Happy Thursday!

A fast announcement: If you’re close to DFC tomorrow, we’re having our annual Good Friday service from 12 noon to 1pm! You can go to the Destiny Family Center website for direction… see you here? I hope so!

Coree’s Midnight Adventure!

Last night, my son Coree had to work from 7-12… and he walked in the door a little late. As he’s walking by our bedroom door, Emily says, “Got off a little late huh?” (slightly sarcastic) He says, “I ran out of gas on the way home… and I walked the rest of the way.” Then he came into the room and told us the entire story… and I’m still laughing about it this morning!

I’ve told him a few times, to never let his car run out of gas… and so far, he never has. Actually, he parked it at a gas station and feels like there’s still enough fumes in the tank to get him to the gas pump.

Here’s what Coree had to tell us about the adventure!

“I didn’t want to call and wake you guys up, so I decided to walk. Well, since I work at Kohl’s and I’m still wearing my all black work cloths, people were driving by me like I was a dangerous creeper! It was pretty scary at times… and I didn’t want to get hit by a car, so I grabbed a reflector from somebody’s yard and made it visible every time I saw headlights! I can’t imagine what people were thinking… a 6’5 guy dressed in all black walking after midnight with a yard reflector! I called my friend Grace and talked to her for most of the journey… that way, people wouldn’t think I was all the way alone!”

I woke up this morning, saw the yard reflector lying on the kitchen table, and I remembered him telling us the story… it really gave me a good laugh!

The Heart is Everything!

I guess what I love the most about his midnight adventure, is that every detail is true! Coree always tells us the truth… one of the things I love so much about him! (It’s a very good thing, he didn’t try to call me… because my cell phone was dead! Wshhhewww!)

Psalm 15:1-3 “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.”

Just like any parent, there are a few things I would love to change about my kids, just like there are quite a few things I’d love to change about myself. Most of it has to do with their outward actions… and of course, there are still a few heart and character issues we’re all working though.

It’s not easy raising good children these days… and sometimes it seems like we’re failing. Then, sometimes when Emily and I look deep into their hearts, we’re shocked at how beautiful they are turning out… and then we realize how we’ve been a little bit too hard on them some days!

For the past 19 years, we’ve taught Coree and Heaven to value the condition of their heart above everything else! They seem to understand, “THE HEART IS EVERYTHING!”

• We’ve taught them to love God sincerely and not merely as an outward ritual to impress mom and dad, church people, or anyone else.
• We’ve taught them to value others… and to have deep compassion for the hurting people in our world, no matter how uncool that may come off to their friends.
• We’ve taught them to walk that fine line between confidence and humility. To be bold about their futures, to dream huge dreams, and aim very high… while always knowing in their heart, that everything they ever become is the result of Gods love for them.
• We’ve taught them to walk the fine line between the freedom (unapologetic creativity) and judgment (perfection of character & personality).
• We’ve modeled transparency for them… and we’ve taught them to be themselves at all times… to always speak the truth, in love!

They haven’t perfected any of this YET, but we’re really starting to see so much of these values showing up in their lives as they are becoming adults! There should be no greater joy for a parent! To me, this is far more valuable than where they are going to college or how proud they will ever make us with their many accomplishments. If they come out of these foundational years with a genuine love for God, and a HEART of truth… they will be able to survive whatever lies ahead, without a need for our daily guidance!

The heart really is everything! I feel like God values TRUTH more than the humans of this era realize it. That God wants us to live before HIM, just as Emily and I have taught our kids to live in front of us. Open and transparent… absolutely honest with God and all people. And this is a very hard thing to do… in a merciless world. Yet, this is the path to KNOWING GOD on the highest level!

Psalm 15:1-3 “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.”

I hope todays blog inspires a new quest for truth in all of your lives. I pray that it softens every hardened place in our hearts. That it really helps us to locate areas of hypocrisy. That it creates a very strong desire for truth in the innermost regions of our heart! God bless you all… love you and praying for you…

Dream Big, Live Bold, and Make the Difference!

Chuck

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