A Gift from my Son

My son wrote me this poem as a birthday gift... I am speechless...

♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️

Linked, two chimes ring out
Observing, desperate to hear
Vibrations unheard
Eternally searching

Years pass, but their resonance holds
Over the floods of discordant noise
Unbroken by the static

Deeper and deeper runs their bond
Advancing ever still into uncertainty
Determined to find more like them

❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️

How Can I Get Some of that FAITH?!!

I am Blessed. I find myself overwhelmed by just how awesome God is. I am constantly reminded of the benefits that have been bestowed upon me as an adopted prince of the Great King. Much more than finance, my life is rich with Friends and Family who are beautiful. I bask in undeserved Love from all sides and I have an immeasurable peace that is worth more than any dollar can buy.

My friends always ask me how I got to this point of Faith. How did I come to lean on my Father for EVERYTHING? How did I come to understand that my Dad is real and not a story that I’ve chosen to “accept” as true? How can an educated, logical man choose to trust in the improbable and bizarre chain of events that the bible weaves? How do I believe?

I’m no different than anyone I know. I haven’t been given any insight that is not available to everyone. My Faith is the result of a Walk. I am the product of a series of meticulously planned and methodically placed steps that have been laid out before me by my Father. These steps weren’t designed to lead me to riches and fame. Nor were they orchestrated to make me perfect.

The Blessed result of my continual walk is simple… To know the Father. There’s a huge difference in knowing ABOUT God and actually KNOWING Him. The purpose of this Walk is to bring you to the latter. This is the key to the city. It’s the Holy Grail. The better you get to know the Father, the more clarity is released in your life. The more clarity you have, the shorter distance to Peace. And anyone who’s ever experience God’s Peace will tell you, THAT’s the real endgame. That’s where you want to set up residence.

God’s peace trumps the bill collectors, the cheating spouse, the nagging sickness, the marathon unemployment, the drug habit, the evil boss, the hunger pains, the eviction notice, the divorce papers, the overheated engine, the judgmental friends, the hurtful words, the abusive hands, the lingering addiction, the loneliness, the heartache… The Peace of God trumps it ALL…

How do you get it you ask? Good question… There’s no magical oil required… No ancient mystical chant needed… No permission from the preacher necessary… Absolutely no financial obligation to pay for (that’s another topicJ)…

Beloved, all you have to do is seek His Face. Yearn for Him. Ask Him to be closer. Tell Him you can’t get enough of Him. Make Him your focus. Stumble and fall towards Him until He clears your path. He wants you more than you could ever imagine. He wants to give you the desires of your heart; you just need to tell Him you want Him. That’s it. That’s all. Wake up each day and tell Him you intend to chase after Him. Release His Hands into your life. He wants you regardless of where you are. Trust me…

And as He begins His work in you, just watch how your life falls in place. Watch how He moves on your behalf. The evidence will be for YOU. You’ll begin to see that He’s real. He will speak YOUR language for YOUR ears. Natural man will be confused… They will be quick to call you a fool. WHO CARES?!! I would choose to be fools in God’s court over a king out of His favor ANY DAY!!

Faith starts with your spark. But God kindles it into a flame… a fire inside you that will permeate from your very pores. People will feel it when in your presence. They’ll see it on your face… in your walk… They’ll hear it in your voice… Focus on God; invite Him into your everyday life… He wants every minute.

I could write about this for hours. But I’m gonna let you marinate on it for a bit…

Let me just say that there’s no special prayer you have to pray for Him to respond saints. The shortest prayer will work… “Help” Or even better, call on that Name… “Jesus”! Commit to a 30 second conversation with the Father every day. That’s all. You’ll find very quickly that it won’t be enough for you. Get a hold of an audio bible if you don’t like to read. Just do something.

Ok, I’m through… I Love you whether I know you or not… I’m learning that from my Daddy!! Be blessed!!

For Those Who Have an Ear…

40 Valentine's Days

Happy Valentine's Day!

So I'm being introspective on this V-Day... What exactly am I looking for that is soo hard to find? I've been associated with some extremely beautiful women in my life, inside and out, and yet "The One" is ever elusive... I won't allow impatience to dictate life decisions, but I am truly beginning to question my criteria...

Here is the List:

1) She has to know my Dad... not know of Him - KNOW Him...

My walk is riddled with acts of Faith and constant correction from my Father. the last thing I need is my woman saying "You should just curse your God and Die" She needs to have a real understanding of this walk and the struggles it holds...

2) She has to be beautiful to me...

Your woman needs to float your boat. I'm a one woman man so she needs to be every woman to me. I may not know what I like, but I know what I don't like...

3) She needs to be intelligent...

I need to be able to have a conversation that goes beyond day to day drivel. A beautiful mind is just that... Beautiful...

4) She needs to have a sense of humor...

I stay on jokes! 80% of my life is filled with laughter! I couldn't possibly align myself with a female curmudgeon... I don't care if she's a super model, If you can't get the joke, you eventually will become the joke... Slightly mean but completely true! :) And if she is genuinely funny in her own rite... I'm on my way to Jared's!

5) She has to be Ride or Die...

This is just standard... nobody wants a fair weather friend. Especially when you've been known to be called to weather a storm or two... I can't see you from the hill if you couldn't see me in the valley...

6) She has to be altruistic...

This is the core of a good woman... if my focus is your happiness but your focus is your happiness too, who has MY back? People throw that word "Reciprocity" around too easily. Is it really "in you" to think of others first, or do you do it for recognition?

7) She needs to be ready and willing to Love me and be Loved by me...

Sounds simple right? You have no idea how hard this one is. I have had the hardest time finding a woman whose past is not completely clouding the potential of her future. The saddest thing is that they all know it but can't seem to do anything about it. "I'm not him. I never did you that way nor do I ever intend to..." smh... Afraid to treat you right for fear of being played or hurt. How can I give you 100% when you're only willing to give and accept 30%?

I wear my heart on my sleeve. Not because I'm a glutton for punishment, but because I REFUSE to delay the woman that God has for me because I was afraid to get hurt. Passion is a double edged sword... I risk the pain because I know that the reward is so great!

That's about it... The 7 gotta haves... Everything else is negotiable and I never let negotiations kill the close.

FYI: I hold myself accountable to the 7 as well... plus a whole lot more. I am in NO WAY saying that I'm perfect... I'm probably the biggest Work in Progress out there. But I'm honest and open about it.

So am I wrong? Am I asking too much of the 2011 Woman? Chime in on this, my 40th Valentine's Day, and let me know... Be Blessed!

Sincerely,

DBrown

Jump David! You know I'm right here... I'll catch you!

The walk of those with beautiful feet (1) is one full of awe and wonder. With endless confirmations, we are drawn to Daddy's Will, often without visibility of cause or effect. Guided by signs and signals that those without true sight deem as foolish, we allow ourselves to be led where we should be, when we should be there.

Not quite sure what is going to happen next? Relax! You are DEFINITELY in the pocket! That's where He wants us to be, trusting in Him... not in our own reasoning (2). It’s an acquired skill, but one that will truly bless you for all of your days. I wanted to talk about the fruits of the spirit, but this is taking a turn towards Trust so let’s see where it goes...

Those who know me well know how much I love my son. Though he's a great swimmer now (or he thinks he is), he didn't always have a lot of confidence while in the water. I remember a few years ago we were at the pool where we live and I wanted him to jump into my arms from the side of the pool. My son, eyes filled with fear, shook his head “no” as if to say "you must be crazy!! I'm not about to drown for nobody!!" Though funny on one level, this actually hurt my feelings on a deeper one.

What would make my son think that I would let him get hurt? Doesn't he know how much I love him? Why doesn't he trust that I am here for him, fully able to protect him from not only the perils of this water, but anything within my scope of ability? Does he think that I won't be there for him at the moment of truth when I need to catch him? What would make him feel that way? I've always been there for him and I've never let him fall. Heck, I've protected him from dangers that he didn't even know existed. Why doesn't he trust me? It's as if he really doesn't know me at all. As if he didn't believe the love I profess to him was real. Can you understand why David's fear hurt my feelings a little? His fear of the unknown was stronger than his trust in my dedication and/or ability to protect him. Ouch...

I had intended to teach him some foundational swimming techniques that day. I knew that if I could lay some solid groundwork, I could teach him more advanced techniques and maneuvers easily. However, I quickly realized that I couldn't start to teach him any swimming skills until he trusted me with his safety. We couldn't move forward until this core lesson was learned. Most of his pool time was spent in fear because he didn't trust that I could/would protect him in the water and he didn't know how to protect himself. Not much fun, and definitely frustrating...

Well if you can understand my frustration, imagine how God feels towards us. So many things He wants to do for us. So many lessons He wants to teach us. So many ways he wants to bless us. So much joy and peace that He wants to release into our lives. But we can't get to it because we are afraid... Afraid that we won't succeed at our job... Afraid that we won't be able to pay our bills... Afraid that no one will want to hear us preach... Afraid that we won't be able function without a drink... Afraid that we won't be able to abstain... Afraid that she'll/he'll treat me as bad as all of the others... Afraid that we won't be a good husband/wife... Afraid... Afraid... AFRAID!!

Why are we soo afraid? Do you think that God wants us this way (3)? We really start our journey with Dad the day that we truly believe that He is real and He loves us and He will NEVER forsake us. It makes life soo beautiful. When trials come our way, we KNOW that it is for a good and just cause. We don't scream "Why Lord Why?" we simply say, "I trust you Dad". We step into the oven with the 3 Hebrew boys because we trust God. We step out to walk on water because we know God lives outside of our understanding. We reach into the mouth of a fish to pay our mortgage because we know that Oprah, Bill, Donald and Steve are paupers when compared to the riches of my Dad (4). We ask and receive. We focus on Him and all other things just seem to fall into place. We trust that in the face of that water of unknown depth, He will be there to catch us. He will ALWAYS catch us... A L W A Y S ! !

So over the course on many trips with me walking around the pool with him attached to me like an octopus, he eventually realized that as long as I was there, he was safe. Now he has a ball at the pool! He jumps to me with reckless abandon! I fills my heart with joy that he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will be there to catch him. He trusts me. I won't fail him.

If I have such a conviction about my son's safety and trust, how much more is the conviction of my Dad who sits on high and loves me with an immeasurable, unfathomable intensity? My love for my son is a microcosm of His love for me. Under what circumstance should fear find a place my heart? In the presence of a sincere trust in God, fear and sorrow have a really short shelf life (5). I promise you that once you get a real grip on what I'm trying to say here, you'll be able to exhale and life will once again be a joy to live (6). This is one of the reasons that I'm always smiling. I know whose I am.

Don't just say it. Seek a real understanding of this crucial concept. Enjoy life's pool again... Jump into the water... I promise He'll catch you... And when you jump, it will fill Dad's heart with Joy!(7)

For Those Who Have An Ear To Hear,

Be Blessed,

DBrown

(1) Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!”

(2) Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

(3) Hebrews 13:5-7

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

(4) Numbers 11:23

And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.

(5) Psalm 30:5

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

(6) Matthew 11:29-30

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

(7) Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hi! My name is...

I spend an exorbitant amount of time trying to learn from my life's experiences. My walk with Christ has been riddled with epiphanies that constantly keep me in a state of change and awakening. Even the most painful experiences have yielded me deep meaningful growth.

So it seems that with understanding comes blessings and curses the like. Clarity is not always well received. I have learned that answers should only be given to questions asked... because an answer offered out of turn more often than not is met with contempt and disdain, regardless of whether it is right or wrong.

I've always said that I'm gonna write these things down so that they are there for the world to ponder (not that I expect the masses to hang on my every word). However, hopefully someone will read something that I say and decide to talk a look at life from a different angle.

Heaven knows most people won't agree with me (I really am a peculiar sort of fellow). My purpose is not to amass a following to my way of thinking. I make far to many errors to desire the accountability of others. In all honesty, my purpose is at best, selfish at the core. When all is said and done, I don't want to stand before my Father trying to explain why I hid his talents instead of at least trying to multiply them.

So what better place to start to sow the seeds that Abba Father has given me than right here with my FB Family...

My name is Eugene David Brown, But people that know and love me call me DBrown... and I have some stuff I'd love to share with you... Stay tuned and check back often...