You Don't Have to Choose Between Agriculture and Aquatics!

Can anyone guess where this Virginia farmer was born and raised haha? 

Oh My!

Somebody's gonna have to get up a lot of hay tomorrow!!

What Trials Cultivate (James 1:3)

So this morning I was reading James 1 and I noticed a Greek word that I had circled. It's found in verse 3. The word is dokimion. 

It has an interesting history. In the ancient world a pot or a vessel that had gone through the furnace without cracking was labeled dokimion. Those vessels that went through the furnace but came out cracked or chipped were still sold but at a much lower price. The valuable vessels had been tested and approved through the fire. Here I believe the Amplified Bible gets it right when it translates James 1:3 as follows: "Be assured and understand that the trial and approving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience." 

Let me give you a modern example if I may. After moving from Hawaii to California, one of the jobs I got while attending Biola was lifeguard. I also gave swimming lessons in the Biola pool. I would often work with a number of children to teach them how to swim. The final test came when the child was asked to swim across the pool before their parents. You tossed the child in the water, not to disapprove, but to see him swim all the way down and them all the way back. That's the thought behind dokimion. It's a test for approval. 

In my lifetime, the people I've admired the most are Christians who have learned how to handle life in the furnace. It is a marvelous quality of maturity. They don't fight the testing. They let it have its perfect result. In the midst of sorrow or heartache or grief or loss they are able to view it from God's viewpoint and not give up. They abandon themselves to God and his strength. They're never irksome. They're never irritable. They are always smiling and genuinely happy. 

That's the kind of person I want to become more and more like in the days and weeks ahead. I honestly believe that the Christian who lives the best kind of life is the one who perseveres under trial. 

This Day in Gettysburg

It was the morning of June 30, 1863 -- exactly 163 years ago today -- when Union General John Buford arrived in Gettysburg with two brigades of cavalry totalling 3,000 troops. 

The local citizens, crowding the sidewalks, gave them a joyous welcome. Burford established his headquarters at the Eagle Hotel, which today is a convenience store at the corner of Chambersburg and Washington Streets. 

I've driven past that site many times, as I'm sure many of you have.

Meanwhile, Confederate General A. P. Hill was positioning his troops just west of Gettysburg. He sent a brigade of 2,700 North Carolinians in a scouting mission to Gettysburg on the Chambersburg Pike. Almost immediately they spotted Buford's cavalrymen on a ridgeline between them and the town. Following orders, the Southerners withdrew. Thus the stage was set for the largest, bloodiest battle of the Civil War. 

Meade, now commander of the Army of the Potomac, realized that Lee's army was on the move. Although he didn't have the details about the enemy's strength or location, he clearly understood that his adversary was skillful and enterprising. On the morning of the 30th, Meade received intelligence indicating that the enemy had a strong presence just behind Cashtown. Buford's scouts had skirmished with Confederate pickets just 3 miles away. Meade concluded that Gettysburg appeared to be the site to which Lee's army was being directed. However, Meade still contemplated meeting the enemy along Pipe Creek in Maryland, though he prepared to launch an offensive movement ahead of that line if developments dictated such a move. The "Pipe Creek Line," as it came to be known, might well have become the site of the great battle instead of Gettysburg had the winds of war been different. There should be a historical marker somewhere along Pipe Creek that reads: "On this spot, July 1-3, 1863, nothing happened." 

A gentle rain continued to fall through the morning of June 30. So immense was Meade's army that the roads were choked with men and materiel. His troops were suffering. Many lacked shoes after the long marches into Maryland. They were exhausted. Yet they were expected to fight. Meade issued a circular to his commanders authorizing them "to order the instant death of any soldier who fails to do his duty at this time." This was serious business. 

As June, 1863, came to an end, rain continued to fall. Meade found a moment to write his wife Margaret. He closed his brief letter with these words: "Love, blessings and kisses to all. Pray for me and beseech our heavenly Father to permit me to be an instrument to save my country and advance a just cause." He was wide awake throughout the night of June 30 and into the wee hours of July 1. Should he attack Lee or not?

The next day, July 1, would determine that. 

The Triple Crown of Preaching (1 Thess. 1:5)

Verbal communication involves three things: 

1. What you say.

2. How you say it.

3. Belief in the person giving the message.

Let's call these steps:

TRUTH.

PASSION.

INTEGRITY.

The ancient Greeks also had words for these steps. They are:

Logos.

Pathos.

Ethos.

Great preaching begins with logos, with good content. Logos is brainy. It's logical. It's lectures and homework and quizzes and exams. 

Pathos builds on logos. It's personal more than logical. It's passion, enthusiasm, application. You want your audience not only to know something but to act upon it.

Ethos is all about your credibility as a speaker, which is determined by 2 things: your knowledge, and your experience in the subject at hand. You really know your stuff. What's more, you've lived it. Ultimately, ethos comes down to trust. How can I gain my audience's trust so that they will accept the truth of God's word?

Did you know that there's a verse in the New Testament that talks about all three of these things? It's 1 Thess. 1:5. Here's how the NLT puts it: "For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words (logos) but also with power (pathos), for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you (ethos)."

There you have it. The Triple Crown of Preaching! 

P.S. Paul lived in Thessalonica for about 5 weeks. While there, the Thessalonians got to know him. Paul gave them the gospel, yes, but it wasn't just a pack of words. In 1 Thess. 2:8 Paul says he "gave them his own life." He was real. He was for them. He wasn't in it for the money. They saw his strengths, but they also saw the cracks in his life. This is the kind of guy I can identify with, they must have said. He had a true walk with God. Wasn't perfect. But it was authentic. 

Don't be afraid to be transparent, preacher!

Like-Changing Encouragement

Time and time again in my Christian life, I call to mind people who have shaped my life. In Philippians, Paul does this in chapter 4. "When I needed help, you Philippians sent gifts to me and kept me on my feet." Many of us would go under if it weren't for the encouragement of others. My daughter drove down from Richmond and met me in Farmville today for lunch and then for a walk over the High Bridge. We had a great time just being us. What an encouragement to me! There were three or four men in college and seminary who were that to me in my spiritual pilgrimage. When I graduated it was a thrill for me to be able to say to them, "Thank you for believing in me when I didn't believe in myself. Thank you for having the vision I didn't have. Thank you for supporting me when I needed it." One of them was my Christian Education professor at Biola. His name was Bill Bynum. It was my first semester of teaching Greek, and I thought it might be good to take some CE courses since I was so new to my career. Dr. Bynum's "College Teaching Procedures" course fit the bill perfectly. I thought so much of him as a professor and as a mentor I would have done anything for him. When he handed back our term papers at the end of the semester, he had written a simple but (for me) life-changing note on the last page of my paper. It read, simply, "Thank you for pouring yourself into this course. I'll take a dozen just like you." Today I write little notes like that on my students' papers. Where did I learn that from? From men like Dr. Bynum and Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Kurtanek and Dr. Kwast and Dr. Payne. They all said to me, in essence, "Hang in there, Dave. It's worth it. Go for the broke. Don't quit. Don't stop."

Let's don't stop doing that, okay? 

Decisions, Decisions

Are you facing a life-altering decision? I've faced quite a few in my lifetime. And I'm not done yet. If you make this decision, you'll move in the direction of the unknown, just as Abraham did. But if God is in it, go there. That's what faith is all about. If God has given something to you as an assignment, do as you're being told. Just make certain that God is in it. 

Two Lessons from the Life of Moses

1. Don't run before you are sent. Moses ran ahead of God before he was sent. I see students doing this all the time. They just can't wait to "get into ministry." But God is saying, "I haven't sent you -- yet. I've got to prepare you first."

2. Don't retreat when you fail. Frankly, I had to deal with this when I was a student at Biola. I dropped out of my beginning Greek class after only 3 weeks. I felt defeated. Useless. Inferior. But I had forgotten something. All God asks is that we are available, in fact, broken. That's when I prayed, "God, I'm yours. Weaknesses and all. Just use me anywhere you like." Two years later I was teaching Greek at Biola. 

Let me repeat that. A struggling start doesn't necessitate a limited life. When it's God who blesses a life, there's no room for defeat. 

I (Still) Love Greek!

Here's Paul command in Phil. 4:9:

And here's how the ESV renders it:

"Practice these things." 

Do you see what's missing in the English?

Take a look at the Greek again. It's the tense (verbal aspect)! Ken Taylor (of Living Bible fame) got it right:

"Keep putting into practice." 

This is just another reason why I love Greek so much! 

Thank a Farmer

Been a great day. The hay's been baled. 

And put up in the barn.

We work in acres, not in hours. We'll cut this field soon. 

Naturally grown, locally known. 

God has been good to us today. If you ate today, thank a farmer. 

A Good Problem to Have

Trying to get everything baled before the rain arrives.

In light of the drought we're in, that's not a bad problem to have! 

Grateful

"What matters most is not the field you play on but the team you play with." -- The late Paul Little at Urbana 1971. 

Grateful for my family today. 

Happy Aloha Friday!

 The Waikiki Wall quietly beckons the sons and daughters of Hawai'i to come home.

A Little Mexican Food

Never hurt anyone. 

The food was great, but the fun was even better!

Prelude to Battle

Around this time in 1863, the Federal army was in Frederick, Maryland, chasing Lee as he moved north into Pennsylvania. Reynold's First Corps headed toward Emmitsburg, 25 miles distant. Hancock's Second Corps went off for Uniontown, 30 miles away. Sickle's Third Corps marched to Taneytown, a 17 mile trek. Syke's Fifth Corps followed the Second Corps, and Howard's Eleventh Corps followed the First Corps. Slocum's Twelfth Corps had to march 23 miles to Taneytown. Sedgwick's Sixth Corps, the largest in the army, headed toward New Windsor, a distance of 27 miles. 

If you've ever driven any of these routes, you will know that the countryside through which the Union troops were about to march wasn't as rugged as the region that they had just traversed the past two days. Northern Frederick County and Carroll County were situated along the base of the Catoctin Mountains, rolling and hilly. All of those lands were dominated by countless creeks and streams that fed into the Monocacy River, a fast-moving stream that ran north to south, eventually emptying into the Potomac River at Point of Rocks. Meade travelled along the roads riding his favorite horse, Old Baldy. 

His headquarters wagon followed him. He had little information of the whereabouts of the enemy. His goal was to successfully bring the Army of the Potomac into the heart of Carroll County, Maryland. Meade halted his army along and below a sizable stream known as Big Pipe Creek. Here he planned his strategy. Meade waited and watched. It was clear to him that the village of Gettysburg was going to be important in the coming battle. No army passing through the region could hope to bypass the town, which was like the hub of a wheel with roads radiating out in all directions. His Corps commanders were told to march "at a moment's notice." 

All hell was about to break loose. 

Try to Laugh Every Day

Since my post yesterday about my health was a bit on the sober side, I thought I'd lighten things up a little today. As a matter of fact, this morning I was listening to a fine sermon on Phil. 4:4, which the NLV renders as, "Be full of joy always because you belong to the Lord. Again I say, be full of joy!" The speaker went on to say that every day we should all think of at least one thing to smile or laugh about. Medicine for the soul, he said.

As I pondered his words, my mind went back to a chat I had yesterday with my daughter in Houston who's married to a pastor. We talked about everything under the sun it seems, from church life to family life to health issues to experiences we've enjoyed together. Years ago, when her husband was pastoring in Alabama, the three of us decided to run the Birmingham Half Marathon together. This was maybe my 35th half but their first, though they had trained for it by running a 5K and a 10K. I'll never forget when we crossed the finish line. My daughter's expression of joy was not to be forgotten. 

Yesterday I said to her, "Do you remember how the three of us came in dead last?" She said, "Dad, we didn't come in last. There were runners behind us." "True," I replied. "But they were the sweepers!" We both got a big laugh out of that. (Sweepers, in case you're unfamiliar with racing lingo, are race staff who bring up the rear and make sure everyone finishes under the time limit. If they pass you, you are dropped from the race.) 

Later in the day I had a great talk with a pastor friend down in Carolina. He's maybe 20 years younger than me but he's a father and a grandfather and one of the fittest men of his age that I know. We talked about how great it is to be lean but also how sometimes it can lead to awkward situations. "Yeah," I said, "like when people call you out for being skinny and unhealthy." Can't tell you how many times that has happened to both of us. Or how about trying to sit for any length of time on a hard bench or chair. It ends up starting to hurt like the dickens because you have so little fat left on your sitz bones. We both chuckled at that. Then he mentioned how cold you get when you have so little body fat. "I enter a room," he told me, "where everyone is saying how pleasant it is and I'm asking them to raise the thermostat." So true -- and funny! 

One of the people in my life who smiled and laughed I suppose as much as anyone I've ever known was my wife. Becky lit up every room she entered. In fact, I think even the sun was jealous of her brightness. 

We often laughed together. When we lived in Basel, we could only afford -- and barely afford at that -- a one room apartment. Notice I didn't say a one bedroom apartment. A one room apartment. That didn't keep us, however, from inviting my doctor father and his wife to join us for dinner one evening. I'll never forget the wife's expression when she entered our tiny dwelling. She said, not in words but by her expression, "Students of my esteemed husband live in a hovel like this?" When the evening was over and they had gone back to their three-story mansion in the city, Becky and I burst out in laughter. You see, at the time we didn't have much money. But we had the Lord and we had each other, and that was all that mattered.

After one particularly long train tour of several European countries, Becky and I decided to go to France to spend a few days at a chateau in Lamorlaye, about an hour north of Paris. 

We caught a train from Frankfurt to Paris intending to take a connecting train that would carry us north to our destination. As we wandered wearily about the train station looking for the right platform, it suddenly dawned on us that Paris doesn't have only one train station but six! We had arrived at the Gare de l'Est but needed to get to the Gare du Nord for our connection. When we finally got there our train had long since departed. So we took a taxi to Lamorlaye and arrived at about midnight. Unfortunately, all the gates to the chateau were closed and locked. We had no way to call anybody inside so it became a matter of waiting until the morning before we could settle down in our room. We found a tree and lay down under it hoping to catch a few hours of sleep. It was so cold we ended up opening our suitcases and grabbing every sweater and jacket we could find to wear during that long, cold night. There we lay, cuddled up until the sun rose in the morning. Later we laughed out loud when we thought about what the Frenchmen must have imagined when they spied two vagabonds asleep under a tree! 

Next time you find yourself stewing, give yourself permission to smile and laugh, okay? 

Breaking News! Thing That Lives in Ocean Spotted in Ocean (Sarcasm)

So yesterday a shark was spotted at Waikiki Beach. No news here. Last time I checked, sharks live in the ocean.  

By the way, there's an old saying we have in Hawaii: Whenever you go in the water, you may not see a shark, but a shark always sees you! 

The Peace of Christ (and a Needy Soul's Request for Prayer)

In today's post I have both a word of encouragement and a prayer request. First, the encouragement. 

As I breathed life into me this morning, I again realized just how precious the peace of Christ is. It helps believers navigate the challenges of life without being overwhelmed. It offers comfort during difficult times. It reassures them of God's presence and love. It allows them to remain calm and serene even when facing an unknown future. This peace is not the absence of adversity. It is a deep-seated harmony that permeates the believer's relationship with God. It is both a gift to be received and a state of mind to be actively pursued. 

In Col. 3:15, Paul exhorts believers, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts." There's something important here that many people miss. The expression "Let ... rule" is in the Greek imperative mood. This mood is used to express commands, making it a fundamental part of the language's grammar. Paul's point is that the peace of Christ doesn't just happen. It's never a part of our lives automatically. Just because we are Christ's doesn't mean we will be at peace. We must let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. And when we do that, it is remarkable how the Lord comes to our assistance and drives out the worry, the panic, the fear. But it is your decision. It is my decision.

Occasionally I'll get an email from someone who says, "Your blog post today was written just for me." I usually reply, "I blogged on something I needed to hear and I just let you listen in." That may surprise you. I too have my frets. I too have things to worry about. I too face an unknown future. I've got situations in my life that I can't fix. You've got situations in your life that you can't fix. But we can turn ourselves over to someone who can. And whenever we do this, the Lord gives to us the peace his Son had. Jesus said, "It is my very own peace that I am giving to you" (John 14:27). Just think about that. Never once do we read that during his 33 years on this earth Jesus worried, or panicked, or was afraid, despite all he faced, all the attacks, all the criticisms. And he says, "I want you to have that kind of peace. It's yours for the taking. Let it rule in your hearts so that you are no longer stressed by panic and fear." We might paraphrase Paul's words in Col. 3:15 as follows: "Invite the peace that comes from Christ to govern your mind, calm down every agitation of your soul, and subdue the tumult of worry." 

I suggest we start each day doing this. Say, "Today, Lord, I've, got a situation I have to face. And I can't face it in myself. So I'm going to rely on you. And I'm going to leave my situation with you. I am not going to ruin my day by worrying about what I've been dreading. I'm going to stop the worry and leave it with you. I accept the peace of Christ, the peace that accompanied him all the way to the cross without one word of bitterness and complaint." You can have that kind of peace. I can have that kind of peace.

And now for the prayer request. 

I spent yesterday in the ER with what I assumed to be a case of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis. I had just had a very intense workout. When you push your muscles too hard, your muscle fibers break down and release a toxic protein called myoglobin into your bloodstream. In high amounts, this protein can damage your kidneys and turn your urine into a dark brown color. This rapid breakdown of muscle tissue can be life-threatening. 

The ER doctor put me on an IV drip and then ran a whole series of blood tests. Thankfully, I did not have rhabdomyolysis. My kidneys were fine. Almost as an afterthought, the doctor ordered a CT scan of my pelvis. A half hour later, he returned to my room with a serious look on his face. He told me that most of my vital organs were in good working condition. This included my liver, pancreas, kidneys, and spleen. The scan, however, had revealed a "13mm bladder wall nodule." On the report, the radiologist had added, "Neoplasm is not excluded." This is doctor-speak for "cancer is not excluded." An immediate urologic workup was recommended. 

After I left the ER I made a beeline for my urologist's office, seeking an appointment as soon as possible. Usually his practice is backed up for months, but almost miraculously the attendant was able to schedule me for a cystoscopy in two weeks. This will do what a CT scan cannot do -- determine whether the nodule in my bladder is benign or not. I truly believe that God is already using the discovery of this lump for good. I'm looking forward to seeing how the Lord will use this process in my life to grow in grace and to potentially help and encourage others in the future as I begin this new adventure. I treasure your encouragement and prayers! Please pray for the following requests:

That the Lord will be with the urologist and his staff as they attend to me. 

That I will have the wisdom to know how to navigate this situation.

That the outcome of the cystoscopy would be benign if it's the Lord will.

That I will stay steady and strong whatever the diagnosis is.

That I will experience peace in my Lord.

Thank you!

Permit me to conclude with a true story. On this day in 1863, Union General George Meade wrote his wife Margaret a long letter. Rumor had it that he was being talked about as Joseph Hooker's replacement as the head of the Army of the Potomac. Meade's wife fretted that her husband would be thrust into this unenviable position. In his letter, Meade told her not to worry. Yes, he had a fine military record, but other men were far more competent than him. "For these reasons I have never indulged in any dreams of ambition, content to await events, and do my duty in the sphere it pleases God to place me in," he wrote, "and I realize that it would be as well for you to take the same philosophical view."

Two days later, Hooker was relieved and Meade received strict orders to take command of the army. Meade protested. The decision had been made, however. Meade had no choice but to obey orders. "Well, I've been tried and condemned without a hearing and I suppose I shall have to go to my execution," said Meade. Three days later, the greatest battle in Civil War history would take place at a country crossroads called Gettysburg. The unlikely commander, balding and beaky with big pouches under his eyes, assumed a duty that had been thrust upon him. Less than a week later, Meade sent Lee and his troops packing. 

A good Christian man accepts his lot in life as God defines it. He does not resist it. He does not complain. He vows to do his best whatever results might eventuate. "I am going straight at them, and will settle this thing one way or the other," Meade wrote his wife the day after he assumed command. "The men are in good spirits, we have been reinforced so as to have equal numbers with the enemy and with God's help I hope to be successful. Good-by!" That is my desire as well. With God's help, may I do my duty as God defines it until the day he takes me home.

Will you pray with me? 

Father, our hearts go out to those who hurt today. We pray you will give them extra strength as they face an uncertain future. Come alongside them, our Father, and may your Spirit bring to them divine assistance and peace in dealing with the hardships and uncertainties of life. Prepare all of us, Heavenly Father, for these days ahead, whatever they may bring. And Father, we ask that you would give us the kind of strength we need to face the challenges of life, whether it be cancer or some other disease or dealing with the adults or children in our lives or problems with others that seem so unresolvable to us whereas you know the solution to each one. We ask that we will walk with you in such a way that we please you and fulfill your wishes for our lives. In tough times, hard times, difficult times, may we experience not only the peace that the Holy Spirit gives us but also his love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming into our lives and giving us the strength to live as we've always wanted to live as we move from earth to heaven, transformed by the power of the Spirit of God. May the truth of Col. 3:15 become a reality in our lives, even the peace that Christ himself offers us. 

The Simple Things of Life

It was great watching my son on the tractor today and the grandkids fishing in the pond. One of the simple joys of farming is being out in nature all the time. I can't imagine life any other way. I can sit and watch the animals graze for hours. It really is a lifestyle. Many people see farming as a romantic, laid-back way of life. While it sometimes is romantic, it's rarely laid back. There's always something that needs to be done. I would say the biggest thing farming has taught me is to appreciate the simple things of life, the things money can't buy. The land is a unique gift God gives us. I, for one, do not take it for granted. 

My NEW Garmin!

My Garmin 35 gave up the ghost the other day. So what to replace it with? Well, I decided to go with the Garmin 165. I unboxed it this morning. 

I LOVE the crisp, colorful amoled display. 

The watch has feather like comfort. I can't even tell it's on my wrist. Plus, the battery lasts up to 11 days in standard smartwatch mode. I think it's a great watch for the price!

"The Lord Who Makes the Storm Clouds" (Zech. 10:1)

Had to do my steps on the dreadmill treadmill today. But that's okay. 

It rained today!!!!

Throughout Scripture, rain is viewed as God's gracious blessing that waters the earth and allow crops to grow so that we can have food to eat. Zech. 10:1 directly instructs believers to ask God for rain, emphasizing that it's only God who makes storm clouds and gives showers. So if you were someone who prayed for farmers during this drought we've been in, thank you from the bottom of my heart!! 

Traveling Those Small, Forgotten Paths

Whenever I travel to Northern Virginia or Washington DC, I always avoid I-95 if I can. There's so much you miss if you stay on the interstate. Reminds me of an interesting book I came across several years ago. It's called Blue Highways. 

The author, William Least Heat Moon, drove across the country avoiding the major highways indicated in red on his map. He prefered to travel along the lesser-known routes marked in blue -- those small, forgotten paths that connect rural America. The result, he said, was a deeper understanding of American culture. I think the book wonderfully illustrates the concept of personal journeys.

Heat Moon's journey took him 13,000 miles across America. He encountered everything from a Seventh-Day Adventist evangelist, a Hopi Native American medical student, and a teenage runaway. I wish I had time to tell you about my own "blue highway" experiences -- the time I fished in the Tongue River in Montana or white water rafted in the Virgin River in Utah or surfed at South Padre Island in Texas or climbed the Adirondacks in Upstate New York. I've always been a kind of backroads guy who prefers the mysterious paths of blue over the predictable and monotonous roads of red. Curiosity is my constant compassion. I question a faith that has to be protected by an illusory sense of security. It is the blue highway -- geographical and spiritual -- that allows us to bypass the staleness of aging and stop living vicariously. A baby boomer who can't settle down? Your looking at him.

When William Least Heat Moon stopped to fill his Ford with gas for the last time on his trip, the pump attendant asked, "Where you coming from?" Heat Moon replied simply, "Where I've been." I am grateful for every place on God's green earth I've been. 

My spiritual journey has been just as valued and adventurous. Every new step of faith I take is but a way station on what is an eternal journey. 

Thankful for Simple Pleasures!

Lookie here, guys!!

Yessiree!! The farm equipment may be idle, but not the lawn mower. The last time I mowed was 7 weeks ago! Thank you Jesus! I feel like I'm treading upon the heights! My mind goes to the book of Habakkuk. Here's Eugene Peterson's rendering of the last few verses of this book:

Though the cherry trees don't blossom and the strawberries don't ripen, though the apples are worm eaten and the wheat fields stunted, though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I'm singing joyful praise to God. I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God's rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I'm king of the mountain. 

What a priceless gift, this thing called mowing. Mowing is almost like a moment of active meditation. The monotonous, repetitive motion helps you process your thoughts without the interruption of a screen. You get outdoors, soak up some sunlight, and move your body. Like making your bed, a freshly manicured lawn can bring a sense of civic pride to your home. 

I am so thankful to the Lord for this simple pleasure!  

The Lifelong Struggle (Romans 7)

Basel was the home of Karl Barth. I studied there under his son, Markus. Barth senior had come under the influence of liberal scholarship during his pre-WWI years. For a period of time he adopted their utopian vision of human progress and social change. The war changed all that. The publication of his commentary on Romans in 1918 marked a decisive break with theological liberalism. He had been forced to acknowledge the depth of human sin and guilt. He therefore emphasized the sinner's complete dependence on the sovereign, saving grace of God.

Roman Catholic theologian Karl Adam once said that Barth's Romans commentary "dropped like a bombshell on the theologians' playground." In Romans, Paul himself seems well acquainted with the subtle pride of the human heart. I am profoundly grateful for his emphasis on a salvation given sola gratia, by grace alone. 

This week I plan on doing a deep dive into Romans 7 -- Paul's vivid description of the continuing moral struggle in the life of a regenerated Christian who cries out for deliverance. Not only does Paul exonerate the moral law. He emphasizes that the remedy for indwelling sin is the indwelling Spirit. Thus, for both justification and sanctification, we are "not under law but under grace." If Romans 7 is preoccupied with the place of the law, Romans 8 is preoccupied with the work of the Spirit. The latter chapter begins with "no condemnation" and ends with "no separation" for those who are in Christ Jesus.

In handling the text of Romans 7 this week, I pray that I will be faithful both to the words of Paul and to his realism. After all, the final verse of Romans 7 is no later gloss. It is Christian realism in all of its harsh concreteness. 

Father's Day Encouragement

Happy Father's Day to all you incredible dads out there. Enjoy being spoiled today.

Having your first child is like stepping onto an unknown planet. Everything is rewritten -- your sleep, your time, your relationship dynamics. It's famously characterized by a steep learning curve. But above all, it brings a profound, unparalleled bond of love.

If you are the parents of grown children, let's remember that we serve a God who specializes in knowing what's best for our kids. When we embrace a life of faith and place our trust in a sovereign God, we say to him, "God, you know what's best for my children and I do not. I can't know the end from the beginning, but you know all that is going to work its way out." I love the story of the prodigal son. The father let the boy go. He couldn't predict what was going to happen, though he was much older and wiser than his son. He let him go because God should have his way in this.

When our children get older, they get complicated and act on their own. Sometimes we may disagree with their decisions. You're not going to change an adult child. If you try, you are going to make them bitter. I've learned something through the years and I'm going to pass it on to you at no extra charge. Are you ready? Here we go:

Anytime you offer unrequested advice you make things worse. 

If they want advice they'll ask for it. If they don't ask, don't offer it. God should have his way in their lives. And sometimes his way is very different from ours. If you follow this principle, your life will change. You will rest rather than relentlessly search for a way to work it out. You'll back away and you'll be comfortable leaving the matter with God. This morning I just sat at my desk and prayed, "Lord, burn this truth into my heart. Make me a model of the kind of follower of yours who refuses to worry when things aren't going 'my' way. Your plan is far better than mine. You should have your way in my kids' lives. You have never made your first mistake. I'll rest in you."

Again -- HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! 

P.S. Nice day for steps after church! 

A Friendly Reminder about Walking

Walking is the most underrated fat loss tool there is. What people fail to realize is that this low intensity form of exercise taps into their fat stores. And, because it doesn't wreck your recovery, you can do it every day. If you try to run every day you're going to heighten your hunger and you might find that you eat more. Of course, running is great for you. I run often. It's great for heart health, leg strength, and mental clarity. But walking is more effective if your focus is fat loss, especially if you don't enjoy running. Try to get between 8-10,000 steps every day if you can. Start out with, say, 4,000 per day (most people can do that without even trying). Then add another 1,000 steps the next week, then another 1,000 steps the next week, and so on. Timing wise, walking after a meal is best. This helps to metabolize your glucose and helps with your digestion. And you can always walk while listening to music or to a podcast!

Pleasing God More and More (1 Thess. 4:1)

Been in 1 Thessalonians of late. How rich! One of the things I love about Paul's letters is the way he regularly combines doctrine and duty, belief and behavior, exposition and exhortation. Here's an overview.

We see this beautiful transition in 4:1, don't we? 

Here Paul turns from the reception of the gospel (evangelism) to everyday Christian discipleship (edification). Moreover, he's not only concerned with personal ethics. He wants to depict in very clear terms the characterization of the new community that Jesus brought into being by his death and resurrection.

The basis of Christian ethics is clearly spelled out here. For Paul, Christian moral duty is above all pleasing God. We're not to think of our Christian duty as law but as love. Hence the Christian life is not primarily about obeying rules and regulations (though Paul does lay down quite a number of instructions in chapters 4-5). The Christian life is primarily a relationship. It's about pleasing a person. The God who made me, loves me, sent his Son to redeem me, adopted me into his family, and placed his Holy Spirit in me, is my loving Father -- and I want to please him. This is the essence of Christian holiness. Our greatest desire in life is not to please ourselves or to please others. It's to please our God. I think I can say that this is the main reason I exercise. 

Have you gotten hold of that yet? If we love God, we will please him. And we will do this more and more. You say, "How can I, at 74, continue to please God more and more? I'm too old for all that. I've maxed out my potential to grow." The result, sadly, is often complacency as we age. What a horrid thing. Beware of saying that you have arrived. Beware of saying that you don't need to grow or improve any more. Beware of downright laziness in your Christian walk. We are to please God more and more and more and more in spirit, soul, and body.

What a liberating principle by which to live! It rescues us from a kind of Christian Pharisaism that reduces ethics to a list of do's and don'ts. Our incentive is not so much to obey the law as to please the Law-Giver. 

Paul was never satisfied with the level of spirituality to which he had attained. Neither should we ever be.

P.S. Interested in studying 1 Thessalonians on your own? I've put together a guide here (scroll until you see "The Literary Structure of 1-2 Thessalonians"). 

Seek Discomfort

To get lean and look good and improve your basic health markers is going to take you 6 months or a year or maybe even 2 years or longer. Yet 99% of guys can't or won't do it. 

On paper, it's very simple. Yet most men struggle even to get started. And it's not because it's an extremely difficult task. It's not even because it takes such an immense amount of time. If I told you that you had to do something for the next 6 months or a year, even if you hated it and it was the hardest thing on earth, you could still probably end up doing it if you knew the other side was going to be as good as you hoped it would be. If you're not certain that you're going to get to the end goal and get the level of fitness you want, exercise becomes 100 times harder because there is no carrot on the stick to chase after. You will quit before you know it. And the reason is, subconsciously you have accepted it's not for you. It's not possible. You can't do it. And I'm telling you after 5 years of working out that this is your greatest roadblock. It's not the external. It's the internal. 

Here's what you need to realize. Your brain is hardwired in a way that challenge is (or should be) normal. Pushing yourself into uncomfortable positions is normal. Feeling discomfort is normal. Why? Because this is how we actually grow as human beings. This is what builds your character and identity. This is how you stay fulfilled in life. All because you're constantly putting yourself into uncomfortable situations. In 1980, I graduated with my M.Div. from Talbot. 

That fall Becky and I packed our bags and moved to Switzerland. The reason was because I wanted to do my doctorate in the theology department at the historic University of Basel. For years Becky and I had prayed about this. Should we do it? Could we do it? Could we even afford it? Would we be able to master German? Would we get hopelessly homesick? Could we adjust to Swiss culture? 

Take just the expense involved. It would have been so easy for me to stay in Southern California and pursue a doctorate in New Testament at Fuller. Pasadena was only an hour's drive from our home in La Mirada. Becky was working fulltime as a nurse. I was teaching Greek at Biola. But once we arrived in Switzerland, neither of us would be allowed to work. Furthermore, before the police in Basel could grant us residency we would have to deposit over 30 thousand dollars in a Swiss bank account. Please keep in mind that the cost of living in Switzerland at the time was 4 times higher than the cost of living in Southern California. We were already comfortably situated. Why should we put ourselves in an uncomfortable situation? Why should we push our boundaries? 

But that's exactly why we wanted to live in Basel! 

We wanted our faith stretched. We craved the challenge. We desired the rich cross-cultural experience we knew we would have if we left the comfort and familiarity of the United States behind us for 3 years. (By the way, stagnation is probably one of the worst things you can experience as a man. If I gave you 10 million dollars right now and you didn't have to work a single day for the rest of your life and never have to push past your comfort in any manner, you would be miserable regardless of how many millions were in your bank account.) Through God's financial provision (Becky worked two jobs, I worked three), we were able to save up the required funds to live in Basel. These ended up being some of the best years of our lives. We LOVED our sojourn in this beautiful city on the Rhine. 

We loved the Swiss friends we made. 

We loved working with some of the greatest scholars in the world at the time. We loved the rigor and challenge of Basel's doctoral program. We loved not being forced to take courses or write term papers or take quizzes and exams or attend seminars. They put all their eggs in one basket -- your ability to produce a high quality dissertation and have it published. Then, once it was in print, you had to deliver 125 copies of the book to the university library  -- at your expense- -- and they would grant you your degree. Challenging? Yessiree. Rewarding? Absolutely! 

If you want to get in shape, you need to do what Becky and I did. You have to set a meaningful goal that is actually going to have a tangible outcome. You must want to get in shape. You must want to lose fat. You must be willing to struggle towards it. This is what makes the goal meaningful. Everything good you want in life -- a godly marriage, a great physique, a successful career, financial freedom -- all these things take consistent years of struggle to acquire. Take the man who becomes a respected scholar in his field. Do you think he just woke up one day and got it? Everyone says they want financial freedom. Freedom is earned through struggling for decades to build a life where you don't have to worry about your finances. Likewise, a healthy physique involves years of doing the exact same thing over and over again and consistently pushing yourself. Struggle is not the exception. Struggle is the core of this framework. 

To summarize: living life means we have to have a meaningful goal with a tangible outcome. And you will need to struggle constantly to achieve it. When was the last time you actually had to put in consistent effort that was extremely difficult in order get a new reward? Probably not in a very long time. And that is precisely because your brain has lost the ability to tolerate discomfort or to even want to problem solve because there is no reason to. What I recommend to every single man out there is to face your challenges head on. Paul said, "It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22, NASB). No, I don't mean you need to David Goggins your way through life. You simply need to learn to face discomfort head on. 

So ....  

Go all in. 

Be serious about change. 

Get tough on yourself. 

Man up. 

Seek discomfort. 

Rain on the Way?

The Value of (Slow) Pull Ups

I love the pull up. It's probably the only exercise I would do if I was on a desert island and could only perform one movement. It's one of the most fundamental exercises I incorporate into my routine almost on a daily basis. Pull ups are a fantastic way to build your upper body strength, enhance your physique, and just boost your overall health. The pull up engages all the muscles in your back -- the lats, the rhombs, the upper traps, the rear delts, plus your forearms and biceps get a serious workout as well. You can do pull ups quickly or slowly. 

Lately I've been working on slowing the exercise down. It's the same weight, but you're giving the exercise twice as much time and attention. As you can see here, there's more stimulus even on the way up. 

And on the way down, you can also retard the movement. Stretch. Retract. Pull. Nice and slow going up, nice and slow going down. By using a neutral grip as I am doing here, it takes a little more stress off the shoulders and puts less emphasis on the biceps. Through the years I've done tons of chest and shoulder presses without enough pull ups, and that can round your shoulders. Doing more pull ups is helping me correct that. 

Performing pull ups is definitely the way to go for pretty much everyone out there. Unless you're a rock climber and just constantly pulling, I think doing more pull ups is great. For both conditioning and fat loss, it can change your physique in many positive ways. You're also burning more calories so you just look leaner and stronger and more athletic. And remember: There's nothing at all wrong with doing band-assisted pull ups. 

Okay, going to leave it there. Thanks for reading!

It's Not a Knowledge Gap

We all recognize that a person with low body fat and high muscle is metabolically healthy. Aesthetics is the byproduct. If you look good, that's a bonus. The body craves health. It wants that result, but psychologically we're not willing to go through the rigor of exercise because we're addicted to comfort. 

Sometimes it takes a doctor's visit to wake us up. When the doctor sees the blood markers, the visceral fat, the blood pressure, the heart rate, the blood sugar, they go, "You're in bad shape. You need to do something about it." That's what my cardiologist told me a few years ago. He told me I was obese. Obese? Me obese? But he was right. At 35% body fat, I was technically obese. I thought to myself, "I better take care of this -- now." 

Muscle is not vanity at 74. It's a longevity organ. 

This morning at the gym. 

Either you are strengthening your muscles and they are growing, or they are not growing and shrinking. Everything is always changing. And it's up to you to decide how it changes. Your skeletal muscle is going to help you for the rest of your life. The six pack, if it ever shows up, is not the target. It's the side effect of doing boring things over and over again. 

Getting in my steps today. 

Look at yourself in the mirror. Ask yourself, "I'm 40 (or 50, or whatever age you are). Let's take stock of how I am right now, okay? Where is all this headed? Because it's not going to get better if nothing changes." Fat loss is not a mystery. You know what to do. It means training enough to create a stimulus to create a response. It means developing a small set of habits that are going to move the needle. Simple as that. Three days a week you add progressive overload to your gym workouts, like these guys I was working out with today are doing. 

Muscle is longevity insurance. You're not going to look like a bodybuilder unless you want to take steroids. But that's not the point. 

Again, we have the knowledge. So why don't we take the action? 

You've thought about the thing. 

You've read about the thing. 

But you haven't done the thing. 

And one month, one year, one decade from now you'll be exactly where you are right now. 

It's not an information gap. 

It's an action gap. 

You need to know where you to get to where you want to go.

That's it. 

How to Get to 12% Body Fat

For a couple of years now I've been giving you guys a blueprint for how to get from 35% body fat down to 12%. Not only so that you can get your dream body. But how you can actually leverage it in the real world. 

This is exactly what happened to me. Getting to 12% body fat was not the actual end goal. The real reward is the person I'm becoming through the process, by God's grace. You see, a couple of years ago something switched inside my brain. I realized that there was something more foundational to this process than diet and nutrition, exercise and strength training, daily step count and recovery. These are important of course. But the foundation is key. If we do not have this foundation, we are building a house on sand that will eventually collapse. Your identity (the way you view yourself) is the most important thing about the whole process. If you do not truly believe it in your mind, then you will always subconsciously fail to become the person you want to be. It doesn't matter if you have the perfect diet or workout routine. You have to believe that you can get the physique you want before it is actually manifested in reality. You have to become worthy of the physique you want. 

I'm not going to lie to you. Getting down to 12% body fat for the first time is hard, especially if, like me, you have to lose 50 pounds to do it. You have to realize what you're actually capable of. This is the whole point of growth. You realize that you can change for the better. It's only after you have the confidence to actually attack the life you want that your body will ever change. The whole purpose is to completely change the way you think about yourself. You must see yourself as getting the life you want. You are no longer just someone who exercises. You are an athlete. You need to drop language that says you lack what it takes to get fit. You need to pursue a place of abundance as though you already have it. You have to do all the actions at 35% body fat that the version of you at 12% does. And you need to do it from day one throughout the whole process. You need to completely rewire your brain. And you need to build non-negotiable habits on a daily basis. Stop trying to become a guy who is trying to get into shape. You are a guy who is getting into shape, and your actions reflect how you see yourself automatically.

It's the same thing with the Christian life. Living the Christian life means bringing your everyday actions into alignment with your position in Christ. You actually live out the grace you've already been given by him. Many of us mistakenly think we have to be "good enough" to make progress in the Christian life. The gospel flips this on its head. We are accepted by God first, and then we change because we belong to him. Our growth in Christ is simply about aligning our behaviors with the identity we already possess. When this happens, disciplines like prayer, Scripture reading, and service become natural habits. In essence, you are laboring to become who you already are as you allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to transform your character. So when you're tempted to sin (to behave in a way that doesn't align with your position in Christ), you can draw on the power of the Spirit and you can actually say "no" to the flesh. Likewise, as you begin your physical transformation, the key outcome is produced by this identity shift. Your actions reflect how you see yourself automatically. When you are tempted to give up, you can say "no." If you don't do this, you are constantly pushing a boulder up a hill and making the process more difficult than it needs to be. This is all about just getting things to align with your new identity. 

Again, the physique is not the foundation. Your lifestyle is the foundation. Before you actually start accomplishing things in your life that you really want to do, you need to believe that you can do it. You can say no to sin. You can say no to your old nature. You can become who you are in Christ. And you can become fit and healthy. This is honestly going to be one of the most difficult things you do. This is where you're truly pushing yourself. You are truly testing to see if you are worthy to have the physique you want. That's what it's all about guys. The internal state that you create is the only thing that will make this transformation possible, because you want it. I truly believe that every one of us wants the same thing. We all want to take care of the temple. We all want to become all that we are capable of becoming. There is one outcome that we're all trying to get, and this is a repeatable formula that literally anyone can do. 

Make sure you start with the identity shift. This is the exact thing that happened to me. I have truly lived this. And I am not done -- either with becoming a healthier version of myself, or a more Christlike follower of the Lord Jesus. 

Have a wonderful evening! 

The Drought of '26

More than 60% of the United States is experiencing drought conditions, with more than 20% in an extreme drought. Virginia just expanded its drought warning to 94 counties. Almost the entire commonwealth is now under a drought warning, delaying planting and hurting pasture conditions. The next few weeks will determine if the "Drought of '26" becomes something we all will remember. 

Here in Mecklenburg County, we've been getting some scattered thunderstorms that have helped a little and for which we are very grateful. Ponds and streams are drying up. Rocky shorelines are getting wider and wider. According to the National Weather service, our region needs 8-12 inches of rain in a single month to resolve the drought. That would likely cause flooding even with dry soil. Drainages simply can't handle that much rain. Over 6 months, we'll need 25-30 inches. 

The forecast over the next couple of weeks tilts to higher odds for at least somewhat wetter than normal weather over parts of the state. For now, there are no indications (humanly speaking) of a long, soaking, "farmer's rain" in the next couple of weeks at least. We pray for rain but also for the wisdom and strength to endure hardship. Hope remains strong. The good work continues (here's some hay that my son raked today). 

Just as the apostle James noted the patience of a farmer waiting for the early and latter rains, so our family sees our daily labor as an act of worship to our God and a joint venture with him. 

He has never let us down and never will. We rely on God because it's all out of our hands. I love how Psalm 104:14 puts it: "You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate." 

Farmers are some of the hardest working people I know. They're also some of the most resilient. We give God thanks for sunshine, rain, and his loving provision. 

Moving Out

"The path only illuminates if you walk it."

You don't need to have everything figured out. You just need to get moving.

When I was 16, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. 

I drifted for years. 

Happy go lucky. 

But directionless. 

Then I moved to California. 

Biola completely changed me. 

It gave direction to my entire life. 

The person I wanted to become was getting closer and closer. 

Was it scary? A whole lot! I missed Hawaii terribly. Being away from the islands only made me appreciate them more. 

But in California, I no longer felt stuck. 

The whole world seemed to open up for me -- Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Austria, France, England, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, Korea, India, China, Ethiopia, Mexico, Canada.

If you're sitting in your hometown feeling stuck, just know that it's possible for everyone, even a beach bum from Hawaii, to find his way. 

There's no better feeling. 

Translating Heb. 13:7

One of my favorite verses in the New Testament is Heb. 13:7. 

Here's my rendering:

"Continue to remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. As you carefully reflect on what kind of lives they lived, let their faithfulness continue to inspire and instruct you."

I love the words of Tony Merida:

"Leadership is not lordship. It's setting an example and inviting other people to follow you."

How would you render this magnificent verse? 

Weight Is Not an Unchangeable "Set Point"

If you want to have something you've never had before, you have to be willing to do something you've never done before. 

Me working out this morning.

Your weight is not an unchangeable "set point." It's a "settling point" that can be influenced through consistent lifestyle changes. You can reach a sustainable level of body fat where you look and feel athletic. Because muscle is metabolically active, increasing your muscle mass increases your basal metabolic rate, allowing you to burn more energy at rest and giving you more flexibility with your food intake. Through proper meal planning and disciplined training, you can gradually reset your body's "default" weight range to a lower, leaner level. 

Care to give it a try? 

Go ALL In!

Feeling great today. Gonna hit the gym hard tomorrow! 

Only 7 short weeks before I leave for Hawaii, Lord willing! 

Friends, go ALL in on your goals in life. After all, you only get ONE shot. I believe in you, and I promise that getting in shape is worth it. 

Creating a Caloric Deficit

Walking 10,000 steps in a day burns approximately 500 calories. This means that when I consume a meal with extra calories (let's say, more than 700 calories than I normally consume), I will need to walk or run at least 20,000 steps that day, which is precisely what I did today. 

I got in my steps AND I enjoyed a delicious, high-carb meal. 

I don't do this every day of course. But increasing your daily step count is a great way to create a calorie buffer that allows you to enjoy indulgences without derailing your weekly progress! 

The "Ideal" Physique?

It was the look that got everyone interested in fitness and bodybuilding. I'm talking about Brad Pitt in Fight Club, of course. 

It doesn't get much better than this. He's 5'11'', 150 pounds. Brad Pitt is living proof that sometimes less is more. You don't have to put on a ton of muscle to look good. What I admire about Brad Pitt's physique is not just his muscles but how wonderfully symmetrical he looks. Everything is just in perfect proportion. His trainers really knew how to get him into that perfect shape for the movie. He's still thin. He just naturally holds an extremely low body fat composition. He also put on a little muscle. Even in his 60s he still looks amazing. Proof that age is relative, like time. 

What's my pursuit? Well, not to become Brad Pitt. I'll never have his genetics or good looks. But here's what I can take away from his physique. He was mostly skinny. But muscular skinny. And he was healthy. That's more or less the kind of physique I'm after. It's there to be reached but always a little too far to be realized. But who doesn't love rainbows? 

Pitt had peak abdominal leanness. His abs possessed less fat on them than most men. If we didn't have a world full of sugar and were back in the hunter-gatherer days, men with abs like that would be the usual look. It's one thing to be genetically blessed. That's a pure gift from God. But it's quite another thing to take the time and make the effort to develop and maintain that gift over the years. Right now I'd say I'm about peak natty for someone at my age with average genetics. I'd love to remain active until the day I die. In particular, I'd really, really like to be able to surf for another decade if the Lord allows. To do that I'll need a body with enough strength to paddle and swim. Good muscle. Healthy amount of fat. Decent size. Sadly, with the incessant permeation of our brains by social media, physique inflation is a very real thing. Natural doesn't even look normal anymore. Fitness has become less about health and more about art. You're either shredded or have a dad bod. 

Friend, be proud of your own progress. I'll try to do the same. Be very careful of who you let influence  you. As you know if you've been reading my blog, I've decided to stop just chasing results and start building the discipline that guarantees them. I say this as someone who used to be a poster boy for laziness, hated the gym, wasn't naturally strong or athletic, and made every possible mistake in the book when it came to health and diet. But if I've learned anything through trial and error it's this: Do the habits, and the outcome takes care of itself. For example, here are today's steps. 

Tomorrow I may get in more or fewer of them, but I will strive for at least 10,000. Furthermore, I will do my running in the sun (with 70 SPF suntan lotion) and grab me some vitamin D along the way. And, while I don't idolize Brad Pitt or anyone else for that matter, I know I can learn from him. Someone has said there are two kinds of comparison -- torture, and teacher. Torture has to do with things you can't change. I have no control over my age, height, or genetics. But when you use comparison to motivate and inspire you, it becomes a teacher.  Bodybuilders look cool, but it's the more natural look (like Pitt's) that I'm aiming for. 

Taken today. 6'4". 190 pounds. 

At the end of the day, when all is said and done I'd like to become neither worryingly lean on the one hand nor unhealthily fat on the other. It's not going to be easy, but it's going to be completely worth it.