The Life and Times of 'James P. Erickson'

One of the hardest things I’ve been struggling with lately is finding enough time in a day to do everything I want to do.  This might sound familiar to some of you.  I try so hard to organize my life and squeeze every moment from the day that I normally find by the end of the day I now have MORE to do.  How is that possible?!?!?  As I ponder more and more upon it though perhaps ‘organization’ is just a fancy word for ‘control’.  Perhaps if I really look deep I’m not just trying to organize MY life but control EVERYTHING else around me.  When I look at it that way it really is quite funny.  I still need to remind myself of the old expression, “Let go and let God”

On another note I recently heard Pastor Greg Matte speak about 2 amazing things.  The idea that we find ourselves in caves from time to time and also the idea that we’re immortal until God says otherwise.  Please let me unpack these two statements.  One - How often do we feel that we’re stuck in a cave.  Alone, dark, damp, and mainly an unpleasant place to be.  Sometimes we look to God and say, “Why now?  I can’t be in this cave now!  I’ve got things to do!”  We can get mad at God or mad at the situation or sometimes even get mad at ourselves.  But God has a reason for why you’re there.  He puts you in that cave so that you can act as a guide to those venturing in behind you.  You may be the only one IN that cave but I promise you, you’re not the only one who’s been THROUGH that cave. (Metaphor for tough times, not actual cave)  Two - God has made us immortal.  Please let me shed some light on this one.  Joe has been diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma and has been given 2 weeks to live by the doctors.  God will look at that same situation and say, “Joe will be on this earth until I say otherwise”.  Joe begins using his time to speak to others in the hospital about Christ’s love.  He shares his story with doctors and nurses and even does a little traveling and speaks to different groups of people dealing with the same things.  We are immortal until our role in the mission field is complete.  Only God can dictate when that will be.  I guess what I want someone to take away from that 2nd part is that we have no need to worry about when our time is up.

It’s amazing how clear God can make some things in your life when you give Him the chance to speak.  Maybe I should rephrase that…when we have the time to listen.  He’s always speaking, most of the time we’re just not paying attention.  Check this out, just a few days ago I received an email from a guy I had never met.  We’ve sent a few messages back and forth but the gist of the emails have been about homosexuality.  Most of you know I’m not gay, but over the last few years God has placed many men in my life who are struggling with homosexuality.  God has given me wisdom on the matter and helped me find verses throughout the Bible to help make some very compelling points.  But the MOST amazing thing that has been happening is that I’m still talking with all these men.  It can be so easy to want to speak truth to people and show them no grace.  Homosexuality can still be a very taboo topic to certain people and speaking about it within a Christian mindset can sometimes come across as offensive and narrow minded.  I pray that God continues to change the hearts of men all over the world and bring them closer to truly knowing Him.

PPF (Please Pray For): My close friend Scott who’s currently driving back to Tennessee to finish school.  He’s been in and out of the hospital for so long that he might be one of the few guys truly excited to go back to school.  Love you Scott.

PPF: 4 years ago was the first time and friend spoke to me about his struggle with homosexuality, I certainly did not have to right words to say and because of that lost him as a friend.  I hope someday I can apologize to him for what I did.

Sunday should be my new bloggin’ day…if not…till I blog again,

-JP