New Trick

So time has been going by very fast at our house the last few months. We have learned a new trick over the past few days, check it out. McKynley at 7 1/2 months old.

An attack of unseen proportions (Ramblings)

So I have had a lot go on in my life lately? It's already the third month in the new year and I think I'll take sometime to update you a little bit about what's going on in my life and the life of my family. Well most know, but we had our second child back in August of 2007 and she is already six months old. Time goes by way to fast. She's been a good baby, puts herself to sleep, isn't cranky or fussy. We've cut our first two teeth, had a bout with RSV and are about to take off crawling.
Peyton has become a real character also. He's the best brother you could ask for. He has a real love for his little sister. He will be turning four this year. His vocabulary has increase a thousand times in the last year. He loves to rough house, can use the computer better then a lot of adults and is growing in his faith. He loves church and loves to read from his bible.
Jenn has had a lot of changes in her life as well. She graduated from WTAMU in December, and got hired as a second grade teacher on January 3rd. She's been extremely busy learning all that comes with teaching, but she is going to be great. It probably doesn't help much that I make a bigger mess then the kids usually.
For now, that's an update on the rest of the family. Onto what I came to write about. December 31st marked my last day as an employee for the church. My position pretty much was no longer needed, so I was out of a job. The great thing is, Jenn and I have been ok with it. The Lord moved in our lives, and gave her a job 3days after mine was over. But before all that, we had applied for a youth pastor position in a small town outside of Lubbock. We had our first interview back in October, and felt like things went good. Then we went back for a second Interview in early December, and felt like things had gone great. We just knew we were moving. Well, it's March 4th, and we still have had no word. I understand that our lives our in God's hands, and we'll move when He says move, but I also know that Satan knows what's going on in our lives. I just feel like lately I'm not man enough for a life in ministry. I feel like Satan has been speaking his lies to me that I'm not good enough, I'm not strong enough in my faith to lead people for Christ. And well to be honest, I've had a hard time fighting off his lies. I have this deep passion inside me to grow in intimacy with the father, yet I believe the lie that I can do it by sitting back and doing nothing. I guess what I'm saying is, I believe that Satan is at work today. I know he's working in my life, he's telling me that I'm not good enough, that I've fallen to far from Christ to ever be back in grace with the Father. and I'm sick of it, I'm sick of his lies. I Stand up and Proclaim Freedom in Christ, Freedom that when Satan says, your not good enough, that I know through Christ I am, that when your a sinner, Jesus says i take your sins.
So I guess what this post is about is, be aware, be very aware. Satan is still at work today, he's just more clever. When you go to the Lord in Prayer and get side tracked about a meeting later that day, it's the evil one trying to keep you from communicating with your Father. When it's more important that you get to play golf, work out, or finish that project at work then spend time with your wife and children. It's Satan giving you the ok. Because he knows that keeping you and your wife in disagreement is destroying the covenant you took at the alter. Just because something seems good, doesn't mean it is. I truly believe that Satan takes something that seems good and uses it to get us out of focus with what Christ is wanting for our lives. I've always heard it said that, "Satan is the mirror image of God" Which means it looks good, it's just backwards. Thanks for taking time to read my ramblings.

Brandon

Failure and Anticipation

So I have begun to notice that I am not very good at keeping up with a blog. This is both in the writing and checking of my blog. I get comments from people occasionally on something I have written, but it will be weeks before I actually see it. Anyways, back to the reason I'm here, to write a new post.
Well as most know, Jenn is only a few weeks aways now from giving birth to our second child, McKynley Grace. I am excited as I wait in anticipation. We are in a time in our lives where everyone we know is having a baby. We have a had a few friends who's babies have already arrived, and a few who are having babies after we do. As I think about these new lives, it beckons something inside of me. I get this feeling of a new life in the Holy Spirit. I at times need to be refreshed by the Holy Spirit in my walk with Christ. I am in a place physically, emotionally, and spiritually where I need some new life. So I ask that you pray for us, as we anticipate new life in our house hold, and also I seek renewing in my life with Christ.

What's in a name

So we have been having the name battle in our house ever since we found out we were pregnant again. Of course my laid back lazy attitude, I wanted to wait until we found out what we were having. If you haven't heard by now, we are having a little girl, and just came to a conclusion on Sunday about her name and at lunch today decided about her little name. Our little girl is going to be McKynley Grace Belveal. So let me know what you think. I personally think it is a beautiful name.

Baby Girl

So if you haven't already heard the news, Jenn and I found out on April 27th that we are going to be having a baby girl. I'm so ecstatic about finding out about her. I have always wanted to have at least one boy and one girl, and God has blessed me with both. But as I have had some time to reflect upon having a girl, I've began to wonder what kind of a father I will be for her. I truly believe that raising a boy is different from a girl. My main worries about Peyton are will he know how to be a man, will he stand for what he believes in, will make it to adulthood without to many major injuries, but with a baby girl, I haven't different worries or concerns. I know exactly what teenage boys think about teenage girls, and it makes me angry, sad and concerned to know that one day a teenage boy is going to look at my little girl and think impure thoughts about her. I don't know if other father's feel like this happens or will happen to their daughters or not, but it makes me upset in my stomach to know that what God has beautifully created will one day be looked upon in an unclean manner. I know this is true, because I have looked upon His creation in this manner. My heart is filled with pain and sorrow to know that there is nothing I can really do to keep this from happening. The encouraging thing though is that I know that my son and daughter have a creator in the Father who looks upon them with love. All He sees is His beautiful creation. So it has become my prayer for my son to grow up with the integrity to look upon women as creations from God and for my daughter to embrace the way the Father looks upon her. For her to know that no matter what some teenage boy says about her looks, that what truly matters is that her earthly father, and more importantly heavenly Father will always look at her and see the woman of God that she is created to become. This if for all you fathers out there who know or will experience the same things I am right now.

Remodeling

So for nearly a month now we have been working on a remodeling project here at the church. What I thought was going to take a week tops, has now been ongoing for almost 5 weeks. Of course this hasn't been a continues 5 weeks, it has been here and there kind of a thing. But I began to think this morning about remodeling and my spiritual walk. I feel as if there is some remodeling that needs to take place in my soul, but when it comes to the actual work (prayer, confession, listening, etc...) my soul becomes like the room at the church. I have been treating it with the attitude that it can wait, or I work on it here and there. I often wonder why it is that we as Christians are like this. We think that if we attend church or do something for the church that is all we need to connect with God. Maybe that is all we need, but I can't help but feel there is something more, something deeper. So I ask that as I begin to do the "remodeling" of my soul and spiritual connection with God that you help to hold me accountable, but most of all, that you would be willing to ask the Lord to give me direction and wisdom of His will for my life.

Much thanks.

Brandon

Character

So over the last week I finally finished reading Donald Miller's Book, "To Own a Dragon". This was an amazing book and a great read. I recommend it to anyone. Any way, I want to talk about a scene that takes place in the movie Family Man. I have never actually seen this movie, but the book I read talked about it. In the Movie, Nicolas Cage's character, Jack, is in a convince store. Behind the counter is Don Cheadle's character Cash. A girl buys a pack of gum from Cash. He tells her that it will be 65 cents and she gives him a dollar bill. He then purposely gives her change for a 10. You can see in her face a moment where she realizes that she got the wrong amount of change back, but turns to walk out of the store. As she is leaving, she pauses and he ask her if everything is ok, she thinks for a moment then says yeah and leaves. Cash then tells Jack that it was a character issue and that she just sold her character for nine dollars. As I read this in the book, I was just blown away by this concept of selling one's character. I began to think of all the times that I have sold me character for something as measly as nine dollars or even less. I think that's whats wrong with America today, especially those of use who claim to be Christians. We are not afraid to sell our Character. We do whatever we want, we will hurt who ever we have to to get a head, all that matters is that we come up first. I want you to take a moment and think about it. What have you sold your character for? Maybe you told a girl you love her so she would sleep with you, maybe you stole somebody else's work and claimed it to be your own. It makes me sick to think that I have sold my Character, especially as a Christian, for something that was insignificant. Because when we are willing to sell our Character, the things that we hold true, then what else is there worth living for. If we aren't even willing to stand for what we believe in, How are we going to be able to stand for Christ. Hope you find this as intriguing and eye opening as I have.