she still calls me daddy

In his book, She Still Calls Me Daddy, Robert Wolgemuth takes on the vital issue of building a new relationship (different) with your daughter AFTER she walks down the aisle. Wolgemuth dedicates this book to his two sons-in-law after thanking them for still allowing him to be involved in their life. Right away you are reminded of how vital this "new season" of relationship is to a newly married woman. This daughter no longer looking to be led by her father, instead her husband, but still appreciating this vital relationship with her daddy to be healthy and growing. Wolgemuth takes the 7 things that he believes every father should provide for a daughter, and gives them a fresh look as a father provides these to his now married daughter living along new leadership. Wolgemuth suggests the 7 things are: Protection, Conversation, Affection, Discipline, Laughter, Faith, and Conduct. One of the most important chapters is chapter 3, in which Wolgemuth suggests that a vital role of a father is to safeguard his daughter's marriage. In other words, looking for ways to help her marriage work rather than trying to get in the middle of it or tearing it down. I am so thankful for my own father-in-law who helps encourage my marriage with his daughter so well! A new marriage, Wolgemuth writes has to be "released from the familiar and set free to establish their own normals". In chapter 6, Discipline-the art of letting go, he writes, we can "either evaluate or we (can) celebrate, if we choose to stand back, fold our arms, and evaluate our grown kids, we'll live in constant frustration over our inability to change them." I think that Wolgemuth is correct when saying that letting go is a lost art in parenting and is one of the biggest frustrations of young marriages. This is pretty good resource especially for those in the empty nest season of life.

remember haiti...is there anyone listening?

Let's keep praying for the people of Haiti and all the relief workers. Rejoice Church will be taking up a special offering for Haiti on Sunday, Feb. 14th. We will using the offering to give to 3 particular organizations. 1) Mountain Faith Mission 2) Samaritian's Purse 3) World Relief. Between these three organizations both small and large, we will be personally sending a worker from our church through Mountain Faith Mission and helping many people in the mountainous areas. Then Samaritan's purse is one of the most effective relief groups providing water, shelter, counseling, and the gospel. Thirdly, World Relief has had a presence for several decades in Haiti and has been helping with clean water, blankets and pastoral leadership.

In our prayers...

forgiveness, brit hume and tiger woods

Forgiveness? Who would have ever thought that the topic of forgiveness would cause so much tension! It all started, when Fox News analyst Brit Hume suggests that for 2010, Tiger Woods turn from Buddhism and toward Christianity. His explanation (see above video) is that Christianity offers true redemption, forgiveness and restoration, which Buddhism does not. Obviously his words were surprising to his co-workers and to national news. What do you think? Does Buddhism offer true forgiveness? Does Christianity offer true forgiveness through faith by grace in Jesus Christ? Needless to say, Brit Hume has been taking some heat on the "airwaves" and on news media across the nation and youtube.com

Good news: Rejoice Church unashamedly believes that Jesus Christ is the one who offers forgiveness to anyone who believes. We believe that Jesus is the only one who can forgive us of our wretched sin both public and private. We understand that God's Word, the Bible, teaches that all of us are in the same condition without Christ. The human race is deserving of only God's wrath, and eternal judgement. That only Christ offers hope for this life and the next.

Have you received forgiveness from Jesus Christ? Do you extend this same forgiveness to those around you? May each one of us have the courage that Brit Hume had to present the good news of Christ in a loving and winsome way to those who are far from Him! -casey cariker

forgiveness and apologies seem to go hand in hand

Yesterday, I (Casey) got the opportunity to preach to the Rejoice Church North Campus about forgiveness. The challenge was for each of us to consider obeying Christ by making forgiveness a spiritual discipline of our lives. It seems real easy for me to desire forgiveness from others, but not always freely desire to forgive others. Then on other occasions I seem willing to forgive and forget but refuse to want to ask forgiveness or even say humble words like: I'm sorry, will you forgive me?! In fact, sometimes asking someone to forgive you can be harder than any possible act that requires words. Recently I started reading "The Reason for Sports-A Christian Fanifesto" by Ted Kluck. This book really is just a simple collection of essays about life, sports, and Christ. It's a easy read and light on the brain. ha! But overall, Ted does a good job challenging each one of us to look at all of life, including sports through the life and teachings of Christ. In the first chapter, "It's Hard to Say I'm Sorry", Ted after telling as story about his own son, Tristan being willing to apologize after making his neighbor's nose bleed...Ted writes the following:

"The cross and the gospel, are by nature offensive. It's off-putting to suggest that sin exists in a world that tries so hard...to justify it. As athletes, we want to thank God for our touchdowns, write "all things are possible" in marker on our wrist tape or shoes, and kneel in the end zone after we score. But that's only half the story. We want to live like Jesus. Give talks. Maybe even start nonprofit foundations. But perhaps the most Christian thing we could do, from stage, is acknowledge our own sin. And as fans, we need to realize our role models are human, sinners just like us, and extend the grace to forgiven when they sin and act for their own self-interests."

It's my prayer that I will be a person who is willing to forgive others as Christ has so infinitely forgiven me. Then on many occasions when others experience the forgiveness of a brother or friend or co-worker, its in those moments they will be drawn to the greatest forgiver of all-Jesus Christ. And for that: I will never apologize.

-casey cariker

fatherhood at thanksgiving

Here is a great story on a family that was separated by trials, circumstances, and choices. Recently the son has been reunited with his father. The son has always wanted to be loved by his father. The father had no idea he had a son. During Thanksgiving, no matter your family situation be thankful for what God is doing in your life and how much He is willing to pursue you through His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

Read article here: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=reilly_rick&id=4688219

The dirty "A" word-adultery

Over the last several weeks, I have had the privilege of meeting with several guys to eat breakfast, pray, and discuss how we could better lead our homes for Christ. It has been real encouraging seeing several of these guys who come from different backgrounds, grew up in different hometowns, most have different seasons of life, and many face different challenges. This week, we continued reading the book, Point Man, by Steve Farrar. Today's chapter, Real Men Don't, discussed the dirty "A" word-adultery. Farrar discusses the fact that when a husband cheats on his wife its not just an affair but adultery. And with adultery comes tremendous consequences like losing your marriage, damaging your influence with your kids, losing friendships, hurting your witness to those outside of Christ, being removed from leadership, and suffering almost insurmountable emotional damage. Here are a few more quotes from the book:

*We have seen too many leaders in recent years who have preached righteousness in the pulpit while practicing unrighteousness in some hotel room.
*Righteousness must not only be found in our pulpits, but in our homes.
*The modus operandi (for all men) should be to flee sexual immorality. See I Cor. 6:18
*He quotes Boake Carter, "in time of war, the first casualty is truth."
*We are in the greatest danger of all when we think we are safe. (Stand heed unless you fall...)
*Each divorce is the death of a small civilization.
*There is nothing wrong with desiring happiness, but horrendous problems develop when we become disobedient to obtain it.
*Forgiveness is available to all. But forgiveness does not automatically restore the privilege of leadership.

Have you ever suffered negative consequences regarding someone's choice? Have you ever personally lost a friendship or relationship due to adultery? Just today, ESPN came out with a story about one of their leading baseball analyst who is taking a leave of absence from his commentating in the middle of the playoffs. Why? Evidently he has been having an affair-committing adultery-with a co-worker. He is married and has several children. It is important to feel the pain that he and his family and this co-worker are all currently feeling. It is important to pray for each of those people that they will experience the forgiveness of Christ and the freedom to obedience he brings. It is important to exam each one of our own lives to set up specific boundaries and accountability so that we don't suffer the same things. After all, its because of grace we can be forgiven, and its because of grace that we remain free from the same sin. May God continue to raise up Godly men at Rejoice, in our cities, throughout our nation and in this world to lead our families and point others to Christ. That is a real man! -casey

i am second

No matter where you are on the football radar this is a strong video for multiple reasons:
1) It reminds us that sports is an activity for enjoyment but not for worship.
2) That heroes are people we look up to not idolize.
3) That college football players are in many ways still late teenagers or young adults.
4) That ultimately God calls us to lead for Christ no matter our sphere of influence or platform.

So no matter if you are a Poke, Longhorn, Aggie, Sooner, Golden Hurricane, Razorback, Red Raider, or don't enjoy football at all, take a minute to watch this video and be encouraged by two young followers of Christ. -casey c.