Are you a Disciple or Follower?

Learn How to Become a Disciple of Christ not just a Follower of Him

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Crazy Love

I am currently reading and dissecting a book called "Crazy Love" written by Francis Chan. This book was highly recommended by a good friend who cares about my walk with Christ. Already I've met many men that have read this book and they all say it is a life changing book. It talks about how prosperity can harden the heart and how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. What really caught my attention is how the book describes the American church as being a difficult place to fit in if we want to follow and live out the New Testament Christianity. Chan talks about  how we rarely take the words of Christ literally and Christ's words are mostly not considered by us today. Where are we the church in today's technological culture where people often don't talk to anyone directly,but instead by way of a text or email. Are we losing touch of what Jesus meant to love your neighbor through one on one relationships? Would we honestly leave everything we know to follow him? I am at this cross road in my life; seeking the face of God to know Christ and the power of his resurrection. How about you?

This book really challenges my faith and causes me to question my relationship with Christ. Am I who I say that I am?

3rd and Lindsey

My wife and I recently enjoyed watching the Reggie Wooten and his band at 3rd & Lindsey in Nashville, TN. The band was awesome. They made the night fun with their involvement and audience participation. Reggie did a tap & slap gig right on our table. I've never seen such skill on a Fender Squire guitar that has proven it mettle through wear & tear. This guitar played better than most I've seen over the years. Reggie was a class act. We briefly spoke to Erik Blue the singer & keyboard player. He made us feel right at home. Steve Forrest on the bass played a Fender Jazz original. He was smokin with his smooth slap & pop technique. I didn't get the name of the sax player, but he was as one of the best I've heard in a while. Last, the drummer was the youngest of the group. He kept the groove going all night. The food, music and atmosphere was a night to remember.

We obviously had a fun time.

8 Ways to Bring Stillness into Your Life

1. When you are home alone, get out of the habit of turning on the television, radio or sound system
2.  When Driving, Enjoy the Scenery
3. If you have little ones at home, get them involved in the practice of silence. Make it a game. "Who can not speak for five, 10 or 15 minutes?" You'll get a little break from the constant chattering of the kids, and they'll learn a valuable practice at an early age.
4.  Eat a meal in silence. Silent eating helps you pay closer attention to your food, enhancing the sensory experience of flavors and textures.
5.   Meditate in Your Home. Designate a certain hour or half-hour of the day as silent time, perhaps in the early morning or before bedtime. 
6.  Sleep in Silence
7. Take a walk in the woods or at a nature sanctuary -- someplace far from the maddening crowd.
8.  When in line at the grocery store, avoid reading the gossip rags or joining in "complaint conversation" with others in the checkout line.

Atlanta Public Schools Cheating

At least 178 teachers and principals at nearly four dozen schools in Atlanta have been implicated in what is likely the largest cheating scandal in U.S. history to date.
The report found that teachers, principals and administrators were both helping students on the state's standardized test, the Criterion-Reference Competency Test, and correcting incorrect answers after students had turned the tests in. Eighty-two educators confessed to the allegations detailed in the report from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations.
Calling it a "dark day" for Atlanta Public Schools, Mayor Kasim Reed said the yearlong investigation "confirms our worst fears ... There is no doubt that systemic cheating occurred on a widespread basis in the school system. Further, there is no question that a complete failure of leadership in the Atlanta Public School system hurt thousands of children who were promoted to the next grade without meeting basic academic standards."
(MORE: How to Fix No Child Left Behind)
The investigation tarnishes the record of Superintendent Beverly Hall, who was named national Superintendent of the Year in 2009, due in large part to reported gains in the district. The 800-page report shows some educators reported cheating in their schools, but Hall and other school officials ignored the claims, and in some cases, punished those who came forward. Hall stepped down at the end of her contract on June 30.
Though shocking, the Atlanta cheating scandal is just the latest (and largest) among at least a dozen other cheating controversies that have been unearthed across the country. One especially noteworthy case was that of D.C. Public Schools, which at the time was led by Chancellor Michelle Rhee. Earlier this year, a USA Today article detailed an unusual level of "erasures," which is the term for wrong answers that have been erased and changed to right.
Increasing incidents of teachers cheating has led some to question whether the pressure to score well on the standardized tests required under No Child Left Behind are tempting teachers to cheat as, under the federal law, teachers can face cuts to their salary or even potentially lose their jobs if test scores do not meet certain standards

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/07/06/investigation-finds-widespread-cheating-in-atlanta-schools/#ixzz1RLwAZoGg