F3 Knoxville

Tag: Music City

Don’t Believe the Fishing Lies – This One Was Easy

THE SCENE: 70 degrees and muggy like a guy with a ski mask and knife
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER + COVID
WARM-O-RAMA:
Cherry pickers, tempo squats x 6, high knees with 3 burpees, butt kickers with 3 burpees
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the sanctuary parking lot

Fell in mud (just me)

  • Down and Back – From the sidewalk, run to the first parking island – 10 merkins, 10 squats, 5 burpees and return to the sidewalk. Advance to the second island, repeat. Continue to work at remaining islands up to the far sidewalk and then hit descending parking islands for a total of 9 stops+.
  • Using the posts of the covered walk to the sanctuary:
    • 10 squats (touch the ground with one hand) and then lunge to the next post (repeat for 5 min)
    • 30 second wall sit
    • 3 burpees per post and then bear crawl to the next post (repeat for 5 min)
    • 30 second plank
    • 10 Monkey Humpers and walk on your tip toes to the next post (repeat for 4 min)
    • 10 American Hammers and Imperial Walkers to the next post (repeat for 4 min)
    • 10 Twinkle Toes and Bernie to the next post (repeat for 4 min)
  • Mosey to the AO

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

17 HIMS – Butter Knife, Slappy, Curry, War Zone, Trolley, Pringle, Cheatsheet, Dumpster Dive, Bekky, Mermaid, Waxjob, Curveball, Pom-Pom, Tuba, Baby Boomer, Music City, Dogbite, Commission.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

The people of Nineveh were wicked and God intended to bring his wrath upon them. Before he did though, He told Jonah to go to the city and warn them to repent. Jonah tried to physically hide from God by boarding a ship and fleeing to another city. The ship soon found itself in a great storm; the crew and the passengers were all in a panic with the exception of Jonah. He was found resting in the hull of the ship. The others, rightfully bewildered about his lack of concern pressed him for an answer regarding his non-action. He confesses that this storm is his fault and that if they just through him overboard, the waters will calm. They throw him over, the the storm passes and a massive fish swallows Jonah whole.

Jonah spends three days in the belly of the fish where he repents and readies himself to carry out God’s will. The fish vomits him up on the beach and the Lord calls upon him a second time to preach repentance to the wicked citizens of Nineveh. The city is large, about three days of walking from one side to the next. Jonah walks for a day, 1/3 of the way into the city and begins preaching that God intends punish the Ninevites. In a wicked city, you’d expect Jonah to be mocked, beaten, surely run out of town but the people of the city had their hearts pricked by his message. From the least to the greatest, they repented. The King himself issued a decree that no man or animal was to eat or even drink water for three days and that they were to remove their garmets and wear sack cloth in hopes that God would forgive them. The Lord saw their hearts and he indeed forgave them.

If you have ever tried to talk to a large crowd (much more a whole city) about God, it NEVER works that way! Yet here an entire city repents and draws near to God. Surely Jonah was out high fiving, strutting around the city, weeping tears of joy…Jonah Chapter 4:1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”

Whaaaaaat?! Why would he…how could Jonah feel that way? Didn’t God just show you mercy and forgiveness a couple of days ago?

1 John 4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Don’t think it is enough to just not hate your brother, this scripture says that if you do not love him, you cannot love God. How can you love someone you have not seen if you don’t love the person you have seen? There is no greater love than spiritual love; we have to be thoughtful about studying and sharing with others. There is no shortage of physical love that needs to be shared as well. We cannot turn a blind eye to hurt, injustice or suffering. We are HIMs – we see a need, we fill a need.

MOLESKIN:
We prayed for our nation and we prayed for Mermaid’s coworker, Rick, who is still in ICU.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Keep it real!

Say Hello To My Little Friends

THE SCENE: Low 70’s & clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER Normal disclaimer + Covid 19
WARM-O-RAMA:
Motivator from 5
High Knees
Cherry Pickers (SLOW)
Baby Arm Circles forward/backward x 10
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the abnormally large pile of CMU’s, and everyone was instructed to grab 2 each.  We farmer carried the blocks around campus while stopping to do exercises, all exercises included the use of at least one CMU.  The exercises included the following: Shrugs, curls, tri extensions, deep merkins pushing the chest below your hands while on the blocks, blockees, wall squats, squats, lunges, calf raises, dips, squat thrusters, big boy sit ups, hello dollies, flutter kicks, bent rows, and maybe a few more, but you get the gist.  After carrying those CMU’s everyone was exhausted and most forearms were shot.

MARY:
No specific mary, as we made it back to the AO at 0615, but the flutter kicks in cadence to 40, with a cinder block over your head made up for the lack of mary at the end.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
21 HIM’s would be the record in attendance for Shamrock.  We had 21 for an OTB before we became official.  Add tags for GI Jane & Curry.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Popovich, 71, said it’s up to white people to step up — “no matter what the consequences” — and help lead the charge for change.

I read the full article over the weekend, click the text above for a link to the full article.  The quote I shared this morning gave me lots to think about over the weekend.  Too many times in my life, I witnessed things and decided, that is not my fight, I am staying out of it.  Simple things like an off color joke at work, where it is easier to laugh, than the say that is wrong.  The inequality in the way women are treated, the way acquaintances talk down about others, whatever the example, and there are many, its easier to go with the flow.  With a little maturity, and a stronger backbone, I am tired of letting things go.  I still have to decide which battles I want to fight, but as a father, I want to set an example for my kids, I want to teach them to stand up to bullies, and to not be afraid to take a stand.

I shared two stories from last week.  One, where my Muslim neighbor called my black neighbor the N word.  Both kids are in 4th grade, and surely the aggressor didn’t understand the gravity of the use of that word in general, but especially in the current climate surrounding the protests that have risen up from the George Floyd murder.  In my mind, this wasn’t my fight, but I have to say, I love my neighbor.  He wasn’t home and I would want him to stand up for my daughter, so I went in search of the boy.  The boy and I have had a total of three of these conversations over the course of a couple of years, and I tried to explain, firmly, why his behavior was unacceptable.  Who knows what the future holds, but I anticipate having many more of these conversations in the future, by the way talking to the parents doesn’t help sadly, I have tried that too.  The point is, my kids saw me set the example of what is right and wrong, my neighbor saw that I had his back and was willing to defend his daughter, and this boy was reprimanded and held accountable to his actions.  I am not saying I was right, but I determined that being silent was the wrong action.

Later in the week, I had one co worker tell another coworker that she owed him a lap dance.  They have known each other a long time, and it was an obvious joke, but again, it isn’t right.  That was also something that for a myriad of reasons can not be ignored.  So, on a Friday afternoon, I had to call out a 60 year old man for being out of line.  As a leader, we have to set the example and call out those whose actions are reprehensible.  I am not the fun police, but sometimes that is the consequence.  Somethings just aren’t funny.

Being silent is being complicit.  If you witness these situations and do nothing, then like George Floyd’s death, the bystander police officers allowed a man to die by taking no action.  It is time that we as HIM’s stand up to injustice.  That doesn’t mean you have to go to rallies and protests, but simply taking a stand opposed to taking no action speaks volumes.

Galatians 3:28, NIV: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” …   We are all the same in the eyes of Jesus, and he lived that.  He was radical, in his appeal to Jews, Greeks, women, outcasts, the unclean, etc.  There was no demographic that was untouchable to Jesus.  If he is our example, then we need to follow him and be the voice of Jesus.  It is simply about loving others, let’s don’t over complicate things.  As Popovich says let’s lead the charge for change.

MOLESKIN:
Pray for Nicole, Anchorman’s friend, Pray for Cheat sheet’s daughter Willow, and pray for the world.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Sign up for Q’s

The Return of the Big Dipper!

THE SCENE: Awesome evening.  Partly sunny, low 70s, not much breeze
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Welcome to F3, Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. F3 is a free workout program designed to improve fitness, share some camaraderie, and foster male leadership in the community.  I’m Pele and I will be your Q today.  I am not a professional, and I do not know your fitness level or injury history.  Please push yourself, but modify the workout as necessary to avoid making any existing injuries worse.  The goal is to get better together!  Some additional COVID-19 considerations: keep your distance between you and other members of the PAX and any other folks that we pass during moseys, etc. to 6-10 feet.  We will be splitting up into groups smaller than 10 if necessary.  We need to set good examples and be good neighbors out here at this public park, especially with so many folks out and about.

WARM-O-RAMA:

-20 Side Straddle Hops (4-ct), IC, 10 Cherry Pickers (4-ct), IC, 10 Steve Earles (4-ct), IC, 10 Grady Corns (4-ct), IC.  We also scattered in 30 “Marine Burpees” (burpee minus the Merkin at the bottom) in honor of Mandolin’s 35th b-day.  The Q was getting tired during the dang warmup, so we stopped there but added 5 more during the workout to make 35.

THA-THANG:

We split into two groups to be in compliance with local health guidelines.  Mr. Jinxy was Q2.

  • Mosey to the Grinch’s Hill. Do 3 sets of 7s, going up the hill a different way for each (always run down the hill):
    • First 7s. BERNIE SANDERS up the hill
      • Mountain Climbers (4-ct)
      • Burpees
    • Second 7s. EL CAPITAN up the hill
      • Star Jumps
      • Smurf Jacks
    • Third 7s. BEAR CRAWL up the hill
      • BBS
      • American Hammer (4-ct)
  • Mosey to Perimeter Trail near Area 51. Nickel-dime-quarters (run 1 light, do 5 of the exercise, run 2 lights do 10, run 5 lights do 25), with Carolina Dry Docks as the exercise.
  • Mosey a little ways up the base of EVEREST to get off the trail and out of people’s way. Do 10 of each exercise, run up 1/3 of hill and back down, then 20 of each exercise, run up 2/3 of hill, then 30 of each exercise, then run to base of summit.
    • Exercises: Big Boy Situps, LBCs, Flutter Kicks (4-ct; switched to 2-ct for the last set)
  • At BASE OF SUMMIT do 10 of each exercise, and then TAKE THE HILL!
    • 10 x Burpees, Bobby Hurleys, and SSH

MARY:
Q1 did X’s and O’s and Homer/Marge until Q2 finally decided to show up at the shovel flag.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
18 HIMs, including Clooney (couldn’t tag) and FNG Duck Hunt, who is Mandolin’s 2.0.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Jesus said that following his death, “You will know the Holy Spirit. It will be in you, and I will be in you, and you will never be alone.”  The Bible also says that God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve wondered what the Holy Spirit looks like, and I’m still not 100% sure.  I thought it might look like a benevolent ghost, or a sparkling cloud with rainbows and unicorns or something that would fill you with wonder if you were to look upon it.

But these days, when it may appear that God is keeping His distance from us, I think the Holy Spirit looks a whole lot like the doctors that hold the hands of patients dying from the COVID-19 virus, who can’t have family members be with them during their final hours.  I think it looks like volunteers and loved ones who drive by and wave and hold pictures up at the windows to cheer up the residents of nursing homes.  Or parents who tirelessly help their children learn at home. Or people who contribute money or time to food pantries.  Or communities who gather outside and bang on pots at a certain time to congratulate the graduating high school class, like they did in my home town.  Or the local baker who baked a thousand cookies for the first responders at Beth Israel hospital in NYC.  At first glance, God and the Holy Spirit may seem to be distant from us these days.  But in truth, I think they are closer than ever.

“God will be with us, if we follow his commandment to love each other as Jesus loved us.” (John 13:34).

MOLESKIN:
It was just awesome to have our fearless leader Lilydipper join us again.  We prayed for him and his wife, who is undergoing treatment for cancer.  Prayers also for 3 classmates of Abscess who passed away last week.  Prayers of thanks for Pusher’s anniversary, and Thunderstruck’s mother, who is ill but felt well enough to do a short hike to a waterfall on Mother’s Day. And Happy 35th, Manilow!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Some PAX are going to Morristown to assist with their launch on Saturday.  They will be leaving around 5:30 am. Contact Abscess or Steam for more details.

Pay Attention and Be Thankful

THE SCENE: Felt like South Beach but at least there was no lightning, thunder, or downpours.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Welcome to Fitness… Fellowship… Faith – In that order

Keep your distance, I have a phone for emergencies, I am not a pro, modify as needed

WARM-O-RAMA:
4 Burpees OYO; 4ct SSH (IC) x 20; 4 Burpees OYO; 4ct Tie Fighters (IC) x 11 both directions; 4 Burpees OYO; 4ct Grady Corns x 20; 4 Burpees OYO; Cherry Pickers x 5; 4 Burpees OYO

THA-THANG:

Mosey to Upper Lot by Church at Columns for Battle Buddy Relay (keep your distance though):

HIM 1 wall sits at columns while doing baby arm circles (5 forward and 5 reverse and repeat) while HIM 2 runs as fast as possible to location about 40 yards away and returns; Upon return HIMs switch and HIM 2 holds wall sit/arm circles while HIM 1 runs to location and back; Complete 4 times for each HIM

Mosey toward High School for Four Corner Action (PAX split with half running counter-clockwise while other half went clockwise to help spread out – but had to “pay attention”):

First lap did 20 reps, 2nd lap 15 reps, and so on for 4 laps

Corner 1: Squat Jacks (single count)

Corner 2: Step Up/Jump Up (by Saint Patty)

Corner 3: Plank Jacks (single count)

Corner 4: Derkins (using the curb)

Faster runners headed to Saint Patty for some chips and dips while waiting on the 6 to roll up (merkins and dips along short wall)

Mosey around to Pavilion for some pushing and pulling; PAX spread out around picnic tables and worked through 50 incline merkins and 50 table rows (alternating 10 reps at a time).

Mosey over to Detention Hill for some character builders; 10 calf raises at the top; run to the bottom; 10 squats; get back up the hill however possible (impressed by a few that Bernied up).  Repeated 3 or 4 times… but who’s counting? Guaranteed sweating across the PAX at this point for sure.

Mosey back to the AO

MARY:
PAX finished up with unlimited sets of LBCs; Flutter Kicks; BBS; and Hello Dollies

Wrapped up the fun with a Howling Circle of Monkey Humpers; PAX all performed Monkey Humpers as each member took turns counting off 5 reps; Howling ensued about half-way around the circle.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Encouraged the PAX through the workout to “pay attention”!

In Luke 17:11 a familiar story is captured where Jesus was teaching the disciples and noticed a group of 10 lepers nearby (socially and emotionally distanced).  Jesus called to the lepers and healed them miraculously and sent them to the priest.  The 10 were amazed and rejoiced as they ran away, but only 1 of them was “paying attention”.  And to beat all he was a Samaritan (socially unacceptable to be associated with by any “good Jew” at that time).  The Samaritan returned to Jesus and fell at His feet in worship and gave thanks for healing Him.  Giving glory and honor to the Son of God and Savior.  Only the Samaritan had the right perspective in the midst of his miraculous healing – not on what happened to him but Who had done it.

Encouraged the PAX to pay attention to the grace and mercy alive in our lives as HIMs (if we truly know Jesus as Lord and Savior) and respond with thankfulness and gratitude.  We need to give Him glory for the great things He has done in each of our lives.

MOLESKIN:
Prayer request for Goodwin (sp?) family who lost the dad (a pastor) in a driving accident – wife and 3 kids left behind; prayed for Willow the daughter Cheatsheet; and prayed for Baby Boomer’s daughter Riley who is having tonsils removed on Thursday.

Word of praise from Baby Boomer for those who prayed for his daughter Claire last week (had knee surgery on Friday) as everything went well.

The Fighting Irish Get Steamy

THE SCENE: Look good – feel good – play good. The scene looked good, the weather felt good, and the HIM played good for 45 minutes.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

  • Welcome to F3: Fitness – Fellowship – Faith
  • My name is Steam and I’ll be your Q this morning!
  • Couple of things before we begin:
    • (1) I’m not a professional
    • (2) You’re here on your own volition
    • (3) I don’t know any injuries you may have – so if you need to modify anything we do today, do it, but push yourself and the men around you! You desere it and so do they.
  • FNGs?
    • Brad
    • Cameron


WARM-O-RAMA:

 

  • SSHs: 15×4 IC
  • Rockette: 10×4 IC
  • Cherry-Picker: 5×4 IC
    • 1 burpee on your own
  • Imperial Walker: 10×4 IC
    • 2 burpee on your own
  • Baby Arm Circles: 10×4 forward
    • 3 burpee on your own

THA-THANG:

(More than 10 split up – keep in mind distance guidelines)

[ A Tale of 2 Parking Lots ]

(15 total PAX – split into 2 groups to start)

  • 2 Points of Contact
    • AO parking lot
    • Parking lot to the right by the track
  • 6 exercises total (3 in each lot)
  • 15 reps each exercise
  • Ping-Pong maneuvering
    • Execute 1st exercise in 1 of the 2 lots –> run to the other lot and execute the 1st exercise in that lot
    • Rinse & repeat until all 6 exercises are complete: 90 total reps
  • Once all 6 exercises are complete – gather back in the AO lot
    • PAX executed 10 8-count body builders/man-makers

(PAX mosey toward the front of the school)

[ The Big C ]

(split up into 3 groups of 5)

  • The Big C = the roundabout/dropoff at the front of Catholic High school
  • 4 points of contact in the big C
    • Top
      • Plank Jacks: 15 (1 count)
    • Middle
      • SSHs: 15 (1 count)
    • Bottom
      • Decline Merkins: 15 (1 count)
    • Opening
      • Merkins (1 count)
  • Rinse & Repeat 2x

(When done – PAX gather in front of the school and FNG Cameron is called on to lead the men around to the left to the next point)

[ 15s ]

  • Dips
  • Box Jumps/Step-Ups

(Post 15s – FNG Bradley is called to lead the men around to the left to the next area)

[ The Fighting Irish ]

(New exercise Q made up – it’s a WIP: Work in Progress)

  • Look at the mascot for the fighting irish – basically it
  • 4-count exercise
    • (1) Lunge with 1 leg and punch forward with the opposite hand
    • (2) Back to standing position
    • (3) Repeat #1 with opposite leg/arm
  • Mermaid takes about half of the PAX 1 way down the side of the parking lot – Steam takes the others in the opposite direction
  • Both teams execute 5 Fighting Irish and run back to the start

(PAX mosey around the school until they’re facing the AO parking lot)

[ Nickel – Dime – Quarter ]

(PAX separates into groups of 5 –> at 3 different points of contact about 25 yards away)

  • Nickel: Burpees (5)
  • Dime: Squats (10)
  • Quarter: Merkins (25)

(PAX mosey back into AO and circle up)

MARY:
[ Cash Out – modified for the last 60 seconds ]

  • 10×4 shoulder taps
    • 10 slow merkins
      • 10 quick merkins on your own

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

13 PAX + 2 FNGs = 15 total

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

“I know what I have to do but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it” – Kylo Ren

MOLESKIN:

This was an incredibly tough BOM to deliver and type out. But I’m excited to share this with you men. It’s a little long, but I don’t know how else to share this part of my life any other way. I hope you enjoy and get as much out of it as I did.

That quote above under “COT/BOM” is from Star Wars: The Last Jedi. GREAT movie if you haven’t seen it. The character in question is Kylo Ren – “the bad guy” that turns good in the movie. Spoiler alerts, sorry.

Before you read any further, this will make way more sense if you watch this scene from the movie that my BOM was centered around: https://youtu.be/F0rvLs–9UY

I didn’t know I would get so much out of this small movie clip than I did, but I think this was immensely intentional for me to watch – God knew what he was up to. Let’s walk through the scene in the movie clip above – the message below is one that was so powerfully given to me by the Lord that it hit home in a way I didn’t know home could get hit.

-The Scene-

  • Kylo Ren turns around and looks into his father’s eyes (Han Solo)

“I miss you son” – Han

“Your son is dead” – Kylo Ren

“No, Kylo Ren is dead. My son is alive.”

  • This was so powerful to me. The father’s compassion and heart for the son is calling what the son thought was dead back to life – sonship. Kylo Ren = the identity that Ben Solo has chased after and pursued hardcore for a long time. The father is trying to remind the son that he is more than this identity of Kylo Ren.

“You’re just a memory” – Kylo Ren

“Your memory. Come home.” – Han Solo

  • This is an invitation from the father (Han) – inviting the son (Kylo) to come back home. With tenderness he speaks this.

“It’s too late. She’s gone.” – Kylo Ren (referring to Leah)

“Your mother’s gone. But what she stood for, what she fought for, that’s not gone.” – Han

(^^^Still processing what this part means^^^)

“Ben” – Han

  • The father calls the son by his true name, Ben. This might have been the first time the son has heard his true name in a while.

“I know what I have to do but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.” – Ben Solo

  • With visible trembling and fear, Ben Solo utters these words, shaking, because he’s heard his true name from the father.
  • The father reaches out places his hand on the son’s shaking face tenderly, and seeing the doubt and questioning, and heartbreak in his son’s eyes he says:

“You do.” – Han

  • At this moment, Kylo Ren is no more. Ben Solo has been called by name by the father and is alive – reborn and returned to rightful sonship by the father.
  •  Ben Solo lifts up his light-saber – the very thing Kylo Ren’s identity was tied to, and the object that caused him to forget WHO he was and WHOSE he was – by the hand of the enemy.

“Dad…” – Ben Solo

  • This is the first time this character in Star Wars utters this word. Ben Solo, now whimpering and trembling and shaking – calls his father “dad” for the first time.
  • The father (Han Solo) sees his son’s agony and heartbreak, but also sees the light in his son. He smiles and says:

“I know.” – Han Solo

  • With great understanding and compassion for his son, Han says this reassuringly. The father’s love for the son shows clearly. This is what the father always wanted – his son to return to sonship and recognize who he really was and whose he really was.
  • At this moment – Ben Solo turns and hurls his light-saber off in the distance, watching it disappear in the clouds and storm. Ben Solo knows this is what he had to do – knew this is what the father was calling him to do, yet he doubted his strength to do it.
  • As Ben Solo turns back around – Han Solo is gone. Ben Solo is alive and has re-purposed identity and mission critical compassion and grace from the father.

-End of Scene-

The first time I watched this movie – didn’t think a thing about it. Just thought it was a great film (it is). The Lord has done a lot, A LOT in my life since the first time I watched this movie. I was faced with the extremely tough realization last week that I am Kylo Ren and I am also Ben Solo. And the father figure (Han Solo) in the movie has always been God. Let me explain.

Since 2013 I’ve fleshed out, worked on, put countless hours in, dedicated time and blood/sweat/tears into pursuing a potential career in the military. I’ve trained my ass off. I’ve suffered. I’ve worked hard towards this goal. This is what I felt like the father was calling me to do. I prayed about it. I consulted wise council for it. I went through the process multiple times over the past 7 years. It became an identity for me – and a good one! This is such a worthy pursuit, a good endeavor. I felt like this is where the Lord was leading me over a period of years. And the things that God has showed me along the way has been life-changing/game-changing. Things such as F3, things such as leading men, things such as leading small groups and adventures for college men and so much more. I worked so hard and chased after and pursued “Rachel” – that I almost lost sight of the implication that God’s will might be in Leah (Genesis 29:15-25).

God’s been doing some hardcore wrestling with me…let me re-phrase that. I’ve been doing some hardcore wrestling with God (more specifically in the past year) about how all this plays out and where I feel like He’s calling me to be. So I know I didn’t stumble on this seemingly insignificant Star Wars clip on accident. It was an intentional heavenly interference so I could better understand and hear the Lord’s voice instead of fighting it. I’m so tired of fighting. It’s been a long/drawn out wrestle and fight. 

So watching this scene from the movie – it hit me so hard, that I am Kylo and Ben. And I feel like God gave me the above notes from the scene to really speak to me in a compassionate and loving way. Like I said, I’ve been fighting for so long, because THIS is what I wanted, THIS is what I’ve worked so hard for and THIS is what I thought you wanted with my life God. And there came a point of realization when the father’s voice can no longer be fought with or wrestled with – to the point where I understood what I needed to do, but didn’t know if I had the strength to do it – to lay something I had worked so hard on down at the father’s feet and let it die. It feels like God is asking a lot of me, to lay this desire of my heart down for him. I’ve heard him calling me to lay this (pursuing a military career) down and I’ve dismissed it before.

But sometimes God calls us to let things die so He can allow other things to live. I’m still working through this – it’s hard. All of this, and you’re asking me to give up now? No. I hear him calling me to give it up and lay it down at his feet, not give up my sonship or identity in him. And with tears and pain and heartbreak I come to the Father and say “God I know what you’re asking me to do but don’t know if I have the strength to do it.” And God so lovingly and compassionately reminded me that “You do.”

So tomorrow morning I am expected to provide communications to a Sgt. that I’ve had the pleasure of working with throughout this process – and not with a heavy-heart, but with one of gratitude I will symbolically let go of my light-saber that I’ve slung so tightly to, as I know the Father has called me to do. 

Thank you for the encouragement you men provide to me and have provided me for the past 4 years. Iron truly sharpens iron.

-Steam

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.