Is this what Jesus looks like?

In 2003, at the age of 8, Akiane Kramarik painted this image of what she perceived Jesus to look like. In the same year 4-yr old Colton Burpo almost died from a ruptured appendix. He says that the angels took him up to heaven and he met Jesus.  When shown this picture he said, yes, that is Jesus!

Now, I realize that their are a lot of hoaxes that go around every day.  And let's face it, there are many who just don't believe in God, Jesus, heaven and hell or anything else that smacks of spirituality.  Colton or Akiane do not need me to pass judgment on whether or not they are being truthful or if they are hallucinating or anything else.  But, I am a believer in Jesus Christ.  I am a believer in heaven.  I don't know what heaven looks like or what Jesus looks like but maybe Colton and Akiane do.  I see no reason to dismiss that possibility out of hand. 

Is it possible that many will dis-believe the whole Heaven Is For Real story simply because to accept it open's up a can of worms that they don't want to deal with. After all, if I believe that Colton was actually taken to heaven and returned and that he talked to Jesus directly, then I have to seriously consider committing myself to be a follower (disciple) of Jesus. And if I do that, it may force a drastic overhaul of my belief system.

For me, I will choose to believe that God can certainly choose to reveal things to certain people at certain times for His purposes. I have no basis for simply saying it is impossible just because it doesn't have a rational explanation. And next time I am anywhere near Imperial, Nebraska, I would love to stop by Crossroads Wesleyan Church and meet this remarkable family.

I submit that it is very difficult......

l submit that it is very difficult to understand who you will become until you have a firm grasp on who you are. For it is only as you turn the real you over to a holy God that He will be able to do the work in you that will enable your full potential to be realized. This is an understanding that is causing me to ask myself, who am I?

I am husband. Not a perfect one by any means but I try.
I am father and step-father to six great kids. Have I made mistakes, oh yeah.
I am grandfather to 14 and great - grandfather to three. I have not been all that I could be for them.
I am friend to many and acquaintance to many more - yet I rarely pick up the phone.
I am runner, not fast and I fall occasionally - yet I continue.
I am photographer. I am actually pretty good at it but am neglectful in practicing the craft.
I am quilter, and I have piles of untouched fabric and two expensive, lightly used sewing machines to prove it.
Most importantly I am Christian. An imperfect Christian to be sure, but it is good to know that God loves me anyway and is ok with me.

So, I think I know who I am.  And who I think I am hardly qualifies me to be an effective disciple in the kingdom of God, or does it?  The thing is I also know a couple of things about me that maybe God can use.

I am genuinely interested in other people.
I will listen to anybody.
I earnestly desire to live a life that pleases God.
I am healthy and work hard at staying that way.
I am only 68 and plan to have bunches of years to serve God.

So, God, here I am - imperfect but willing and sincere. Use me.

Running and Discipleship

Last night l went for a 5 mile run - ok, it was 5.3 but who's counting? Up until the second mile all I could think about was stopping, turning around and walking home. Everything that could hurt, hurt. l started rationalizing that l could just stop running and concentrate on becoming a good walker. Nobody would think a thing about it if I suddenly stopped running. After all I am on a fast downhill on the way to 70 years old.

After about 2 miles I suddenly started feeling stronger, the annoying aches and pains were making their way to oblivion and suddenly I felt as though I could conquer anything.  The dictionary says chaos is disorder and confusion.  Talk about disorder and confusion, one minute I am wanting to quit running, the next minute I am feeling as if I could run forever.

Running up Cerro San Luis trail a few years back

Nothing could stop me, I had been given the gift of endurance and I wasn't going to let the ups and downs of the experience rob me of what I knew to be true, I was gifted with the love of running. I am still confused as to why I  just want to quit at times it and then suddenly I can't get enough, but I just accept the fact that runner is a name I wear and I am determined to wear it with pride. 

Running has been good for me. Physically it has helped me control my weight, has strengthened my heart and increased my lung capacity. Within a half hour after a good run I can breathe all the way down into my toes, I feel infused with oxygen and it is a great feeling. I can do things at 68 years old that I couldn't do if I didn't have the background of running.  From running I have learned to overcome setbacks. I have learned that the journey may be challenging but the end result is worth the effort. I have learned that if you truly love something you will find a way to make it part of your life despite the chaos of the ups and downs. I have learned that you cannot trust the "feelings", you have to have faith in what is, not in what you feel at a given moment.

That brings me to discipleship.  I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. No, I did not walk and talk with the human Jesus Christ as the original twelve disciples did, nevertheless, I am a disciple. According to the dictionary a disciple is a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosopher. Jesus Christ was a teacher and I follow Him.  45 years ago I was gifted with salvation.  I didn't earn it or deserve it, I just accepted it when I realized that the offer was open to me.  Although I have been a disciple of Jesus all these years it doesn't mean that I have been the ideal disciple.  Much like the gift of running I have questioned at times whether I really wanted the gift that bad.  I have gone from being an assistant pastor in a church to not even going to church.  During the years of my discipleship I have slipped into bad habits that should have been long gone. Yes, my discipleship has been chaotic. There have been many times when I have felt like life would be so much easier if I didn't even make the attempt to serve God.  Plenty of people go through life without a relationship with God and do ok - or, at least it appears that way sometimes.  For me it always comes around.  When I feel like the effort may not be getting me any where I always seem to get a "second wind" and am made to realize that the privilege of serving God is worth whatever chaos may be involved.  I have been given the gift of salvation and it is up to me to be the best disciple I can be. The end result, spending eternity in heaven with Jesus and the saints is well worth whatever messiness and chaos I experience.  I just have to learn to have faith in what the Spirit of God has told me through the Bible and not put too much stock in what I feel at a particular moment. Yes I make mistakes, yes I shake my fist at God at times, no I do not always do what I should, yes I sometimes do what I shouldn't, but you know what, God is ok with me just as I am. 

45 years already?

 I asked God to take over my life 45 years ago. I was 23 years old and had so much of my life ahead of me.  Now I am 68 (almost) and struggle every day in my journey to fulfilled discipleship.  45 years, I should be a saint right?  Not so much. Though I love God with all my heart, am active in my church and try to be a good example to others around me, I fail. There I said it, I fail.  I struggle to say inoffensive words when the words I really want to say are battling for air time.  I turn my head for a pretty girl though I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world. I don't make a phone call when everything in me says I should.  I take the easy way out when confronted with a difficult situation. Why do I fail, I guess because I am human.  That stinkin' serpent in the garden messed it up for all of us. 

One thing I do know, I am determined to honor Jesus Christ in my life.  It may look a little messy and chaotic at times but that's why the Holy Spirit was given, so that I wouldn't have to figure out how to do it all right on my own. As God is my witness and the Holy Spirit gives me strength I will conquer my demons and continue my journey to be the best disciple I can, though it may look out of control at times and I may run face first into a few walls along the way.  Stay tuned.