I’m Ready For Spring Break

On February 18, 2016February 18, 2016 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, music3 Comments

Even though we have had a mild winter, little snow, lots of rain, I am ready for some warmer weather. I am ready for skies of blue, ground of sand, waves crashing over the land. Mr. Groundhog did not see his shadow so an early end to winter is coming. Mother Nature said I don’t think so and followed Groundhog Day with the coldest and snowiest ten days in a row we had all winter. We even had enough snow for Kylie to go sledding for the first time this winter. Go figure.

On the positive side it is light when I drive home from work now. There are shorts on sale in stores. Baseball has started spring training. Nascar is starting. There is hope for warmer weather.

Spring break has meant a lot to me over the years. When I was younger and going with my friends at the end of senior year high school where it was all about partying and celebrating. For the last eleven years though it has all been about family. Getting away from the cold and spending a week with the family. Having life slow down and spending time with each other. I am sure it is like that for most of us as we get older though. I can’t help but think of the commercial where the kids say it’s a paid week off, spend it with us.

If you can’t take a Spring Break vacation I pray you will take some of that paid time off you have and spend it with your family before it’s too late. Before they are older and have their own lives where your schedules won’t always be able to match. Work to live, not live to work.

Image result for beach and sunset

Maybe you take days off just to go sledding or swimming. Memories that will last forever. I remember growing up a lot of our vacations were weekend getaways to Cedar Point or Kings Island. Catch a Reds game. I remember those things my parents did for me and my brother. (and for themselves)

Or maybe you take a family mission trip somewhere and help out a village in need. Or do like we did last summer, and will do again this summer, take a week vacation to someplace like Gull Lake Ministries for Christian fellowship in a fun environment. If you missed it here is the link:

https://mygodmymusicmylife.wordpress.com/2015/06/28/what-i-learned-last-week/

Maybe its a staycation. Stay at home. Spend time with the kids. Get things done around the house.

Whatever it is I urge you to take the time off, refresh your mind, body and soul and build relationships with those closest to you.

Rather than thinking of time away as vacation, perhaps we should reclaim the term holiday from “holy day”. The emphasis should fall on spiritual reorientation and refreshment in order to tackle our work “as unto the Lord” when we return.

Spring Breakdown by Luke Bryan –

Spring Is Coming by Steven Curtis Chapman –

It’s A Good Day by Hilary Weeks –

Island In The Sun by Weezer –

Checking Out by Luke Bryan –

Somewhere On A Beach by Dierks Bentley –

Toes by Zac Brown Band –

Roller Coaster by Luke Bryan –

Beautiful Life by 7eventh Time Down –

Somewhere In The Sun by Kenny Chesney –

Kokomo by The Beach Boys –

Summertime by Lonestar –

I’m On Vacation by Rhett and Link – funny song

I Remember You by Skid Row – Memories of Spring Break ’88

Standing In The Fire

On February 17, 2016February 17, 2016 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, music3 Comments

I call myself one of the good people

But only praise God when I’m in the steeple

The devil drags me down, knocks me about

Fills my head with lies and doubts

Why do I believe all his crap

I’m always caught in his trap

I tell myself I don’t like a liar

I’m the one standing in my own fire

Do I trust in Your ways?

Is that how I live all my days

Do I love like You love?

Do I always rise above?

Do I forgive like You forgive?

Do I live like You want me to live?

Do I sell my soul to the highest buyer?

I’m the one standing in my own fire

Then I look outside my world to all those in need

All those that die, all those that bleed

Lives torn apart by earthquakes and wars

Will their world ever be like it was before?

They face persecution, starvation every day

How can I continue to look away?

Any minute of any day their lives could expire

And here I am standing outside the fire

How can I help? What can one person do

How do I even begin to live like You?

My world seems such a mess

I can see how truly I am blessed

When I look at those that suffer in your name

When I see those that hurt I know You are not to blame

What of my life would You require?

For me to no longer be standing outside the fire

I pray a prayer to You to set me ablaze

Give me your eyes so I can gaze

So I can see their pain, so I can feel the hurt You feel

I want to see their world, not as fantasy but as real

I know in the fire You are there

I feel Your presence everywhere

I want to help those whose situations are dire

Help me to be one who is standing in the fire

Help me to forget my hurt, my pain

Help me to spread the news of Your Name

I can not do this on my own, even when I try

The words don’t come, but I can hear their cry

I can see them in my mind

I can see how I have been blind

Take me to where You want me to go

My body or just these words You sow

Help me to never tire

From standing inside the fire

Fire Walk With Me by Abel –

Fire by Scarlet White –

Fire by Krystal Meyers –

Carry The Fire by Dustin Kensrue –

Start A Fire by Unspoken –

Catching Fire by Blanca –

Standing Outside The Fire by Garth Brooks –

Set Me Ablaze by Jesus Culture –

I’m On Fire by We Are Messengers –

Soul On Fire by Third Day –

Walk Through The Fire by Consumed By Fire –

Set The World On Fire by Britt Nicole –

Fire and Fury by Skillet –

Hearts On Fire by Dan Bremnes –

Carry The Fire by Andrew Peterson –

Fire Inside You by We Are Leo –

Fire by Echoing Angels –

New, Forgotten, Unknown 2/12/16 New Music Friday

On February 12, 2016March 4, 2016 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, music, new music, new music FridayLeave a comment

Several new musician followers. I love finding new musicians and listening to new music I would never have heard of if it wasn’t for social media. Be sure to check out other musicians I posted. Maybe you will find someone new you like. I hope by me sharing your music that you will get more fans to listen to your music. Please feel free to share/purchase the song I wrote with Lily Messer and Ceylon Wise. I have many more songs I would like to get out there but can not financially afford to record them. If interested in teaming up together, feel free to contact me.

Lifeline by Kai –

Seek by GFM Band –

Drowning by Eden Burning –

Better On A Barstool by Nick Alligood (7-Hills Florida) –

Misunderstood by Harbor Boulevard –

Thanks for all the follows, musicians and non-musicians.

Now that I am down to one playlist instead of three maybe the list will get shorter next week. I keep saying that though. Let me know your thoughts, do I put too many on here, not enough, just right? Which of the three little bears am I? Hope you enjoy.

Some other music from non-followers and followers I have listened to this week.

Uncover Your Eyes by Young Empires –

Us Time by Stoney Larue –

Windmills, Worry by The Vamps –

Your Love Will Blow Me Away by Son Little –

Say A Prayer, Tightrope by Veridia –

Winter by Lydia Laird –

Simple Gospel by United Pursuit –

You Don’t Belong In Mine by Resistant Hearts –

Transformed by Survivor Q –

What If We by 3for3 –

Alive by Sia –

Always by 7eventh Time Down –

Amazing by Hedley –

Amen by I Am They –

American Crazy by Brothers Osborne –

Awake The Fire by Forever Still –

Where I Am Right Now by Jared Anderson –

The Wind by Our Fears –

2 Blessed 2 Be Stressed by Coffey Anderson –

and our song:

I Question You by Lily Messer –

On Itunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-question-you-single/id1018588943

Let Me Fail

On February 3, 2016February 25, 2016 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, Let Me Fail, music3 Comments

Hey mom and dad, it’s okay if I fail. I tried. I will not succeed at everything but I have to fail at most things to know what I will succeed at. You have to let me fail.

I know it’s hard for you to not just jump in when I am struggling but let me struggle. I have to be able to figure things out on my own. I love when you hold my hand but there will be times when you won’t be there and then what? What will I do if you aren’t there? I will have to figure it out on my own. I am capable. I am strong. I am smart.

I know this is hard for you to hear but sometimes you just have to get out of the way. I know you love me and I know if I can’t get this figured out I can ask for your help. Just like the other day when I asked you about that math problem. I had to have time to think it through and figure out if I could do it on my own before I asked.

Chances are I will not be a professional athlete. No matter how hard you push me, no matter how many nights I spend in the driveway shooting free throws, no matter how many extra sprints I run. No matter how loud you yell at my games. No matter how many times you play catch with me. You know the odds are astronomical right? If I choose to pursue this though you better know I will push myself beyond my limits to do it because I know not very many make it. However, if I don’t want to play soccer this season but want to try to play guitar, let me. I may go back to soccer later. I may be a terrible guitar player, but I won’t know unless I try. Who knows, maybe I am the next Eddie Van Halen.

I will give 100% to everything I try. I learned that from you. I will not quit if I don’t like it at first. I may even end up liking it. You have never quit on our family so I know what it is like to keep trying and not give up. I just may not be good at what I try and that’s okay. I will do the most with the abilities I have. Success for me right now is trying.

I am not afraid to try. Fear of failure is not a part of me. I want to be able to fail, to find out more about me. I am still trying to find out who I am in this world. Not who you want me to be. I will fail. There is no doubt in my mind. I will also succeed at many things. I just need you to give me that opportunity.

I don’t know what God has in store for me but you have given me a great start. For that , I am forever thankful. As I grow older though I want to try new things. I want to see what I am good at. I want to be .. Well like you. You know what you are good at and you know what you are bad at and it’s all because of you trying and succeeding, and failing.

Do not let me make bad choices or go down the wrong road. I fully expect you to put me in place if that happens. There is a difference between making bad choices and failing at something I want to try.

Don’t get me wrong, I want to succeed. But I also want to fail. I want to pick myself up and dust myself off and say wheww I suck at that. I won’t know until I try though. I want to find out what it’s like to be knocked down and get back up. I want to figure out what I did wrong and how I can get better. I want to persevere. It even says in the Bible that perseverance builds character . I want to be someone that people look to and say they want to be like me. I can’t do that if you do everything for me. If you are always helping me succeed. I have to test my limits and my abilities. I know you will be there for me if I need you, but right now I just want to go for it on my own. I want to see what I am made of. I want to laugh at myself if I stink. I want to be proud of myself if I succeed. I won’t be able to do any of these things if you don’t let me try, knowing I may fail.

Please mom and dad, let me fail. I will be okay. I may cry. I may get mad. I will struggle. I will get hurt. I will feel pain. I will get knocked down. I will pick myself up. I will find joy. I will be proud of myself for trying. I will find something I really enjoy doing. I will be thankful for the experience . I will learn how to fight for what I want. I want to say I tried. I will succeed.

I will succeed, but first you have to let me fail.

No Boundaries by Kris Allen –

I Lived by OneRepublic –

Unafraid by Pillar –

Limitless by Colton Dixon –

Born To Try by Delta Goodrem –

Die Trying by Art of Dying –

Champ by Nelly –

Rise Up by Green River Ordinance –

Born To Rise by Redlight King –

Burn Bright ( You Were Made To Shine) by Natalie Grant –

Brave by Sara Bareilles –

Fears and Failures by This Beautiful Republic –

Why Do We Fall Motivational –

Failure Is Success Motivational –

Famous Failures –

The Widow

On February 1, 2016February 18, 2016 By roberthansen1317In Christian life10 Comments

She had mixed emotions as she approached the tree. She wasn’t even sure why she was here after all this time. She continued up the hill to where the tree was and sat in the shade of its branches. With her back to the tree she looked up and asked, “Why am I here?”

Yes, this was the same tree where she met him. She was okay before she met him. She had great friends that made her laugh. She did well in school and was the second best scorer on the basketball team. Her parents loved her even though her dad wasn’t around much. She was an innocent girl. She came to the tree to get a break from the summer heat.

That’s when he walked up to her. It was under this same shade tree that she let her guard down and welcomed him into her life. She immediately took a liking to him and opened up to him. She told him about all her fears, her concerns, her feeling unwanted by her dad. She knew he loved her but he was never around. Too busy working, too busy hanging with anyone but her.

That’s all he needed to hear and he knew she would be his. He was smooth talking and was easy on the eyes. She fell for him hard. It wasn’t long before she was doing things she never thought she would do until she was married. She started drinking. She started fighting with parents. She started sneaking out of the house. She missed more curfews than she can remember.

“Oh God, why am I back here?!!” she yelled.

She thought about the mess he caused of her life. Well, she knew she caused it but it was all because of him. He promised so much but fell so short. She thought back and could only shake her head and laugh. “I gave up so much for him. I was a mess. So why am I back here? Did I just want to see where it all started one more time? Was I wanting to go back to that life? Was I missing the excitement that he gave me? ”

No, that wasn’t it. She was happy where her life had taken her. She was happy with her family. She had the most amazing daughters and she couldn’t even begin to tell you how amazing her husband is. She found herself remembering the day she said yes to Jesus and no to him. She remembers the darkness that left her. She remembers the freedom she felt. It really was astounding to think that someone died for her. That someone gave His life so she can live. After all she had done, He still welcomed her home. Back to the place she was before she met him. Even when she had betrayed Him and went her own ways, He was still there waiting for her. She thought to herself, now that is an amazing story.

She thought about her journey. The good, the bad, the ugly. So why was she back here? Why did she have to come here? What was she missing in her life that she would go back to him? No, that wasn’t it. She wasn’t here to go back to him. As crazy as it sounds she thought she was here for closure. She was here to say good-bye once and for all.

“You tried to break me. You tried to turn me into your toy and it worked for awhile. But I am better off without you. I am better now that you are gone. I have Jesus and I don’t need you. You have no place in my life. I am stronger because of you and for that I thank you. I won’t fall for your tricks again though. Even when I feel you pulling me I know the pleasure isn’t worth the pain. It’s not worth the hangover the next morning. The shame and guilt. I’m past that. I am new now and I will never go back to you. There is one in my life that is stronger than you. One that is better than you. One that doesn’t lie to me. One that will hold me, will love me no matter what I have done. Good-bye to you. I am and always will be better off with you gone. Dead and gone. Like you made me for that period of my life when I fell for you. But I am alive and I am here because of Jesus. You are dead to me.”

“I am a widow to my old self, to my past sins, to him. I am a widow to the death that was inside me.”

“Thank you God for never giving up on me. Thank you God for searching for me when I was lost. Thank you for carrying me when I was too weak to walk. Thank you for holding my hand when I just needed to have you with me. Thank you for listening to me when I need to talk. Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for loving me and thank you for who you are. I promise I will not go back to that life again. Thank you for the power of your love that I can walk away from him, he is truly dead to me and I have you to thank for that. You are all I need.”

With that she got up and walked back down the hill. She never looked back. She did look up and smiled.

Satisfy by Worship Mob – Long video but listen to 5:30 to the end if time is short

Surrender by Blanca –

Name by Nichole Nordeman –

Broken Hallelujah by The Afters –

Back Where I Began by Seventh Day Slumber –

Give Me Jesus by Jeremy Camp –

That Was Then, This Is Now by Josh Wilson –

Grace Wins by Matthew West –

Your Grace Finds Me by Matt Redman –

Thank You by Jesus Army –

Temple Fit Tip – Show Up Everyday

On January 28, 2016January 28, 2016 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, fitness, music, Temple Fit3 Comments

I haven’t posted in awhile about Temple Fit. I don’t know why. Maybe I was feeling who am I? I am not an expert. I do know how things work, the things I wrote about earlier like getting enough sleep, what you are putting in your bodies- food and medicine-, drinking enough water, portion sizes, etc..

Four weeks into the new year, how are you holding up on your resolutions to be active, lose weight? By this point in time, most people have given up on their resolutions. It’s easier to fall back into old habits instead of establishing new habits. I personally think if your resolution is to be active and lose weight you should start in March when you have better weather. Then once 12 weeks are up and you have new habits, it will be easier to keep them through the summer. If you start in January and are doing awesome then a big snowstorm hits or you get sick and you miss a couple days, boom, you are back into old habits. Remember, you didn’t get this way overnight. You won’t get back to being healthy overnight. It takes time, it is a process, you have to stick with it everyday.

My tip for this week is to just show up everyday. Make small changes to show up everyday. There are days you won’t feel like being active or eating healthy but you have to defeat that voice in your head. This week has been rough for me and my wife and some of our runner friends. We don’t know if it is the full moon or what but when all of us can run half marathons and marathons and we struggle to do a seven mile run something is up. I stopped after two miles. However, I did do push ups, pull ups and sit ups. I just couldn’t get into it and I didn’t want to risk another injury. My wife stopped three times on her seven mile run. Just wasn’t feeling it. However, she did finish it. My point: Even if it wasn’t the best day, we showed up. We did something and we didn’t dwell on it. The next day we went out and ran again and had a better day.

You can’t get anywhere if you don’t start. You won’t get any results if you don’t show up and do something.

We had a weight loss challenge at work and I would like to share with you what the winner said. He lost 30 lbs. in 12 weeks.

You probably know that during our Arctic “Biggest Loser” contest, I lost 30 pounds in 12 weeks. This is how I did it: I decided to. Simple, I decided to. Simple, not to be confused with Easy. But the irrefutable truth is you will not lose excess weight until you decide to.

Everyone has to decide on their own when they are going to get healthier. My circumstances are not your circumstances, but maybe you will see some common ground.

I did not decide to lose weight when I needed to lose 10 pounds. Or 20. Or 25. Around the beginning of July, I weighed the most I had ever weighed. My blood work numbers, while not alarming, were going in the wrong direction. Considering my Family History, this did not bode well. For these chronic conditions, most Doctors want to give you pills. Doctors are busy, and know a couple of simple truths: pills do not make you healthier, they merely slow the decline of your health. But most people will take a pill, while very few people will change their lifestyle. So Doctors give you pills, and move on to their next patient.

Instead, I finally decided to lose weight and make other lifestyle changes. Simple, not easy.

I am NOT telling you to ignore your doctor. I managed to convince mine that I was serious about lifestyle changes. He told me to look into the research of Doctor Dean Ornish. Along the way I also looked into some of the diet ideas of Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Last week I was looking for some recipes, and came across a new book, VB6, by my favorite food author, Mark Bittman. Low and behold, the forward was written by Dr. Ornish, and it nicely encapsulates and expands upon the conversation I had with my doctor. This is the biggest reason I wanted to share this with you; finding that convergence seems very Serendipitous, and I have attached that forward and strongly encourage you to read it.

I am not pretending to be a doctor or know what is best for you. But I know this: You have to decide. My motivations are my own, but everybody has a reason. Do you want to feel better? Have more energy, or less pain? Do you want to be healthier; for your spouse, your kids, your grand-kids? Do you dread the idea of waking up in the hospital and wondering if you waited too long, if it is too late to change?

I’ve lost weight before only to gain it back, so my journey continues. But it didn’t even begin until I decided it was time to start.

My Body by Young The Giant –

It’s Up To You Motivation –

Start Now Motivation –

Be Hungry (Fight For It) Motivation –

Be First and Last Motivation –

Proud by Heather Small –

Brand New Book by Train –

Fire by Gavin Degraw –

Never Give Up Motivation –

Living In Sin

On January 27, 2016 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, music, Sin4 Comments

No, not the Bon Jovi song. I wrote this one back when I was writing a song or two a day. God was saying write and I was writing. Maybe one day someone would like to put music to it and turn these words into a song. If not, maybe it’s just a poem and I hope you enjoy reading the words.

Living In Sin

They say my God is an awesome God

That He can heal my heart

Then why do I feel so lost, I feel so lost

Why am I still in the dark?

They say He will give me what I need

Just ask Him, that’s all I have to do

Then why can’t I breathe, I can’t breathe

Why can’t I feel , Why can’t I feel you?

Am I living for you or living for me

Am I looking out or looking in

Am I blind, why can’t I see?

Am I free or am I living in sin?

They say follow His ways

That He can make me free

Then why am I in these chains?

Why can’t I get away from me?

They say He has great plans

That He will lead my life for His will

Then why can’t I seem to understand?

Why am I always living for the thrill?

Am I living for you or living for me

Am I looking out or looking in

Am I blind, why can’t I see?

Am I free or am I living in sin?

I can’t know this life You mean for me

It doesn’t matter where I’ve been

I can’t be who You want me to be

If I keep living in sin, living in sin

Jesus, Friend Of Sinners by Casting Crowns –

Lift Your Head Weary Sinner by Crowder –

Sin by Result –

No Longer Slaves by Bethel Music –

Stronger by Hillsong Worship –

At The Cross (Love Ran Red) by Chris Tomlin –

Lord I Need You by Matt Maher –

Lord I Need You by Plumb –

I Am Only Words

On January 20, 2016January 20, 2016 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, music, words14 Comments

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt me. I laugh at that one. Do they not know the power of me? Do they not know what I can do?

I am words. Only words. The funny thing about me is that I may move you, my reader. But yet another of my readers may not be moved at all. I can make you feel sad one day and you could look at me another day and feel happy. Fickle thing feelings are. It all depends on how you feel when you read me.

Some people are so good at using me that you can remember what they wrote many years later. Other people, even though what they wrote touched you at the moment, you forget the next day. Sometimes the next hour.

Put me to music and it is a whole new ball game. Music from yesteryear can evoke many memories, some good, some bad. I can make you move fast or slow. Well, technically it is the music but I control how the music is played.

Do you remember the song on the radio the first time you were kissed? Your wedding dance song? The day you lost a loved one? I can bring you happy and sad memories, all in the same song. I can make you smile, I can make you cry. Happy the first time you heard it, sad when you hear it now.

Do you see the power I have now? When spoken in truth I can help people live a better life. Sometimes I have to be spoken bluntly in truth. The receiver of me may not like me. When spoken in truth I am all powerful. No one can stand against me or deny me. I can make you feel good about yourself.

When spoken in lies, I can lead people astray. Lead them from where they want to be. Unfortunately, there are many people in this world that use me only to lead people astray, and they are quite good at using me this way. You won’t know until it’s too late that you have been following lies. I can bring you down, make you feel worthless.

How can you know when I am being used for good or for evil ? Am I being used in the same way consistently? Do I stand the test of time? Do I build you up or tear you down ?

Did you know I can not only affect you but I can affect everything around you? Did your mom ever talk to the houseplant? Ever hear of farmers talking to their crops? I can even affect water. Dr. Masaru Emoto did an interesting study (Messages From Water). He would say positive things to some water molecules and negative things to others. He would then instantly freeze them and took high speed pictures of them. Here are the results :

If I can do that to water, imagine what I do to someone you are talking to.

It has also been proven that positive words can actually change your brain structure.

In Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman book, Words Can Change Your Brain, they write: “a single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.”

Positive words, such as “peace” and “love,” can alter the expression of genes, strengthening areas in our frontal lobes and promoting the brain’s cognitive functioning. They propel the motivational centers of the brain into action and build resiliency.

Conversely, hostile language can disrupt specific genes that play a key part in the production of neurochemicals that protect us from stress. Humans are hardwired to worry — part of our primal brains protecting us from threats to our survival — so our thoughts naturally go here first.

However, a single negative word can increase the activity in our amygdala (the fear center of the brain). This releases dozens of stress-producing hormones and neurotransmitters, which in turn interrupts our brains’ functioning. (This is especially with regard to logic, reason, and language.) “Angry words send alarm messages through the brain, and they partially shut down the logic-and-reasoning centers located in the frontal lobes,” write Newberg and Waldman.

According to the authors, using the right words can transform our reality:
By holding a positive and optimistic word in your mind, you stimulate frontal lobe activity. This area includes specific language centers that connect directly to the motor cortex responsible for moving you into action. And as our research has shown, the longer you concentrate on positive words, the more you begin to affect other areas of the brain. Functions in the parietal lobe start to change, which changes your perception of yourself and the people you interact with. A positive view of yourself will bias you toward seeing the good in others, whereas a negative self-image will include you toward suspicion and doubt. Over time the structure of your thalamus will also change in response to your conscious words, thoughts, and feelings, and we believe that the thalamic changes affect the way in which you perceive reality. *

*Borchard, T. (2015). Words Can Change Your Brain. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 19, 2016, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/11/30/words-can-change-your-brain

Gives new meaning to to the phrase if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all doesn’t it?

Does anything about me that you have read hit home? Does it make you think more before you use me? If you use me the correct, positive way, I can change your life. I can change your brain, your way of thinking. I can change the environment. Be wise, I am a weapon, I am a healer.

But what do I know, I am only black lines on a piece of paper. I am only words.

Words by Hawk Nelson –

Speak Life by TobyMac –

Words Can Break Your Heart by Don Henley –

My Words Have Power by Karen Clark Sheard –

Words Are Weapons by Seether –

Words Are Weapons by Birdy –

Words Are Medicine by Tim McGraw –

Words by Train –

Words Of Life by Big Daddy Weave –

The Words I Would Say by Sidewalk Prophets –

The Heart

On January 12, 2016January 12, 2016 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, The Heart3 Comments

I am the heart. I provide life to the rest of the body. I pump oxygen and blood to and from other organs. You can not survive without me. I am the wellspring of life. Everything you do comes from me.

I am going on strike.

Yes, you read that correctly. I am tired of how you treat me. I will no longer be helping out your kidneys or right foot. I am thinking about not helping your brain either. You don’t seem to use it much when it comes to me anyway. I saw you last night watching The Biggest Loser while you were eating popcorn and M&M’s and washing it down with a can of Coke.

I break for you. I feel your hurt and your pain. I feel your depression. I feel your frustrations. I feel your joy, your excitement. I feel the rush of endorphins when you exercise. I feel your longing, your wanting to belong. Everything that you do and feel, I feel.

My main enemy is your brain. It is often said that the mind is the devil’s playground. How many times have you not got me pumping harder because your mind said you couldn’t do this or that? Your mind says stop but I can go on. Give me a chance to prove that to you. How many times have I begged you “please stop eating this food, it is making me work harder, it is clogging my highways to take care of the rest of your body” but do you listen? No, because your brain says I will take a double order of fried, greasy food because it will make me feel better. Lies. All lies. The brain is like the devil. It doesn’t care about you and neither does he. Most of the time I think they are planning their attacks on me together.

Most any one can tell you that you don’t need your brain to survive. Look at the decisions you make every day. Some really good ones and some really bad ones. The only thing we have in common is if you don’t use us, we can’t help you. Okay, so you do need the brain to survive. I mean if not, we would all be walking off cliffs or in front of cars all the time. That would put an end to me as well. However, the brain can’t work without me. I only wish I could tell your brain to take better care of you, and therefore me.

Did you know that in the NIV Bible the word heart is used 570 times in the Old and New Testament? I am the fourth most common word behind father, God and Lord, not in that order. Why do you think that is? I would not exist without God. You would not exist without God. I am a uniquely created internal organ made so that you can have physical life. You are a uniquely created person.

If you walk away from things that make me work better you will die. If you walk away from God, you will die and spend an eternity with our enemy, the devil. If you eat right, sleep well, exercise, take care of me, I can make your life here on earth all that it is meant to be. I determine your actions and reflect whether Jesus is at the center of your life. If you give your life to Jesus, He can make your life here on earth all that He meant for it to be. If you put Jesus at the center of your life, you can have a life of abundance, a life of joy, no matter what your circumstances are.

The good news is that it is not too late. You can fix all the damage that has been done to me by your past actions. I can be renewed. You can take away years of neglect by turning around and doing what is right. Take care of me so I can take care of you. You can’t do it alone though. You need Jesus. Ask Him to continually renew me. Ask Him to help you take that first step. Each step after that will get easier. Let Him hold your hand as you start a new, healthier you, and me.

Where am I in your life today? Are you struggling to make me healthy? Are you making the right choices when it comes to food, drink, exercise and sleep to make me work better?

If not, ask yourself this question, where is Jesus in your life today? Are you struggling with sin, with bad habits? Ask Jesus to come into me today. Let Him help us become healthy, physically and spiritually. Ask Jesus to renew me, your heart, and commit that He will remain at the center of me, your heart.

You have only one me, the heart. You have only one body. There is only one God. Align all three of us and ask God into your heart, into your mind, into your life.

Here’s My Heart by Casting Crowns –

Open The Eyes Of My Heart by Paul Baloche –

Feel It In Your Heart by Abandon –

Where My Heart Goes by Colton Dixon –

Heart On Fire by Dan Bremnes –

The Heart Of The Father by Brad and Rebekah –

My Brain Says No But My Heart Says Yes by FM Static –

Here’s My Heart by Crowder –

Busted Heart by For King and Country –

Your Heart by Casey J –

Tell Your Heart To Beat Again by Danny Gokey –

How Could I Withhold My Heart by The Glorious Unseen –

Wtih Every Beat Of My Broken Heart by Hawk Nelson –

Search My Heart by Hillsong United –

Strength Of My Heart by Rend Collective –

My Heart Cries Out by Rush Of Fools –

Jump Start My Heart by Satellites & Sirens –

Change This Heart by Sidewalk Prophets –

23 Days Down, 59 Days To Go

On June 14, 2015June 20, 2016 By roberthansen1317In children, Christian life, God, music, time11 Comments

59 days. That’s 1,416 hours. That’s 84,960 minutes left. Left of what you may ask? Summer break. Seriously, I think I might go nuts. I work 3.5 days a week and off 3.5 days a week so I am home with Kylie for 3.5 days while my wife trains in the morning. That’s with one child. I can’t imagine being a stay at home parent with two or more. Hats off to you stay at home moms and dads. Kylie is an awesome daughter and she is very independent when it comes to most things and she isn’t one to constantly be up my butt, so why I am saying only 59 days left?

It’s because I feel like I lost my freedom. I feel like I am selfish. I feel like I constantly have to entertain her. I feel like I can’t go workout. I feel like I can’t go out and run for an hour. I feel like…… I feel like I won’t have many of these summers with her left.

Those of you that have older children know how fast these times go and I know in a few years she won’t want to snuggle and watch tv with me. I know she will want to spend more time with her friends than with me. I know how I spend this time with her now will influence how she relates to other men in her life as she gets older. I know she watches me and how I handle difficult situations. I know she watches me to see if I read the Bible today. I know that when we go anywhere and she holds my hand there is no place I would rather be in this world. I know I wasn’t the greatest father to my oldest daughters. I know during the years when they were this age, I worked 60-70 hours a week. I know I missed a lot of life with them. Time I will never get back. They will never truly know how it pained me to miss that time and how sorry I am. I know I don’t want to miss it with my last daughter.

I feel like I will gladly give up my freedom because I know I will be selfish to spend as much time with her before she moves on to the rest of her life. It won’t be long until we go from “Just Fishin” to “Cleaning My Gun”. One day I will blink and wish I had 59 days, 1416 hours, 84960 minutes to spend with her.

Dear God, thank You for this time You have given me to spend with my daughter. I pray that when I get frustrated with not having enough me time that You remind me this is the time You have given me to spend with her, to bond with her, to teach her about You, to love her, and to cherish her. I pray that You help me with my older daughters to be able to speak with them, spend time with them, and make up for the time I missed with them. Thank you for my family. In Your name, amen.

It Won’t Be Like This For Long by Darius Rucker –