I remember the story of the man who went to heaven and was immediately greeted by Simon Peter.

As they walk down the street, the man was amazed at the size of the mansions!  He started getting excited about the residence that Peter was leading him to.  They kept walking and walking until they came to the end of the street.

The man acted puzzled and asked Peter:  “Where’s my mansion?”  Peter pointed to a very small dwelling set back from the road.  “That’s my house?” said the man.  “Why it’s no comparison to the other homes on the street.  Why do I get this small dwelling while the other people on the street get huge mansions?”

Peter said, “Well, it’s like this.  All the value you placed upon relationships on earth translates into building materials here in heaven.  Did you not read the Scripture?”

Jesus told His disciples: "Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being (Matthew 6:19-21,MSG).”

Peter said, “The reason you permanent dwelling is so small is because that’s all the building materials you sent us up here to work with.”

This illustration makes good sense!  Why stockpile so much here on earth, which is temporal, and forsake your stockpile in heaven, which is eternal.  Everything that we gather here on earth will not make it to heaven.  Have you ever seen a U-Haul following a hearse?

John D. Rockefeller was once considered the richest man in history.  When he died, the lawyer who handled his estate was asked by a reporter, “How much money did Rockefeller leave behind?”  The lawyer paused for just a moment and said with sincerity, “All of it.”

The only things that we take with us to heaven are relationships and the value we place on them.  And if that value translates into building materials, what will our dwelling look like in heaven?

Relationships: the good, the bad, the ugly. 

Did you know that most problems we face in life have to do with difficulties in relationships?  These include marriage and family; employee and employer.  Problems that we have with others can impact our relationship with God and vice versa.

Good relationships begin with us.  God wired us for relationships.  The value and essence of good relationships lies deep within our hearts.  The choice is ours to breathe life or death into relationships.

There are times when we become our own worst enemy in sabotaging relationships.  This can result in a breakdown in our ability to accept and love ourselves.  To compensate for this we often wear masks to hide our true identity.  We can play games with our emotions to disguise our true feelings.  We can build walls around our lives that safely block-out the influences of others, whether good or bad.

Jill has problems accepting herself.  These problems make it difficult for her to accept and love others, including her family.  Holding relationships at arms-length is her way of dealing with her poor self-image.  Until she learns to accept and love herself, she will never be fully able to connect in meaningful relationships with others.

One of the ways people compensate for the problem of a poor self-image is through the wearing of “phony-bologna” masks that hide their authenticity.  According to Alan Loy McGinnis in his book, The Friendship Factor, “We vacillate between the impulse to reveal ourselves and the impulse to protect ourselves with a blanket of privacy.  We long both to be known and to remain hidden.” 

Many of us need what I call a “new view of you!”  According to Genesis 1:26, we are all created in the image of Almighty God.  We are all quite unique.  And to prove this, God offers physical proof.

As a former FBI trained fingerprint technician, I learned that no two people have the same fingerprints.  This is God’s way of saying, “I broke the mold when I created you!  No other person was, is, or will ever be like you, ever!”

God made each of us for a divine purpose.  He has plans and a mission for us; specifically designed according to our gifts, talents, and temperament.  All of this works in conjunction with the relationships we encounter in life.

We must keep in mind that learning to love and accept our self according to God’s design does not exempt us from personal change.  We simply cannot say, “Well, that’s the way God made me; like it or not.”  Accepting a “new view of you” gives us a passport to personal growth.  This may be the beginning of the transformation that God promises for all of us. 

Perhaps it’s time to let go and let God transform your life.

The past 12 months have been a whirlwind for Kim and me. 

We’ve moved to a bigger home.  I’ve been involved in starting a new business.  She’s opening up her own salon.  With all these changes came new challenges; some we anticipated, some we didn’t.

Self motivation is something that’s locked up inside everyone of us; and we alone…hold the key.

Jim liked to walk to work each day.  He enjoyed nature, and the peace and quiet.  This was because his path to work took him straight through an old graveyard.  Each day he followed the same path; being careful not to step on any graves.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:10

Most people fall into four categories as to how they perceive things. 
This also influences their personality and the way they relate to others. 

Some people are very visual.  During conversations they look deeply at the person who’s talking.  They watch body language – facial expressions and hand gestures.  They even talk visually.  They say things like, “I see what you are saying…or paint me a picture of what your saying.”

Other people are auditory.  They are good listeners; in fact, many will actually turn their ear towards people in conversation.  They say things like, “I hear exactly what you’re saying…or what you said rings loud and clear.”

Some people are very cognitive.  These people are thinkers.  They like to really ponder what’s being said.  They say things like, “I understand what you’re saying…or perhaps we need a little time to really think about it.”

And then there are those who are very kinesthetic.  These people are very lively.  They are moved by emotion.  They say things like, “I feel what you’re saying…or I was really moved by that.”       

Perhaps the best way to identify these different types of people is to put them all together into a burning building.

The visual person will say, “Let look for a way out." The auditory person will say, “I think I hear the fire engine.”  The cognitive person will say, “Let’s stop and formulate a plan of escape.”  The kinesthetic person will simply say, “Get out of my way!  I’m outta here!”

The question is:  Which one of these people will you want to lead you to safety?  Well, for me, I’d follow the kinesthetic person.  They’ll find a way out quickly; no matter the obstacles.

Which type of person has God made you to be?  

The next time you engage in conversation with another person, try to figure out which type they are.  You might catch a better glimpse into their personality and how to better communicate with them.

I believe in miracles.  Even though I don’t see them happen as often as I would like, I still believe.  We have one going on in our family, right now.

Glenda, my wife’s sister, lives in Oklahoma City. 

She was young in the Lord and full of faith.  So, she reached over and laid her hand on the radio.  When the minister finished praying, something happened to Glenda.  From that point on, she was totally delivered from smoking.  She gave God all the glory.

These latter years have also added a number of pounds to her body.  She’s been depressed about her weight and about her smoking.  Around the first part of this year, Glenda decided in her heart that God is powerful and able to help her with her frustrations.

She began reading her Bible more each day.  She prayed hard about her situation.  She exercised her faith…and Jesus empowered her.  Once again, a miracle has happened!  She has been delivered from smoking; and on top of that, she’s lost an enormous amount of weight.  Usually people gain weight after they quit smoking.  Not in Glenda’s case.

Do miracles still happen today?  You bet they do, and Glenda is a living testimony of God’s goodness.

Life can be both challenging and frustrating at times, especially when you are emotionally and spiritually drained. 

Loving family and good friends can help during these times.  This was true of my good friend, Wayne, who has gone to be with the Lord.  Wayne was a big burley guy with a tender heart as big as Texas.

He was perhaps the funniest man I’ve ever met.  Always jolly; always caring about family and friends.  Everyone loved them.  Whenever he walked into a room, people gravitated toward his warm, caring personality.  He had an extraordinary talent for “reading” people and their needs.    

Whenever I was down or feeling blue, I could always count on my ole pal, Wayne, for encouragement.  He would say, “Mike, keep your chin up.  Everything will be alright.”

Stand up tall, lift up your chin, and look unto Jesus.  Take the apostle’s Peter’s advice and “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (I Peter 5:7,NIV).”

There are days when you have the strength to be encouraging; and then, there are days you need encouragement.  The more I walk the path of life each day, I realize a couple of things.  The truth be known, all of us would like a little peace and happiness each day.

The Apostle Paul said, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7, NIV)."  What’s very interesting about this is the fact that Paul was in prison when he wrote this.  Yet somehow he found peace that transcends all understanding.

Peace and happiness may seem out of reach at times; especially in our daily life.  However, they may be only a single prayer and a decision away from reality.

Perhaps one of the greatest cries of people today is for authentic Christian Community. 

These three words can each stand alone and mean so much.  But when put together, they become synergistic and very powerful.  This synergism produces an environment with enormous appeal; one everyone hopes to experience.  Let’s look at each of these words.

What best defines authentic?  How about genuine or real…true or unquestionable?  I consider my wife to be one of the most authentic people I know.  With her, what you see…is what you get.  Her passion for life and compassion for people is truly authentic. 

She desires authentic (true) relationships, especially with members of her family.  This is very important to her.  She believes authentic relationships must have the capacity for depth and maturity; without this, they are very shallow.

So, what about the word Christian?  What exactly is a good definition?  For me, Christian means full-devoted disciple of Jesus Christ – ambassador of faith, hope, and love.  Finding relationships with genuine Christians is so inviting and life-giving.  You can talk for hours about life, family, and the Lord. 

Community is the last word that completes this synergistic environment.  I sometimes define community as the birthplace of common purpose; the seed-bed of mutuality and unity.  For me, community is more than a place.  It represents value, attitude, and vision.  I believe community is something we all desire; without it, we are alone.

Benjamin Franklin once said: "we can all hang together, or surely we will all hang separately."

Each of the words in authentic Christian community invites something unique.  Each resonates with possibility and imagination!  Put it all together, and you have an amazing synergistic environment, where the output is far greater that the sum of the inputs. 

Authentic Christian community is a transformational environment where people truly cared about each other.  No one feels alone; everyone feels needed.  Relationships are life-giving; serving as avenues for mutual understanding and respect.  Everyone finds hope and experiences God’s love.

Can such an environment truly exist?

Call me an idealist, but I believe authentic Christian community is possible; in fact, I experience everyday in relationship with my wife.  I’ve also experienced it with my family, friends, and co-workers.

In simple terms authentic Christian community is a place where faith, hope, and love are permanent residences, and people are invited to move in next door.

Throughout the years I’ve learned that authentic Christian community really begins in me.  Many times my search has brought me to my own doorstep with these questions: “What’s in my neighborhood?  Would anyone really want to take up residence next to me?”

Something to think about.

As my body gets older, my mind gets younger! 

These days I get to hang-out with the young people that make up our company team.  They keep me up-to-date in current technology and its future.  At times they blow me away with their vision and concepts for future applications.

As a kid, I remember when color television first came out.  I didn’t get a computer into my home until the mid 90’s, and I didn’t have a cell phone until 1998.  As you can see I didn’t grow up with the kind of technology most young people take for granted today.

Can you teach an old dog new tricks?  You bet you can!  I’m living proof.  Today, I couldn’t function without my computer or my cell phone.  Technology is a major part of my life and my business.

I’ve learned to embrace change and not fight it.  I’ve broken free of the traditional mind-set that says, “We’ve never done it that way before.”  Give change a chance.  You might like it.