Sam Dougherty: Blog/Newsletter

Is there something wrong with me?

How many times can I go through this? Today in worship three people prayed over me and I still didn’t feel a thing. I thought I was living a fairly good life. I accepted Christ into my life already and for months or maybe years now I have totally lost that connection with him. How could this happen? I have been told I have something in my life that is holding me back. There is sin somewhere in my life that is separating me from God. I don’t know what it is. God please help me! I miss You and I’m so lost with out You.
God replies in a soothing voice, “Shhh, child it’s ok. I’m right here next to you. This is where I love to be and I never left you.”
That is exactly what God is saying to you. God communicates with us in two ways and until we understand this aspect of who he is we will never understand that soothing voice that tells us “I’m right here next to you”.
The first way he communicates with us is through the manifestation of his presence. A time when God actually enters into the temporal world where we feel, see and experience physically the presence of God in our lives. This is an experience we all need and crave. To reconnect emotionally and physically with the one who created us. During this time we are reassured of his presence with us and it makes us more confident in knowing that he is here with us.
When I was 24 I moved back in with my dad and took over the basement of his house. My dad was recently divorced and I needed a place to stay. Those days were incredible. I reconnected with my dad on a level of relationship we had never had before. Mutual trust and respect. I love to hunt and it was bow season for whitetail. My Dad worked 3rd shift at the factory and would usually get home around nine or so in the morning after stopping at the pub for a couple drinks to help him wind down. This particular day I was out hunting and came back into the house later in the morning. My dad was not home yet so I decided to take a nap and see if he was up to getting some lunch when he got home. I had just fallen asleep when our neighbor, who was my dads best friend, came barging through the door and said, “Sammy get up, I think your dads been in an accident.” I jumped up and got into the van with him as we drove into town where the accident had occurred. I knew as soon as I saw the mangled mess of a vehicle wrapped around the telephone pole that there was no way he could have survived. I was in a bit of shock I suppose. I didn’t start crying or anything. I just clammed up and said take me home. It was just two years earlier when my sister was killed in a car accident at only 20 years old. I learned from that tragedy how to shut everything down and put on a mask to cover it. This time I really felt alone. I wanted to go back out to my tree stand and sort out the fact that my dad had indeed died in that accident. My neighbor would not let me be alone and had me come over to his house. After a short time many friends and a few family members came to try and comfort me. It was so surreal. I felt completely detached and alone. I was empty and I needed to reconnect with what ever was left of a person left in me. Suddenly I noticed my mother’s car pulling in the long drive to the house. Immediately everything around me disappeared and all I saw was my mother getting out of the car searching for me. I ran to her and she held me in her arms as if I were that small child she had comforted so many times. I felt the safety, connection and release that I needed so badly at the time.

I was so caught up in the fact that I was alone that I had forgotten that there was still somebody waiting to hold me and help me get back on my feet again. You see, even when she wasn’t physically present my mothers love was still there. A constant, relentless love. A love that only wants to comfort and encourage me. When she was not physically there it was impossible for me to realize that. Many friends had tried to comfort me before she drove up that drive, but none could satisfy that need for me to connect again to my mother. To not feel alone.

We strive to reconnect in the same way with God. It is in our nature from the first time we separated with the fatal decision at the Garden of Eden. At that time God created us to fellowship with him and worship him. It was a connection that was temporal and spiritual. We actually walked in continual fellowship with Him. Today the same can be true. Although we were separated at the beginning, Jesus reconnected us with his death conquering sin. When we made that decision to serve the Lord and ask Him into our hearts, he opened up the opportunity of connecting again. Everything else that keeps us from experiencing this connection is self inflicted. Our choice of what we do and how we react to situations is entirely up to us.
Salvation is always first, but there are three specific things that help us get to the point of instant worship, instant recognition that he is here. You must find God; figure out what our definition of and who he is to us, Learn how to loosen the grasp on all the things of this world that distract us from experiencing him or his presence.

First we have to find God. That seems like the question of the ages. People have climbed the highest mountains and searched the depths of the ocean and still missed the boat. God is in everything and everywhere. His creative touch has influenced everything we see.

We must figure out who God is to us. Our personal vision and idea of who God is shapes everything we do. Based on the truths in scripture and related through your experience with him.

Survival depends on accessing God. At any time, any place finding him and experiencing the peace and joy that comes only through Christ.

Have you ever felt distant or lost during a time of worship? Everyone around you is so into it and you just feel like you’re on another world or in another room. Even as a worship leader I have experienced this feeling of disconnection or distance. There are also times when I was in a powerful and spirit filled time of worship and I just couldn’t seem to get things going. Then finally when I started to connect, the last song ended and I totally missed it. I would get so disappointed when this would happen. Immediately the blame would go on the song selection or something that may have distracted me before, during or towards the end of worship. My mind so cluttered with trying to place blame that I end up totally missing the pastor’s message as I build up with frustration.

I know for a fact that we have all been there. As a Christian we have this engrained desire and need to meet with God and bathe in Christ's presence. A time to cleanse us of all of the junk that dragged us down through the week. A feeling of desperation that if we do not have this experience of connection we will never make it through the week to come or situations we face.

What if you were able to connect and enter into a time of worship in no less than one minute? What if that connection with God was merely a switch that you could instantly turn on and recognize the presence of God in your life? A continual reset button to get you back on track with God continually through out the day. What if worship on your day of Sabbath was an extra helping of His Spirit heaped onto the blessings and times of experiencing His majesty the week before.

What if you trained yourself to reach the point to where you go from zero to worship in merely 10 seconds? Sound impossible? It’s not. It is an incredible place of worship we can experience if we learn more about Gods character and practice some simple disciplines throughout our walk. A place where our perception of God and who He is removes the distance out of our connection with Him.

This is the begining of a new perception of God and how close He really is to you in your life. Where no matter what you are experiencing, where you are at, or what you are doing God is there. You become so close that you merely need to pause and hear His calming voice say, "I love you and I am right here next to you."

We will learn how God communicates with us, how we are designed to receive and respond to Him and how we can get closer and closer to attaining the break neck speed of zero to worship in 10 seconds anytime or anywhere in any situation. I'm very excited about this study and can't wait to share the rest with you.



In Christ,

Sam

Hi everyone,



Thats right, Wooly Bugger. Thats the coffee house I will perform at on the 27th of June. It's located in Charlevoix, MI and I'm performing on the same day I will be running a 1/2 marathon in that town. Hopefully I survive the run and have enough energy left for the show, I'm sure I will. Here is the link http://www.wbcoffee.com/about.phtml



There are a couple of other shows fast approaching. July 5th I will be performing at the drive in church again. I love everyone out there and highly recommend visiting. It is a unique experience that you will surely enjoy. Here is the link http://www.driveinbiblechurch.com/



This is very exciting. I will be at 4th Fridays with Rufus Harris again on July 24th. This place is a class act and worth making a weekend trip to experience it. Rufus and Denise have a passion for Christ that is unmatched, not to mention Rufus can rock the house! I listen to his CD all of the time. The link is http://www.thecamponline.org/4f.html

be sure to sign up for thier newsletter!



I am working on a show at an event in Battle Creek on July 25th. More info to come.



August is loaded too! Back to Rockford, Flint and Battle Creek. Check the website for more info.



God bless you all,

Sam

Just a quick note that because of the wonderful support I have recieved I was able to start recording "We Bring Light" last night. We had Randy Melson and Sandy Williams (who worked on So Real) and of course Chet Chambers. It was great to have a new drummer Dane Clark, (new to my projects not new to drumming i.e. drummer for John Mellencamp) who really sounded great along with everyone else.

Keep it in prayer, this song is going to be the best one yet!

It seems I have gone from 0 to 1000 in 2 second flat. After my long lay off I am now working full time and attending school full time. It all happened with in a few weeks. I spend my mornings at school, work until dark. The weekends seem to fly by. I am still working on carving a light house with my chainsaw on the weekends along with ministering where ever I can through Six String Ministry. Somewhere in there I've got family time, prayer and study.
I know there are a lot of us out there with a full plate. It is hard to stay focused when so much is gonig on. I heard a message this weekend that really touched my heart. It reminded me to remember all of the people that have prayed for me, encouraged me, blessed me and all of the great things God has done throughout my life. Take time to give thanks for these gifts of prayer, blessings and help. Bless the people back that come to mind in prayer. Keep on the positive side of prayer in order to keep from getting dragged into the negative. Sometimes we spend too much time on the shoulda, woulda and coulda's. Take some time today and each day to remember the blessings and people that blessed.
I know I have to do this throughout the day. When the negative starts creeping in I put a stop to it immediately. I say "get out of here! I am a child of God!" Then I begin thanking God for the people (by name)that prayed for me and blessings I have. Give it a shot and see how it can change your life!

God bless you all,
Sam

I am excited to anounce that I am visiting Oklahoma again. I will be in the Tulsa area over the first weekend of April. Come on out and say hi after one of my Sunday shows. Check my calendar for details.

I was really blessed and continue to be blessed from this last weekends performances. Saturday night I met some old friends, one that I haven't seen in 20 years, at a coffee house performance in Battle Creek. Sunday I played at Four winds church in Marshall and was really truly moved by Gods spirit. It is so amazing to me that you can actually feel the difference between an event that a church has been praying for and one that just happens. They all came expecting as did I. Thank you God for this great encounter with you!

posted by Sam on 03/09/2009

Yesterday I was side tracked from heading home. My wife and I had recently discussed the National cemetery that is not far from where we live. I was on my way home from a lunch date with my wife and felt compelled to drive out to the cemetery, which is Fort Custer National Cemetery. I listen to too much talk radio, this I admit, and yesterday was no different. I heard the radio voices debating about constitutional right being side stepped, socialistic policies and even possibly nationalizing the banking system. I am not a political expert, but this does disgust me. I am a veteran of the USMC and although I never saw combat, I am very opinionated when it comes to the possible destruction of our country as we know it. I was really fired up that afternoon. As I pulled into the long drive lined with American Flags I could see the countless white stone crosses that marked the graves of brave soldiers. I pulled to the side of the drive and meditated on that sight. I knew none of them, yet the lump in my throat reminded me of something. It reminded me that not only were each of those markers a symbol of life given for our country, but each of the crosses were a reminder of what Christ gave for us.
After a few moments and with new eyes of appreciation, I swallowed the emotion that nearly took over my composure. I took a quick breath and turned off the radio. I pulled back into the drive and as I rounded the next bend I saw a vision that caused me to break into tears. One by one I passed a line of vehicles with flags on their hoods. As I slowly passed I approached the hearse. Through the large windows of this hearse I could see Old Glory draped carefully over a coffin. That was it for me. The shame I felt for our country. My embarrassment of losing perspective. Forgetting what is really important. Here laid the body of someone who believed in the flag that now covered their casket. Soon the flag would be removed and the casket would be lowered. The flag they had fought for so bravely folded neatly and given away in a quick ceremony. Then the flag is replaced. Replaced with something much more important and at the root of everything they fought for. Now there would be a white cross over the coffin like the thousands of others that line the cemetery. The cross Jesus Christ to remind us of His sacrifice.
Tearfully, I began to pray and ask God to help me remember this one thing. I prayed that although I am passionate about our flag, that Jesus always reminds me of the cross. God remind me to keep you above all things in my life. Help me to set an example to others that shows them that we are all your children. We truly are one nation under God. That your cross, blood and grace are always covering this dying flesh as I serve you. That this living spirit will always praise You.
I am going to always remember this experience when the economy, politics or just life in general start to get me down. There is a bigger picture and bigger purpose, and we have a lot of work to do.

Keep updated by checking the web site. I have been blessed to book quite a few events this year and I am adding them as promptly as I can.

New links on God tube and Youtube. Learn the worship songs I have been writing. Check the links and my link page.

This year was a blessed year for our family. Our kids are doing great
in school and for the most part we stayed healthy all year. We have
had many opportunities to share Christ with many people and I still
have a secular job to support the commissioning set on us, (thank you
Lord!)

Sometimes Christmas can become a very depressing time for people.
Remembering all of those who have passed and those who are far away.
Remembering friendships that are no longer fellowships because of
distance or simply the busyness of our lives. Reminiscing the times
we have had and moments we have shared with people.
These are the pages in the scrapbooks of our minds that we shuffle
through again and again. They are wonderfull gifts. Each picture a
window to a special time. Each token a souvenir that takes us to a
special place. Every friendship a treasure to cherish. These are the
blessings in our lives that are like patches in a giant quilt that
keeps us warm and cozy at night. These are reasons to praise God over
and over again.
I want everyone to be encouraged to know that there is one thing that
we must remember continously and especially during this time of year.
That is what Christ came to do and did for us! His love is there
through every moment, situation, relationship, hardship and
celebration in our lives. These moments, friendships, journeys and
trials are all beautiful blessings that God has given us. Christ is
at the center of that gaint comfy quilt that reminds us of every
blessing. This is a time of year to remember. To remember every
blessing that God has bestowed upon us. So lets all grab that giant
quilt and cuddle up with our blessings for Christmas.

Happy Birthday Jesus and Merry Christmas,

The Doughertys

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Yesterday I had the incredible opportunity to perform my song "Death will never part us" at a wedding during the unity candle lighting. This was such an honor. I wrote the song to my wife Terri with the thought of one day performing it at a wedding and God fulfilled that desire. God is so awesome. The song reached #2 on the charts and has recieved a ton of attention. Thank you everyone for your votes and support. I look forward to the next time I get to share this song and have God touch someones heart through it.

This last Saturday I had the incredible God booking to sing and emcee at a City wide event with CitylinC. There were so many kids there! It was awesome. We had the fire department, many churches, a beauty salon giving free haircuts, an artist, clowns ,schools, bouncy stuff, bands, puppet shows and even a dentist who taught the kids how to brush their teeth correctly. Each had their own tent and table set up with games and activities. All of it free for the kids. We gave away hundreds of prizes from backpacks to bicycles.
I had a great time emceeing the event. I had to cover a lot of time during technical dificulties with other bands and rain delays. This gave me the opportunity to walk around and talk to the kids with the wireless mic. That was great! By the end of the day it was sunny and absolutely beautiful. Props to Sue Morgon of CitylinC ministries for putting on a great event and keeping the glory flowing to God!

“Nobody will listen to me.”, “I’m afraid I might say the wrong things.” Are these thoughts that may have crossed your mind at times when it comes to sharing Christ with people? Why is it so many of us Christians are afraid to share the word? I wonder why the concept of us being willing vessels is so hard to grasp. We think we need to be Billy Graham or someone of that prominent stature to be effective in sharing the Good News. That is a lie that we can not fall into at anytime. God uses the willing vessel. The position, fame, vanity or wealth of that person has no consideration. I had a pastor that used to say continually that God is not a respecter of persons.
Here are two scenarios for you:
1. You are traveling down a wooded trail and suddenly there are two signs next to each other that say the same thing. The signs read, “Stop, Dead End”. You stop and to your surprise there is a 400ft drop off just past the signs. Which sign holds the most value? The answer is that both signs are of equal value. What if I were to tell you that one of the signs were painted by a world renown artist that sells his paintings for millions of dollars and the other painted by a four year old child. Does this change the value of the message? What if one of the signs were plated in gold and the other were carved from wood? Yes, of course, there is no change in the value of the message.
2. You are awaiting a heart and lung transplant. You only have one day to survive with your failing organs. A report comes to you that they have found both needed organs in two different locations. You are overexcited to find out that the donated organs will arrive in time. The heart comes in an orange container and the lungs come in a green container. Which one of these containers is more important? Is the heart more important because orange is your favorite color or are the lungs more important because their container has the same shade as a crisp hundred dollar bill? Both bring life and carry no more value than the other.

If in the first scenario the lettering was changed because the author didn’t think “D”s should be in the alphabet. The message would not have been clear enough to save you from immanent peril. If in the second scenario the deliverer would have decided to stop and have some dinner on the way and then run a few errands, time would have ran out and the organs would have surely spoiled.
We are simply vessels of delivery. We are to put the writing on the sign. We are to be that container that brings life. The message is where the importance lies. We are to be willing to say it, live it, share it and believe it.
Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. Repent, believe and have faith in Him. This is where life is, this is the sign that will keep you from stepping into hell.
Don’t think that you’re not the type of person that can share this Good News. God choose you! God chose you to put the writing on the sign. God choose you to deliver life to the dying world. It doesn’t matter if when an opportunity arises your shirt isn’t ironed, your breath isn’t the best, or that you just don’t feel up to it. God choose you for that moment at that time to make a delivery to that person. You are Gods chosen!

And he said to them, “Go into all the world, and give the good news to everyone.”
Mr 16:15

We must fulfill this great commission. I pray that each of us is bold enough to share. I pray that each of us is wise enough to keep it simple without our own input changing the message and that our own vanity or selfishness keeps us from missing an opportunity to save ones life.

If you don not know this truth, please take a moment and consider this. There is a heaven and there is a hell. There is a God and there is a Devil. The path is narrow to heaven and not all will enter, but you can secure your admission. Tell God the truth and repent of all of your wrong doings. Ask Jesus to come into your life and help you change. He wants you to come to Him. You see, we cannot earn our way into heaven through what we do, what we have or how we treat others. It doesn’t matter how many people like us or how we are looked upon in our community. None of that will save your life. We are born with this sin in our lives that we can only cure one way. Jesus came and died on the cross so that we can have this opportunity. His blood shed on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice that opened the door for us to escape the clutches of hell. God wants to be with us so much that he sent this Jesus, His son, His baby boy, His only child to this earth to die for you. This is decision time. Do I choose heaven, or do I choose hell. There are no other options. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart. He is waiting…….. for you.

God bless you all and I pray that this message blessed you. Let me know how it encouraged you by emailing me or posting your response at my websites guestbook.

In His Grip,
Sam

I reflect on my own life when I think of a mother. I have been blessed with a mother that has a heart larger than any mistake I can make. Although in the past when I was a small child some may say that my mother could have done better. I say that she went above and beyond her circumstances. On her own she continued to provide my sister and I with a home, meals, clothing and love. Though I am sure during the time of her life when she went through the divorce with my father her life may have seem shattered, her love for us kept hidden the broken dreams of a life she did not know yet would come. She continued to work hard and support my sister and I in love and care.
As I remember she would look at us children as if we were worth so much more than what she had to endure during these times in her life. Bedtime was always the best when we would ask her to sing to us and she would gently sing silent night as she ever so caringly brush my forehead with her finger tips and looked at me as if I was the only thing that existed in her life. I would struggle to keep my eyes open, so that I could hold onto that time with my mom as long as I possibly could.
Even as I grew older into the teen years she continued to love me. I made enough mistakes to make any normal mother send their child away to military school, yet she loved me through it.
From the soccer games to graduating boot camp, I always looked to see if my mother was there. How could I ever doubt that she would be there? It is like an anchor point in my life when I see my mother supporting me or just being there. The day my father was killed, I was stunned. Everyone was so concerned about me. I kept a stone cold front on until, yes until my mother showed up. Then just the same as when I was a little child I embraced my mother for comfort, because I new there was safety in her loving arms.
I think that the most important aspect of what a mother is to me is that it helps me relate to Christ’s love. When I met Christ for the first time it really wasn’t that hard to realize what His love meant to me. Christ’s love is so unconditional, caring and unchanging. Christ’s love went beyond His own life. He sacrificed everything in order to save me. He showed me through His example how to love my neighbor. Christ never looked at the circumstance of my life, only the heart that I had. He loves me as His child.
All of this love from Christ is more than most can comprehend. It actually seems quite unbelievable in this day and age, but not to me. I have witnessed it first hand through my mother. I believe that because of my mothers love for me I can begin to comprehend Christ’s love for me and for that I am thankful. Today on mothers day I want to thank my mother for preparing the way to me understanding Christ’s love.

Happy Mothers Day.

I have a 1991 chevy 4x4 truck. It has rust here and there and leaks oil nearly as fast as I can put it in. The dash is tore apart as I continue to try and find a way to install my new stereo, which I may never be able to hear over the hole in the exhaust pipe. My truck can be heard from a ¼ mile away and you can feel the rumble of the exhaust from inside of the cab. Two months ago I put on a new tail pipe only to have a new hole appear near the engine. It’s like I keep putting my finger in a hole in the dike and another leak appears. The plain truth is that my truck is very proud of being a piece of junk and wants everyone to know it. It proclaims its status at the top of its lungs and leaves its mark everywhere it visits. My ringing ears and the oil stain in my driveway are proof of that.
Do you know someone like my truck? Have you ever been like my truck? I can tell you, there are some days when I have felt like my junky truck. I may not leak oil everywhere I stop, but the sludge left from my attitude can be plainly seen. Usually when I find myself like this I haven’t been to the mechanic lately. My coolant is no longer doing its job and my attitude is boiling over. As loud as the exhaust on my truck, my expression and composure declare that I am having a bad day. The attitude becomes contagious to all I come into contact with and my oil stain has left its mark everywhere I go. I have proclaimed loudly who I am and everyone will know what to expect when they see me coming the next time.
Whether we like it or not we are all proclaiming something. By what we say, what we wear, what we do we are proclaiming who we are. Christ said we would know his children or followers by their love for each other. Christ set the standards for us so that unlike my truck, we can avoid being an ecological disaster to our environment. When we set our own standards we are just a loud and obnoxious piece of junk messing up everyone else’s driveways.
Here are a few points I use to keep my attitude mechanically sound:

1. Shut your mouth (James 1:9)
2. Do something unselfish (Prov 16:3}
3. See the mechanic every day (Gn 1:1 – Rev 22:21)

Our mechanic knows whats wrong before we ever pull into the shop. He can fix anything and the bill is always paid. Take some time now and get your daily tune up!

I just wanted to drop a line to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. This is an exciting time of year when opportunities to share the good news about Christ come about around every corner. I know sometimes it can be very scary or difficult to say something when the opportunity is in front of you. I just want you to know that I am praying for you and know that we can do it through Christs strength.

I encourage anyone to use my website as a starting point to open up the door. If you need encouragement or boldness I also suggest you go to www.livingwaters.com. They actually teach you how to approach someone in all situations. Most importantly follow Gods Spirit in guidence. Be real, be yourself. Starting out with a plastic attitude, or pretending to be someone you're not will only chase
people away. Tell them what God really means to you and what he has done for you from the heart. If the opportunity comes to pray with them to accept Christ, that is awesome! If its just a chance to plant
a seed, that is also incredible! Christ's great commision to us is to go out and spread the word, making disciples. Everything takes practice. I want to challenge everyone to just try at least once through this season. Like the old saying goes, "If at first you don't
succeed, try and try agian". Step out of the box and tell everyone why you accepted Christ! If you're reading this and don't know
Christ, what are you waiting for! Make the change now, there is no
better time.
What better present can we give Jesus on His birthday than to take advantage of an opportunity to expand His kingdom.

Merry Christmas everyone!
Sam

P.S. Thank you everyone for supporting my song "So Real" on indieheaven.com. We reached #28 out of 180 songs, it also opened up doors for me to make a lot of contacts and opportunities to share
the Gospel with many people.
I now have the song "Death will never part us" accepted to the same
chart. Just click on the inieheaven link on the bottom of my homepage
at www.sixstringministry.com Click the <a href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=11&k=radio%20tower" onmouseover="window.status='<a href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=11&k=radio%20tower" onmouseover="window.status='<a href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=11&k=radio%20tower" onmouseover="window.status='radio tower'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">radio tower</a>'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">radio tower</a>'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">radio tower</a> on Indieheavens home page. Once the chart shows up find my song and click on it to listen, then be sure to give it <a href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=11&k=5%20stars" onmouseover="window.status='<a href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=11&k=5%20stars" onmouseover="window.status='<a href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=11&k=5%20stars" onmouseover="window.status='5 stars'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">5 stars</a>'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">5 stars</a>'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">5 stars</a>(thats how it moves up). Vote once a day to keep it moving up. It is only posted on the chart for 90 days. Tell your friends about it and when they ask "who in the
world is Sam Dougherty" theres your chance to witness or refer them to
my home page.
Thank you again!

I was just thinking of how amazing our God is. I have been writing alot lately and studying. Gods grace is something that is extremely hard to comprehend. Think of times when you really messed up, or a person who may have wronged you at one time. What feelings immediately come to mind? With me, sometimes it takes a concious effort to not get that twist in my stomach or suddenly become negative. There are times when we can let someone totally change our mood for the day. The reprecussions are that everyone we come in contact with for the remainder of the day sees a very "unChrist" like attitude. Can you imagine what our God would be like if he were like us in this way? Man am I glad He is not like us! I am sure that he would have never spoke to Noah before the great flood and just let us all parish. I am sure He would try to hurt us just to make us feel how much we hurt Him. I am sure He wouldn't have time to hear our prayers due to being to preoccupied by how bad His day has been. I am sure He would have never let His child die for someone who wouldn't appreciate the magnitude of the love involved.
You see, these are self centered, pridefull attitudes. These are attitudes of the flesh in all of us that will soon rot away in the soil and become worm food.
I had this image of a stream or river not to long ago. As a kid I would hunt crawfish in a stream. Standing still I could see clearly in the new, fresh water rushing at me. I could see the crawfish or anything else ahead of me in the flowing water. If I tried to look into the water behind me it was full of mud and silt and turbulent water from the eddy currents passing me. Dosen't this draw a great picture of Gods forgiveness and Grace?
If we continue to look upstream and focus on the fresh water flowing constantly at us we can see clearly. Focusing downstream into our past will blur our vision and not let us see what is really there.
What is there? Beauty. The beauty that God is always sending us a fresh Spirit through His river of life. His river keeps flowing constantly and consistantly. He will forgive us when we ask. His Grace is sufficient! He doesn't look back into the muddy waters and grab onto a handfull of silt and mud just so he can remember what is in our past.
Lets all be thankfull for Gods Grace today and try to emulate it the best we can. Our grudges, unforgiveness and anger dwell in that mud, whether it be toward someone else or ourselves. Don't get lost in that muddy water. Just turn and face Gods fresh flowing river of Grace. Then we can all truly see what God has blessed us with. Then we can truly see what God has for us.

In His Grip,
Sam

Yes we made it back, PRAISE GOD! I had so forgotten how much I love the beauty of a tree and also the grass under my feet. It didn't take long to also remember my old friend the mosquito. I'm sorry Mr. Mosquito, I just don't like or miss you as much as it seems you have I.
I am very thankful that God has provided us with a beautiful house. Although I will go if He asks, I really hope we are going to be living here for a while. Moving is way to painful! Someone has to invent light weight good quality furniture! I also praise God that I now have a studio again. It may take me a few weeks to get it set up the way I like it, but it will get there. I have written quite a few new songs since the last recording and I can't wait to get them recorded.
This move was huge. I have actually driven across the country 3 times in one year. I have great respect for the truck drivers who do it all of the time. It is such an awesome thing to think that God let us share his good word and our testimony in States so far away. Yet after these trips it really gave me a sense of how small this country can be. I recently met some missionaries from Europe and I thought... Wow, wouldn't that be cool. Can you imagine sharing what God has done for you in places so far away? That is really putting the great commission into action. I always thought God had something like that for me. I just can't see how that could ever happen.
Here I am again with another big mortgage, soon to be working many hours every week back in the grind. How can I possibly break away to go that far away and get my family all to buy into it at the same time? I tell you it is absolutely impossible! IMPOSSIBLE!!
Impossible..... hmmmm. That word should never be part of a Christians vocabulary. Nothing is ever impossible with our awesome living God. Here is the proof.
Today I checked the website to see what kind of activity has been going on with it. I have a tool I can access which actually tells me how many times people have listened to the music or visited my testimony. Another cool thing is that I can see where they are visiting from. Here is a huge praise to God I want to share with all of you. The web site has received more activity in the last 3 months than any other time over the last 3 years. As a matter of fact it has been receiving around 3000 hits a month. Here is the coolest thing of all.
Over the last two months people from these countries have listened to music from the website:
Taiwan, Thailand, Slovic Republic, Sweden, Russian Federation, Pakistan, Phillipines, Netherlands, Mexico, Italy, India, France, Denmark, Colombia, China, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, Romania, Poland, Japan, Australia, U.K., USA, Germany, Malaysia, Israel.
After discussing this with Tyler(my son the brain) we have determined that these countries cover 5 continents.
WHO SAID IMPOSSIBLE!! God is good and God can do anything beyond any reasoning we can imagine. With God there is hope. With God there are no boundries. With God there lies eternity.
May I make a suggestion? Try God, you'll like it.
God is cool..........(and you say) ALL THE TIME!!!!
AMEN

I love you all,
Sam

Hello all! Many of you know of the new move ahead of me, but for those who do not. I am moving back to Michigan. Terri and I prayed about everything after our short visit over memorial day weekend and it suddenly became very clear that it is time to return.

It seems strange that God can call you to a place for a short season and then return you for a new one again, but He did. To the earthly eye none of this really makes any sense. I have the best job I have ever had. We are in a new and exciting church that is growing. We have a new family here and great new friends we have made at our workplaces and church. We have a Pastor that has pushed us outside of the box and taught us so much. We live in a beautiful area with the best school system in Arizona to teach our kids. We are only 3 minutes away from around 80 restaraunts and everyone else delivers.

OK, that last one really isn't that important, but it probably is the reason I have added some extra pounds while here.

In order for me to cover all of the ways God has used us in our season here in Arizona it would take much more writing than I am sure you want to read. I have had the pivilage to pray with many people and show Christs love in some very diverse situations. Situations that I would have never experienced back in Colon, MI. I have been privilaged to make some very close friends that I pray will continue to seek out what Christ has for them. I have learned a lot about many different types of churches from 15000 to 50 people and that they all face the same issues to different degrees.

Most importantly I have learned that we always need to be ready to hear Gods voice, prepared for new revelation. God may want to teach you something specific or move you to an area to teach many things at one time. He may nudge you in different directions to be a tool of ministry to witness to different people in specific situations. Timing is so important. Missing Gods guidance may be cause for you to miss a lesson or blessing God has for you.

Sometimes it takes a Giant move to take one small step. In my case, it took God moving me 2100 miles just to get me to move 15 miles out of the box I was in. Dont get me wrong, things were not bad before I left Michigan. As a matter of fact things were going very well and I was very comfortable with everything that was happening in my life. I had a great Church and family where I was at. I new exactly what to expect every day. I am affraid that my complaicency within the ministry was blocking what God really wanted me to do.

Timing is everything when you are serving the Lord. Wether it be waiting or running. God calls each of us to certain tasks within our lives and sometimes we confuse his guidence in a moment or season. For instance I am called to use the gift of music and speaking to spread the gospel. If I am to stay totally focused on music alone I may miss some revelation of an area where God may want to use me temporarily. I am still a Evangelist that uses music to spread the Gospel, but today he may want me to help someone with cleaning their home. It dosen't change the fact that I have a calling in music, it only broadens my never ending education in serving the Lord. That one moment while cleaning a bathroom the person I am helping may come in to talk to me about Christ or ask for my help spiritually.

We all attend the university that has no diploma. The education is never ending. Staying sensitive to Gods guidence or revelation and studious in His word will ensure that we are always moving on to the next grade. We need to stay sensitive to the "Teacher" to be sure we don't miss the next assignment. Your next assignment may not be Glendale, Arizona or some far away country. It may simply be your nieghbor. Rest assured that each one is a giant step that will move you a little closer to God.

I am sad to leave, I am excited to serve.

Does that make sense? It makes a lot of sense to me! That pretty much wraps my feelings up in one line.

Thank you God for sending me to Arizona and providing for me in what seemed to be impossible situations.

Thank you God for moving me to another assignment where I will learn more, become bolder and continue to be in Your will.

I love you Jesus
and I love all of you!

Sam