Where to start?

When I first came to Church, my life was a mess. I was a wreck, and it seemed that so was my second marriage and our children were suffering also because of the breakdown of the family unit. Everything I had tried to do to make things right, failed and I had to accept that I was out of control and lost. Thank God.

No, I'm not being sarcastic. I mean it sincerely. Thank God. One good thing about being so broken and so low is that there is absolutely no doubt that it was God that rescued me, and my family, guiding and cultivating us, transforming us, loving us, placing good godly people in our lives to edify and support us, and so much more. So, I say, thank you Jesus.

Because of where I was in my life, (a working man, a father and husband), getting things back on track proved not to be easy. I was such a mess and my family was in such a poor state that I felt dis-heartened and like a puppy chasing it's tail. God though, knew where I needed to start and whilst in prayer He hit me with several scriptures.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

That first and the last scriptures hurt a bit at first (until I swallowed my pride) because it made it painfully clear that if I wanted to get anywhere I needed first and foremost to wise up and start fearing God (and not just the reverential fear, but the turn pale, shake in your boots and prepare to be smacked hard fear too). Why? because ultimately, wisdom comes from Jesus. There is worldly knowledge and wisdom, and then there is Godly knowledge and wisdom. Worldly wisdom will get you no-where and I know, because I tried doing things the world's way for many years. But if you really begin to fear God, you will start to grow in wisdom and gain good knowledge and then things start to become clearer. I needed wisdom and I needed knowledge.

The last scripture, Gen 2:24, pointed out to me that I needed to go and work out what it was to be a man as I had failed terribly in being one. Let me say it like this so I leave no doubt. You need to be a man before you get a wife and have children. There is no other way. Men get married, men raise boys, not boys get married and boys raise boys. How could I be a good husband or father if I was not a good man? I couldn't, and that is why I knew (through these Scriptures given to me in prayer), that God wanted me to go back to the very basics and learn how to be a man.

Initially, I was very fearful of this, because I wanted to "fix" my marriage first and work on me later when I had more "time," but God, in his wonderful mercy and grace, kept my family together, (and with several fatherly cuff's to the back of the head), revealed to me that I needed to "fix" me first and work on becoming a good man.

Which is where that second scripture fits in and where I finish this Post.

I am created as a man, by God, in His image.
So what is a man?

Until next time...

Beginnings

Yes, I am a happily married man and proud father and I have a great job and to the best of my knowledge I am well regarded as a good employee there. I'm in a good church where the Bible is preached and taught, and I am able to serve others, and I'm also satisfied with the direction that my life is heading. Sounds pretty good so far, and it is. However, it was not always this way.

Up until roughly five years ago, I was a pretty pathetic excuse for a man. I was not even that good of a husband or father for that matter. Basically, the three major aspects of what I am and who I am supposed to be, I had shot to pieces. For most of my adult life, I made bad choices left right and center, and in the process had hurt and scarred many of the people I love the most.

By God's incredible mercy and grace though, I am no longer that same life-wasting fool. For the last five years I have been walking on a different path, one that has not been an easy one to walk, but it has been proven to be a path that has certainly been worth every single step that I have taken on it. Now five years may not sound like a long time, (and I am not saying that I am living a perfect life or have all the answers), but in all honesty, if you knew me before, in my BC days, you would not be so quick to write off what I have to share.

And that, is exactly what my blogging is all about. Simply sharing what I have learned along the way. If you think you can take any of it and use that, then great, go ahead and have a go, and if you disagree with anything or everything, that's fine too. I'm expecting that to occur as what I have to share not only comes from my own personal experience but also from God and His Word, so I am certain that not everyone is going to like what they read. It is not my intention to offend anyone but undoubtedly I will, so I give my apologies now in advance.

So. Welcome to "Some things to think about," and may Jesus bless you as He has blessed me and my family.