The Barn Church

11/04/2025

Pain, an interesting word. The list is long regarding types of pain. Physical. Emotional. Mental. Just to name a few. Then there are combination of them. Stress at work or over finances creates tightness in the chest and a hollowness in the gut.

Our last 4 years certainly fits into these categories at levels I never imagined. Landing in the ER thinking I was having a heart attack to learn it was stress related which was one of the factors that led to my resignation. Building a house (not HAVING one built, we did ~60% of the work) is something I'd only suggest to a very select few. Then there is the financial strains we encounter. Needing to decide between paying for your utilities and the house payment? The feelings of "not being a provider" creep in even though you've done everything you know to do.

In the midst of this journey I've heard a constant voice saying, "then act like it". The term TALI has come from this. Who knows.... it may even become a book someday. Do I truly trust God? TALI. Is anxiety welling up? TALI. Then comes a stroke. TALI. Double hernias. TALI. Over 350 job applications with no responses. TALI. I'm not talking about faking it. I'm talking about releasing the anxiety, letting go of the stress. If He says that He will provide for my every need.... TALI. Do your part and TALI.

Over the past year I've become more exposed to the deeper writings of CS Lewis. In The Problem of Pain Lewis says, "when pain is to be borne, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than much courage, and the least tincture of the love of God more than all".

Those who have experienced deep pain, anguish, AND trusted God, know exactly what Lewis's statement means. If you've experienced deep pain, anguish, and NOT trusted God. I would challenge you to trust Him.

Much of the pain we experience in life is not because this "loving God isn't so loving". It's because this loving God wants us to know (with experience) just how much we need Him.

Our journey is not over but I can say that I'm a completely different man for having gone through all of this and I wouldn't exchange it for anything! I have friends and family that are losing their minds over the current administration. This grieves me deeply. Politics, while important, are NOT the most important thing. Daniel 2 and Romans 13 (other places as well) speak that God is the one who places and removes leaders. If you believe God. TALI.

Your prayers a deeply appreciated. More to come.

09/04/2025

True Rest is not the absence of problems. It is the presence of God in the midst of our battles.

C.S. Lewis

06/21/2025

I've made more than 23,000 revolutions on our earth and I've noticed some things.

Daniel 2:21 states the God places leaders and removes leaders. They have become God's man for the job, like it or not. If that is true, and God is sovereign (which He is) then why are you anxious or upset by who our President (previous or current) is? I've watched one segment of Believers get upset when Obama, Biden, etc were put in place. I've watched another segment get upset when Trump was put in place.

Regardless of which side of the political scene you're on, can I propose that an appropriate question to ask God is, "why"? Why was Obama God's man? Why was Biden God's man? Why is Trump God's man? I would caution you against applying your own standard of "why". Disregard your political agenda or priorities. Look/listen for the answer to be from God's perspective.

If you're anxious, upset about WHO the President is, have you taken your eyes, ears, heart off God? It would seem that its quite possible.

02/04/2025

Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The next time you pray for someone who is anxious about something, consider not praying for the things they want but for God's peace. Why?

The Greek words for "hearts" and "minds" used in verse 7 refer to different parts of your being. "Heart" refers to the part of you that you feel with. Have you ever had that feeling like you heart was going to beat out of your chest or you felt like you were having a heart attack? That is what this word is referring to.

The word "mind" refers to your intellect. How you think. Logic. How you view a situation.

Isn't it great to know that we can avoid that sick feeling and replace it with the peace that God gives?

Isn't it great to know that our own human logic can be overcome with God's peace?

02/02/2025

Philippians 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,
..and reaching forward to what is ahead.... these words have caputured me.

As many of you know, for the past few years we've been building our home (which is now complete). During that time I've also been looking to get back into the work world. More than 250 applications with only 4 phone screenings, and I'm still looking/applying. During these years I've been challenged in my trust of Him. It has grown in ways I never expected. Has it been hard, yes. But has it been good? Unless you've been there, YES, more than you know!

So why has ...and reaching forward to what is ahead.... caputured me this morning? In this verse, Paul is referring to his earthly departure (see verse 14), but this can also apply to other matters in life. While I'm still looking for work, I'm grateful for what I've been through. My faith is richer. My trust of Him is deeper. I've seen Him perform miracles with our home build. Has it been fun, no. Again, has it been good, YES. It's likely that this growth never would have happen apart from these challenges.

When the next challange, stressful time comes, are going to look forward to what is ahead? I may lead to your own growth, and thats a good thing!

10/13/2024

In a men's Bible study that I attend, we're looking deeply at Galatians 5. Specifically verses 22 & 23, which list the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Often, we look at each of these words as stand-alone words, never considering that connections between these words.
This week, we're focusing on joy and peace (verse 22). The Greek word used for "joy" means calm delight. The Greek word for "peace" means quietness, rest.

My challenge to you is consider whether you can have joy without peace? Can you have "calm delight" in your heart without having "rest" within your heart? Remember that the state of our heart is NOT dependant on our circumstances.

When asked, my close friend says that he has never known joy or peace - my heart breaks for him. If I asked you that question, would my heart break?

10/09/2024

These are ham operators living in the path of the hurricane. They're reporting, live weather conditions.

THIS IS JUST A RETRANSMISSION OF WHAT'S HEARD OVER RADIO, AT THE HURRICANE WATCH NET FREQUENCY, DURING THE MILTON HURRICANE IN OCTOBER 2024.If you hear stati...

10/09/2024

I read this on Instagram. It rings true.

"When you understand that God is never late, you wait differently."

10/02/2024

08/16/2024

The lighting was decent and we had some visitors this morning.

08/15/2024

Fun fact
Crickets can be used as a thermometer to approximate the temperature by counting the number of chirps they make in a given amount of time and applying a formula. This relationship is known as Dolbear's law, which states that the temperature in Fahrenheit can be calculated by adding 40 to the number of chirps per 15 seconds. For example, if a cricket chirps 26 times in 15 seconds, the temperature would be 65°F (25 + 40 = 65).