21
Jul
10

Everything HE Has…

By Rick Phillips Leave a Comment
Categories: Uncategorized

Last night I attended a memorial service for Emma Faith Ullery. Emma was born with Trisomy 18 and she only lived for about two hours but God has used her to impact many. The faith displayed by Emma’s parents, Kyle and Corie, was inspiring. They only had a brief time with her but they praised and thanked God for that time. In the service Pastor Rollie mentioned how Kyle’s grandpa talked about how, right now, they were seeing everything God has to offer.

That made me reflect on the amazing gift that God gives us over the span of our life. What usually took years to witness was unfolding before us in the last few days. They experienced the courage and strength to get through this that comes from strong faith, trust and belief in Christ. They experienced the power of prayer as hundreds or more called out to God for those precious moments He blessed them with. They experienced the wonder of life as Emma was born. They experienced the community of family and friends as all gathered around. They experienced love as they held Emma.  They experienced death as Emma went home, to be with the One who had created her. They experienced fellowship as their brothers and sisters in Christ gathered around them, lifted them up in prayer and loved them. And finally, they experienced the comfort and calming of a loving God. It was the whole cycle of life in fast forward. Everything our God offers us… we just need to accept it and Him through His son Jesus Christ.

It has been amazing and overwhelming to have experienced this gift all at once. To see it played out so briefly but so powerfully. It takes most of us many years to realize and experience this gift let alone to appreciate it for the blessing it really is and many never reach that point.

Thank you Kyle and Corie for the example of shear faith you have been to us all and thank you LORD for being the awesome God that you are.

For those of you unfamiliar with Trisomy 18 here is a video from another family that experienced it too and a tremendous display of their faith and courage in God.

08
Jul
10

Step into the Light

By Rick Phillips Leave a Comment
Categories: Uncategorized

A while back I was in someone’s office and I noticed the following verse hanging on the wall… John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

It made me think about the times during my Christian walk that I’ve experienced periods of darkness. More often than not because I was follow Jesus.

I think that’s why we continue to experience at least spots of darkness at times, because we never completely follow Jesus. Even the strongest believer and straightest follower gets lost along the way at times.

Now, I don’t mean that God is punishing us for not obeying Him but that we are not receiving the blessings we could because we have not been obedient to Him in the first place.

When we step out of the light we are in darkness and the further we stray from the light the darker it gets. It seems so simple yet, sooner or later, one way or another, we always seem get there…

08
Jun
10

What’s Next…

By Rick Phillips 1 Comment
Categories: God, Jesus, Marissa, daughter and family

Last week my daughter, Marissa, graduated from high school. Being a member of the school board, I actually got to hand her the diploma. She was also in the top 10 of her class, received numerous honors, some great scholarships and gave the benediction. What a proud moment it was for me and  Jenni. But, I think I tend to be more of a realist when it comes to these types of things. Our kids grow up. It’s an inevitability, we can’t stop it, so why not embrace it for the momentous occasion it is.

While I remember and cherish the memories of her first steps, I celebrate her accomplishments that have now led her to her next steps. She will be going off to Anderson University in August, just days after she turns 18. I am confident that she is ready for it. Through her choices in life, so far, and her faith and beliefs, she has instilled in me a sense of comfort that makes it easier to let her go.

I do hope that I have been able to help her learn and grow over the years. I pray that she has been able to learn from the stupid things she has seen me do, in my life. I have given her the opportunity to learn from my mistakes more often than not. Even though I am the parent, I feel as if I have learned more from her than she has from me, over the years. I think I have a better understanding of unconditional love. I have grown closer to God by better understanding the sacrifice He made for us in His own Son. Not necessarily the why, but a better understanding of the love He has for man to have given His Son’s life for our own. While I would lay down my life for her, I cannot fathom seeing her hurt for others.

While I want Marissa to experience only good things in life I know that is not realistic so I pray for strength and courage

for her. I pray that she will learn and grow from the right and wrong, the good and bad. But, more importantly I pray for  a continued, strong support system of friends and family and the wisdom for her to rely on them.

I anxiously await whatever comes next in her life. I joke with her a lot about boyfriends and such but I have been praying for a special man for her for some time now. I pray that he will be a Godly man, a good husband and father. That he will not only provide for her physical and financial needs but for her spiritual needs as well.

I will always have fond memories of her childhood but I am so excited to see how God will work in her life next. I love you Boo.

31
May
10

Call To Duty

By Rick Phillips Leave a Comment
Categories: God, Jesus and Uncategorized

As I’m sure it is with many others, Memorial Day brings out a spirit of thanks in me. I thank all of those that have given their time, effort and lives in the service of our country. I too am a veteran. I served in Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Operation Provide Comfort in 1990-1991.

I’m not sure how other veterans feel about it while they are serving but at the time I did not fully realize what I was a part of. It wasn’t for recognition or fanfare. It wasn’t even for some over-spilling sense of honor and pride. While I had sworn to make it my duty to protect my country, to me I was simply doing my job.

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not trying to down play the honor it is to serve our country. There are few things that rival the feeling one gets from having served this great nation we live in. I have discovered one though. It is serving God.

As I look back at the similarities, I can see a path that has been formed in my life. Whether we accept it or not we were all created to serve. To serve God and to serve others. I see the characteristics of servanthood in so many people, most don’t even realize it in themselves. All jobs no matter what the skill level or education involved ultimately serve someone else. When we work the product created or service provided benefits another. After 35 years of life I came to this realization and the pieces of the puzzle finally came together for me. In June of 2006 I gave my life to Christ. I understand now that much of what I had been looking for and longing for could only be fulfilled with the in service to Him.

To that point I had done many things to serve others. I spent six years serving the people of our country in the U.S. Army. I spent six years as a carpenter building and repairing homes for others. From 1998 to the present I have been a Licensed Massage Therapist, caring for the needs of others. My life was filled with the call to serve others but until 2006 I did not understand the reason behind that call. Until that point I had not realized the biggest part missing from my call to duty was serving God.

I truly believe we all feel this call to some extent. A desire to help others, a yearning to be a part of something that is making a difference in others lives. That, my dear friends, is what a life dedicated to Jesus Christ is really all about. It’s not about rules and regulations, the accumulation of knowledge, the judgment or condemnation of others. It is about serving God and others.

I urge you today to look at the example of others before us. Then, look deep inside yourselves. It’s there, trust me. We are all creations of God and 1 Peter 4:10 says it best  “Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well.” Through that service you too can better understand God. So, go… find your call to duty.

11
May
10

Plan B by Pete Wilson

By Rick Phillips 1 Comment
Categories: God, Jesus and books

Plan B: What do you do when God doesn’t show up the way you thought he would? Did you ever think you had it all worked out? Even for a small time. For just a short portion of your life did you think “this is where I’m supposed to be” or “this is the path to _______”. Did it seem so, totally, clear that the end result was within sight or even within your grasp? Have you had it all come to a screeching halt? Sudden, news of a death in the family, serious health issue, dire financial concerns, devastating relationship problems, all can send the best laid plans careening into the ditch. Have you experienced a Plan B in your life? I have. Ironically enough I experienced a few while reading this book. In his book Plan B, author and pastor, Pete Wilson gives us a look into the lives of others that have experienced Plan B’s. I saw myself reflected in a few of these stories and I saw people I know in the others. If you have experienced what might be considered a Plan B, this book is a great light in the darkness, please read it. If you have not experienced one, get ready because yours is coming and this book may be a great way to prepare for it, read it.

I must warn you though this book may not exactly answer some of your questions. It may not explain why your Plan B happened. However, you may begin to understand that Plan B’s are all part of the “big picture”. It will show you how God can use our Plan B’s to stretch us beyond our current selves. Also, how He can use our Plan B’s to show others what faith in Him can bring. Sometimes we can learn from the Plan B’s of others too. I truly enjoyed Pete’s no-nonsense, almost conversational way of writing. Thank you Pete and God bless. Learn more or purchase the book at http://www.planbbook.com/ Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary advanced copy of this book to review.

28
Mar
10

FREE BOOK…

By Rick Phillips 1 Comment
Categories: Uncategorized

No, sorry it’s not that kind of free. It’s Free Book by Brian Tome. When you pull a book from my shelves you can usually tell how much I got out of it by the number of sticky tabs I have placed in the pages. Well, this book is loaded.

I’ve always considered myself a patriot. I have had the privilege to serve our country in the US Army. Through this service I have been had the opportunity to travel to and live in foreign countries and observe life under the rule of different types of government. This has given me an appreciation for the freedoms we have. Unfortunately, I feel we have allowed these freedoms to be distorted and to breed a “me, my, I” type of culture instead of the “HE, HIS, HIM” lives we are called to live. Of course, this attitude has been fed by the enemy of God and has grown into the free-for-all “I know what’s best for me” society we now live in.

In Free Book we explore true freedom. The kind of freedom afforded to one that is all-in with Jesus. One who has submitted to the authority of God. Most of us believe we are free when we are actually held captive by our fears. In 1 Peter 3:14 Peter tells us “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.’” Whether it’s taking the next step in your faith walk or simply looking into the claims of this guy they call Jesus, we all have things that keep us from our full potential and therefore keep us from being truly free. These “strongholds” vary in all of us but they all have one thing in common, they keep us from becoming the Spirit-filled free spirit we can all be.

Brian has a very normal and common way of explaining things. This book has opened my eyes more to the freedoms I have been given by our God and how I need to exercise those freedoms to show others the life they can have through Him. 1 John 4:18 says “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” This is what is being offered to each and every one of us, a perfect love from a perfect God. Somewhere to cast our fears and in return receive love… and it’s all free, you just have to accept it.

Thank you Brian, for your time, dedication and obedience to Him in writing this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
31
Jan
10

Valuable vs. Expensive

By Rick Phillips 1 Comment
Categories: Uncategorized

This week I learned a lesson. On one hand it was an expensive lesson. I made decision to commit to something that took me away from a job that could have paid between $300 and $600 for a day. I’m self employed with a daughter getting ready to head to college and a car that is not running at the moment and that money certainly could have come in handy.

The commitment I made was to sing at church. We were putting together an a cappella version of Crazy Train by Ozzy Ozbourne. All the instruments as well as the vocals were to be performed vocally. Don’t ask. It was for a specific message, and at the time seemed likes an interesting and creative idea. Once the parts were figured out they were recorded to mp3 and sent out for those involved to rehearse.

Now, I’m a big Ozzy fan from back in the day so I’m very familiar with his songs and Crazy Train was no exception. As soon as I listened to the recordings and tried to do my part, which was probably the easiest out of the group, the lead vocals, I determined there was a problem. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t find or keep the right key. I have a slight case of OCD so the other sounds were distracting and confusing. Immediately, I had serious doubts about being able to perform this song this way. I also had doubts about whether it would even work anyway. Whether the audience would get it or even recognize it. I voiced that opinion some but not strongly enough or soon enough to the right people.

The day of group rehearsal and the first day we were supposed to do this song came around, yesterday, and it was quite apparent very early that this was not working. I guess I hoped that once we were all together it would all fall into place and work itself out. That did not happen. So the decision was made to cut the song.

So, here I am with nothing to do and out a decent amount of money. That’s where the valuable lesson comes in though. I tend to have a good sense for what I can and can’t accomplish. So, I don’t tend to stray into uncharted territory unless I know I will succeed. What often appears as confidence is often simply a surety that I can do something. This philosophy has led me to and through many successes and few failures. I do believe whole heartedly that one learns more from their failures than from their successes however I still tend to avoid things that I sense I will fail at. Well, I feel that God had a different plan in this case. This was an embarrassing and expensive lesson but far more valuable than the money lost. I’ve certainly gained some humility and during the time I would have been rehearsing and performing I made some connections with some people that I might not have otherwise made. Thank you Lord, for presenting this lesson and for seeing me through it.

31
Dec
09

Blue Moon…

By Rick Phillips Leave a Comment
Categories: Uncategorized

…the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.
-Psalm 136:9

The term “blue moon” generally refers to the second full moon in a month and occurs just once every 2.7 years. The last blue moon to shine on New Year’s Eve was 19 years ago, in 1990.

At that moment in time I found myself utterly alone in a sea of soldiers. It was my second wedding anniversary and I was sitting alone on the shores of the Persian Gulf and my bride was not there to share it with me. In fact, due to my military service, we had only been able to share together, less than 320 days of the last 730 we had been married. But there I sat under the largest brightest view of the moon I had ever and have since seen. I can still see it when I close my eyes and I am still in awe of the beauty of this object that our creator placed there for us to wonder over.

That moon got me through a lot that night and many more. To know that she was safe somewhere under that same moon, being watched over by a loving, caring, gracious God. Even then as a “non-believer” I prayed for her and her safety. I prayed for God to get us through this and bring us back together. He came through on that promise and we are still married after 21 years.

Now, I would be lying if I said it was easy and hard even seems like an understatement at times but He came through on that prayer and so many others over the years. I am still in awe of and ever so grateful for the patience and grace God has instilled in my wife.

Even now there are times when I feel alone in my life but I rest in the comfort that we have a God that watches over each one of us. One that answers our  prayers in more ways than we can even imagine. Thank You Lord and thank you Jenni.

Father, I pray for the safety of all people tonight. As we gather to celebrate yet another year You have given us on this earth I ask that You keep us safe and warm in Your love and care. Please Father, bless this New Year and use it to use us to further build Your Kingdom. In Jesus holy name we pray, Amen.

22
Dec
09

Primal

By Rick Phillips Leave a Comment
Categories: God, Jesus, books and church

What would your Christianity look like if it was stripped down to the simplest, rawest, purest faith possible? You would have more, not less. You would have the beginning of a new reformation—in your generation, your church, your own soul. You would have primal Christianity.

This book is an invitation to become part of a reformation movement. It is an invitation to rediscover the compassion, wonder, curiosity, and energy that turned the world upside down two thousand years ago. It is an invitation to be astonished again.

I just finished Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity by Mark Batterson. I was thrilled and challenged by Marks previous books In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day and Wild Goose Chase But I believe he has outdone himself this time or more appropriately God has used Mark in bigger and broader ways through this book.

Primal begins with a descent into some of the history of Christianity where we find the “prime directive” from God through Jesus. The Great Commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” That alone is the most primal piece of knowledge one can obtain from God’s word. With that one commandment in place in your life everything else is, to some degree, inconsequential. Now don’t get me wrong here I’m not saying, nor is Mark saying, the rest is unimportant but this is the prime piece of scripture, without loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength the rest won’t get you to far.

So many of us, as believers, today are so caught up in a quest for knowledge and answers that we forget to live out our lives with and for God. We forget that our actions and acts toward others are to be the actions and acts of Jesus Himself. We need to be totally sold out for Him. It is so easy to get caught up in the trappings and busyness of “life” and forget that without Christ we cannot truly have life. We are only waiting around to die.

It is my hope and prayer that you would open your heart and mind to Primal and allow God to speak to you through this book as He has to me.

This book is available from Random House Publishers here.

Author

The author of Wild Goose Chase and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. One church with nine services in five locations, NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations and meets in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the D.C. area. Mark has two Masters degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago. He and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill with their three children. www.markbatterson.com


25
Oct
09

Praise God…

By Rick Phillips Leave a Comment
Categories: God and Jesus

Bible w glassesToday I had the honor to witness the most amazing Baptism I have ever seen. I saw and heard from a man that spent most of his 40+ years attending church but never really understanding who Jesus was and what He really was to us all. Well, recent events in this mans life brought him to his knees and to the foot of the cross. Today, we spent some time in worship to God and then listened to his story. Then we saw this man baptized. It was such an awesome thing to experience. He describes his experience as having being given a new pair of glasses. He says he sees things so much more clearly now and is begining to understand the love of Christ, and it’s obvious. It’s so beautiful to see Christ working in this mans life and to already see God’s plans for him start to unfold.

Thank you my brother for allowing me to be a part of this special occasion. Hang in there, God bless and don’t forget your glasses.

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I’m Rick Phillips-

I'm a massage therapist and the owner of Vandalia Massage Therapy. I'm also the communications director for The Ridge Community Church. I love to be used by God and help others discover how amazing it is to find their place and purpose in His kingdom on this earth. I'm used... The views expressed here are not necessarily the views and opinions of Vandalia Massage, the Ridge, bald guys or sane people. Thank you.
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