Reading

100th blog!!!

It’s definitely been a journey. So what spurred me onto doing a blog? Glad you inquired so inquisitively (yes I spelled that correctly the first time).

Basically I was blowing up my Facebook friend’s timelines, news feeds, or walls depending on whatever it was called at that time. My aunt from Minnesota, where I was born but moved away when I was 3 then moved back when I was 19, where God got ahold of me, and then left again at 21, (ok breath now) said, “Why don’t you start a blog?” I believe someone else recommended that to me also but I don’t quite remember. So I himmed and hawwed (or is it “hemmed and hawed”) about starting one for a while. The thing is previously I wasn’t really serious about growing and seeking His face that much. I went to a great church with great speakers (big name Charismatic speakers) and great prophetic worship that sometimes last hours without needing scripted music lyrics. I was comfortable being fed by someone else’s hand, so to speak. Now this is not to say you can’t be fed by someone else’s hand but with maturity comes self-sufficiency but not self-sufficiency where you isolate and become above rebuke or think more highly than yourself. The self-sufficiency that I’m talking about is where you no longer look to someone else for your growth but you press onto maturity in Him. (See Isaiah 28:9 and Isaiah 28:9)

My problem was I didn’t think I had anything to share. In the real-life world of shapes, sounds, and time I am a man of few words. Very introverted. Introverted to the point when I hear “Stand up and greet someone” in church I either stay seated or go on my phone…but not all the time. Part of that had to do with being raised to not ask questions, not to inquire with “Why?” but just reply, “Yes, dad.” Now over a period of 4+ years I have been regaining my voice back and realizing I do have things to share, maybe wrong or maybe right I don’t know. Even now very few of the people I know is this real world share, comment, or inquire much about my blogs, which I’m ok with. My wife does support me in it 100% and supports my desire to want to write a non-fiction and fiction book sometime in the future. I am however really encouraged to those on WordPress, Facebook, and even Twitter by people sharing, liking, and commenting. It encourages me to continue on with a 101st blog and not quit. If you knew me before I was 20 and before I started this blog in January 2014 you would be surprised I am where I am.

Before I started walking with the Holy Spirit I hated reading, so much that I did maybe 1 or 2 summer reading assignments in High School or 8th grade (I was homeschooled from 1st-7th and skipped 5th (because I didn’t like it…just kidding. I skipped it…I was smart…back then)). I hated reading. I loved being outside or playing video games however. But after I started following the Lord I started to pick up every Christian book I could. Read the Bible all the way through, I was a sponge at that point. But I still hated writing. Then someone mentioned starting a blog so I launched out and signed up. It’s been an amazing thing in my life.

I did leave that one church and started going to another local church which has few speakers but still good worship and good teaching. This kind of incentivized me on to going after the Lord for myself by seeking what has been implanted instead of waiting in a prayer line for an impartation all the time. I realized that I have something to offer to others and being as I’m not a pastor nor an itinerant minister or singer/songwriter I had to vehicle until I started this blog. It was like the floodgates opened to me and a rush of new thoughts, ideas, personal applications, revelation, etc came to me. And they only left when I wrote them down but then more came. It continues to this days. That’s why it is 100 and counting.

So I have a question to those who have read to the end. What has been your take away from this blog? Has it helped or not? Is it applicable in your life? Do you have questions, concerns, or would want my thoughts concerning things either general or specific? Above all I do my best not to take sides or be involved in the schisms of isms. I like balance and riding the fences on some things. However I am firm on the essentials. My aim to know Him and to offer different views with different applications. Our life and issues do not come pre-packaged so neither will our growth or healing. I always want an open toolbox with the filter of 100% Scripture and 100% Spirit.

Thanks to all those who have liked, following, reblogged, comments, and shared. I am excited for the next 100 posts.

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My Favorite Books

book

Before I was following my Father, I hated reading. It was the ultimate kill joy of summer when I had a “summer reading list” as a child. I may have only read one or two books and did only one book report out of all of high school. Then, when I starting following my Father at the age of 20, I loved reading. I can’t get enough of it. I don’t have an exuberant amount of books…but I wish I did! It is probably because I am an introvert by nature and a Teacher Redemptive gift. I just felt like sharing the books I love and, if you haven’t read them, maybe you would get out of them as much as I did. This list is in no particular order and consist of both fiction and non-fiction.

The Bible by Holy Spirit and men moved by Him – Prefer NASB, AMP, and NKJV

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

The Shack Revisited by C. Baxter Kruger

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge

Love & War by John and Stasi Eldredge

Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

Messy Spirituality by Michael Yaconelli

This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti

The Auschwitz Escape by Joel Rosenberg

Being With God series by Graham Cooke

Permission Granted by Graham Cooke

The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel

The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis

The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning

The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer (had dream where I was in a huge library and climbed one of those old school library ladders and picked the book off the top shelf. So I bought it)

Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

The God Chasers by Tommy Tenney

Victory Over the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson

What’s So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey

Visions From Heaven: Visitations to My Father’s Chamber by Wendy Alec

The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey

This Day I Was Crucified by Gene Edwards

Transported by the Lion of Judah by Anne Elmer

The Circle Series by Ted Dekker

Come Up Higher by Paul Cox

Exploring Heavenly Place Volumes I & II by Paul Cox

Defeating Dark Angels by Charles Kraft

A Celebration of Sex by Douglas E. Rosenau

Spiritual Revolution by Patricia King

For Men Only by Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn

Developing Your Prophetic Gifting by Graham Cooke

Deadly Emotions by Dan Colbert M.D.

The Stronghold of God by Francis Frangipane

Agenda 21 by Glenn Beck

Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge

Fathered by God by John Eldredge

For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn

Elijah House Prayer Ministry materials

And now here are a few I look forward to reading in the future

Prophetic Wisdom by Graham Cooke

Dissociative Identity Disorder: Recognizing and Restoring the Severely Abused  Volume One by Tom Hawkins, Ph.D. with Diane W. Hawkins, M.A.

Multiple Identities: Understanding and Supporting the Severely Abused  by Diane W. Hawkins

The Weight of Glory by C. S. Lewis

These are among a few I still want to read along with many, not yet written books. If you know of other book, fiction and non-fiction that have touched your life please comment below and I may add them to my list.

Be blessed, Beloved