REJOICE EVERMORE.......... OR....... WILL THEY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE HAPPY?

Good Evening Everyone,

While looking for a birthday card for a friend tonight, I found this artwork on the front of one card. Just so you know the card was this drawing on the front with this quote "you are the perfect age" and on the inside "NOT DEAD".

I thought the drawing was funny. As a sidebar, sometimes the greeting card section is a good place to find a laugh.

The Bible tells us to "rejoice evermore." I wonder how people will know we are rejoicing?

Obviously, we should not want to come across as the nice old undertaker man in the drawing. Nothing against undertakers but this old guy is NOT rejoicing. Think about some ways we can show people that we are happy.

• Are you going to smile tomorrow? It is possible for you to brighten some one's day by smiling at them.


• Are you willing to tell someone about Christ? You must be happy doing this because you may change some one's eternity.


• Are you willing to laugh at yourself? I know some people who are very good at this, how far are you willing to go to brighten some one's day?


• Will you sing out? Sing out so people around you will sing out?


• Are you willing to shake hands or give a hug? Be a happy friend.


• Are you willing to serve with happiness?


• Call people by name and tell them they are important and why? You cannot do this without being happy.


• Worship God in spirit and truth?


• Be thankful, it will cause you to be happy.

Feel free to comment with any more ideas about happiness.

Be a Happy Example,

Love, Bro. Allen

SOUND THE ALARM...... OR .......... LOOKING OUT FOR YOU

Good Morning,

Sometimes things come into our lives that seem to be a distraction, but they may in fact be a warning for us. Turn up your sound and watch the video above, it was my office today. The repairmen were at the school working on the fire alarm.

A few short thoughts about this alarm.

• God puts alarms in our lives to warn us! Just like the fire alarm we need to recognize why the alarms that are put in our lives. Sometimes we are blind to the reason that the alarm is sounding and we just focus on the noise and confusion.



• God may be warning me to get away or get out of a sin or situation that would cause Him and me grief and humiliation. When you hear the Holy Spirit sounding the alarm make sure and listen and then act. Just like the fire alarm tells you to get out of the situation and get away from danger, so also the warnings from God should cause you to do the same.



• A warning could come in many different types : maybe a fellow Christian, a still small voice, a sermon, a song, God's Word, a memory, or sometimes a very loud open rebuke from God.



• We must be experts at recognizing warning signs and alarms and then willing to act.

Perhaps the most important part about God's alarms in our life is personal responsibility. This is where I seem to consistently fall short. I put myself in situations that I know there will be an alarm that will sound. Clearly my personal responsibility then is failing. If I know that specific situations will cause me to be in "danger" then why would I choose to be there.

God obviously does not want me to be in any position where He has to sound the alarm, but to stay on the straight and narrow way and keeping my eyes upon Him who loves me with an ultimate love.

If God has warned you with any alarm to flee, then do it. Get out of there, run away, turn to God, repent and follow Christ.

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I Timothy 6:11-12

Be an Example and listen for the warnings, do the right thing,

Love, Bro. Allen

RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE CURRENCY OF LEADERSHIP ....... OR.. THANK YOU GOD FOR ALL OF MY FRIENDS!

Good Evening to all who may read this,


I just turned forty years old about twenty days ago. Wow! What a blessed life I have had so far. My cup runneth over. I am so blessed! Yet, I know there are many things that I fail to spend time thanking God and others for, that I should.


I read a quote in a book today that said "Relationships are the currency of leadership. Since people are your greatest assets, pour your energies into developing them into their fullest potential."


We live in a world where currency is required for almost everything, except relationships. The opportunity to build relationships rarely costs us anything but time and maybe a little effort. The returns far outweigh the expense.


God has given us ALL a chance to lead someone and to be an example.


The more I think on the blessings that God as given me, I can say that all of the very valuable treasures that He has given me all are relationship based.


God, first, gave His Son. The ultimate in a sacrificial relationship, so that I could have eternal relationships. God sent me a lovely and talented wife, in whom I could find a relationship so strong that it would withstand anything. God gave us four beautiful children, and even though He wanted one in heaven, He gave us three to raise. God gave me wonderful parents and in-laws. God gave me the greatest little brother. God gave me wonderful grandparents. God gave me wonderful uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces. God gave me a wonderful Pastor and his wife. God gave me wonderful friends, co-workers and acquaintances. God gave me so many people that have touched my life in forty years, that I could not count them all. Thank you God for the blessing of relationships. As you see in the picture above, just one of the relationships that I thank God for during my life.


When I think about the quote that "Relationships are currency", it makes me think about recent events in my life. The opportunity that God has given me to work with a wonderful group of teenagers in the youth group at Cornerstone Baptist Church, has been a great experience. The kids are so much fun to work for and with. Their excitement for the things of God is growing weekly and they are a big encouragement to me.


Part of working with the youth is to develop leaders that can take the roles of teaching, leading, mentoring and serving the youth and their families. It seems to me that God is allowing me to grow in this area of leadership. Just over a few months of being able to lead this group I have noticed what a great feeling it is to watch these young workerse develop into leaders of people. I feel like I have invested some in the leadership, but not enough. I want to invest more, and be more thankful and give more of myself and watch them leads these kids for Jesus Christ.


I want to invest more so they can do more. The beautiful example that Christ gave as a servant is the ultimate. I know that I have a very long way to go, but this type of leadership is becoming more and more exciting and fulfilling each day as I watch "my" group go on to lead more and more.


If you are in that group I appreciate you! I hope that I tell you enough and that you are hearing me say I appreciate you!


Thank you God for the opportunity to lead and build relationships so that we can serve others together.

Be an Example, build relationships, invest in people, love God and love others,

Love, Bro. Allen

AM I THE PROBVERBIAL OLD DOG......... OR.......... SING A NEW SONG

Good Afternoon,
I have had turmoil inside my own heart over the last few years regarding my inner old dog.

For me it is very easy to become set in my ways, in many areas of my life. You know the saying and perhaps some of you fall into the category of "old dog" like me.

The saying is this "you can't teach an old dog new tricks!"

If you are an old dog, maybe you need to reflect on your own life and willingness to learn something new. If you are a fairly young dog, then take my advice and refuse to become so set in your ways, as you become an old dog, that you miss out on opportunities that God has for you.

Now you may be asking, where did this come from? I only know that I have to work extra hard everyday because my mind and heart are not open enough to many things. There are many things that God wants me to experience more of, like:

More love, more grace, more mercy, more compassion, more encouragement, more holiness, more joy, more responsibility (especially for and toward others), more sacrifice, more peace, more knowledge, more patience, more giving, more singing, more worship, more trust, more forgiveness, more humility, more awe, more friendship, more family, more fellowship.

Those were what I could think of right off the top of my heart, I am sure there are many more.

One place in particular that I have and continue to struggle with is the area of worship through music. I am trying to expand and make sure that I am learning to worship more and more real through Christian music. We are blessed in D/FW to have some of the best Christian radio stations and of course with my computer, I have access to many different artists and songs.

The other day I was driving home from work and heard a song titled "Let it Fade" by Jeremy Camp. I do not know that I had ever heard it before, but for me it was one of those songs that drew me right in and had me instantly and intently listening to every word. Below are the lyrics:

Have you been walking on a surface that's uncertain?
Have you helped yourself to everything that's empty?

You can't live this way too long.
There's more than this, more than this.

Have you been standing on your own feet too long?
Have you been looking for a place where you belong?

You can rest, you will find rest.
You can rest, you will find rest.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be Your saving grace.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

Have you been holding on to what this world has offered?
Have you been giving in to all these masquerades?

It will be gone, forever gone.
It will be gone, it will be gone.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be Your saving grace.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

Let it fade.

Are you carrying the weight too much?,
are you running from the call?

Let it fade, Oh yeah.

You can rest, you will find rest.
You can rest, you will find rest.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be Your saving grace.

Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade.

Have you been standing on your own feet too long?
Have you been looking for a place where you belong?

Well, maybe the saying is wrong. I learned a new song. Maybe I am not as much of an old dog as I thought.

The song calls for our old life to crumble and fade. The picture at the top of this post is an old barn fading and crumbling and a strong oak next to the barn experiencing the life giving grace of God.

Stop trying to stand on you own two feet, stop walking on those uncertain surfaces, stop hanging on to this world and it's masquerades.

I spoke to a dear friend this week about how we, as children of God, will be treated by this world. The world is frightened by the Light. Do not be surprised when the world mistreats you, just go on and sing a new song, go on and experience life more abundantly.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. I John 4:18

Be an Example, not of some old dog, but of a true believer. Let the light come out not your inner old dog.

Love, Bro. Allen

LEADERSHIP ..... OR...... RESPONSIBILITY ALL THE WAY AROUND

Good Evening,

A chapter in a leadership book that I am reading is titled "He Was Visible". The book is about how Jesus was a leader while he was here on earth. Because Jesus was a visible leader, the book challenges the reader with the thought, "how visible of a leader are you?"

This particular chapter cuts across all lines and once again shows us that you always have a chance to lead someone and you have to be visible to everyone around you to be able to lead like Christ.

Look at the picture above, you may feel somewhat insignificant now. But I want you to find a place in the picture and be able to say "I am here" or "x" marks the spot where I am.

Christ calls us to a be light. If the light is hidden and not visible, it IS NOT light to anyone looking for light.

Sometimes we are content to keep a low profile or try to do everything behind the scenes. While we should all be very conscious that pride does not infect our lives, if you are going to lead like Christ you must be visible. When Christ arrived he used the synagogues, the temple, the side of a mountain, the streets and the places with many people.

Don't be afraid to stand out in the crowd. Use the talents that God gave you to shine among men, so that all people may see your good works and then they will glorify God.

Teens who read this specifically be aware that you should let your light shine everywhere. I want to challenge you to be able to let your light shine at home, school, work and out in public. I want you to also remember that we must be visible at church. When a visitor walks into church I want you to shine so much that they want to be a part. Please go up to visiting teens and invite them to be a part. We may have become so comfortable in church that we forget that the teen visitor that walks through our door is not comfortable. They want a friend at church, just like their parents do.

Youth group, you are the only ones that can build that relationship instantly. Be outgoing and lead by being visible and willing to love.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I a leader to someone?
2. How visible am I as a leader?
3. Do I trust God enough to stand out from the crowd?
4. What are some ways I can increase my visibility?
5. Will I let my light shine?

Be an Example,

Love, Bro. Allen

WHY ME LORD ........ OR.......... DO THE SMALL THINGS SO HE WILL TRUST YOU WITH MORE

Good Evening,

I should write a thank you note to God today.

Time after time God gives me the words to say to others. I mean in opportunities to teach, preach and instruct. Whether it is to my family at home, my church family , the community I work in or just in the school building. I am blessed to have the chance to teach and speak and I love doing it. Thank you God for giving me opportunities.

I do not know if it is true for all teachers, but I really think it should be if it's not, that when they teach or speak the subject is directed just as much at the teacher as the pupil. I can see in an academic sense where this may not be the case, but in all matters spiritual, surely God speaks to the teacher just as much as the hearer. So I stand and teach and preach boldness, about listening for that whisper from the Holy Spirit, about doing the right thing, about stepping through the door when God opens it for you.

I am embarrassed to say that so many times when I should be learning, from what God gives me to share, I do not. Maybe I get to wrapped up in the preparation to listen. Maybe I get to wrapped up in the delivery to listen. Sadly, maybe I think too highly of self to listen. Whatever my feeble excuse, I don't listen. Even so God will take a minute for me, yes and for you too. He will take a minute to bring His plan together so openly that you just can't refuse, ignore, procrastinate or in any other way put Him off.

What follows is just the story of my day, after God put everything right before me and I could not ignore.

On Tuesdays I meet with friends at Central Market and we have some coffee, fellowship time around God's word and prayer. We have been having this meeting for several months. On a few occasions I have met another man that comes in to get coffee for his drive to work. I joke with him about having to drive for about an hour to get to his work when it only takes me five minutes to get back to the office. He and I have exchanged small talk now for one day a week for a few months. Does anyone see an open door here? Well I will admit that there was, but I was the one that failed to go through. This Tuesday morning, this gentleman mentioned that he was going to have a second cup of coffee. God pushed me right on through the door, and I took the chance to invite him to our little prayer group. What a blessing! This gentleman actually only lives a few doors from me, is looking for friends and a church. I was able to provide by the grace of God. God blessed me with a new friend and I hope that I was an equal blessing to him.

As if my day was not rich enough God let another encounter happen in the afternoon. I really enjoy my job as a School Resource Officer. God has allowed me to be a part of so many great things when it comes to influencing the lives of teenagers. Sometimes at our occupation we are thrust into situations. Once we are in those situations we can the decide how we are going to act, react, impose rules or consequences, how we will speak, how we will treat people and what possibly the outcome will be.

I know that each person, no matter what occupation, has the chance to do these things daily. Perhaps no other occupation rivals law enforcement when it comes time to make decisions based on what is known or perceived about other's actions.

This afternoon I got to meet with a student who basically had been pushed to their limit. This student had been teased and picked on and finally decided that the way to react was with their fists. This student did not want to talk to the assistant principal about the incident and was so mad that they just sat still. The assistant principal asked if I would speak to the student. I agreed and the student came to my office. I could see the despair and heartache in the student's eyes when the student walked around the corner to my office. Obviously, because of my job, I had been placed in this situation. But now I had some choices to make. This student had been accused of hitting another student. I had to know how to respond, even though I am a policeman, as a Christian. As I began to peel back the layers I found a student who had been picked on for while in one specific class. I found a student who had problems at home. A student who had taken a lot of responsibility on themself to make sure that everything was going right at school, home, for their siblings and parents. A student who had just reached their breaking point and after hearing the whole story I could understand why.

The picture you see above is a door on an old building in Romania. I was told that the building itself was over one hundred years old. This old door still had the keys hanging in the lock. The reason I used this picture today is because my heart is the door. I have already unlocked it and let Christ in for salvation. But understand this, we still hold the key. We still must open the door and let him work. We still must open our door and become vulnerable sometimes. We still have to choose whether or not we will let anyone else in. We still have to choose to open the door wide and let Christ walk freely back and forth, working on the inside and outside. I was faithful just to say "hi" to a man in the coffee shop and then God used me in the afternoon. See below for the rest of the story about the student.

The student was overwhelmed with the circumstances of life, this was the gasoline being poured over him. Then the match of being picked on caused the explosion. An explosion that the student did not want to happen. The student was very remorseful that it had come to blows, but the student did not know how else to react. I was able to explain to the student my own personal experience of how hurtful words could be, and how those words could cause a person to take wrong action. Instantly I found the door open and Christ walking through. I told the student that I worked with youth at church, to which the student replied "Which church?" Here was the open door that I had unlocked and left open. Christ was faithful to step into our conversation. What a perfect opportunity to talk about forgiveness, disappointment, pressure, stress, sanctification and love. God let me express His love to this student. God let this student unload their burden on me. I was happy to bear the burden if it meant getting this student some relief. I made another friend. I was able to tell the student's mom everything. Before it was all over I was in tears, in awe of what God had entrusted me with. Our God is an awesome God!

I do not know how this student may have reacted without someone showing him the love of Christ. I heard a man say once that the greatest achievement is the crime that did not happen. I was able to let Christ speak through me so this student could avoid any more problems. Now the student can turn to me if they need to and to be real honest, that will help me to.

There are always consequences to our actions and decisions. The simple fact is that as disciples we must unlock that door, no matter how much it exposes us and our hearts and be willing to let Christ come in and out freely. It is the only way that people will see that we are His and we are real.

Be an Example,

Love, Bro. Allen

Happy Valentine's Day........... or.............. See You Tomorrow

Happy Valentine's Day 2011!

GO AHEAD AND READ ON. I included the "love" chapter from the book of 1st Corinthians because it is something that we all need to consider and take to heart.

1 Corinthians - Chapter 13:1-13

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

The picture you see above is me and my valentine in 1990. We went to a banquet at church and had been dating for going on one year. We were engaged for about two months and enjoying life.

Since then twenty one years have passed and we are still each other's valentines. We have each had to stand by each other (longsuffering). We have each had to be kind. We have each had to not be jealous. We have each had to be humble. We have each had to think of each other. We have each had to be patient. We have each had to think good things. We have each had to be holy. We have each had to be truthful. We have each had to bear, believe, hope and endure all things for each other.

Love will never fail. Love will always abide. Even through the tough times, even during the good times.

Love as Christ loved. Be a giver. Be an Example.

The picture below is Valentine's Day 2011. It gets better with time.

Love, Bro. Allen


ps I Love You Tammy.