Change . . . Me?

Our former pastor and his wife used to sing a song every once in a while back when we lived in the Washington, DC area. That song was "Change My Heart O God" by Eddie Espinosa. Here are the lyrics in case you don't know it.

Change My Heart Oh God
Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

That song did not mean as much to me back then as it does today. Today, my life is all about change. There are changes at work. There are changes at church. There are changes at home. Change is everywhere.

Benjamin Franklin said, "There is nothing certain in this world but death and taxes." And I would add one more thing to that list; Change!

But let me split a few hairs with the beloved Benjamin Franklin. I would suggest that external change is in fact inevitable. While internal change is not inevitable. So, while the world around me is rapidly changing, it is up to me do determine if I will accept those changes or reject them.

We recently elected a president in the United States who ran on a platform of "Hope and Change". Not all change is good. Not all change is bad. But this much I know. God wants to deal with changes in me at a heart level. While I may want to make cosmetic changes on the outside. god wants to change me from the inside.

So, those lyrics that Pastor John and Amy used to sing are ringing in my ears today. And I say with them, "Change my heart, oh God." Then and only then will I be able to be effective in ministry and demonstrate life-altering change the way that Jesus Christ intended.

What about you? Are there any big changes going on in your life? Are there big changes going on in your heart?

Mobile Blogging

It seems that this may need to be a more necessary means of blogging until my schedule slows down a little.

Is anyone else out there using the mobile blogging features of Blogger?

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

My Favorite Posts for 2008

I have not been as prolific as I set out to be earlier this year. But, I am OK with that. Upon reflection, I am offering these as my favorite posts for this past year. They did not generate a ton of comments necessarily. But, these are ones that spoke to me, even if they did not speak to you as much. They are in no particular order.

Serving God or Knowing God -- A Generational Thing

Less Like Scars

Worshiping or Murmuring

Sinner or Saint

Sincere -- Sincerely Wrong

Family . . .

Pursuing Love . . . Redeeming Love

What were some of the blog postings from the blogs that you visit regularly that really spoke to you this year? Respond with a link to the blog that you found it on and we will all search for it and let it speak to us.

And thanks for reading and sharing.

Three Great Christmas Presents

I received a lot of great presents this Christmas. And I don't need most of them. But I have received three great presents this year that I am especially grateful for.

The first gift that I received this year was the gift of a new son. Well, actually he is my new son-in-law. My daughter was married this year and she has added a great young man to the family. He is a man who has a heart for God and who wants to be the man that God is calling him to be. And when it comes to a son-in-law, what more can a father ask for?

The second gift that I received this year was the news that I am going to be a grandfather. My first grandchild is due to be born in March and I cannot begin to comprehend what that will be like.

The third gift came recently and came by way of my son. One of the pastors at his church came up to me at the Christmas Eve service. He said that if the measure of a man is the way that his son turns out, then I am a very fortunate man. And I think I agree with him because I am very impressed by the young man that my son has become.

So, what did you get for Christmas?