Author Archives: Rick

A Renewed Directon

For the past two years I’ve been searching and looking and hunting high and low.

I’ve turned over hundreds of rocks. I’ve read dozens of books. I’ve listened to podcasts, taken online courses, attended conferences, and talked to hundreds of people. I’ve prayed, cried, screamed, gone silent, and sometimes simply existed. I’ve had moments of apparent discovery, and moments of complete confusion. I’ve stalled many times.

And now…it is time to move forward.

It is time to claim my calling and narrow my focus.

The one overriding theme from the past two years has been my desire to pour into people. The big question struggling to be answered has been, “What people?”

To speak to a general audience sounds great. Surely everyone wants to hear want I have to say. Surely God has given me a message to bring to EVERYONE.

But, I’ve always felt pulled to a specific audience.

I’m 44 years old.

I’ve been married for over 21 years.

My sons are 16 and 18.

I’ve written a few times about the huge regret I have for missing out on many things over the last couple of decades.

I’ve written about my struggle with depression.

Now is the time for me to write and speak to a more specific audience.

No more “poor me” writing. (A good friend of mine calls it “Eeyore writing”.)

Starting today my focus will be on pouring into those men behind me in life.

The men I’m longing to speak to may be married. They may have young children. They may be in their late teens and looking for whatever is “next” for them.

My intent going forward will be to pour into men who are like I was 10-25 years ago.

I will certainly use the lessons I learned.

I will certainly use my failures and successes to form my message.

But, I will not dwell on the pain and deep wounds inflicted on me. I will use the memories and stories of those events to help steer men through the maze of life.

I have a trusted team of advisers I lean on daily. They act as my personal Board of Directors. They will hold me accountable. They will help direct my personal path as I look to direct others.

They will help me develop this blog, books, devotionals, speeches, and many other avenues to share my message.

The Chairman of the Board for my life is my Heavenly Father. All of this begins and ends with him. Through daily prayer, daily reading of the Bible, and constant conversation with God, I will move forward with what he has placed on my heart.

In the next few weeks I’ll share more of the ideas I’m developing and changes I’m planning. Please stayed tuned! And please offer ideas!

I look forward to sharing this journey with everyone. Please invite your friends and family to join.

Wake Up!!!!!

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Sometimes. Sometimes I really need people to be obvious with me. I mean REALLY obvious.

After 21 years of marriage, I think my wife finally has it figured out. Get my attention first. THEN tell me what you want me to hear.

For me, it’s no different when God is trying to get a point across. I really do need the attention-getting moment before He drops a truth bomb on me.

This is exactly what happened to me recently. I can’t go into the details due to confidentiality and privacy issues, but suffice it to say, He woke me up when I heard some shocking words.

After the shocking words, it dawned on me I’d been failing at praying for a situation in my life. Until this moment I had been floating along as a casual observer.

Now that I’m awake, I’m looking back on all the movement, motions, and actions that have taken place surrounding this particular situation.

I should have been praying long ago.

I really thought the situation didn’t fully involve me. I’m wrong.

Instead of being a casual observer, I need to be an active prayer warrior. There isn’t much else I can do. But praying is certainly be the most important thing I can do.

Has God ever “smacked” you awake to a situation going on all around you?

Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes (Part 2)

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Last week I wrote about changes. (Read part 1 here: Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes)

This week I’m trying to answer a question put to me by one of you.

At the end of last week’s post, I asked you a few questions.

How do we adjust? When things are changing, what do you hold on to? Is there something in your life keeping you stabilized during changes?

One of you decided to be smart and ask ME to answer the same questions. Seems logical. I probably should have answered them in the initial post. But hey, now I get two posts from one topic! 🙂

I guess the simple answer is I hold on to my relationship with God.

And while this is true, it kind of feels like the Sunday School answer. You know what I mean. Every question in Sunday School can be answered the same way: JESUS!

(Side note. When I teach middle school Sunday School classes, I tell the kids they aren’t allowed to used this answer. It may be true, but they can come up with something better.)

As I’ve been wrestling with these questions, I keep circling back to another set of questions. Am I really holding onto God during changes in my life? Am I really giving my struggles to him? Am I really grabbing hold of him to stabilize my life?

The answer? Sometimes.

Sometimes???

Yep. I’m a failure. I don’t always hold onto, and rely on, my relationship with God.

Good grief. What’s the matter with me? Why wouldn’t I rest all my worry and stress on the rock of my faith? Why don’t I spend time with him every single day discussing situations and life with him?

Simple answer: I’m a sinner.

I fall short. Every single day.

But, every single day I have the opportunity to restore and renew my relationship with God.

Every single day he is waiting for me. He is willing to listen, and ready to help.

So I guess I am going with the Sunday School answer.

How do I adjust? What do I hold on to? Where do I find stability during times of change?

God. Jesus. My Savior.