I Am Secure

Although I have to admit, owning a design firm, you would think I would have done this some time ago. But, really, who has time? And I have ALWAYS been a closed-type person. "Don't get to involved, you might get hurt." Well, life has been tough, and my wife's recent jump into the blog-o-sphere has inspired me to begin as well.

Just as I was by Kim's blog, my hope is maybe someone out there will be inspired, who knows? In the past year, Kim and I have gone through a lot of tough times. Thankfully, God has provided an abundance of His grace on us. And even as I sit here, I can think of a dozen things that would encompass my thoughts, cause me to fall away for fear, and becoming a lump looking at where I am.

Stepping Up to The Plate

Yesterday, I listened to a sermon from Charles Stanley. The InTouch ministry has been one I have looked to many times recently. Pastor Stanley's message was one that really helped me last night. I was in a slump about all that was and is going on, and I really felt defeated about life in general. As I listened to the sermon, it occurred to me this perspective was wrong! I can't sit and wallow in self-pity looking on how life has been hard. Life is hard, not just for me but for everyone. And God isn't wanting us to look at our trials, but to Him. He is the only person that can overcome such situations as I am facing. LDF is a dream come true, and I am so thankful that God has allowed Kim and I this opportunity to actually do something like LDF. Of course, worldly viewpoints would tell me we are doing it ALL wrong. "Take out a loan! Get four or five credit cards, rent a location, purchase signs, billboards, TV ads!"

Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying any of these (with the exception of the credit - my opinion on that will be saved on a later blog) are bad. And each of them will have a moment in time to come true for LDF. But from the beginning, LDF was developed as a sow and then reap concept. Work, then the benefits of that work come in, turn a little around with future work, and grow slowly over time. This is a principle LDF was founded on. 

But for a family that was laid off from a church position in one of our countries worst economic environments with no savings, a rather large mortgage, credit beyond my head, oh yeah, and a newborn, starting a business would be near to impossible. Good thing I have God on my side!

Still, with all these issues, they can plague the mind and rot the soul if I am not careful. And I find myself slipping back into such a mud puddle. But Stanley states in his sermon notes:

So what do I do? I continue on. I pick myself back up and go on towards what He has called me to do. Sometimes I only know what that is for the next hour, sometimes more. Until He reveals his purpose for us, we can be content in the fact: I am secure!