MATTHEW WEST-HELLO MY NAME IS
It's quite painful for social media junkies like me to be on Facebook and Twitter today. (By the way, are you and I connected at those places yet? Head to Facebook.com/SOSRadioMike and Twitter.com/MikeCouchman if not. : - )
It's painful mostly because of the political chatter. Everyone's cheering on their side and dissing the other side, not realizing it's all just lawn signs. (When's the last time somebody's lawn sign changed your vote?)
I decided to take this approach once we learn who wins:
Of all the Hurricane Sandy images I saw this week, this one will stick with me the most:
That's somebody in New Jersey meeting a simple need. Most folks didn't have power. This person did. And they offered it freely.
To me, that's the essence of being a Jesus follower! He called us to meet needs. To meet people where they were. Over and over in the Bible, Jesus proved how important this was with His own actions.
By the end of tonight, you may find yourself with one or more of the following items:
From my devotions and reading this week, a few of my favorite takeaways.
In no particular order BTW...a totally random compiling of things I think you might find inspirational, hopeful, useful, etc. :)
"I err on the side of grace to others because someday I’ll stand before God, and I trust He’ll offer grace to me in Jesus."- Jud Wilhite
"Joy doesn't depend on what's going on around you; it depends on what's going on inside you." - Brandi Lanai
"Plant, and you will harvest faithfulness. Plow the ground God has given. The Lord will come and make good things rain on you." - Hosea 10:12
Towards the end of every week, I like looking back at what I have learned. Verses that stuck out in my devotion time. Quotes from others that spoke to me.
And when the week nears its end, I like sharing my favorite verses/quotes with YOU. Enjoy!
"Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" - Psalm 27:14
"Even when I am afraid, I keep on trusting you." - Psalm 56:3
"When you are down to nothing, God is up to something. Don't lose hope."
"All too often the church holds up a mirror reflecting back the society around it, rather than a window revealing a different way." - Philip Yancey
After trying this a week ago and getting great responses, I have decided to make this a (hopefully) every Friday thing.
Each Friday, I'll share a few things I have found helpful, or thoughtful, or challenging (etc.) during my devotion times this week.
This is a completely random list of positive thoughts, quotes, and verses. Enjoy!
"In your darkest moment, right there. In that place of disgusting sin and despair, He's with you. He's still with you." - Carlos Whittaker
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill
I am assuming that YOU already know how awesome Christian music can be, right? That's why most people tell us they listen to SOS Radio.
Looks like a lot of other people are finally figuring out what you have known for awhile now. None other than Time Magazine couldn't help but notice the power of Godly music this week!
For those times when life "pushes back" at you, I thought I'd share a few things I have found helpful during my devotion times this week. This is a completely random list of positive thoughts, quotes, and verses.
"ALL THINGS work together for our good! " (Romans 8:28)
“There are accidental parents, but there are no accidental children. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did.” (Rick Warren)
"I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." (Psalm 16:8)
I'll be honest with you. When it comes to being a Godly man...a good husband...a role-model dad, I feel like I fall short. I feel like I am walking through a furniture filled room, blindfolded.
I was raised by a single mom. How she pulled that off without losing her mind I will never know. My father lived nearly 2,000 miles away. I saw him, very infrequently. Hence my insecurity about my own "manly" abilities. If "man cards" were real, mine would have been likely repossessed long ago.
All that to say: praise God for the men out there who are toughing it out. Doing what they can to be Godly influences. I'm grateful to watch you and to learn from you.
Here's some top notch advice for anybody you know who'd like to learn more about what being a Godly Man means:
This may sound oxymoronic to you (if that's even a word), but I am a political junkie who is disgusted by our nation's current politics.
To put it another way: the art and power of politics has always fascinated me. I believe the political process, when used properly...with dignity, honor, respect for your opponent, honesty, etc., can actually be a very good thing. I was once so taken with politics that I majored in Political Science as a college student in Michigan. I interned for a state senator. And that's when the disillusionment started.
