Has God Broken Your Leg?

I read something a couple of weeks ago that I have never known before and I can’t stop thinking about. I have shared this with many people including our youth and most recently our church body. Many of us have heard stories about a Shepherd’s love for their sheep and how important it was for a Shepherd to protect their flock no matter what. The Shepherd’s duty was to make sure the sheep wasn’t lost and was expected to even lay down their life for their sheep if duty called.

One way a Shepherd would guide their sheep is by using a staff to bring the sheep back. However, if a certain sheep kept on wondering, the Shepherd would use the staff and break the sheep’s leg. Now, you may think to yourself, that isn’t very loving, but hold on a second. I’m sure it wouldn’t take much to break a sheep’s leg and think of all the bones you may have broken that have completely healed. The Shepherd would tenderly set the broken leg and then would carry the sheep over their shoulder until the leg of the sheep was healed. During this time, there would be a bonding process that would happen between the sheep and the Shepherd. The sheep would think twice about wondering away from the Shepherd again because the sheep wouldn’t want to distance itself from a loving Shepherd. If a sheep would wander from the Shepherd it ran the risk of getting lost or being killed, so in reality even though the Shepherd’s action seemed unloving at first, it was done out of kindness and love.

Right now, maybe you’re questioning the goodness of the Shepherd and God may have even broken your leg. I am realizing that God breaks a leg, so to speak, always for a reason and not out of cruelness, but with a deeper purpose. Some of the most intimate times I have ever had with God have been when God has carried me. You may wander at times, but a loving Shepherd will bring you back, not in the easiest way, but the best way. Don’t forget to enjoy the bonding process in your own life today with the Shepherd.

Graydon Loves to Laugh

Sabrina was swatting at a fruit fly that was flying around her face and Graydon thought that was hysterical!

First bubble bath

Youth Spring Retreat at Camp Powers

For some reason my youth always like to pick me up, probably because they can

Playing in the sand

Playing in the fountains

Can't get cavities on those 8 teeth

Standing in the sink

Sittin on the shoe rack

Graydon's first Easter basket

Happy Easter! Christ Has Risen!

Check out more Easter Pics of our precious son Graydon on my wife's blog!

And He's off!

At Fountain Place in Downtown Dallas

My friend Israel was in town so we stopped by Free Birds for lunch
and checked out the new Cowboys Stadium that only cost 1.2 Billion

What does a lizard do?

Startin to walk

The only way to travel

Pajama Time

Love through our mistakes-By Pastor Jer

So Graydon loves to stand when he takes a bath even after Mommy and Daddy tell him not to and we sometimes have to force him to sit on his bottom. The other week while giving Graydon a bath, he stood up waving his wet washcloth around making water fly everywhere. He had gotten water in my eye and when I went to wipe it I heard a loud thud. As I turned I saw Graydon practically flat on his back in the water screaming. He had slipped and smacked his eye on the side of the tub and then fell back into the water. I immediately picked his wet little body up and just held him as he was in hysterics, you know...one of those hard cries where your child practically stops breathing. Needless to say Graydon's bath time was done for the night and he had gotten his first little shiner. Momma put some frozen corn on it before he went to bed that night which helped. The first shiner can be hard for a first time parent especially if you think your somewhat at fault. I woke up a couple of times that night feeling guilty, but knew the little guy would be ok.

God gave me some teaching points through this experience as I thought about how many times God has told us not to do something for our own good. We often don't listen and end up hurting ourselves and we think God is disappointed and angry with us. Yet, did I let Graydon sit in that water and just scream? No, I picked my son up with loving arms of compassion. I believe that is how God is with us. Even in the midst of our mistakes, God is not saying, "I told you so", but holds us in His loving arms. Maybe you have messed up and have a black eye over something you did. Remember, it's going to be ok as our dad picks us up and holds us until we stop crying, ices the bruse, and bring healing so we will get back in the tub. By the way, Graydon doesn't stand in the tub anymore:)

Graydon's first little shiner

Splish splash Graydon taken a bath

A visit to Galveston with our friends Tim, Dani and Josiah

Tub time

Graydon's first lemon

Josiah eating a lime

My newest little niece London Grace Platek! Born on March 20th @ 10:30am. She was pretty tiny at 9.07 lbs and 21 inches long:) My sister even did it without an epidural, you tha woman!

Sienna, my sister Chrissy and London Grace. That makes 7 grandkids for my parents in less than 5 years. We have been busy and fruitful!

Happy St. Patrick's Day
Summer, Sienna and Georgie

Sienna Lauren White, my brother George's new little girl. Born December 19th at 4:48pm weighing 8lbs. 3 oz and 20.5 inches long

Dallas Journey...

Since this blog goes out to nearly 500 people on a regular basis, I thought this was the best way to inform everyone that may not know. I will be stepping down as the Youth and Associate Pastor at New Life Bible Fellowship here in Dallas at the end of the school year, with my last official Sunday being June 14th. I feel like my gifts, calling and passions do not fit the role I am currently in. NLBF needs a Youth Pastor and I do not feel like I am it for this next season. My wife and I do believe that God did call us here for the last almost 3 ½ years, but our time here is coming to an end. We will probably be in the area till at least August unless something else comes along before that. My wife, Senior Pastor and I are all in agreement with this decision and have a peace about it. I wanted to be here for at least 5 years and see the youth I came in with graduate, but sometimes our time is not God's time.

I really feel this time here has helped equip, grow and mature me a lot and touch lives, which I feel was all accomplished. One of the biggest lives touched was mine, by the loving and caring hearts of the people here. We have built many wonderful relationships and we do not think there was a better place to start our new life and family together than here in South Dallas and at NLBF. We were given a wonderful opportunity to minister to people in Texas and were also ministered to. Sabrina and I desire to live closer to our families, mine being in Ohio and hers in North Carolina . We would love to be somewhere in between, but are also open to whatever God has in store as I have not been offered a new job anywhere, it is just time for this journey to come to an end. I do still feel called to ministry, but not sure in what capacity yet. I would appreciate your prayers that my wife and I would be surrendered to the Lord and obedient. That I would be the spiritual leader of my family and that we would draw closer to the Lord and each other. Also pray for the people of NLBF especially the youth. I told them all a couple of Sundays and many tears were shed by me and others.

We have received an overwhelming amount of support from everyone, which means so much. Some of my friends I have told, think I'm nuts for stepping down without anything lined up, especially in this economy, but I just want to be obedient and follow the Lord's leading wherever that is. My God has provided for me for nearly 31 years and isn't going to leave me hanging now! I remember Sabrina and I found out that I got the Dallas job 2 weeks before we were married 3 1/2 years ago and what a wonderful opportunity God has given us again to trust Him. I will be keeping everyone updated on what the Lord is teaching me and my family in the following months.

Who's gotten into the oatmeal?

Mommy looked away for 1 minute and Graydon figured out how to take the oatmeal lid off

Uh oh, I've been caught :)

Taking a nap with dad on the couch watching the NCAA Basketball Tournament

Don't know what it is about the fridge, but if Graydon is around when it's opened, he loves to stand right in front of it. He's recently started standing in it and our electric bill has gone up recently, don't know why?

Graydon Turns 1

It was a slow start, but a strong finish

Did I get any cake on my face?

Graydon giving mommy some of his cake that she made for him

Grampy and Grammy White came from Ohio for Graydon's 1st Birthday.
Thanks for coming, we loved having you both.

O my goodness, I got a red wagon for my birthday from Grampy and Grammy!

Graydon opening his Bible From Grandpa and Grandma Rousay

I like car rides up to a certain point:(

Graydon's First Train Ride

Our Little Texan

In front of the Longhorn statues in Downtown Dallas