bradglenn79

When I was younger (elementary school aged) I wasn’t very athletic. I wasn’t picked for sports teams first or in some cases at all. I was picked for tug’o’war but that was because you didn’t have to be athletic. I remember how that made me feel. I remember being upset because it often left me feeling not good enough, or left out.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has felt that way. Has there been a time where you felt like you were left out, like you weren’t good enough? What did you do about it? How did you handle it? Did you smile through the pain and act like it didn’t bother you? Or did you get angry, and the. Try to get even.

For me it was easier to smile through the pain, to laugh instead of crying. I have always used humor to mask sadness, to cover all of my insecurities, and to get people to like me. What if you’re not strong enough to just mask the sadness, what if it finds its way through, what if you run out of coping mechanisms?

When all else seems to be crumbling around us we need to look to the one who made us. We need to focus on Jesus and his promises to us. He never said our life would be without pain or trouble, but he did say that he would be there for us regardless. His love is unconditional his grace is unending and his mercy is unimaginable.

When you look out into the world today, at the people hurting at the people longing for a connection, remember how you felt when you were left out. Remember the feeling of not good enough, and grab that person. Be their connection pick them for your team and introduce them to Jesus by showing them unconditional love.

If you’re feeling alone just know I love you.

Lord in this world there is sickness, famine, there is war and death, there are atrocities that happen everyday and you just stand by. There is so much evil in the world. There are so many people that are forced to do without and go without while you stand by and allow it. How could you?

I’ve asked these questions. I have thought these things. I have been angry about them and let them cause me so much upset and grief. How could he watch this and do nothing? He couldn’t, he didn’t. He created us, he created the church.

God created us to love people, to do for people, to help people. Because what we do for the least of these we do for him. God has given us clear instructions about what the church is to do, and I don’t mean the “church” that’s just a building I mean us. We are the hands and feet of God on this earth. We must see his will done here on earth as it is in heaven.

We as a group need to step out of our comfort zone and into the lives of the people we are called to love. When we see a need we need to fill it, when we see sorrow we need to comfort them, when we see despair we need to stand in the gap and pray for them. Our lives are not meant to be lived alone but the people we see who’s life is in turmoil isn’t meant to be alone either. We are here for them.

Today help someone, put feet on the word of God, love someone. I love you.

I hear this quite often, I’ve even said it myself, but why? It has never been true. Never once have I or anyone I know been depressed. We have all gone through a depression but we have never BEEN depressed.

One of the biggest distinctions we need to make in this life is not to so closely associate ourselves with our situation. What you’re going through is not who you are. If we associate ourselves with what we are going through how will we ever get through it? How will what is troubling us ever leave without taking the very thing we have tried most to protect……US?

Depression, sadness, loneliness, desperation, poverty, sickness, these are merely clouds in the sky of your life. The clouds will come and they will go. Sometimes they will fill the sky to the point that you feel like you will never see the sun again, but trust me when I tell you, you will. As these troubles fill our lives and we can’t seem to see through the clouds just keep on looking, keep on pushing, keep on working, and keep on praying. You will soon be able to see the sun again.

This life isn’t going to be easy, it isn’t going to be painless, it isn’t going to be perfect, but it can’t always be cloudy, it can’t always rain, it can’t always be hard, and if you look you will always be able to see the Son.

I love you.

I’m in a men’s group with my church Monday nights. It’s some of the greatest most inspiring guys I’ve known. Everyone of them is a Christian and not one of them is perfect. Everyone of them is going through the trials of life but each of them would lay theirs down to help you bear yours if it got to be too much. We talk about the Bible, we talk about tv, and we talk about life. My week doesn’t feel ok if I’m not sitting there on Monday night.

This week one of our questions was “Which steps could we take to race to do the will of our God in heaven?” We talked about it and we came up with some things all of which centered around God’s love for us and his refusal to give up on us. We are called to do that for everyone on earth, everyone we meet no matter their race, creed, color, religion, sexual orientation, or any other difference between the two of you.

When we talk about the study plan we often have different ideas. We often have different answers or different feelings on the subject, but we never talk down to or make the other feel like they are less. I asked myself why, because we are a very diverse group of guys different colors, different economic status, different growing up and even different generations. The one thing that pulls us all together is love.

As we sit in a nation divided by color, politics, beliefs can’t we all agree that love should be our first response? Can’t you love someone on the other side of the political aisle from you? Can’t you love someone who doesn’t look, act, or love the same way you do? After all God Loves us. We are made in his image but we do not measure up. We are his perfect creation but are by far not perfect. “For God so loved the world…..” not just me, not just you, but the entire world.

So I ask, which steps are you going to take? Where do you go from here? I know I’m going to love people.

How do you let go? How do you know it’s been long enough? How do you know when the grieving should stop? How do you know when the tears will dry up?

How do you know if they knew how you felt?

I’ve dealt with loss and I’ve written about it before. Loss in an inevitable part of life. If you ever love you will lose, you will hurt, you will wonder, and you will get through it. Missing someone is like water in the ocean. It is all encompassing it is as far as you can see as deep as your soul can feel and strong enough to reshape the land. Missing someone also comes in waves. Sometimes little waves barely noticeable, sometimes bigger waves that can disrupt your day, and for me sometimes I feel like I am drowning.

We are told our instruction book for life was written long ago and we have all the answers we need. It is said to be a 66 book love letter to us from the one who loves us most. Well In Matthew 5:4 it says “Blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted”. During loss while I’m mourning I feel pain, sadness, hopelessness, nausea, and despair, but comforted nah not that one. God never promises us we won’t hurt, never promises we won’t miss them, never guarantees us a life without pain or loss but he instead says we will be comforted.

The time will come that when you think of them you won’t think of the last time you saw them. When they were sick just a shell of the person you knew. You will think of the smiles they caused. You will think of their laugh and how it would light up the room and change your day. You will think of the times they were there for you and helped you. You will only think of how much you loved them and how much they loved you. The changing of the memory I believe is God’s comfort. Your mourning may take longer than others you may cry more you may hurt more, but your memory of the sadness and sickness will fade and your comfort in God will be oh so much greater than you could ever imagine.

I love and miss you.

As I’m sitting in church today I had something weighing on my heart. Wasn’t sure what it was at the time just a gnawing feeling. Something that I couldn’t put my finger on so I couldn’t get past it. Then as the Preacher started talking I realized the message was for me.

Today was all about living in a culture of compromise. We live in an ever changing culture where things are allowed even if they aren’t right. We are taught that good enough is good enough no matter if it’s right or wrong. Compromise is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a tool to build relationships, it is a way to find common ground, it has in many case prevented wars, saved lives, and changed the world.

We as a society are too willing to compromise our values for “the greater good”. We are quick to change our opinion or stance as to not offend someone. What I am waiting for is the time when all of this changing people are doing starts to offend themselves enough to stand up for their values. I’m not saying you never compromise I’m not saying you have to treat others a certain way because of their values. What I long for is a group of people who have the conviction to stand up for the things they believe in and the self worth to know their opinions and values are as important as others.

I am called to love people not to judge people. The amazing part about love is I can love you without agreeing with you. I don’t have to cater to your feelings and your desires to love you. I don’t have to put my values on hold or tip toe so I don’t offend you to love you. So if I have made you angry, offended you, or in some other way stepped on your toes let me finish with this. I can’t imagine this is the first time this probably won’t be the last time and most importantly I love you.

I was told as a kid “the only thing certain in this life is death and taxes”. The older I get the more I see that is almost true. They forgot that the only constant in life is Change. For some change is a good thing. It is wanted, welcomed, and prayed for. For others change is dreaded, feared, and worried over. For all though it is constant.

God has a way of placing change in our lives when we least expect it least desire it and most need it. We are often left twisting in the wind over something we can’t control not knowing what the end result will be. I have like many a love hate relationship with change. When I feel it is for my benefit I am all in no questions asked. I greet change with a smile and a fresh zeal. When the change isn’t going to benefit me as much, or the change is difficult I fight it with every part of me.

Something I have recently learned but am still working on is being willing to change things that are hurtful to save yourself. You have to not be scared to make drastic changes that need to be made to save your feelings. You are the most important person in your life. Don’t continue to hurt for the sake of others. Find what makes you happy, what puts a smile on your face, joy in your heart and peace in your soul. You are not guaranteed tomorrow and it would be a terrible situation to spend the rest of your life miserable.

Don’t live your life in pain or distress over something that you have ultimate control over. Love yourself, love those around you, and do what makes you happy. This is your only life we only get one chance here on this earth. Make memories over money, love over regret, and happiness over distress. Those that love you want to see you happy. Last but not least Do Not fear the inevitable love and embrace it.

I wonder about a lot in this life. I question everything probably a lot more than I should. I read way more into things than I should, and I get my feelings hurt because I do it. I worry, I doubt, I fear.

During this season of loss I have started to wonder if I’m the only one. I wonder what others wonder about. Possibly the thing I wonder about most is whether people doubt their worth as much as I do.

I try daily and fail as often as I try to let everyone know how important they are. To make sure they know what they mean to me. I have had so many people make such an impact on my life and one of my greatest fears is not being able to return the favor for another person. I have had people that taught me that weren’t responsible for teaching me, I have had people help me when they could’ve just passed me by, and I’ve had people love me when I wasn’t very lovable. These people are the real heroes. These are the people I strive to be like, I struggle to please, and I long to make them proud.

I have lost some of the greatest teachers, friends, and people I have ever known over the last few years. Did any of them have a doubt about how much they meant to me? Did they know how much more difficult this life was going to be without them? Did they know the impact they had on shaping my life, and the fact that the things they taught me I still use or share today and will for as long as I’m on this earth.

Will I have this impact? Will I be that person for someone? Will I make a difference in someone’s life? The answer to this question for me and to you is yes. You have made an impact, you will continue to do so as well. You alone have improved someone’s life. You have given someone reason to smile reason to laugh maybe even a reason to continue moving forward in life when they wanted to stop. You have loved the unlovable, taught the unteachable, and reached the unreachable. You have done this not for glory or gratitude. You have done it because you’re a good person with a kind and loving heart. You have done this sometimes without knowing.

I know all of this to be true 100% because you have done it for me.

Loss is a feeling we all experience in some way. Sometimes it’s the loss of a game, a toy, a relationship, and for all of us eventually it’s the loss of a loved one. Loss hurts no matter what you lose. Sometimes the hurt is instant sometimes it takes time to miss it and often it hurts forever. There are things I’ve lost in this life that I’ll never get back and I hurt everyday about it.

I have experienced a lot of loss over the last few years. Some of the most influential people in my life have gone. I know that God takes everyone when there time comes, it doesn’t stop me from feeling like they have gone too soon.

Coming to grips with loss is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. How do you let go of someone who shaped your life. How do you move on without being able to call and ask questions. How do you spend the rest of your life not being able to go see them hug them and tell them how much you love them. I guess the answer is you don’t. You carry that person with you for as long as you live. You take the lessons they taught you with you. You share the things you learned the stories you shared the love they gave you with others. You allow their legacy to live on through you. You continue to live your life the way they taught you so people can experience how amazing your loved ones were. For some it may be a sad thought but I often hope and pray that I have taught someone something worth sharing. I pray my life is influencing in the right way. I hope that people laugh the way I laugh, I pray they care the way I’ve cared, and I hope they love each other the way I have tried to love people.

I’m going to start this Blog with one resounding truth that everyone can agree on. You ready? Here goes. Life is HARD. Ok now that you are all astounded at my ability to see the obvious lets move on.

Have you ever been in a situation where you are given two choices? One choice is easy and more fun, and the second option is hard or scary or both. How many times do we take the easy path? How often do we stay away from anything that may be hard or scary? For me it’s most of the time. I’ve always heard that anything easy won’t be worth having and anything worth having won’t be easy. So how many of us are ok having a life full of things that aren’t worth having?

I have struggled with this for a long time. I have been WEAK and taken the easy route more times than not. I have let things slip through my grasp because it was too hard to hold on. I have let opportunities escape because I knew it was going to be a difficult proposition to work through them. I have often wondered why God would allow life to be so hard, why there would be difficult decisions, and why would he let someone with a desire to be more than mediocre be so weak.

That got me to thinking about what weakness brings about. Weakness brings heart break, dissatisfaction, disappointment, disgust, and pain. These are all feelings that none of us enjoy. No one wants to feel the pain that comes from being weak. So when we get out of our poor pitiful me period we look to change things, to eliminate those feelings, to be strong in the areas that led us down that road. So ultimately weakness brings about strength. We are forced to endure so that we may grow. We are allowed to suffer so we will suffer no more.

I am now in a better place with my weakness I’m not ok with it but I understand it. I know that I am allowed to be weak so that I can be strong. I know that God sometimes drives the giants from our life to allow us safe travels, and other times he puts the giants in our way to force us to grow as people. I’m going to take my weakness and grow from it. How about you?