My Faith Language

I have always known that the words that come out of my mouth are very important.  Too often I am problem focused and speak to circumstances as they currently exist. 

Romans 4:17 (KJV)
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 

My speech should be filled with expectation and faith for our future.  Why is it so easy to confess doubt and circumstance?  That takes no faith.  It may be more uncomfortable to speak faith into our lives because that language may not line up with what we are seeing.  

Romans 10:8 (KJV)
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Matthew 21:21 (KJV)
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

Even if it feels awkward, I am going to start trying to change the way I talk.  I am going to make statements of faith, not because I have the power to make these. things come to pass, but because I have confidence that God can do it.  This year I am going to be more proactive in professing and declaring my faith in God.  I am going to speak the things that God has already provided for me and my family into existence.  We will not accept living with less than what God says we are in Him.

This Blog will document this life changing journey.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everybody. So thankful that Jesus loves me Jesus loves my family. Thankful for my beautiful wife and my beautiful children. Happy Thanksgiving to all my family and friends wherever they may be today. God bless you

Coconuts and Peaches by Chelsea Yadon

Everyone is born a coconut. I certainly was, but due to self-searching and my upcoming adventure of college I have discovered I want to be a peach. This revelation is recent yet fervent. I have realized that my entire life, my primary goals, have always been centered on myself. What do I need? And how do I get it? I have consisted of a hard shell, which required taking a jackhammer to to reach the meat of my core so that I might serve another. But that will no longer characterize me. I want to be a peach who’s nectar is as accessible as picking me off a branch. I want to serve.


Humans are born vulnerable seeds and as they are exposed to the harsh, competitive world we live in, their shell takes shape. At three years old I went to pre-school and was mocked for the large pink bow my mother forced atop my mop of curls. Voila! We see the formation of the endocarp, the inner shell surrounding the seed of the coconut. It is human nature to protect oneself from disparagement. A few years later I found that I needed to get the right answers at school, and if I failed to meet authoritative criteria, I would be ashamed. This defined the mesocarp phase, the fibrous husk which ultimately surrounds the hard woody layer called the endocarp. The outermost layer, exocarp, formed with the belief that in order to have success (which intailed having straight A’s and going to a great college) life had to be a competition. The more people become self-serving, the harder their shells becomes. The seed has become too enclosed and the next thing you know a trained pig-tailed macaques is required to climb a 30 m tree just to be within reach of the real you.


My newfound purpose is to search for those who are in need and do everything in my power to help. In essence, serving others will free me from my restricting shell. IU is a matchless place of learning and excellence. I have the upmost confidence that is will facilitate my transformation. Through my experiences at the distinguished college I will become best suited to contribute to the world. The beauty of a peach is that it doesn’t take a jackhammer or a tree-climbing monkey. Simply reach, grab, and bite and the peach serves its purpose. Peach trees are 3 meters high.

Chelsea Graduation Photo Book

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2003 Vacation

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What is Your Life Worth?

Today I am eternally grateful that my worth is not measured by the size of my bank account, what talents I may have, the things I possess or the any of the trappings of success so sought after. Jesus loved me when I was being formed in my mother’s womb and NOTHING can separate me from the Love of Christ. The things I carry in my heart, my freedom, my memories, my wife, my children, all the people I have loved, my relationship with Jesus; those are the things of true value in my life.  The things I am willing to die for are the things that make life worth living.

I like what one man said: “Life’s worth is not measured by the amount accumulated, but by the amount given.” 

My daughter Chelsea wrote a college entrance essay recently that touched my heart (I will post it in the future). She said she had realized that she had become a coconut with a hard shell that had fruit that was difficult to get at.  Her goal now is to be a peach, easy to access and ready to serve. The more we love, give and serve, the sweeter and more precious life becomes. There we find real meaning, purpose and substance. The cool thing is anyone can Love.  God doesn’t need our abilities to change the world, just our availability.

 

The Truth of the Mirror

A few years ago I bought a 1800s Seth Thomas Clock from a fellow in Strawtown Indiana. Best that I can tell from my research, this clock was made somewhere around 1834. The front door to the cabinet has clear glass on the top half which covers the clock face and a mirror on the bottom half. I was looking in that mirror the other night and the thought struck me of how old that mirror is and how many faces have looked in the mirror in the last 177 years. The mirror seems timeless, yet as time marched on, the faces that glanced into it cycled from babies to old and decrepit many times. You cannot see the past or the future in a mirror, only the truth of now. I don’t care how old the mirror is, if you look in it, you will instantly see the present. The mirror will show you your physical body but it cannot see inside your heart. If you want to see your heart, look into the mirror of the Word of God. It hasn’t changed and will do its job every time. I would say looking at your heart is more important than looking at your face. The cool thing is, as our faces cycle toward old age, our hearts are getting ready to soar into eternity.