Rise & Move Forward...

Every morning, I remind myself of this: there’s no such thing as a day without challenges. And if you find yourself in a season with none, it’s worth asking whether you’re really pushing forward at all.

Growth requires resistance. Moving forward means you’re stretching yourself, facing things head-on, and choosing not to stay comfortable. That alone sets you apart—because not everyone is willing to do it.

Life isn’t meant to be easy. It’s meant to test you, shape you, and push you. That’s how you know you’re alive. That’s how you discover your strength—the ability to keep going, to keep growing, no matter what comes your way. When you meet life head-on, you build the backbone to create the life you want instead of settling for the one handed to you.

I’ve always been someone who takes life by the horns. And when necessary, I’ve been a bit of a bull in a china shop too. I don’t sit back and let life happen to me—I meet it head-on. That doesn’t mean life hasn’t thrown its share of challenges my way. It has. But what matters is how you respond.

It matters that you face those moments and turn them into something that moves you forward. Something that builds strength instead of defeat. Because defeat should never define you—it should shape you. Refine you. Push you closer to who you’re meant to become.

Your life is what you make of it. Don’t let circumstances—or anyone else—convince you otherwise.

At 56 years old, almost 57, I’ve seen and experienced a lot. And I’ve raised my son differently than how I was raised. He’s forward-thinking. He goes after life instead of waiting for it to come to him. He faces challenges with the mindset of a warrior, not a worrier. That mindset has helped him become a successful elite athlete—but more importantly, it’s helped shape who he is as a person.

You don’t have to accept life as it’s handed to you. You can choose to rise, to grow, to become. Be intentional. Be driven. Be you—with purpose. And whatever you do, don’t quit.

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV) says, 

". . . Let us throw off 

everything that hinders. . .

And let us run with perseverance

the race marked out for us."

Romans 12:6-8...

Paul lists a number of gifts God has given the members of the body of Christ. Paul uses this word "gift" elsewhere to denote a God-given ability to serve the community of Christ in a particular way.

Whatever gifts we have been given, we are under obligation to our Lord to use them to serve his people. Other Christians need what each of us has to offer, so participating in the larger community of faith through the local church is a critical responsibility of believers.

Oh What A Day...

Today was quite a day. Mom was up most of the night dealing with hives and constant itching. She took Benadryl—the pill form—and I applied hydrocortisone, but instead of improving, it actually got worse.

We ended up at orthopedic urgent care this evening, and after talking with two doctors, we finally figured out the cause—she was having a delayed reaction to the prep cloths used before surgery. They advised me to thoroughly wash her to remove any remaining solution, keep her skin well moisturized, and give her liquid Benadryl around the clock for the next few days.

In the middle of all that, I also took the boys lunch at a commercial job and squeezed in some shopping. Thankfully, once we got home tonight, Mom has been resting really well.

What a day.

Mom's Appt. Today...

Just wanted to keep you in the loop with a little update. Mom’s 2 week post-op appointment with her surgeon went really well today—he was so pleased with how her knee is looking. She’s bending it really well (even though it’s still painful), and he said her range of motion is already at 100%, which is amazing for just a little over two weeks post-op.

She’ll continue home PT through next week, then start outpatient PT the week after. Getting up so early for the appointment really wore her out, so she’s resting now. We’re just so thankful to be seeing this kind of progress.

Mom's Total Knee Replacement Recovery...

Just a quick update: Mom is progressing well. She’s moving much better, which is encouraging. I’m looking forward to getting her off the oxy pain medication—she’s been taking it consistently since surgery, and I’m not a fan of it. 

She has a follow-up with her surgeon on Thursday. Home health PT wraps up next week, and she’ll start outpatient PT on May 4th—I’ll be taking her. Everyone we’ve talked to says that by the two-month mark, there’s a noticeable difference and you’re really glad you had the surgery. 

She’ll hit that two-month mark on June 7th—just a week before Tim’s Nationals Meet in Colorado—so I’m praying she’s recovered enough by then to house-and pet-sit for us. If not, we go to plan B which we are still putting together as I type this—it will include someone to be here for her as well.

I’m really proud of her—she’s a trooper. We’ve learned a lot through this, especially for the next time. The advice we’re getting is to wait at least 6 months, maybe even a year, before doing the other knee, so we’ll just see how her recovery goes.

Isaiah 55:6...

The people of Isaiah's day were faced with a clear choice: remain in unbelief or move forward in uncertainty. God was calling His people to exercise faith first and allow understanding to come afterward.

For the people of Isaiah’s day—and even for us today—this is no easy task. We naturally want to know exactly what we’re stepping into. We want full clarity before we commit. We prefer understanding first, and then we’re willing to place our faith in something.

But that’s not how it works with God. Faith comes first—that is His order. Understanding follows. It may not feel comfortable, and it may not be what we would choose, but it is what God asks of us.

Romans 12:4-5/1 Corinthians 12:1-31...

This picture is brought to you by Precept Ministries 

The church, Paul says, is like our individual bodies. It has many different parts, each with its own function. But all the parts form "one body," and each part is needed if the body is to function as it should.

I strongly encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 12 and if you have a study bible read all the footnotes as well. It helps in the understanding of the scripture. 

In my bible 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 has this footnote:

"Our is an age that delights to exalt Christian celebrities, to demand that our pastors entertain, have charismatic personalities, and display more spiritual gifts than any one Bible character ever had. Little wonder that burnout from full-time ministry seems to be at an all-time high and that failures of whatever kind—at times—results from the stress. We need to follow the model of servant leadership (recall ch.4) and allow our leaders and ourselves to spend the majority of our time doing those things at which we excel." 

To that I personally say, a big, AMEN!!!

When I was growing up, going to church looked very different. We sang from hymnals, accompanied by a pianist and an organist. Occasionally, a soloist would share a special song—something meant to encourage, uplift, and prepare our hearts for the message the pastor was about to deliver.

There was no production—no lights, no fog, no bands. The sanctuary truly felt like a sanctuary: a sacred, set-apart place. We didn’t bring food or drinks inside. It was understood that this was holy ground.

When the pastor preached, it wasn’t flashy. In fact, a lot of the sermons felt a bit monotonous at times, mostly because many of the preachers spoke in a steady, unchanging tone. There were no theatrics, no storytelling, no personal anecdotes—just straightforward teaching from the Bible. Simply what it said.

Looking back, I can’t help but think there’s value in returning, at least in part, to that kind of simplicity. A focus on truly learning and understanding Scripture. It might not appeal to everyone, but it would quickly reveal who is genuinely seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus—and who isn’t.

Burnout doesn’t have to be inevitable—if we, as the church, choose not to let it be. When we step back and refuse to let the pressures of this age define how we gather—pressures like turning worship into a concert with lights and fog, expecting pastors to entertain us, or believing they need a certain charisma or an extraordinary display of spiritual gifts just to keep our attention—we create space for something healthier.

If we resist those expectations and return to a simpler, more grounded approach, we’d be far better off as a church—spiritually stronger, more focused, and less exhausted.

No One Can Stop God's Plan For You...

No one can stop what God has already set in motion for your life.

People may misunderstand you. Doors may close. Plans may fall apart in ways you didn’t expect. But none of that has the power to override what God has purposed for you. What’s meant for you won’t miss you.

There will be delays—but delays are not denials. There will be obstacles—but obstacles are not the end. Even the things that seem to work against you are often the very things God uses to position you exactly where you need to be.

You don’t have to force it. You don’t have to fight every battle. What God has ordained will come to pass in His timing, not yours—and nothing and no one can stand in the way of that.

Stay faithful. Stay focused. Keep moving forward.

Because when God has a plan for your life, it will find you, carry you, and unfold exactly as it’s meant to. 

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God knows the plans He has for us and that they are good plans to give us a future and a hope. Let's cling to that—today and everyday—as we also cling to the knowledge that no one can stop His plans for us. 

Life Stops For No One...

Today was another reminder that life doesn’t stop for anyone or anything.

A friend of mine is walking through a difficult season with both of her kids, who are elite athletes, navigating challenges that come with that level of competition. At the same time, our son has been dealing with severe sinus congestion and an earache—caused by his allergies.

Then there’s my mom, who recently had a total knee replacement and is really struggling with the pain. Helping her through recovery and rehab is going to take a lot.

We’ve also been helping and supporting a friend whose parents are hoarders as she tries to relocate them, but we’ve had to step back for now because of everything going on with my mom. And another friend is facing multiple health concerns with her husband.

It just keeps coming.

Life doesn’t slow down. One thing hits, you handle it, and then something else follows. It’s constant, and it can feel relentless.

But at the end of the day, what matters most is how you respond. Your attitude in the middle of it all makes the difference. You meet life head-on, stay steady, and refuse to be taken out by the weight of it. Strength, focus, and determination carry you through—even when it’s hard, even when it doesn’t let up.

Scot's Birthday Dinner...

We took Scot to Bonefish Grill last night for his birthday while my cousin stayed with my mom, who’s recovering from total knee replacement surgery. It felt so good to get out and celebrate him together.

Bonefish is his favorite spot, and it worked out perfectly—his birthday landed on the night we could all enjoy their famous Bang Bang Shrimp at half off. That definitely didn’t hurt!

You could tell he truly enjoyed the evening—just being out, sharing a meal, and spending time together. We only make it to Bonefish a couple of times a year, so we always make the most of it when we do.