Long overdue...

Life has changed so much in the past 4 weeks. I became a dad on February 19th to our new born son Elijah. In the same month I launched a new organization called Project One Forty Three. The old saying when it rains - it pours, still holds true to this day. This past month has been a month of God stretching and growing me. I have learned to live on little sleep, and I have also learned the incredible importance of a close relationship with Jesus Christ. Though this past month has been filled with incredible joy, I have realized that Satan can use those things to separate you from God.

I was evaluating a ministry this week when God began to reveal something amazing to me. I am in the process of creating health indicators for the student ministry at LifeBridge Church. These indicators are being established so that we can measure the spiritual growth of the students attending. As I contemplated these indicators I began to ask myself...What are the health indicators of my own spiritual walk. God answered almost immediately. I learned that I can measure my spiritual growth by the way I am treating my wife. That might sound funny but its true. I realized that my relationship with my wife is a direct image of my relationship with Jesus Christ. The closer I am with Jesus the better I am to my wife... This is not saying that I am an abusive husband or that I yell at my wife when I am distant from Jesus... What I am saying is that my attitude is different. When I do things for my wife because I love her, and I expect nothing in return. This is a indicator that I am focused on Jesus Christ and I am loving her with the love He has lavished on me. But when I am selfish, rude, unloving, or simply not the husband I should be...I am distant from my Creator. Now I am sure that this is just one indicator that I have become aware of and there are probably many more. But I have to admit, I am excited that I have come to this realization.

It all happened one night while I was feeding my baby boy. Jamie, my wife, was sleeping on the bed in our nursery as I was feeding our son and I had this revelation that I was not loving her the way she needed to be loved. I realized that for the past month, I was showing her love by changing my babies diaper or making a bottle or by allowing her to sleep and I would tend to Eli. While those things are nice, they were not showing her the love that she needed and deserved. She needed to know that I loved her first. That I was there for her. She needed my personal time and attention. Not just a break or help with our baby. At this same moment I was honest with myself as I evaluated my spiritual walk. I realized that the 2 were connected. I had become so busy with all the things I needed to accomplish that I had neglected my personal time with God. Thus changing the way I loved my wife...

Well this is another step to becoming more like Christ. 1 down and a lifetime to go...