I sure have missed writing every day. While I looked at several other options, He seems to be intent on making this my full-time gig. So I’m pretty stoked about that. Part of my return to writing full time will involve writing here. That’s right; you can expect regular content on my blog again. I am going to be laser focused on two writing projects here:

• One of my previous books is pretty short. I have been working on content that will expand that theme, and I will be rebranding the book. Much of the new material will be posted here as I fill in the gaps for the new release.
• I will also be working on finishing up a new release that is currently 85% written. This one is a blend of my faith story and finding your calling.

Hoping to have both of these finished up before the end of 2016. In the meantime, I am also working on several other projects; freelance writing for sailing magazines (3 articles submitted and ALL accepted so far!), web content, writing copy and paid blogs for other sites. It’s a lot of variety that I thrive on. Plus, BONUS: it’s all transportable!! What’s that mean? Well, I can write from wherever… so I’m thinkin’ Caribbean!! Heck yeah.

I feel a fresh perspective from the time off and glad to be back!

Image courtesy of Ian Kennedy on Flickr

The post Turning Thoughts Into Action first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post Turning Thoughts Into Action appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

Stromatolites at Shark Bay Australia

Next time you take a breath of fresh air thank a Stromatolite. And God. Why? The cauliflower-looking “rocks” are responsible for the development of our atmosphere and bio-diversity. So are they rocks, or not? Well, yes. And no. Let me explain… these layered rocks are formed by cyanobacteria, also called the blue-green algae. The microscopic cyanobacteria form colonies under favorable conditions. They trap sediment with their sticky surface coatings and the sediment reacts with calcium carbonate in the ocean water to form limestone. So, to answer the question rock or not, the Stromatolites are rocks that form as a by-product of the organism’s activity.

These slimy creatures produced oxygen. That’s the stuff that created our atmosphere. Now listen here I don’t care if you believe creation or evolution there is a certain amount of science in God. It’s just a fact. God showed up and what He created in our Planet Earth is amazing. One of a kind.

Way back in the olden days (Precambrian), bacteria such as the Cyanobacteria that form Stromatolites were the only game in town. These critters are photosynthetic – they take energy from light and convert it into chemical energy (sugars)  synthesized with carbon dioxide and water. Interestingly, oxygen is released as a “waste product!” So the Cyanobacteria are the agent responsible for converting our atmosphere from a reducing one to an oxidizing breath of fresh air. And the stuff we dig on breathing is a waste product. Get out… but it’s a true story.

“Stromatolites are bizarre fossils whose biological origins were debated until only a few decades ago. Today, scientists generally agree that Stromatolites are layered colonial structures predominately formed by cyanobacteria. Stromatolites are the oldest fossils on earth, dating back to more than three billion years ago. They were the dominant life form on earth for over 2 billion years and are thought to be primarily responsible for the oxygenation of the atmosphere,” says the National Park Service. On their page discussing the occurrence of Stromatolites in the Navajo Sandstone, the NPS

The creation of our atmosphere is something that just fascinates me. So the next time you get an itch to take a breath of fresh air remember the Stromatolites, the Cyanobacteria, and especially God. Thank God for the Stromatolites.

And breathe on…

The post Inhale… Exhale… And Thank God For The Stromatolites! first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post Inhale… Exhale… And Thank God For The Stromatolites! appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The burning bush was an act of God.

As was the flood.

The parting of the Red Sea? Yep. Would have loved to see that one!

“It’s funny Lieutenant Dan said that because right then, God showed up!” F.G.

Did Forrest experience an act of God? Yep yep, ON THE BOAT!!!

Winner winner chicken dinner! or should I order shrimp po-boy on the menu? This act of God turned out to be a blessing to Forrest and his Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. By the grace of God, Forrest was blessed with the only shrimp boat that survived the hurricane.

Then I got to thinking; maybe referring to the commonplace, physical events here on earth are simply acts of God! Think about it this way: God made our planet and all of the processes that we see actively in the world today. Plate tectonics, vulcanism, erosion, landslides and earthquakes, just to name a few. And, as those events occur, how more appropriate than to describe them as acts of God.

Every time it rains it’s an act of God? Pretty much. Maybe He’s not intentionally orchestrating every cloud but He made the atmospheric system work, along with the other processes that form the lay of the land and the currents through the depths of the oceans. This is all so fascinating to me, as a scientist, to think of how perfectly He created our planet.

Calling these events “Acts Of God” is catchy. It simplifies, making the big picture of catastrophic events black and white.  And while we’re at it let’s have an orogeny or two. Orogeny? Yes, you know, the forces and events that lead to large, structural deformation of the Earth’s lithosphere as tectonic plates collide and move about. Greatest in Mastodon scale are the orogenies.

Lest we forget the thunderstorms, floods and tornadoes. Ah yes, these common culprits that put insurance companies at risk. They know that rising water only began with Noah.

Speaking of tornadoes I’ve never shared my cyclone experience here at I’m Just Thinkin’. I took a sabbatical while attending the University of Florida. Yep, headed off for 18 months to live on the Apalachicola Bay. A friend had purchased a house on the bay, and we gutted the place, fixing her up to a new glory. It was there that I acquired a few handyman skills, serving as chief apprentice for the roofer, plumber, electrician and drywall experts. One day while hanging out we noticed a waterspout off in the distance through the bay window overlooking the water. This started to get a bit creepy when the funnel cloud didn’t go left or right and kept getting bigger. It didn’t take us too long to realize being in front of the bay window was not going to be a good idea, so my friend and I each grabbed a dog and huddled down in the hallway.

Indeed the tornado roared through the property, tearing the room off the adjacent guest house. Meanwhile, in the main house, all the windows were shattered. It was just like I’ve heard others speak of these deadly storms, the sound and energy of the freight train coming through the house. The atmospheric pressure changed and it got really cold. We looked at each other and confirmed all was ok. It seemed to last forever, but I’m sure our experience was less than 30 seconds. That same twister went further inland and killed 3 people in a mobile home park. It made national news with coverage on CNN. Pretty crazy. It was then and there that I realized tremendous appreciation for the weather, and for these acts of God.

Is a tornado more dramatic than an orogeny?

Packaging my tornado story with various other ramblings…

What to do when God shows up?

The post Oh For The Acts Of God And An Orogeny Or Two first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post Oh For The Acts Of God And An Orogeny Or Two appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The journey to the northern border of Panama was a long one… 3 planes through 4 airports (yes you read that right!) and 3 shuttle buses. Getting there wasn’t so bad, only one minor glitch a flat tire on one of the buses that was quickly swapped out. Our journey home included a 6-hour delay in the Miami airport that turned an already long day into the longest – 24 hours from start to finish!

The first day in Panama set the tone for the rest of the trip. Our hosts, the folks at Faithful Servant Missions, organized a pastor’s conference. Everyone was invited and quite a few showed up! We welcomed them with communion and a foot wash. Then we asked about their needs. So many shared, and we took notes – following up as much as possible throughout the week.

While this was my first mission trip, many of our teammates who had been on trips previously all said this was no average trip. Our routine day was a long one…

“One thing we did every morning while on missions, was to spend 30 minutes reading the Word, a chapter a day, starting in 1 Peter. We would then spend 30 minutes in small group discussing it.” Doug Powell

FSM was awesome!! Great venue for a mission trip/adventure. They’re connected in the local community and with many local churches. Bonus: their facility is on the slope of a volcano! Excellent place to pick up a few rocks and ponder God’s creation :-). And that I did…

We often felt jealous of the locals and how they were connected with the Lord. We could see it in their bright faces as they worshiped in church. How they were excited to see us and hear our stories. How they prayed, wept and talked to God. We saw the Lord working in every nook and cranny. Our ventures into the community were heartwarming. Add into the mix a few projects at FSM and we were spent. Wiped out, giving it all to God and His mission to the point of exhaustion for 8 straight days. It was so overwhelming I went to bed every night with the thought “I don’t know how to process all of this…”

William’s baptism. Photo courtesy of Clint Capps.

Thirty-five people stepped out in faith on our trip. Several were baptized, along with local legend “William,” a Ngobe Bugle Indian. There is no way we could have imagined it would have been what it was. Thirty-five people brought together from all walks of life… every conceivable past situation… for some reason people felt safe in this rural setting of a foreign country. People shared their darkest secrets and as they did we all prayed for them… wept with them… and we compassionate for each other. Transparency was the norm on our trip. People felt safe. We were safe to share about ourselves and our past. It was raw. No matter how dark, we did not feel judged or condemned. That was awesome.

“I see your heart, and I see your soul, and I know who you really are.” Daryl Jones speaking of Ed Perez.

These are people to whom I feel well connected.

I arrive home with a renewed connection with the Holy Spirit. It’s been a few years since I felt so close… I must admit I miss that. But, who’s to blame? Only me and my acceptance of the distractions that take me away on a daily basis. So many of these distractions are choices that I make. I stay encouraged by the people who went on the trip and those we met and how they are molding to be more like Jesus… one day at a time…

This was real. Our people are real. I loved seeing that and God’s love in action.

The post More Than We Could Have Imagined… first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post More Than We Could Have Imagined… appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

Man, my blog got really comfortable. Over a period of 5 years writing at I’m Just Thinkin’ I got way TOO comfortable with the place. So it was time to press on and keep moving forward. I’m still brushing off some dust here and at my other websites so please bear with me…

Jesus calls us in the book of Acts to be His witnesses and carry the good news message of the gospel to the ends of the earth. Doing so will most likely cause us to leave a comfortable place. In obedience. And as an act of faith. What will we learn along the way?

Image courtesy of Jason Priem on flickr

The post Why Do We Have To Leave A Comfortable Place? first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post Why Do We Have To Leave A Comfortable Place? appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

It’s the 4th quarter…

It’s time to finish strong…

I have an awesome friend Carol Peterson who is a planner. I generally like to have a plan too but not quite like Carol. She makes a plan, fine tunes it, reviews it, tweaks it, lives it, modifies as needed. Oh yes, then there is the quarterly review… just when I’m nodding off Carol reminds me to review my plan. I’m sure as I consider the next few words of this post she’s already working on “the plan post” for the first of the year. I like that about Carol… one of the many things that helps to keep me on my toes.

Well I think this has been a pretty good year. I published my 4th book, The Wellspring Of Life. This was my baby from the very beginning. Not too long thereafter… everything changed. God spoke to me through a friend and… chicka boom chicka boom… new opportunities blossomed.

I picked up a part-time job at my church. Geology? No, still doing that but this is in Information Technology… yep yep yep I learned a bit of how to do I.T. along the way. And the writing? Lordy yes, I’ve been at that too… writing content at church and ghost writing on environmental issues to boot. Plus finishing up my 5th book about finding your calling…

Needless to say I’m pretty stoked to settle back into a groove. But before I do I’m going to rework my websites… just like I’ve reworked my schedule! Yep, all 3 of my URL’s. My goal is to have that done by the first of the year. I’m counting on Carol and my other writer friends to encourage me and hold me accountable. Praise God! And I’ll need prayers from all of you as I have no idea what this is going to look like at the moment… just that it is time to finish strong…

How will you be “finishing strong” this year?

Image courtesy of indegogo.com

The post A Time To Finish Strong… first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post A Time To Finish Strong… appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

Have you ever uttered these words? Or perhaps you have been nagged for eons by the wisdom you would like to share but just don’t feel it is the right time or place. So today I thought I would lay out the why and when you should say what you need to say. Or not.

First of all, we have to carefully determine if we are in a place where sharing our thoughts or opinions is going to be helpful. Let’s just suppose you and I had a little falling out (ok, it happens). No matter how tactfully I may hand the situation, it is unlikely that I’m now in a place of admonishment.

Admonishment…

Yep, the land of sharing our opinion of a wise or proper course of action. It’s not about you, it’s about the person who desperately needs our help.

Next up: speaking the truth in love. Do you genuinely care for and want to help this person in need? Right there is the why.

“Ground wisdom in His words… not yours.” Michelle Myers lit it up with “when life is so much more complicated than uttering the dude word”

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:14-16

Always seek to build  the other person up – knowing in the short-term it may be difficult for them.

I often find I’m more likely to share my thoughts and opinions with my daughters than with a co-worker. That’s fine, I may even pull of admonishment with a relative using a quip. If the co-worker is smoking cigarettes I am probably going to be more likely to offer them encouragement to quit if we share a close friendship.

Of course, we can choose the venue…

And the when?

Remember from Ecclesiastes, there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… a time to be silent and a time to speak…

and sometimes not… consider the nosy neighbor…

So I had a fellow blogger ask for some input recently. This friend is rather accomplished… bestselling author… tons of fans, followers and likes. I think he knows me well enough to discern that I’m not a pundit but simply an honest fan, so I shared with him that it often seems he is more interested in advancing his own kingdom than that of the Lord.

That’s the why and when you should say what you need to say…

One more thought:

Let’s say you find yourself on the other end of the stick, someone is sharing their wisdom with you this time around. Here’s some great advice:

Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

Test everything to see if it jives with God’s word. Disregard the shower of Babel…
His word is perfect and complete. Need we say more?

What suggestions can you provide for “helping a brother out” through admonishment?

The post Why And When You Should Say What You Need To Say first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post Why And When You Should Say What You Need To Say appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

If you’ve got the gigawatts, one day there just may be another way back to the future. Today, there’s just one honorable way.

The summer doldrums… do you know the feeling? I love the longer days of summer but the heat is a bit much here in Jacksonville, Fla. By the time Labor Day rolls around every year I am yearning for the season of change. Fall. As my mind wandered to change I got to thinking more about it and came up with two ways to change history…

The secret to change is not resisting what we’re called to leave behind, it is the burning desire to build upon what is new. (Click To Tweet)

Until there is a time machine gizmo to take us back to the future, like Dr. Emmett Brown’s, we’ll have to settle to some other ideas for changing history. Fortunately, I bring good news today. If we think of every moment as moving on the continuum from past, through present, and into the future, there are two ways to change history:

– I’m first going to share with you an unbecoming way to change history: to muddle the truth. My example: the attempt to convince that Martin Luther King Jr. was not an awesome guy. Wait what what? Yep, the notion that if we throw him under the bus his influence with be diminished. I believe MLK Jr. came in the name of love, as the U2 song goes. If you try to change the truth you’ve come to raise the dead. There is only One who can and will raise the dead. His name is Jesus. Raising the dead by anyone other than Jesus is spiritual attack. We can effectively defend that by using God’s word (the sword of the Spirit), putting on the shoes to keep moving in the forward direction of the future (shoes point that way for a reason).

– The second way to rewrite history is to Change it before it occurs. Remember “#52: Thankful It’s A Keeper” – maybe not lol… I wrote an inspiring piece about the last week of the year. It was several years ago. I ventured into a challenging week with an optimistic spirit. In doing so, I was able to be a change agent in what otherwise might have been an embarrassing and ill-fated journey down a dark road for a few folks. We collectively changed history in that moment.

Be it the summer doldrums or some other season that needs a spark in the right direction, we can change history as it happens. Changing the past by manipulating the truth is looking for trouble – I wouldn’t suggest venturing down that one. Let the truth speak for itself.

If you’ve got the gigawatts, one day there just may be another way back to the future. Today, there’s just one honorable way.

In what ways are you being a change agent to the glory of God?

The post Two Ways To Change History first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post Two Ways To Change History appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

For me personally, writing 4 books was something I never would have dreamed to be a goal in life… then suddenly God placed it in my heart. I took the initiative, overcame adversity and stayed true to the path. Writing for me has been an extremely rewarding experience, combining strengths in teaching and encouragement with the pursuit of wisdom, it just seemed to be a natural dream to follow…

“Turning your passion into your job is easier than finding a job that matches your passion.” Seth Godin

I admire younger generations that place greater importance on following their dreams as a key factor to leading a fulfilling life. That rocks!

So we all have more than just one dream, right? How do we know which ones to chase? Maybe you’ve chased a dream and it went nowhere. Maybe that just wasn’t the right dream. How do we know?

Chasing the dream is fun when we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

Sure, there will be challenges or obstacles to achieving anything worthy of our passion, or a dream. However, chasing a dream should be fun – a realization that provides gratification right along with the sweat-equity we are devoting to this endeavor at hand. I think part of the gratification that comes with fulfillment of the dream comes by virtue of the effort required to reach the desired result. But it should be fun. When we get busy we lose the margin in our schedule that allows us to catch our breath and to do fun stuff on a  whim. I miss that when I’m crazy busy. Just don’t take yourself too seriously. If it’s a chore read the writing on the walls, you’re most likely chasing the wrong dream, or taking yourself too seriously. (Click To Tweet)

What dream are you chasing or feeling God has laid on your heart? Is it an endeavor that you truly enjoy?

Image courtesy of RF Designs on flickr.com

The post What Makes Chasing A Dream So Much Fun? first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post What Makes Chasing A Dream So Much Fun? appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

Are you living out the dream?

Recently I got super busy. This is a good thing, but it leaves me feeling down in a way as I don’t feel as close to the Lord. Whenever I get really busy I have to be more intentional about deciding how I’m going to spend my time. Sometimes, that makes me feel bad… like I’m neglecting some things or some people.

At the same time, the exercise of going through my activities is a grounding experience – I learn from it. Like some of the stuff that doesn’t make “The A List” didn’t really belong in my world anyway. While it may have served a purpose for a season, it’s simply not a part of my calling or long-term agenda. I can see those to-do’s more clearly now, particularly when I’m hopping on it.

My writing has taken more of a back seat right now. I’m good with that, having chalked up 4 books in the past 4 years. Intentionally taking a break from writing daily last summer was a good decision, while this time I expect my long-term plan for writing more books will prosper through the experiences that I’m sure I’ll go through on the immediate horizon. I’m ok with all of that. Just a part of living the dream…

Are you living out your dream too? There are some fairly common stumbling blocks to living out the dream… I’m bringing all this up as I want to encourage you to live your passions, and to go forth and prosper. No regrets, remember?

If you have a dream that is super important don’t make excuses about WHY you can’t achieve it – instead, figure out how to get from point A to point B and make it happen. Sure, there may be setbacks along the way, but these obstacles will make achieving your dream all the more savory. There are times we need to stop making excuses and stay focused on the most relevant.

Many of the barriers to achieving your dream are imaginary. They’re excuses that we use to justify not crossing the boundary to the uncomfortable arena of vulnerability, or the land of fear or the possibility of failure. At the same time we miss the impelling opportunity to live out the dream…

Our passion comes alive because our soul is into it. God ignited a flame inside us that shines brightest when we are obedient. (Click To Tweet)

So what’s holding you back?

A vast majority of this illogical reasoning has to do with what other people might think. Should we really care? As one who has battled adversity on many occasions let me assure you the pundits are there for only one reason: jealousy. Pay no attention…

What is your penchant? Maybe you should be chasing that, without delay. Do you charge into Happy Monday? Maybe it’s time to make that change…

Image courtesy of katmary on flickr.com

The post The Top Reason To Stop Making Excuses And Focus On The Most Relevant first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post The Top Reason To Stop Making Excuses And Focus On The Most Relevant appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.