Back To The Future. I’d say there’s a good chance you saw that movie. So, you probably remember that certain song by Huey Lewis and the News. The power of Love. It’s catchy. Huey sings it well. And it’s got a good beat.

The real POWER of love I’m always harpin’ on is only found in one place. And that place is actually one Person. And that one Person is, let’s all say it together, Jesus. I know I’m preachin’ to the choir right now. But “the choir” needs to speak up more about the whole Jesus. Here’s what I tell people. And I hope you do, too. Of course, you can put your own personality into it and use your own words. But tell them. Because most churches don’t now.

The world (and many Christians) say “God is love.” But God doesn’t say that. He says He is:

I just did a search in His book. And I couldn’t find anywhere in there where He says, “I am love.” No, when God describes Himself, you’ll find a lot of references to the effective power of His love. But no references to Him BEING love. He’s the source of it. But He’s the God of justice AND mercy. Because He loves you.

Yes, that’s completely sensible. Because God understands that in order for love to be true, it MUST be freely given. So, He freely gives His to anyone who will receive it. Yep, you get to choose whether or not you will. Because God gave you your own will.

And the POWER of His love provided (and still provides) the way you can know the truth and receive eternal life. But He never has, doesn’t now, and never will force you to believe in, trust in, or love Him. You are free to be your own little god. The person who is nicer, wiser, and more loving than anyone. I suggest you wise up and don’t choose that option. Because nobody in the whole world has ever done anything to deserve His

If this was the last day of my life…

If this was the last thing I could write…

If this was the last time I could pray…

© 2018

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I woke up this morning and saw the same stories in the news again. Too many fires. And too many people with questions. And not many who shared how Living Water is the answer. So, you know what that means.

But this ain’t about too many fires burning down forests, prairies, or houses. It’s about a focus on problems when you should be focused the solution.

A long time ago, if you wanted to tell God something, you had to follow a bunch of rules. And if you wanted God’s help with your problems, you had to ask a high priest to let God know your request.

But then Jesus lived, died, and rose from the dead to make a way to change that. Now, you can pray to God anytime and every time you want, and He’ll listen. It doesn’t matter how many fiery problems are burning across your landscape right now. Because Jesus, who called Himself the Living Water, can help you put them all out.

He loves to hear from you, by the way.

So, try this idea.

Talk to God today and ask Him for some peace and quiet. Then, be still and listen for His word. I should say, that last part works if and when you’ve been in His word and His word is in you. If that’s not quite how it is, then grab yourself a Bible and read Paul’s letters. You can find them way over in the right side of the book. He wrote 13 of them. And they’re the ones from Romans to Philemon.

He was beaten with rods. And he received 195 lashes on his back. He was stoned. Shipwrecked three times. Dangerously adrift at sea. Thrown in prison, where he almost died, several times. And he listed a bunch of perils:

Wow. Every way he turned. But those weren’t the only issues. He also dealt with:

And he knew when you focus on all the fires (issues), you just end up with too many fires. So, I hope you’ll follow my suggestion and stop listening to and reading what everyone, who gets their unwise wires crossed, says about it. Forget about all the sky-is-falling people running their potty mouths, full time, about the bad news of the day.

Because the Good News is as close as your thoughts.

Stay tuned,

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There I stood. In between the guitar player’s loud amp and the drummer’s crash cymbal. That’s where my equipment had been placed on a stage in front of business executives. Things had already fallen behind a bit. So, there was no time to rearrange anything. So, that’s where I was for an hour and a half. And take my advice. If you ever get the chance to be in that position, pass it up.

And I’m not sure which was worse. The piercing guitar in my right ear. Or the crash cymbal in my left. Maybe it was a tie. Anyway, I can tell you my hearing was damaged, at least a little, from that day on.

But you know what’s worse than having your ears damaged? It’s having your soul damaged by somebody trying to impress you with their fancy skills just because it makes them feel “special.” And a wise man, named Paul, wrote about what happens to anyone who tries to do that. He talked about people who had special gifts from God like being able to predict things and speak other languages.

He said, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”

Yikes. That ain’t good. And as I already showed you, a clanging (crash) cymbal can hurt your ears. So, if and when you’re like that, there’s a good chance you might be hurting more than just ears. Because someone might think you’re just trying to show off. So, they won’t even wanna listen to your noise.

You wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for the power of God’s love. Yeah, He loved the world (which is another way of saying you and me and all the people) so much that He put Himself into a human body to be punished for all the bad stuff He did.

Wait a second! Read those last 6 words again.

NO. He wasn’t punished for all the bad stuff HE did. He let people beat Him, make fun of Him, and even put Him to death because of all the bad stuff YOU did. And all the bad stuff everybody did.

So, what He did is WAY more important than any so-called “special gifts” you and I might have. And He did it because of His love. That’s why you don’t wanna be a crash cymbal in this world. But that’s exactly what you’ll be if you go through your day without love. Because…

Without love there’s just no way out

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So, this catchy tune popped into my head this morning. And I thought, “Hmm, that might go real nice with some lyrics I wrote a few years ago.” Then, I sat down in my vocal booth and fired up the studio mic. And I hummed along with a salsa beat as pictures of avocado bliss danced in my head.

And surely you’d like some avocado bliss on a grass-fed beef burger. If not, maybe you’ll change your mind once you understand how good those green orbs are for you.

Yeah, avocados are actually healthy blessings to your body. Blessings like how they provide:

Your health is your best secret weapon. For staying ahead of the competition. And for living as long as long as you can. When you live a long life, you can be more, do more, and serve others more. More AND better.

So, now that you know what and why, let’s sing…

Avocado and cilantro

(the actual epic song will be in an upcoming issue of the FunderCast podcast.)

Yeah, avocado bliss happens when you toss in those other ingredients. And if you avoid chips because you think they’re unhealthy junk food, no worries. Spoon out some bliss on your burger. Don’t forget your omelette. Maybe even on sweet potato fries for a snazzy surprise. I hear some people boast about eating it on toast.

Whatever you choose, you just can’t lose when you don’t miss some avocado bliss.

And don’t miss any of the encouraging, regular issues of my FunderFlash Journal. Leave your email address, below, and it comes directly to your inbox. So you spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my Christian books for kids and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy.

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This world is getting darker and meaner every day. And there are fewer kids doing wholesome kid stuff with each passing year. But I think you’ll find that the sights and scents of a flower garden can still attract kids almost as much as they attract bees.

So, stop what you’re doing and make the most of it. So what if you had an appointment. Be a little late. So what if you’re on the way to work or the kids are on the way to school (which I recommend is in your own home). What you can teach them in a single, precious moment can have eternal benefits. And that trumps the daily routine any time.

Here’s the main reason you and the kids should stop and smell the flowers. Because it’s a simple, effective connection you and they can make to your living, loving God who made the flowers. He’s the Creator who spoke words and all the universe exploded into existence. That’s powerful stuff packed into each flower. And right down to the very fragrance that wafts up into your nose. I call it…

Take a look at the colors in a flower.

Even more than the best and brightest flower

“Lord I love to smell the lilies of the valley

Your email address is all it takes to get encouraging, regular issues of my FunderFlash Journal. It comes directly to your inbox so you spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my Christian books for kids and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy.

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X marks the spot where I read what a homeschool mom said about the idea that homeschooled kids don’t get enough social interaction. She said:

Homeschooled kids:

And then she finished with this tongue-in-cheek remark:

“It’s almost as if they don’t need the public school system at all.”

In case you don’t know about that social channel (and it almost seems impossible that you wouldn’t) it used to be Twitter. But Elon Musk bought it. And he likes all his businesses to have some sort of connection to the letter X. Whatever.

Anyway…

Just imagine. A kid stays home to learn the three R’s from mom and dad, but he can still talk to other people. Wow, that’s explosive news. But that ain’t all. Learning at home also doesn’t stop kids from reading books or drawing and painting. And that woman expects us to believe those same kids can also learn to play musical instruments and even debate?!

Plus, those socially deprived kids drive cars, build things, and grow up in and go out into the real world.

I can ONLY imagine how difficult it must be for them to order off a burger joint’s menu. Because that’s gonna require skills they surely missed out on in those dastardly home schools.

Yeesh.

Look. If you’re a kid, and your mom and/or your dad are your teachers, you’re one of the luckiest kids in the whole, wide world. Because you get to learn from people who actually LOVE you and want you live up to the potential God put in you.

Start learning about the one, living Lord.

Plus, He died on a “cross.” And that X marks the spot where Grace was paid for, forever.

Your email address is all it takes to get encouraging, regular issues of my FunderFlash Journal. It comes directly to your inbox so you spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my Christian books for kids and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy.

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The post X marks the spot where I got this thought appeared first on Christian Writer Tony Funderburk.

There are lots of bad guys (and that includes the female part of “guys” too) out there everyday. You can’t swing a metal jump rope without hittin’ at least one.

In fact, I could tell you a story, three stories in fact, that happened one after another on three consecutive nights way back in the 20th century. Well, I’ll just share the short version of the first one.

I was beaten by a motorcycle gang. Yep. True story. A group of them arrived at a place where I worked, and I had been advised to let them know they wouldn’t be allowed in. The establishment had a dress code. And, as you might imagine, the bikers didn’t come close to meeting the standard.

And they started to, let’s say, “raise some cane.” One thing led to another, and I found myself locked outside with no other workmates. And the biker dudes threw me on the hood of a VW and commenced to pound the daylights out of me. I knew I couldn’t take them on, so I just rolled onto my belly and protected my face and head as much as possible.

After what felt like too long, I heard sirens, and they hopped on their hawgs and took off.

Workers opened the front door after hearing the sirens and motorcycle engines. And they found me lying on the sidewalk. Of course, the management saw the huge swollen spots on my face and rushed me to a nearby hospital to be checked out. Fortunately I ended up with only minor cuts, bruises, and a concussion.

That was just the first night. Remind me to tell you what happened the next two nights.

The Way to be alert and aware. The Way to be prepared to avoid all, or at least most, of the baddies out there everyday. And the Way to get wiser and not just smarter.

Since too many good guys don’t have a clue how to properly handle bad guys, it’s a good idea for YOU to learn how to discern. And that’s just a fancy word that means figger some things out. But never worry. Never fear. Because, as I said, your Way is here.

Or at least the Way is a close as your bookshelf, table, or even your phone. That’s where I go when I need or want to know more about how to handle bad guy stuff. Here’s how it works:

When you wear the full armor of God,

Take a second and join the growing body of believers who’ve already signed up for the FunderFlash Journal. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my books and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy. Then, I’ll do my best to encourage you to sing a new song with the power of God’s love.

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The post Out there everyday so stay in the Way appeared first on Christian Writer Tony Funderburk.

Maybe you think of “A Christmas Story” when I share the term, BB gun. Or maybe you remember wanting one yourself once upon a time. Hopefully you’re not a scaredy cat who’s triggered (pun definitely intended) by any use of the word gun.

Once or twice upon a time Dad brought home a pellet rifle, he’d found during his workday, and gave it to my younger brother and me. OK, you probably think, “Tony, you’re supposed to be telling a BB gun story. What’s that got to do with a pellet rifle?”

Gosh, aren’t you the little detective? Sure, I know the two guns aren’t the same. But they are the same KIND. Because they both use air to fire off the ammo.

Anyway…

Dad had to work on the little rifle’s pump and trigger to get it to work well enough to use. And he did a great job because the gun worked just right after he finished. He even bought us a box of pellets. And we had some target practice for a few days till the pellets ran out.

Then, my brother and I took a quick bike trip to the sporting goods store nearby to get some more. But we discovered something extremely important. BB’s were a lot cheaper than pellets. And we figured since an air rifle can shoot either one, we’d go for the BB’s.

As long as we aimed at something straight across or up no problem. But we couldn’t shoot at anything that was down. Because, after loading a single BB in the barrel, it would just roll back out if it was pointed down.

Kinda silly. Right? Yeah, but hey. We saved who knows how many pennies by buying BB’s. So, it was totally worth it. And for a lot of the shooting we did, we could make do.

One time, during a bike and hike journey into the wilderness, we took the BB gun to get some practice shooting at bugs and limbs and other stuff. The wilderness was just some land that followed the path of a bayou down in South Texas. We had plenty of BB’s. And a couple of our buddies came with us. We all had a blast. And we were probably out there for a few hours.

But, as young boys often do, we all got hungry and knew it was time to go home. My brother discovered his bike had a flat. I told him I’d watch it for him, after one of our friends offered to give him a ride home to get a tire patching kit. So, he jumped on the bike with his buddy and they rode across the trail.

When they were about 75 yards away, I got a crazy notion to just aim the BB gun in the air and shoot in their direction. In my young mind of mush I had pictured the BB landing in the dirt somewhere just to spook ’em.

The BB fell out of the air and hit my brother on his neck. It wasn’t flying fast enough to break his skin. But I know it stung. Because he flew off the bike, turned around and saw me, and started running back at me yelling bloody murder.

If you were ever an older brother, or if you’re one now, you know how hard it would be to not laugh. Darn near impossible. But if you were ever the younger brother, or you’re one now, you can probably remember the frustration (and pain) of dealing with an older, bigger brother. Ah, good times.

OK, the morals of this story are:

Well, there you go. An epic story of adventure from back when epic stories of adventure happened daily. Hope you enjoyed it. If you say no, I’ll go see if I still have some BB’s around here somewhere.

Take a second and join the growing body of believers who’ve already signed up for the FunderFlash Journal. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my books and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy. Then, I’ll do my best to encourage you to sing a new song with the power of God’s love.

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The post BB gun wasn’t fun when the exploring was done appeared first on Christian Writer Tony Funderburk.

Do these sound like masculine traits? Decisiveness, assertiveness, and confidence? I think they certainly SHOULD sound like masculine traits. And I believe those traits can be instilled into boys in ways that help them develop leadership skills.

Let me ask you this? Do you think that’s happening in America these days? I don’t. At least not as a rule. Only as the exception. The general rule has turned to females in charge of little boys. And a majority of those little boys have turned into pasty-faced, video-playing mama’s boys who act way too feminine.

Well, here’s some reasoning I read in a bullet list somewhere online. It said, “Boys who are taught to lead with integrity and respect can become leaders in their communities, workplaces, and families, promoting positive change and setting examples for others.”

Yeah, OK. Nothing particularly wrong about that. But it uses two overused clichés. “Promoting positive change.” And “setting examples for others.”

And I exiled those two phrases to cliché status because they don’t actually say anything. For example, what one person might call “positive change” another person might say is too crazy to even consider. And what kinds of examples should be set for others? Who gets to determine what they should be?

I’ll tell you who, here in the FunderSphere, gets to say what positive change is and what kinds of examples should be set. Mister Tony. That’s who. Uh-oh. Did I just put myself in charge of what’s right and wrong? You bet I did. But before you go ballistic, berserk, and bonkers on me for doing something so unthinkable, let me use some of my hard-earned leadership skills and ‘splain it just a step or two further.

And since that includes me, I look for real truth. I found real Truth when I was only 13. And every time I’ve zig-zagged away from that Truth, I knew it was me who moved. Not Truth.

So, when I want to share actual, man-building truth with kids (at least the male kids), I go to the Manufacturer’s manual. And I look for the solid answers there that are always right. Always on target. And always based in God’s love for anyone who loves Him.

Then, I take those answers I find, in the manual, and I convert them into easy-to-understand nuggets of knowledge and insert them into Christian books for kids, rhymes, songs, and videos.

Here’s a short, to-the-point example:

There’s a life inside of you, and it comes from God,

And that ain’t never gonna change no matter how much haters try to change it.

Now, take a second and join the growing body of believers who’ve already signed up for the FunderFlash Journal. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my books and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy. Then, I’ll do my best to encourage you to sing a new song with the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned,

The post Leadership skills that true love instills appeared first on Christian Writer Tony Funderburk.

Faith over fear. Make that your motto. Your creed. Or the sticky note you put on your computer. Whatever works.

Here’s one reason, I found in an article, about why it’s a good idea:

Hmm…sounds a little psychoanalytical. But here’s the rest of what they said:

“Faith encourages proactive behavior and resilience. When people have faith, whether in themselves, others, or in a higher power, they are more likely to take action despite uncertainties. And this can lead to personal growth, innovation, and community building. But fear often leads to inaction or defensive behaviors. And those can stagnate personal and collective progress. Faith inspires one to move forward. But fear might keep one stuck or retreating.”

OK. That’s a big nay-nay from over here in FunderWorld.

The article also said this about faith over fear:

Well, I see nothing wrong with doing that. So, how did they illustrate this?

“Faith provides a sense of peace, hope, and security. And it can act as a psychological buffer against stress and anxiety. Plus, it comforts in times of uncertainty or hardship. Studies have shown that faith or spiritual beliefs can correlate with better mental health outcomes. And that includes lower levels of depression and anxiety. But fear can contribute to chronic stress, anxiety disorders, and a host of other mental health issues. Because it comes from negative anticipation and worry.”

Yeah, that gets a big, fat goose egg on the Tone-O-Meter.

So, let’s see how they did with their final reason to choose faith instead of fear:

“Faith Fosters Connection and Community: Faith often leads to communal bonds through shared beliefs, rituals, or goals. This can create supportive networks where individuals feel part of something larger than themselves. And that fosters a sense of belonging and mutual support. So, these connections can be invaluable in times of personal or societal crisis. But even though fear can unite people in emergencies it more often isolates individuals. Because fear responses can be individualistic and survival-focused. And that can potentially lead to division rather than unity.”

Because not once did any of that information mention God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit. Nope. It was all selfish mankind focus. And it attempted to make it sound inclusive and thoughtful and intelligent. But that kind of thinking makes you foolish.

Because here’s the real reason faith over fear is superior. God says it is. In fact, it appears that there are 365 times, in the Bible where God says not to fear. Once for every day of the year. And since He knows, better than you and me, how things work, I have faith in that.

Well, your dead-end dreams left you lacking laughter

Take a second and join the growing body of believers who’ve already signed up for the FunderFlash Journal. When you do, I’ll send you links to 2 songs and 2 books that adults AND kids enjoy right away. Then, I’ll send you flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned,

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