Lent 2016 Thoughts

Another Lenten season is upon us and you know what that means...people making like modern day Pharisees and announcing what they are giving up beginning today all the way through Easter.  Well, time for me to bring back one of my posts I did last year...and yes it is still relevant.

As we start the Lenten season, you see posts on Facebook and Twitter of people announcing what they are giving up.  I say this every year...is it our business what you are announcing you are giving up?  Not really...it's really between you and the Lord.  And it doesn't always have to be anything physical (if that makes sense) like meat, sodas, sweets, etc.  It could be something like giving up an hour of TV or computer time or whatever is hindering your walk with God.

I always hearken back to Hebrews 12:1,2 (New Living Translation)

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

We don't all have to walk around like modern-day Pharisees and proclaim what we are giving up for 40 days. Pray that during this season God will strengthen your walk with Him...and if it means going without a Dr. Pepper or a Braum's hamburger, so be it!!!

And in the meantime, I'll continue trying to work on me.

Until next time...

Rob's Recommendation -- Two Hots and a Cot

Two Hots and a Cot


This installment of Rob's Recommendation comes after an amusing conversation that I had.  I had invited a couple of my First Christian Church friends Nancy Jackson and Kathy Brinkley to see and perhaps like Christ Church of Yukon (CCY)'s Facebook page.  Anyway, one of them noticed that one of the Sunday School classes was on the Prison Epistles (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians) and the series was titled interestingly enough "Three Hots and a Cot". For about a minute Nancy thought we were doing a study on her book.  I don't think our Sunday School teacher knows about her book, but I will make a recommendation to him as I am now to you about Nancy's book.  I have put the link to where you can get it above but in case you can't get to the link...the description is below.

"No one understands addiction," she said. "It is like loving someone who doesn't love you back. You do it until you don't. Or until you die." After Nancy Jackson was arrested for DUI-not one, not twice, but five times- she got behind the wheel of her car, intoxicated, and was arrested. Incarcerated at the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, she spent a year behind bars, living with people she couldn't tolerate and wouldn't have associated with anywhere else. She often wondered what it was that made her give up everything that meant anything to her. And finally she learned the answer: a disease called alcoholism. Two Hots and a Cot is a brutally honest and compelling day-by-day account of her journey on the road to recovery through the Oklahoma justice system. Living through nightmares in the dark and nightmares in the light of day, she learned to survive in the unknown and the unexpected. She learned to deal with despair, anger, and frustration, and turn it to hope. She found wisdom in the words of women who were incarcerated for drugs, alcohol, crimes against humanity and themselves; women who were mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and sisters. She found friendship, faith, and healing in the most unlikely place, behind bars. And she found God.

I personally know Nancy...she is one of the most beautiful women you will ever meet both on the outside and on the inside.  She has such a heart for missions, not just for the families of those who have members who are incarcerated.  The trials and tribulations that she went through have made her into the great woman of God that she is today.  I am proud to recommend this book to you.

That is all I have for now...until next time.