We are excited about our Father’s Impact Family Fun Day coming up on June 12.  This event will be at Martin

Following is the breakdown for the day’s activities: 
1)       10:00 – Arrive
2)       10:30 – Family Games/Devotion
3)       12:00 – Lunch
4)       Free Time After Lunch:  Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Hiking, Napping etc… Things to bring:
1)       Sunscreen
2)       Chairs
3)       Insect Repellent
4)       Things for Free time. 
5)       Boat (make sure to bring life jackets)
6)   Anything else I am forgetting 

Map to Park Link:   http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/martin_creek/media/pdf/mclkloc.pdf We hope you and the gang can join us for a great day with our families in the place we love so much; the outdoors.  Again, please let us know if you can come and how many there will be with you so we have an idea how much food to have. 

Well it has been another fast and furious summer.  It seems like just yesterday the kids were getting out of school for vacation.  Most will be returning in just a few days now and families across the nation will get back to their regular routines.  I hope that you and your family had a chance to do some fun things together over the past several months.  We take a breather as a ministry for that very reason; to spend some quality time with “momma and the kids”. 

I must say that I am really excited about this coming year for Father’s Impact!  We as a staff have felt strongly God was once again tugging us in a new direction.  We have felt led to take the number of events from 9 to 4 this year.  This allows for longer and bigger events, as well as allows more time between events for getting the word out and preparation.  We have taken the events that had the biggest “impact” if you will, and set those as our events for the year.  There will be a campout in October, Pine Car Derby in January and another big campout in April.  One of the biggest changes is the way we are kicking off the 09-10 year.  For the first time since this ministry was started in 2007, we are hosting a fathers only seminar titled Fitness for the Father.  This seminar will be held at New Beginnings Baptist Church in Longview, Texas on Saturday September 19th from 5:00 to 8:00 pm.  Tickets for this event are available for $5.  Anyone interested can contact me at jason@fathersimpact.com for tickets or more information.  Catfish on Wheels will be catering the dinner of catfish and shrimp.  We will also have several door prizes to give out that you don’t want to miss.  So, what is the seminar about?  

One of the big trends among men around the country is being physically fit.  Working out at the gym, riding bikes, running, and swimming are some of the ways men are getting their bodies in shape and keeping them there.  The question is what are we doing to be in “better shape” as men, husbands, and dads?  The focus of the night will be on 3 important areas that we as men need to “work out” in order to be fit as fathers.  I hope you can join us for this important seminar and look forward to kicking off the year with a bang!      

I just wanted to open up my heart and let it be known how thankful I am for the Heritage Campout this past weekend. On top of being able to spend special time with my son, Austin, I also got to spend some special time with my dad. I love my father very much but we really don’t get many opportunities to spend more than an hour or so together at a time every once in a while. This campout gave me the opportunity to plan something with dad and Austin long ahead of time so that we could make it happen. Fishing and camping provided some of the most special and memorable moments with my dad growing up and how awesome it was to be able to do that with him again. The last 2 heritage campouts were the 2 times since I have lived back in Longview that Austin and I have got to spend with my dad for longer than just a few hours and all I can say is how thankful I am for those precious opportunities. You never know how much time we have left on this Earth and being able to spend time together in the outdoors fishing with 3 generations is priceless. I am so thankful to God for Father’s Impact and providing such an awesome and heartfelt experience.

We will be hosting our annual Heritage Campout on March 20th and 21st at the Rolling R Ranch in Gladewater, TX.  You can arrive anytime after 12:00 p.m. and stay as long as you would like on the 21st.  This is a great location.  There is a stocked pond we have been given permission to fish so bring your stuff.  We will have some extra equipment on hand if you need some.

Fathers Impact will provide dinner Friday night and breakfast Saturday morning.  All you need to bring is your camping equipment, chairs, fishing equipment, drinks and snacks.

We look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks.  As always please contact anyone on the staff if you have any additional questions.

Directions to the Rolling R Ranch:
Take Hwy. 80 to Gladewater.  Turn left at the Loop.  Follow the loop to Hwy. 271.  Take a left on Hwy. 271 and go 3.3 miles to CR 3110.  Turn left on CR 3110 and go 0.8 miles ant the gate is on your right.

Thank you so much for being a part of this great ministry that God is leading.

My dad has always told me that you can tell whether a person is generally an optimist or pessimist by asking a simple question.  Fill a glass with water exactly half way to the top and ask someone whether the glass is “half-empty” or “half-full”.  Most of the time an optimistic person will say the glass is half-full while the pessimist will say the glass is half-empty.  I have tested this theory a time or two and believe it or not it was right.  We all have people in our inner circles and families that we classify as negative or positive.

I am not the first, nor the last, to say that our country is going through some difficult times.  Television, newspapers, Internet, and co-workers let us know exactly how bad things are from the moment we wake up until our head hits the pillow at night.  All of us know or know of someone that has lost his/her job because of the economy.  We all know stories of  folks that have been investing their hard earned money for years in hopes of being able to retire comfortably, only to see their nest egg cut in half.  I could go on and on but you get the point.  We are in the midst of a storm.

One of you reading this post may be the person I have described above.  First, let me say I am sorry for what you and your family are going through.  Second, I have to ask:  Is YOUR glass half-empty or half-full?  Does your family still see you as the “rock” you have always been for them?  Do you continue to read God’s word and spend time in prayer?  Are you still trusting that God will provide for you and your family through these difficult times?  Are you showing your kids the blessings that God is sending even during the darkest of days?  Are you still spending quality time with your wife and playing ball in the yard with your kids?  If the answer to these questions is yes; then the glass you are looking at is half-full.  If the answer is no; it’s not too late to change.

I am excited to let you know about our second chapter of Father’s Impact.  This new group is based out of Corpus Christie, Texas.  Blair Foster (blairfoster72@charter.net) is heading this chapter up along with Mike Malone and James Barber.  I have had the privilege of spending a couple of weekends with these men and I must tell you that I am pumped to see how God is using them.  My dad, brother, and I took the first 7 hour drive down south from Longview to join James on an unbelievable duck hunt.  James was kind enough to make sure my  dad took some duck jewelry back home with us.  My second trip included staff members Brian Herman and Carl Owens.  We were honored to spend the weekend quail hunting with Blair and the rest of the guys for their first event.  What a way to start this new chapter!  Let me tell you, this team has some great events planned out for the rest of the year.  We will have a page on the site dedicated to the South Texas Chapter with a list of upcoming events, pictures, and other things coming shortly so stay tuned!  You can get in touch with Blair for the time being at the e-mail address given above. 

Gentlemen Start Your Engines.  We will be having our annual Box Car Derby Day at New Beginnings Baptist Church on December 13, 2008.  Check in and rules evaluation will begin at 8:30 a.m. and races will begin at 9:00 a.m. 

Car kits are being donated by Fathers Impact and will be available at the information desk on Sundays but you are welcome to build your own cars.

Prizes will be awarded for the top three cars.  Several heats with a series of head to head races will determine which Father/Son teams can be called CHAMPIONS.  For those that are less worried about speed and more concerned with the how well their cars look under the lights, prizes will be awarded for the most unique cars as well. 

Moms and wives are invited to come cheer you on.  This will offer a good time to be had by the entire family.  Also, if you have cars from when you were a child or previously ran cars bring them as we will have an unofficial race just for fun.

Box Car Derby Rules:
     — No cars previously ran at any other function.
     — Car length not to exceed 7 inches. 
     — Car weight shall not exceed 5.0 ounces (will be weighed at check-in)
     — No starting devices or mechanical help of any type allowed.
     — If the car is damaged in anyway, the team will have 5 minutes for repair.
     — Have Fun!!!!!!!!!!

For additional information contact:
     — Jason Withrow 903-736-0810 jason@fathersimpact.com
     — Carl Owens  903-353-5581 cowens@cscpails.com

What does it mean to surrender your all to God?  The word surrender as we often refer to it in our regular vocabulary isn’t necessarily a term that conjures up “warm fuzzies”.  It is a word that is often used to describe the act of giving up.  You’re throwing in the towel.  Finished.  Quitting!

God has recently reminded me that to surrender all to Him is quiet the opposite of quitting.  In fact, when you surrender everything you have, you are actually just beginning.  You’re beginning to let go of things that you think that you have to be in control of.

I personally have been struggling with this lately.  Struggling to the point that it has caused me to loose sleep at night.  As I tossed and turned in bed one night a couple of weeks ago, God got ahold of me and just said “you’re not giving it all to Me.  You’re trying to keep part of it for yourself.”

When we are faced with difficult circumstances in our lives, how do we let go of those circumstances and give God control.  We can’t just sit back and do nothing can we?  When we have problems in our jobs, we don’t just pray for God to handle it and then do nothing do we?  When we have difficulties in our marriage, we don’t just pray about it and then do nothing do we?  What about when dealing with difficult situations with out children?  Should we stop being a parent when we give it to God?  The answer of course to all of these is NO.  We still have to be parents even when we are struggling with what to do.  We still have to work in our marriage.  We still have to make decisions at work.

What I have learned is that giving God control is to lift up my circumstances to him in prayer and share my burdens with Him and then let it go.  Let Him have it. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make straight your paths.”

I still have to make decisions about things related to my circumstances, but the moment I lift it up in prayer, I can let go and quit worrying about it.  Worrying about something is a sign that you haven’t given it fully to God.  When you trully surrender to God, you are not throwing in the towel.  You are actually putting the responsibility for your victory in that situation on God’s shoulders.  Don’t you think that God’s big enough to handle it?

Giving ninety percent to God is not giving it ALL to Him.  Don’t short-change God and yourself!

Below are some pictures from some of our events this year.   

Father's Impact Mission Day -- 2010

61 Photos

Family Day -- Martin Creek -- June 2010

97 Photos

December 2008 Pinecar Derby

73 Photos

November 2008 Campout

54 Photos

October 2008 Bonfire & Games

51 Photos

2008-2009 Kick-Off Breakfast

39 Photos

Today is a very important day in our country.  My son has the opportunity to vote for the very first time.  It is such an important decision that he faces.  I know that he is torn.  Which candidate best represents the positions that my kindergarten son stands for?  Cat or Dog? (Vote Dog!)

Every four years, we have the opportunity as citizens of this country to get out and vote  for the leaders that will fill the various elected positions within our country and the communities where we live.  As Christians, it is not only our right, it is our obligation to vote. 

My son does get the opportunity to vote today for Dog or Cat.  While I am not certain what office these guys are running for, I am certain that my son is learning about voting at school.  Our children are learning about voting at school.  Their hearing about candidates on television and other mediums as well.  This election day is an opportunity for us as parents to get in on the training action.  Take an opportunity to sit down and share with your children why you voted the way you did.  Share with them how the candidate you support shares your values.  You should also be willing to share with your children how that candidate might fall short of your values and beliefs in some areas.

Get out and vote……Cat or Dog?

I ran across this video and thought it was a good reminder of our roles as fathers.

I remember as a child that today was one of the best days of the entire school year.  Every year the day before deer season began my dad would let me miss school and we would spend the entire weekend together at the deer lease.  I think those days that I was able to play hookie from school in a way groomed me for being a father.  I am pretty sure that I will probably face a little more resistance from my wife than my dad got but it is a fight I am willing to fight.  I learned so much on those weekends with my dad.  I learned how to build a campfire, cut wood, put up a tent, clean deer and sooooo much more.  I pray that some of that knowledge gets passed on to my boys in the same exact way.

Nothing has really changed now that I am an adult (some would question the validity of that) other than the fact I have to work today instead of being able to skip out on a day.  As I was setting in my office day dreaming about being at the deer lease, I thought I would write this to see if this day every year stirs any emotions the way that it does for me.  That is enough, I have to get to the lease……

Fathers Impact will be hosting our annual Fall Campout on Friday November 7th at the Petty Ranch. We will be there anytime after 5 p.m. so get there when you can. We will be cooking dinner that night followed by a game known as Bible Smugglers. The next morning we will have donuts before packing up camp. Bring your tents, chairs and good stories to tell around the campfire. This is always one of the most memorable events of the year so don’t miss out on all of the fun. We have plenty of room so invite as many fathers and sons as you would like.

REMEMBER your raffle tickets are due that evening as we will be drawing for the 3 great prizes being offered. You do not have to be present to win so sell, sell, sell. This money will go entirely to fund our events. Thank you for your help and participation in trying to serve God the best way we know how.

You can sign up at the information desk every Sunday at the church or you can email Jason at jason@fathersimpact.com.

Directions: Follow Estes Parkway South past the new Wal-Mart. The second house on the left after you cross the rail-road tracks. The entrance is directly across from the new Sysco warehouse. Look for our sign……..

We will be hosting our first ever Bonfire on October 18th at the Petty Farm.  We will kick off the evening at 6:00 p.m. with a game time followed by a bonfire where we will listen to a great acoustic praise time by Josh Tramell and Derek Sechrist.  This is one of those events you don’t want to miss.  We will have a great time of bonding with our boys and learning what it means to strengthen that relationship with Jesus Christ.

Sign up sheets are available at the information desk on Sunday morning along with flyers for the event or you can sign up via email at jason@fathersimpact.com.

Directions:   Follow Estes Parkway South past the new Wal-Mart.  As soon as you pass the Wal-Mart you will go over a set of rail-road tracks.  We will be at the second house on the left.  A map is attached on the flier so get one and make copies for all of your buddies.

We look forward to another evening that we can set aside and focus 100% on our boys.

I am writing this blog post with the Presidential debate on the television in the other room.  I must say I have a very weak stomach when it comes to politics.  I wish one of them would talk about the positive aspects of their own plan instead of the faults of their opponents.  Please do not misunderstand what I am saying here.  I am truly thankful for the country in which I live and the freedoms that come with being a U.S. citizen.  I am also thankful for the privilege of voting for who I believe is the right candidate for leading us for the next four years.

There is one part of this political season that we are in that really sticks out for me.  Much has been brought up about our dependence on foreign oil and the need to get our energy sources from home.  Agree.  Yet on the other hand we are told to rely and put our eggs in the basket of those in Washington.  I am hearing both candidates try to reassure the American people that we can trust in them to correct the troubling times this country is facing.  Disagree.  We, at some point, have to take on some of the responsibility of the financial burdens we have put our families in.  We see these credit card commercials and all of the “fun” that comes from spending money THAT WE DON’T HAVE.  Things like exotic vacations, fancy cars or trucks, 4 wheelers, boats and the list goes on and on are within a card swipe away.  Folks, here is the reality snowball.  You are basically  ”borrowing” whatever it is that you put on credit because you did not pay for it, Citi Bank did.   Let that sink in.  It is not yours until that last payment is made.  Moving on now.  You and your wife are now struggling to figure out how to make ends meet with this new payment you have incurred.  You start working over time or take on a second job so that you can keep the creditors off your back.  More time at work means less time at home, it’s that simple.  Less time at home means less time with family (your first priority-right?).  Less time with family leads to a wedge creeping in between you and your wife.  You start missing the family meal and tucking the kids in at night because you are working late.  The kids start wondering why you don’t play in the yard or go to practice or dance recitals anymore.  You begin to lose touch with the things that were most important to you for something that sadly, is not even yours.  Do you realize that you may not have to make a payment to the lender for 36 months, but you could lose the family you love in those 3 years?  Do you think government really cares about you losing your family over the decision to buy a $500,000 house when you could only afford a $250,000 house?  The answer is no.  Otherwise the government would have “bailed” you out instead of the shark that said you could afford the house. 

Look, if my 5 year old son receives $5 a week for his allowance, and he wants a toy that costs $10, then he has to save up 2 weeks of allowance to buy that toy.  Period.  It is a simple example but man it has relevance.  It teaches saving, patience, respect for money, and most important, a plan.  Why is it so easy to teach this to our kids yet so hard to do ourselves?  It is a matter of simple common sense practices we teach our kids that could have a huge impact on our financial situation.  So what can you do?  Start today at removing the debts you have.  Make purchases that do not put you in a financial bind.  Always prefer paper over plastic.  Do not let your home be a warehouse for the creditor’s bass boat or big screen TV or living room furniture.  Save up and purchase these things only when you have the money in hand.  We have to take on the predicament our country is in one house at a time and it begins with yours and mine, not the one on Pennsylvania Ave.   

Due to the damage and recovery from hurricane Ike, the Father’s Impact Kick-Off Breakfast has been rescheduled for Saturday September 27th.

It will still be at the same place and all of the details are the same except the date change.  For more information, please go here.

“9/11″ — Seven years ago today, nineteen Islamist terrorists took control of four commercial airliners crashing them into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon, and a field in rural Pennsylvania.  Within hours, nearly 3000 lives were lost as a direct result of the actions of nineteen individuals.  I can remember being glued to the TV in my office and in the office building that I was working at and just watching in utter disbelief at what I was witnessing. 

Now, seven years later, we as a nation and a world continue to remember and mourn the loss of these nearly 3000 lives.  We stop for a moment of silence to remember those lives lost.  We are reminded throughout the day by the media of those terrible events of that day.  We cannot and should not forget what happened on that terrible day.

As I thought about the events of seven years ago today, I started to think about those people and their place in eternity?  Where are those 3000 souls spending eternity?  In God’s Word, Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Do you think these 3000 people knew this? 

What about those that you come into contact with on a daily basis.  Do you think that they know the way, the truth, and the life?

Consider the following:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2008), 55,205,782 people will die this year in the whole world.  That’s about 150,000 deaths per day or 6,300 per hour.  Of those 6,300 people, how many people will spend an eternity in hell because we have failed to share our faith with a friend, family member, co-worker or others that we come into contact with.

As I reflected today on the events of seven years ago, I am ashamed of the “terror” that I have caused because I have failed to share my faith with someone.  The terror of someone spending eternity in hell because I failed to share my faith.

What a tragedy!

Lord, give me the courage, commitment, and the opportunity to share my faith with others so that more tragedies may be avoided.

We will be having our annual kick-off breakfast on September 27th at the Lazy J Ranch located just north of Spring Hill. We will begin serving breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Breakfast will included breakfast burritos and donuts. This will be a great time of fellowship with our boys. Please ask other fathers and sons you know to join us.

Sign up sheets will be available at the information desk every Sunday or you can sign up via email at jason@fathersimpact.com.

We have a great schedule lined up for the 2008-2009 year. You can see our upcoming events as well as other information at www.fathersimpact.com

Bring your fishing rods with you as we have been given the opportunity to fish a couple of great ponds following our breakfast and devotion. Please bring lawn chairs as well.

Directions:
Follow Gilmer Road North out of Longview. You will travel approximately 10 miles and it will be on your left. Turn left on Flamingo Rd. and we will be right there. There will be a large log cabin restaurant on your left.

For further information please contact:

1. Jason Withrow 903-736-0810
2. Carl Owens 903-353-5581

What do you think of when you think of the word “giving”?

Do you think of giving as the greatest thing you can do as a father? 

Think about it.  We want to emulate the Heavenly Father, right?  To do that we have to do what he does: Give…all the time and abundantly.  As I read scripture, it is filled with giving.  I believe the theme of the Bible is loosely summed up in this:  God’s love for us, our fall from grace, and His redemptive plan.  At the core of it all is love. That love is expressed though giving. 

It all started when God gave form and light to the earth.  He gave breath to Adam and then He gave him Eve.  He gave Noah a blueprint.  He gave Abraham a promise, and He gave him a son.  He gave Joseph a talent, Moses an escape route, and Israel freedom.  He gave them many, many opportunities for redemption in the desert.  He gave Joshua courage, Sampson strength and David a heart that sought after Him.  He gave Solomon wisdom.  He gave Jonah a second chance.  He gave Elijah one heck of fireworks show.  He gave Daniel a vision.  He gave Nehemiah a passion.  He gave Isaiah a prophecy.  He gave John the baptist a radical message.  Then He “…gave his one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  God gave us a baby, a savior and a king.  That king then gave us his life.  We in turn are called to give our lives to Him and then give that same chance to others.  It’s all about giving.

As fathers we are to love our sons.  Jut like God, we need to express that love through giving.  We need to give our time, our attention, our energy…and not just what we have left over after a hard day at work.  Be deliberate about giving to your sons.  They will never forget what you gave, and it will also help shape them into the fathers they will one day become.

My boy officially began his educational journey this morning at 7:45.  All I can say is I am glad it is him, and not me.  My wife said the first words out of his mouth when she picked him up from school was “That was AWESOME”.  I must admit those were 3 of the sweetest words I have ever heard.  The challenge will be to see if he says that same thing the first day of his senior year.  I just knew, based on his personality, that he may be overwhelmed by this new environment.  A new teacher, new classmates, a different building, and eating in the cafeteria were all possibilities of starting out the school year 0 and  1.  Instead we came out with a monster victory.  Tomorrow could end in complete chaos, but tonight we are celebrating.

This experience got me thinking about the first time my wife and I ever visited a church.  I remember all of the awkward feelings I had.  A new pastor, people I did not know, and a new building were all giving me the creeps.  I quickly wondered if I should have just slept in.  I would venture to say that I am not alone in those feelings.  I think we as men still struggle with those uneasy moments even though we are at “more mature” ages.  For example, our Sunday School class had 44 people last Sunday.  I can’t imagine what I would have felt like if I was a visitor and did not know anyone.  Can you say fish out of water?  I would have taken one look at that crowd and turned right back around looking for the nearest exit.  I have realized after playing that scenario through my mind that I have a responsibility to make visitors feel welcome.  I have to do a better job of meeting new couples and visitors to both our class and our church.  My goal is for those folks to get in their car after church and say “that was AWESOME”. 

My wife and I recently packed up our bags, set up the kids with grandparents, and headed off to a weekend retreat at Beaver’s Bend in Oklahoma. While we were there, we had a wonderful time with friends eating out, playing games, and cruising the lake. However, the best thing about the weekend was the focus we put on each other and our relationship. We were blessed to be a part of a discussion about God’s role in marriage and how important it is for not just one person in the relationship to be God centered but both people. Another point that really touched my heart from the discussion was how important it is to not only provide a means for Godly influence in your own children’s lives but to pray for their future spouses as well. I can only pray that my son’s future wife and daughter’s future husband are being brought up with a solid Christian foundation so that they can be prepared for the awesome things as well as challenges that come with marriage. I am so thankful for the wonderful Christian woman God put in my life to be married to and to raise children with and it would be a dream come true for my kids to have the same qualities in their spouses some day.

Last night I had a couple of rare opportunities.  First, I had the opportunity to go on a date with my wife.  That’s something that we tend to not make enough time for.  With all of the things that consume us in life between work and shuffling kids to activities, we often make time for things that are so much less important than each other.

Secondly, she and I had the opportunity to see the movie Fireproof before it is out in the theaters.  This movie was made by the same folks who produced the “Facing the Giants” movie.  Facing the Giants was one of my favorite movies.  It was one of those kind of movies that gives you a little perspective on what is important.  Fireproof is also another of those great “perspective” movies.  It stars Kirk Cameron who is a firefighter whose marriage is falling apart.  The movie is about the journey of Caleb Holt’s personal examination and faith and his struggle to save his failing marriage. 

I have always thought that my wife and I have had a solid marriage and seeing this movie hasn’t changed my feelings about that.  However, seeing that movie has caused me to stop and think about the kind of husband I am and has forced me to realize that while my marriage isn’t in shambles, it can always use improvement and I can certainly improve as a husband.  I tend to put more effort into improving other things around me than I do in improving my marriage.  Even more important is the role that God takes in our marriages.  God should always be the center of our marriage.  Satan is always looking for opportunities to creap in and drive a wedge between the bride and groom!  That wedge could be a job, a hobby, activities that our kids are in, pornography, addiction and much more.  We have to guard our marriages.

I encourage you to see this movie.  It will be out in theaters on September 26th and it will be showing locally in Longview at the Hollywood 14 Theater (I think).  Tell your friends about it.  I have included a preview below.  Check it out!

On Friday of last week, I had the pleasure of “Picking Daisies” with my son.  Normally this would be something that you would think that I would do with my daughter, but this was no ordinary Daisy that we were picking.  No, this was a very special Daisy indeed.  Contrary to popular belief, picking this certain species of Daisy is a rite-of-passage; one of the first stops on a young boys journey to manhood with his father.  On this day, we were picking out Carter’s first BB gun.

We spent the day in Tyler while waiting to pick up Hannah (my daughter) from Pine Cove.  We made several stops throughout the day, but we couldn’t finish the day without making a stop at Gander Mountain.  We didn’t even go into the store for this purpose, but somehow we ended up on the BB gun aisle.  All of the guns were a little big for him there, but once he got it in his mind that he wanted a BB gun, there was nothing going to get in our way.  We got in the car and made our way over to Wal-Mart where we were able to find just the right gun.  As you can see from the picture, he was pretty excited.  Believe it or not, Jana (my Wife) was actually on board with the purchase.  A little apprehensive at her baby purchasing his first firearm, but she knew he was in good hands (God’s — not mine). 

When we got home, Carter couldn’t wait to shoot his BB gun.  He was pumped.  Of course I had to take the first couple of shots so I could show him how to do everything.  He watched and listened intently and when it was his turn, he did everything that I showed him.  “Keep it on safety while you cock the gun.”  “Look through the sights at your target.”  He was imitating me. 

As he and I shot his first BB gun, I was reminded of the verse 1 Corinthians 11:1.  Paul wrote “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”  Paul wrote those words to the Corinthians because they did not have the benefit of witnessing Christ’s life on earth and therefore did not have the benefit of firsthand experience.  The four Gospels had not yet been written so they didn’t have the New Testament scriptures that we have today.  All they had was the experience of Paul.

There are a lot of examples out there that my children can follow besides mine.  I myself can choose to be many different examples for my children.  I can be careless with the BB gun and then Carter learns that it is OK to point a loaded gun at others.  I can choose to watch shows on TV that have bad language in them and then my children learn that it is OK to say these words.  Or I can choose to not allow those shows in my home and they will learn that the kind of talk on those shows is not acceptable.

We have the opportunity to be the example of Christ to our children that Paul was to the Corinthians.  You see, our children don’t have the four Gospels available to them at a young age either.  Carter is five and he isn’t reading on his own yet.  Even if he was, I don’t know that he would be able to grasp and fully appreciate the life that Christ led.  As a result, my wife and I have to be the example of Christ to our children at an early age.  So many times I fail miserably as that example.  I’m just thankful that we serve a forgiving God and that I have a forgiving wife and children.

I just have to share one of the most amazing experiences that I am so blessed to be a part that occurs at my home after the sun sets.  After my wife and I chase down the kids to get them bathed, teeth and hair brushed, final drink, etc, etc, we finally get to a point where we take both kids (Austin-5 and Hannah-23 months) to Austin’s room to get ready for bed.  As we turn off the light, we all crawl up into his bed only to have the tiny glimmer of a night light shining upon us.  We all bow our heads and say a little prayer to God (although Hannah is quite the peeker at prayer time).  Saying a prayer together with the kids is awesome but that part isn’t the best part.  The part that just melts my heart is when we are done, Austin says what he is thankful to God for and very recently, little Hannah is also participating in telling God what she is thankful for.  It is so amazing to listen to young children talk about what they are thankful to God for.  It is one of the most amazing gifts a parent could have and I am so blessed to be alive to see it.  Austin usually talks about being thankful for individual family members and pets and will also just add things that are going on in his life like swimming lessons or spending time together as a family.  It is not the same things every night which is pretty cool because it tells me that he is really putting some thought behind it.  Tonight was exceptionally special because Austin also said he was thankful for God and Jesus and for Jesus dying for us.  (WOW, I have tears in my eyes just writing about it).  On top of Austin’s thankful prayer, we asked little Hannah what she is thankful for.  She then proceeded to say mommy, dadda, bubby (Austin), and babies (this could mean herself as she calls herself baby or the many babies that she has in her room that she has grown to love).  Once again, to watch and hear your 2 year old baby girl actually respond to our question about what she was thankful for was incredible.  All I can say is that God is amazing and children are amazing.  His love for us and our kids just overflows and is so evident, especially during night night prayers.        

Verse

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3, ESV)

The verse above I read on our website today.  It struck me after a conversation with friends earlier this morning.  This is what God was saying to me after reading the verse. Remember you can only urge others to walk in the calling.  It is up to each individual to accept the calling and then to do as God tells us in Jeremiah 4:3 . . .[B]reak up the unplowed ground; do not sow among the thorns. (HCSB)  The verse is from a Sportsmen’s Devotional from last week.  The action point hits home for me.  Be honest with yourself and plow what needs to be plowed.

It is getting close to that time of year.  You know the one, the time when the air becomes crisp rather than hot and humid, the leaves turn, and oh yeah, the bucks start rutting.  Even though today, we are topping 100 degrees; in two short months, we will hopefully be in a deer stand.

 It’s funny that every year around this time a couple of months ahead of deer season, the phone calls with Dad become more and more frequent.  We begin planning the food plots, the new stand locations, and the various other tasks on the place back home.  Over the next couple of months, we will talk on the phone about the same plans for the “food plot in the thicket” three times in one week.  Before this time of year, hearing from each other more than once a week just wouldn’t happen.  All of the phone calls and planning make me realize…

This time of year I always realize that I really miss my Dad.  Living four hours from where I grew up prevents a lot of trips back there.  But with hunting season, I always manage to make a few trips back home to hunt with Dad.

 As I look at my boys (Jaskson - 4 1/2 years and Sawyer - 20 months), my hope is this:  The times spent in the woods as boys (like those I spent with my Dad) will draw them back home when they grow up and move away. 

My wife and I have two boys, 7 and 3 1/2.  At this stage we are almost always together as a family, or at least the boys are together with either my wife or me.  No doubt, that’s as it should be.  Still, I occasionally find myself wanting one on one time with each of my boys.  It is hard for me to fully give my attention to either of them when they are both tugging in different directions.  I will illustrate.  Yesterday my wife was out of town and we (me and the two boys) went to Academy.  Braden, my oldest, wanted to get a new baseball bat with his birthday money.  I had anticipated it being a cool event…a dad with his boys…in Academy…spending birthday money.  It makes for a nice daydream.  The reality was more nightmare-ish.  They ran through the automatic doors, a big deal by itself. From there, they trampled the “PLEASE STAY OFF THE EQUIPMENT” sign on the way to the treadmills.  It didn’t take long for Jake to fall off an elliptical and bang his shin, which of course led to screaming.  With a teenage employee watching critically, I rounded them up, and we headed to the baseball section.  Braden knew what he was looking for, but he couldn’t find it.  I was not much help as Jake’s reach from the buggy was just long enough to grab everything, and he was taking full advantage of the situation.  Jake then started with the “I wanna bat too!” sequence that repeated itself no less that 1,000 times.  I thought letting him out of the buggy might appease him.  Bad idea.  Oh, he was happy for a few minutes as he put every bat he saw in the cart, but then I had to strap him back in and put them all back.  You would have thought I was cutting off his toes with a spoon.  I suddenly realized that Braden was now crying because he couldn’t find the bat he saw online.  Once I convinced him that the Typhoon was indeed the same bat, but in a different color, we were ready to check out.  The problem was, I already had.  I was in survival mode, and I just wanted to get out of the store as soon as possible.  Gone were the calm fantasies of smiles and fist bumps with my seven year old.  A chaotic environment that left all of us frustrated and irritated had replaced them.  It was not fun.  As I clicked the buckle on Jake’s car seat, I finally exhaled.  Driving home I felt like a failure in some regard, but I guess I set it up that way.  I had learned something.  God has blessed me with two boys that are both wonderful and very different.  For me to truly connect with each of them, I need to give both Braden and Jake some one on one time.  If I could start the story over, I would wait until Braden and I could go…just the two of us.  It probably still would not be perfect, but at least we would have a better shot at walking away with happy memories.  I love spending time with my boys together, but I will be more deliberate in future about making sure I get to spend time alone with each of them…. one on one.

      When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?

     “Yes, Lord, he said, “you know that I love you.”

     Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

     Again Jesus said, “Simon so of John, do you truly love me?”

     He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

     Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

     The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?

     Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”  He said, “Lord, you know all things;  you know that I love you.”

     Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

                                                                                         John 21:15-17

     Dad, do you love me?

     Yes, son, you know that I love you.

     Play catch with me in the yard.

     Dad, do you love me?

     Yes, son, you know that I love you.

     Take me fishing with you.

     Dad, do you love me?

     Yes, son, you know that I love you.

     Take me camping this weekend.

Jesus requires more than words when He asks us if we love Him.  Our sons are no different.  We must show our boys with actions what we say with our lips.  They will remember what we did as a dad longer than what we said. 

I have been out of town on business this week and I usually get the opportunity to eat out at some rather nice establishments while away on business.  Well this trip was no exception.  After a long day of grueling meetings mixed with team building sessions all of the managers of my company went out to dinner.  As I said we sometimes get to frequent some pretty nice places, well this time it was extreme.  The owner of our company took us to the oldest establishment in Cleveland Ohio.  I should have known that this was going to be a rather unique place when the owner of our company called to see if the owner of the establishment would open the doors just for our group of 15 people.  We arrived to find a gated restaurant that you have to have a key card just to get into the parking lot.  When we walked into this place, I felt as though I had stepped back in time 40 years.  This was the type of place you see in old movies where the extremely wealthy sit and talk about their upcoming yacht expeditions or their football days at Yale.  I felt extremely out of my element and so did many of the other managers that I know fairly well but what happened next was extremely peculiar to me.  Many of the people that are just like me changed as soon as we stepped into the door.  They talked differently and even acted as though they normally frequented these types of places.  I set back and watched people pretend to be something they weren’t for the next couple of hours.  It was rather humorous because I had to ask the guy next to me several times what I was about to eat because these were foods that I never had seen before while others acted as though this was normal cuisine at their home.

As the evening went by I began to get frustrated at the way several people were acting as though they were something they were not.  The question suddenly popped into my head, Do I act this way with my Christian walk?  Do others sit and wonder if I am putting on a show about my relationship with Christ?  As I thought about these questions I began to get angry with myself because I know there are times I act in a way that would make others wonder which one is the real Carl.  I was asked a couple of weeks ago, by one of the strongest Christian men I know,  what is the single thing that I struggle with the most in my Christian walk.  I told him that I struggle with being consistent on a daily basis with my Christian walk.  There are days that I am the strong Christian man God intends for me to be while other days a stranger may wonder if I was a Christian or not.  My actions don’t always portray who I really am just as many of the peoples actions at the restaurant  last night left me wondering who they really are.

I believe this is one of those moments where God is thumping me on the head and asking me which Carl do you choose to be?  I choose the Carl God wants me to be and I pray that he helps me everyday be consistent with my walk and that no person could ever question “Which one is the real Carl”.

It was 5:15am on a Sunday morning when I heard the familiar sound of small feet walking down the stairs.  You might assume a 7 year-old could descend with relative softness, but not mine.  Every step seemed to shake the otherwise still house.  He slowing approached my side of the bed and whispered, “Daddy, I’m hungry.”  My initial thought was – I was sleeping so well. Can’t he just wait until 7:00 and eat breakfast, but just then I heard his little stomach gurgle.  I quickly thought of the previous evening’s activities.  It had been his birthday party, and after he had quickly downed a hot dog and some cheese balls at 6:00pm, he and 15 other boys spent the next three hours conquering two inflatable water slides, a trampoline, a swing set and each other with various water-based weapons.  Now it was the next morning, and he was standing beside me politely asking for something to eat.  I felt bad for my initial thought…but not enough to get out of bed.  I suggested that he go to the kitchen and get a glass of milk.  Seemingly satisfied with the idea, he said, “OK” and turned to walk towards the kitchen.  About 10 seconds later I heard the same voice, “Daddy.”  I had a feeling I knew what had happened.  “Braden, you don’t have to be scared.  There is a light on in the kitchen.”  I said.  He quickly responded, “I’m not scared…I’m just…scared.”  I smiled and rolled out of bed saying, “I’ll come with you.”  He confidently strutted into the kitchen and proceeded to get a cup and fill it with milk.  I just stood there and watched, kind of like a drowsy bouncer waiting for trouble, though perhaps I give myself too much credit.  The point is he didn’t really need my help.  He just needed to know I was there.  He needed to know I had his back. 

The presence of the father is powerful.  David found strength in the presence of his heavenly father, and he wrote about it time after time in the Psalms.  As dads, we are charged with creating a home where our children can find shelter and renew their strength.  It may start with a plea for security in the middle of the night and evolve into more subtle approaches in the face of new challenges with higher stakes, but their need for our presence and strength will always be there.

Last Sunday afternoon, my family and I had decided to sit back and watch a slide show of family pictures over the last several years.  As I watched pictures of my precious family growing through the years, it really fell on my heart to give an “extra special” thank-you to God for allowing me the honor to be a parent of my 2 precious kids and a husband to my wonderful wife.  It is amazing how fast time flies and as I watch the kids grow, I realize that we only get such a short amount of time with our children before they grow up and move on with their own life. 

We have such a small window of time to be with them on a daily basis and provide an influence which will have a huge impact on the people they will grow up to be.  My challenge to myself and others is to provide our children with as much of a Godly influence as possible in the way we live so that when our kids move on, they take God’s influence with them in their heart.  There is no doubt that we will all make mistakes along the way.  However, keeping your heart in the right place and prayer for our kids and family will always be honored by our precious Lord. 

So when you are waking up in the middle of the night because your daughter woke up scared or have to sit aside the big game because your 5 year old wants to play cars, just remember that in the blink of an eye, you may be watching your kids driving off to college or getting married leaving yourself and your wife standing in a quiet home of memories.  It is up to us to spend time with our children to develop meaningful and God led relationships that will last a lifetime so that they can do the same in the life God wants them to lead.           

I ran across this video recently and man it is just an incredible example of two things for me. 

Number One:  It is an example of what a great father will do for his family! 

Number Two:  It is a perfect example of what God will do for his family.  Just when you think you can’t go on any longer, God is there to push or carry you across the finish line.  God loves us!

Watch and see for yourself!

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We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin.
We were born under the power of sin’s control.
- Admit that you are a sinner.

Romans 6:23a “…The wages of sin is death…”

Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin. But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity. The Bible teaches that there is a place called the Lake of Fire (A.K.A. Hell) where lost people will be in torment forever. It is the place where people who are spiritually dead will remain.
- Understand that you deserve death for your sin.

Romans 6:23b “…But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Salvation is a free gift from God to you! You can’t earn this gift, but you must reach out and receive it.
- Ask God to forgive you and save you.

Romans 5:8, “God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!”

When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin’s penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. He did all this because He loved us and gave Himself for us!
- Give your life to God… His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you — not religion, or church membership. God loves you!

Romans 10:13 “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!”
- Call out to God in the name of Jesus!

Romans 10:9,10 “…If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
- If you know that God is knocking on your heart’s door, ask Him to come into your heart.

Jesus said,

Believe in Him.

Ask Him to come in to your heart by faith, and ask Him to reveal Himself to you.

Open the Bible to the Gospel of John and read what God says about Jesus, about you, and about being born again. God will help you. He loves you. You need to look for a local church where God’s word is preached. The Bible says that we are to desire God’s word like a newborn baby desires mother’s milk.

Water baptism is one of the ways you first show that you have been joined to Jesus. This is an action, and actions will not save you. However, it is an act of obedience and a symbol of commitment.

The symbolism is this:

When you go down in the water you show that You have been crucified and buried with Him, and when you come up out of the water you show that you have been raised to walk with Him in newness of life.
(See Romans chapter 6)

You have been born again.
(See John chapter 3)

Your body has become God’s temple. Your heart is where He lives. Forgiveness is yours in Jesus. And you belong to Him. You were sin’s slave.

But now…

For some time now I have been one of those “give what I got left over” kinda guys.  Recently, my wife and I decided to at least dedicate a portion of my budget to a monthly Church offering.  Realize that this commitment was what felt good not what God requested, 10%. 

I spent some time this past weekend discussing the topic of tithe with a fishing buddy.  My buddy explained that he had made a decision in the past to give God His due.  My buddy explained that he had been blessed since that decision.  I’ve also seen those blessings first hand.  Now, this is not why you tithe, but I mention this to say that God takes care of those taking care of Him.

On Sunday, I made a commitment to do the same, take care of God first and then let Him take care of me.  But wait, it only gets better.  Not 15 minutes after making this decision God affirmed my decision when another buddy of mine gave a testimonial about giving to the Church and being faithful with our tithe year round.

Here is the thing, by 7 pm Sunday afternoon, Satan was up to his tricks.  I had made a couple trips around town Sunday afternoon helping with Bible school and other quick errands.  At 7 pm, I had to make a trip to Lowes to get some parts for an odd job at home.  I went in picked up my items and hopped back in the truck.  Click, Click, Click… the engine wouldn’t say a word. 

I popped the hood checked the wiring and still Click, Click, Click… I stuck my head back under the hood and realized that I didn’t have my cell phone to call Jody, my wife.  Just then I heard, “you see, you give, and what do you get…?”  For a split second, I questioned, but then I said to myself, “God, you got this…” 

I turned to walk in the store to call my wife (no cell phone) praying that this would just be the battery and not the alternator or something more expensive.  As I looked toward the entrance, I saw a familiar face.  A coworker was placed by God right in the entrance.  I didn’t even have to walk inside to call for a ride.  After a quick try to jumpstart, we narrowed it down to the battery. 

By 8 pm, prayer answered.  I had the new battery installed.  The problem was solved with the cheapest solution.  God is good. 

My name is Jason Withrow and I am a huntaholic.  You know from some of my previous blog postings that hunting is one of my great passions in life.  I have devoted countless hours and funds to this sport I love.  I look forward all summer to the cool mornings of sitting in a tree stand with bow in hand.  I also dream of the winter duck migration to kick into full force and send down some of my feathered friends.  However, today I am going to discuss what all of us hunters deal with each Spring:  the closing of the season.

I must make a confession here.  I do not complain much on that last weekend of the season about it being over.  As a matter of fact, I am usually ready for it to end.  I actually look forward to rising after the sun for a change.  I look forward to washing clothes that have not seen soap since the first of October.  I will also pack everything in drawers and closets so they can hibernate for the long hot summer.

My point is this:  Our Spiritual Season should never end.  Summer is a time when a lot of passionate Christians that devote countless hours and funds “take a break”.  They, like me with hunting, have worked hard for part of the year only to take the summer off.  They stop attending worship and tithing to their churches.  Guys, we just can’t do this.  God is faithful to us 12 out of 12 months.  Shouldn’t we be the same for Him?  What if you kid’s Sunday school teachers and youth workers were teaching them that it if they would be passionate and committed to God for 9 months then they could “take off” the last 3?  I think we would and should be very offended and mad.  Well, if we as parents make the decision to take a break from church for the summer, are we not teaching the same thing?  My challenge to you dads, as the leaders of your homes, is not to take a Spiritual Vacation this summer.  God’s season is still in full swing.

I have found out over the years that God left out an important ingredient when He put me together:  Patience.  I really had not needed it much until I got married and had my two sons (by the way, that is not a knock on my family).  You see, up until then life was all about me.  Over the last 10 years God has slowly stirred in some patience but He still has a ways to go.  My lack of patience is most evident during those situations in life when time seemes to stand still.  I can think of several situations when I know God has seemed to stop the great watch.  I can tell you for a fact the last 5 minutes before legal shooting time in a duck blind takes an eternity.  I have been surrounded by hundreds of ducks only to see them all take off in that last few minutes when it was too early to shoot.  If my watch had only moved at regular speed, I know I could have had my limit in nothing flat (supposing I could shoot a gun somewhat decent).  Also, as bad as it may sound, there have been times while fishing with my 4 year old that time just creeped along.  After 15 minutes of untangling the line that somehow finds a way to wrap up around everything in the boat, we finally get both of our hooks in the water.  Less than 20 seconds later he informs me that it is snack time.  Once we have feasted on our sticks of beef jerky, we are ready to fish again.  Then nature calls.  And so the trip goes.  Patience.

God brought up a good point the other day.  Embrace those times.  Those situations in life when time seems to stall are the times God wants to teach me something.  Life for me moves way to fast.  For the most part, I would have to say that it is flying by.  My time gets so filled with things that don’t have any real significance.  So I started thinking.  Maybe God puts the brakes on because I am too busy to do it myself.  He slows down that last 5 minutes before shooting time so I can take in the beauty of His outdoors.  So I can take the time to thank Him for a beautiful sunrise and the opportunity to just be there.  He also slows down that time I get to spend with my son in a boat because one day he will be grown and I will miss untangling his line and eating beef jerky.  Thank you Lord for times you help me put on the brakes.   

There is only one thing that I can think of that can turn our normally uneventful home into complete chaos.  Momma getting sick.  Unfortunately, that happened this past week.  I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but my whole mindset switches to survival mode when she goes down with something.  All I was concerned about was getting through the situation without too many major catastrophes.  I know my boys loved it though.  I think we must have watched every Veggie Tale and Disney movie that has been made at least twice.  The boys also got to eat health foods like chips, candy, and fruit snacks.  Man it’s tough when Mom gets sick. 

So what does a 34 year old dad on the edge of a mental breakdown do?  You guessed it.  I called in some reinforcements:  My dad (my mom was out of town).  Now he is no better than me at handling this situation, however, I was not looking for him to take over.  At the time I just needed another comrade in the battle.  He was a huge help during that stressful time.  Dad, if you read this - Thanks.  The stomach bug my wife got lasted 24 hours and she is completely back to normal now.  I think it took me longer to recoup than it did her.  Nothing makes me appreciate all my wife does like having to do it myself.  That would probably be a good thing for me to remember. 

I felt like I have known God for a long time.  We serve an awesome God.  I have been amazed at what God has been for me in my life.  But I just thought I knew God.  What I know about God doesn’t even hold a candle to who God is.

I have been reading through the book of Job.  I have always avoided the book of Job because frankly, it is a painful read.  There is just nothing attractive to me about the book of Job…so I thought.  As I have been reading Job over the last couple of weeks, I have really struggled with its meaning.  Each time as I would read, I would ask God for clarity as I read.  The whole book just seems so contradictory to me.  Here we have a God that has, by his own admission to Satan, acknowledged that Job was a “blameless” man.  So how could God allow Job to go through such misery when he was “blameless”?

Well, I don’t think I ever answered that question of why God would allow this to happen to Job.  I was looking for God to provide me sanity in an insane situation.  That’s not what God had in store for me.  God gave me much more of what I needed instead.  God gave me a glimpse of all that I ever knew about Him and so much more.  I’m not going to tell you what that is.  If you want to know more about who God is, read Job chapters 38 through 42.

God showed me just how truly awesome he really is!  I didn’t need to know why God would allow this to happen to Job.  I needed to be reminded of how awesome God is.  One of these days I’ll figure Job out!

    I attended a funeral today for a 65 yr. old father of 9 children (6 boys and 3 girls).  All of them, with the exception of a son with downs syndrome and a sweet little girl that died too young, have grown and left the house.  I knew the family growing up and have maintained limited contact with 3 of the children that were close to my age.  I did not know the father well, but I was around him often as a teenager.  Over the past 15-20 years I observed his children grow and start families of their own.  Not every situation has been storybook, but overall, they have done quite well.  It’s really amazing when you think about it.  How do you raise 9 children?  I struggle with 2!  The Priest gave a heart-felt message and painted a beautiful picture of the father’s life.  As I sat in the church pew and watched the reactions of his kids, I was touched by the way different things affected each one.  They were all deeply saddened, but they each seemed to remember their father in a slightly unique way.  At some level he must have impacted them individually.  My two boys are so different (I can’t begin to imagine the differences among 9 kids).  I want to impact them in the same way in many areas:  spiritually, as an example of a Godly husband, the value of hard work…but I also want to touch their lives in a very unique and personal way.  Jesus does that better than anyone for those who call Him Lord and Savior.  I can’t expect to perform at that level, but I can determine to do my best, and so that is my prayer: “Lord help me to leave a tailor-made legacy with each of my boys.”

Have you ever lost your faith in God.  What caused it?  Why did you lose it?  Can you picture the moment…  I still can.  Sitting in the funeral home listening to John Starnes’ “I’ll Fly Away.”  It was the song my mom had always asked be played at her funeral.  It was nearly over when the song that was downloaded and burned to a CD stopped playing.  The song didn’t download completely.  WHY?  The one thing I remember Mom asking for when she was still alive was broke.  I didn’t download the song, my Aunt did.  I didn’t even check the CD before the funeral.  WHY?  Why didn’t God let her “fly away”.

  That is the moment I lost my Faith.  I was mad, sad, filled with grief… My mother had passed from a long fight with many health problems.  The last was the worst…  She was in Kidney failure due partly to diabetes and due to after effects of chemo from her bout with chemo several years ago.  Because her kidneys wouln’t work properly her body had built up a lot of calcium and began depositing it in various places on her body.  These places became sores and wouldn’t heal.  It was awful yet she lived on as only she could.  Finally, infection and sickness gave way to “Eternity.”

I still remember getting the phone call, the morning that she died, at the deer camp before I went deer hunting .  Mom had never called before out at the deer camp.  She somehow knew to  call that morning.  WHY?  I don’t remember the conversation at 4 am only she called to say she loved me…  She passed by 8:30 AM before I ever got out of the woods that morning.

 WHY?

 GOD knows!

One day I’ll find out.  For now, I just have this ministry, my friends, and my wife and kids to help me figure out WHY and rebuild my FAITH!

Have you guys ever felt an emptiness that just can’t seem to be filled?  No matter what you do, you just can’t seem to fill the void you feel in your life?  That’s how I have felt lately.  You know, it seems that no matter what I do, I can’t fit anything in that hole.  As the song goes, “There’s a God shaped hole in all of us…”  That’s how I have felt lately; really over the last month or so.  I have really struggled to feel God’s presence lately.  I know in my heart that He is present, but sometimes, I let my head get in the way.  I let the things going on in my life get in the way of my relationship with Christ rather than strengthen my relationship with Him.

Fast forward to tonight…  I was laying in bed listening to an audio book on my iPod…trying to go to sleep.  Nothing special, just a book.  It just wasn’t doing it for me though.  I couldn’t get into it.  So, I decided to listen to some tunes instead.  Just what I needed.  I turned my iPod to Kutless.  After I first put Kutless on, I thought, what am I doing?  For those of you who know Kutless, you know what I am talking about.  Not really the kind of band that will put you to sleep.  I started to change it, but then something told me to keep listening.  I’m glad I did.  As I was listening, I came to a song called “Ready For You”.  Following are a few lines from the song.

Lord, You take my heart away with Your love
and I am willing to put on my faith in Your plan.
—————————————————
I am ready for You.
Take my heart and make me new now.
I am ready for You
to come and fill my soul.
To come and fill my soul.
—————————————————
Whatever it takes,
I’m needing to make Your will be done
and I’m letting go of my control,
for I see what You’ve done in me.

Those are just a few key verses from the song, but that last group sealed it for me.  It’s all about letting go of control.  I see what God has done for me.  I see what He’s given me.  I see how He has blessed me beyond all imagination.  How can I not feel His presence.  Everytime I try to take “the wheel” I just end up messing things up.  I should just sit in the back and let Him be the chauffeur.  He’s a good driver…

Coincidentally, the song “Draw Me Close” was the next song on the iPod. 

Draw me close to you.  Never let me go.  I lay it all down again, to hear you say that I’m your friend!
 

Thank you God for your gentle reminders that you are my Lord and you will be in control if I just let you!

I had the amazing honor of baptizing my oldest boy last month.  I can tell you from the start that I will never find words adequate to describe that experience.  It was such a blessing to be there when he prayed to receive Christ and then to stand with him as he publicly told the world that he was as he says “a soldier for God”.  I have prayed since he was born that he would come to know Christ at an early age.  That prayed was surely answered.  Braden is 6 years old. 

My prayer for Braden has changed now.  His eternal destination is secure, but how his life matters for eternity remains to be seen.  Honestly, I am less sure how to pray for that.  It seems so much more involved and complicated.  I have to rest in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit will interpret my disjointed mutterings.  One thing I know is that my son will watch me closely…very closely.  Maybe a good start down this new path would be making sure that my life matters for eternity. 

My favorite time of year has finally arrived.  The temperatures are dropping, the white tails are stirring, the ducks are heading south and I get to quit shaving.  I love the fall.  I enjoy bow hunting but my passion will always be chasing ducks.  I have not figured out how standing in waist deep water with temperatures hovering around the freezing point could ever get one’s blood pumping.  Those icy mornings most normal folks are sleeping in are the mornings we duck fanatics dream about.  

I always pack all of my gear the night before the big hunt.  I have learned over the years that if I wait until the morning of the hunt something, and it is always one of the important items, gets left behind.  One piece of equipment that I always have in my back pack is a first aid kit.  I have been fortunate thus far and have not needed to use it.  It is even more important to me now to have a first aid kit since my son is old enough to join me on some excursions.  The main reason it stays with me is not because I expect the worst; it is because I want to be prepared for the worst.  I do not plan on using the 40 feet of gauze that it came with, however, there is comfort in knowing I have it if I need it.  It is vital when doing anything that involves guns, knives, arrows, and even hooks to always be…  prepared.

 I have to tell you that this past month has been extremely tough for the staff of Father’s Impact.  We have been under attack from Satan since the first event.  These men have faced many obstacles from sickness to career changes and others in between.  I will only speak for myself concerning these issues.   Personally, I was not prepared to face the challenges Satan was throwing at us.  I did not spend the time I should have in putting on the full armour of God.  I chose to sleep in rather than waking up for a quiet time.  I chose to read the latest hunting magazine instead of my Bible.  I chose to be in the woods on Wednesday evenings rather than in fellowship with other believers.  The difference between this circumstance and the reason for packing the first aid kit was that I was expecting the worst but was not prepared for the worst.  You see, I knew that we would be under fire from Satan when we started this ministry.  I wasn’t sure when or how but I knew it was coming.  The problem was in my not getting ready for him.  I did a poor job of seeking God’s protection.  I did a poor job of being… prepared. 

Hunting season is now just weeks away and many of you have tuned out everything but thoughts of that monster buck or whistling wings.  I, like so many of you, am preparing my equipment for another season.  Please do not forget to prepare spiritually as well.  It is easy this time of year to skip out on church Sunday mornings and be in the woods or on the water.  I challenge you as well as myself to start praying that God would guard you against Satan’s attacks.  Pray that you would have the strength to fight against the urges to miss your quiet time, miss reading the Bible, and miss meeting with fellow believers.   It will do us all good and give us a peace of mind if we choose to get…prepared.                  

We have finally completed our videos for Father’s IMPACT.  These videos tell a story about what our ministry is about.  I won’t bore you with the details.  You can check them out for yourself here.

What I wanted to share was a thought that surfaced as a result of one of the videos. Video Three. Video three (at least to me) brings full circle what this ministry is about. It’s about Father’s devoting time to their children. When the video was complete, I forwarded it to my dad via an email message and explained to him that while this wasn’t the original intent of the video, I really felt that it was a tribute to the kind of father he was. You see, my dad was the dad in that video (not literally). I thanked him and moved on. His response however was a reminder of who is (or should be) really at work in our lives as fathers AND sons.

“I believe it’s much more Him living in you than what I might have contributed. I’m grateful He allowed me to have a part in your development (and that I didn’t foul it up more than He could fix).”

Hard as it is to believe, I venture to say that most of you reading this are probably much like me – imperfect. I know that no matter how hard I try, I cannot live up to the standard that is set by video three. I am an imperfect sinner that often let’s my own selfish desires get in the way of what is truly important and what I am called for. I do know that I have a perfect God and a perfect Savior in Christ. I know that Christ’s saving blood does a lot more than save me from a life of eternity in hell. You see, Christ was also a Carpenter. Carpentry requires a certain amount of skill, but when working with wood, there will inevitably be imperfections. There are a lot of ways to hide the imperfections, but the truly skilled carpenter knows how to make the best of the imperfections. The imperfections are either hidden by the craftsman’s skill, or they are used to make the piece more beautiful.

I’m thankful that I have a skilled “craftsman” at work on me. He’ll either hide my imperfections, or He’ll make them a part of the final piece. Either way, if I let Him perform the work, it will be a great work indeed!

By the way, I robbed the title of this post from a great book called “Raising Dad”.  Check it out!

It is Sunday afternoon.  My wife left this morning to go out of town on a business trip.  I will be at home with the kids all alone this week.  I can only imagine what’s in store for this week.  To top it all off, my kids start back to school tomorrow.  So not only do I have to take care of their basic needs (food, shelter, clothing), but I have to shuffle the kids to school, pack lunches, do homework, give baths, do hair, and then get up and do it all over again.  Fortunately, my wife gave me a list of several specific instructions — “Don’t forget the note to Hannah’s teacher.  Don’t forget to pack the kids lunches.  Don’t forget to (FILL IN THE BLANK).”  By the way, as a side note, I don’t do little girls hair.  I’ve gotta be honest…I’m just not good at it.  So if any of you mothers out there see my daughter this week and her hair is a mess, have pity on her, know I did my best, and do not under any circumstance tell my wife.  If it looks good, that probably means she did it herself.

Anyway, as I sit at home this afternoon and consider the week in store, I have been reminded of two things that I often take for granted or neglect. 

Number one, I take my wife for granted.  It is a pitty that she has to go out of town for a week for me to take notice of all that she does for our family.  All of the things that I mentioned above are the things that Jana normally does around here.  That’s not to say that I don’t contribute and help out here and there, but she is the one that does so much to CARE for our family.  She work’s so hard in service to her family so often without praise or reward.  I know the kids and I so often take her for granted.  What a shame.

The second thing that I am reminded of is that I all too often neglect the needs of my Daughter.  My daughter needs me just as much as my son does.  As I write this, there are several things that come to mind that are important.  First of all, it is important that my daughter see me treat my wife with respect–open the doors for her, praise her, support her, comfort her, and help her.  She needs to see that because she needs to see that it is important for men to respect women.  I want her to find a man when she grows up that will treat her with respect and in order for that to happen, she needs to see it modeled for her.  (NOTE:  I AM THE ONLY MAN SHE WILL EVER NEED!)  Secondly, I need to be compassionate towards her.  With my son, I can beat my chest and he can beat his chest and together we can be manly men.  But I often forget, that my daughter needs to see my tender side.  She needs me to hold her and she needs me to comfort her.  She needs me to be there for her.  Not only do I need to be there for her, I need to set aside special time for her.

This ministry is about Fathers and Sons and I’m not trying to take away from that.  However, I make no apologies for what I write here today.  My wife and daughter are very important to me and they need me just as much as my son does!  It’s easy to sit here and write it, but I need to live it!

Let’s not forget about our wives and daughters!

James 2:17  “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (NIV) 

An important question came to mind after church today that I felt led to share.  If I was on trial for being a Christian, would I be found guilty or not guilty?  I could stand with my hand on a Bible and tell the judge that I was in-fact a Christian, but would that be enough?  No.  We have all seen trial shows where the prosecution and defense have complete opposite stories yet they each place there hand on the same Bible and swear each one is telling the truth.  So there must be more.  There would have to be sufficient evidence in order to find me guilty.  This is where the rubber meets the road.  It is easy for me to talk the talk.  I can find the right words to say.  I can quote a few scriptures and cover all of the important facets of a prayer.  The evidence is not found in what I tell the jury, but in what I show the jury.  Am I a reflection of Christ to everyone I come in contact with?    Can I give specific examples to the jury that would leave no doubt that the answer to that question would be “Yes”?  If I can do that than I am guilty as charged.  It would also be important for me to have witnesses.  Would those closest to me be willing to speak on my behalf?  My family knows the real person I am.  They have seen me at my heights and unfortunately, my lows.  They have seen me pick hobbies over spending time with them.  They have seen my reactions in stressful times.  They have seen me lose my cool at things that really didn’t matter.  They have seen a husband and dad that too often let his pride get in the way.  They have seen me fail on many occasions to be the spiritual leader they need me to be.  That is the truth and let me tell you it stings.  I look back on these things and wonder why my family would testify for me.  It is hard to write such personal things but God calls us to be transparent.  I could only hope that the good out-weighed the bad.  I can see myself sitting behind that table reflecting on the way I lived this life I have been blessed with.  Then the foreman of the jury stands.  “We the jury find the defendant…”  

James 2:17  “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (NIV)   

Have you ever had one of those fishing trips where everything happens the way it is supposed to?  Hopefully you know what I am talking about.  Every cast seems to be placed in the perfect spot.  Every place a bass should be, he is.  Even the trees return your baits still attached to your line.  I don’t know about you, but for me such occasions are so rare they have just about made the extinct list.  Most of my outings consist of back-lashes in my reel, a tired arm (from casting… not fighting fish), and donated lures, weights, and hooks to the local lake.  Then, when I least expect it, “That Day” comes.  I think God gives us those days every now and then so we appreciate them more when they come.  I had the privilege a few days ago to go fishing with my dad.  It is funny how much more I cherish those opportunities since this ministry has started.  Fortunately, we get to share a lot of time together in the boat.  Most of our trips at some point turn into that “friendly” competition of who can catch the most fish.  As stated before, the one that catches the first fish usually wins.  That day was different though.  I believe that you could have tied a bare hook to the end of a Mickey Mouse fishing pole and caught fish.  There were no broke lines, no missed fish, and our baits were in the water more often than in the trees.  There was not much conversation going on but I know we both felt that this trip was one to be remembered.  My dad caught 8 and I caught 8 in about 4 hours.  On a day as good as that I did not want to lose the competition, but what was amazing to me is that I did not care to win either.  My dad and I ended a perfect day of fishing in the best way… tied.    

This has nothing to do with the outdoors, but I felt compelled to share it anyway because I believe that it is such an important lesson that we must all use to reflect on in our personal lives. 

I was reading in 1 Corinthians 2 during my lunch today (we are studying 1 Corinthians in Sunday School at church right now).  When I got down to verse six and seven, the words seemed to leap off the page at me.  This passage reminded me of the MercyMe song ”Word of God Speak”.  The passage in 1 Corinthians goes like this:

6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.  1 Cor 2:6-7  (ESV)

Most of my life I have sought God’s wisdom in my life, but for much of that time, I have had a feeling of being “left in the dark”.  Like having the lights turned off and not being able to find your way.  As I was reading through this passage, it occurred to me that during those times of “being in the dark”, I was not really seeking God’s wisdom.  Oh I would lift up a prayer for wisdom, but I wasn’t seeking wisdom — I was looking for a hand-out.  Instead, what I should have been doing was seeking wisdom not through empty prayers, but through genuine prayer and study of God’s word.  You see, the key words in this verse for me were “among the mature“.  As we mature spiritually, we begin to get the wisdom that Paul speaks about.  It’s no different than the growth and learning cycle from childhood to adulthood.  If we don’t educate ourselves through God’s word, we cannot expect to receive the wisdom that flows freely from it!

As Christians, we get only one “hand-out”.  That is the grace and forgiveness through Christ.  All we have to do is ask for it and it is ours.  Everything else, we have to truly seek through our daily relationship with Christ.   

I just picked up the latest edition of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual the other day.  For those that don’t know, it is the official copy of the hunting and fishing regulations for the state of Texas.  I often pick up several copies; one for home, one for work, one for the places we hunt, one for the truck, and even a few to hand out to buddies.  The laws and regulations seldom change but every now and then there will be a modification that applies to me.  I have read each publication from cover to cover for the past several years even though most of it is a repeat from the year before.  It never fails that somehow I seem to always catch something I had missed in my prior readings.  I always go through and highlight or underline certain regulations that deal with the game I am pursuing.  By doing this, I can quickly reference those rules that matter most.  I have also memorized the laws that pertain to the places I hunt and fish.  I can tell you the lake I spend most of my time chasing large mouth bass at has a slot limit of 14″ to 18″.  I can tell you that you are allowed to keep 25 crappie with a minimum length limit of 10″.  I can tell you in the county I hunt that I can harvest four deer (two antlerless and two bucks).  I can tell you that of the two bucks, only one can have an inside spread of more than 13″.  I have memorized more laws but that is not the point.  Does reading the manual, highlighting, underlining, or even memorizing make me a law abiding citizen when I am hunting or fishing?  Absolutely not.  Is doing these things necessary for me to be a law abiding citizen?  Absolutely.  I must know the laws in order to obey the laws.  However; it is not good enough to know the laws, I must practice the laws.  Try telling the local game warden that you knew the law stated that you could only keep 25 crappie but they were biting so good you felt like keeping 26 and see what he says.  Other people have to witness me following the rules in order to make the conclusion that I am a law abiding citizen.  True self discipline is tested when I am alone.  This is the time thoughts like:  “Who is going to find out” or “There’s nobody around” start creeping into my mind.  Let me assure you, the thought of that game warden sitting by that tree 100 yards away with a pair of binoculars quickly squashes any ideas I had about breaking the law.

There are many similarities between the hunting and fishing manual and life’s manual; the Bible.  I also have several copies of God’s word;  one at home, one at work, and one I carry with me in my hunting backpack.  I have read, highlighted, underlined, and memorized scriptures.  Again, does doing these things make me a Christian?  Absolutely not.  Is doing these things necessary to make me a growing Christian?  Absolutely.  It is only through a relationship with Jesus Christ that I can claim to be a Christian.  Only I know where I truly stand in my salvation, however how I live my life shows those I come in contact with how God has changed me.  I must apply what I have read, highlighted, underlined, and memorized to my daily living.  My goal is to be a reflection of Christ at all times.  That includes when I am with my wife, my two sons, my friends, and my self.  Knowing that God is like that game warden that is paying close attention to everything I do should be enough to make me think twice about doing something against His will.  The difference is that God is always watching me.  Practicing what I read, highlight, and memorize will show my true character .  I must keep in mind that what I do is a much stronger indicator of what and who I am than what I know.   

These videos help explain what Father’s IMPACT is all about. Words on a page can only do so much. These videos will help you understand more about our ministry. Please watch them in order as they will tell you a story of what Father’s IMPACT is about. If you would like more information about Father’s IMPACT Ministries, you can contact us here.

I must first tell you that I am not sharing this story to bring any attention to myself.  I am truly humbled to be a part of such an exciting and meaningful ministry.  At the same time, I have learned that if God lays it on my heart to say, I must be obedient to that.  If this story stirs you, understand where it comes from.  It was just another day; not any different than the others in my 33 years of exisistence.  I was driving in my truck going who knows where when all of a sudden I sense a ring.  I checked my trusty cell phone that at the time was breathing its last few breaths of this life.  Nothing.  I turned the music down and the air off trying to listen.  Again, nothing.  Then it was as if God had taken a seat right beside me.  I will never forget the words that came out of no where:  You need to start a ministry that involves fathers and sons through the outdoors.  That was the call I got, nothing more nothing less.  Before I could even get in a word, the call was over.  I now look back on that day and see how significant those few words were in my life.  So many times before I would here the ringing but let my mental answering machine get it.  I figured I could always return the call as soon as I had a free minute, but there was never any messeges left.  I have come to realize that I have to answer the call when it comes in because if I don’t I will not have an opportunity to hear the message.  I have also noticed that because I took the call God has started calling a lot more frequently.  He has called about the people that would have a huge role in His plan.  He has called to let us know the direction we need to take His ministry.  He has called to remind us that He is the reason IMPACT is now more than a thought.  He even calls just to check in.  There are countless things I have learned these last few months.  Any one of the men that are a part of this journey will tell that God has changed each one of us.  May we never miss the most important calls in life.  God is just looking for someone that will answer before the machine gets it. 

On this page, you will find resources that you might find helpful.  Some of these resources are local here on our website.  Other resources will be external sites.  If you have any questions or need further help finding resources or if you have a resource that would be helpful to others, please let us know by using the “Contact Us” page.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE

How can I become a Christian and what does it take to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

There will be more to come so check back often!

Oh God…  Thank you for your presence.  Thank you for your provisions and your rich blessings.  Thank you for your promises that I can count on.

God.  May I always place you first in my life.  May nothing come between you and me.  I pray that you supply me with the kind of wisdom that only you can supply.  God.  I pray that you supply me with the strength that I need to make it through each day.  I pray that I honor you through all that I say and do.

God.  I pray that my wife will always be second in my life only to you.  I pray that I will be the kind of man that she needs.  I pray that I will be her knight in shining armor.  I pray that I will put her on the pedestal where she so rightly belongs.  I pray that she will see and feel the love that I have for her every single day and not just hear empty words.  God…  Help me to listen more and speak less.  When I speak, may my words be uplifting and supportive.  Help me to lift her up to you each and every day.  God…  I pray that all she needs is you!

God.  I pray that my children always be third in my life only to you and their mother.  I pray that I will be a father and not a friend.  I pray that I will train them according to Your Word.  I pray that your light would shine through me and their mother to them.  I pray that they accept you as their Lord and Savior.  God…  Help me to lift them up to you each day.  Help me to discipline when appropriate, but help me to always do so out of love and not anger.  God…  Help my words to be encouraging and not harmful.

God.  I pray that I may be a light for you.  I make myself available for whatever you have for me.  Use me however you see fit.  Give me the discernment to know your will in my life and help me to follow it.

God.  How easy it is to get my priorities out of whack.  Help me to keep these at the top and lift them up each day.

In Jesus name…Amen.

This page contains links to other websites that you may find useful!  Check back from time to time as we will add to the list periodically.

Daily Sportsmen’s Devotional
Outdoor Ministry Network
Christian Hunters & Anglers
Better Dads

I recently was able to share my faith with a coworker and was asked a couple of questions.  One question that I have not been able to get out of my head was “Who or what was the one thing that finally made you surrender to God”?  My answer came pretty quickly, it was of course God and his undying love for someone so unworthy, me. 

As I reflect on my answer, I think my answer was true but if asked that question again I would have to add my christian brothers.  God has blessed me with an incredible group of Christian friends that have taught me so much.  I have been able to sit back and watch the way these men lead their lives and never once questioned their motives or their love for God.  I am fortunate to have men that I call friends be mentors to me as well.  It isn’t very often someone comes into your life and gives you the strength to change the things that you don’t like about yourself.  God has blessed me with several of these people.  They mentor me, not with words but something much more important, with their actions.  I thank you and only wish that I could repay you a portion of what you have given me and my family by simply being the Christian men you are.

My prayer is that I become that person to others.  Most importantly my sons.  I can’t think of a better way to be remembered by my sons than to be thought of as a father that taught them how to be men simply by walking with God every step of my life. 

I know that as long as I align my heart with God’s heart daily, I will be that guy……..

OUR MISSION:
Our mission first and foremost is to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in whatever way he leads us.  Secondly, our mission is to build a legacy and heritage in our sons that is God centered…to train our sons to be men of God.

For more information about the story of who we are and our purpose, visit our video page.

HOW WE FULFILL OUR MISSION:
As a group of Christian men, we all have a passion for spending time outdoors.  Whether that’s hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or just being outside, we all have a love for God’s beautiful creations.  Being outdoors with our sons affords some unique opportunities for growth in Christ.  Of course anytime you spend quality time together as Father and Son, there can be growth.  Romans 1:20 says “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (ESV)  What better way to mentor our sons and let God reveal himself than through the outdoors.

WHAT WE BELIEVE:
* There is one and only one true God.
* God reveals himself to us through the Trinity:  Father, Son, & Holy Spirit.
* God is bigger and better and closer than we can imagine.
* Mankind was created special by God to have a relationship with Him. We have rebelled against Him though, seperating us from that relationship.
* Jesus Chirst is the living Son of God
* Jesus Christ died and rose again for all who believe to recieve forgiveness of their sins and be restored in a right relationship with God.
* Grace is the only way to have a relationship with God.
* Faith is the only way to grow in our relationship with God.
* Heaven and Hell are real places.
* Death is a beginning, not an end.
* The church is to serve people, like Jesus served people.
* Jesus is coming again.

Glue is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “A cement consisting of a sticky substance that is used as an adhesive.”  My family’s definition of glue is one word: Mom.  Moms are the “cement” that hold us together.  I think of cement as being a bond that can’t easily be broken.  I think of the strength that it takes to join objects together.  Moms are also composed of a “sticky substance” we call love.  Love is what allows them to wake up 6 times a night to comfort a crying infant.  Love is what gives them compassion for that little one that has been leaning over a trashcan releasing last night’s dinner.  Love is what forgives a husband and father that stuggles to be what Christ has called him to be.  

With all of the attention of this ministry being focused on Dad, I pray that we not forget about the importance of the ”glue” that holds our families together.   I know that when I was growing up I wanted my dad to take me hunting and fishing, but when I got hurt riding my bike Mom was the only one that  could make it better.   It is funny how my son does the exact same thing.  Moms just seem to have a bond with their boys that even time can’t erase.  I am thankful to have had a mom that was full of that “sticky substance” that has molded me into the husband and father I am today.  I am also grateful for the wife God has blessed me with.  She truly is the glue that keeps our family together.

…38,000 feet over the Arizona desert on another business trip… 

Fortunately, my job does not take me away often.  When it does I always miss my two sons terribly.  I would gladly trade a high-rise hotel and expensive meals for tucking my two boys in at night after a hearty feast of hot dogs and pop-sicles.  Its funny how I long to be with them the second I step on a plane.  It always happens.  If it’s like most trips, just a few hours before takeoff I was likely frustrated with their disobedience or rowdy behavior.  But once I’m gone I just want them around.

Why is it that I long to be (and think I can be) the greatest dad in the world at 38,000 feet?  Perhaps its because I have an idealized view of how things would be if I were back home.  Maybe its the ever so slight, but always present fear that something could go tragically wrong on the flight…what legacy have I left?  Maybe it’s the fact that I’m not “in the game” and therefore I can’t mess it up.  Or maybe it’s a little of everything all twisted together.  In any case, I wish I could keep the same perspective when I’m with them.  I think my temper would be tempered.  I think I would enjoy them more.  I think I would recognize small stuff as such, and I wouldn’t sweat it.  In short, I would be a better father.

I’m glad God sees me from the 38,000 foot viewpoint all the time.  His grace is endless, and for that I am eternally grateful.  I want to capture a bit more of that grace, and make it part of who I am as a dad.  And it just may be that I answered my own question.  In God’s grace is the place where I belong…just as being home is the place where I belong.  At least then, when I am in the game, I have a chance to be the greatest dad in the world.

I am much older than most people who will visit this site. My children have grown and left home. Although I still see them often, and talk with them more often, so many of the special times that are available to you, are nothing but reflections to me now. Good reflections, but reflections only.

It brought to mind the need to build strong bonds with our sons (and daughters) that will stand the test of time and insure that our reflections make us smile, sometimes laugh, and perhaps shed a thankful tear.

Although fond memories can be built while watching your son play baseball or football or one of the 50 sports that can demand so much of our, and our children’s time, it can not compare with the one on one time spent kicking rocks.

Our Father sets the example for our lives, and I think such a powerful word is found in my favorite set of verses in the Bible, Romans 8: 37 - 39. It says the following:

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now, if Christ is our example, and if He has such a great love for us, His sons, that nothing can ever separate us from that love, should we not have the same love for our sons?

Perhaps it is time to go kick some rocks?

It’s not often that I get to have an uninterrupted conversation with my 6 yr. old son.  It makes me sad to say that.  Usually, we are doing some activity or in a rush to make it to the next event on the schedule.  Throw a 2 yr. old little brother in the mix and it all just gets tight.  Maybe that’s why tonight was so special.  My wife was out with friends, the munchkin was in bed, the TV was off, and I sat down with my son for a late dinner courtesy of the micro-wave (I still don’t understand how those work).  We talked for a while about the day and then the conversation took an interesting turn.  He asked me how long people live before they die.  (How we got here from talk of swimming pools and corn-on-the-cob, I’m not sure, but I am learning that anything at anytime is fair game with kids.)  As the discussion progressed, he commented that older people always die before younger people.  At this point, I paused, knowing that things could get a tad deep for a 6yr. old.  I decided to be honest and let the conversation continue down its path.  I told him that sometimes people die when they are still young.   Now it was his turn to pause.  He asked, “Can babies die when they are 1 yr. old?”   I told him that while it was not often, it can happen.  Another pause.  His blue eyes looked right at mine and he asked, “Dad could I die tomorrow?”.  Again, I had a choice to make, and again I chose to be honest.  I told him that it was possible.  He didn’t flinch.  He just went right to the next step…”What happens then, Dad?” 

Great question.  What does happen then…meaning what will you tell your son when he asks you that same question?  Will you dodge it, or will you be ready to share the truth of the gospel in a way that a 6yr. old can understand?  If you are not sure what you would say, spend some time thinking about it.  You never know when that priceless conversation will happen.

Article from the Longview News-Journal

Although it may not seem like the time to think about hunting, the time will be here before you know it. While shooting a few rounds of sporting clays and archery practice will help the hunter this fall, the proper training is just as important — training in the form of a hunter education course.

The hunter’s education course is a valuable tool and insures that new hunters and youth hunters get off to the right start.  All of… (more)

Spending time in the great outdoors,
It’s a wonderful thing to do.
Spending time in Your creation,
helps me draw near to You.

I always love the chance
to be out in the woods.
Sitting in silence reveals to me
all Your creation’s good.

You’ve made Yourself known to all,
through the creation by Your hands.
Your devine nature revealed to us,
through the creation of the land.

I hope my children will share with me
this same passion for open space.
But more than that it is my prayer,
that they’ll accept Your grace.

For I know that more important,
than anything for which we labor.
Is that we accept Your Only Son
as our King, our Lord, our Savior!

So God give us the wisdom
to lead them everyday.
Help us to show them through our walk
That Jesus is THE WAY.

“I love you Daddy”.  I can’t think of four other words that can make a father melt more than these.  My son Corvin, who is 4 years old, some how has an incredible instinct of knowing when his old man needs to here it.  I can picture him even as I write these words standing in his pajamas saying the words that just light me up.  I pray that hearing my sons say “I love you” never gets old.  I also pray that I would never give them a reason not to tell me those precious words.  However there is a flip side to this story.

My dad is now 57 years old and not getting any younger.  Time is quickly passing and having heard my son tell me he loves me has made me reflect on my love for my dad.  I wonder many times if my dad knows how much I love him.  If hearing my son tell me he loves me has such an effect on my life, would it also make sense that my dad would have the same feelings hearing it from me?  Does my dad know how much I love and appreciate all he has done for me?  I am saddened to think I have fallen short on expressing my gratitude, respect, and most importantly admoration to him.  Too often I don’t tell him I love him until he says it first or the “timing” is right.  Corvin will tell me he loves me all through the day.  It does not matter if we are getting ready for bed, watching television, or playing with toys, my son is great at letting me know how he feels about me.  Why do I struggle with doing the same for my dad?  I pray that telling my dad how much I love him becomes as easy for me to say as it is for Corvin.  I pray that any time would be on opportune time to say “I love you dad”.    

We would like to thank all of the companies and individuals that support us and have made this ministry possible.  Without your generous support, this ministry would not be possible.  The companies listed below are those that have generously provided support for this ministry.  We pray that God will bless them and their businesses.

I was reading my Bible a couple of nights ago and I read a scripture that really popped out at me.  It was in 1st Kings and goes as follows:

1 Kings 19:11-14 (ESV)

Guess what.  God speaks to us all in diffferent ways and in different ways at different times.  Normally in my life, I don’t get the earthquakes and fires.  Recently, however, I have been blessed to get some of the big signs that are clearly God speaking.  Some people get this all the time.  I am not one of those.  In fact, until recently, it has been really hard for me to discern what God is saying to me at all.  I have struggled to know what it is that God wants from me at different times.

When I read this scripture, God “whispered” to me and said, “I have given you the earthquakes, the wind, and the fire, but I won’t always do that.  I’m tuning your heart for the whispers so that you can hear me without the ‘bolts of lightning’.  In order for you to hear the whisper, you have to spend time with me in my word.”

Thank you God for the whisper!

Today’s Sportsmen’s Devotional is a good reminder of the love we are to have for our Heavenly Father and the instruction that we are to instill this same love of our Heavenly Father in our children.  The devotional speaks for itself so I have posted it below.  If you have not subscribed to this Daily Devotional, I encourage you to do so here.

Bible Study Verse
Deuteronomy 6:5-7
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart.. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Holman CSB)

Thoughts
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
I have been thinking for sometime about what to tell Fathers today. I had some really great thoughts that I wanted to share. Now that the time is here to write this devotional, I realize that there is nothing more powerful than this scripture. The message from God in Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says it all: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart.” These words are so important to God that He instructs us to “repeat them to your children.” Remember in John 21 when Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Don’t wait for God to ask if you love Him. (EW)

Action Point
Dads, spend some time talking with your kids today. Tell them that you love the Lord with all your heart. Tell your kids you love them with all your heart.

I have several boys that will be involved in this ministry now and hopefully continue their involvement when they are older and have boys of their own.  We have discussed upcoming events and the importance of praying for this ministry.  The boys wanted to add a few of their own thoughts.

“The thing I am most excited about is my daddy and me get to go hunting” –Corvin Withrow

 ”I am most excited about getting to spend time with daddy and doing all the cool stuff we are going to do.  I am going to pray everyday for us to be safe and help the father son thing be fun.” –Camden Owens

“A”"a”:?A”:?”:>;’;””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””;’;”  Not sure what this means but this is what Jake Herman is most excited about.

“I am most excited about hunting deer with guns with my dad. I want to pray that God keeps us safe while we are doing it.”  –Braden Herman

“I want to go fishing with my daddy and hunting and camping too.  Maybe we can all go to the hunting place together.”  –Carter Crouch

 All these boys know is that they are so excited about spending time with Dad……

I came across a thread today that I wanted to share.  It really hit home with some things going on my life right now. 

Most of us struggle with one thing or another during our day.  We wake up and nothing seems to be going our way, get to work and things keep piling up on your desk, your boss or coworkers aren’t in a good mood, and then you have a flat tire on the way home.  Isn’t that how it seems our day goes sometimes?  We think that we will never recover from everything around us that is dragging us down.  But the verse above tells us that we can overcome whatever is in our path.  That there is nothing that is too big for us to climb up and over if we will put GOD first in our lives, and let HIM guide us in the direction HE wants us to go.  When we try to do things on our own, that’s when we fail at getting things back in order.  The devil will continue to pile things up in front of us, and every step we make up the mountain seems to be two steps back after he gets through.  But when we allow GOD to work in us, then the devil’s attepmts at placing those obstacles in our path will be removed as quick as he puts them there.  I know someitmes GOD allows things to happen in our life that aren’t to our liking, but they are a test to see how we will react to them.  HE is seeing if we will stand strong through the ordeal, or if we will crack under the pressure the devil places on us.  If we will let GOD rule and reign in our life, each and every time we will come out on top.  So grab hold of the rope, pull yourself up, and jump over the walls that are standing in your path.  Because with GOD, all things are possible.

I have really been struggling with work lately and wondering why I was feeling a certain way.  I prayed for God to remove that feeling from me and the next thing I read was this thread.  I have to say that my day was much better than the few previous.  It amazes me each and every time that I step aside and allow GOD to work. 

Below is a list of events that we have scheduled for the 2008-2009 Season. Please check back as we will be updating these events with more information as we get closer to them.

Click here for pictures from some of our events!

          September 27, 2008 – Father/Son Breakfast

          October 18, 2008 – Archery Tournament & Bonfire

          November 7, 2008 – Fall Camping Trip

          December 13, 2008 – Box Car Derby & Missions

          January 17, 2009 – Knife Building Day

          February 21, 2009 – Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport, LA

          March 21, 2009 – Heritage Camping Trip

          April 18, 2009 – Fishing Tournament

          May 23, 2009 – Father’s Impact Banquet

Welcome to Father’s IMPACT Ministries. Father’s IMPACT Ministries’ mission is to build a legacy and heritage in our sons that is God centered. We are teaching our sons to hit the mark. Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (ESV)

As a group of Christian men, we all have a passion for spending time outdoors. Whether that’s hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or just being outside, we all have a love for God’s beautiful creations. Being outdoors with our sons affords some unique opportunities for growth in Christ. Of course anytime you spend quality time together as Father and Son, there can be growth. Romans 1:20 says “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (ESV) What better way to mentor our sons and let God reveal himself than through the outdoors.

We also appreciate that not everyone shares our passion for the outdoors. Regardless of your passion, it is our hope that you will be able to use your passions to build in your son that special legacy of faith in God. We welcome you to utilize whatever resources are available on our site.

FATHER’S IMPACT FAMILY FUN DAY
MARTIN CREEK STATE PARK
SATURDAY JUNE 12th
10 AM til……….
For more information please email
jason@globalgraphics1.com

BY MAIL
New Beginnings Baptist Church
ATTN:  IMPACT Ministries
600 George Richey Road
Longview, TX  75604 

* Indicates a required field.

EVENT PHOTO ALBUMS

Father's Impact Mission Day -- 2010

61 Photos

Family Day -- Martin Creek -- June 2010

97 Photos

December 2008 Pinecar Derby

73 Photos

November 2008 Campout

54 Photos

October 2008 Bonfire & Games

51 Photos

2008-2009 Kick-Off Breakfast

39 Photos

Below are some photos that have been submitted by our members.

I heard something last night at church that kind of jumped out at me.  The topic of discussion was What is Christ to you?  But the pastor referenced a verse that really made me start to think about the kind of example that I am leading for my son.  The verse is John 14:9.  It is Jesus speaking and it says “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” 

Now certainly the point that Jesus is making here is that he is God in the flesh.  But often times, God speaks different things to different people through the same verse.  What God was telling me is that my Son is watching me.  You ask “How did you come to that conclusion from that verse?”  Let me explain.  Our sons are always watching us.  They mimick us and they often want to be like their fathers.  Sometimes they don’t necessarily want to be like their fathers, but end up a lot like them because of the influence their fathers had in their lives (good or bad).  The verse jumped at me because like Christ is the image of God the Father, so often, our Sons grow up to be an image of us.

 So, the question… When you look in the mirror, what kind of image do you see?  Is it an image that you would want your son to mimick?

Welcome to IMPACT Ministries.  IMPACT Ministries’ mission is to build a legacy and heritage in our sons that is God centered.  We are teaching our sons to hit the mark.  Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (ESV) 

As a group of Christian men, we all have a passion for spending time outdoors.  Whether that’s hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or just being outside, we all have a love for God’s beautiful creations.  Being outdoors with our sons affords some unique opportunities for growth in Christ.  Of course anytime you spend quality time together as Father and Son, there can be growth.  Romans 1:20 says “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (ESV)  What better way to mentor our sons and let God reveal himself than through the outdoors.

We also appreciate that not everyone shares our passion for the outdoors.  Regardless of your passion, it is our hope that you will be able to use your passions to build in your son that special legacy of faith in God.  We welcome you to utilize whatever resources are available on our site.

Father’s IMPACT ministries is based in Longview, TX, but we hope that you will find our resources useful anywhere.

I can’t believe the second year of Fathers Impact is here again. What a blur the last several months have been getting ready for the new season. I am so excited about the upcoming year. We have some new events planned that should prove to be a blast.

Please join us on September 20th at the Lazy J Ranch for our annual Kick-Off Breakfast followed by great fishing on an awesome pond. Hope to see you there……