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Saturday, November 20, 2010--
My grandmother was brought to tears when she saw the group that had assembled for their surprise 65th Wedding Anniversary gathering at “The Country House” in Colo, IA Saturday evening. A group of 35 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren had gathered from all across the state to celebrate the blessed occasion. What she may not realize is, I believe the rest of us were holding back tears of our own: tears of joy and pride. I hate to use a sports reference here, but one of the best “proud” speeches I ever heard was Iowa State Football Coach Paul Rhoads’ “I am so proud to be your football coach!” speech after the Cyclones beat Nebraska last year. The video was an instant internet sensation. It was a great speech because it was real, sincere, passionate, and from the heart. Similarly, with real sincerity, and passion, and from the heart, I will say on behalf of the entire Jelsma clan, “We are so proud to be your family!” We are proud that you have stayed true to the vows of marriage—through good times and bad, richer and poorer, in sickness and in health…for 65 years. We are proud that you have been equally faithful as God’s servants at Calvary Baptist Church in Union for over 50 years. Not only have you been faithful, you have been a rock in the foundation of that church; charter members; sticking with the church through good times and bad, richer and poorer, and helping those in sickness and in health…just like a marriage.
At a time when the divorce rate in America is hovering at 50% and the sanctity of marriage seems all but lost, the chance to celebrate 65 years is something to be proud of. I am so thankful for my grandparents, Jim and Connie Jelsma, and the example of faithfulness they have been for all of us—children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. An unknown author once said, “Grandparents are the footsteps to the future generations.” If that's true (and I believe it is), imagine how great a future our country would have if all grandparents were as faithful and wonderful as mine.
“Proud to be your grandson”
Andrew Gogerty
Submission
Did you know (according to dumblaws.com) that bear wrestling matches are prohibited in Alabama? Or that it’s illegal to have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time? How about this one: You are breaking the law in Minnesota if you get caught crossing the border with a duck on your head! In Ottumwa, Iowa it is illegal for a man to wink at a woman he doesn’t know! And, one of the funniest laws of all, again in the wonderful state of Alabama—it is illegal to flick boogars into the wind! Yes, as wonderful and vast as our freedom is in the United States of America, there certainly are some “questionable” rules, aren’t there? Did you know the Bible states that we should obey EVERY one of them?
We’ve been studying 1 Peter in our College Sunday School class for the past 6 weeks, and the last lesson was taken from 1 Peter 2:13-20. Peter states that we should “Submit ourselves to EVERY ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.” Of course, as we discussed, the only time this is not the case is when one of man’s laws contradicts God’s Word, but otherwise it’s our duty to submit to each and every law and lawmaker, no matter how crazy they may seem. The reasons are plentiful:
1. Every lawmaker is, himself or herself, accountable to God.
2. It’s a crucial part of our testimony—breaking rules or laws damages our credibility as Christians, and the basic concept of obedience. If we can’t obey common laws, what does that say to unbelievers about our ability to obey God’s laws? Verse 15 says that obeying “puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
3. Obedience, even suffering for our obedience, is “commendable before God.” (Verse 20).
One of the most important things we learned in our discussion of submission is that the ATTITUDE of obedience is nearly as important as the ACTION. How many times in our lives do we obey rules or rulers, but complain about them? Most of us need to think no farther than our daily jobs—there are plenty of dumb rules we probably obey, but how many of us complain about them everyday? I will be the first to raise my hand! In many cases, having the proper attitude toward those rules and toward those in authority over us is much more difficult than the actual act of obeying them. But, as we discussed, having a bad attitude is almost more destructive than the lack of obedience itself—it rubs off on all those around us, and corrodes our testimony as Christians. So, the next time you want to complain about a dumb rule at work, or the stupidity of your boss, remember the lesson from 1st Peter: We are to obey EVERY law and ruler…and have the proper attitude.
We’ve been studying 1 Peter in our College Sunday School class for the past 6 weeks, and the last lesson was taken from 1 Peter 2:13-20. Peter states that we should “Submit ourselves to EVERY ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.” Of course, as we discussed, the only time this is not the case is when one of man’s laws contradicts God’s Word, but otherwise it’s our duty to submit to each and every law and lawmaker, no matter how crazy they may seem. The reasons are plentiful:
1. Every lawmaker is, himself or herself, accountable to God.
2. It’s a crucial part of our testimony—breaking rules or laws damages our credibility as Christians, and the basic concept of obedience. If we can’t obey common laws, what does that say to unbelievers about our ability to obey God’s laws? Verse 15 says that obeying “puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
3. Obedience, even suffering for our obedience, is “commendable before God.” (Verse 20).
One of the most important things we learned in our discussion of submission is that the ATTITUDE of obedience is nearly as important as the ACTION. How many times in our lives do we obey rules or rulers, but complain about them? Most of us need to think no farther than our daily jobs—there are plenty of dumb rules we probably obey, but how many of us complain about them everyday? I will be the first to raise my hand! In many cases, having the proper attitude toward those rules and toward those in authority over us is much more difficult than the actual act of obeying them. But, as we discussed, having a bad attitude is almost more destructive than the lack of obedience itself—it rubs off on all those around us, and corrodes our testimony as Christians. So, the next time you want to complain about a dumb rule at work, or the stupidity of your boss, remember the lesson from 1st Peter: We are to obey EVERY law and ruler…and have the proper attitude.
Legacy
I recently had the privilege of attending a 25th anniversary gathering for one of my co-workers. 25 years with the same company is a long time. The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted in a 2008 study that baby boomers, on average, held about 11 different jobs between the ages of 18 and 42. Longevity on a job indicates many things—dedication, hard work, consistently producing good results, respect of your supervisors and peers, and much more. One of my favorite memories of this co-worker goes all the way back to when I first started with the company 12 ½ years ago. I was fresh out of college, didn’t know the first thing about the industry, and felt like I was constantly turning to co-workers for help. As with anything you are new at, you tend to draw yourself to those who are helpful--not just helpful, gladly helpful. There’s nothing more frustrating than when you start something new and you feel like you are a burden to those around you, so when someone is gladly helpful, that is a huge blessing.
I always get sentimental at these kinds of events with all the talk about accomplishments, favorite memories, and the passage of time. They make me ask myself—“What kind of a legacy am I leaving? What will people say about me some day when I retire? When I die?" And that’s really the challenge for all of us. Life is so fleeting, so temporary. What are we doing on a daily basis in the lives of our co-workers, family, and friends that REALLY makes a difference? We should make it our goal to do something nice every day—even if it’s just gladly giving helpful advice or encouragement to a friend or co-worker. After all, the gospel—the good news of Christ—can’t be effective if we don’t show our love to others. And that’s really what life is all about—sharing the gospel, and making a difference in the lives of others. That’s the kind of legacy we should all aim for.
I always get sentimental at these kinds of events with all the talk about accomplishments, favorite memories, and the passage of time. They make me ask myself—“What kind of a legacy am I leaving? What will people say about me some day when I retire? When I die?" And that’s really the challenge for all of us. Life is so fleeting, so temporary. What are we doing on a daily basis in the lives of our co-workers, family, and friends that REALLY makes a difference? We should make it our goal to do something nice every day—even if it’s just gladly giving helpful advice or encouragement to a friend or co-worker. After all, the gospel—the good news of Christ—can’t be effective if we don’t show our love to others. And that’s really what life is all about—sharing the gospel, and making a difference in the lives of others. That’s the kind of legacy we should all aim for.
A New Appreciation For Dogs
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I’ve never been much of a pet lover. Maybe it’s because I was too afraid to fall in love with them when I was little. Our first dog, Barney, ran away when we moved to the country. He simply couldn’t adjust to the country life and continuously made the four-mile trek back into the town of Zearing before we had to let him go. A year or two later, our coonhound, Trump, froze to death during a brutal Iowa blizzard. He was an interesting dog--he used to sleep on top of his doghouse outside, which reminded me of Snoopy. And he had that cool howl coonhounds make. My first real pet I took ownership of was Lucy—a black, adorable cocker spaniel we got from a breeder in Eagle Grove. I still remember the car ride back with the puppy, barely the size of a football, scared to death as it rode home with us in its little box, whimpering the whole way. But Lucy, like the next two dogs that followed her (Daisy and Doc), didn’t last very long. They all got ran over by cars and busses within a year or two. I tried my luck with a pet cow after that, but all he did was eat a bunch of corn, poop a lot, and continuously break out of his pen and chase my mom around the yard. You can read about him in one of my previous posts about Mr. T. The last dog I had when I was growing up was the best. “Maggie” was a yellow lab that never did any harm and lived a good long life, but she came along around the teenage years when cars, sports, and girls become the focal points in the lives of most young men. So you can see why I never got too attached to animals—they never stuck around very long.
My wife, on the other hand, has always been a dog-lover. She had a Schnauzer named Jenna for all of her childhood. So with her love of dogs, and my kids’ constant begging for one, I was only able to say no for so long. And, when you have a little girl that sits on your lap, bats her eyelashes at you and gives you the “puppy dog” eyes, it’s pretty much over. That happened two years ago, and we’ve been home to a dog named Jake ever since.
Now, I don’t always have the time to spend with Jake that I should, or even the room in my heart to love him properly--just too many irons in the fire. But a scenario happened the other day that really made me think. It had been a rough day at work with lots of problems and as soon as I got home, there was Jake anxiously waiting at the door for me like he always does. I wasn’t exactly excited to see him and kind of kicked him out of the way like I so often do. He proceeded to follow me into the bedroom and sit at my feet, even though I didn’t want him around at that moment, and my wife said, “You know Andrew, that dog just loves you no matter how you treat him.”
And that’s when it hit me. My dog’s relationship with me is so much like Christ’s. Sometimes I treat Him like dirt and don’t want Him around. Sometimes there’s just not enough time in my life for Him, and sometimes there’s not enough room in my heart to love Him the way He deserves. But regardless of all these things, He is always happy to see me and always loves me unconditionally. He’s always at my side, always anxious for my attention and affection. What a solid reminder to all of us. Maybe it’s time for us to sit at Jesus’ feet and love Him the way our dogs love us—wide eyed, ready to serve, with our tails wagging, loving Him with all our hearts-no matter what the circumstances in our lives are.
Andrew Gogerty
Life is a Baseball Game
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” --Romans 8:31
Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox is my favorite Major League Baseball player. At 5’8”, 170 lbs, he defies all the odds of a professional athlete. "His story is very much about overcoming adversity," says writer Edward Delaney, who is ghosting Pedroia's forthcoming book, Born to Play. "He was a great player at every level, but questions on his size and strength caused a lot of people to dismiss him too quickly." (Boston.com)
Despite his size limitations, Pedroia has never given up. He displays a confidence and a determination that is clearly the driving force behind his success. Harold Reynolds of the MLB Network recently asked Minnesota Twins Catcher Joe Mauer who the best “talker” in all of baseball was. Mauer, without even hesitating, mentioned Pedroia and told a story that happened just this year in a game between the Twins and Red Sox. Pedroia was at the plate and continued to foul off pitch after pitch. Finally, after Pedroia had fouled yet another close one down the line in left, Mauer said to him, “I don’t know what else to throw you.” Pedroia quipped, “That’s alright, no one else in Major League Baseball does either!”
You gotta love the non-defeatist attitude of Boston’s sparkplug of a second baseman. No matter what someone throws at him, he comes out swinging. Pedroia never gets cheated on a pitch. And that’s the way it should be in our Christian lives. No matter what Satan throws at us, no matter how many curve balls he throws our way, no matter how many times we get knocked down, we need to come out swinging. Just like the 5’8” slugger that no one believed would succeed, we may often feel small and overwhelmed with the challenges of life. We need that fireball mentality, that confidence Satan cannot defeat us, no matter what the odds may be. After all, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
. . . .
One of my favorite Dustin Pedroia interviews ever:
“A couple of years ago, I had 60 at-bats and was hitting .170 and everyone was ready to kill me. What happened? (Gets a smirk on his face)…Laser show.”
Mr. T: Boyhood Hero; Real Life Role Model
“I was so infatuated with Mr. T, known as B.A. Baracus on The A-Team, that my brother and I named our pet cow after him.”
Looking back on my youth, there weren’t many things cooler in life than a tough guy TV star who wore half a ton of gold jewelry, a mohawk, and fought for good over evil. Throw in an army theme with lots of action, guns, explosions, and a catchy theme song and you have a ten-year old boys dream show. The A-Team’s first episode ran on January 30, 1983 right after the Super Bowl, and regularly on Tuesday nights following. The show stayed in the top ten of the Nielsen ratings for three years before finally losing popularity in its fourth and fifth (and final) seasons, but it was always #1 in my world. I was so infatuated with Mr. T, known as B.A. Baracus on The A-Team, that my brother and I named our pet cow after him. Yes, B.A., which stands for “Bad Attitude” was certainly an appropriate name for our lone, spotted Holstein, who always looked mad and constantly broke out of his pen. I’ll never forget my mom chasing that cow around the yard, bucking and kicking like a bronco in a rodeo. My brother and I were scared to death of that cow. I’m pretty sure Mom just flat-out hated it.
I didn’t know much about Mr. T, the real-life person, at the time, but if I knew then what I know now, I probably would have admired him even more. Recently, Mr.T was interviewed about the new A-Team movie, which opened June 11th, 2010. Mr. T declined a role in the movie because he disagreed with the nature of the material in it. Here’s his response:
“[The new ‘A-Team’] was too graphic for me,” Mr. T, who played teammate B.A. Baracus, told the Express. “I’ve no doubt it will do big business at the box office, but it’s nothing like the show we turned out every week.”
He elaborates, saying, “People die in the film and there’s plenty of sex, but when we did it no one got hurt and it was all played for fun and family entertainment. These seem to be elements nobody is interested in any more.”
“We ran on TV for five years without having to sex-up the show. You can’t get away with that these days. It saddens me that our light-hearted approach has been replaced by gritty realism.”
Unfortunately, that “gritty realism” is what dominates American pop-culture anymore. It seems like you can’t turn on the television without being doused by a mix of sex, drugs, and violence. I give Mr. T two thumbs-up for his critical stance of the new movie. It’s rare to find Hollywood actors and actresses who hold good, conservative, Christian values. It’s just too bad that the flick will associate him with “a crime he didn’t commit.”
Did you know?
--Mr. T’s real name is Laurence Tureaud
--He is the youngest of 12 kids
--His dad was a minister
--He is a born-again Christian
--He worked as a bodyguard before acting. His business card read, “Next to God, there is no greater protector than I.”
The Important Things In Life
“While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.”
~Angela Schwindt
My family and I attended a wedding this past weekend, and during the ceremony I was thinking—“Is there any single event in life that produces a wider range of emotions than a wedding?” There’s the excitement the groom feels as he waits to see his bride. There’s the sadness a father feels as he gives away his daughter. There’s the nervousness of the wedding party, hoping everything goes smoothly. There’s the awkwardness of half the children in the church when the Pastor gives the ok to kiss the bride (my 8-year-old-son buries his head in his lap and refuses to look). Think about it—nearly every emotion imaginable is present in one way or another at a wedding.
A popular thing to do at weddings within the last ten years or so is to show a video of the bride and grooms lives from birth to present. And that’s the part that always gets me emotional. It’s not the vows, or the daddy giving away his baby girl, or the bride’s tears of joy (although someday when that’s my little girl up there, I will need six or seven boxes of tissues)--it’s the video. Why? Because it reminds me just how quickly my time with my children disappears. All those pictures of the bride and groom when they were babies, then toddlers, then teenagers. All those pictures of their special moments with their moms and dads and brothers and sisters, shooting baskets in the driveway, celebrating birthdays, taking vacations, and the like. It reminds me of the important things in life, that regardless of my selfish desires like my own hobbies and my career, I need to spend as much time with my kids as possible. It’s been said that when one is at the end of their life, they never wish they would have worked more, they wish they would have spent more time with their families.
My mother-in-law has a framed quotation hanging in her living room that I absolutely love. I thought about it a lot during the wedding the other day, especially during the video presentation. It says, “Don’t be too busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” It’s a great reminder the next time you’re having a bad day at work, or feel a little overwhelmed by the anxieties of life. Families are one of God’s greatest blessings. Enjoy every second with them!
Did you know???
--June is the most popular month for weddings.
--The wedding industry is a 70 billion dollar a year industry.
--The average cost of a wedding is $22,000…guess I better start saving for my 4-year old daughters wedding right now!!
--The average age for the bride/groom is around 26 years old.
--The average bridal gown costs $800.
--67% of women continue to wear the same fragrance they wore on their wedding day.
(All information taken from the National Association of Wedding Ministers)
Our children teach us what life is all about.”
~Angela Schwindt
My family and I attended a wedding this past weekend, and during the ceremony I was thinking—“Is there any single event in life that produces a wider range of emotions than a wedding?” There’s the excitement the groom feels as he waits to see his bride. There’s the sadness a father feels as he gives away his daughter. There’s the nervousness of the wedding party, hoping everything goes smoothly. There’s the awkwardness of half the children in the church when the Pastor gives the ok to kiss the bride (my 8-year-old-son buries his head in his lap and refuses to look). Think about it—nearly every emotion imaginable is present in one way or another at a wedding.
A popular thing to do at weddings within the last ten years or so is to show a video of the bride and grooms lives from birth to present. And that’s the part that always gets me emotional. It’s not the vows, or the daddy giving away his baby girl, or the bride’s tears of joy (although someday when that’s my little girl up there, I will need six or seven boxes of tissues)--it’s the video. Why? Because it reminds me just how quickly my time with my children disappears. All those pictures of the bride and groom when they were babies, then toddlers, then teenagers. All those pictures of their special moments with their moms and dads and brothers and sisters, shooting baskets in the driveway, celebrating birthdays, taking vacations, and the like. It reminds me of the important things in life, that regardless of my selfish desires like my own hobbies and my career, I need to spend as much time with my kids as possible. It’s been said that when one is at the end of their life, they never wish they would have worked more, they wish they would have spent more time with their families.
My mother-in-law has a framed quotation hanging in her living room that I absolutely love. I thought about it a lot during the wedding the other day, especially during the video presentation. It says, “Don’t be too busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” It’s a great reminder the next time you’re having a bad day at work, or feel a little overwhelmed by the anxieties of life. Families are one of God’s greatest blessings. Enjoy every second with them!
Did you know???
--June is the most popular month for weddings.
--The wedding industry is a 70 billion dollar a year industry.
--The average cost of a wedding is $22,000…guess I better start saving for my 4-year old daughters wedding right now!!
--The average age for the bride/groom is around 26 years old.
--The average bridal gown costs $800.
--67% of women continue to wear the same fragrance they wore on their wedding day.
(All information taken from the National Association of Wedding Ministers)
Waiting
Is there anything harder in life than waiting? My daughter was so excited to go to the zoo this week, she would have fast-forwarded right to Friday if she could have, constantly asking us “How many more days ‘till we get to go to the zoo?” I’ve watched one of our college students count down the days until his wedding for seemingly months now and today is their big day. We have aspiring missionaries in our church waiting for the Lord’s provision for them to get to their respective missions fields. We all have friends or loved ones battling health issues, waiting for the Lord’s healing, hoping to return to their normal, healthy lives. Waiting is difficult. It’s easy to be like little kids, constantly asking God, “Are we almost there yet?”
We live in an age of instant gratification. We want that new car or house NOW, a new job NOW, that vacation NOW. We want to do things OUR way and on OUR time schedule. But God tells us to be patient, to wait on Him. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” We learn in James 5:11 that God “blesses those who endure” and that He “is very compassionate and merciful” on them.
Waiting is a daily struggle with our sin nature. Even infants cry when they don’t get things immediately. Relationships suffer when we’re not patient with one another. Parents pray and wait for their children to walk in obedience with the Lord. Those of us who have trusted Christ as Savior wait for un-saved loved ones to do the same. We all struggle with patience and waiting in some aspect of our lives, don’t we? I love music and I have a favorite song about waiting that I’ll share with you to close. I found the video on YouTube. It’s a good one to keep on your “favorites” list and listen to whenever you are struggling with the waiting game.
We live in an age of instant gratification. We want that new car or house NOW, a new job NOW, that vacation NOW. We want to do things OUR way and on OUR time schedule. But God tells us to be patient, to wait on Him. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” We learn in James 5:11 that God “blesses those who endure” and that He “is very compassionate and merciful” on them.
Waiting is a daily struggle with our sin nature. Even infants cry when they don’t get things immediately. Relationships suffer when we’re not patient with one another. Parents pray and wait for their children to walk in obedience with the Lord. Those of us who have trusted Christ as Savior wait for un-saved loved ones to do the same. We all struggle with patience and waiting in some aspect of our lives, don’t we? I love music and I have a favorite song about waiting that I’ll share with you to close. I found the video on YouTube. It’s a good one to keep on your “favorites” list and listen to whenever you are struggling with the waiting game.
Life is a Vapor
“For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” James 4:14a
Another year of teaching our College Sunday School class is drawing to a close. Graduations are taking place on high school and college campuses around the nation. My children are finishing yet another year of elementary school in the next couple weeks. Our little girl, the last of our children, starts early kindergarten next fall. Life goes fast doesn’t it?
For the last 12 weeks or so, our Sunday School lessons have come from the book of James. It’s been a blessing to prepare and study these lessons on “Genuine Faith.” This Sunday’s lesson was about making plans. We talked about the ways people plan for college, vacation, retirement, career advancement, weddings, etc… While we can’t ignore the importance of making plans and specific details of them, it’s important to remain flexible to God’s will and keep Him as the focal point of all our plans.
Graduation time and the end of a school year are always good times to reflect on what has been and what is to come. It’s an emotional season for many—a significant marker of sorts in the passage of time. There’s an old quote I like which says, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” It’s a quote we can remember and think about every single day; it never changes. Whether you’re 18, 38, or 88, this saying is a reminder (along with the verse at the top of the page) that time is precious. We need to take careful consideration for the plans we make, be diligent in completing them, spend every second of our time wisely, and remember to make God our focus in all we do.
So long for now—time to go play with my kids!
Another year of teaching our College Sunday School class is drawing to a close. Graduations are taking place on high school and college campuses around the nation. My children are finishing yet another year of elementary school in the next couple weeks. Our little girl, the last of our children, starts early kindergarten next fall. Life goes fast doesn’t it?
For the last 12 weeks or so, our Sunday School lessons have come from the book of James. It’s been a blessing to prepare and study these lessons on “Genuine Faith.” This Sunday’s lesson was about making plans. We talked about the ways people plan for college, vacation, retirement, career advancement, weddings, etc… While we can’t ignore the importance of making plans and specific details of them, it’s important to remain flexible to God’s will and keep Him as the focal point of all our plans.
Graduation time and the end of a school year are always good times to reflect on what has been and what is to come. It’s an emotional season for many—a significant marker of sorts in the passage of time. There’s an old quote I like which says, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” It’s a quote we can remember and think about every single day; it never changes. Whether you’re 18, 38, or 88, this saying is a reminder (along with the verse at the top of the page) that time is precious. We need to take careful consideration for the plans we make, be diligent in completing them, spend every second of our time wisely, and remember to make God our focus in all we do.
So long for now—time to go play with my kids!
Welcome To My New Blog!
Labels: Opening Statement
Three years ago, I began a journey that would change my life. As I penned the opening pages of Royal Reign, I had no idea my passion for writing was so fierce. All I knew was that I had a story about a basketball team that was desperately aching to be told. There was just something inside of me that couldn't keep it contained, so I took the leap of courage and faith and decided to write a book, despite knowing the fact that some people would think I was crazy. After the book was written, I still had the passion to write, so I began my first blog: Sports Caffeine. This new blog, Faith Caffeine, an extension of my original blog, is designed to share something else that's inside of me, something else that's way more important than sports, that also desperately needs to be told. It's something else I can't contain, and while people still may think I'm crazy, I begin my first blog post for Faith Caffeine.
Thirty years ago, at the age of five, I began the ultimate journey that would not only change my life, but more importantly, my eternity. My parents regularly took me to a tiny church in Union, Iowa by the name of Calvary Baptist Church. From the day I could understand teaching, I was taught the Gospel, both in my home and at church. The Gospel is the message that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, lived a life without sin, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, raised again the third day, and lives eternally in Heaven. Those of us who believe that message and accept Christ as our Savior can look forward to also spending an eternity with Him. A couple of key verses in my salvation are Romans 10:9-10 which says, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." And Ephesians 2:8-9, which says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest anyone should boast." The key to understanding the gospel is knowing that there's nothing we can do on our own to earn salvation, there's no way we can do enough good things, or try to be good enough. The key to understanding salvation, is to know that the penalty for the things we do wrong (sin) has already been paid for by the blood of Christ when He died on the cross for us. All we have to do is confess our sins and accept that free gift. It's so simple.
Living a life of faith is not so simple. Accepting Christ as our Savior is the easy part. Living out a life of holiness and faith every day is the tough part. Hopefully, as we grow both in age and maturity, our faith grows stronger day by day. This new blog is designed to allow me to express myself in ways that are not always easy to do otherwise. It's a way for me to share my faith with others more creatively. It's a spot I hope you'll enjoy coming to, participating in, and growing in your own walk with God. It's designed to stimulate a stronger faith in God through scripture, music, and life experiences. It's caffeine for your and my faith, and I couldn't be more excited.
Andrew Gogerty
Thirty years ago, at the age of five, I began the ultimate journey that would not only change my life, but more importantly, my eternity. My parents regularly took me to a tiny church in Union, Iowa by the name of Calvary Baptist Church. From the day I could understand teaching, I was taught the Gospel, both in my home and at church. The Gospel is the message that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, lived a life without sin, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, raised again the third day, and lives eternally in Heaven. Those of us who believe that message and accept Christ as our Savior can look forward to also spending an eternity with Him. A couple of key verses in my salvation are Romans 10:9-10 which says, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." And Ephesians 2:8-9, which says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest anyone should boast." The key to understanding the gospel is knowing that there's nothing we can do on our own to earn salvation, there's no way we can do enough good things, or try to be good enough. The key to understanding salvation, is to know that the penalty for the things we do wrong (sin) has already been paid for by the blood of Christ when He died on the cross for us. All we have to do is confess our sins and accept that free gift. It's so simple.
Living a life of faith is not so simple. Accepting Christ as our Savior is the easy part. Living out a life of holiness and faith every day is the tough part. Hopefully, as we grow both in age and maturity, our faith grows stronger day by day. This new blog is designed to allow me to express myself in ways that are not always easy to do otherwise. It's a way for me to share my faith with others more creatively. It's a spot I hope you'll enjoy coming to, participating in, and growing in your own walk with God. It's designed to stimulate a stronger faith in God through scripture, music, and life experiences. It's caffeine for your and my faith, and I couldn't be more excited.
Andrew Gogerty
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