I gave the invocation at our Emanuel Faith Community Church graduation ceremony for Men’s Fraternity: The Great Adventure last night.
In preparing for this talk, I reviewed “Caleb’s Prayer”, a prayer that has been around for a few years in the Men’s Frat community. I have seen it published a few times, like at Warrior’s Hand and on the Alameda Church of Christ site. I used this as a basis for my talk for the men. We dove into scripture and really pulled out the verses that spoke specifically to those points. I created a slightly modified version of the “Prayer of Caleb” and you … Click to Continue →
As usual, the man with ADHD (me) has a million things flying through my head and I want to write about them all. However, if I don’t get them out on a list I know I won’t remember. So here we go.
Up Coming Blog Topics to Write About
The Budget Debate: Lessons in Communication
House Hold Lessons
God’s Promises: Provision vs Position?
A Father’s Blessing
Driven to Achieve: Motivation vs. Being Content (in Christ)
A Man’s Role: What Does Leadership Look Like ( in the Home, in the Modern Family)
A Man’s Role: What Does Respect Look Like ( in the Home, in the Modern Family)
A Man’s Role: What Does Leadership Look Like ( at work )
A Man’s Role: What Does Respect Look Like ( at work )
That is about all I have this afternoon. I am sure I will add to it in the comments…..
Enjoy. I will pop these out soon.
Until then, May the Lord continue to bless your path.
Your Brother-In-Christ.
May Jesus have His way with your day
– Gary C –
Gary Cartagena is a dedicated husband and father. He is Founder and consultant for Tek Management, Founder of the Men’s Leadership site: CalebStrong.org, Co-Founder of the online Bible study app:BibleCounts
This guy is so blessed with clarity of heart through his words. This poem is awesome and speaks of fighting the “world’s” view of sex and healing.
Check out his other content on YouTube.
May Jesus have His way with your day
– Gary C – Gary Cartagena is a dedicated husband and father. He is Founder and consultant for Tek Management, Founder of the Men’s Leadership site: CalebStrong.org, Co-Founder of the online Bible study app:BibleCounts
I want for praise and reward from this world (or my family/friends) very much but I am doing so little (non-kingdom building) work to merit praise or reward. The work I do for HIS kingdom, is for the Lord, and as Matthew 6:1-8 discusses, I don’t want or expect earthly reward for that effort. It is an effort made as an offering.
The short version is, I am doing something I luv to do in ministry. I am not doing much work that allows me to pay bills, and I am trying to keep my house together in the process. The side effects being that I am getting nothing in return to fill MY tank. (reference to Gary Chapman’s The 5-Love Languages. My primary languages are words of affirmation and physical touch).
The end result is that I am grumpy at home and while working, but perfectly happy at Church when surrounded by those who are also working for the glory of our Lord.
So essentially, I look and feel like a schizophrenic boy scout. I keep trying to get my home life merged into my ministry life but EVERYTHING gets in the way… schedules, school, work, illness, and so on… I feel so empty when I am not working with MF-TGA or ISI/BIC that I ALWAYS want to be working on those things… This of course means I am not at home to connect with my son, or with my wife (when that is even possible). The internal reaction is that the control monster in me comes out. When things don’t go according to my planned schedule and efforts to bond with my family, I become grumpy monster again… I can’t seem to catch a freakin’ break!
As I read scripture today I have been reminded THREE times ( Colossians 3:17, Colossians 3:23 , and Ephesians 6:7 ) that ALL of my efforts are to honor our Lord Christ Jesus and it is His reward and approval alone for which I must strive. I am told as well that I am not given more temptation to sin through my selfish behavior than I can handle, through the will of God and the Holy Spirit, (1 John 4:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:13). Also I am to continue to pray to NOT be led into this temptation to begin with (Matthew 6:13). Additionally, I am called to LEAD MY EMOTIONS with wisdom and love and not the other way around. (Proverbs 28:26, Galatians 5:16-17, Galatians 5:22-23, and Ephesians 4:22-32)
So, though I am not alone and the Lord is with me. I have to make the CHOICE to look for his love and mercy through prayer… Like I said. It’s another suck it up day.. but Like the Lord says. the best is yet to come… (Isaiah 65:17-25)
Gary Cartagena is a dedicated husband and father. He is Founder and consultant for Tek Management, Founder of the Men’s Leadership site: CalebStrong.org, Co-Founder of the online Bible study app:BibleCounts
