “How do we protect our wealth, so it cannot be lost once we get it?”

Jesus said that we should put our confidence in our Heavenly Father’s ability to care for us and not in material possessions. How are you doing with that concept? One test of that philosophy is alluded to in the so called “Lord’s Prayer” where Jesus says, “And give us this day our daily bread...” Do you trust God to provide as He taught the Israelites to do in the wilderness through His daily provision of manna?

How do we get our mind into the right zone to live as He proscribed? How can we learn to live day by day in dependence on Him and not our own power to provide? Is that even realistic? We have been taught from the cradle that we need to work hard to provide for our family and our self. Can a Christ-follower be expected to literally follow God in this way or are we responsible for our own needs? Can we train our self to be completely reliant on God for everything? Probably not … but it sounds like a great philosophy doesn’t it?

I wish it was true, but I doubt God wants me to be so dependent on Him or so stupid as to take that Jesus stuff literally. Jesus must have been exaggerating God’s ability to do for us what we really can’t do for our self; wasn’t He? Well most of us will never know, because we will never try it or anything close to it in our whole life until the snow and ice fall and the pipes freeze and the power fails. Then we may just have to trust Him because we have no other choice. I wonder if He will be there in that day ... at that time ... and in that circumstance?

"If you want to live a genuine life of faith, start when you don't need anything."

Open for Business?

2011-02-01T20:28:00.000-08:00

“Dontopedalogy is the science of opening your mouth and putting your foot in it, a science which I have practiced for a good many years.” – Prince Phillip Windsor

What is the difference between telling the truth and being honest? Let me put it to you this way: I always tell the truth, but I don’t always say everything on my mind. We live in a world populated by other individuals and need to consider their reactions to the things we say and do. If we are not careful, we can needlessly hurt people by saying that which is better left unsaid. When we open our mouth is there a good reason behind it or is it just business as usual without much thought?

I work with other people for a living and often my success is based on their performance even more than my own. So I have made a science out of trying to think things through from the other guy’s perspective. Now admittedly, that is when I have my thinking cap on and am not just operating out of instinct. I make plenty of mistakes on this score, so don’t throw this in my face later. But I know that if I am wise in my interactions with others, I can accomplish far more than if I alienate those around me.

So what am I trying to say? Well, it’s really just a principal: “just because something is true, it does not always follow that we need to say it.” You can be an honest individual and still be tactful and considerate of the feelings of those around you. A corollary to that concept is that “if the person is not able to receive your thoughts, you may as well keep them to yourself.” We do not always need to say what comes to mind.

Sadly, some of us are almost compulsive when it comes to our interaction with others and we leave a lot of wreckage in our path. I have been guilty of that carelessness far too often. So I am learning to think before I speak. I ask myself if it really needs to be said and then ask a second question. "Will saying it make things better or just make me feel better by getting it off my chest?" These two steps have taken me a long way toward being more effective in my work with others. I hope they will help you too.

“Be sure your brain is in motion before you put your mouth in gear.”

If It Ain't Broke ...

2010-12-10T17:06:00.000-08:00

Do what you can, where you are, with what you've got." - Teddy Roosevelt

I was brought up in the home of a medical doctor. Dad made a good living and provided just about everything we wanted as I was growing up. But the fact is that he and my mother scrimped and saved just to get through Medical school and it affected both of them and the way our family treated money. I don’t waste anything nor am I a spendthrift. When my wife and I first got married, we had more conflict over money management than probably any other issue – that was 30 years ago and things have changed drastically in the past three decades.

I was just sitting here watching TV and saw an AD for the latest and greatest phone. It occurred to me while I was watching, that I never wear out my phones, I just trade them in on new ones with more and better features; the same is true of cameras, computers and the list goes on. How about you? Our culture is used to “trading up” instead of “wearing out” the things we use in our life.

What about non-technology like clothes or cars and maybe even relationships? We had some dear friends who seem to have traded us in on new friends about 2 years ago. What’s up with that? When we asked why we don’t get together anymore, the reply was that they were moving into a different season of their life. It wasn’t just us. They dropped out of church and don’t communicate with most of their old circle of acquaintances. Weird!

I see this occasionally in marriages too. One spouse just trades their husband or wife in on a new model. I don’t get it. Well maybe I can understand getting a new phone, but not a new life! Figure out how to make your life better by you becoming better, not by ditching those who love you. That will never work, because you are still stuck with you and that was probably what was broke in the first place… and maybe some of that other old stuff is worth hanging on to for awhile longer? I’m still waiting for my old friends to wake up and come back home.

"Figure out how to make your life better by becoming a better person."

Tyler Southern Volleyball Highlights #22, District 8-5A, Allen High Sch...

2010-10-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Heart

2010-09-04T19:33:00.000-07:00

What kind of heart do you have? I don’t mean in the usual sense . . . as in “Are your arteries clogged or do you have a strong ticker?” I mean what is going on inside your mind? What drives you? What matters to you and makes you get up every day?

You see, most of us have, or need to have, a purpose for our life. In the West, we see the heart as the seat of our emotion. So let me ask you again, “What makes you tick?”

King David of Israel was famous among his people for having a heart after God. In the book of Acts, we read that he was a man after God’s own heart because “he sought to do all the will of God.” God’s heart and David’s heart were aligned; they were as one.

Do you suppose David came by this mindset as a natural result of how he was wired or was it something he deliberately cultivated? Is it possible that we could come to a point where we have a heart after God?

Scripture is clear that the Natural man does not seek after God but seeks only his own way. This is our fundamental problem and leads us into trouble continually. You can see it every day in your own life and in the news. In both big and small ways . . . we want to do our own thing don’t we? We do not want to be tamed or to submit to anyone or anything. But there is no safety in that kind of a life.
Being independent means we are on our own and responsible for ourselves. Being dependant on God means He is responsible for us and our well-being.

Lately, I have come to realize that although I may feel a certain temporary sense of security or even strength in being a self-made man, the end of the story is very disappointing. I am truly powerless in everything that really matters. My life is but a vapor which is here today and gone tomorrow. If I want my life to have ultimate meaning and impact, I need to have eternal life and only God can give that to me if I choose to be under His authority.

So let me ask you again . . . what kind of heart do you have? Think carefully before you answer . . . the choice is entirely up to you.

Remember the proverbial chestnut, “Can God make a rock, so big that He cannot pick it up?” Yes, He made you and gave you a free will. You are the rock so big, that He cannot pick you up unless you choose to allow it.

Follow-up report on Mom

2010-08-15T07:47:00.001-07:00

Dear friends,

How can we thank you enough for the wonderful notes and encouraging words on the passing of our mother? Phil and I have felt your love and it has been an incredible experience. For me, losing Mom has also reinforced the value of supporting our friends in their time of need. I want to be there for you down the line.

Two things stand out about Mom as I reflect back on her life. She was incredibly giving and she marked everyone with whom she interacted. On her tomb, we left the words “Daughter of God;” That is the literal meaning of her name and says it all. In Scripture we read that “God is love.” Apart from Him, we know nothing at all about love. My mother taught me more about the meaning of that word than anyone else I have known. She was my real life hero. What a heritage to leave us as her sons.

Due to the pressures of time and other things going on in our life, we have decided not to have additional Memorial services for Mom in Michigan and Tennessee. I hope we will have your understanding on this decision.

Someone once said, “We don’t know how to live until we know how to die.” Mom knew how to do both well and we love her all the more for that.
Dan and Phil

http://danielsouthern.blogspot.com/2010/08/true-spirituality.html

Silence

2010-08-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

God has spoken; He is not silent. This is an axiomatic characteristic of God.
Therefore, if He has spoken; how has He done so?

Allow me to suggest at least six distinct ways in which God has spoken:
1. Through His Creation in Nature
"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork." Psalm 19:1

"The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen." Romans 1:20

2. Through Special or Direct Revelation
God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush, telling him exactly what He wanted him to do. Exodus 3:2--4:17

3. In our Soul
"That which may be known of God is manifest in them." Romans 1:19

4. Through other of his followers – the Prophets
“After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets.” Hebrews 1:1a

5. Through Jesus His Son
“…in these last days he (God) has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world.” Hebrews 1:1b

6. Through His Word in Scripture
The Christian Bible assembles all the messages God wanted us to have for our admonition and edification. It is the only source of fully accurate knowledge about God.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God may be perfected, being fully furnished for every good work.” II Timothy 3:16-17

If God has spoken, we should indeed pay attention to what He has said; Are you listening?

Words

2010-08-11T20:08:00.001-07:00

Throughout my life I have been guilty of the careless use of words. They have power to build or destroy. I am being more careful now as I get older … and wiser. Even lately, I have seen more success in this pursuit.

Jesus warns that we will be judged by every word that escapes our lips. I want to follow His example and be as careful with my words as He is with His words.

"You can be sure that on the Judgment Day you will have to give account of every useless word you have ever spoken. Your words will be used to judge you---to declare you either innocent or guilty." Mat 12:36-37

That is a fearful pronouncement. What if we have already said many things we should not have said? ... and we are bound to repeat the offense, even if we have the best of intentions. Even if our words are screened but our mind cries out in awful ways and we have never said out loud the things we have secretly harbored in our heart - we are still guilty!

Our words are the result of what goes on in our heart. What is in your heart? It will reveal itself in your words. Listen to your heart when you speak and determine to surrender it to the only one whose words are absolutely pure.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14

Word

2010-08-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

As I went through my mother’s things after her death, I found a fist full of cards with key Scriptures written down on them. She used them as part of her daily routine to fellowship with God. I have been carrying them with me since then and meditating on their application to my life.

Jesus is identified as the “Word” in the opening verses of the Gospel of John. The Christian Bible says that He is the perfect expression of God’s will and gives us what we need to connect to the Father in heaven.

When King Solomon was asked by God what he desired, he requested wisdom to rule Israel (I Kings 3:5-14). My one wish (my sincere desire) is to know and love His Word more than anything else.

"I have asked the LORD for one thing; one thing only do I want: to live in the LORD's house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance." Psalm 27:4

God has been excruciatingly careful in what He has said to us. His Word is flawless.

“See how I love your instructions, LORD. Your love never changes, so save me! The heart of your law is truth, and all your righteous judgments are eternal. Powerful people attack me unjustly, but I respect your law. How happy I am because of your promises--- as happy as someone who finds rich treasure. I hate and detest all lies, but I love your law. Seven times each day I thank you for your righteous judgments. Those who love your law have perfect security, and there is nothing that can make them fall. I wait for you to save me, LORD, and I do what you command. I obey your teachings; I love them with all my heart. I obey your commands and your instructions; you see everything I do. Let my cry for help reach you, LORD! Give me understanding, as you have promised. Listen to my prayer, and save me according to your promise! I will always praise you, because you teach me your laws. I will sing about your law, because your commands are just. Always be ready to help me, because I follow your commands. How I long for your saving help, O LORD! I find happiness in your law. Give me life, so that I may praise you; may your instructions help me. I wander about like a lost sheep; so come and look for me, your servant, because I have not neglected your laws.” Psalm 119:159-176

Do you love His Word?

Religion

2010-08-08T21:40:00.000-07:00

What is religion? Here is a good definition: "an institution to express belief in a divine power."

I am not a seeker after religion. I am seeking God. Our religion must never become a substitute for our personal relationship with God.

The institutionalism and denominationalism we often see, even in legitimate faiths, can be an obstruction in our path to finding God; just as adherents to a particular faith can be disappointing to those who truly desire a relationship with God.

Someone said, "Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living but tradition is the living faith of the dead." We can learn much from our forefathers but there is a trap to be avoided in clinging to dead ideas instead of a living person.

Here is the problem; we need to focus on a hero who is untarnished - that is Jesus Christ alone. No one else even comes close to his perfect example. All men have feet of clay and that is a fact.

Yes it is true that the church is full of hypocrites just as a hospital is full of sick people. I am sick and so are you. That does not mean that what we believe is false or that church is useless, but it does mean that no one is perfectly consistent in practicing their faith. We are all in a battle to become what God wants of us.

If a person hides behind the skirts of their faith and is insincere in their daily effort to pick up their cross to follow Jesus, they are not worthy to carry the name of the one they follow.

I am sick but aggressively seeking the cure. I am not the Messiah. I am just a follower who wishes to touch the hem of His garment.

Ground Rules

2010-08-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

Every pursuit needs to have rules by which it is conducted or we cannot fairly evaluate our progress or failure. Similarly, instead of just coming up with random ideas about God and calling them our worldview, we need to have a way to discern their validity. At a minimum, we should look at the origins of the faith, the originator or figurehead and the sacred writings which its adherents follow as their scripture.

Some people just collect ideas from all over the religious landscape which are often inconsistent with one another. For example, they may believe in the truth of the Christian Bible but reject certain of its teachings that do not correspond to some of their beliefs from other sources - thereby nullifying the authoritative nature of the Bible. Muslims say that the Christian Bible is a holy text in its original but that it has been corrupted and we no longer have access to the original. Mormons have added to the original with other writings which either supersede its orthodox interpretation or “expand” on its intended meaning; and Jehovah Witnesses have their own translation of the Bible with certain key changes - you get the point. What is the Bible you follow?

What about the origins of the faith? In Jamaica, we have a religion called Rastafarianism. It centers on the belief that Haile Selassie, the deceased Emperor of Ethiopia, was the true Messiah and not Jesus. But Haile Selassie was a Christ-follower and denied that he himself was the Messiah. Scientology is based on a science fiction novel which fomented ideas about where the human race originated and transmutated into a modern-day religion with many famous people embracing it as true. And just being old or established is not necessarily a proof of validity; Hinduism and Buddhism are two examples of this fact.

Who is the central figure of the faith? L. Ron Hubbard–convicted felon and tax-evader; Joseph Smith – fugitive from justice and polygamist; Mary Baker Eddy, Mohammad, Gautama Buddha, Krishna, Jesus? Take a good look at the person, not just their words. Even Judaism looks for the Messiah, but when Jesus came, the Jews denied His authority as being from God and crucified Him for claiming it was.

The point is that we must do a little investigation into the background; not just the claims of faith. There is more - much more – but this should get the wheels turning a bit.

“So we are even more confident of the message proclaimed by the prophets. You will do well to pay attention to it, because it is like a lamp shining in a dark place until the Day dawns and the light of the morning star shines in your hearts. Above all else, however, remember that none of us can explain by ourselves a prophecy in the Scriptures. For no prophetic message ever came just from the human will, but people were under the control of the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God.” II Peter 1:19-21

True Spirituality

2010-08-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

I have been seeking after a relationship with God and trying to understand His calling on my life since at least the age of 4. I know this because I am in possession of a letter my mother wrote after I invited Jesus to be my personal Savior in 1957.

I was recently corresponding with a longtime acquaintance about their spirituality and that conversation affected me deeply – to the point that I feel compelled to write about my faith so others can hopefully benefit from my thoughts. I don’t know that they will benefit, but I want them to do so very earnestly and feel that, at the very least, I will benefit from putting my thoughts down in this discourse.

The first point to acknowledge is that we come to God on His terms and not our own. Most of us sincerely believe that what we hold to be true, is rational and based on sound reasoning. However as I listen to other’s expressions of faith and understanding of God, it is apparent that their belief system is neither rational nor sound; but instead it is a hodge-podge of ideas that do not even fit together, let alone come from God. Whether we mean to or not, we are attempting to squeeze God into our little box instead of acknowledging how little we truly understand about Him. I am as guilty of this as anyone and am engaged in a lifelong effort to get outside of my own skin and see God as He really is; not just as I want Him to be. Will you join me in this pursuit of True Spirituality?

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” I Corinthians 13:12

See You Later Mom

2010-07-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Ruth Winters was born February 3, 1930 in Detroit, Michigan and passed into the arms of Jesus on Saturday, July 10, 2010 after 80 years of life here on earth.

Elizabeth leaves behind her older sister, Virginia Cummins and two sons: Daniel Southern of Dallas Texas, and Philip Schmunk of Venice, Florida; both in full-time Christian ministry. She also leaves behind 2 daughters-in-Law; Lori Southern and Donna Schmunk; 4 Grandchildren; Adam Southern; Tyler Southern; Philip A. Schmunk; and Jennie Harris; and 3 great grandchildren; Isabelle Harris; Oliver Harris; and Eero Schmunk. Other family members include; Larissa Theule; Jesse Harris; Niece Judy Huber; Nephew Nathan Cummins and all those who loved her.

Elizabeth had been married twice; first to Robert Frank Schmunk MD and then to Lewis A. Winters; both preceded her in death.

Elizabeth often accompanied her first husband on hunting and fishing trips to exotic places. In her younger years she visited Canada, the Bahamas and even Europe, but she preferred to stay close to home with family and friends. Elizabeth had resided in Michigan most of her life and then retired to Tennessee. Most recently she had taken up residence in DeLand, FL to be closer to her family.

One of her greatest joys was music and she had taught piano and voice for many years both as a source of income and a very important ministry. Elizabeth was a graduate of the Detroit Institute of Art and served as church pianist and/or choir director in various churches throughout the years. She had a strong soprano voice and loved to sing. Her audience and all her students loved her and she loved them.

Elizabeth was an outgoing and friendly person who never met a stranger. Her warm smile and encouraging relationships with those around her brought her the love and support of many friends. She began each day in the Word and fellowship with God in prayer.

Beginning in 2004 and until this year, Elizabeth invested the majority of her time in caring for her older sister Virginia. Elizabeth purposefully sought opportunities to talk to others about her faith in Christ. She often spent time praying for the ministries of her children, her family, missionaries and the needs of the people of God. Elizabeth was a generous contributor of her limited resources to outreach ministries for Christ. She loved to give.

Elizabeth had hoped that Christ’s return to earth would precede her death and she often liked to say, “I’m not looking for the undertaker, but the upper-taker.” She looked forward to a marvelous reunion with many family members and friends who had preceded her to Heaven in death. It was not in God’s plan to preserve Elizabeth until the Rapture, but she has now joined the heavenly chorus and awaits the rest of her family for a grand reunion sometime soon.

A memorial Service will be held this Friday, July 16th, in the First Baptist Church of DeLand’s Memorial Chapel and be led by her two sons. Visitors and well-wishers are welcome to join us in celebration of Elizabeth’s amazing life.

"Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us." 1 Corinthians 13:12

Double Loser

2010-04-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

“Generosity is not giving me that which I need more than you do, but it is giving me that which you need more than I do.” - Kahlil Gibran

Would you consider yourself a generous person? Here’s a test: have you spent more time thinking about how to amass wealth or how to give it away? It is a very perilous undertaking to be stingy, but it is a common fault among leaders. We often do for ourselves that which we would never do for our subordinates or employees.

King Midas was the epitome of a greedy man. You remember the story. He wished that everything he touched would turn to gold and eventually ruined his own happiness when he accidentally turned his daughter into a golden statue.

There is an old saying in the South, “Get all you can; can all you get; and sit on the lid.” Does that philosophy run parallel to your thinking or behavior? If so, you are very short sighted.

The story is told of a famous man before he was well-known and financially comfortable; he and his newly-wed wife were on a shoestring budget. In his left pocket he had a twenty-dollar bill and in his right pocket he had a one-dollar note. At church one Sunday when the offering plate was passed, he accidentally reached into the wrong pocket and gave away practically all his money. After the service, on his way home, he sheepishly admitted his unforgivable blunder to his young wife. She laughed at him until he became irritated and asked what was so funny? Her reply was that he had not only given away all their money but that he would only be blessed by God for the one-dollar gift he had intended to give. He was a double looser!

Are you a double looser? Leaders strive to be generous with others, and see the wisdom of storing up for themselves an even greater blessing both here on earth and in eternity too. God demonstrated this attitude on the cross of Calvary. God, who already possessed everything, gave his only Son to pay for our sins so we could inherit eternal life.” Now that is generosity!

“Learn to be generous to others and in doing so, you will be giving back to yourself.”

That's What We Do!

2010-03-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

If you are in ministry but stuck with a challenge that's over your hear, maybe it's time to get some help from competent and experienced Christian Leaders who have been around the block a few times.

PROstrata and PROstrata Foundation exist to assist you with the expertise you may need to get your ministry to the next level. Why not give us a call?

What we can offer your church or organization -

1. Coaching your senior pastor or CEO
2. Strengthening your staff
3. Strengthening your team – Board, staff and volunteers
4. Leadership development
5. Building unity in your organization
6. Establishing a new paradigm
7. Systems that will save time and enable better ministry
8. Dispute resolution and crisis management
9. Funding your organizational growth
10. Cultivating and supporting your donors
11. Putting on your own event for the community
12. Building your volunteer corps
13. Establishing an evangelistic program that fits your community
14. Better missions
15. Setting up discipleship programs
16. Establishing a small group program
17. Special programs to reach people with special interests
18. Board governance
19. Developing a stronger prayer ministry
20. Identifying and cultivating your unique giftedness and calling
21. Better use of multi-media
22. Connecting with the Next Generation
23. Women’s ministry basics
24. Summer programs to keep everyone moving in the right direction
25. Street events that make a long-lasting impact
27. Your organization and its community
28. Effective community outreach

Check out: www.DanielSouthernGroup.com for more ...

Victory

2009-08-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

Did I notice all the fabulous things that are going on in my life today? It is easy to miss them sometimes because I am so focused on certain specific outcomes that may not have come to pass yet. Sometimes I catch myself being ungrateful and am ashamed. I want to be an example of what gratitude looks like. Please forgive me.

This week was amazing. Today was amazing. Thank you Lord for the gifts you have given to me. When we were taught to pray, Jesus said, "Give us this day our daily bread." That means each day is enough!

Let's just slow down a bit and not worry about tomorrow. Today's blessings are enough. Lord, please give us a place to stand today and that will be enough. Tomorrow we will begin again with the troubles and the victories. And again you will prove yourself to be sufficient for all our needs.

Thank you!

Pain and Confusion

2009-08-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

I am hurting for three of my dearest friends. Today marked a kind of turning point for each one. They are smart and full of faith but questioning the events in their life because it isn't turning out the way they thought it would.

How is your life going right now? Are you just about out of resources? Are you confused by the fact that your faith has not unlocked the door? You are not alone. When Jesus was in the garden praying the night before he was killed by the mob, he earnestly prayed that this cup of suffering would pass him by, but it didn't. God had a better plan - but it was a more painful plan too.

When we ask God for something we have to accept the possibility that he will not do what we want. Is God deaf? Is he heartless or unfair?... Hardly. But God has a plan that is better than ours and he has never made a mistake. We can trust him completely.

I make mistakes all the time. Don't you? It's usually my mistakes that got me into the trouble I'm trying to pray myself out of. If I don't have to go through the situation I have created, I will not learn the important lessons I will need down the road to become what he wants me to be.

So I have a choice; get angry and frustrated with God for not giving me what I want, when I want it; or take my medicine because I realize it will make me better and prepares me for eternity. I want all the good stuff now, but he has a better plan and it usually has to do with deferring my pleasure until later.

Job said, "Though he slays me, yet will I trust him." I want to say that with all my heart. He may slay me, but I will not forget that my life is in his hands and I am "ready to do whatsoever my Lord the king shall appoint."

He is God and I am not. That is good enough for me. My pain and confusion are really just my way of not submitting to his plan with total trust and confidence in him.

Testing My Metal

2009-08-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

I am in a battle; just as you are. What do we really believe? It's one thing to say we believe something, but when the situation demands that our philosophy be put into action, can we do it? That is the test.

If we fall apart under pressure, we are inauthentic and just a bag of wind. I don't want that - do you? If anything, I want to be more committed to my philosophy than I claim to be ... not less.

We are tested in little ways every day. Over a lifetime, the little tests develop into habit and eventually shape our character. Take a good look at yourself. Are you really two people? The one you want to be and the one you really are?

When you are battle-hardened and know what your reaction will be under fire, then you are worth something and very valuable as a leader.

So don't run from the test...Run into it!

Denial

2009-06-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight Janice showed us all how duplicitous the human heart can be. If you are watching "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!" you know what I am talking about. I am torn between feeling badly for her and being nauseated by her shenanigans.

Any time I see something that reflects such base human behavior I have the same reaction... because that is me too. Here is the first "super model" who is beautiful on the outside but ugly on the inside. Please don't try to tell me that we are all basically good either. That argument just doesn't hold water if you read the news or live in the same world I do. So if we are all messed up, what's the use pretending everything is good when it isn't?

Well there is hope and here is how it works. God has given us a free pass on our ugliness if we will let Him. Granted no one is ugly all the time but if you served me up a three egg omelet using 2 perfect eggs and one rotten egg, what kind of omelet would it be? So to be honest we are all rotten and fall far short of perfection. Let's admit that much anyway.

I need God and so do you; to get us out of the mess we are in. He can do it and we cannot. So why all the stalling? Let's get down on our knees and beg for forgiveness and healing from the filth of our lives. And when we mess up and jump back into the dirt from which He pulled us, so what? I expect nothing less; knowing what kind of person I am. But I also know something about God and He will keep on helping us as long as we want Him to do so. His compassion and love are never ending.

There is a price to be paid for failure - but He paid it all for us. The only thing we need to keep in mind is that when we keep wallowing in the mud and filth, there will be a consequence and our growth into the person He wants us to become is slowed or stalled.

God places His Spirit in us when He adopts us into His family. So you can be sure that if you belong to Him, He will not let you rest if you aren't living right. But that's a beautiful thing; to think that He wants to help us that much.

So buck up Baby and when you see ugliness in other people, remember that's you too and only placing your trust in God will get any of us straightened out.

What is Baptism?

2009-06-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight, my friend and brother in the Lord, Stephen Baldwin, baptized a young man on the reality show he is currently filming. As I watched, it occurred to me that for many this was a silly exhibition by a "born again" Christian; but as a matter of fact, it may not have been.

You see baptism is an outward expression to onlookers of an inward reality and transformation. Baptism does not change a person's relationship with or standing before God. It does not wash away your sin, nor is it a religious formality that has no real meaning.

When a person comes before God and acknowledges their need of forgiveness for their independent spirit and actions (sin) and expresses a desire to no longer live apart from Him, they are said to be "born again." This phrase comes from the New Testament story when a learned religious leader of Jesus' day came to him to find out who Jesus really was. In describing what it meant to be a follower of God, Jesus tells the Rabbi that he must not only be born in a natural way but also in a spiritual way - this is being "born again."

When we are baptized we are entering into a symbolic act that represents dying and coming to life again, just as Jesus did. The water is symbolic of death and cleansing. We go into the water as a lost and condemned sinner and come up out of the water as a new person who has been cleansed and brought into the life God originally intended - one of surrender and submission to Him.

No one in this life is perfect or even close to it, but being born again is how we secure a place in heaven based on what God has done for us. That is not something we earn but it is a free gift we simply receive from Jesus who provided the way by dying in our place on the cross of Calvary.

Baptism is how we broadcast our new relationship with God to the world. It is a powerful statement that we make to the world, staking out our covenant with God that has unconditionally changed us forever.

Some may be baptized as a religious formality, but to most this act means that something real and vital has taken place in our spiritual life and before God. I hope this clarifies what many saw on television in the jungles of Costa Rica tonight. If it was a genuine personal expression of faith, then it was a marvelous way to tell the world that something very significant has taken place in the life of the participants.

Check out this Trace Adkins video on YouTube: http://bit.ly/QD6B9

Timing Is Everything.

2009-05-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

My dog Gracie and I have an agreement. We go for a walk at least once a day - sometimes twice. Now she doesn't wear a watch but her intuition is uncanny and she always knows when its time. The problem arises in that I am not on the same schedule that she is on. So she gets up in my lap and just stares at me as if to say, "Well? Let's go!"

A lot of times I am still wrapping up something I need to finish before I can oblige her - so she has to wait. She never gets mad, but she keeps bothering me until I relent. Then when we finally get out the leash, she goes bonkers with joy. It is a lot of fun to take her because it makes her so happy to get out of the house.

I have been waiting for the Lord a lot lately and discovered that just because I am ready doesn't mean He is. I am learning to be patient in the full confidence that God wants to answer my prayers but in His time which is not necessarily the same as mine.

I know He loves me and takes joy in giving me the desire of my heart but I must learn to take my watch off and just follow His lead. When He says the time is right, then we go. That is not easy but it is always the best practice!

MySpace.com Blogs - Daniel Southern MySpace Blog

2008-12-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

MySpace.com Blogs - Daniel Southern MySpace Blog

The Message of Leadership

2008-10-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

I wrote the Message of Leadership as an inspirational book for leaders of all kinds. It contains 31 daily readings on different topics inspired by the 31 chapters of the ancient book of Proverbs which was written by the wisest man who ever lived.

My goal was to combine these proverbs with pithy personal insights and stories that will make a leader think about the way they exert their gift of leadership on those around them. It is suitable as a gift for those graduating from school, leaders in government, teachers, business associates, moms or anyone who leads others or aspires to do so. I originally intended it as a special way to say thanks to those who give of themselves for our benefit.

Not only will you get my inspirational thoughts, but you will also receive the entire book of Proverbs as translated by Eugene Peterson in "The Message." The volume comes either in the regular paperback edition or a special first edition cover and I will gladly autograph it to you upon request. This book is available directly from me (Daniel Southern)for $15 post paid for the regular edition or $20 for the special edition cover. Just send your check and request to me at:

1314 West McDermott Drive
Allen Texas 75013

Blessings,
Dan Southern

Don't Do It "Your Way"

2008-10-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

"Mistakes: I've made a few, but then again too few to mention." Oh, how I have wished the lyrics of Frank Sinatra's song were true in my life. For example, I can hardly watch a football game without being reminded of the handful of big plays that I blew when I was playing. If they had just gone the other way, I might have ended up playing football instead of working for Billy Graham. But upon serious reflection, that wouldn't have been a good thing.

In fact, if my life had gone the way I wanted it to go, none of my dreams would have come true and I would have ended up going down the wrong path entirely. Funny how my mistakes weren't really mistakes at all but only turning points upon which my entire life has hinged.

When I was 16 years old my parents were divorced. At the time I could not have given you one positive outcome that would have resulted from such a catastrophe. Yet as I look back on my life almost four decades later, it is so obvious how God used this disappointment in my life to put me on the path He had chosen for me – the path I really wanted!

Psychologists tell us that it is not what happens to us, but how we interpret the events of our life that determine the effect they will have on us. I believe that is true based on my personal experience. We will either grow better or bitter – the choice is ours.

Learn to step outside the "moment" of the setback and realize it is an opportunity to go in a different direction than you had originally planned; that is not a bad thing but can be a "fresh start" moment in your life that can revolutionize everything for the better if you will allow it to.

Here is a legitimate prayer to say to God; "Lord today I give you permission to change my schedule and interrupt my plans if it is better to move me in a new direction that will bring more glory to your name." We really don't need to give God permission to do anything, but by submitting our will to His, we place our self in a position to accept his "better plan."

What would you rather have; your own way or the best way? When put in this context, the answer is obvious. Learn to step outside the emotion of the moment; the disappointment; the anger and frustration; and embrace the wisdom of going with God's game plan – it is never a mistake and always the best thing that could have happened if we will embrace it. And there is a big difference between merely accepting God's way and truly embracing it with all our heart.

Don't do it your way; do it God's way. Embrace the failure and mistakes and you will have no regrets because they will take you places you never even dreamed of. You will go places you could not have gone and have experiences that would have been impossible if you had your own way and were allowed to follow your flawed dreams without interruption. Mistakes can be magical and transformative if you learn to embrace them.