I remembered today how much I hate studying for tests.

There was a reason why I only took 3 semesters at college. I hate studying!!! Oh, not that it is really so bad, I just don't like doing it. It's like eating vegetables. It's good for you, but doesn't taste well going down. I and a friend of mine are taking the EMT course at the local Vo-Tech at the request of our director here in our town. I do have a little bit of an advantage over everyone except my partner in crime from our department who is taking the class with me. We just took this same, well basically the same, course a couple of years ago and I have a lot of it stored in the ol' memory banks because of putting it into practice. This will be a semester of stretching for me. I am taking this class, studying for all my sermon preparation, keeping up with my 2 boys while Loraine, the better half, is teaching at school. I looked at my calendar and I have every night of the week minus Saturday and some Sunday nights, booked for the remainder of this year, well until 12/11 when class is over. If you read this and are a prayer warrior then please, pray for me and my family and do it often!!!

Wild Goose Chase Review

All I can say is that for me personally the chase is on!! I am challenged really easily, but something in this book has inspired a desire for getting out of the cage that currently is my place of residence. I generally read a book and try and read it as quickly as possible because I have several books on my plate to read. Some of them are started already and some need to be started. Tie in with that the fact that I am currently taking classes at the local vo-tech to gain my certification as an EMT, I had little time to read this particular book. As of this writing I have just few pages left and will finish those before my head hits the pillow tonight.

If there is one thing I had to say about Mark and his writing (Lion in a Pit and Wild Goose Chase) is that it is very easy to follow. I read his books and don't realize where the time went or realize that I read more than intended, but it's really like reading a conversation he's having with someone. I have to laugh sometimes because he asks questions in the book and I find myself actually answering them, out loud.

The cages that he deals with and references throughout the book really hit me like a ton of bricks, especially the cages of Fear and Failure. I have come to realize that in my life that I fear many things, even though I try to say that I don't. The one giant fear that I have is the fear of Failure. I find myself dreaming big dreams that are, I believe, God inspired dreams and I freeze when it comes time to put them in play. Why? I fear failing. Some people in their fear of failing choose to do it and let the chips fall where they may. Me? Because I fear, I hide and don't do anything. That's actually the cage I find myself in currently. But I hear the honking of a goose nearby!!!

I will say this for all of you out there that are looking for a book to give away to people in your church, family, students, whomever. This is a great book GET IT!!! I have a couple of friends that I know could use it and will be recommending it to. I actually want to get it for a couple of college students I know and a couple of pastors that I know. I have been ministered to and challenged greatly by this book and I hope that it makes the bestsellers list!!! I give this book and enthusiastic 5 Stars, 2 thumbs up, and whatever else comes to your mind as giving it a grand review. Take care and God bless!! For more information head on over to www.chasethegoose.com or for more of Mark and his writing head over to www.markbatterson.com

Wild Goose Chase

Just got an email this morning that I got chosen to be one of the bloggers that gets to read Mark Battersons new book, "Wild Goose Chase" first!! I am pumped. I loved "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" and I love reading his blog and tweets on Twitter. He is someone that I really get a lot out of in his writings and sermons (yes I subscribe to the podcast). I am ready to get the book in my hands and get to reading. If you want to check out a sample chapter or the website go here www.chasethegoose.com. Look for the review sometime in the next week or so, or as soon as I get the book in my hands. Thanks to Mark and his publishers for the great hook up!!! Oh, I will be giving away a copy as well. We'll figure out how in the next couple of days. Take care, God bless, and may Brett Favre become a Viking!!!!

I’m a Technology Addict

Short post tonight. I am just stopping in to put something on here and make a confession. I love technology. It's a good thing and a bad thing. I want unlimited data for my Treo. I want an IPhone. I want to get a Mac Book or IMac, I don't care which. I am trying out a new feature on Microsoft Word 2007 right now. I am writing this in Word to see if it will post to my blog here. We'll see what happens. I am hoping to start writing a bit more often as God is really doing some stuff in me and I want to share it with some of you!!! Stay tuned for more!!!

Dead or Alive?

For those of you who thought that I had died or something; I just wanted to let you know I am still alive and well and am making preparations to begin writing in earnest on here. I have some things that are really burning in me that I want to get out. You can also follow me on twitter.com/willjenkins if you are interested. It's more of a daily thing about what is happening at the spur of the moment. Talk to you later!!!

Fighting

I have to admit something. You ready? Are you ready? Let's get it on!! That is one of my favorite sayings in all the world!!! Anyone care to guess or think you know where that comes from? I'll tell you. Those are the words spoken by Big John McCarthy when the big battles begin on the Ultimate Fighting Championship. I have been a fan of the UFC for years now. Didn't get to watch much until the last few years as the popularity of the sport has grown to the point that a cable network has picked up a lot of the broadcasts for things other than the pay-per-view events. I watch every chance I get and I have even shelled out the $40 or $50 to see the ppv live!! I watched UFC 75 from London tonight. I confess that I knew who won all the fights before I watched, stinkin' time difference and spoiler information on the net!! But I watched just the same. You are probably ready to find a different blog by now. Hang with me for a sec.

While I am watching these great athletes test their skills, endurance, will, and sheer desire to win, I was struck with the idea for a message for the church that I pastor or maybe even a series of messages. The Ultimate Fighting Christians. Every fight whether an MMA bout, boxing match, street fight, or fight between siblings all have some similarities that we would all do well to know and take to heart as we battle the enemy of our souls. Several things we have to understand in order to win any fight we take part in are as follows.
1. We have to fight to win. If you fight to fight then you are just a bully who is violent natured and probably has some sort of mental defect. If you don't fight to win why fight? Paul told his young apprentice Timothy on at least 2 occasions to fight the fight of faith. I like to think that he meant fight the fight of faith in order to win!! Matter of fact he did say that we should fight to win in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. The gist of that passage is that everyone that competes competes to win, no matter the competition. If you run, run to win. If you play ball, play to win. If you fight, fight to win.
2. We have to know who our enemies are and our teammates are. We fight the enemy and help the team. If we fight the team then we help the enemy!! I get really sick to my stomach when I hear about church people that are fighting amongst themselves. Don't they realize that the more they fight each other the less they fight the enemy? If we don't fight him then he wins!!!! The enemy is not the person on the other side of the building. The enemy isn't the person who didn't know they were in "OUR" seat. The enemy isn't even the Pastor who may want to do things a little bit different than they have always been done!! If they have always been done that way do they always work? If not they should probably be changed!!! Fighting the enemy isn't something that we can take out our 9mm, our boxing gloves, or even swords out and do. We have to know and understand that the place that we as Christ followers fight is on our knees and in our closets as we engage in Spiritual warfare through prayer!!!
3. We have to train in order to fight. How do we do that. Paul said that he beat his body into submission so that he wouldn't be disqualified from winning the prize. Think about all the baseball and football players that have been accused lately of taking shortcuts in their training in order to get ahead, by taking P.E.D.'s (Performance Enhancing Drugs). Barry Bonds, like him or dislike him, love him or hate him, has broken this year a record that people thought would never be broken. All sorts of accusations abound about him taking steroids etc. He has never failed a drug test though that has been administered by Major League Baseball. I don't like him, never have never will, as a player or as a person. But I do admire his skill even at his age. We have to train ourselves daily to fight this fight of faith that Paul talks about. We have to discipline ourselves in order to win.
4. When it's time to fight, we have to fight like there is no tomorrow!!! I have seen way too many fights where one of the combatants didn't "leave it all on the mat or in the ring"! You know what happens to them? They lose and often get hurt severely. God didn't give us the gift of His Son Jesus, the gift of eternal life, or the gift of His Spirit so that we could say that we could fight. NO!! He gave us those gifts so that we would fight!!! The fight that we fight has more ramifications than just here on earth. Our very soul and spirit depend on how we do in the fight. If we fight on God's side then we will win. We may lose a round or battle here and there, but the war is ultimately won by us with and through HIM!!

So I say this to you as I finish this post, FIGHT HARD, FIGHT the ENEMY, TRAIN TO FIGHT, and FIGHT TO WIN. And in the immortal words of Big John, "LET'S GET IT ON!!!"

Let Me Introduce Myself

First let me say that I have adult ADD, I think, what was I saying. Look at the colors on the screen...wow...pretty!! Just kidding! I am new to the blogosphere and I hope that I can keep this up to date. I will make no apologies for what I will write because I want you to get to know the "real" Will. This will be raw and free and I hope that through this blog someone can see that although we have and will have much more to answer for as Pastors, that we are real people who struggle with real issues and deal with things just like the rest of the world. We are not immune to these things, as much as people want us to be. We have bad days just like the rest of the world, we have sleepless nights, and we want to choke people sometimes too!!

I do want you, whoever reads this, to know that I do love God with everything I have in me, my family more than my own life, and you, yes you too!! I don't know who will come across this and what you may be dealing with at the time you read it, but (not wanting to sound cliche) God loves you and so do I!!