The Nothing Blog

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am going to spew you out of my mouth. You say I am rich; I acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. Revelation 3:16 It's not easy to understand God's ways. He tells us the simple reason is, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9).  So when Christians -- His own people -- do not understand at times why He says and does things then it's an issue of our own faith. We have to believe God is the God of all truth. We have to accept His word and His ways as showing His love for us. We believe He is sovereign and in control of all things. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in your ways acknowledge Him and...

Whenever Jesus goes fishing for disciples He already knows who will become His catch of the day as a faithful follower. His true disciples will see His invitation to follow Him as a blessing while others will see their invite as a curse. Before Jesus called His first disciples at the Sea of Galilee, (Luke 5) He had already transformed their hearts from being fishermen to become  fishers of men.  With crowds pressing in on Him on the shore, He  came to the water's edge, stepped into Simon's boat and asked him to "put out a little from shore" so he could continue teaching the crowd. Simon, who would be later called Peter, was already worn out from fishing all day long. Exhausted. Tired. Probably sleepy, too. Ya think? When Jesus finished teaching He said to weary Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down the nets for a catch. Simon answered, "Master, we've worked so hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let ...

Our church hosts a weekly prayer gathering in the student chapel. The same group of brothers and sisters keep showing up to pray together. Upon arrival we receive a list of requests that have been compiled by the church office staff. Then we pray. We're seen God move mountains, save souls, heal the sick, restore relationships, comfort the mourning -- you name it -- God has been pleased to answer wildly and inspires "us to not neglect the gathering together." Louis Chau is a faithful prayer warrior and each week we hear his heart cry out on behalf of others. Louis quietly fasts and prays -- alone at his home -- for everyone on the long list of requests. Then he meets the rest of us on Wednesday nights and prays with us all. Louis has to walk with a cane due to a debilitating bout with polio many years ago. He has to lean on his left leg and hold a cane in his right hand to get around.  He is able to drive a car and his small scooter is suitable for indoors and sidewalks. S...

Sisters, why oh why do we keep believing the lies of this culture that insist  a woman must be flawless to have value?  Magazine covers, TV commercials, billboards, reality TV shows, are selling outward beauty. Their product will help us become flawless beauties. Just think about it.   The truth is there is only One who is Flawless. Jesus is Flawless. Sinless. Perfection. No one else. Never a People Pleaser. Never sinned. Never jealous of others. Always kind. Always loving. Always faithful. Yep. The Savior of the world.  The Holy Flawless One came to earth to save His flawed people so they could turn their backs on the lies of this world and live and think like He does.  He isn't concerned about what the world frets over. Nope. He knows "people look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7).  Even His Word, the Bible, is "flawless" (Psalm 18:30). He uses it to teach His flawed children the truth and how to live and walk in...

If I don't take a few brief moments to talk to God before my feet hit the floor in the morning, then I'll be starving my own soul of the strength and nourishment I'm going to need for the new day. I'll be hungry listening to my own voice, focusing on my own circumstances, and coming to my own conclusions about life. Yikes. Huge mistake. Why? God created me, saved me, unconditionally loves me and generously cares for me and I would ignore Him? "He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else" (Acts 17:25). BOOM! So if I chew on this truth for a while -- that all things come from Him and He controls everything -- why wouldn't I be hungry to know more of this Magnificent Savior? Frankly when I'm really physically hungry I do not like to wait to eat. I don't normally put off eating when I'm famished. Nope. I want to be fed good food, real food, nutritional, life-giving ...

For years I've seen the young children in our neighborhood usually run instead of walk...everywhere! They would run across their own yard into the next one with joy, energy, and expectation of a new adventure of their day. The little boys usually had on Superhero costumes and played all kind of imaginary games confidently overcoming evil. Hmmmm. They stood up to evil, and always won! Hmmmm. Maybe that was because they saw themselves covered with some kind of power that was unstoppable. Hmmmm. And these are the same children who didn't wonder if their Mom would have lunch for them when they ran back into their houses.  And they never wondered if their Dad or Mom would instinctively buy them a new pair of shoes because they were having another growth spurt. And I'll bet, when the children next door ran into their house to get a snack and yelled, "Mom! I'm hungry! Can I have some chips?" they never doubted there would be food for them to eat, any time they needed...

PART 1 -- Introducing Zach and Bre Kell Okay, first of all, it was not Zach or Bre's idea to be identified as "the Chip & Joanna Gaines of Restaurants." No, I saw the resemblance from knowing their talents of taking rundown buildings and creatively fixing them up to be very popular places for fine dining. They have a gift, a knack to create an ambiance that makes you want to linger a little longer after you've received your check! Yep. It's a gift they've been given. So please, let me be clear, the Kells are too humble and way too busy keeping their three casual-yet-classy, dining establishments going -- and with a fourth one under construction in Downtown Canton -- to think they're the Fixer Upper couple of restaurants.  If you're not familiar with them, the Gaines are a dynamic, talented couple with a young family in Waco, Texas, who have taken distressed houses and turned them into gorgeous, cozy homes for their clients on HGTV's "Fixe...