Understanding & Live Ammo

Bestselling author, John Eldredge, has an amazing knack for relating things via the written word and stories that help me "get it." Until the last couple years before John's writings came into my life, a lot of the crap that happened to me, as well as others that I love and care about, made little sense. While I still don't like a lot of what goes on....the many trials and challenges of life ... I do have some understanding. I owe that to Eldredge's insight and his ability to keep me engaged long enough to glean something from what he pens.

John's book, The Way of the Wild Heart, tells of the masculine journey. And one of the stages a man is designed to traverse is that of a warrior. The lights turned on full force as I read: I realized the answer to the question: "How does God raise the Warrior in a man?" Hardship. (p. 169)

Yes! This resonated so deeply within. I knew it to be true. John goes on to say, I think this is where we have most misinterpreted what God is up to in our lives. As long as we are committed to the path of least resistance, to making our life comfortable, trial and tribulation will feel unkind. But, if we are looking for a dojo in which to train as a Warrior, well then -- this is the real deal. (p. 169)

Viewing my life through this lens has completely transformed how I view what's going on as well as the world in which I live. And then Eldredge delves even deeper into this warrior arena...into an area our "modern age" has deemed irrelevant -- spiritual warfare: Your life is the training ground, and when it comes to spiritual warfare, it's all live-ammo training. Take it seriously. (p. 174)

My life experiences reveal to me that John is right on the mark. However, rather than immediately delve into the spiritual warfare thing, I think it might be helpful to get the 30,000 foot perspective. For that, check out EPIC.
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For more on this topic, you might get EPIC DVD at http://www.ransomedheart.com/

ORIENTATION

Like many of you, I received the following text message on my iPhone yesterday: CNN BREAKING NEWS>>>All white people please report immediately to the cotton field for orientation.

And yes, I had a laugh...sort of a Chris Rock humor kinda laugh.... message funny. Having grown up in the deep South and lived through freedom workers, church bombings, assassinations, riots, bigotry, and hatred of a day not so long ago, these simple words propelled me into thoughts from a time warp backwards (emphasis on backwards).

Then I got an email today of this new bumper sticker mimicking President Bush's "W" theme:











Another good laugh!

I did not vote for Barack Obama. I am not "for" some of his ideas namely his stances on life for those who cannot speak for themselves and capital gains taxes (in that order and weighted about 90/10 along with my personal priorities).

Neither did I vote for John McCain. My dad paid a heavy price as a Bataan Death March survivor and WW II POW for 4 years. I will never forget how former POW John McCain treated some of the Vietnam MIA POW families at hearings on Capitol Hill. It was confusing for me to watch and hear. It made me ask what he was hiding or covering up. I could never vote "for" him after witnessing that spectacle.

As Oprah so proudly proclaimed on her post election show live from Chicago, "It's a new day." Yes, it is. I share Oprah's hope that it will be a better day for the USA.

And I found myself this morning praying for our President elect, Barack Obama: Father, protect this man and his family. Give him wisdom. Help him return our country to truly being "One nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and justice for all."

Just a little bit ago my wife asked me if I'd read John Eldredge's new blog posting yet. I had not, but I did. I found John's reminder helpful and confirming. The kind of ORIENTATION I relish!