We started our vacation with a trip to Powell, Missouri (just over the Arkansas/Missouri border).  We spent the evening with some friends from Powell.  This small town was the home of Albert Brumley, the famous songwriter.  His songs include I’ll Fly Away, Turn the Radio On and many more.  Brumley’s old home place and publishing company was the site of the July 4th festival and firework’s show.  We had a great time with the folks from Powell.

We had a great time at our Father’s Day cook-out!  Thanks to Susie and Cordy for cooking the burgers and hot dogs.

There was a good turn out to enjoy a time of food and fellowship.  As expected I didn’t win the Strongman Contest.  The winners of the contest were Josh Reed and David Roberts.  These guys are real men.  They both lifted and pressed a 70lb log over their head 2 reps of 25 and were willing to do it a third time before we called it a tie.

All the men who entered the contest did awesome.  Doris Burton jumped in on the knife throwing contest and did pretty good.

The 18 foot water slide for the kids was a hit among the young kids and the youth.  The best part of that was the fact that the company couldn’t pick the slide up until late Monday night.  So, Hannah and I decided to make a fun day of it on Monday.  We spent a couple of hours playing on it.  It was a great Father’s Day.

I don’t often attempt to review music.  I have a wide variety of taste when it comes to music.  I like just about any type.  But there is something about folk music that I enjoy more than any other.  Perhaps it is the emotions that is sung in the songs or possibly it is the ballads that describe real life.  Folk music is an enjoyment to my ears.  Now before we move on, let me specify that I listen to Christian folk and there are some artists out there that I really like.

I like music that has a different sound. Something that is not common and that is why one of my favorites is Josh Garrels.  This guy is off the charts.  From his melodic guitar rythms to his unique and versatile voice, I like him.  But one thing that sets him a part is, in his own creative way, he brings a little hip hop flare to his music.  Not rap, but rather poetic lyrics.  It is sweet music to my ears.

For a limited time, you can download his new album for free.  Check out his website here.  I also uploaded one of my favorite songs off his new record.  It incorporates the old hymn, Farther Along, and adds his own flare to it.  Let me know what you think.

The other night we went to Lowes.  As Hannah got out of the car I noticed her picking something up out of the car.  As parents often do when their kids take a little too long, I hurried her up only to notice what she was trying to get before we went into the store.  There she was proudly holding her pink princess Bible.  She carried it in for all the world to see that she was proud of her B-I-B-L-E.

She then wanted me to take a picture of her and her Bible on a lawn mower.  Who knows maybe one day she will ride her lawn mower around the world to proclaim the gospel

Do you get sweaty palms and knots in your throat when it comes time to witness to someone?

Fear instantly grips most believers when it comes time to share their faith with someone they do not know very well. Excuses flood our minds of why we shouldn’t do it. When the Holy Spirit compels us to witness we think it is the devil trying to make us fail. Let me give you a prophetic word, the devil tricks no one into witnessing about Jesus.

He does, however, cause us to fear failure. Failure is not possible when it comes to sharing our faith. We may not see the results right away but we NEVER fail.

We were destined to be witnesses. We were created for such a time as this to share our faith. I like what Paul says to Philemon:, "that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

It is already in you, you just have to acknowledge it. You are a witness. You just may not realize it yet. Look at yourself in the mirror every morning and say, "I am a witness" three times." Well, maybe you don’t have to talk to yourself in the mirror, but get this within your Spirit. You are a witness and were created to witness.

Lay down your fear! Remember the show Fear Factor.  The show spotlighted people facing their worst fears. Eating raw bugs (like eating cooked ones would be any better), risking their lives to cross canyons on ropes and much more. People are excited to see people face their fears. Maybe they should put all of US spiritual cowards on the show and watch us go out and witness. That is a major fear factor.

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of POWER and of love and of a sound mind. Fear means timidity. You don’t have to be timid…be bold. God has already given you every thing you need to witness. JUST DO IT!

D.L. Moody relays the story of how a family can be won to Christ by a smile.  Let us be smiling witnesses for Christ.

"One Sunday morning in London," reported Mr. Moody, "Spurgeon said to me, just before he commenced his sermon: ‘Moody, I want you to notice that family there in one of the front seats and when we go home I want to tell you their story.’

"When we got home," said Moody, "I asked him for the story, and he said: ‘All that family were won by a smile.’"

" Why," said I, "how’s that?"

" Well," said he, "as I was walking down a street one day, I saw a child at a window; it smiled, and I smiled, and we bowed. It was the same the second time; I bowed, she bowed. It was not long before there was another child, and I had got in a habit of looking and bowing, and pretty soon the group grew, and at last, as I went by, a lady was with them.

" I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to bow to her, but I knew the children expected it, and so I bowed to them all. And the mother saw I was a minister, because I carried a Bible every Sunday morning.

" So the children followed me the next Sunday. And they thought I was the greatest preacher, and their parents must hear me. And, finally the father and mother and five children were converted, and they are going to join our church next Sunday."

"Won to Christ by a smile!" said Moody. "We must get the wrinkles out of our brows, and we must have smiling faces, if we want to succeed in our work of love."

HT: Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times.

There are still some items left to be auctioned this Sunday night.  You will find the items attached in a PDF.