Archive for March, 2008

Boot Camp

Posted by: bert | Comments (1)
Sunday, March 23rd, 2008

waha.jpg

I don’t think I’ve posted it yet but for those of you who don’t know… I was fortunate enough to go to a Wild at Heart Boot Camp last December. And, to make it even more of an adventure, It was the one in Australia. I tried a couple of times to get into the lottery at the ranch in Colorado but wasn’t able to get a slot, then we saw the ad for the upcoming boot camp down-under and noticed that it was first come first serve. So my lovely and oh so generous wife said just go to the sign up for that one and we’ll save up for the flight.

It was an incredible trip I met a lot of great guys and I’ll never forget it. Click here for the pics if you are interested. There were no cameras allowed in the sessions so I had to sneak what I could with the phone I wasn’t supposed to have either. The icing on the cake was that I was on the same flight home with the team and got to talk with all the guys from the “Band of Brothers” series and with Bryon the webmaster over at Ransomed Heart. I tried not to act too excited but I was doing cartwheels on the inside.

The sessions were intense, it is the same message as the book “Wild at Heart” and the DVD series “Band of Brothers” but when it is packed into a weekend and other men are there focused on the same goal it takes on truly epic proportions.

To get a taste of it, the guys over at Ransomed Heart Ministries have released bite sized chunks in podcast form. Video: Click here for the video feed. Feeds: Click here for the general podcast page. I highly recommend watching them and subscribing to the other podcasts as well there is so much encouragement built into them. I don’t listen to the radio in my truck anymore, it has been replaced by my MP3 player.

Also, to advertise, If you have read the book, and have a desire to share this message with other men; I am building a team to do Boot Camps in the Oklahoma Area (I’m in OKC). If you are interested please use the Contact page above to get in touch. We’ll need Prayer Warriors, guys to run the Audio/Visual, location scouts, sponsors, and session presenters.

Categories : Events, Wild at Heart
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God is Good- Even at Borders

Posted by: bert | Comments (0)
Saturday, March 22nd, 2008

Met a very cool guy tonight at Borders Book Store. He is a graphic artist and is using his story with his brother (kind of a Cain and Abel thing) as inspiration for a Graphic Novel (that’s a comic book for the uninitiated). The story line will be one of fighting for good while in the surrounded by disappointment. His hope is when it is sold it will be sort of crossover material for comic fans and Christ followers alike (not that they are mutually exclusive).

God speed Christopher, I can’t wait to read it.

Categories : Purpose
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The Point

Posted by: bert | Comments (3)
Friday, March 21st, 2008

The purpose of this blog is two fold:

  1. To organize the service opportunities that come out of a ministry specifically to men. and
  2. To post articles that point to a life of freedom that is found in the example of Christ.

I believe that we are only “Sinners saved by grace” for the split second that we believe. When we believe we are given a new spirit. We are now (spiritually speaking) alive, free to live above doctrine, duty, and the law that Christ replaced.

Our biggest problem is that we still have the same old physical brain. Our mind still needs to be transformed or renewed. It still operates under the impression that God is far away, and can’t be known. We have to transform our thoughts to align them with what God thinks of us. Repeat after me:

I am free from condemnation (Romans 8:1-2, Romans 8:31-34)
I cannot be separated from God’s love (Romans 8:35-39)
God will not stop working on me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven with all the rights and protections it affords (Philippians 3:20)
I have been given a spirit of power, love, and a SOUND MIND (2 Timothy 1:7)
God helps when I need it (Hebrews 4:16)
I am a saint, a holy one (Ephesians 1:1)
I have been adopted as God’s child (Ephesians 1:5)
The whole list
–from The Bondage Breaker by Neil T. Anderson (pp. 248-9)

We really should start acting like it. More to come as I need to be reminded.

For Freedom
b

Categories : Front Page
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A Post with Some Teeth

Posted by: bert | Comments (13)
Thursday, March 20th, 2008

Scott Williams A post on Scott William’s blog, Big is the New Small, is garnering some attention. See what you think. Click Here for the Post

Are we responsible for the people we listen to? If we aren’t then that frees me up to a few more sections at the book store, video store, the magazine stand, spiritual gurus, pay-per-view channels, heck I can actually watch Oprah and not worry about her where she’s getting her advice.

If we are responsible then there is plenty to turn off. Have you ever realized that there are actually things you can’t “Unsee,” “Unhear,” or “Unthink?” Once its in there it stays.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

(In the interest of full disclosure I am one of the commentators on the post at Scott’s site. )

Categories : Life and Story, Reviews
Comments (13)

Posts on the Way

Posted by: bert | Comments (2)
Tuesday, March 18th, 2008

I’m realizing that I don’t post often enough. The problem is that I don’t want to be putting something up for the sake of posting. I have several drafts in the wings and a couple of ideas for material that will flow a bit more freely. I saw yesterday that there are 10 subscribers to the feed. After taking mine out and my wife’s, I’m happy to see that there are at least 8 more of you out there.

Three requests:

1. Don’t give up. Check the feed at least once a week, I’ll take this opportunity to commit to at least one substantial post a week.

2. If you are a part of a men’s group or know someone who is, let me know about it. I want this site to be a resource for men and grow into a forum or support system.

and ,

3. Include me and this endeavor in your prayers.

For Freedom,
bert

Categories : Front Page
Comments (2)

Who You Are

Posted by: bert | Comments (4)
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

I heard it said recently

You’ll never know who you are until you know WHY you are.
-Gary Barkalow

and

“Even when there is nothing to do, there is someone to BE.
-Unknown

I’ve heard people repeat the phrase, “Know who you are in Christ,” but I never knew what it meant until I found why I was made. I was made because God needed someone with my skills and personality to fill a role. Maximus faught tyranny, Frodo carried a ring, Neo was the One, Morphus found the One. Moses led, Noah built, David shot a rock and became a warrior king. When it becomes clear that you are a priority to God and he has built you for a specific purpose (or two or three) then you realize that it doesn’t matter from where you’ve come. The sun can’t rise quickly enough for you to start living the purpose written on your heart.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
Jer. 29:11-12

I medicated my whole life until I found my purpose now I’m too busy for petty distractions. I can see now what God has brought me through to give me the talents I’ll need to achieve that goal.

You say you don’t know how to find your passion or even what you want to do when/if you grow up? The answer is written on your heart (I know it sounds all warm and fuzzy, new agey, and Oprahish but its true.)

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Ps 37:4

There are a couple of questions that can help: (It is important to remember when searching not to assign a value to your passion let God reveal it to you and then go from there)

  • If you had a year off work and money was no object what would you do? Start a business, a non-profit, a website. Sail around the world, play trumpet in a band?
  • What makes you so angry you’d fight to change it? Injustice, Poverty, Apathy, Organized Religion?
  • What makes you loose track of time? What captures your attention so completely you don’t realize how long you’ve been at it? Writing, deep conversation, fixing broken things, fixing broken people?

I’ll leave you with one more quote:

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman

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Categories : Life and Story, Purpose
Comments (4)

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