Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 3.2-7

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 3.2-7: The serpent has planted the seed of manipulation in the the woman's mind and it begins to grow. She doesn't twist God's words, b...

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 3.1

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 3.1: Sorry this is coming so late in the day, the past 48 hours have been slightly chaotic. Hoping you all had a Merry Christmas. Genesis 3 int...

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 2

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 2: Genesis 2 focuses on God's creation of man. Genesis 1 gives an overview of creation, all of it amazing, seriously, just go outside or ta...

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 2.22-24

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 2.22-24: God said it was not God for the man to be alone. He had mission (a career), and he had companionship, but there was something missing, intim...

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 2.18-22

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 2.18-22: Genesis 1 tells of the creation of man on day 6 of creation. God says, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and le...

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 2.15-17

Fighting Lions: Who is God: Genesis 2.15-17: Man has been made, the garden has been planted, along with the two distinct trees, and now God places the man in the garden to care for it, ...

Pr. 18.24: What's Next, by Will

Pr. 18.24: What's Next, by Will: As 2018 is wrapping up my mind is moving towards this next year. In all honesty, my mind has been on this next year for a while. For half a ...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.9

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.9: God has planted a garden for man, and in the middle of garden are two specific trees. Out of every other plant in the world, these two trees...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.8

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.8: God made man, and then God put him in a special place He had created just for him. God planted a garden, a paradise in a perfect world, and ...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.8

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.8: God made man, and then God put him in a special place He had created just for him. God planted a garden, a paradise in a perfect world, and ...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.4-7

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.4-7: I'm sorry this is coming to you at the end of the day, the past week and weekend were absolutely nuts, I had a paper due Sunday night th...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.4-7

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.4-7: I'm sorry this is coming to you at the end of the day, the past week and weekend were absolutely nuts, I had a paper due Sunday night th...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.1-3

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 2.1-3: On the sixth day God created man, finishing His creation, and declaring it very good. Once His work was completed, God rested, giving man a ...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1: Genesis 1 gives us the first glimpse of who God is. The opening verse tells us that God existed before the beginning, and that He created th...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.28-31

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.28-31: God makes man in His image, but doesn't set them on the earth to figure out what to do, or to fend for themselves. He gives man a task, ...

Pr. 18.24: Turning 32, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Turning 32, by Will: I've been trying to write this for over three weeks, started it three or four times. Usually these posts have been very simple to write,...

Pr. 18.24: Turning 32, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Turning 32, by Will: I've been trying to write this for over three weeks, started it three or four times. Usually these posts have been very simple to write,...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.24-25

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.24-25: The sun rose on day six, greeted by the songs of countless birds, and God went to work. Life filled the sea and sky, but God still had plans...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.20-23

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.20-23: The Sun has set for the first time on day four. For the first time the earth is being lite by the moon and the sky is full of stars. Imagine...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.14-19

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.14-19: The fourth day of creation points back to the first day. On day one God created light, and on day four God creates the sun, moon, and stars....

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.9-13

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.9-13: Something that may not be known about me is that I love to garden. I got into gardening about 8 years ago, and over that time my dreams have...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.6-8

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.6-8: I'll be honest, I had to google this one. Initially reading it, I was like what's unique about the creation of the sky? What does th...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.6-8

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.6-8: I'll be honest, I had to google this one. Initially reading it, I was like what's unique about the creation of the sky? What does th...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.3-5

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.3-5: In the beginning there was darkness, and then God created light. Darkness is merely the absence of light, it's what must exist before li...

Pr. 18.24: Surprise Surprise!! by Aaron

Pr. 18.24: Surprise Surprise!! by Aaron: So a few months ago I came home from work and my wife set down a pregnancy test in front of me. The pregnancy test was positive. The look ...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31: In the beginning God spoke the universe into creation; by the words of His mouth, everything physical beings, colors, scents, tastes, and te...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24, 26

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24, 26: Throughout Genesis 1, two phrases are repeated over and over, "Then God said" "and it was so". God speaks and what God s...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.2

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.2: In the ancient world, water was a symbol of chaos. It is powerful and unpredictable, and even though it is essential to life, it can easily ...

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.1

Fighting Lions: Who Is God: Genesis 1.1: The Bible has been used as many things throughout history. Some have tired to use it as a historical narrative, trying to piece together a t...

Fighting Lions: What's Next?

Fighting Lions: What's Next?: The past few weeks have been a bit of a struggle for me in terms of topics. For a while everything just flowed and made sense, ever since I ...

Fighting Lions: Have You Embraced Your Identity?

Fighting Lions: Have You Embraced Your Identity?: Learning your identity is a crucial first step, but it's only a step. You can know who you are and still fail to do anything with it. Th...

Pr. 18.24: Forged, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Forged, by Will: I've written about this before, but I don't think it was on this blog. The process of making a traditional Japanese katana has been ...

Fighting Lions: To My Readers...

Fighting Lions: To My Readers...: I want to apologize to you all for the inconsistent nature of my posting over the past few weeks. My life has seen some unexpected complicat...

Fighting Lions: Where Do You Draw Your Identity?

Fighting Lions: Where Do You Draw Your Identity?: As I began this search for my identity I had to first begin by looking at the things I had let define me. I'm going to share part of wha...

Fighting Lions: Finding the Meaning of My Name

Fighting Lions: Finding the Meaning of My Name: I had learned my name, and God had reinforced that identity over and over, but even thought I had that, something was still missing. For yea...

Fighting Lions: How I Learned My Name

Fighting Lions: How I Learned My Name: The day before my oldest daughter turned one I was reading the story of Samson as part of a blog project I was working on. As I read the sto...

Fighting Lions: New Name

Fighting Lions: New Name: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden mann...

Fighting Lions: Finding Your Identity, Question 2

Fighting Lions: Finding Your Identity, Question 2: After the wounds have been dealt with, the false identities have been identified, we're ready to begin finding our real identity. Before...

Pr. 18.24: Pursuing Truth is Often...Pointless by Jacob

Pr. 18.24: Pursuing Truth is Often...Pointless by Jacob: Seriously, what is the Point? 
So. Much. Controversy. Who is right? Who is wrong? Who has the edge on truth? Who has the exhaustive list ...

Fighting Lions: Finding Your Identity, Question 1

Fighting Lions: Finding Your Identity, Question 1: The search for identity begins by identifying the false identities you have been given. Before we can build something stable, we have to cle...

Fighting Lions: Identity, Why it Matters

Fighting Lions: Identity, Why it Matters: Everyone who walks the face of the earth is searching for meaning. We need a purpose, and without one we merely exist, going through the mot...

Fighting Lions: Wounds, Healing, and the Future

Fighting Lions: Wounds, Healing, and the Future: In Wild at Heart , John Eldredge says, "I don’t trust a man who hasn’t suffered; I don’t let a man get close to me who hasn’t faced his...

Fighting Lions: Lessons from My Healing

Fighting Lions: Lessons from My Healing: God is about healing and restoration. He makes a perfect world that humans screw up, and He immediately goes about the work of bringing abou...

Fighting Lions: Lessons from My Wounds

Fighting Lions: Lessons from My Wounds: We've all got wounds. No matter how much we hate them, try to ignore them, or even deny that they're there, we all carry a wound, an...

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Healing Part 2: Owning Freedom...

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Healing Part 2: Owning Freedom...: "Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it." I thought I knew what that meant. I thought it was about not being afraid t...

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Healing Part 1: Freedom

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Healing Part 1: Freedom: I had gotten to the point where I was ok. I had accepted the fact that we weren't going to be together. I had stopped writing to her, in...

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Impact

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Impact: This wound may have impacted me in the most significant way. I was really into this girl, poured my heart out in letters that I never sent h...

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Aftermath

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Aftermath: Seeing her relationship status change sucked. I blocked her on Facebook so I wouldn't see any of her status updates or pictures, and I g...

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Inflicted

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Inflicted: I got home really early in the morning, actually I only made it home thanks to the rumble strips on the side of the highway (I don't thi...

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Setup

Fighting Lions: The Wound from Her, Setup: I never date all that much. My first girlfriend was a girl from high school, but be didn't get together until the summer after graduatio...

Pr. 18.24: Quit Running From Your Emotions! by Jacob

Pr. 18.24: Quit Running From Your Emotions! by Jacob: “Water.” I say with a measure of finality. “Water and mountains. Or fog and mountains. Or Rain! But there has to be a front porch and coff...

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Healing Part 2: Reconnecti...

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Healing Part 2: Reconnecti...: Over the past few months my former mentor and I have been reconnecting. At first I wasn't sure what this would look like. We live severa...

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Healing Part 1: Reaching O...

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Healing Part 1: Reaching O...: It was going on five years since I had talked to my former mentor. One of the pastor's I had been meeting with challenged me to write ou...

Pr. 18.24: Keep Fighting, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Keep Fighting, by Will: Over the past month I've heard the word "weary" used to describe my life and situation a lot. "physically or mentally exh...

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Impact

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Impact: We didn't talk for years. I was hurt, and being pretty stubborn (I'm working on turning this into grit, the positive definition of t...

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Aftermath

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Aftermath: The last time he and I talked I did something that I had told him I would one day do, call him not seeking advice, but just to see how he wa...

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Inflicted

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Inflicted: After leaving the church I had been pastoring, I began to attend the church my mentor was at. I was now ordained, so I didn't have an se...

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Setup

Fighting Lions: The Wound I Made Worse, Setup: In the summer of 2008 I had to do a senior internship as part of my undergraduate program. I had a church in mind that I wanted to do this i...

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Healing Part 2: The Real Woun...

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Healing Part 2: The Real Woun...: I can't describe how that revelation felt. For so long I had been hung up on the wrong moment. I had never talked about this part of my ...

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Healing Part 1: Off to Michig...

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Healing Part 1: Off to Michig...: For a couple years I had felt that God was leading me go back to Michigan, this was the first place I really felt called to return to. I put...

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Impact

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Impact: I've been thinking about this post for the past few days, and honestly I'm not even sure what to write. This whole series of posts o...

Pr. 18.24: Journey Part 3: Finding Your Name, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Journey Part 3: Finding Your Name, by Will: I've given a lot of thought to it, and talked with Aaron a bit, and I'm in agreement with him, I'm not going to be sharing my na...

Pr. 18.24: Journey Part 3: Finding Your Name, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Journey Part 3: Finding Your Name, by Will: I've given a lot of thought to it, and talked with Aaron a bit, and I'm in agreement with him, I'm not going to be sharing my na...

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Inflicted

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Inflicted: This whole experience is an interesting one for me. Again, I'm calling this the misplaced wound, and so I'm going to be writing abou...

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Aftermath

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Aftermath: At this point I began to change. I still did my young adult and teen work, planning lessons, leading discussion, organizing events, and both...

Pr. 18.24: Lord, who do you call me? Part 2, by Aaron

Pr. 18.24: Lord, who do you call me? Part 2, by Aaron: In my previous post I mentioned that our group started a journey to find a NEW name. We went on a journey to find that name that the Lord h...

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Set up

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Set up: Sorry this is a day later than the normal schedule. Yesterday ending up being a pretty rough day, and I would greatly appreciate the prayers...

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Set up

Fighting Lions: The Misplaced Wound, Set up: Sorry this is a day later than the normal schedule. Yesterday ending up being a pretty rough day, and I would greatly appreciate the prayers...

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Healing Part 2: Back Again...

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Healing Part 2: Back Again...: For the first time in my life I got the summons, report for jury duty. I called the night before and I had to report the following day. I le...

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Healing Part 1: Let it Go

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Healing Part 1: Let it Go: This one was rough, and healing didn't come easy. I was angry, at a lot of people, but specifically at the one lady from the church. For...

Pr. 18.24: Journey Part 2: The Confirmation Ceremony, By Will...

Pr. 18.24: Journey Part 2: The Confirmation Ceremony, By Will...: Since I started this whole quest for identity, I've wanted a ceremony. This is strange for me, because I hate being the center of attent...

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Impact

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Impact: The church gave me two months severance pay, and let us stay in the parsonage for two months. I had been looking for a new job, but in compl...

Pr. 18.24: Lord, who do you call me? Part 1 by Aaron

Pr. 18.24: Lord, who do you call me? Part 1 by Aaron: What do Elohim, El Shaddai, Adonai, Yahweh, Jehovah, and El Olam have in common? They are all different names for God. Elohim means Creato...

Pr. 18.24: Journey Part 1: Quest for my Name, By Will

Pr. 18.24: Journey Part 1: Quest for my Name, By Will: "and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it." -Revelation 2....

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Aftermath

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Aftermath: Once the wound was inflicted I began to withdraw. As a result of the meeting with district leaders at the request of the one lady who had it...

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Inflicted

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Inflicted: The most important person I had at that church was leaving. He led the youth group, drove the van to pick up kids, his wife led music and th...

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Setup

Fighting Lions: The Young Pastor Wound, Setup: It was Easter Sunday 2011, and I stood in front of the sanctuary delivering my first sermon as a lead pastor; I was 24 years old. I had been...

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Healing Part 2: Back where it Hap...

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Healing Part 2: Back where it Hap...: I had stepped back on a wrestling mat, and even interacted with my former coach, but God had not finished His healing work on this wound. I ...

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Healing Part 1: Back on the Mat

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Healing Part 1: Back on the Mat: After I decided I was done wrestling, I never thought I'd step on a wrestling mat again. I went to a college that didn't have a wres...

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Impact

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Impact: Wrestling had been a huge part of my life. It taught me how to push through obstacles, made me physically and mentally strong, and it taught...

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Aftermath

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Aftermath: I was in a weird place. There was no point in going to practice anymore, and so I'd go if I felt like it, which I really didn't. I i...

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Inflicted

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Inflicted: That year had been rough, both wrestling and life. On the mat I was cutting a lot of weight, working out before school, at practice, and at ...

Pr. 18.24: Misplaced Love, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Misplaced Love, by Will: One of the things that I frequently remember from my college days is a quote from a professor we affectionately called Doc, "All sin is...

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Set up

Fighting Lions: The First Wound, Set up: This first wound was dealt to me when I was 17. It wasn't the first wound I ever received, but it was one of the most defining ones I ha...

Fighting Lions: The Pursuit of Healing

Fighting Lions: The Pursuit of Healing: Wounds are a reality of life; it's just part of living in a fallen world. They come in many forms and from many sources, and each of us ...

Fighting Lions: Identity

Fighting Lions: Identity: 1 Peter 5.1-11 has been the main passage of Scripture I have studied this year. For me, it is a verse that focuses on the identity God has g...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.1-11, What it Means to Me

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.1-11, What it Means to Me: I have spent most of this year only focused on this passage of Scripture. In my own personal journey, this has become a foundational passage...

Fighting Lions: Glorify God

Fighting Lions: Glorify God: The final theme of 1 Peter 5.1-11 focus on the meaning of life. We are here on this earth to glorify God (and now everyone can stop wonderin...

Fighting Lions: Action

Fighting Lions: Action: "To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen ." -1 Peter 5.11 The final word of 1 Peter 5.1-11 carries weight that impacts the ent...

Fighting Lions: Who is God?

Fighting Lions: Who is God?: " To Him be dominion forever and ever . Amen." -1 Peter 5.11 Throughout these verses and themes one thing has been consistent, G...

Pr. 18.24: The Things We Learn, by Will

Pr. 18.24: The Things We Learn, by Will: This is a good week, I have my girls for the entire week. I have a lot of things planned, a lot of the things they like to do but spread out...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.11 Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.11 Overview: " To Him be dominion forever and ever . Amen ." -1 Peter 5.11 This closing verse of 1 Peter 5.1-11 gives the final theme of the ...

Fighting Lions: Endure Suffering

Fighting Lions: Endure Suffering: The fourth theme of 1 Peter 5.1-11 focuses on the reality of hardships, and the result of standing firm through the difficulties. 1 Peter 5....

Fighting Lions: Nothing is Wasted

Fighting Lions: Nothing is Wasted: "After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect,...

Fighting Lions: The Point of Suffering

Fighting Lions: The Point of Suffering: "After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ , will Himself perfect...

Fighting Lions: Reason for Hope

Fighting Lions: Reason for Hope: "After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace , who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect...

Fighting Lions: Unavoidable

Fighting Lions: Unavoidable: " After you have suffered for a little while , the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfec...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.10 Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.10 Overview: " After you have suffered for a little while , the God of all grace, w ho called you to His eternal glory in Christ , will Himself per...

Fighting Lions: Fight the Enemy

Fighting Lions: Fight the Enemy: 1 Peter 5.9 concludes the third theme of this passage of Scripture, Fight the enemy. The reality of life is that we are being targeted by a ...

Fighting Lions: Not the Only One

Fighting Lions: Not the Only One: "But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in ...

Pr. 18.24: The Need for Rest, by Will

Pr. 18.24: The Need for Rest, by Will: The focus of our retreat this was on rest from battle, taking time to be pursued by God, allowing ourselves to dream, and to take time and e...

Fighting Lions: Strength for the Fight

Fighting Lions: Strength for the Fight: "But resist him, firm in your faith , knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in...

Fighting Lions: Fight Back

Fighting Lions: Fight Back: " But resist him , firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are i...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.9 Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.9 Overview: " But resist him , firm in your faith , knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are ...

Fighting Lions: The Enemy's Tactic

Fighting Lions: The Enemy's Tactic: "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour ." -...

Fighting Lions: Identify the Enemy

Fighting Lions: Identify the Enemy: "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." -...

Fighting Lions: Watchful and Ready

Fighting Lions: Watchful and Ready: "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert . Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." -...

Pr. 18.24: Retreat 2018, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Retreat 2018, by Will: Our annual men's retreat was this past weekend, and it was so good to be around my brothers again. We had a cabin in the Cook Forest of ...

Fighting Lions: Calm and Collected

Fighting Lions: Calm and Collected: " Be of sober spirit , be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." ...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.8 Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.8 Overview: " Be of sober spirit , be on the alert . Your adversary, the devil , prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. &quo...

Fighting Lions: You Matter

Fighting Lions: You Matter: "casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you ." -1 Peter 5.7 We are to cast all of our anxiety of God, because Go...

Fighting Lions: No Worries (in a flawless Australian accent)

Fighting Lions: No Worries (in a flawless Australian accent): " casting all your anxiety on Him , because He cares for you." -1 Peter 5.7 The first part of this verse contains an instruction...

Pr. 18.24: Restless Contentment, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Restless Contentment, by Will: This is an idea I've wrestled with for a few years, maybe close to a decade now that I stop and think about it. Philippians 4 calls us t...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.7 Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.7 Overview: " casting all your anxiety on Him , because He cares for you ." -1 Peter 5.7 1 Peter 5.7 tells why humility before God is a saf...

Fighting Lions: Humility Rewarded

Fighting Lions: Humility Rewarded: 1 Peter 5.6 discusses the attitude man needs to take before God. God is supreme, creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe; man's on...

Fighting Lions: The End of Humility

Fighting Lions: The End of Humility: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time " -1 Peter 5.6 Humility befo...

Fighting Lions: The Right Choice

Fighting Lions: The Right Choice: " Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God , that He may exalt you at the proper time," -1 Peter 5.6 As humans, ...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.6 Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.6 Overview: " Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God , that He may exalt you at the proper time " -1 Peter 5.6 1 Peter 5.6...

Fighting Lions: Discipled Disciplers

Fighting Lions: Discipled Disciplers: This is another one of those really tired posts, I'm starting to realize what my limits are, and everything is starting to catch up to m...

Fighting Lions: Grace to the Humble

Fighting Lions: Grace to the Humble: "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is o...

Pr. 18.24: Restlessness, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Restlessness, by Will: I really want to learn to be content in all things. I've missed so much of life because my mind was always on the next step. My focus wa...

Pr. 18.24: Contentment, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Contentment, by Will: I listened to a book this past week that wasn't what I was expecting. The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate...

Fighting Lions: Pride Opposed

Fighting Lions: Pride Opposed: "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, f or God is ...

Fighting Lions: Humility

Fighting Lions: Humility: "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is ...

Fighting Lions: Community

Fighting Lions: Community: "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you , clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is ...

Fighting Lions: Learn

Fighting Lions: Learn: " You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.5 Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.5 Overview: " You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders ; and all of you , clothe yourselves with humility toward one another , for God ...

Fighting Lions: Lead Well

Fighting Lions: Lead Well: 1 Peter 5.4 concludes the first theme of this passage, Lead Well. These first verses have focused on offering encouragement, instruction, an...

Pr. 18.24: Monsters: Part 2, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Monsters: Part 2, by Will: Monsters aren't real in the way that my girls imagine them to be, but there is a real enemy. This is the reality of the world we live in...

Fighting Lions: Rewarded Leadership

Fighting Lions: Rewarded Leadership: "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory ." -1 Peter 5.4 Leadership is not an easy und...

Fighting Lions: Coming Authority

Fighting Lions: Coming Authority: " And when the Chief Shepherd appears , you will receive the unfading crown of glory." -1 Peter 5.4 The first words that follow ...

Pr. 18.24: Monsters: Part 1, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Monsters: Part 1, by Will: Over the past few weekends with my girls, they have started to make comments at night. Each time as we get ready to watch a movie before bed...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.4 Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.4 Overview: " And when the Chief Shepherd appears , you will receive the unfading crown of glory ." -1 Peter 5.4 1 Peter 5.4 is a stand alon...

Fighting Lions: Discipling

Fighting Lions: Discipling: 1 Peter 5.3 is the concluding statement of the sentence that begins in verse 1. This sentence speaks to leaders, encouraging them to embrace...

Fighting Lions: Servant Leader

Fighting Lions: Servant Leader: "nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock." -1 Peter 5.3 A leader is no...

Fighting Lions: Be a Model

Fighting Lions: Be a Model: "nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock ." -1 Peter 5.3 The reality o...

Fighting Lions: Loyalty and Love

Fighting Lions: Loyalty and Love: " nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge , but proving to be examples to the flock." -1 Peter 5.3 Peter has ta...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.3, Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.3, Overview: " nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge , but proving to be examples to the flock ." 1 Peter 5.3 1 Peter 5.3 ...

Pr. 18.24: Black holes bringing me closer to the Creator? by ...

Pr. 18.24: Black holes bringing me closer to the Creator? by ...: Several scientists from Chile, Columbia University and Harvard University published an article in the journal  Nature,  discussing that they...

Fighting Lions: As We Wait for Glory

Fighting Lions: As We Wait for Glory: 1 Peter 5.2 builds on the foundation of verse 1. Verse 1 establishes the audience as the leaders among the people, being addressed by a man ...

Pr. 18.24: Burning the Candle at Both Ends, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Burning the Candle at Both Ends, by Will: I finally understand that expression, and it's from personal experience. Figuratively, not literally, it would be dumb to lite both ends...

Fighting Lions: What, How, and Why of Leadership

Fighting Lions: What, How, and Why of Leadership: "shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not...

Fighting Lions: The Approach to Leadership

Fighting Lions: The Approach to Leadership: "shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not...

Fighting Lions: God's Will

Fighting Lions: God's Will: "shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and no...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life: Conclusion, by Will and Je...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life: Conclusion, by Will and Je...: Will here, I'm going to be writing this post solo. I believe I can share this (he did post it to Facebook after all) Jeremy is in the pr...

Fighting Lions: Not the Whole World

Fighting Lions: Not the Whole World: "shepherd the flock of God among you , exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and no...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life: Why I've Been Challenged t...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life: Why I've Been Challenged t...: Will here: As I've talked with Jeremy over the past year and a half, and reflected on my divorce and everything that led up to it, I b...

Fighting Lions: Care for and Protect

Fighting Lions: Care for and Protect: " shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and n...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life: The Impact on Life, by Wil...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life: The Impact on Life, by Wil...: Will Here: The emphasis on hard work/responsibility has made it hard for me to enjoy life. I always feel like there is something I need to...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.2 Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.2 Overview: " shepherd the flock of God among you , exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God ; and...

Fighting Lions: The Attitude of a Leader

Fighting Lions: The Attitude of a Leader: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glo...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life : What We Like About Our Ap...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life : What We Like About Our Ap...: Will here: The approach I have to life has made me a great planner; I'm able to organize stuff based around a big picture. I'm a g...

Fighting Lions: The Attitude of a Leader

Fighting Lions: The Attitude of a Leader: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glo...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life : Why We do What We do, by ...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life : Why We do What We do, by ...: Will here: When I think about the way I approach life, my mind goes in two directions: the way I was raised, and my personality. (The whol...

Fighting Lions: Not Disqualified

Fighting Lions: Not Disqualified: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glo...

Fighting Lions: Not Disqualified

Fighting Lions: Not Disqualified: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glo...

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life: Into, by Will & Jeremy

Pr. 18.24: Two Approaches to Life: Into, by Will & Jeremy: We met almost 10 years ago during an on campus prayer gathering. A year later we would be roommates. We used to get up early on Saturday mor...

Fighting Lions: Past Failure

Fighting Lions: Past Failure: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ , and a partaker also of the gl...

Fighting Lions: One of You

Fighting Lions: One of You: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the g...

Fighting Lions: Encouragement to the Elders

Fighting Lions: Encouragement to the Elders: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you , as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the g...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.1, Overview

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.1, Overview: Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory ...

Fighting Lions: Procedure of Study

Fighting Lions: Procedure of Study: I apologize again for the nature of this post, my week has been overwhelming, and the weekend is going to be just as busy, if not more so. ...

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.1-11

Fighting Lions: 1 Peter 5.1-11: I'm going to cheat today, as it's almost 2 AM, and I've been up for almost 21 hours. I'm really tired, and I have to get up ...

Fighting Lions: Where to Now?

Fighting Lions: Where to Now?: During the closing months of 2017 when I was seeking direction for where to take this blog, I had some ideas, none of which have panned out ...

Fighting Lions: What I've Learned about Vision Quests

Fighting Lions: What I've Learned about Vision Quests: The idea of a vision quest has been on my mind for a while now. It all started with a TV show. When I was a kid we used to watch this wester...

Fighting Lions: Putting the Quests Together

Fighting Lions: Putting the Quests Together: My first vision quest started as a survival challenge, but the setting and situation changed it into one of the best experiences of my life...

Fighting Lions: Distant Reflections

Fighting Lions: Distant Reflections: I haven't had as much time to process this vision quest, and in all honesty, I've had a lot more to process in the 7ish months since...

Fighting Lions: Initial Reflections

Fighting Lions: Initial Reflections: Below is what I wrote in my journal about a month and a half after my quest. Vision Quest 2017 Reflection (9/4/17) This trip did not go ...

Fighting Lions: Quest Conclusion

Fighting Lions: Quest Conclusion: As I stood up, packed up my notes, and slung my pack over my shoulders, God spoke to my spirit again, "That's it for now, we're...

Fighting Lions: Reflecting in the Woods

Fighting Lions: Reflecting in the Woods: I really had no plan at this point, I was just walking the trails in the area waiting for God to speak. I was headed in the direction that G...

Fighting Lions: Not as Planned

Fighting Lions: Not as Planned: God had met me in the woods yet again, speaking exactly what I needed to hear. Nothing about this weekend had gone according to plan, but I ...

Fighting Lions: Speaking to My Heart

Fighting Lions: Speaking to My Heart: I hiked along the trail, thinking about a couple Bible verses, and how they might apply to the experiences I had had with this vision quest....

Fighting Lions: Not What I Was Thinking

Fighting Lions: Not What I Was Thinking: As I was walking along a trail I've hiked less than half a dozen times, my mind began to think about the past twelve hours. I had tried ...

Fighting Lions: Early Morning in the Woods

Fighting Lions: Early Morning in the Woods: My alarm went off, I got up and dressed, and then headed back to the woods. It was dark as I was driving, and the sun had just barely begun ...

Fighting Lions: Different Sleeping Arrangements

Fighting Lions: Different Sleeping Arrangements: As we began to drive back to his house, my friend and I began talking about the process I was undertaking with this vision quest. He's w...

Fighting Lions: Now What?

Fighting Lions: Now What?: I walked back and forth in the woods for I don't know how long, but no where near as long as I thought. I'm intelligent enough to kn...

Fighting Lions: Nighttime in the Woods

Fighting Lions: Nighttime in the Woods: One thing about me is I'm very big on plans. Jeremy (one of my brothers from Pr.18.24 if you're unfamiliar with that blog) got me to...

Fighting Lions: Going Back to the Woods

Fighting Lions: Going Back to the Woods: It had been almost a year since my vision quest, and a lot had happened in that time. I had completed my first master's degree, and was ...

Fighting Lions: Distant Reflections

Fighting Lions: Distant Reflections: In all honesty, I haven't looked at the cards form my first vision quest since I initially wrote them out. When I wrote those words from...

Pr. 18.24: Band-aid on a Bear Mauling, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Band-aid on a Bear Mauling, by Will: I've been hesitant to write this post, simply because of the nature of it. I'm not afraid or ashamed to say what I'm about to sa...

Fighting Lions: Initial Reflections

Fighting Lions: Initial Reflections: My 24ish hours in the woods gave me a lot to think about. I realized some things about myself that I had never grasped before, and the reali...

Pr. 18.24: Proud Dad Moment, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Proud Dad Moment, by Will: I'm not a big fan of winter. In the past few years I've realized that hiking doesn't have to end when it gets cold and snow cove...

Fighting Lions: Quest Conclusion

Fighting Lions: Quest Conclusion: Looking back over my index card notes, it's clear to me that I really didn't get the concept of surrendering at that time. In all ho...

Fighting Lions: Surrendering Someday

Fighting Lions: Surrendering Someday: The reality of what I had just written is a bit difficult to admit, but that is the way I used to think. My entire life I have had responsib...

Fighting Lions: Entitled to Someday

Fighting Lions: Entitled to Someday: After a few more minutes of processing the realities that had been revealed to me, I got up and started walking again. The trail I was walki...

Fighting Lions: Waiting for Someday

Fighting Lions: Waiting for Someday: I sat on that bench, watching the light begin to break through the trees, and realized that all of my life was being lived for someday. I wa...

Fighting Lions: Living for Someday

Fighting Lions: Living for Someday: I typically don't sleep very well in the woods, I don't go camping for the sleep, but that night was the worst sleep I've ever h...

Pr. 18.24: Saying No, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Saying No, by Will: I have a lot on my plate at the moment. School, work, tutoring, being a dad, planning for the future, and pursuing a new opportunity, it all...

Fighting Lions: What am I doing this for?

Fighting Lions: What am I doing this for?: It was a Friday night in late August 2016, my lightly packed Camelbak was loaded with the minimal gear, and the rain had stopped, but there ...

Fighting Lions: The Beginning of a Journey

Fighting Lions: The Beginning of a Journey: In the summer of 2016 I was challenged to do an experiment. I had mentioned the idea of being stranded in the woods, with limited equipment,...

Pr. 18.24: What will you choose?, by Ryan

Pr. 18.24: What will you choose?, by Ryan: I was fortunate enough to attend a number of (four I think) Promise Keeper (PK) conferences in my pre-teen and early teenage years. I really...

Pr. 18.24: Saying Yes, by Jacob

Pr. 18.24: Saying Yes, by Jacob: Saying Yes... Saying yes to being scared. Saying yes to uncertainty Saying yes to God's Kingdom Saying yes to wherever He leads Sa...

Fighting Lions: Focus

Fighting Lions: Focus: Recently I've been listening to a lot of books by Navy SEALs, and a lot of books on the Appalachian Trail. The most recent books I'v...

Man of God...: Pr. 18.24: Swim Buddy, by Will

Man of God...: Pr. 18.24: Swim Buddy, by Will: Pr. 18.24: Swim Buddy, by Will : I recently finished listening to The Operator by Rob O'Neill, a former DEVGRU SEAL Operator. As I'...

Fighting Lions: The Ezra Model

Fighting Lions: The Ezra Model: In preparation for my desired career as a professor of Old Testament, I've been studying Biblical Hebrew. I'm not going to lie, it&#...

Man of God...: Fighting Lions: Who Am I?

Man of God...: Fighting Lions: Who Am I?: Fighting Lions: Who Am I? : So this seems like a good place to start. In 500(ish) words, who am I? I would typically answer this question ...

Pr. 18.24: Life Verse, by Will

Pr. 18.24: Life Verse, by Will: My entire life I've heard people talk about their life verse; I've personally had at least four. Psalm 23 Psalm 62.5-8 Philippia...

Man of God...: Fighting Lions: Story

Man of God...: Fighting Lions: Story: Fighting Lions: Story : Over the last year our group blog did really well, far beyond anything I expected when we were first started writing...