Have you every noticed that its easier to start the fire pit these days than when we were kids? It has been snowing here in Colorado for about two days and now our pit has challenges. My 10 year old twins, however, are determined that they can get it going! We have tried this before and I tell you, I have lost my touch. Back when I was a kid, it only took one spark and that fire was a blazing!

As I said, I have been here before. I have spent hours, drying out the wood, cleaning out the pit, and preparing the entire event. A lot of thought goes into the ordeal. Not to mention the time it takes to put the fire out! That is where I am usually left holding the bag. I am sure the Dads out there understand this one. Why am I left cleaning up the mess from the fire? I guess the less experienced fire starters do not consider the time time it also takes to put that thing out! You can’t just walk away, its dangerous!

The Book of James talks about this same idea. James warns us to, “Consider what a great forest is set ablaze by such a small spark!” He was of course talking about our tongue and the destructive power that it has over our lives and the lives of others.

Perhaps you have noticed how easy it is to let our words get the best of us? Without thinking, we can inadvertently say the wrong thing, at the wrong time, and burn up the relationships that often mean the most. James goes on to say that, “the tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire…” Similar to the fire pit, it takes much longer to rebuild a relationship once burned, than it does to start one.

Like my now soaked fire pit, there is only one way to tame the tongue; living water. Being in God’s word everyday is the only way we stand a chance in extinguishing the pride of life that fuels the fire. Walking close to the Lord will help us to “cool” our tongues. It will give us a greater consciousness of the words we say and the effect they have on people.  Our words have the power to lift up. Our words have the power to encourage. Our words have the power to bring light into the darkness that those around us are walking in. Choose life!

Living a courageous life means considering others as more important than ourselves.

TCL Team~

If you are reading this blog, you more than likely love Rocky movies as much as I do. You obviously can quote every word. For the rest of you, this quote comes from possibly the best movie…ever! I am not ashamed to admit that I have watched these (all) Rocky movies more times than I can count. However, my favorite is Rocky V. I think its because I can relate to this one more than the others. 

For the novice, in Rocky V, Rocky has just lost all his money due to his bonehead brother-in-law Pauly. He is old, retired, injured, and a bit off in the head. Man, can I relate? His life has fallen apart. To make things worse, the younger, faster, and more able fighter, Tommy Gun, gets enticed by the dark side and is convinced to challenge Rocky to a fight. Of course in manly fashion, the shirts come off, and my second favorite quote in the movie is heard, “My rings outside!” 

Needless to say, things do not go well for Rocky. Tommy is simply too young, too fast, and too strong. Rocky just cannot do what he used to do. Tommy strikes Rocky; he lands in the gutter and cannot recover. As his wife and son watch him fall, the crowd that always accompanies humiliation, cheering and sneering, Rocky is defeated. But worst of all, the onlookers can see Rocky’s face; he has given up on life. Life has knocked him down again and this time, he has reached the end of his rope. He has no strength left. Have you been there?

Funny how the last thing to go is the mind. As Rocky lies there in defeat, something deep inside his mind triggers memories of all the other times he’ll been down but got back up. But this time was different. He finally reached the end of himself. That is until he went all the way back to Rocky I. Where it all began, he recalls Mickey Goldmill (His trainer for those who live in a cave). He remembers Mickey leaning over him in a similar situation and saying, “GET UP, YOU BUM, CAUSE MICKY LOVES YOU!” Cue Rocky music, and it’s on!

Somehow, at this point, Rocky has power and strength, not his own. He feels Mickey’s spirit flowing through his veins and now has the strength to pick himself up again. Wait for it…Rocky stands and says, “Yo Tommy, I didn’t hear no bell! One more round!” 

Has life ever knocked you down? Has you ever been struck so hard that you didn’t have the power any longer to get up? I have. When my wife and I lost our son to cancer, I felt like Rocky in that gutter. I had nothing left. It seemed like the enemy had won. I felt the world watching as my life was crumbling down all around me. I’m talking in my bones. But then I heard a voice. It said, “Get up, son, because Jesus loves you!” 

I am here to tell everyone still reading this blog, two thousand years ago, Jesus took the deepest blow for you. He died for you. When life knocks you down, and you have no strength, when you are down on your knees, call to Him and He will lift you up again. No matter what you are going through, when you say “I can’t,” remember, Jesus can. 

With Jesus, you can always go one more round! 

~Be strong and courageous.

From the beginning, it was intended for us to live and love one another as a body of believers. To help each other, to work with one another, and to love one another. Life, however, has a tendency to pull us in so many different directions. At times, life quite frankly can be overwhelming. During these difficult times, it’s important to remember that life is better when we do it together. 

For myself, I believe in creating a solid foundation from which to stand. With that being said, this foundation requires making good choices. When we make the right decisions with those we do life with increases our ability to deal with tough times.

Don’t miss understand me, please. I don’t mean you should exclude yourself from the outside world. Jesus said to His disciples to go and share the gospel. This means sharing your life with others. We just need to be careful. 

My point is to do life with people who will help to increase you in every way. Those that encourage one another to be the best version of ourselves. When we are down, they will lift us up, and we do the same for them. 

Today, my call is to seek life builders and run our race together; as one body. Blessings to all of you. 

Create Unity Not Division!

Sitting around a fire pit never gets old. I am not sure what you think of when you think of a fire pit, but it brings back great memories for me. I remember always having lots of family and friends all drawn around the fire. I recall never having enough of those old assorted folding chairs, but somehow we made room. It was always exciting to finally get my chair in just the right spot on chilly winter nights. The smoke did not blow in your eyes, yet you were close enough to feel the heat. Can you smell the marshmallows burning? There is always laughter and joy around a fire pit and sometimes even tears. One thing for sure, there was always love.

Although those memories are behind me, the idea of that fire pit is not. The fire pit is a fantastic gift that God designed for me when He drew Chris and me together to follow Jesus. Before we were born, he knew that our friendship was pre-ordained and that our desire to share Christ would consume our lives. He created a “fire pit” to meet, talk, and grow in our faith.

Although we grew up in the same house, we are very different. And yet…together. Together, we sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron. (Prov. 27:17)

We are both fathers & husbands, both leaders, both devoted Christ-followers, both humbled by God, and both walking out the call to profess the Word of God. This journey is more significant than we could have ever imagined. Whether speaking at our local church, mentoring in the workplace, or talking to strangers in the street, we are committed to anything God has prepared for us.

Your fire pit may have been different from mine. Maybe you did not have one at all. The fact is, it does not matter what either of us had in the past. What matters is that we can create the meeting place in the future that we need. What is significant about “our” fire pit is that it has room! 

Come join us at fire pit for good conversations and good stories…
~Russ