SHAYNE WALTERS

Safe as described in Webster- "is protected from or not exposed to danger or risk; not likely to be harmed" .

For so many of us that is our dream. To live life at a safe level. We want our jobs to be safe, families to be safe, retirement to be safe, and along the way, even a safe faith that gives us a safe church. The only problem was Jesus lived a life that was the complete opposite.

His (Jesus), starting point for life was, death! He is the one that challenged the safe process. What would our life be if we lived with a faith so deep in Jesus that safe was not the goal rather it was our enemy.... That we took risks that the world called us foolish, that we allowed ourselves to become vulnerable to all.

What would the church look like if it was full of those not calculated, rather dreamers. If it was not safe but dangerous. Or what if the church really believed that souls mattered most and we would die to reach them. What if we died, could it be that we might actually live?

I am not sure, but I am dying to find out.......

Savana my 7 year old has recently began a new blog (at her request). She is going to be blogging reviews of movies, t.v. shows, and technology for kids. I am amazed at her insight into the world around us. Check out Savana's page at:
savanawalters.blogspot.com

We had an awesome kickoff to our new series entitled "Practically Spiritual". Learning to live a "spiritual life" in every day reality. We had Phil Alfrey the director of MCYM Germany, a ministry to teenagers on military bases around the world. Phil made three wonderful points that really challenged me.

1) Jesus knew peoples name! ( We have to know the people around us)

2) Jesus eat with those no one else would.

3) Jesus loved no one else would.

Being spiritual is BEING JESUS IN everyday life...

Galatians 5:1 tell us it is for FREEDOM that Jesus came to set us FREE. It is the longing in the heart of every person on this planet to be free.

Freedom as we know is never free. People love, people serve, and yes even people die to give freedom to others. That is what makes America so wonderful. It is that people will love each other enough to give their life for their neighbors. I thank God for America, and for the very freedom we have. Our country is not great because we are wealthy, diverse, powerful. No what makes America great is that each of us, have a freedom to be the person God created us to be with no limits. We have that freedom because we are blessed by God and men and women died to give it to me. I LOVE AMERICA, AND THE PEOPLE FROM EVERY WALK OF LIVE TO MAKE IT WHAT IT IS......

Happy Independence Day.....BE FREE

I am truly proud of my children. Today Savana and Aleah spent the day along with their friend Bailey working at the Raleigh Food Bank stocking shelves. Not because we asked them too, rather because it was on their heat....I know that is why Jesus tells us, if we want to enter the Kingdom of God, we have to become like children....Proud of you guys.....

Today, my everyday hero may be a no brainer to many. Dr. Paul Huffman a professor at North Carolina State is one guy that I would say examples Jesus EVERYDAY.

Paul not only specializes in Experimental Nuclear Physics (please do not ask me to explain), but he is the same guys who works 7 days a week serving the world around him. Paul seems to be the first one there every Sunday to set up our church, as well as the last one to leave. For example I pulled into his house Saturday to drop off something only to find him BUFFING (WITH COMPOUND) the Church Trailer by himself. He and the entire Huffman family are givers to the greatest degree of the word. It seems as though they give everything and ask for nothing. I am honored to be his friend.

In addition to all of those qualities, he and his wife Roxanne adopted a family of 4 children (twin boys 5, teenage boy 15, teenage girl 16). Why? Because Jesus told them they need a family.

If you ever want to meet a real hero, shake the hand of Paul or Roxanne Huffman. People who walk the walk as well as anyone I know..... BASICALLY, they are being Jesus in this world...They are true everyday heros.

PAUL LOVES TO HEAR THANK YOU SO PLEASE SEND HIM AS MANY AS YOU CAN!!!!! LOL

There are those times on my blog when I recommend books to you that educate, inspire or even challenge me. Tonight may be the first time I would say a book is a MUST READ!

I opened the first page of Erwin McManus' new book entitled Wide Awake, only to find myself welled up in tears, crying out for a boldness to live the life God had intended me to live.

I have always been one that was never afraid to dream or even one to take chances for that matter. However, they in their own right have always been calculated dreams with calculated risks. To some, our life seems crazy with moments of risk. However, to God they seem average and in their own right safe (faithless).

The following quote was one of MANY from the book that so shook me to the core. Erwin, speaking of Jesus writes " He launched a movement that unleashed previously untapped potential in those who believed in him. He created an environment where disciples began to believe the impossible and soon found they were turning dreams into reality. His became a movement of dreamers and visionaries called and compelled to dream of a better world."

The reality for me (Shayne Walters) is, that being like everyone else scares me. I believe that each of us were created to live a unique life, full of dreams and together that we will then make up the complete creation of God.....

Tonight we are celebrating Savana's last day of school. She is now a
second grader.