New Name Blog

By Jeremy Glaze

Relationships are one of the most valuable possessions that we have in life.  Whether it is our relationship with God, our spouse, children, parents, or friends, there is not much that we hold closer to our hearts.  I have finally begun to realize the direct correlation that my relationship with others has with my relationship with God.  I have heard the golden rule many times, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31), but there was something else that Jesus said that really hit home for me.  He said “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).  I realize that He was talking about helping the ones who are in need here, but I don’t think it is too far-fetched to apply this to our relationships as well.

So I have asked myself the following questions.  How much better could my relationship with my wife be if I realize the way I treat her is the way I am treating Christ Himself?  If the way I act toward the ones I work with is the way I am acting toward God, how much would my attitude improve?  And finally, if the way I react to someone in need is the way I am reacting to God, how compassionate would I be?  Every relationship I have would be so much better if I applied that whatever I do to others, I am doing to God.  I would become an overall better person.  And most importantly, my relationship with God would strengthen.

Again, relationships are valuable.  When it is all said and done, our relationships are what we will look back on.  So let’s try to make them the best they can be.  And in doing so, I believe we will be the light that God has called us to be.

Jeremy Glaze

New Name Blog

By Jason Glaze
It was a lazy Sunday afternoon I was chilling out at the house watching TV when my youngest son Will walked up to me and asked me a question that brought a huge smile to my face.  He asked, “Daddy, will you set up a ramp for me so I can jump my bicycle?”  I love it when I see the adventurous spirit in my kids come out so I jumped up and went down to the basement to see if I could find anything to use for a ramp.  After looking around for a while I came up with what I needed and went into the front yard to set up the ramp up.  I made the jump high enough to give Will the thrill he was looking for but low enough not to scare him to death.

So the jumping began!  Before his first jump Will had that look in his eye like he was on an episode of Nitro Circus or something.  His first jump was a success, so were his second and third.  After a while I could tell that he wanted me to go back inside so he could be alone.  I was like this as a kid also.  I liked to do my thrill seeking alone so I could really pretend like I was Evil Knievel raising my arms in victory after each jump.  So I left him alone and went back inside.

About 30 minutes later the front door opened and in walked Will with tears rolling down his cheeks as he grasped at his knee.  Yep, he crashed!  It wasn’t anything too serious, nothing that a little ice
couldn’t take care of.  I could tell that Will was crying from fear as much as he was from the physical pain.  I began to wonder if his jumping days were over.

Here is where the story gets really good for me.  The next day I was at the office.  It was late afternoon and I had just finished up a counseling session when my phone rang.  I answered the phone and heard the sweet yet brave voice of my little boy ask, “Daddy, would it be okay if I set up the ramp and jumped some more?”  With pride in my voice I answered, “Absolutely!”

When I got home I told Will that I was so proud of him.  He did something that is very hard to do.  He had gotten hurt, but he was not willing to allow the fear of getting hurt again stop him from doing
what he loved.

Anytime we get hurt in life, the fear of getting hurt again always follows.  It’s normal.  But the question is this….  Is that fear of getting hurt again holding us back?  Is the fear preventing us from taking the risk of being fully alive and living as our true selves?  Personally, I want to let Will’s story be my story.  Having courage does not mean that we don’t feel fear.  True courage is not allowing that fear to keep us from living.

New Name Blog

By Eric Abney

When was the last time you set out for some sort of escapade only to find yourself let down by what you experienced.  It happens quite often, we look for some sort of satisfaction in different things and in different ways.  Some of us try to accomplish things and in all the doing we just don’t feel as though we have done enough.  Others of us look to people to help us feel what we want to feel, but people have consistently let us down.  Sometimes we buy possessions hoping that when we have them we will attain some sort of fullness.  Many of us try to control our situations and circumstances.  In doing so we think we will get what we need.  Often we may try to become whatever the circumstances may call for.  We do this because we want to be liked and ultimately we want to fit in, but even in trying to become all things to all people we may feel lacking at the end of the day.

Could it be that in all of these things we were never suppose to get real satisfaction and completeness.  If I’m honest I hear this come to life when people begin to talk about their first sexual experience.  They say, “It didn’t give me what I thought I was going to get.”  Which poses the question: “What are we looking for?”  I think we are looking for love.  We are also looking to be accepted.  We want to feel some sense of value, a sense of being worthy or worth something.  We all want to feel safe, to have some sense of security.  Time after time we launch out on our own to try and satisfy these needs.  We can not satisfy them.  We can’t satisfy them for ourselves, nor for other people.  Don’t get me wrong, we can do it for a while, but it ends up being futile.  There is a design and blueprint that is a part of us.  It is at the center of our being.  That design was for someone far bigger than us to meet these crucial needs.  We can only know true love, real acceptance, intrinsic value, and certain security in the person of who God is.  Everything else is only trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip or press water out of a rock.  It won’t happen, it can’t happen.  It’s not the way it was designed to happen.

Be Challenged and Live Adventurously,
-Eric

New Name Blog

New Name CTC held a special event this weekend called Awaken To Your New Names.  The event was a huge success and we would like to thank everyone involved who made this possible.  We would like to give an extra thanks to all who joined us in attendance.  We hope that it was just as exciting for you as it was for us.

By Eric Abney

When I was 15 my Dad found the coolest car for me.  It was a 1979 Z28 Camaro.  When I turned 16 my Dad would let me drive the car to school and to work.  I remember one of the first places I drove was a high school football game.  It felt amazing.  One night I was coming home from a retail store and I got behind someone going 50 miles an hour.  Well clearly the speed limit was 55 and I was in an incredible car that wanted to go faster.  I got to a place in the road just before a bridge and I went for it.  I punched it and pulled into the other lane.  About the time the first half of my car was in line with the rear half of the car in front of me a strange thing happened.  There was a small dip in the road ahead only large enough to hide someone’s headlights for a few moments and as I was passing this car all of a sudden I saw headlights rise above the dip in the road much like the sun rises into view above the horizon.  We were headed for a head-on collision.  I completely freaked out and slammed on the brakes.  I jerked my wonderful gold Camaro to the right and began to spin out of control.  I ran over someone’s mailbox and found myself on the side of the road facing the wrong way.  To my right I saw the people who had been headed straight for me.  They were pulled over, but not for long.  They pulled away as soon as I looked over.  I’m sure they were thinking, “We need to get out of here before this drunk guy goes nuts and tries to chase us down.”  I pulled into the driveway of the folks whose mailbox was lying in the middle of the road.  I threw it in the ditch and went and told them I was sorry and I would be back tomorrow to fix the mailbox and post.

I drove home in shock and disbelief.  I could not believe this had happened to me.  I thought God was out to get me, like He was trying to make a teenager’s life hell so I would fully live for Him.  I was upset and angry.  What was interesting to me is what I said to my father when I got home that night.  I pulled into the driveway late and my Dad came out to meet me.  I knew I had to tell him.  He was going to see the car anyway.  My words to him were, “Dad, God just isn’t blessing me right now.”

I think it’s interesting how we pull God into things.  Let’s be honest, this wasn’t God’s fault, this was my fault. I pulled into the lane to pass.  I freaked out and mishandled the car.  If anything God had protected me from killing myself or someone else.  It’s just it didn’t feel like it at the time.  Feelings are a big deal and they deserve to be acknowledged, but we can’t simply act on how we feel, we must choose to respond.  I needed to take responsibility for what I had done.  In this case God was concerned about my safety, not wrecking my car to talk me into living for Him.

In some way have you shrugged off your responsibility onto God so you wouldn’t have to deal with it?  Think about it.  Maybe it’s time to stand up and stop saying “that’s God’s fault” and start saying, “You know what, I am responsible for that.  It’s my fault. I am to blame.”  Taking responsibility allows us to be honest.  When we are honest we become free.  When we are honest we have more intimacy with this loving God that truly protects us.  What is it that you are responsible for today?

Be Challenged and Live Adventurously,

-Eric

New Name Blog

By Jeremy Glaze

Do you know Dave Matthews?  If you have been under a rock and do not, we need to talk because you are missing out.  I am kind of a music nut and I am a fan of Dave Matthews.  I can tell you about all the albums he has released, recite the lyrics to most all his songs, and tell you the meaning behind a lot them.  I can play several of the songs on the guitar.  I have seen the DMB in concert a number of times.  But I have never met Dave Matthews.  I do not know him personally.

I also love the NFL.  I was sad last week after the Super Bowl because I realized that football is over for several months.  It was a great Super Bowl.  The only thing that could have made it better if the Packers or Vikings would have got in.  I have been a Brett Favre fan since the early 90’s.  I can tell you all about his NFL career, stats, and records.   I have been to Lambeau Field to watch him play.  But I have never had a conversation with Brett Favre. I do not know much about him away from the football field.

My point is that it is possible to know someone with out really knowing them.  And it does not just have to be some one famous.  It could be your college professor that you have never talked to outside of class.  It could be a client or coworker that you have never had a conversation with outside of work.  It could be someone that you go to church with.

Most importantly, it could be God.

I have known about God all my life.  I do not remember a time in my life where I did not proclaim to be a Christian.  I know there has never been a season where I was not in church.  I read the bible, I have chosen a doctrine to follow, and I even have a faith in Christ to try to live my life by.  But I cannot say that I have always personally known God.
You see, God is not just the higher power that we choose to believe in.  Jesus cannot be narrowed down to a religion that we try to follow.

The point of following Christ is relationship.  Jesus called His followers His friends.  And unlike the people I mentioned above, we have the opportunity to know God personally.  He is here for us to talk to, to listen to.  We can know about Him more than just as a historical figure, more than just an example to follow.  We can know His heart, His mind, and His tendencies.  More than the friend, parent, sibling, or spouse that we know like the back of my hand, we can know God intimately.  Regardless, He already knows us.  He knows our every thought, all our needs, and even the number of hairs on our head.  We cannot hide anything from Him, and He does not hide anything from us.  No matter how great our spouse, friend, parents, and siblings are, they are not perfect.  And we are not perfect to them.  But God is perfect.  He can never fail us.  He will never lead us the wrong way.  And He is always here with us.

So I encourage us not to seek a religion, a denomination, or church.  Let’s seek a relationship with the Lord of the earth who laid down His life for His friends.  The rest will come.  Let’s get to know Him.  Let’s find a quite place where we are still, and listen to Him.  He is all around us, moving in our lives.  He is talking to us.  Let’s make sure that we are listening.

Jeremy Glaze

New Name Blog

By Jason Glaze

What are we doing to ourselves and each other when we see people in the light of stereotypes?  This is a subject that I am extremely sensitive to and nothing would thrill me more than to see this change.

Stereotyping is a common problem in all areas of society, but in my opinion no where does it do more damage than among those of us who follow Christ.

Modern vs. Postmodern
Conservative vs. Liberal
Traditional vs. Contemporary
Small Church vs. Mega Church….
And the list goes on and on.

I’m well aware that there are unique differences among us and the last thing we need is a bunch of cookie-cutter Christians.  I also believe there is a place for healthy debate when it comes to these subjects.  However, I believe we can have these differences without having the attitude that seems to often come along with these differences.

I’m growing weary of any way of thinking that creates an “Us vs Them” mentality.  I’m growing weary of anything that causes division in a body that is already painfully divided.  Is it possible for us to let these stereotypes go?  Can we die to the attitude that says if you are not “into” what I’m “into” you are not as spiritual as I am?  Can we simply be ourselves without judging those who are not like us?  We may not even be causing division with our words but our attitudes are speaking loudly.

I know that the change I want to see starts with me, so I have an idea for action concerning this problem and I’ll take the lead and go first.  I right now give anyone who knows me permission to call me out if they ever see this attitude of division in me.

Now it’s your turn.

Jason Glaze

New Name Blog

By Eric Abney

I can remember growing up and getting a lego set for Christmas or my birthday.  I was never really big on reading the instructions I would just build stuff.  I thought that I could come up with some pretty cool things but if I’m honest, nothing I made ever looked as cool as what was on the instructions.

Well wouldn’t you know that as I grew up and became a man I never really read instructions. . . for anything.  Once my Dad was helping me wire up something in my car and in doing so we had to disconnect the battery.  After we were done we reconnected the battery and I began to check everything to be sure that it worked.  I found that my electric window on the driver’s side was not working properly.  I was distraught. I began to check fuses and think we might have cut one of the wires in our wiring process.  I was at my wits end and I thought I was going to have to take the car into the shop.  But before I did that I thought, “I had better pull out the instruction manual.”  I did, and in reading the instructions I found that when we disconnected the battery the driver’s side switch reset and all I had to do was hold it down for a few seconds and “shazam!!!” it was working like new.  In our lives often times I feel as though we just build things much like I did with legos.  We “build” our homes, families, businesses, and dreams and at the end of the day I wonder if we just end up building “stuff”.

God said this in the book of Psalms 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.  I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”  He instructs us.  Often times we seek the instruction only when something we don’t want to happen happens, much like when my window was broken.  What would happen if we right now heeded whatever instruction God was giving us?  What would our lives look like?  Can you see your life becoming the picture God has painted for you?  Just as with my lego building collection there was a picture of what was to be built.  I believe God himself has a picture of what is to be built in our own lives.  If we try to build something on our own it never looks as good as when we read the instructions and follow the way that is laid out for us.  What are the instructions God is giving to you?  His instruction may lead to you greater peace than you have ever imagined.

Be Encouraged and Live Adventurously,

-Eric

New Name Blog

By Jeremy Glaze

If you are unfamiliar with the story of the prodigal son, I strongly suggest that you read Luke 15: 11-32.  In my opinion it is one of the most important parables that Jesus told.  There is so much in this passage, but I am only going to touch on one verse here.  The parable is about a wealthy father and his two sons.  One of the sons ask the father for his share of the estate, then leaves the family the to go live on his own out in the world.  This son ends up blowing all his money on living wildly.  And after he was broke, a severe famine struck the country and he had absolutely nothing.  He was hungry.  He ended up with a job feeding pigs, but he was not even allowed to eat the food that he was feeding to the pigs.  He finally had enough and decided to go back to his family.  He prepared a short speech for his dad asking him to take him back as a servant, and he headed home.

I imagine that this was a long journey home.  I picture doing stupid things as a teenager and having to go home and tell my parents what I did and how I let them down.  Those were always long rides home.  Or when I had to call them to come get me, awaiting their arrival was the most painful part of the whole process.  And to think that this particular son left home and blew his whole inheritance from his father on hookers and who knows whatever else.  That would be a tough ride home.  I can see him preparing what he would say as he journeyed home.  ”Dad, I’m sorry, I have let you down, I don’t deserve to be in the family, just let me be a servant.”

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him.  He ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him (Luke 15:20).

Wow.  Just think about that.  While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him. The son did not have to walk up and knock on the door.  He did not have to ask the father to let him back in.  While he was still a long way off, his father saw him.  What does that say about the father?  It says to me that the father was looking for him, he was waiting on him to come home.  I do not know how long he was away from home, but due to the fact that he had enough time to blow all of his inheritance, I am thinking he was gone for awhile.  And I bet his dad spent several days watching the road that lead up to the house.  Just waiting for his son to come home.  And when he saw the little figure walking up in the distance, before he could even make out who it was was, I bet a smile came over his face and tears flooded his eyes.  I can almost hear him saying with excitement in his voice, “there he is!!”

He ran to his son. As soon as he saw his son, he ran to meet him.  He did not wait for his son to come to him, he ran to his son.  He threw his arms around him and kissed him.  Considering the son was broke, starving, and had been working in a pig pin, I can almost guarantee he was nasty.  And he most likely stunk something awful.  And his father hugged him and kissed him.  He did not wait for his son to come inside and clean up, He ran to where his son was at and hugged and kissed him as he was.  Through the filth.

You see, most all of us have ran away from God before.  I have done this.  I have left and spent all my money and time on the awful things of this world.  And notice how we do not come back to God while everything is still ok.  We wait until we are broke, hungry, nasty, and in a pig pin before we realize we need to come back home.  And the second that God sees us realize this, He comes running toward us.  He… runs… to us.  That is amazing to me.  And He does not wait until we get right with ourselves or get right with God.  He doesn’t wait until we start doing the right things.  He wraps His arms around us right there where we are at and kisses our nasty face.  When we stink, filthy with sin, He holds us and kisses us.

This goes against all logic.  This goes against all human nature.   But this is Grace.  This is Love.

It’s Amazing Grace, Amazing Love.

Jeremy Glaze

New Name Blog

By Jason Glaze

Last week I found myself in a discussion about what motivates people to move in God’s direction.  As the discussion unfolded we began to unpack the damage that religion has done over the years by using unhealthy methods to try and reach people.  One method that seems to be normal in some circles of the church is fear.  Why is fear a normal method of motivation?  Because it “appears” to work, but because of the damage it causes in the long run we really should take a step back and reevaluate things.

By simply observing human nature it is safe to say that if someone is afraid enough they can be motivated to do almost anything, and this is the reason that many people that I know decided to enter into a relationship with God.  The problem with this is that years later they are still afraid of Him.  I’m not saying that they are afraid of Him on a daily basis, but because fear is their point of origin that is what they often turn back to in order to describe why they feel like they are disconnected from God.  They fear His judgement, anger, disappointment, etc.

I don’t know about you but I’m not going to run to someone that I’m afraid of, as a matter of fact I’m going to run in the other direction.  Unfortunately that is what so many people are doing in their spiritual life, they are running from God. 

What if we really knew that God loves us and that His perfect love drives away all fear?  (1 John 4:18)  If you need to, go back in your memory to the time when you were introduced to Jesus and realize that even though fear was being screamed from the pulpit, love was being whispered from God.

Jason Glaze

New Name Blog

By Eric Abney

In addition to working at New Name I have the privilege of working part-time at a great retail company called R.E.I.  It stands for Recreational Equipment Incorporated.  I have the opportunity to meet all kinds of wonderful people who are doing the most exciting and daring things.  Some may be getting ready to go on a trip to South Africa, New Zealand, or even to Stone Mountain right here in Atlanta.  Regardless they are always excited about getting ready to embark on their adventure.  Many times families will come in ready to purchase bicycles and cycling equipment for family adventures around their subdivisions and homes.  Once a family was in the store and they had the cutest little girl with them, but she was weeping almost uncontrollably.  The family had made it across the store from the cycling department which was in the front of the store back to footwear which was in the rear.  That’s where I was ready to help people.  I overheard the family talking to each other.  Through sobs the little girl expressed how she really wanted a particular bike that we had across the store.  She was very upset. Her mother held her close and tried her best to comfort her.  Then her father came close and said these words, “Honey, it’s going to be okay.  We haven’t forgotten that you need a bike.”

Jesus said that if the flowers of the field are covered with morning dew and have what they need doesn’t our heavenly father love us even 
more still? (Matthew 6:28-31)

He does, but every now and again we forget who God is and all those 
perfect fathering aspects that He possesses.  In those times we think 
that what we need must have been forgotten by God or even worse we feel forgotten.

Rest assured that just as that father in R.E.I. said to his little 
one, so your heavenly Father says to you, “I haven’t forgotten what 
you need.”

Be Challenged and Live Adventurously,

-Eric

New Name Blog

By Jeremy Glaze

Our Father which art in heaven,  Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen. (Matthew 6: 9-13)

I came to a disturbing realization concerning this passage a couple of weeks ago.  I have read or recited this prayer hundreds of times in my life time.  I remember reciting this prayer with a group at several public events.  While in school, I said this prayer with my baseball and football team before every game.  We have this prayer in a frame hanging on our wall at home.  So a few weeks ago I thought to myself, out of all the times I have said this prayer, “how many times did I mean it?”  The answer I came up with…ZERO.  Jesus said these words to give us an example on how to pray, and I just realized I have never used this example that came straight from Jesus.  Honestly, I did not even know what “Hallowed” meant until about three weeks ago.  I know, its sad.

So I decided that I would  whole heartedly pray this prayer.  When I did, I was astonished.  This is a powerful prayer.  It covers everything that I could possibly need in my life.  I broke down each line of this prayer into my own wording so it would actually be me talking to God.

-Our Father, which art in Heaven:   -Daddy, perfect God in a perfect place.
-Hallowed be thy name:   -You are Holy, You are Sacred to me.
-Thy kingdom come:   -Bring Heaven here in my life.  Let Heaven crash into earth and change the world.
-Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven:   -Make my life yours.  What You want it to be.  Not my own will, but Your will God.  Show me the way.
-Give us this day our daily bread:   -Give me what I need, not what I want, just what I need.
-And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors:   -Forgive me for all my sins, all my shortcomings, and I will forgive the ones who have done me wrong.  (Notice here that it does not say “help us to forgive our debtors:, it says “AS we forgive our debtors”.  We are not asking for help to forgive, we are committing to forgive).
-Lead us not unto temptation:   -I want to be all about You, I do not want to be involved with anything else.
-But deliver us from evil:   -take away anything in my life that hinders me from You.
-For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever:    -It’s all about You, It’s all about You, It’s all about You Jesus.
-Amen:   -Amen

Jeremy Glaze

New Name Blog

By Jason Glaze

Have you ever noticed that impatience seems to be a character flaw that almost everyone in the world struggles with?  If I told you that being impatient has never been one of my issues I would have to follow that up by saying that self-delusion has been.  However, I can honestly say that God has brought me a long way in this area.  I never thought I would have come as far as I have which gives me great hope for the future.

I’m not saying this about myself in a boastful way.  I’m saying this because I talk to so many people who seem to have this belief that impatience is so much a part of who they are that they think it can never get better.  We often talk about being impatient like it’s some kind of incurable disease.  When we believe that about ourselves we end up acting it out like a self-fulfilled prophecy and we begin to passively accept the destruction that impatience brings along with it.

Here is what really helped me out when it comes to being patient.  A couple of years ago God began to show me that I had the strong tendency to get so focused on a goal that I ignored the process of the journey as I headed toward that goal.  I was so focused on the destination that the journey felt like an inconvenience that I would rather just skip, and even though I knew in reality that I couldn’t skip the journey I had the mentality that I must merely tolerate it.  God then began to show me that from His point of view the journey was the whole point.

It’s in the journey that change happens.  It’s where I grow and mature.  The journey is where I have the opportunity to experience God as He walks with me and He loves me way too much to hurry me through it.  God began to reveal to me that what I thought the destination would bring was actually found in the middle on the journey.

I’m thankful for this new perspective and this new found truth, and even though I haven’t fully arrived yet, for me the journey is no longer merely tolerated, but highly anticipated.

Jason Glaze

New Name Blog

By Jeremy Glaze
He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30)

As we attempt to follow Christ, I believe a struggle that the vast majority of us encounter is surrendering to the fact that it is not about us.  Human nature mixed with what we learn from society gives us the instinct to put ourselves first.  And with that we get the phrase “Looking out for number 1″  (which is a great idea once we realize who number 1 is).  When an important decision arises, it is so easy for our first thought to be “how will this affect me?” or “what will benefit me the most?”.  This is a dangerous way to live life.

When I think of bad decisions that I have made (which probably outweigh the good ones), almost everyone one of them was made with no one else in mind but myself.  Think about what causes us to lie.  What causes someone to cheat or steal?  Think about what caused you to do something that emotionally hurt someone you loved.  It was that we were putting ourselves first.  We were thinking things like “this will make me feel good”, “this will keep the blame off of me”, “this will get me what I want”.

But when Christ increases and I decrease, everything is different.  When I realize the it is all about Him and not about me, my decision making process becomes a lot better.  I do not lie, cheat, say hurtful things etc…  and I make better decisions 100% of the time when He is number 1 in my mind.

So when someone betrays us and deeply hurts us, we could think about ourselves.  We could seek revenge and hold them responsible.  We could let their betrayal control our thoughts and actions.  Or we could realize that it is not about us, it is about the One greater.  We could forgive this person and release any control that it had over us.  We could show the one who betrayed us a glimpse of the Gospel and set both of us free.

We can avoid the bad parts of town and the poor neighborhoods because that is where a lot of violence happens.  It is not safe, plus we don’t want to be bothered by beggars.  Or we could realize that it is not about us and these are the unreached places that need the Gospel the most.  We could actually believe that Jesus has me and you in mind to take the good news to the poor.

When we receive our paycheck, we could think about ourselves and the long hours we worked for this.  We could take any extra money and go blow it because we think we deserve it.  Or we could realize that is not about us and help some one else in need.  We could find someone who really means it when they pray “give us this day, our daily bread”, and God can use us to answer their prayer.

When we put ourselves first, it is impossible to allow God to live through us.  It is impossible to be a light in the world.  I have regretted thousands of decisions I have made, but I have never regretted a decision I made when I made it all about Him.  That is one thing that is so cool about God.  Anytime we do things for Him, even if it is suffering for Him, He will bring us more joy than we can imagine.  It all works together.

New Name Blog