A post for Dorothy.

This one's for you Dorothy. We're striving to find balance in our lives. We're simplifying so that we can be more effective for the Kingdom. Maybe the blogs won't quit, maybe they will. In some aspects I'm don't want to read and write anymore, I just want to do.

I'm not suspecting this in you, but I definitely don't want this blog to be another source of inspiration in which someone DOESN'T act upon.

To be honest, I'm pretty hot at this moment. I've been seeing a lot of talk and "worship", but no REAL worship - presenting our bodies as living sacrifices.

CHEERS TO TAMMY, your daughter! She makes me tear up with pure pride and joy. In the midst of her beautiful prime, she lays it all down for Christ's sake. She works tirelessly night and day, 7 days a week. She takes orders humbly, without question and smells of the aroma of Jesus! Her gentle serving spirit sends demons running. I wish more people could walk in Tammy's shoes (as we did for 3 months).

While American "Christians" "worship" several times a week, work tirelessly to make ends meet (2 cars, cell phones, TV service, the mall, eating out...) and barely accomplishing a good deed, others are actually laying down their lives for something more valuable, like the Kingdom.

Cheers to Tammy for not wasting her life. I hope I can visit her room in Heaven! It will take 100's of years to see all of the wonderful treasures.

What a treasure you and she are. Thank you both for your service to the Lord. It's people like her, Amy and Teresa that will let me rest easy tonight. Were are all the men? The world has enough boys. It's time to be men.

Sin, wrath, mercy and love

by Paul Washer:

Amy goes bye bye.

This morning we saw our dear friend, Amy off to India! What's she going to do? She'll be Jesus, to Jesus as she serves at Freedom house. It's a place for woman, who might otherwise be forced to have an abortion, can safely have their babies.

How long is she going? Well, she's got a one way ticket and a 10 year visa! UNKNOWN. She's venturing into the unknown. Isn't that was good stories are made out of? We're so proud of her.

You can keep up with her journal at, http://tribespahr.blogspot.com/

Facebook goes bye bye.

Top 5 Reasons I'm getting rid of facebook:

1. Simplify my life to become less dependent on the internet.
2. Encourages more intentional contacts through email, phone or face to face.
3. Frees me up a bit more to focus on the 3D social network in front of me.
4. Avoid raunchy ads that simply don't stop showing up.
5. "A man of too many friends comes to ruin..." I had 217. Are they all really my friends? I'm looking for a "friend that sticks closer than a brother"
6. My friends (that stick closer than a brother) are doing it.

Everything has a season.

The blog posts are slowing down. It's a climatic time of the year for us. Our biggest event (the open house) is coming up, Rebekah is due in 6 weeks, I'm promoting Holler camps and winter preparations are underway. On top of that we're praying for God to fill the Hill house and I'm trying to finish a fence before winter.

I'm in the processing seeking God for His voice. I want to hear Him! I most likely have too many distractions in my life. Can I really hear Him over the Internet, cell phone and Netflix account? Can I really hear Him if I'm ALWAYS busy?

I'm seeking the Lord on all of this, but in the mean time the blog posts will slow down. Right now, my priorities are fearing God and getting ready for this baby. Everything has a season.

Someone's listening!

Yesterday, a fellow brother handed me a wad of cash! This was no ordinary folded bill, this was a giant wad. You know what they said as they handed me the green? “God told me to give this to you”. Wow, that’s encouraging! Someones recognizing and listening to God's gentle blow!

The gift went well beyond financial as well, as I was also able to lay out some of my burdens. It appears that I “went back” to the hill house because I poured out some of the disappointments and worry about the future for it. I was highly encouraged by his listening ears and truthful teachings in regards to the devil and his schemes to discourage. He too, poured out some struggles and we were able to carry each others burdens for the moment. There was something extremely peaceful about the entire situation. We needed that.

Later, I counted the wad... $600!!!! That’s a peculiar amount since the Holler will have that due withing the next couple of weeks! That still small voice saved the day! Propts to all you folks taking in the "breeze"!

Are you listening?

“the Lord was not in the wind...the earthquake...(or) the fire...”, but the Lord was in the "gentle blowing" 1 Kings 19:11-12

Several weeks ago Rebekah was inquiring of the Lord about the hill house and she heard an audible reply, “wait”. The next day I enquired of the Lord to see just how long we should wait. Seven days seemed to be the answer. Chomping at the bits for plan B, I waited the entire week just as Abba had suggested. On day 8 we still had no takers, so I took it to the Lord in prayer. We had asked a dozen couples/individuals but we were only getting “nibbles”, and no real bites.

I asked Jesus what I should do and in his vaguely simple character he replied, “leave it”. I struggled some more and realized I needed to leave it figuratively and literally for a time. I gave it to God and called my Dad (the land lord) to offer it back. Please understand this is simplified in this blog. It’s hard to communicated all the tears, struggles and doubts that go on between these moments I’ve captured in text.


In this instance, I’ve done everything Abba has told me to do, yet no one’s coming. I’m fairly certain He wants a fellow believer here, so could it be that someone’s not listening and responding to Gods still quiet voice? Why must they look for signs in “fire, wind and earthquakes” and not sit still for a moment in His gentleness? In the end, Father will have His way and everything will work together for the good of those who love Him. I try not to worry.

See you AFTER the pole.

This morning, nearly 2 million youth gathered around their schools flag pole to pray for their school, friends, teachers, government and their nation. It's the 20th annual "see you at the pole"!

This year’s theme, “Engage: Go and Pray,” is from 2 Kings 22:13, which records the words of King Josiah upon hearing from the Book of Law.

“Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found,”.

I can remember participated in a couple of "pole days" as a youth at Faith Christian day school. Even at a Christian school, I was nervouse. Props to all those brave souls pressing past peer pressure in order to make a stand. For me, that's what it was about. I can remember peeking around during the prayer to see who else was a "Christian". It's funny though, we never talked about it afterwards.

Maybe that's why I like the idea of "see you AFTER the pole" as well. It's an Asheville gathering of youth who went to the pole. It was a time of testimony, song and yes... more prayer. How cool!

Trap the little rascle.

Take a second and close your mouth so that your teeth are clamped. Now, see if your tongue can escape without letting up on your jaw... Not gonna happen. Have we successfully tamed the tongue? Nope. It's still wild. I bet it wiggled around in there pressing the edges testing the escape.

Today I had to cage one of our hens to keep her away from the nest because she was brooding. That means she was laying on the eggs (not producing any) as if they were going to hatch (there's no rooster, it's not going to happen). I'll cage her for 24 hours and she'll break herself of the habit.

Psalms 34:13 says, "...keep your tongue from evil..." I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep that bird away from the nest, even if it involves a cage. Perhaps I need to cage my tongue a little more, in order to keep it from evil.

Walking on water.

Today I wrote a check, knowing full well I didn’t have the money. You may think that’s irresponsible, I think it’s “walking on water”. It’s that idea of praying for rain and then carrying an umbrella. If I know I’m doing the Lords work and I’m praying for provision, I had better move forward with or without money. As Poppy, at Orphanage Emmanuel would say, “Don’t wait on money, just go!”

Let me give my heavenly Father a shout out here. We had two bills past due (we didn’t have the money). That kills me, as I don’t want to owe man money, and I know God doesn’t want me to either (Rom 13:8). I sat down to write the checks. I did the math and figured we would be $30 overdrawn! Rebekah and I prayed for provision, put the bills in the mail and hoped for the best.

Like King David, we ordered up our prayers and eagerly watched for answers. We figured God would provide through the mail man delivering a support check. Instead we got a visit from our friend and camp caterer coming to collect $120 from this past weekend! Hesitantly, I wrote the check. Now, we would be $150 overdrawn!

In the afternoon, we saw the mail man coming. Despite the rain, I ran outside and waited his approach to the box…. coupons and the quarterly Orphanage Emmanuel newsletter. I resolve to see God move tomorrow.

Ryan shows up for dinner and the 1st thing he says, “I have a check for you”! This wasn’t expected for several days or even by the 1st of the month. I spoke with joy, “you are the answer to my prayers”. The check was for $150!