Counting My Blessings

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord God, I praise You this morning my King...! Thank You for another beautiful day to serve You and impact souls for the Kingdom. You are awesome and wonderful. You are Glorious. You named the stars in the heavens. You know every hair on my head. You've got the whole world in your hands. I love You Father.

This morning dear Lord I thank You for the many wonderful blessings in my life. Thank You for my wonderful wife and my sweet family. Thank You Lord for the contract on our house in Houston. Father God I lift up the buyers and ask blessings on this sale. It's all in Your hands, my King.

Lord I thank You for the new owners of my tennis club and how things are going under this new management. I lift the new owners up to You Father. Bless them Lord. And I thank You and pray that You continue to bless the tennis department.

Of course, Lord I thank You and praise You for First Baptist Church of West Columbia. Thank You for the church leaders, and my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Lord and I lift them up to You, as well.

This weekend Lord I'm taking a group of young athletes to a tennis competition. I thank You for this opportunity to lead these young people. Lord I pray for a safe weekend and one of good, wholesome competition. I pray for an opportunity to witness, Father.

Thank You God for just being God. Thank You Lord, for being my precious Savior. Thank You for going to the cross for my sins. I live because of Your sacrifice. I Love You Lord. And I give this day to You.

I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.

If You Were Put On Trial For Being A Christian, Would There Be Enough Evidence to Convict You...?

Have You ever heard the old question if You were put on trial for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to Convict You...?

Being a 'nice' person is not enough. Doing some good deeds is not enough. It's a 'heart' thing. Several men who have made a huge impact on my life in the past few years just have a certain peace about them. They exhibit a calmness. They exhibit a confidence. They exhibit an authentic compassion for everyone and everything going on around them. And they never seem to miss an opportunity to witness because witnessing is the priority of their day. It's their lifestyle. And these are not clergy men. These are lay men like myself. Wow, what an inspiration they are...!

Let me ask You this: How many times a day do you miss an opportunity to turn a conversation to spiritual matters?

For me, it's more than I would like to admit. My prayer today is that I become more bold for Christ. My prayer is that the entire world can easily, readily identify me as a Christian. Let my countenance reveal at all times that Jesus Christ is on my heart.

Dear Heavenly Father, Lord You are so Good. I can't believe the blessings that I continue to receive daily. And Lord what do I do for You in return....? Not Enough, that's for sure.

Lord, help me to be more like You. Especially help me in the area of patience. Father God, I know I miss many opportunities to take a stand for You every day in my interaction with others. Help me to do better. Help me to be like David, a man after Your own heart.

I love You Lord. You are working in my life right now in a powerful way. Thank You for the witness and encouragement of my sweet wife, Monica. Thank You for the childish innocence and the unconditional love of my sweet baby Elijah. Thank You for the blessing of church friends.

Clearly Lord, I have been singled out for special treatment. And I know that to whom much is given then much is also expected in return. Father I want to return these gifts many times over.

Lord I give this day to You. I give my life to You. And I pray these things in the precious blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Praise Report.....!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord God You are so Good. This has been an awesome weekend so far... My tournament went very well yesterday. Connor played fantastic in the tournament. And the big, big, big blessing is that we got an offer on our house yesterday afternoon...! Thank You, Jesus...!

Lord it's all You. Every good and perfect gift comes from You. Praise You, Lord..!

Father today I lift up the family whose buying our house. Bless them Lord. And I pray that they are a blessing to the neighborhood.

Lord God as always I want to lift up our church staff, especially on Sunday morning. And Father I today I just want to lift up clergy everywhere. I pray that powerful sermons are taught and that many souls are won for You today. Lord I pray for the spiritually dead and the luke-warm Christians out there. I pray that today they take a stand for You.

And Father I pray for myself and my family. Lord I believe in You. You can do all things. And You've got the whole world in Your hands. I pray for Elijah's health. He's had a fever off and on for the past few days. I pray for my knee Lord. Help me to become more flexible again.

Father I lift up my sweet wife who tirelessly echos my prayers and is constantly lifting me up. Thank You especially for her. She has grown to become a woman of great faith. She is nurturing and encouraging and a perfect help mate to me. She's a true blessing in my life.

Lord Jesus thank You again for the contract offer that is on our home in Houston. That has been a huge prayer request for some time. We know that everything is in Your perfect time, Father, and we are sorry for the times when we were anxious.

Lord this family Believes in You. We Trust in You, Father. You are the Lord and Savior of our souls. Father God I give this day to You for Your glory. And I pray these things in Jesus' name,

Amen.

Prayer For My day

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord this is the day that You have made... And I will rejoice in it...! Thank You My King for blessing Elijah's sleep last night. I hope and pray that he and Monica have a good day today... I pray for complete healing upon Elijah this morning and that there will be no more fever...!

Father God, I ask blessings on all my activities today. I have over 30 people coming out to play tennis this morning and afternoon. Lord I especially ask travelling mercy on all those who are coming a great distance to be here. I pray for good sportsmanship and good weather.

Lord I pray for my health as I've had very little sleep these past few days. Father thank you for Dr Coburn helping my knee injury.

Lord, I pray that today might be a favorable day for someone who's looking to buy a house in north Houston to pick ours...

God I just praise You. I thank you for Prayer and for the fact that You are a God of prayer. Everything I have is of You. Everything I'll do today is through You. I give this day to You, my King. And I pray these things in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Prayer for Elijah

My sweet little baby is sick tonight...! He has a fever of 102.5 degrees. Monica just gave him some children's Motrin and is trying to get him to go to sleep... I just lift him up (mom too...) in prayer tonight.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord You are Good. You are an Awesome God. I thank You for our precious little baby Elijah. He is Yours, Lord. And we trust You to heal him. Father God I pray that the medicine we gave him a few minutes ago works it's course quickly and breaks the fever and makes Elijah feel better.

Father I pray for a peaceful, restful sleep for mom and baby. Lord God I know that all things are possible with the Giver of Life, the Maker of the Universe...!

Dear Lord I'm sorry I didn't take time to do my devotional this morning. That was about the dumbest thing I could have done.... I was feeling convicted pretty much all day about it. -And I had a bad day because of it. -A really bad day... It reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw a long time ago.

It said NO Jesus = No Peace. And that was certainly true of today. I definitely did not have peace today.

Father God, by Your grace I WILL do better tomorrow. Thanks again, Lord. Thanks for the blessing. And I place the health of my sweet little boy in the hands of the Great Physician.

Lord,I love You. and I pray these things in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Jesus Was the Perfect Gift

Jesus is God’s precious and perfect gift to us. Heaven sent, the present
was willingly given at great cost because we were in desperate need. God
fashioned a gift that is: Universal and Personal. The Father offers salvation
through Jesus Christ to the whole world, one person at a time. (John 3:16) Whoever receives Him discovers His unlimited worth. -Dr Charles Stanley

When I was a young boy my mom taught me to be thankful whenever I received a gift. She would have me write a personal thank you note or phone the giver and personally express my feelings of gratitude. I have been thinking about my life before I knew Christ and my life these past 20 years of walking with HIM. Oh, I've thanked Jesus many times for going to the cross for my sins. But I don't think I can ever thank him enough. I mean really, how can one properly thank someone for laying down their life for them...?

The best we can do is to thank HIM every day. We can Thank HIM constantly.We can live a life abandoned to serving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, forsaking everything else...!

Lord Jesus,

Today Dr Stanley's message really moved me. The Holy Spirit has convicted me that I'm not grateful enough, and that I think about myself and my own selfish needs way too much. You modeled a life of total giving and unselfishness. Father God, I AM very thankful for Your gift of eternal life. Your act of unselfish sacrifice changed the course of humanity.

I live because You died.

Thank You Lord. Thank You Jesus. I'm sorry for those days when I was 'too busy' to pray. I love You Lord and I pledge the remainder of my life to following You and impacting those within my sphere of influence for you, Jesus.

Bless me and my house, Father.

And I pray these things in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, -Amen.

How Hot Is Hell...?

This post is a little out of the ordinary... It was inspired by my making breakfast a few minutes ago. I had placed two veggie patties under the broiler in our oven a few minutes ago and was turning them over. The first time I tried to turn them over I opened the oven door and took a spatula to flip the patties. But in doing so I reached partially into the oven. At once I could feel the heat radiating off the heating element from the top of the oven. It was really more than could bear and I quickly pulled my hand out.

The second time I tried to flip the pattie I pulled the tray out away from the fire before I did so.

Fortunately I didn't burn myself. But it did get me thinking about the Lake of Fire in Revelation, and also the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. I remember that after death the Rich Man and Lazarus were separated by a great divide and the rich man was tormented with boils and burns from which he could find no relief.

I would imagine that hell is much hotter than the broiler inside my oven. What I can't imagine is enduring the pain from the fires of hell for all eternity. Praise the Lord I will never have to experience the lake of unquenchable fire because I am saved.

I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I am not saved by any good thing I have done. Jesus did it all. It's just my faith that saves me. And it's my belief in Christ and my love for Him that transforms me.

Knowing how hot my broiler is, I don't want any part of hell. Now I know a good many friends who believe in God and Heaven. But I wonder what they believe about hell...? I've had conversations with them about their 'belief' systems. But I haven't really spoken to anyone very much about hell.

I suppose if we are 'saved' then hell isn't an issue for us, right...? Well how about those who think they are saved but they really aren't...? I know that there are people like that out there. I know because I was one of them...! I was deceived.

Now I can't be certain to know the condition of a person's heart just by looking at them on the outside and it's not for me to personally judge anyone. But if I love someone, if I truly care about them, then I'm going to let them know what's on my mind with regards to eternal security.

How hot is hell...? I don't know, but it's got to be at least as hot as my broiler.

Our church is about to start an outreach into our community. I'm excited about that. And I want to lift up my church body and it's efforts to reach lost and hurting souls in our area.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord you are the Creator of Heaven and Earth. You are the Creator of all things. You must have created hell. You did a great job making the earth, that's for sure. I'm sure that you didn't cut any corners in the making of hell. I believe that hell has got to be hotter than the hottest fire here on earth.

I don't want to see anyone judged and sent to hell, especially a friend or family member.

Father God, I pray that You bless the outreach efforts of First Baptist West Columbia. Bless the efforts of this family, Lord. We know that we have been called to minister to a lost world. Lord I pray for Your blessing on our ministry efforts. Let lives be changed by the hearing of the TRUTH. Let hearts be impacted through a kind encouraging word.

Lord Jesus, We are under spiritual attack. But You will uphold us. No weapon will prosper against us. No enemy can overtake us. We are covered by Your cleansing blood Oh precious Savior.

I love You Lord. I pledge my life and my fortune to You. It's all Yours, Jesus. Thank You for this life and thank You for life everlasting. thank you for this day my King. I consecrate it to your glory. And I pray these things in Your sweet holy name, Amen.

Lifting Up A Friend's Family

I have a good friend whom I've known for years. He recently confided in me that his mother was very ill. She is currently in Houston's Methodist Hospital having suffered a mild heart attack. Today I lift up this family.

Dear Lord God, You are the Great Healer. Father I ask a blessing of healing upon my friend's mom. I lift up my friend's father too, Lord. No doubt he is very concerned over the situation as well. And Lord I pray for my friend. He is the only sibling.

Lord what good can come out of a heart attack...? These situations are not easy to explain. Certainly any crisis draws us closer to You. We are made keenly aware of our own mortality when someone close to us has a near encounter with a life threatening occurrence. My friend's mom didn't even know she was having a heart attack. She knows now. I pray for the condition of her spirit, Lord.

Father I'm not sure what the outcome of this situation will be, but You do. You are God and You know all things. Lord I just pray that Your will be done and that all this is worked out for good.

I give this situation to You, my King. Thank You Lord for Life. And Thank You Father for Life Everlasting. Thank You Jesus for your Great Sacrifice.

I give this day to You, Lord. And I pray these things in the power of the holy and precious name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Waiting On God's Timing

Haven't you ever heard the phrase 'Timing is everything...' ? I talk about timing every day in my tennis classes. To hit a ball correctly one must 'time' several elements just right. If the point of contact on a tennis ball is to early or too late the desired result will not be achieved.

Dr Charles Stanley of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia had some interesting remarks about timing recently and he illustrated it with scripture...

Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord." Most of God's greatest servants had to learn to wait on His timing. When we think of waiting, we often think of having to put on hold what we want immediately. Paul wanted to take the Gospel into Macedonia, but the Holy Spirit blocked him from entering that region. (Acts 16:9-10) We are never given the reason why God blocked Paul. However, we do know that years later, he did preach in parts of this region and saw many come to Christ.

God knows exactly where and when you need to do what He has called you to do. He knows when it is right for you to move forward in a given area. Getting ahead of Him only leads to frustration and fear. One of the ways we do move ahead of God is in rushing to meet our own needs. Learn to be patient and wait on God's timing. His goodness is worth the additional time He may require of you. When you rush ahead of God, you miss all the challenges and blessings He places along your path. You can wait and be blessed or move ahead of Him and risk disappointment.

If you feel as though you already have gotten ahead of God, go immediately to Him in prayer. Confess your lack of trust. Ask Him to forgive you and encourage you in the way you should go from this point on.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You Lord for amazing witness of Dr Charles Stanley. Father, I do confess that I am not always as patient as I should be. Sometimes I procrastinate and wait too long and sometimes I act in haste. Help me to wait on You a little bit better. Help me to be in tune with Your perfect timing.

Father God, I do put the sale of our house in Houston in Your hands. And I do give some difficult relationship issues to You. Oh I realize they are difficult only for me, but not You, my King. You are capable of all things. You are a strong and Mighty God.

Thank You Jesus for my wife, Monica. She has been a rock to me. She has been an inspiration. I lift her up to You, dear Lord. Thank You for her witness.

Lord Jesus I thank you for First Baptist West Columbia. Father God there is a lot going on at that Church. I feel that you are about to move in that church in a mighty way. Show me Father what my role should be in all this. Is it serving in the music ministry, the youth ministry, or a combination of both...? Is there another area You'd like for me to serve in...? A men's ministry, perhaps...?

Should I start an intercessory prayer ministry for this church like I tried to do at Church in the Heights...?

Father God I have all these questions. The answers are not clear to me. I pray for clarity. I pray for clearness of purpose, vision. But Lord I will be patient. I will keep praying. I will be faithful. You are more than faithful, Jesus. You constantly exceed my expectations.

Lord You are good. Thank You Jesus for Your Gift of Eternal Salvation. I know it's free to me, but it wasn't inexpensive. Thank you Lord. Thank You for Life Everlasting.

I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.

Lifting up CCCC and WCFBC

Dear Heavenly Father,

Father I thank You for Clear Creek Community Church. It was the church that Monica and I first attended together. It was the church where we really grew close to You. I recently received a message from the Pastor of Clear Creek stating that even though the church had grown from two services to four services, that they were still experiencing seating issues with an overflow of attendees.

Lord I pray for Clear Creek this morning. I pray that regular attenders of the Sunday 9:30 and 11 AM services would switch to the 8 AM Sunday or the Saturday 6 PM service to make room for the 'seekers'. Father lift up Pastor Bruce Wesley as he gives his message today. Father bless Lowell and the Clear Creek Praise team and the band.

And of course Lord, this morning I pray for Pastor Dave and the fellowship at First Baptist Church of West Columbia. Father I lift up the First Baptist Praise Team and brother Mark today.

Lord I pray that today would spark a change in me. Lord I pray that You help me change my heart. I've been too negative lately. I have not been patient, kind, and gentle. But I want to be. And I know that the only way that my heart will be changed is through You. I can't do it on my own. In fact, I can not do anyhing on my own.

Father God, You are my Rock. You are my shelter. I cling to You. I worship You. I praise You and give You all the Glory and Honor, my King...! And I give this day to You, Jesus.

Lord I love You. Once again I leave these special requests and many other unspoken requests at Your feet. You know them all, Lord. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You Lord. And I pray these things in Your precious holy name, Amen.

Still Praising...

My knee continues to improve, and today the owners of my club are starting work refurbishing the tennis center...! These are two HUGE prayer requests answered... Yes, God is Good..!

Thank You Dear Lord for these blessings. It feels so good to be able to move around with little or no pain... And Thank you also for the vision of the new club owners. They are working hard to improve their new asset.

Heavenly Father, I just surrender today to You, Lord. Everything I do today is done for Your Glory, and Honor. I pray for a good day for the work crew today. I pray for a good day of marketing for my upcoming tournament...! It's all in Your hands.

Lord I ask that you help me be patient today, I've been struggling a bit with anger here and there. Help me be kind and gentle and encouraging, Father. And Father I pray for opportunities to witness my faith today. Let my light shine today, Lord.

Father, I give my house in Houston to You this weekend. Perhaps today is the day we will get an offer...! Father we submit to Your will in that matter, but Lord I lift up the future buyers of our home -whoever they are... Bless them, Father.

Lord Jesus I pray these things in the power of your holy Name, Amen.

BIG, BIG, BIG PRAISE REPORT...!

Yesterday morning my knee was killing me. But by the end of the day I'd say that it was about 85% improved. Last night was my first night to sleep virtually pain free in months...! Today I'm in the 90 percentile of improvement. There's still just a little twinge of pain there, but I'm definitely on the mend...!

Honestly, I've had pain of some sort or another in my foot, calf, hamstring, and knee for so long that I forgot what it was like to walk pain free, and wake up not hurting...

I quit wearing the orthotics and that's when it started feeling better. Then, yesterday afternoon I got a new pair of shoes. I put them on and went up to the tennis center for my last lesson of the day. By the time I finished the lesson I was already feeling a marked improvement, which is unusual because by the end of the day I'm normally pretty sore from moving around so much.

I knew I needed to replace my old shoes, but I wasn't expecting that dramatic a change in my condition. Really, It's nothing short of a miracle... PRAISE GOD....!

And while I know the shoes did make a difference, I believe it was mainly the prayers of the faithful that made the REAL difference. Thank You Prayer Warriors for lifting me up these past few weeks...

And of course, we must give credit to where the true credit is due: Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior...!

Dear Heavenly Father, Lord God Thank You for Your healing touch. Oh Lord You are wonderful and mighty. All praise and honor and glory is truly belonging to you, my King...!

Jesus, You definitely listen to and answer prayer. My 'faith meter' is on overload right now...!

Father God You have always been faithful to my family and I. Lord I just want to give You glory and sing Your praises all day long. God, You are an AWESOME GOD. I Love you Jesus.

I want to honor You in everything I do. I give today and every day to You, Father.

Lord You know my heart. You know my prayer requests. Father I leave my wife's health in Your hands. I pray for her healing. Lord I know our house will sell. It's all in Your Divine time line. Father I pray for continued patience. Lord I pray for bosses at work and my coworkers, too. I don't know the condition of their hearts, Jesus. But I do pray for the opportunity to get to know them better and cultivate those relationships. Lord I leave these concerns in Your hands.

Father I pray in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Counting My Blessings: Thank You Jesus!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord, I give this day to You. Thanks for another day. Thanks for another opportunity to witness. Oh Jesus, I Love You and Thank You and Praise You for the life You've given me.

Thank You Lord for my sweet loving family. Thank You for my friends. Thank You Father for my career. Thank You Lord for the freedom I have living in the great United States of America.

Thank You Lord for First Baptist Church of West Columbia. Father God Thank You for Great men of faith like Dr Charles Stanley and Dr Billy Graham. Father, thank You for those who have inspired me who have passed on like Oswald Chambers and Dr Charles Spurgeon.

Thank You Lord for the witness of a man named Rich Mullins. Thank You Lord for all those who have taken time out of their lives to mentor and disciple me.

Father God, thank You for prayer and especially for listening to prayer. Thank You and Praise You that You are a God who hears and answers prayer.

Thank You Lord for the precious, life-saving blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

I love You Lord. And I dedicate today to You. I pledge to give you my BEST. And no matter how the storm may rage around me, I will rest in You!

I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.

Thankful for Tennis

It's only a game. But God has spoken to me and ministered to me through tennis. -And He still does today, too...

Tennis has been special to me ever since I was a little boy growing up in the small town of Bay City, Texas. There were countless kind and caring adults in the Bay City community who played tennis back in the early 1980's when I got my start. There was a local community tennis association for our town. The Bay City Tennis Association hosted regular events that provided for interaction between 'established' players and 'up and comers' like me.

No 'one' particular person witnessed to me about Jesus Christ at that time. But looking back I can remember how many of them were a perfect example of Jesus' hands and feet. It sure means a lot to a young person when an adult goes out of their way to interact with them on an adult level through encouraging conversation and just through time spent playing a game.

I am thankful for tennis. It truly is a sport for a lifetime.

Now that I'm grown up I have an opportunity to give back what tennis has given me. Now it's my turn to be that encouraging and patient adult. It is a role that I truly believe that God has called me to fill.

The reason for this post is because last night I attended an organizational meeting to form a local community tennis association in the area that my family has moved to. It's not far from where I grew up. As the fond memories of playing tennis in my childhood came flooding back to me I realize that God has been preparing me for what I do now back from the very start when I was a kid. Oh, God is Good...!

We can't always figure out what the end result will be, but we can rest assured that God is REAL. And He's in control of our lives. He has a Master Plan. And here's the point of my devotional this morning: We don't have to worry about things. We just need to let God be God. We just need to be faithful to Him and trust God for everything else. -Seek Ye first the Kingdom of God...

Dear Heavenly Father,

God You are so awesome. You have been watching over me since before I even had a relationship with You. That's amazing. Thank you for sending so many positive role models into my life as a young boy and young man. Thank You for tennis, the vehicle through which I have been shaped and molded.

Lord thank You for this current group of individuals whom I have recently become associated with who love tennis like I do and want to leave a rich legacy behind for our children and those who come after us. Father God I ask blessings on this newly formed Brazoria County Tennis Association. I pray that it develops into an organization that truly serves the community and grows the game of tennis here in our area.

Father God thanks for calling me to be a coach. Teaching is such a precious gift. I recognize what an impact my words and attitude can have on the individuals I work with, both young and old. Lord help me to realize my potential as a coach.

Help me to be your hands and feet. I want to reach people for you, Jesus. And Lord I recognize what a tremendous work you're performing in me right now. Keep transforming my heart, Jesus. Help me to rely on You 100 % for everything. Dr Stanley is always reminding us to ...Trust in God and leave all the consequences to Him... Well I do trust in You, Jesus.

I trust in You to bless my finances. I trust in You to bless my time management. I trust in You, Lord to sell our house in Houston. I trust in You to lead me, Lord.

Lord Jesus. I Trust in You. I have Faith in You. You are my Rock. You are The Source of my Strength. You are My Strong Tower, Jesus.

I love You, Lord. And I consecrate this day and set it aside for You, Lord. Thank You Father for another opportunity to impact the world for You. Everything I do today Lord is for Your Glory.

I lift up my Family, Friends, My community... I give them all to you, Jesus. And I pray these things with a joyful and thankful heart in the precious name of Jesus Christ My Savior, Amen.

Interceding Prayers

This Blog covers a lot of topics. But the one constant is prayer. I pray as I receive prayer requests and I pray as the spirit leads me. I just discovered last night that a dear friend observed the one year anniversary of the passing of his mother yesterday. Today I want to lift he and his family up.

His name is A.O. and I have known him for going on 18 years now. He is a retired tennis coach. He mentored me when I was just getting into coaching. He has always been an inspiration, and a great supporter of mine. I knew his mom, too. She was a sweet lady.

I believe that God places certain people in the paths of our lives. I call them Divine Appointments. A.O. and I crossing paths is certainly a Divine Appointment. Honestly, I wouldn't be the kind of person I am today if I had not met A.O.

Arthur and his mom were close. Really, the entire family was close. Everyone called her 'Grammy' because she was the grandmother. I even called her Grammy. I remember that she had very twinkling eyes.

Of course, my own mom passed away back in early 2001. I remember how painful it was for me emotionally that first year. And certainly it's still difficult, but nothing at all like that first year. When A.O.'s son reminded me of the anniversary of Grammy's death my heart immediately went out to them.

Dear Heavenly Father,

God, You are an awesome God...! Thank You for awesome friends like A.O. and his family. And Father thank You for the gift of eternal life. We all miss Grammy, but we know will see her again one day in the future. Father I thank you for A.O. And I lift him up as surely he is still mourning the loss of his mom.

But Lord you are the Great Comforter and I can honestly say that the pain of loss does diminish as the years go by. You have comforted me on more than one occasion. Thank you Jesus for being so faithful to Your people.

I thank You for my life. I thank you for my precious family, Lord. And again I thank you for great friends like A.O.

Father God, You know my on-going special requests. I pray dear Lord that our house in Houston is sold and I pray for the buyer Lord. I know that house is just perfect for someone or some family.

Lord I lift up the health of my family. Monica is exhausted from lack of sleep and Elijah is coming down with something. And of course, I give my knee condition to You. Father, in Your Name we are holding it together. Father thank You that Connor is healthy. I lift him up as he plays in his first junior high football game of his eighth grade season today. Keep him safe and grant him a good game played to the best of his ability.

Finally dear Lord I lift up the new owners of my tennis club. Bless them Lord, and all their endeavors.

Lord Jesus I love You and give this day to You. And I pray these things in Your holy and precious name, Amen.

Praise Him in the Storm

I've been anticipating this blog entry for many days now. And now that it's time to post my thoughts I'm at a bit of a loss for words. When I think back to that horrific day five years ago I had a much different life than I do now.

2001 was a rough year for me. My Mom passed away in March and my dad passed away in August of that year. I was single, living in a small garage apartment in Nassau Bay, and working as the general manager of Bay Area Racquet Club.

I remember how I felt when I found out about the first attack. I was shocked and stunned. I was sick to my stomach. I could not believe that someone would deliberately fly an airplane into a sky scraper. Then the second tower was hit... That was too much. I had to get away. I had to get to a safe place.

I drove to my favorite coffee shop where I would go every day to hang out and do my devotional and bible study. Everyone was just starting to hear the news. I just put my head down and prayed....

Now five years later I have a wife and family and life for me is so different. I did not know I had the capacity to love as much as do now until I met Monica, got married, and had a child.

This world is not a nice place. That's a fact. But I can do everything I can to make my part of the world as nice a place as possible. And I must do that for the sake of my wife and children.

The main thing I can do is to live a Godly life and set an example for those around me. I can try to influence everyone I can for Christ. ...And I can pray.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord, I praise You. You are an awesome God. And You are right there with us in every storm. You were there at the trade center in New York five years ago. And You are present here right now. Father God this world is going completely crazy. Lord all I know to do is draw closer to You, raise Godly children and pray.

Father we sang in church yesterday a prayer for You to heal this land. I echo that prayer this morning. I pray dear Lord for a revival. For a spiritual awakening. I don't believe there's much time left. What kind of world will Elijah have to grow up in if things don't change...?

My King, My deliverer, Most Holy God, I cry out to You. Help me do all I can to effect change in this world. I pray Father for peace between the nations. I pray for more lost souls to turn to you. Father I pray that I may be used in a mighty way to make a difference in my small part of the world. I pray for boldness. I pray for courage to witness. I pray for strength.

Oh Lord I need you. My family needs you. This world needs You. You are God.

Father I just give it all to You. All my cares and concerns, I just lay them at the foot of your cross. I will abide in You, Jesus. You are the Master Planner and I know You have everything figured out. It is not my problem to figure things out. it's just my responsibility to be faithful.

Lord I love You. And in this storm of life I do praise You. I give today and every day to You, Jesus. And I pray this prayer in your precious holy Name, Amen.

Tomorrow's the day...

Sigh... Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Trade Center bombings. And we are reminded that in this day and age anything could happen to us at any time. I always think back to that morning how everyone got up and went about their business as normal. None of the victims had any idea the horror they were about to face later that day. And our lives will never be the same again.

For us, living in the aftermath we are changed forever. Although we'd like to think that we live in relative safety here in the United States, the fact is that there are enemies all around us whose sole purpose is to kill us. They live to take America down! Who knows where the next big tragedy will strike...? We have to be closer to the end times than ever before.

Yes, We must continue to go about our lives, but we must also live in constant expectancy of meeting our Lord and Savior.

Are YOU ready to meet Jesus...?


Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you God for being God. You are an Awesome God and we rest well knowing that you are in control of our lives and destiny. Father God, on the eve of the anniversary of the tragic event that occurred 5 years ago I just lift up the families of the victims. Father I lift up our leaders who are doing everything they can to make America safe.

Lord I pray for church services all around the world today, especially West Columbia First Baptist. Father lift up our praise team this morning, and bless Pastor Dave's sermon.

Father God, I pray a special blessing on Monica who did not sleep well last night, and I pray for my stepson Connor that he has a good day, Lord. Of course, I thank You for my precious little baby Elijah. He's my special Joy...!

And Father, Praise You again for the blessing of my work situation...! You truly are a God that listens to and answers prayer...! Lord Jesus I continue to lift up the new owners of my tennis club. Bless them and grant them all the best success in their work and vision for this community we live in.

Lord, please help us sell our house in Houston...! I know You must be at work behind the scenes right now preparing the circumstances of the family or individual who is going to purchase it. We don't know who that is but you do Lord. I lift them up to you, Jesus. Bless them, and help us to have patience in this matter.

Lord, if it's just a matter of trust, we DO trust You, Lord. You have solved problems and dilemmas for us time and time again. You are a faithful God. We rest in You, Father.

Jesus, I love you. I thank You and praise You for another day to serve You. I pray all these things in the power of Your Holy Name, Amen.

Praise Report...!

Yesterday I was in prayer regarding a business meeting with the new owners of the tennis club where I work. Several other prayer warriors were in prayer with me and I'm happy to report that the meeting went very well. Praise the Lord, He is Good...!

Dear Heavenly Father, it seems that I have a praise report just about every day! Thank You Lord for blessing my career. Father God I do give you credit for all good things. You have upheld me time and time again. I sing Your praises my King...!

Lord as this weekend is upon us I pray especially over Connor. Weekends are a challenge for him. I pray his attitude is good today. I pray for his relationship with his mom and myself. Help us to be firm, yet encouraging at the same time.

Father God, we hold parenting in high regard. It's the most important job we'll ever have. Help Monica and I to do a good job with Connor and Elijah.

Father I do love You, and I pledge my life to You. I praise You Lord, and I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.

The Purpose of Life

This morning's devotional was inspired by Genesis 1:26-27.

What is the purpose of life?

The Father's intention from the beginning was to form people in His likeness. But regardless of our successes and achievements, He will not allow us to be content unless we are undergoing His work of transformation. Peace and joy will elude us until we submit to the Lord’s plan, because bearing His image is our very purpose in life.

It's right there in Genesis. God made us in His own image. We are called to grow to be like Him. But Satan has devoted his existence to placing obstacles in our path. The evil one is lord of lies, deception, and distraction. Satan's purpose is to separate us from God. He is out to get us and every day we face spiritual battles we may not even be aware of.

Busyness and discouragement are two of Satan's big guns. Busyness and discouragement distract believers from growing in Christ and they keep seekers from making time to find out our Lord. Busyness and discouragement are tactics used against believers and non believers alike.

Thank God our God is a God of Encouragement!

Remember, We are bearers of the GOOD NEWS... -Jesus Christ has died for our sins that we might have eternal life if we believe in Him!

My word today is to be of good cheer!

Remember your purpose!

Don't allow the enemy to distract and discourage you. Praise God in all things. He does have a master plan for our lives. Sometimes He just wants to draw us closer to Him through the storms in our lives. (And everyone is facing a storm of some kind right now.) If You are facing a storm and would like me to pray with you about it. Email me privately at coachsam@earthlink.net.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord Thank You for today. I have a big day today, Lord. I pray for a special meeting I'm going to have later this morning. Bless my presentation. Let Your words be my words, Jesus. This is a great opportunity for me to witness for Your Kingdom. I pray that I make a great impression this morning. Father I give that meeting to You. I place it in Your hands, Jesus.

Lord I pray that I continue to grow in Your image. I do want to be just like You, Jesus. Though the enemy may try to distract and discourage me, I will not allow it. I tust in You. I cling to you. You are my Rock...! Help me to be strong for my family. Help me to be meek, kind, and gentle. Father help me to always be an encourager, especially to Connor.

And Lord I just give the house situation to You daily. Father You know we want to sell our house in Houston. I pray that your will be done in that matter, Jesus.

Father God I just love You. You are the God of my life. You are my Savior and Redeemer.

I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen

The following commentary is taken from Dr Charles Stanley's morning devotional today.

The greatest gift we can give the people in our life is a view of our friendship with God. When we talk about Him with our children or tell co-workers how He is working in our life, we sow seeds of desire in their hearts. Our family and friends will want the kind of close connection to almighty God that we have.

God has created you, saved you, and given you an eternal home. That’s the kind of friend any person should want to please and serve. Give back to the Lord the little that He asks of you: your time, your obedience, and your witness. -Charles Stanley

I've been thinking about my witness lately, and how I am perceived by others. I know I am not always popular with my 14 year old step son, especially when I have to administer discipline... My stand for Christ has caused me to suffer persecution in the work place on more than one occasion. My belief in God and the bible has most certainly put me at odds with the rest of my family.

My prayer today is that I am able to be a more effective witness through my lifestyle. My prayer is that I do not turn anyone off towards the bible or Jesus. My missionary field is my home, my neighborhood, my workplace and my community.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You Lord for today. I have another opportunity to live and grow in You. Lord, help me to make the most of the day, today. I pray blessings on my stepson and wife and baby this morning. I lit them up to you, my King.

Father God, I want to especially lift up the new owner of Columbia Lakes this morning. I have observed that He is a very hard worker. Lord I pray that he finds a balance between work and rest. He appears to be going full steam all day long, all the time. I admire that work ethic, but I know from first hand experience what it can do to a person physically and emotionally. Father I lift up Mr Verkin, Sara, Rheinholt, and all my co-workers at Columbia Lakes.

Father I do not know the spiritual condition of my bosses' hearts or the nature of their relationships with You, but I pray that they might see the You in me in the days, weeks, and months to come. I pray blessings on Them and the fruits of their labor. I pray blessings on our interaction. And I thank and Praise You Jesus for giving me a new work environment in which I can thrive.

Lord, I thank you again for my sweet wife who is always an inspiration to me. Help her to feel better Lord. And Lord I thank You for blessing of not one, but two houses. Father I pray for the family or individual out there whom You are preparing to buy our property in Houston. We don't know who that family or person is, but You do. Lord I pray for haste in bringing the sale of our home to fruition, and I pray for patience at the same time. I also pray for our plumbing problem on Arncliffe. Father I place that in your hands.

Lord I just pray that Your will be done in our lives. Thank You again Father for this life, and the everelasting life to come. I love you, Jesus. And I pray these things in your precious name, Amen.

Praying for Me

Father God You know that I don't normally pray for myself. I consider so many other people and other situations more worthy of prayers than my own situation. But today Father I have changed my way of thinking, and I do ask for Your divine intervention.

Oh Lord My God, today I lean more heavily on You than ever. I am way behind on several projects and know that I will not get caught up without Your help. Lord I'm praying for a day of accomplishment. I pray that Elijah and Monica have a good day and I am able to stay focused and take care of the tasks at hand. And Lord I pray for my right knee that is the source of so much pain right now. I pray that you take away this pain, Father.

But, can it be just a simple matter of asking? I mean, why is this pain here? Why am I behind schedule all the time? Am I only facing these trials so that I will stay focused on You...? Is this pain Your way of making me slow down...?

Lord my rationalization has always been that there are a great many pressing needs on Your plate. My insignificant little needs are nothing compared to the problems the world faces on a global scale. Yet for some reason this morning I perceive that I am behind schedule not because of what all that is happening to me externally, but because I'm trying to accomplish results under my own power. My problem is INTERNAL.

I've been deceived, Lord. And I know It's pride. I pray for many things, but I'm too proud to pray for myself. And guess it's because deep down inside I think I can take of things myself.

Well, today I certainly realize the error of my ways, Jesus. I REALLY AM NOTHING without You. Oh I've typed those words so many times but today they really have a different meaning. I think it's the Holy Spirit working here.

Pride comes before the fall. I realize this morning that I'm just about to fall.

But Lord I'm NOT too proud to ask for help. Today as I declare You Lord of my life, I really am surrendering to You. Father take away this pride within me. Keep me humble. keep me dependant on You. You are THE SOURCE of all good things. Father I lean on You!

Father God, I pray that you hold me up. Lift me up. Sustain me, Lord. Heal Me. Father help me get my act together so that I can really be used by You. You ARE the Lord of my Life.

I Love You Lord. And I do give this day to you. Every thing I do today is for Your Glory, My King. And I pray these things in the power of Your precious, holy name, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Give all your cares to Jesus....

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord, You are good. You created life and all that we know, think, and feel. You are aware of what is going on in the lives of each and every human being. It's impossible to comprehend the vastness of Your glory, power, and might. I worship You, my king. You are an awesome God.

Father God I thank You for my family. Lord I ask a special blessing on Connor today. His day is off to a bit of a rough start. I pray for his attitude. I pray for his countenance. I pray for his interaction with his peers and teachers today. Bless his encounters, Lord. I lift him up today, Father.

And Lord help me be the father figure Connor needs. I always seem to be asking myself what would Connor's daddy do in this or that situation...? Help me to know those answers. Help me to make wise decisions in this regard. Bless my relationship with Connor, Lord!

I consider this situation a serious matter, Lord. I want to be the best parent to Connor that I can be. Help me, Father. I want my relationship with Connor to matter and to make a difference. I want that relationship to bring honor and Glory to you, Jesus!

My desire is to serve you, my King. I love You Lord. And I give this issue to You. I lay this and all my other cares at your feet, Jesus. And I pray these things in the power of Your holy name, Amen.

Intercessory Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord God Most High You are an awesome Lord and Savior...! Great are Your mercies and blessings upon Your faithful...!

Father God I just thank and praise you for the birth of Luke Alden to our good friends Billy Bob and Kelly. I pray blessings on that sweet little baby and the entire family.

Lord I thank You for our church leaders Mark Stuckey and Dave Barclay. Pastor Dave gave an awesome sermon on Sunday and brother Mark led some moving praise and worship music. Bless these men Father, as they are a blessing to Your sheep.

My Dear King, I thank You and praise You for the changes at my work place. While I continue to lift up the previous management, I also lift up the new management. I pray that I develop a good relationship with them and that my words will be salt and light to their ears. Father I pray for my witness to my co-workers. Bless the work we're doing here in West Columbia, Jesus.

Good and Gracious Father, I pray blessings on my own family. My dear sweet wife is not well. Heal her, Father. Make her chest feel better, Lord. Help me to be more of a help to her, Lord. Help her to rest. Oh how I love my wife and family, They are such a precious gift to me. Thank You for them!

And Lord, I'm asking You to help me to be a better leader to this family. Help me be the kind of man who inspires Connor and Elijah to grow up to be men of great character and faith in their own right. I especially lift up Connor this morning.

Junior High years can be painful, difficult years in a young person's development and I think he's struggling a bit. Lord I lift Connor up to You. I lift my relationship with him up to You. I lift his relationship with his mom to You. Lord I lift up Connor's interaction with his friends and peers at school. Bless his encounters, Lord. He's in a great position to share his light. Give him courage and strength to be a faithful witness.

Lord I know You have big plans for Connor's Life. Help Monica and I to help him grow in You.

Father I thank You for Elijah. What a sweet, precious baby he is...! I lift him up to You this morning, Jesus.

And Of Course, I lift up my extended family to You, Lord... My sister, my brothers, Lord I pray You heal my relationships with them. Draw us closer together as a family and certainly draw us closer to You.

Lord I'd like to lift up my tennis students this morning. I'm not sure who all will be attending my special class this morning but Father I pray that it will be a special time for them and that I help them improve their games and feel more confidence in themselves. Father I am excited about all the opportunities you give me to share my faith every day...! Help me to not miss a single one and to make the most of my time today.

Father God I love You. I give this day to you, Jesus. I give My utmost for Your Highest...! Thank You Jesus for being a God that listens to prayer.

Thank You for answering prayer.

Lord Jesus I pray these things in the power of Your holy name, Amen...!

Praise Report

We certainly do have a great big God...! Just the other day a long time prayer was answered. Monica and I have been in prayer for over a year about the place of my employment. We have been praying for the managers and owners of my club.

On Friday morning I was called to work for a special mandatory meeting and learned that the Country Club that I work for has been sold. The new owners are developers who plan to make numerous improvements and I couldn't be more delighted! This is a fresh start and a new direction for Columbia Lakes Country Club.

All I can say is thank you, God...! Bless You, Jesus. To God be the Glory...!


Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you, My King. Thank You that You are a God that listens to and answers prayer! Thank You Jesus that You have placed me right here for such a time as this. Father I pray now for my heart. Cleanse my heart of all negativism. Allow me to put this difficult work experience behind me. Help me to move forward with a bright optimism for the future.

Father God I want to acknowledge that any and all success I have here comes from You. Let all my accomplishments be to Your Glory. My God and My Savior, You are an awesome God...! You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I worship You Lord Jesus forever and ever, Amen.