Random Ramblings #49: Radio Interviews, Speaking Engagements and Grace Under Fire

Busy week. A higher than usual number of people come in for appointments each January, a month of new starts, fresh commitments. And even though I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, I love the freshness of the new Daytimers, new digits on the check book, and the multitude of  “OK this year we’re really going to —” remarks that pass between my wife and I. For me this is an idealistic season, one that I know will nudge me further along towards important goals. I’ll improve, mess up, improve again, and wind up a few notches ahead of where I was last year. Happens regularly in our house, and yours too, I trust.

Pastor Bill Welsh of Calvary Chapel Refuge in Huntington Beach had me as a guest on his radio show every day this week, which provided a terrific opportunity to talk about how Christians can more effectively respond to homosexual friends and loved ones. Today’s the last show, and you can catch it on KWVE 107.9 if you’re in the Southern California area, at 4:30pm. You can also find archives of the shows here.  Thanks to Bill for being such a gracious host, and for the chance to spend some time with him and my good friend Bruce Sonnenberg. Bruce was in the trenches of AIDS ministry years before other Christian leaders saw the need, and I’ll always salute him for a consistent, very Christ-centered approach to this worldwide epidemic.

If you live in the Omaha area, I’ll be teaching The Game Plan men’s seminar this Saturday at the Cherry Hill Events Center in Omaha, from 9am-3pm. To register or for more info, click here:

Then Sunday morning I’ll be preaching at the Community Bible Church in Omaha as well, located here. So I sure would appreciate your prayers for this weekend.

This week’s grace under fire award goes to a clerk at Papa John’s Pizzeria in Helena, Montana, where a would-be robber entered the restaurant in the small hours of the morning, armed with a knife, demanding money. As the clerk got some cash out for him, the man broke down crying, saying he needed the money for his hungry family. So the employee decided to whip up a pizza and some wings for the man to take home, which he did, without taking any of the cash with him. The man’s still at large, and what the legal upshot of it will be is anyone’s guess. I’m sure you can be arrested for attempted robbery, but for sobbery? Dunno.

I heard that groan. But gimme a break. I’m writing this at 3:20am before getting packed and ready to fly out to Omaha, feeling more spacey than clever.

Hope you’re feeling terrific, though. Facebook seems to hope so too, did you notice? Mine has been asking me how I’m feeling. I told it, and it didn’t interrupt me once. I’m hooked.

Have a wonderful, blessed weekend. And thanks for being here.

Love,

Joe