Pray for Our College Bound Kids!

Over the many years, I have watched many of our friends and family sending their kids off to college. In Wyoming, the reality is.....when you send your kids off to college....you send them OFF to college. Even a community college can be several miles away!

Well...I guess it is our turn. Sandra and I are preparing to send our oldest son off to college in the fall, and it's not an easy ordeal. The writing for scholarships is crazy...The waiting for acceptance letters can be stressful....all of the roadtrips to visit different colleges. Whew! And....is their enough money to cover ALL of the expenses???

All of the stress has one good thing about it....it drives us as parents to our knees to pray and cling to the Lord. I have to remember that it is now Caleb's turn to be really tested in his faith. I pray that he will remember what we have taught him and what he has learned in his Christian walk. The verse, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6, keeps running through my head. The main thing that we are praying about is that Caleb will stick to his faith no matter what.

Let's all join together in prayer for our students that are getting ready to head off to college. Lord, please remind our students that they are to be in the world but not of the world. Strengthen them even in these early preparations before high school graduation to prepare them for their future. We pray that You will provide all their financial needs on and off campus. We pray that You will keep them safe. Most of all, Lord, we pray that you will bless them by the Holy Spirit to rely totally on you in everything that they do. In Jesus' Name- Amen.

Blessed are the Peacemakers....

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." - Matthew 5:9

We live in a dying and decaying world full of sin. Often times in society, people argue, fight, and even go to war. Sometimes we have differences with our peers and neighbors, even arguing that can cause pain, stress, and strife. You know, God loves a cheerful heart, and He doesn't like to see us hindering our worship of Him by having bitterness towards our brothers and sisters.

First of all....we can thank God that He brings peace and hope to our lives through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Second of all, God also sent His Son to live a sinless life as a model to us all.

Before we, "fly off the handle" at someone, allowing sin to reign free, let's seek godly wisdom, and seek how the Lord would handle the situation. God tells us in Matthew 5:9, that we are to be peacemakers, and that we will be blessed if we are. If we are peacemakers, we will be called His sons.

You may be thinking, well..."Nobody is perfect"....humanly speaking...you are right, but God is perfect, and He draws us as Christians to Him, wanting us to be more like Him.

Dear Lord, when friction arises between ourselves and others, help us not to sin against You. Help us to pray. Help us to listen attentively to all parties in a heated situation. Lord, help us to always seek to be peacemakers as you would have us do. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Congratulations Worland Warriors!

I just wanted to write and say congratulations to the Worland Warrior basketball players! It was a fun season to watch this year. Both the boys and the girls team were able to qualify for the state tournament this year, with the boys only having one loss in the games, but allowing them to take 5th place over all in the state for 3A. The state tournament took place last Thursday through Saturday at Casper College.

Two of my sons played basketball this year. Jacob played on the freshman team, and Caleb played varsity for his senior year. Both tell me that they had a lot of fun this year. I'm excited that Jacob wants to play all four years of high school for the Warriors.

My youngest son, Josh, is still in elementary school, but loves to play basketball and can't wait until he is able to play for the Warriors!

Keep up the great work Worland basketball players and coaches. You have made our community proud of you! We hope that there will be many more exciting years to come for the sport!

Blessed are the pure in heart!

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." - Matthew 5:8

We are not called just to seek knowledge of what the Bible says. We are to seek to live a life of worship in which the Bible describes to us. The Lord is searching for our heart of worship, a pure heart that is seeking the ways of God. If we are worshiping the Lord with our heart, soul, mind, and strength we will be gaining more knowledge of Him, as we read His Word.

Knowledge is important but it doesn't take the place of a pure heart that worships our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to have knowledge of our God, but first, I want to have a pure worshipful heart for God, being humble before Him. Another verse that applies here is James 4:10- "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." If we live a life that is pure in heart, we truly will see God.

Blessed are the merciful!

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." – Matthew 5:7

When I see this verse I immediately think of the story of the Good Samaritan who nursed and cared for the down-trodden traveler that was left for dead by the side of the road, while others even crossed to the other side of the road to avoid the man that was so desperately in need.

We are all guilty of being busy...so busy that we tend to forget others that are in need. My prayer is that we....I...can be a lot more merciful toward others in need. I'm not just talking about writing a check to give to those in need, even though that can be good in and of itself.

I know there have been times where I should have given my neighbor food..or clothing. I should have written that card to encourage. I should have given that phone call, or made that visit to one in need.

Jesus calls us to be merciful to our fellow man. As Christians, he tells us that we too will be rewarded with mercy! After all....we all deserve death and separation from God, but because of His mercy, we have eternal life for those who believe in Him!

A lot of people talk about how our American culture has gotten so insensitive and self-centered. Can you imagine what a change we could make if we were a lot more merciful toward each other? Let's pray that we can be more loving and merciful with a pay-it-forward mentality. God bless you! Blessed are the merciful!

Wow! What a quick football season!

What a fun football season it was this year! It always is for me.

I enjoy watching my youngest boy, Josh play "rec" league. The "Scouts" recreation league is well organized and will really improve Worland's football program in years to come. It's always fun to see these little guys knocking each other around on the gridiron!

I really enjoyed watching my middle boy, Jacob, play on his freshman football team this year. No longer in the middle school green this year, it was fun watching him play in the Worland orange and black. He really wants to lift weights early to get ready for next year's season.

Caleb finished off his senior regular season playing in the Worland orange and black. He is now looking forward to playing the Wyoming State Shrine Bowl coming up this year.

As for college football, I was able to catch a few great games. I love watching it too, but not nearly as much as I do watching my kids and NFL.

Speaking of the NFL, it was a disappointing season for my Dallas Cowboys. Every time they are picked to go to, or win the Super Bowl....they choke. I know....I know....a lot of you are thinking... that's okay... because you don't like the Dallas Cowboys...but when a majority of your family is from Texas and you are raised with the Dallas Cowboys....you get the picture.

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers! You played a great Super Bowl game. It was great to see Aaron Rodgers get the win as the new franchise quarterback! Favre...I believe is now in the past for Green Bay. What a good young team the Packers are. As for the Pittsburg Steelers...good season.

Well....it's tough to see football go for another season....can't wait for next fall!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness..

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." – Matthew 5:6

Have you ever felt so hungry that you thought you could eat a horse? Maybe you have craved a huge cheeseburger? Have you ever been so thirsty after working hard out on a ranch, or after a long mountain or desert hike in the wilderness that you want to drink a huge big gulp of water? These may be physical needs for food or water, but that is not what Jesus is talking about in this verse.

Jesus is talking about the spiritual hunger and thirst that we have inside. Only God can satisfy that hunger. First to overcome the spiritual hunger and thirst that every man lacks, we must come to Christ and believe in Him, being baptized by the Holy Spirit. As God allows us to grow in Him by praying each day, and by reading His word, He has the desire for us to seek His righteousness! We should have the hunger...the thirst..and desire for His righteousness too! He wants us to be more like Him as His children. As we hunger and thirst for His righteousness, we will be filled and satisfied.

In the world's eye view, people are hustling and bustling, hungering and thirsting for THINGS: money, power, prestige, fame, glory, success....passions, that ultimately won't satisfy.

How many of the world's most famous and wealthiest people have you come across, that are truly happy? It seems like they are always searching, searching for something or someone. There is a missing piece...a void in their lives. The missing piece that they are looking for is Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Christians, we will eventually receive all of His riches in glory when we are with Him. I know that He is building me a mansion in heaven!

I'm thinking of the old hymn, "I'd Rather Have Jesus". Here is just one verse that sums it up for me, "I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;I’d rather be His than have riches untold;I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

Refrain: Than to be the king of a vast domain, And be held in sin’s dread sway; I’d rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today.

Great words, huh? I don't know about you, but I don't want to be in sin's dread sway. I'd rather be filled by his righteousness.

Thank you Lord. Amen.