So I’ve been sick for two years… it’s been horrible… I’ve been gradually getting better over these last months…
A few weeks ago… I made huge progress… felt like I got healed…
And today… I feel it in every way…
I’m gaining weight again… I’ve been working out daily for almost two weeks now… and in a short time… I’m putting on muscle… I’m looking better than ever… I’m feeling strong… I feel like myself again…
And I can’t praise God enough… Oh thank You… Holy Father…
I’ve had people all over the world praying for me… pulling for me… and my girlfriend’s faithful prayers… Oh how grateful I am… thankful… humbled by the entire experience… Oh how happy I am… that it’s over…
because there were moments I truly wasn’t sure I’d ever get back here…
Honestly.. my faith wavered over these past few years… I was so sick… I lost nearly 60 pounds… I was told it was cancer… then told it wasn’t… and to this day… I still don’t know what it was…
I just know it was hard… a daily struggle to not give up…
But now…
Because of my God — I am back…
Not just back… but renewed… Stronger… Better… Alive in a way I hadn’t felt in years…
And today… I stand here in gratitude — the fear is gone…
All glory to God — the healer… the restorer… the One who carried me when I couldn’t carry myself…
Amen and Amen.
Forever and ever…
“Though He slay me.. yet will I trust in Him…” — Job 13:15 (NKJV)
“The Lord restored the health of Job…” — Job 42:10
I was asleep… — until I opened my eyes… — I was in an old town… a third world place…
Cobblestone streets… — run down… — falling apart…
There were people everywhere— on the outside.. they seemed okay… but once they opened their mouths… — I saw they were falling apart too…
Nothing but rusted words… — no faith… — no hope… — nothing good to say… They believed in nothing…
Just empty speech… empty phrases… — nothing on the inside… Painted smiles that no one cares to look through… So I shook it off me— — continued on…
In the distance.. I could see huge pyramid-like structures… They were white marble— — steep… — with hewn steps stretching across… Carved for someone braver… — layered one upon another… — like a man-made mountain range…
Magnificent to look at… — like the teeth of God… — so high up… — bruising the sky… — such a challenge…
Something inside me cried out… Something feral and buried… I knew— I must climb…
I started walking toward them… — because I’m about to move up… 😉
The people started yelling at me— Their voices like a flock of crows… — black… — circling…
You’re not good enough… you cant… you wont make it… it’s impossible… it’s too much… you’re crazy… you’re going to regret it… you will die… Yada… yada… yada…
Wrong words— — like an avalanche… — thundering down from the mountains… Bursting into sparks as they hit me— straight firing me up… setting my spirit ablaze…
My eyes locked… I started to run — harder… — faster… — gaining momentum… — like jets on a runway…
I took off… — climbing higher… — and higher…
The incline at times seemed straight up… — I could actually feel myself getting tired…
But I kept on— — never thought of giving up… — never worried… — never stopping… — never slowing to catch my breath…
I’ve never had a better feeling in my life… — awake or asleep… — I felt so alive… — so happy… — it was unreal…
So determined — — no one and nothing could stop me… — nothing was impossible…
It was the greatest feeling ever… I carried it with me all day after waking…
Mountains mean nothing…
And soon I will rest… — on the summit… — where she waits… Take her hand… — be her man…
I climb for that moment… — a deep kiss… — a life… — that quiets the world below
Little by little… day by day…
Habakkuk 3:19
“The Lord God is my strength… and He will make my feet like deer’s feet… and He will make me walk upon my high places…”
Back in 2o08… my life was fun fun… you know… dodging bullets… concrete shoes… watery graves… Judas kisses… the usual crap Eventually… I took a break from all the excitement And checked myself into an 18 month drug rehab in Florida They say rehab is for quitters… yep… they’d be right…
A few weeks in… something real started happening inside me Things slowed down Life was simple Clear Peaceful For the first time in a long time… I was happy My mind was sharp God was working in me something fierce Speaking loud Speaking clear I knew… I was exactly where I needed to be…
We were on this beautiful ten acre spread And I lived in a house with about ten other guys All of them tired All of them broken All of them ready for change They became my brothers And— they still are…
One of my responsibilities there… was to care for the ministry dog His name was Beavis Cool name— cooler dog He was older… a boxer mix… gorgeous… and so smart He didn’t really have anywhere to go either His owner Stuart had died of cancer about a year before I arrived… and Beavis never recovered from it…
He was grieving Deeply They told me how he cried… and searched… and waited for Stuart… And it broke my heart A dog that was once full of life… joy… energy… spark… Was now quiet… distant… hurting… He would not let anyone in…
But there was one thing he still loved… There was this random green 10 pound bowling ball on the property You could sling that thing across the grounds And Beavis would bark… chase it down… and roll it across the field with his head… Like it was the most important mission on earth I had never seen a dog play with a bowling ball before 😁 He absolutely loved it So I made it my daily mission… to roll life back into him…
People told me Beavis would never bond with anyone again That he belonged to Stuart That his heart was finished choosing humans…
Challenge accepted—
I took care of him Vet visits Meds Food Time Love Patience And after about a year… it happened… Beavis chose me— He followed me everywhere He slept beside my bed He watched me Protected me Laughed with me… in his dog way… He came back to life…
But loving… comes with cost—
Because he slept outside before I came… He had gotten heartworms from mosquitoes Over the four years I lived there… after graduating… and becoming resident director… Beavis slowly grew sicker… I gave him antibiotics daily I loved him harder as he grew weaker And.. Just like he stayed with Stuart— I stayed with him… til the end…
He had a soft bed right beside mine He had warmth Comfort Care Family Honor… He was treated like royalty—
All us guys loved him so…
And when the time came… I could not watch him suffer anymore… I made the call… Was so hard for me… So hard…
Beavis was one of the greats Not just a dog… A gift—
He was meant for me I was meant for him
destined for each other…
I will always remember him…
The mighty— loyal— stubborn— beautiful heart of Beavis…
He was my Dawg… 😎`’.,°~
…
Though oceans roar… You are the Lord of all… The one who calms the wind and waves and makes my heart be still… Though the Earth gives way… the mountains move into the sea… The nations rage… I know my God is in control…
Big Daddy Weave 🎶 I Know 🎶 We Want The World To Hear…
Today I want to spotlight one of my favorite faith side artists… Big Daddy Weave… They formed in 1998 after meeting at the University of Mobile in Alabama… They have been pouring out honest heartfelt worship ever since… Their lead singer is Mike Weaver… and this one is personal for me… because I once served in music ministry with two of his family members… so this band has always felt close to home for me…
I have two powerful songs for you today…
“I Know” released in 2o19 on the album.. When The Light Comes… This one means a lot to me… I had just found out about Charlie Kirk… I was sitting in silence… grieving… then this song began to play… it became a moment I will never forget…
“We Want The World To Hear” from 2o08 on the album.. What Life Would Be Like… An amazing album… probably my favorite from them…
I hope you enjoy these today… 🙏
..¹⁴³…..♪~♪..[..]..◎~◎”
On my darkest day… From my deepest pain… Through it all… my heart… will choose… to sing… Your praise… `.°-‘.^ …t`