Happy Saturday!

Incoming message 12:59am

This morning at 12:59am, I received a facebook message from an old friend! Just eleven years ago, this person was very instrumental in launching my family into full time ministry! He’s a great artist… one of his very special pencil drawings still hangs framed in my office, as a continual reminder of the day when I first answered Gods calling for my life.

The story is so much more than that, so let me explain…

Who is this mysterious sender?

Back in 1999, when I first felt like God was calling me out of the business arena… at the height of my career, when perfectly on track for 160 homes sold and an income of $400,000 that year… God came into my office one day with the wildest vision, and before we were willing to act on that vision, we needed to KNOW that I wasn’t just having some kind of mental breakdown.

So we prayed, “God, please give us some kind of external confirmation about this.” And the next morning, in comes this friend that I hadn’t seen in years… and he said, “I woke up this morning at 3am… and I grabbed my easel and drew this picture… and Chuck Balsamo was on my mind the entire time.” It was a pencil drawing of Jesus, dragging the cross… with a scripture verse about picking up my own cross to answer the call!

And here we are today 11 years later… what an epic moment that was for us!

The most poetic plea for help I’ve ever read

Now, today, this old friend is crying out for spiritual help. His facebook message to me has to be the most poetic plea for help I’ve ever read. Here it is…

Hey old friend, looks like life is treating u very kind. I’m not able to say the same right now. It seems that I’ve been running from myself for so long that I’ve lost who I am inside. When I separated from my wife some 6+yrs ago I felt somehow betrayed by God, because I was the man in charge of a Godly home, & how could He allow it to be broken. Since then, I’ve long known that He didn’t do it, He let us make our own decisions & we had reaped the sorrow in our lives because of the secret sins that we had sown into it. Our trees bear no fruit. I’ve recently had thoughts of returning back to take my place @ the feet of God but somehow cannot find the inner strength to do so. Is it pride that holds me back, or have I run so far from Him that the conviction just isn’t there anymore? Some of my happiest times were in the presence of God, & NEED to find my way home before its too late. If you have any words of wisdom for an old, broken down friend who’s blind from sin, I’m willing to listen. Thanks for taking the time to read this, may He continue to bless all that u do…

Todays blog tribe opportunity

Can you guys help me, help him? I know what you’re all capable of saying and doing… because I’ve seen you all in action before! This blog tribe is UNBELIEVABLE!

I realize this is a Saturday… and the comments may trickle in. But, please take a minute to say something, if you can.

Luke 15:3-7 So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

Guess what tomorrow is!!!

Yup, you guessed it!! It’s Pastor Appreciation Sunday! I’ve been told to stay away from the office today… hmmmmmm, what can they be up to over there at Destiny Family Center??? I don’t know if I’ve ever been this excited before! Read yesterdays blog for more on that… (I’m Very Hyper! Wanna Know Why?) and I will see you all tomorrow! (I hope)

Dream Big, Live Bold, and Make the Difference!

Chuck

The Donate Link, Facebook, Twitter, Make me a Legend, Destiny Family Center, You Tube

Happy Friday!

So, did anybody take me up on my Skype suggestion? Its FUN, you should try it… really!

I was numb on top of my skull

As some of you know, I’ve been working very FOCUSED–7 days a week, for the past 4 months. And on Wednesday, my mind felt like it was starting to react… I even felt a numbing sensation on top of my skull a few times… like maybe my brains were trying to push their way out of my head! lol (really!)

Nothing a game of golf can’t fix

So yesterday, after my morning routine, I played golf with my little 14 year old cousin Mark Corella. He shot an 81… just a few silly mistakes away from breaking deep into the 70′s… @ 14 years old! It’s so much fun watching a little guy play that well!

Me? I shot a 100. Had a VERY nice birdie on 17! My first game since last year (other than the Bridgewater par three), and my best game in something like 12 years. The day was special, a definite highlight in my year! Mike, Mark, Mikey, Joe, and Aaron… a fun group to live and laugh with! We did do plenty of laughing!

Pastor Appreciation Weekend

Have you HEARD? This weekend is Pastor Appreciation Weekend @ Destiny Family Center! And guess what!! I’m the Pastor! No wonder I’m so HYPER right now! lol

Last year, my wife and I chose to cancel Pastor appreciation because of some unfortunate shenanigans (I still love that word). So, my family is beyond EXCITED right now, as you might be able to tell! (big huge cheese smile)

I do hope you’re coming to DFC Sunday morning for the big event… it’ll make me so HAPPY! (manipulation, lol)

God loves through loving people

Wow, this past 12 months has turned out to be the greatest 12 months of my life! Already, before we even celebrate Pastor Appreciation Day, I feel more LOVED than I’ve ever felt in my entire life! Of course, nobody will ever match the love a Momma has for her son… especially, the LOVE my Mom had for me! This spring marks four years without my mom.

And when I think about how many people genuinely LOVE me and my family these days… it’s like God took my MOMS LOVE and spread it into a few hundred people, and then multiplied it!

There is life on the other side of loss

Sometimes, when we loose moms, and dads, and spouses, and good friends… we feel as if we’re never gonna find that love and support again, not for the rest of our lives.

But there is LIFE and LOVE beyond every loss! No matter how abandoned we ever feel… as long as we are still alive, then GOD still has a plan for our lives! He will MAKE US SMILE AGAIN!

Thank you and a prayer

On behalf of my family: Emily, Coree, Heaven, and me… and our 40 koi fish, 5 chickens, and 3 dogs… I want to THANK GOD today, for all the LOVE we FEEL RIGHT NOW! Life could not be better for us, even if it were tried in a million other possible scenarios!

Dear God, I pray you bless our friends this weekend and this year! Bless every person who blesses us, even those who bless us in the slightest ways… just like you promised to BLESS those who bless Israel! Please let our friends KNOW how much they are blessed because of the way they have LOVED my family! Answer their prayers, bless their young, lay your hands on them… for good and not evil, all the days of their beautiful lives!

Matthew 10:40-42 (Jesus speaking) “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs. And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

Thats it for today. It’s the reason I’m SO HYPER RIGHT NOW! I just prayed you all a most triumphant Friday! Love you guys very much! Please leave your comments… and reach out and love someone today. Look for the person in your circle who seems to need it most! Ask God to make YOU the source of LIFE AND LOVE on the other side of some broken persons time of loss! Ahh, it feels SO GOOD to do this!

Ohh, here’s the perfect video for this moment!

Dream Big, Live Bold, and Make the Difference!

Chuck

The Donate Link, Facebook, Twitter, Make me a Legend, Destiny Family Center, You Tube

Happy Thursday!

Yesterday, I used Skype for the very first time! It only took 5 minutes to set it up… and I chatted with my friend Ren Jones from Cincinnati on Skype video (for free)… so much FUN! You guys should try this!

Are you becoming a stunted shrub or a stately tree?

• Stunted: inferior in size or quality, prevented from growing or developing, scrawny.
• Stately: impressive in appearance, refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court.

Those two words came into my mind as I read from Jeremiah 17: 5-8 this morning…

The stunted shrub

⁵ This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
who rely on human strength
and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
⁶ They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
in an uninhabited salty land.

The stately tree

⁷ “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
⁸ They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.

As we grow and mature in this life, we will either TRUST God more and more or less and less… and Jeremiah described the outcome of these two courses.

1. Those who put their trust in mere humans… who reply on human strength… who turn their hearts AWAY from the Lord.
   1. They will turn out like STUNTED SHRUBS in the desert…
   2. With no hope for the future…
   3. They will live in the barren wilderness…
   4. In an uninhabited, salty land.
2. The people who put their trust in the Lord… and make the Lord their hope and confidence.
   1. They will be like (STATELY) TREES planted along the river banks!
   2. With roots that reach deep into the water!
   3. Trees that are not bothered by the heat!
   4. Trees that are not worried by long months of drought!
   5. Their leaves will always stay green!
   6. They will never stop producing fruit!

This message is NOT about one day or one week… or even one month or year. It’s a message about our WHOLE LIVES!

The stunted shrub

Sure, some godless people prosper during certain periods of their lives, in a few isolated fragments of their 9 life equities. But their prosperity is SHORT LIVED.

Even if this person lives his whole earthly existence in a mirage of physical blessing… when this temporary life is over and his whole existence is viewed from eternity… he will appear like a STUNTED SHRUB in the desert!

The stately tree

The person who trusts in the Lord… not just once in a while. The person who really makes the Lord his permanent eternal resting place. The person who lives for God in the good times and in the bad times… in times of abundance and during times of drought. This person, will prosper where it really matters!

And when this temporary life is over and his whole existence is viewed from eternity… he will be seen as a STATELY TREE planted by the river banks, bearing fruit forever and ever!

When our lives are viewed from eternity… what a thought!

I pray todays blog gives you new hope for the difficult seasons of your life. Im not in Gods family for one day or one week… not in this only for some temporary blessing. My roots GO DEEPER THAN ANYONE knows! And when my life is viewed from eternity, I will be seen as one of those STATELY TREES planted along the banks of Gods eternal river! How about you, dear reader? Sounds like a while lot of fun to me!

Please leave your amazing comments and have a most triumphant day!

Dream Big, Live Bold, and Make the Difference!

Chuck

The Donate Link, Facebook, Twitter, Make me a Legend, Destiny Family Center, You Tube

Happy Wednesday!

One year ago today, I wrote the following message…

Psalms 126:4 “Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert.”

As I read that verse, I thought about all you guys out there hoping for RESTORATION these days. Undoubtedly, the financial situation of these past two years has taken its toll on most Americans. And as funds tighten, attitudes flair… causing far too many problems in the home.

Relationships are under fire… husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and employees… even close friends.

People have lost their jobs, their houses, their families, and in many cases… their sanity, their hope, their faith, and their love.

While I believe that some of this pain is good… and after the tribulation is over, most of us will be far better for it… there is a point at which most of the lessons have been learned and we must start standing for restoration.

Psalms 126:4 ”Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert.”

This is an amazing prayer, don’t you think? Most people go through a long time of complaining about their misfortunes before actually going to GOD with FAITH that HE can RESTORE their fortunes!

Why do we wait so long before asking for Gods help? Because we don’t really believe that he LOVES us all that much and therefore we are not sure if HE WANTS TO HELP US. Other people have a way of making us feel like we can never be good enough to merit Gods help… and that is just NOT TRUE my friends.

The beginning of faith is found in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Everyone pretty much believes that God IS… and that God IS ABLE to do some pretty amazing things if he feels like it. But do we BELIEVE that GOD wants to do those amazing things for us? This is the million dollar question!

In order to get our fortunes restored… we have to start BELIEVING that God is a REWARDING GOD… that God is a GOOD AND LOVING FATHER… that God is GOOD AND LOVING TO US… and that God is able and WILLING TO RESTORE OUR FORTUNES!

Psalms 126:4 “Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert.”

The writer of this psalm believed and prayed for restoration… “As streams RENEW the DESERT!” Do you have the faith to ASK FOR THIS KIND OF BLESSING! What are you waiting for??? Refuse to keep on moping around with the rest of the mopers in this desert! PRAY FOR RESTORATION! Pray for STREAMS IN THIS DESERT… PRAY FOR GOD TO RESTORE ALL YOUR FORTUNES… and watch how fast EVERYTHING STARTS TO CHANGE FOR YOU!

This morning when I started to blog, I felt like I was supposed to go back one year ago today and read that message. When I did, it bounced from the page so much… I felt like somebody might benefit from those words TODAY! I love you guys and I’m praying for your restoration… hoping that today’s blog STARTS SOMETHING NEW in you… a new attitude of FAITH that turns your dry ground into a lush green pasture! Have a most triumphant day…

Dream Big, Live Bold, and Make the Difference!

Chuck

The Donate Link, Facebook, Twitter, Make me a Legend, Destiny Family Center, You Tube