Robbery!

So last night after our huge sweeping victory over our opponents in softball, I walked to the parking lot to find that my car had been broken into. Some punk broke out the side passenger window and stole my duct tape wallet! That's right DUCT TAPE!! I had that wallet for almost two years! Go to Welcome to Ducktown on facebook and my friend Krysta can make you one! Anyways that is beside the point. Needless to say we had to call the credit card companies to put a freeze on our cards. Today, I got the car window replaced and a new drivers license. $175 dollars later I reflect on what would possess someone to vandalize someones property and take something that clearly does not belong to them. I wondered what he thought was in that fancy duct tape wallet. I mean really man was $175 worth of damage worth 18 bucks? He probably didn't notice the two car seats sitting in the back, and that I would have to explain to my children why some bad man busted out the car window to take daddy's wallet. But, I realized something today. I am no better than than man. I steal from God all the time! My time, my possessions, my money. I mean really. If we ALL did our part in truly giving back to God world hunger would cease to exist! Now don't get me wrong I am not a Socialist. I am just saying it is our responsibility to take care of the orphans and widows. To help those who cannot help themselves. Let me put it this way. We are having a yard sale Thursday, and there is SO MUCH junk we don't need. We store and hoard useless stuff, and don't give a second thought about it, meanwhile there are children digging through trash dumps just to find something useful for their hut. If I ever become wealthy, I want to become wealthy with an open hand and not a closed fist. The reward is is not in what you get, but what you give. By not giving you are not only robbing God, but robbing yourself of the incredible blessings of your generosity. So, who is worse? The thief who stole $18 or me? The answer is me.

Show and Tell

Saw a video posted on youtube of a student who filmed our "Show and Tell" sketch at the Dare2Share conference. I figured I would share it with you to give you a taste of what we do.  If you would like to see some of our other ministry videos you can go to our youtube site at youtube.com/cvdrama. If you like us hit the little subscribe button. Enjoy!

The tour bus

I love traveling along with its many adventures. We had my parents over for dinner last night and we got to talking about my moms lack of direction and getting lost driving. I got to thinking of all the miles I have traveled with our tour bus with Clear Vision. Many long hours,many twists and turns. But we always made our destination, even when we broke down on the side of the road. From tire blow out to engine failure, from fuel leaks, to losing the trailer entirely. We criticize those times and we forever remember those nights, but what about the thousands upon thousands of good miles? Traveling nonstop from Connecticut to Denver, or Virginia to Texas. The bunks for all of the team to sleep in while traveling  so that they may be refreshed for the next event. The space that we have so everyone is not sardined next to each other for hours on end. The privilege to have my family travel with me. Yes, the bus is a cash cow but it has been a huge blessing over the years jam packed with a lot of fond memories. We look forward Judah (that is the buses name) to the adventures we will be on this Summer!

Are you smarter than Forrest Gump?

There are a lot of lessons to be learned in the movie "Forrest Gump." But there is one particular lesson that I want to focus in on today. Forrest acknowledged that he was not a smart man. He knew he was different. But, his passion and love for Jenny did not stop him from anything.  When the school bullies was chasing him down as a little kid...he heres the yell from Jenny to, "RUN FORREST RUN!!" When Forrest thought he was running away from the bullies he was actually running towards opportunities. That running landed him a spot on the h.s and college football team. Forrest was easily persuaded...that landed him in vietnam, where he became a war hero and got to meet the president. He got shot in the butt ox, while in recovery he took up ping pong and mastered the game. After the army he took Bubba up on his promise of becoming a shrimp boat captain and the list goes on and on. Here is my point. Many of you have stopped running. You stopped running towards your dreams. You have settled from status quo. You let the bully of life defeat you. So, many people miss out on all of the awesome opportunities of life,simply because they stopped running. Imagine if you started to run again. Now you may be a little slow at first,especially with all of those extra pounds you have put on through the years. You lace up your sneakers open the door of opportunity and started running. Your motivation just like Forrest's was....love. The love of your family and the love for your fellow man. Forrest was the most unselfish human being. He never thought about himself of what he would get out of it. He risked his life for his fellow soldiers,kept his promises, protected Jenny numerous times,and sat by her side through all of her mistakes. Most of the population would laugh and scoff at a guy like Forrest, but I admire him. He is exactly what I want to be when I grow up!  I  am thankful that the good Lord has given me two awesome opportunities to help people. One is my ministry of almost 12 years called Clear Vision Drama Company. (cvdrama.org) I love all the email we get of students sharing their story of how our ministry impacted them. The other is my business called Team National. We are helping people save money as well as earning a VERY significant extra stream of income.  There are people out here praying for extra income so they won't lose their house, they are just barely getting by. This company is changing people lives! Including my own! So Forrest, you have inspired me to run and not stop until I take my final breath. Why? Love.

Cooked in the Squat-Zig Ziglar

Evaluation time friends. Watch this video to see if this is you. If so take the necessary steps to change. Pray like it is all up to God, and work like it is all up to you, and you will not lose!

For Every Giant there is a rock!

Through our dare2share tour we learned a lot about the life of David. Especially his encounter with a nine foot six freak of nature named Goliath. None of the Israelites wanted to fight this guy. Goliath would come out and do his daily taunt, but the Israelites would just cower. It wasn't until a small teen age boy who was bringing his brothers some food decided to take Goliath up on his challenge. He was criticized by his brothers, but what could they say really. If there was anyone who should have been criticized it was the Israelite army and David's brothers. But no matter, David did not listen to the criticism. He was too small to wear the armor, but as we will find he did not need the armor. He had a sling shot and five stones and most of all the Lord on his side. We all know the story the taunting giant fell when he was ROCKED between the eyes! Ladies and gentlemen for every giant in your life there is a rock! You must be willing to confront your giants and not cower like the Israelites did. Even though David was a boy he had the heart of a king. He stepped up,stepped out, and conquered. Take the first step and step up. Voice your solution and then step out and take your stand and pursue, even if everyone else his standing on the sidelines watching. Because the results of your action will not only conquer your giants but motivate others to conquer theirs! Remember for every giant, there is a rock, but the rock does not move unless you do.

Do you own a business or does your business own you?

Many people think that because you are a business owner that you have it made. They have the highest pay scale. they can come and go as they please. they have the final say so. But, a lot of times that is not always the case nor is it the view of the business owners. The business owners usually put in the most hours of everybody, their pay scale is good but not great, and they are not really getting a head in the business due to the major loan they took out just to get the business. Many years is spent just trying to pay that loan off. Plus, they are constantly training new staff, or sometimes baby sitting as they say. Maybe you are not a business owner but you have a ...j...j...job. Not to fond of that word. You are working for someone else,probably this is not a job that you are passionate about but you got to make a living somehow. So ask yourself. Is this it? Is this what I signed up for? Is this my lot in life? Is this how my life plays out. Working 40 years over 40 hours a week, then hoping to retire on 40% of my income. Well that is you and about 90% of America. Ladies and Gentlemen it does not have to be that way. There is a way that you can pursue your dreams and your God given passions! I have found that with Team National! And if you are business minded at all then you can rest assure that one of the greatest author/speakers of our time on leadership in ministry and in business gives is full endorsement of Team National. I have only been a part of the company for over a year and it is changing my wife and I's financial future. I have been in the ministry for over 18 years and we all know lol that ministers generally do not have the best pay scale unless you are a pastor of a mega church or those great book deals. Anyways I invite you to connect with me and I will be happy to show you a 23 minute video that explains the whole concept of the awesome company called Team National! In the mean time check out this testimony of Bob and Mary Dubois.

Un is Done!

7 cities and tens of thousands of teens later...Un is done! It was called the un tour. The simplicity of the gospel. The challenge to be unrivaled in the faith. The challenge to be unwavering, even willing to be uncool to share the gospel with their friends. We saw hundreds come to Christ at the event, and thousands and I mean thousands reached out to their friends during the event. The students were challenged to write in sharpie the names of 3 friends on their hands that they are going to pray for and share Christ with. Then at the conference they had the opportunity to share the gospel with them, or set a time in the coming week to talk and share. The fruit of that I believe is countless. Students truly were un'd! As Clear Vision our role was to provide the drama for the sessions as well as a two part drama that ended each night.  Dare2share is a quality organization from top to bottom and if you have the opportunity to go next year, then I highly encourage you to find out which city is nearest you and register for next year! The theme next year is "Game Day!" Below I posted a link where propaganda through spoken word, explains the gospel in all of its essence. Just click on the the link and then click on preview to watch.

https://www.dare2share.org/store/content/life-6-words-gospel-0

The Wind!

Well here I am in Chicago. Also known as the windy city. Which reminded me  of a video I shot a couple of years ago, about the house that was built on the Rock, and the house that was built on the sand. The winds and the rains came down and totally destroyed the house that was built on the sand. But, the house that was built on the rock stood strong and firm. It was not that the house was any better built than the house that was built on the sand. It stood because of the foundation that it was built upon. We have all had our share of storms in our life. How we weather or react to the storm depends on your foundation. Ladies and Gentlemen I built my house on the rock when I was 16 years old. It was then where Jesus became my Rock! He became my foundation! He became my life! There has been many storms in my life since then, but it is because of Jesus that I am still standing strong. My question to you is what is your house built on? Because you never know when that next storm of life is gonna come blowing through. I am reminded of the tsunami that bombarded Japan and just devastated the whole area. The earthquake that just shook and destroyed foundations. It is not a matter of if the storm is going to come, but when the storm will come. Maybe it is time that you move your real estate.