What Would I Do If My Gay Child Wants To Get Married?

I received over 500 page views on this blog for the post entitled, What Would I Do If My Kids Were Gay?.   Curiously, I have had very little actual commentary.  This does not bother me.  It is only curious because when I have posted to FB on this subject in the past, apart from the blog, I have received quite a bit of response.  I hope that simply means that I answered many questions thoroughly in the that way I wrote it.  It truly is not my goal to be controversial for controversies sake.  However, it is inevitable at times that gospel truth will bring controversy.  I have received some feedback which I would like share because a response to it is the purpose of this post.

Before I go on I would just like to say that I am writing this now in light of the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding so-called gay marriage.


There have been many solid responses and in a way, mine will just be one more.  The only thing that may make mine a little different is that I am writing in response to someone who is gay and expressed some thoughts in the form of questions regarding my previous post.

I could see how someone might think that I have an over-inflated sense of the importance of my thoughts on these matters, as if I am the authority on this subject.  I would just like to be clear that I am just a man.  I am a Christian man with biblical convictions on all of life and the way we conduct it.  However, these convictions are not based on any authority that I have.  I humbly submit myself to the authority of God's word and the commands therein.  In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commands His disciples and consequently, all of His disciples for all time by saying this, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold I am with you always, to the ends of the earth."

I recognize that no one has to read what I write.  There are many who are greater than myself that are writing and speaking to this issue and many other issues of Christian growth and obedience.  I am hardly the end all be all.  I am not well known, nor do I have an official position of spiritual authority in a church.

I write these things because it is one of the means by which I am compelled to share the truth of the gospel as it applies to every area of our lives.  Jesus commanded this because he ordained that people would come to a saving knowledge of the truth via the proclamation of His gospel by His disciples. Christ is the good shepherd and wants His sheep to come to know Him.  So do I.  That is my heart and purpose.  Apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, this blog is just empty words.  I pray that God will use what I write to change hearts for their good and His glory.

Feedback

As I said, I have received some positive feedback regarding my previous post about homosexuality. All feedback is meaningful to me, but the one that has meant the most to me was from someone, who is gay, with whom I have direct, face to face contact.  I am thankful for their honesty and thought provoking questions.  I wish to respond with what will hopefully be some clarifying thoughts regarding my understanding of the concern.  Here is the feedback I received.

Just because I love discussion, I thought I'd comment haha. I read it, and think it's pretty good. My parents are dealing with this now haha. It is interesting to see how stuff plays out. I grew up in a verrrrry conservative Christian home. And when I came out to my parents, I told them "this is how it is. I don't believe it's wrong. This is my lifestyle." And obviously I've grown up in the church for the last 20 years so they don't need to "drag me kicking and screaming" to heaven. I know what they believe just fine and no amount of convincing or begging or words will change my mind. And they have chosen to not say anything other than they love me and want me to feel safe at home. Which I appreciate. Because if they had harassed me(this is a harsh term, I know), it would eventually have damaged our relationship. 

So basically my question to you is, what would you do if your child was independent? Seems like your post was awesome In regards to loving them and steering them as much down the path towards God, only, it felt like it talked only about the short term. What if they identify as Christian and gay? What if they don't repent? What if they have a same sex partner? I know these are super hard questions, but for people who are gay, we think about that. My parents have continued to love me and support me, and when I say "support", I know they don't support my lifestyle but they support me. And are there for me. But I do often think about what will happen when I have a partner. And I care about what other people will think too. So. There are some thoughts I'm throwing out at you. Enjoy the read lol.

I respect this person who identifies as gay very much for their honesty?  I want to honor them for being willing to be vulnerable about their thoughts and concerns in a civilized way.  I was going to write a couple of posts regarding this persons concerns but in light of current events, it seemed I could use another hypothetical to accomplish the same purpose in one post.

So let's suppose this person was my child.  They have been raised in a loving Christian home and currently, the child has come out about being gay.  As noted above the, now adult, child's parents have responded as lovingly as can be hoped for without affirming the inclination or the lifestyle.  Now gay marriage is legal. So.....

What Would I Do If My Child Now Wants To Get Married?

These are the questions/concepts that I perceived in reading the feedback above, as considered regarding an adult child rather than a younger child.  1.)  "What if they identify as Christian and gay?"  2.)  "What if they don't repent?  3.)  "What if they have a same-sex partner?"  I would like to add one more? 4.)  "As parents, If in fact, we cannot drag our children to heaven kicking and screaming, how do we lovingly point our children toward Christ, regardless of their sinful tendencies?"  

One of the statements that I made in my previous post sums up, in a nutshell, my approach regarding sinful inclinations of any kind, no matter how old they are or what the sin is,

"These are a few of the many gospel truths that I have already begun teaching my children.  If they began developing feelings of same-sex attraction, I would continue teaching these things.  Nothing would change because these truths do not change, no matter what our sinful inclinations may be.  They are just as true for the single man or woman inclined toward fornication or the married man or woman inclined toward adultery as they are for the single homosexual inclined toward the same sex."

Here is the thing.  When you are in a relationship with someone whom you love, whether family member or friend, who is living a lifestyle of blatant impenitent sin, you can change how often you place the message before them, but you should not change the message.

There is a point at which you have spoken the truth, you have begged the person to repent and believe the gospel, and you have cried on your knees in prayer and you can do know more.  If you continue to berate them with preaching or even strive to continuously hold up the gospel in front of them subtly yet they reject it, you may be "casting your pearls before swine"(Matthew 7:6).

Now, at no point does scripture teach that we should cease praying for the lost or that we should necessarily stop speaking truth in love and calling for repentance all together however, to whatever degree we do these things we must always remember that we are not always promised a yes as the answer to our prayers; even as it regards the salvation of loved ones.  However, we must always remember that God is good and his ways are always just and right.  We must pray and share the gospel with our loved ones because it is a good and right act of obedience and love toward our Savior and we must trust our Heavenly Father in all things.

One of two things will happen:  1.) the Holy Spirit will respond to your many payers and the gospel that has been presented, and your loved one's heart will be changed or 2.) sadly, God will actually send delusions in order to harden the heart of those whom have heard and understood the truth and have rejected it(2 Thessalonians 2:11-12; Romans 1:18-32).

My response to my child in this case would be this.  If you have read my previous post, you know the good news of the gospel which I stated that I would ensure my children understood, at least intellectually, even if it does not change their hearts at that time.

• They will know that God has loved them enough to provide a Savior for their souls and that they can find meaning and satisfaction in this life through relationship with him and through relationship with His Church.  
• They will not be told that God loves them no matter what. They will have been told, and will continue to be told, that God will save them just as they are, but not so that they can remain just as they are.  
• There will be no question of God's love,  God's righteous judgement and God's just truth.  They will know that whatever God requires, he makes a way for it to happen if we will trust and believe.

They will know that I love them no matter what. but what does that mean?  Does that mean that I will support them in all of their endeavors, no matter how immoral I believe them to be?

Would I Attend My Gay Child's Gay Marriage Ceremony?

This is not intended to be a prescription for all parents of gay children that may face this question, though I do believe it is the most sound approach.  With that said I willingly acknowledge that this is a very difficult scenario and I believe that consulting with your local pastor and having their wisdom and support is vital in such a difficult situation.

The answer for me is NO.  I could not in good conscience attend a ceremony that is celebrating a commitment that I find to be in direct rebellion toward God's word.  Nor could I celebrate what is a commitment to definite damnation if it is not legitimately repented of before they die.  I.e. they "divorce" and no longer relate to each other in any way that is homosexual.  In fact, I believe wisdom suggests, that parting ways altogether is best in order to avoid temptation in every way.

Again, I would ensure that they know that I love them and value them.  I would even ensure that their partner knows the same.  But I could not support them in this way.  I would tell them that I would have a special visit with them afterwards if they would like but I could not consider myself a responsible witness to the truth of God's word if I attended the ceremony.

To be clear, this whole idea breaks my heart to think about.  I do not contemplate or state these things lightly.  Any loving Christian parent will be heartbroken and endlessly prayerful over such a scenario.

Conclusions

As I said, my hope is that all of the questions that I perceived in the feed back I received are answered in the way that I have said I would respond if I had an adult child who is, not only professing as gay, but has a partner and wants to get married.

To be clear, there is no such thing as a gay Christian.  That is in fact an oxymoron.  Can you be a Christian and wrestle with same-sex attraction?  Absolutely!  However, there is no scenario in which someone can embrace that attraction, be in a relationship much less get married, and have any biblical support for calling themselves a Christian.  If you are living an actively gay lifestyle and choosing not to repent and you die in that state, you will go to hell!!!

I know this is direct and I want to emphasize that I did not make that statement big and bold as if I am yelling.  I write these things not to be inflammatory.  I write them emphatically because I do not want anyone to go to hell.  I truly want people to understand that there is a better way.

Sex and marriage are for this life only.  While useful for intimately and pleasureably unifying a husband and wife spiritually, the primary purpose for sex is procreation.  Marriage however, is intended to be, first and foremost, a representation of Christ's relationship to His bride, the church.  It is supposed to be a representation of the gospel.  A biblical husband will represent Christ's sacrificial love for His church in the way that he loves his wife.  A biblical wife will represent the church's loving, respectful, and submissive response to Christ in the way that she loves her husband (Ephesians 5:22-33).  That is part of why it is so offensive that it has been commandeered and "redefined" by the government; not that they can ever truly redefine it.

As we look at examples of people biblically and currently, we know that not everyone is intended to be married.  God has in mind that some will remain single.  However, the idea that this somehow robs a person of fulfillment relationally and they can never be totally satisfied is a lie.  In all three of the synoptic gospels, Mark 10:29, Luke 18:29, and Matthew 19:29 Jesus tells His disciples this,

"Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundred-fold now in this time houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first.(Mark 10:29-30)

God will see to it that your needs are met and desires either satisfied or changed so that they line up more with what He knows is best for you and for His plans for you.  That could mean marriage, it could mean singleness.  Either way, your Creator knows what is best for you.

Please, Please, Please,  consider the things that I have said here.  If you have heard these truths before, marinate on them.  They will change your life for the better in ways you cannot imagine.  If you will put your trust in Christ and allow him to direct your paths, he will take care of you.  Once you are spending eternity with Him, you will not care whether your every sinful desire was satisfied in this life.

At the end of the day I know that I cannot change anyone's mind on this.  Only the Holy Spirit can change a heart and make these truths real on the inside in a way that is irresistible.  I will not be offended if no one reads this post or if everyone who does wants to disagree with it and tell me so. That is ok.

This is not about me.  This is about every sinner's (including me) need for a Savior and the recognition of that need.  This is about so many spiritual orphans that are in need of reconciliation with their Heavenly Father.  That reconciliation is available but it can only be found through Chist. These truths can be said in so many different ways and in so much more detail but ultimately, God must open the eyes of your heart to see and believe.

I love you and I pray that you will reconsider these truths and ask God to show you what He created you for.  He will give you purpose and fulfillment like no one else can.

May it be so in Jesus name.

Josh

Happy Father's Day 2016

Here we are, Father's Day 2016.  In a world where far to many children are growing up without a father, I just wanted to share a little of my heart and suggest a couple of resources that have been helpful to me. Most of this is from last year.  Since this post, many of you know that my Mom has passed away.  To my Dad's credit, he has stepped up even more than he already did; and made a conscious effort to communicate, pray, and encourage his children.  He still is not perfect and neither am I, but he is making a strong effort and that is all any of us can do. Thanks Dad.  He has since gotten remarried to a wonderful, God-fearing lady who loves him very much.  Congratulations to you and Marisol.

Nobody's Perfect

My Dad loves me.  Of that there is no doubt.  Never has been.  He has not had it easy.  He spent most of my growing up years as a Pastor and some as a teacher and both professions brought their challenges to me. As well as many other odd jobs along the way.  He worked a lot.  Not because he was a work-a-holic but because it was necessary to put food on the table and pay the bills.  And because the Lord always called him to small churches that did not generally pay a ton.  But he did what needed to be done to take care of his family.  Mistakes were made along the way but that's life.  There are things that I learned not to do, as is true in most families and will certainly be true for my children from mistakes that I have made and will make.

But there are definitely things that I learned to do and am still observing from his example now.  For example, in forty years of marriage things have not always been perfect but, both Mom and Dad have remained faithful to their covenant vows that they made before Almighty God so many years ago.  My mom has had many medical problems in later years and Dad has worked hard to provide for her all along the way and be there for her through it all.

My brother pointed out that our Dad passed along a solid example of working hard and doing what it takes to strive to support your family, all the while trying his best to lead us spiritually and be available to parent as well.  It was a difficult task, of that I am certain.  There were four of us and we did not make it easy sometimes.  While there are things that we could look back on and wish for something different, it is not constructive.

When you become an adult and you look back, you realize that God had a plan for everything that you went through.  He gave you your parents, flaws and all, to help mold you into who He wants you to be.  So it is hard to remain bitter when you understand the sovereignty of God in all things.  And to Dad's credit, he has tried very hard to let us know that he is aware of his imperfections, often in hindsight, but when he realizes error he is humble enough to try to make things right if there is anything that needs to be made right.

I am thankful for all of the experiences that I have had, for better and for worse, because who I am today and what I understand about life and ministry is molded tremendously by what I learned growing up.  And to top it all off, I know my Dad loves me and is proud of me and the life that I am striving to live.  You can't ask for much more than that.  Thanks Pop.

To My Father-In-Law

I would also like to take a moment to thank my father-in-law.  In 20+ years of knowing him he has always been a faithful husband and father who loves his family fiercely and generously.  He has provided another sound example of the kind of Father and Grandfather I want to be as I continue this journey.  I honor you today as well.  Thank you sir.

Myself as Daddy

For me, becoming a dad and learning the in's and out's and do's and dont's has definitely been an adventure thus far.  There are many things that, by the grace of God, I feel I have done pretty well with thus far.  Yet there are sooooo many things that I wish I could have a do over for.  If there is anything that I am extra thankful for as a father, it is God's grace made evident in a child's ability to forgive and find a parent so very awesome and loveable in spite of so many failures.

The Lord has blessed me with two phenomenal boys ages eleven and seven.  Many of you know them or have met them. They are good looking, talented, and brilliant and I see their mother and I in them, for better and for worse, every day.  There is nothing more thrilling, entertaining, and terrifying than realizing that you are looking at a mini me.  The talents and good personality pieces are good, but then there are the bad inclinations such as temper, laziness, or hardheadedness that you wish had not been passed down.

There has been a video on Facebook that shows children of all ages calling out to their daddy's.  It brought me to tears.  Though we are sinfully prone to taking it for granted, there is absolutely nothing sweeter than the sound of your children calling your name, running toward you and wrapping their arms around your leg or neck.  I love walking in the door and my children screaming my name with glee because I am home.

Like every parent, my biggest fear is messing them up.  I regret every wasted moment and fear the ones to come.  I pray continually, and yet not enough, for the Lord to help me be the father that they need me to be because I know without Him, I will absolutely screw them up.

A Faithful Father

Yet there is peace, deep down, that I am not on this journey alone.  Neither are my children.  We are not dependent on each other exclusively.  Just like my Dad knew and still knows, I know as well, that we have a faithful Heavenly Father who has been in control all along.  While I played a role in conception, scripture tells me that it is God who knit my children together in their mother's womb just as He did for me(Psalm 139).  He is the true creator of me and my children and He had a plan for all of us before time began.  Not only that, but I now know that He chose me for himself and for His glory before the creation of the world.(Ephesians 1:3-6). I believe that He has chosen my children as well.  How do I know?  Call it a gut instinct at this point founded on what I know of who my children are and how I see God working in their lives already.  But, at the end of the day, I know that my God is faithful and true and that nothing will happen in the life of my family that he did not ordain and that He is not in complete control of .  He is a great God and I trust Him with my life and the life of my family.

I truly don't know how parents do life without faith in Jesus.  There is an inexhaustible hope to be possessed via God's gracious gift of knowing Him and having salvation made available through His Son.  This sin-stained life is hard enough, even with strong faith in a living God.  Sometimes people still loose sight of hope and their faith can waiver.  It must be terrible to have no hope at all.  Working in a hospital, you can sometimes see the difference in the way those with a strong Christian faith handle suffering and loss compared to those who have no hope outside of themselves and what this world has to offer.

Resources

Our God is faithful and He provides resources to help us learn to be the parents we need to be.  First and foremost He gives us His word brought to life by His Spirit.  All the hope, power, and instruction that we need for life and Godliness has been made available to us through His word and by His Spirit(2 Peter 1:3-10).  

Then, as if that were not enough (which, of course, we know is not true),  He gifts people to help us understand and apply all that He has made available to us.  He sets before us flawed, examples that act as mirrors in which we can see ourselves and in whose example we can often see resolutions to our sinful inclinations.  He does this in real men of God who have been where we are and He does it through stories in movies and books.

For me, a blessing of a resource has been found in the movies by Sherwood Pictures.  You may have heard of them.  So far there are four: Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and then Courageous.  jThis last year has also seen War Room, a movie about having a strong prayer life.  In every one of these stories we have examples of men struggling to be good husbands and fathers and we see examples of God working in and through them, bringing glory to His name.

Courageous, was most directly aimed at calling men to be men of courage as it relates to manhood and fatherhood.  If you have not seen it, you should buy it and watch it over and over again.  It will change your perspective on who you are as a man and how you are allowing or even better, how you are actively causing that to influence others.  It is a call to action.  It is a call to arms.  In that movie the characters make a resolution about the kind of men they want to be to their families and to other potentially fatherless young men around them.

They wrote a book called The Resolution that fleshes out those commitments in a very powerful way.  The pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church, Michael Catt, wrote a book called Courageous Living that is also very powerful.  I highly recommend both of them if you are looking for instruction and inspiration as a father.  The movie and both of those books did and still do press me forward to be the kind of godly man that I want to be and that I know my family needs.

Wrapping It Up

One of the primary scriptures that is the theme for the movie comes from Joshua 24:15.  It essentially says, "choose you this day whom you will serve.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".   That is my heart through thick and thin.  I want to be a living example of what a man who is striving for godliness and holiness should look like for my children and for my wife.  I want to make Jesus real to them by my example.  Oh, I fail daily however, by God's grace, I will never stop striving to that end.

I want to end this blog post with a copy of the resolution that the men made in the movie and the last speech given by the main character from Courageous, Adam Mitchell.  After experiencing tragedy and seeing first hand what the effects of a lack of commitment to being a godly man can be, he feels compelled to uncover what the bible calls men to be to those around them.  These are the thoughts and the challenge that He brings to those who would be men of courage.

THE RESOLUTION

I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.

I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.

I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.

I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.

I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a
man answerable to God.

I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His
will.

I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Josh

The Hip Bone's Connected To The.....

Hip Replacement Surgery!

Everyone knows that song, "Now Hear The Word of the Lord", that describes the way the bones are connected.  It actually derives from the story of The Valley of the Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37.  That song just comes to mind whenever I think of this fascinating and at times, scary adventure we have been on.  For anyone who does not know, my wife Angie got a new left hip this past Friday June 12, 2015.  She suffered from severe osteoarthritis that had worn the head of her femur down so much that she had very little cartilage left.  The surgeon said that she had worn a fairly good sized bald spot there and it was shiny and hard like a marble.

After the diagnosis last spring, we spent a considerable amount of time praying and preparing as we considered the when and where of surgery.  After two unsuccessful cortisone shots, we knew it was time.  Everyone is amazed at how young she is to have had this surgery and rightly so.  But she has handled it like a champ.  It doesn't hurt that God has been so good to us.

First of all, she was able to have anterior hip replacement surgery.  Until recent years, hips had to be done from the posterior.  That means that the surgeon approaches the hip through the side/back which involves cutting through muscle and tendon and that getting the fit and leg length just right was much harder.  Consequently, the risk for dislocation was much greater and the recovery time much longer.

Because Angie was able to have the anterior approach, they came at the hip from the front.  They make a small incision in the upper thigh, spread the muscle rather than cutting it, cut the head from the femur at a certain point, and scrape out the hip joint.  They insert the prosthetic pieces into the femur and hip joint to form the new hip.  If need be, they can secure the initial cup to the pelvic bone with up to three screws.  Angie has one screw.  I have included a pic (above) that is similar, though not exactly like Angie's.  It is three pieces, except a little more colorful and perhaps made of some different materials.  One of the pieces is purple which, of course, she liked.  Once complete, they close it up with sutures inside and staples outside and it's done.

Rehab And The Road To Recovery

The pics below are the same ones for the most part that I shared on FB while we were on this journey.  I wanted to include them here to go with the narrative for posterity and to bring them all together in one place for anyone who might like to look them over again or never saw them to begin with.  For the record, I do have permission to have these out there.  Thankfully, Angie has been very humble and unconcerned about appearances through this whole process as it regards photos.  That is saying a lot because ordinarily she doesn't like pictures even when she is put together perfectly.

The pain and soreness the first full day out of surgery was rough but she was still up like a champ learning small stairs, how to get in and out of the the shower and the bed, and walking long distances in the hall.  This, of course, contributed to the discomfort but was necessary for healing and to help avoid blood clots.  Sunday we practiced a full flight of stairs and went home.

From the very beginning of recovery there have been no restrictions and no abnormal complications, infections, or discomforts.  Just your "run of the mill" process.  God has been so good to take care of my baby girl.  Since Angie came home Sunday she is progressing beautifully.  She is having Physical Therapy every other day and getting around with the help of walkers.  Eventually she will move to a cane and then nothing.  Her pain has been minimal and her progress, phenomenal.

As of today, Friday 6/19/2015, one week after surgery, the physical therapist had her walking around without any support device; no cane, no walker, nothing.  She is not done healing and gaining strength and she will still have support devices for at least another weak for safety, but this is an incredible accomplishment.  It speaks to the wonders of the surgery and the determination of my incredible wife.  I am very proud of her.

Concluding Thoughts and Many Thanks!!!!

I don't know how interesting this is to people but I know some have found it to be so.  I hope this helps everyone understand a little bit more of what this experience was like.  If you ever need a hip surgery, you should definitely use someone who is comfortable doing the anterior approach.  We had Dr. Chris Blackmon with Piedmont Orthopedics and he was wonderful.  He has done close to 600 of these in about five years and has only had two dislocations.  That is an incredible stat.  Thank you Dr. Blackmon.  There are many others in the area who are becoming well-versed in this procedure as well.
We want to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us through this journey.  All of the likes and comments on the photos via FB along the way were so helpful. We can not express our appreciation enough for the many prayers and words of encouragement we received before, during and after the surgery.

Our Associate Pastor and his wife came to the hospital the day of the surgery offering encouragement and praying with us prior to her operation.  That meant so much.  A special Thank You for that. Your prayer was encouraging and it was answered.

Since coming home, we have enjoyed many delicious meals from friends and church members that have wanted to help in that way.  Some have called to ask how they can help.  Our  Associate Pastor's wife set up a meal train through our small group to help organize meals and some of our other friends have utilized that as well.  We want to say a huge thank you specifically to you as well.

Last but not least, Angie and I would like to express gratitude that is beyond words to her parents, who came down the day before surgery and have stayed for a week.  They have helped in just about every way imaginable to keep up the house, prepare meals, entertain children, do laundry, and even make a couple of repairs.  Their love and support has been invaluable to helping us get through the surgery and this initial week of healing and learning.

Tim and Brenda, we cannot thank you enough!

Finally, I would like to say how blessed I am to have had the privilege of being a part of my wife's life through this process.  She is such a strong woman in so many ways and she has amazed me time and again as she has dealt with the pain of  a bad hip to begin with, not to mention the surgery and recovery process.  She is incredible.  Thanks for being my wife and letting me be by your side through all of this.  It has been my joy to serve you.  I love you babe!

This has been an unforgettable adventure and we feel privileged to have so many friends and family, whether you could be directly involved or not, whom we know have been sharing in this with us.  We know you love us and we love you too.  Thanks again for everything.  Please do not cease to pray as Angie continues to improve throughout the summer.  Prayer absolutely makes a difference.

This joint could last up to 30 years so we look forward to lots of  pain free adventures with many of you in the future.

To God Be The Glory!!!  

He Is Good All The Time and All The Time He Is Good!!!  

What Do We Do With The Duggars?

Who Are They Anyway?





Most if not all of the U. S. of A knows who the Duggars are.  If not, they have at least probably heard of the television reality show 19 Kids and Counting.  To date it has been a wholesome, God-glorifying show about a large and still growing Christian family....until now.

As many of you know, a controversy has arisen regarding the eldest son of the Duggar clan Josh. There has been yet another media frenzy as everyone reels about the idea of sin existing in this wholesome, some might say "holier than thou" TV family.  I must admit that while I knew who they were, I have never really had the time to follow the show.  I just knew that they were a Christian family who were living out their Christian convictions for all the world to see and seemed to be doing it pretty well.  With all of the reality trash available to watch these days, I am happy for anything that has "family friendly" much less Christian listed as an adjective to describe it.   Thankfully, this show had both.

So Why Write About It

I had heard about this controversy via FB of course and was a little curious, but the idea of writing about it had not even crossed my mind.  Then someone at work, who is a fellow brother in the Lord and follows this blog at least some of the time, asked me what I thought and pretty much told me He would be waiting to read what I write on my blog about it.  He had a few thoughts that intrigued me so here we are.  There are two thoughts that are in the frame of questions which I would like to address.  First, "How should we respond to the facts revealed?"  The second question is, "Do or did the Duggars now have any right to speak to other moral issues when they have had issues themselves?"  I don't know how terribly profound this will be but here we go.

How Should We Respond?

A number of people seemed to enjoy a response to this story that is found on the website of The Christian Post. You can find that link here.  This is a loving, solid, biblical response to the concerns.  I would like to add a few thoughts before moving on to the next question.

There is a lot going around about the facts and everyone has an opinion.  There are many judgements being made upon what happened, how it was handled, and how disgusting and disappointing it is.  Many blog posts and articles have been written, some more fair minded than others.  To be sure, it is unfortunate that anyone had to experience being violated or being the violator.  This is something which, no matter how forgiven he is and no matter how much grace he is given by others, he will always live with the memory of in this life.  Something he will always wish he had done differently.  We all have those moments.  Let us not stoop to making ourselves feel better about our mistakes by demonizing someone elses.  We can be just as guilty of the "holier than thou" attitude as anyone.

With that said, should the Duggars have handled things differently?  To be honest, without all of the facts laid out in front of me, I think it is not my place to say.  Since it is difficult to know for sure what all of the facts are without being intimately involved, I would suggest that the majority of those with an opinion should stay out of it, including the press.  As I understand it, the way this story came to light may have been illegal and was certainly not handled with any amount of integrity.  There was one goal here as I see it; to smear the name of the Duggar family and strive to ruin the effectiveness of something that was bringing glory to God.  What we as Christians must strive to remember is that while the press created this firestorm, Satan is the one behind it.  Make no mistake, this is spiritual warfare.

This kind of story can play out in any Christian family at any point and grace will be needed everytime.  No matter how heinous or mild the sin may be, we must remember that we are all sinners and so are our children.  No matter the sin; grace, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, and healing are necessary.  Regardless of how well it was or was not handled in the opinions of various people, what seems to be consistent is that it was handled.  Josh Duggar confessed his sin, repented of his sin and sought help with his parents guidance.  As I understand it, forgiveness was given by all the offended parties.

It is very sad that no matter how well sin may be handled locally on a case by case basis, the Christian community is often known for crucifying any public figure who professes Christ and dares to fall into sin.  Public figure or not, if someone is found to be gulty of sin and that person is acknowledging that sin, repenting, and seeking forgiveness, beating them up over the sin is not the loving response.  We don't need to call them to actions and attitudes that are already evident nor do we need to respond as if we have never been guilty of veering from the path ourselves.  If on the other hand, the person is caught in sin, trying to cover it up, making excuses, basically doing anything to avoid being held responsible, then there is a place for a still loving, yet challenging response.

Josh Duggar's story is the first of the two examples.  From a strictly Christian biblical perspective, all the right things seem to have been done and yet, we feel the need to hold his feet to the fire to make ourselves feel better about something that does not even affect us directly.  At this point, unless directly involved as family, employer, or any other party that is hands on in this story, I believe our only response needs to be prayer and compassion.

Josh Duggar was a self-professed, non-Christian kid at the time these atrocities happened.  Which one of us did not do sinful things that we are not proud of and from which we would like to move forward without having them rehashed?  He is now a repentant, forgiven grown man living as a Godly husband and father.

Should The Duggars Have a Voice on Biblically Moral Judgements?

In other words, because of this past sin in the life of Josh Duggar and the percieved mishandling of it by the Duggar parents, do they have a right to stand on biblical truth as it relates to the current culture's moral direction?  Does sin nullify our witness?  This could probably be fleshed out in a string of blog posts to do it justice on a larger scale but let's try to stick with the Duggars.

As this thought process was presented to me, it was explained that the Duggars have taken stances on issues of sexual morality, most specifically homosexuality and gay marriage.  The question was, do they have a right to in light of this "scandal"?

First, let me say that I know of no biblical mandate that would support the idea that you must air all your dirty laundry before you can represent Christ in a public forum.  We must confess our sins to God and in a local church context, perhaps to our Pastor if appropriate.  However, only in the case of a professing Christian who is living in sin without an attitude of repentance, are those sins potentially required to be made known to the local church body of which they are a part.  And that, only after more private attempts at holding the person accountable have been made.(Matthew 18:15-17)  

I don't know that this was done in the case of Josh Duggar however, it sounds like he came with a broken, contrite heart, confessing and repenting without much of any prodding being necessary.  So our only recourse is found in 2 Corinthians 2:6-8, forgivenss, comfort and affirmation.  Once someone has repented and been restored, they are to be treated like any other member of the body of Christ and they are to behave as such.

What should that look like?

It should look like what Jesus said every disciples life should look like...that of a disciple maker. Jesus gave us His instructions in His Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20.  I have quoted it many times in this blog so I will leave it to you to look it up.  Suffice it to say that making disciples involves teaching, and teaching involves standing for biblical truth on any number of topics including sexual morality.

So What Does All Of That Mean?

Basically, I believe we should stop joining in the judgemental, unloving, insanity that was started by the media.  I believe we should stop helping them sensationalize a sinful mistake that was made long ago as if the rest of us don'd have sinful skeleton's in our closets.  If Josh Duggar has truly repented and confessed his sins before God then he is forgiven by God and that sin is no longer counted against him.  We should do no less.

We should recognize our own need for grace and forgiveness to be continually poured out in our own lives and give God praise that He is faithful, even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13).  We should remember that Christ died for Josh Duggar's sins even while he was still a sinner (Romans 5:8) and the same is true for all of us who have placed our faith in Christ.  If Josh Duggar has done as many of us have in following Christ's instructions to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15), then we should recognize that he is our brother.  He is a member of God's family and we are to love him as such.

Last but not least, I believe that we should not only allow for the Duggar family to stand for biblical truth in spite of their sins; we should pray for this to come to pass.  The Lord gave them the platform that they have had on that television show and he can certainly take it away.  However, they seem to have been faithful in using that platform for God's glory and I pray that He will continue to bless this family with opportunities to continue lifting up the name of Jesus in very public ways as they stive to live lives that are worthy of the gospel. (Philippians 1:27, Colossians 1:9-12)

May it be so in Jesus name.

Amen.

Perspectives on Nepal

April 25, 2015 saw a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the Kathmandu Valley in Napal.  Though it began there it radiated some 50 miles out, reaching to India, Mount Everest, and the Nepal/China border. The after shocks registered as if they were full blown earthquakes, still between 6-7 on the Richter scale.  The first estimated death toll was somewhere in the vicinity of 1200 with countless others injured.  The new death toll is around 8,000.  Since then there has been another quake around 7.3.  Dozens more were killed in that quake.

This is a horrible natural disaster.  What are we to think?  How do we process this...or do we?  As every horrible thing that can happen is played out on the news for all to see, I find myself fighting not to be desensitized to the truly horrific nature of an event such as this.  It so easy for something as significant as this to get lost in the may other newsworthy events which surround it.  Events that are happening in our own backyard such as racial tensions, huge moral shifts, and then there is the everyday grind that we each strive to survive in our own personal lives.

So What Are We To Think

I have been impacted greatly by those who are far more globally-minded and missions-minded than myself.  Men such as David Platt whom has spoken numerous times of the impact to his own heart upon visiting Nepal a couple of years ago.  Dr. David Platt has been a local pastor with a global heart for the last 9 years and has only recently resigned that assignment to step into the role of President of the International Mission Board for the Southern Baptist Convention.

Dr. Platt speaks of flying into Kathmandu, India not so long ago and hiking for miles through village after village in the mountains of Nepal hoping to impact these people with the gospel.  He speaks of the desperation he felt as he saw the conditions in which they lived, the idolatry that they practiced and of coming to an understanding of the impact that sex slavery has on the little girls and young woman of that country.  These people desperately need the gospel!  Who is going to bring it to them?

Dr. Platt speaks of one particular moment when he witnessed a burial ceremony of the recent dead in these villages.  He witnessed bodies, layed upon funeral pyres, burning as they floated down the river.  He said that it struck him in that moment, that he was visualizing in the physical, the burning horror that was now the spiritual reality for the souls whom these bodies belonged to just hours before.  Except their souls will never cease to burn.




Thousands Burning In Hell

What we must come to grips with is that of the 8,000 people who have died in these quakes, the vast majority are now burning in hell because no one has told them of the good news that Jesus came to save sinners.

You see the dominant religion in Nepal is Hindu.  This is a pagan, idolatrous religion that does not believe in the God of the bible or place their faith in His Son.  Christianity is not just a minority, it is almost non-existent.  Nepal classifies as an unreached people group which is defined as a people group in which less than 2% of the population is Evangelical Christian.  Globally, there are approximately 6,400 people groups.

On the maps below are listed thousands whom, if they die in their current state as unreached with the gospel, they will go to hell and suffer eternal separation from their creator

Hating Homosexuals(Who's Really Guilty?)

Ever since homosexuality has begun moving into an ever-increasing position of dominance as a topic of identity, acceptance, and now civil right, almost anyone who dares to take a conservative stance, generally based on Holy Scripture, has been labeled a bigoted hate-monger.

Now I will absolutely grant that there has been a learning curve in terms of Christians taking a biblically loving approach to any issues surrounding homosexuality.  Many individuals, as well as horrific "ministries and minsters" such as Westboro Baptist Church and the likes of Fred Phelps have given an embarrassing name to Christians as it relates to this discussion.  Those types do not understand what it means to demonstrate the love of Christ to sinners!

However, I believe we have come along way, though many would disagree.  I believe this because I spend a lot of time reading and listening to Christian leaders of our day who desperately want to handle this issue with love and discernment.  I also know of a number of well known Christians, at least in certain Christian circles, whom have amazing testimonies of God's grace; enabling them either to overcome their same-sex attraction and live happily married lives or to live celibate single lives of satisfaction in Christ.  If you read my previous post entitled "What Would I Do If My Kids Were Gay", you would be familiar with some of these people.  As a repeat, a couple of examples would be Rosaria Butterfield and Sam Alberry at Living Out and author of "Is God Anti-Gay".  There is also a site known as Spiritual Friendship where the celibacy of Christians who are wrestling with same-sex attraction is celebrated and written about.

But I digress.  What does the hate of homosexuals look like?  How is it perceived and what is real? We already know that what Christians believe is love is percieved as hate.  We will speak to that. But, is there a version of hate that is labeled as love?  Let's look at some different perspectives.

The Perspective of the Secular Society

At this point, I think you have two perspectives in secular society regarding this issue.  There are two parties and you will find these two perspectives varying in degrees of severity among these two parties.  The two parties are the LGBT community, consisting of those whom are actually lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender; and then you have their supporters, who may be straight but sympathize.

The two perspectives, as I understand them, are fleshed out like this:

1.)  According to David Gushee, a liberal teacher of Christian ethics at Mercer University, "our human understanding of what is sinful has changed over time."  Jimmy Creech, a former Methodist minister who was defrocked after performing a same-sex marriage thinks that, and I paraphrase, the conservative view of homosexuality is a part of the culture and history of the bible that is not appropriate for today.  Matthew Vines, author of God and the Gay Christian, argues that NT writers did not have any way to process the idea that human sexuality is a part of a person's identity and thus should not be condemned.

Jimmy Creech and a gay philanthropist and prominent furniture maker named Mitchell Gold, have formed an advocacy group named Faith in America which labels damage done to the LGBT community as "religious bigotry".  Gold has stated that "church leaders must be made to take homosexuality off of the sin list".

These quotes come from an article entitled Bigotry, the Bible and the lessons of Indiana, written by a well known Op-ed writer for the NY Times.  I quote them because the label of "religious bigotry" and the statement that "church leaders must be made to take homosexuality off the sin list" are strong representations of one perspective on hate by the secular society.  They do not allow for any middle ground.  This group, it seems, will not be happy until Christians are walking hand in hand with homosexuals at gay pride parades.  They are walking all over the religious liberties of Christians, even though there are other religions that also do not agree with homosexuality.

2.)  The second perspective is a much more fair-minded perspective held by many homosexuals.  I am afraid however, that this group is in the minority because they are being drowned out by the group described above.  This second perspective is comprised of homosexual's that are happy to practice their convictions in their own way and allow those whom disagree to disagree.  I have spoken to homosexuals who could care less if a Christian baker or florist provides services to them.  They understand the conflict.  If a Christian stands up for their convictions in a firm but loving manner, these homosexuals can handle it and respect it.  They don't see it as hate.  However, they also do not appreciate those "Christians" whom would talk trash and have nothing constructive to say.  For the record, neither do I.

The Perspective of the Liberal Christian

There are those whom believe themselves to be Christians that are in what is known as the Mainline Denominations.  These are denominations such as The United Church of Christ, The Episcopal Church, and the Presbyterian Church (USA).  We could also include the Church of England even though they do not directly affect us.  There are also less publicized, but just as liberal segments of the Lutheran Church and the Catholic Church.  Even among the more conservative denominations you will have the occasional church that changes their position on things such as gay marriage and ordination of gay ministers.  These ministers or churches are generally removed from that denomination if they will not repent.  Then of course there are independent churches and ministers that shift as well.

All of these groups have totally turned their backs on the teachings of the bible as it relates to homosexuality in every aspect of life and ministry.  This process stems from having such a desire to show love in an "inclusive and accepting" kind of way that they are willing to ignore scripture to try to accomplish this.  Individually and corporately you will hear arguments like, God came to heal the sick, God accepts all sinners into his fold, Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors and a loving God would not make people with this desire and then reject them because of it, etc.

These individuals and groups are so afraid of offending and running off people that they have been deceived into believing it is better not to call sin, sin.  They would rather not suggest that God expects us to turn from our sins if we are truly His.  No, their message is "God loves you just the way you are".  He made you this way.

They believe it is unloving and consequently hateful to suggest that an impenitent homosexual would go to hell.  They not only avoid the truth, but they reinforce the lie by allowing for gay marriage and gay ministers.

I might point out also that these denominations have been hemorrhaging members and loosing church bodies as they have become progressively more liberal.


The Perspective of the Conservative Christian

Healthy, bible-believing, conservative Christians do not see sharing the truth of scripture on this subject as hate.  In fact, they see it as the most loving thing they can do.  

Let me ask you, if I see someone in a burning house, flames are coming out of the windows and any minute the house will collapse, what should I do?  Would the most loving thing be to walk away and say, "well if they want to stay in there and burn that's none of my business.  Who am I to tell them they are wrong?"  Or should I risk my life to go in and pull them out?  Which one is more loving?

This is the challenge that faces every Christian who is striving for obedience to their Lord and Savior. Jude 1:23 instructs Christians to "save others by snatching them out of the fire".  That's right, the scenario above is actually a warranted illustration according to scripture.  There is an urgency to this call.  

Jesus said, "if you love me, you will keep my commands."(John 14:15)  In the 1st and 2nd Epistles of John, he reinforces that idea.  

But we know that commandments do not simply refer to the 10 Commandments or just the sayings of Jesus.  In Matthews 22:37-40 Jesus answers the Pharisees question about "which is the greatest commandment" by saying, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.   And a second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

In the same way the author of Hebrews tells us that, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world."(Hebrews 1:1-2)

Both of these scriptures place value not on any one part of the Bible, but on God's word as a whole.   The false-dichotomy which suggests that Jesus never said homosexuality or gay marriage was wrong so we can ignore all the scriptures that do is a lie!  In Matthew 19:3-6, as a response to a question about divorce, Jesus actually defines what marriage should look like and refers to the creation account in  Genesis in order to give a foundation for his definition.  The whole bible is full of God's commands.

Keeping those commandments not only means exhorting each other to pursue perfection in the do's and don'ts but, preaching the Gospel that Jesus is the only one who actually kept the do's and don'ts perfectly.  It is faith in His perfect life and His sacrificial death that save us and make His grace available so that we can succeed in obedience.  

God did not send His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins so that we could do whatever feels right.  An understanding of salvation rooted in biblical truth will result in a tree that bears biblical fruit in obedience to God's word.

So, Who Are The Real Haters?

What I wish the world understood and what the liberal professing Christian is actively ignoring is that, ANYONE who affirms homosexuality as being ok and not a sin is a true hater.  They are guilty of multiple offenses.  Not only are they actively ignoring biblical truth and spitting in Christ's face; but they are also doing the exact opposite of what they hope to achieve for the LGBT community.

It has been historically true that, at the root of a liberal approach which compromises the gospel, is an honest, heart felt desire to see people believe in Jesus and go to heaven.  The problem is a lack of confidence in the Holy Spirit, by the declaring of God's word, to change hearts and turn them toward Christ.  A compromised gospel is a faithless, man-centered, man-driven gospel.

If you do not preach the true, complete gospel of Jesus Christ and call sinners to repentance, you are effectively holding ANY sinners hand as they walk down the road to hell.  They might as well be holding Satan's hand!  You are doing them no favors.




If you affirm them in their sin and tell them God loves them just the way they are and doesn't expect them to change, the same is true.  You are shining a light on the gates of Hell and making them look beautiful.

Rodin's Gates of Hell 

AFFIRMATION IN THE FACE OF BLATANT SIN IS DAMNING!  

Romans 1:32 states that, "Though they know God's decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."

Paul has just finished listing a slew of "all manner of unrighteousness" that those who have rejected God perform.  Then in Romans 1:32 he links those who approve of such actions with those whom have been doing them.  He is preaching the condemnation of both.

In Isaiah 5:20-21 states, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!"

It does not matter if you say you love Jesus or even believe that he rose from the dead.  If  you are unwilling to stand for truth and defend God's word as the final authority for both faith and practice, then you have not surrendered your heart to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and you are in eternal danger.  Your faith is in a God of your own making, not the God of the bible.

You are robbing yourself and your hearers of the Good News that sin is damning but God is saving. Sexuality and marriage ceases with this life(Matthew 22:30).  It will not be the focal point at all in eternity.  Please stop believing the enemies lie that our identity and satisfaction are found in our sexuality.  There are only two identities in this life, Sinner or Saint.  Which one are you?

Conclusion

I know this will go over like a lead balloon with a bunch of people. Still, a few will probably like it and agree.  The fact remains that this is not the popular stance either in secular culture or much of church culture.  However, it is absolutely what the bible teaches.

If you are a liberal or even if you consider yourself a conservative, yet you approve of homosexuality I plead with you to repent.  Maybe you don't outright approve, but you are unwilling to say anything for fear of being judged as unloving, I beg you to repent.  In either case you are doing damage to the gospel of Jesus Christ and you are misleading people who need a Savior whom demands everything because He gave everything.  He gives so much more than what we can ever give.  You may think you are being loving but you are actually showing a dangerously subtle hatred.

If you are a Christian who believes the bible, strives for obedience, and is willing to stand firm in a biblical stance on homosexuality or any other sin then I applaud you.  This is not easy.  Continue proclaiming the Good News.

Even the most well meaning of Christians can fall into the the camps which call for extreme caution. These camps will dare to suggest that even the most subtle suggestions that sin is sin, presented in the most subtle ways are somehow bible-beating.

I have seen that, even today; warnings contrasting expressions of love, with lessons from the law.  As if the two were in such stark contrast that they could never be uttered in the same conversation.  The law is not our enemy.  It is meant to drive us to grace.  People do not know that they need a cure if they do not know they have a disease.  The law shines the light on our disease (sin) so that we will desire the cure (grace).

We must always strive to speak the truth in love however, that never means not speaking the truth at all.  It means telling sinners that God accepts us just as we are, but not so that we can remain as we are.  We are expected to grow in the knowledge of the truth; becoming more and more like Christ until the day we get to see Him face to face.

As believers, by God's grace, we can do this because when Christ died for us, He did it even as we were hating Him.  May we find strength to love others as Christ loved us.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

Crazy Busy!

I have the pleasure of taking part in a book review program through Crossway called Beyond the Page.  As an incentive for doing the reviews I gain access to complimentary copies of the books that I choose to review.  I simply write the review and post it here on my blog as well as at least one other consumer site such as Amazon.com, Goodreads.com, Christianbook.com etc.  This is the first of what I hope will be many more reads and reviews to come.  I have two goals in taking part in this program. One goal is simply to gain access to books and support the authors through the reviews.  More importantly I hope to impact lives by creating interest in what I believe to be important Christian literature that will help others grow in theological knowledge and healthy application of biblical concepts.  So here goes.

Crazy Busy!

Kevin DeYoung is a pastor, conference speaker, blogger and book Author.  He has written several books in his young career as a well-known Christian leader.  He has a reputation as a winsome writer that is adept at driving home gospel-centered points in succinct, yet entertaining ways.  Crazy Busy does not disappoint.  I had the privilege of receiving a complimentary copy from Crossway books in order to complete this review.

In this book DeYoung is painstakingly honest about his own wrestling with the insanities of life, why they occur, what the dangers are, and how to strive to overcome them from a biblical mindset.  He lets us know from the beginning that he has not solved the problem of busyness.  He simply wants to point to some important considerations that have been helpful to him.  He breaks them down as with a 3, 7, 1 outline.  Three dangers to avoid, seven diagnoses to consider, and one thing we must do.

I was challenged by many points that he made.  One of the points that I believe is central to the whole book and struck me particularly was found in Chapter 5 entitled "Mission Creep".  In this chapter DeYoung makes the very important point that "You can't serve others without setting priorities".  He drives them home by using Jesus as the example, pointing out that even as the crowds were looking for him, he had to make choices to move on to the next town.  Jesus understood his mission and knew how to prioritize in order that he be busy doing, only the things that he should be doing to accomplish his purpose. This, rather than doing everything that he could be doing because he or anyone else thought it should be done. If Jesus had to prioritize, we most certainly do.  

DeYoung makes several solid points in this chapter but one statement at the end of Truth #1 really hit home. He says, "The people on this planet who end up doing nothing are those who never realized they couldn't do everything".  What a great statement!  That is a person I do not want to become.  

There are very few if any, especially in the "civilized world" who do not need help prioritizing, even if they do not know it.  I for one hope to better apply the idea of making priorities based on the passions and gifts that God has given me, rather than trying to be all things to all people.  I long to be effective for the cause of Christ and I believe the truths in this book can help me better navigate that journey.

For Christians in general, healthy prioritization is absolutely essential if we are to be as effective for the kingdom as God would have us be.  DeYoung does a great job using the concept of being "Crazy Busy" to challenge every aspect of who we are, what motivates us, where we find our identity, and how we manage our time.  This book is not just about finding sanity.  It is about being a good steward of the time God gives us with a view to the advance of the kingdom and the glory of His name.

I do not believe that there is a person who may read this review who would not benefit from reading it.  It is short, sweet, to the point, and entertaining as well.

I highly recommend it!

Josh