Top 10 Things to Be Thankful For

In honor of Thanksgiving, I’m happy to announce the top 10 things Christian guys can be thankful for in 2009. This list is in no particular order and will alternate between meaningful, truly important things and completely superficial fun stuff.

10. Cheap HDTVs
A combination of better technology and a crummy economy has now allowed men to view the world as it was meant to be viewed: on a couch in glorious high definition. So whether you’re watching the good (football), the bad (chick flicks) or the ugly (Gregg Popovich), you get to see every nook and cranny.

9. Wives
What would we do without our wives? Probably spend way too much time with our HDTVs. Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord” (NIV). Solomon hit that one right on the head. Our wives take care of us, they challenge us, they inspire us to do better. They provide insight, wisdom, sympathy, love and lots of forgiveness. I couldn’t be more thankful.

8. Fireproof
Speaking of wives, men around the country renewed their commitment to their better halves this year because of the amazing film Fireproof.Created by the guys at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., this movie has become the most successful independent film of the past year, inspiring new commitments to marriage along the way. I have heard so many stories about the good things this movie has done, and I have been absolutely blown away with how God has used it.

7. The Return of 24
When season six of 24 ended, fans were worried that Jack Bauer had been all used up. That was until the show completely rejuvenated itself and kicked some terrorist tail in Washington, D.C. There are few things on television more satisfying than watching the baddest man on TV take down evil dictators and corrupt rich guys. Plus, this year’s exploration of the moral implications of Jack’s methods provided a great balance for the show.

6. Fantasy Sports
Even though Tony Romo killed my team last week, I’m still loving everything about fantasy sports. There are few things more fun than drafting a team and following your players as the season plays out. But the reason it makes this list is, I’ve never found an easier way to keep in touch with my long-distance friends. It’s a superficial game, but anything that keeps guys in community with one another regularly is a good thing.

5. Small Groups for Men
Despite the early wake-up times, there are few things in life that can be more important or meaningful than getting together with a group of men and sharing your lives together. Whether you’re studying Scripture, going through a book or just meeting for coffee, having a regular time of the week set aside for male friendships is something I hope all of us can be thankful for.

4. Children
This one’s tough for me to write about, seeing that I don’t have any kids myself, but it would be ridiculous of me to leave this out. Every dad I’ve ever met would always place his kids at the top of the list of things he’s thankful for.

3. Dads
On the flip side, for every guy out there who’s still got a dad he can talk to, you know there are few things to be more thankful for. There’s nothing like that father-son relationship. Whether you’re just discussing the latest news or sports, sharing about the challenges you’re facing or seeking him out for advice, it’s truly a blessing from God to talk with your father.

2. Football
What would a Thanksgiving list be without football on it? Let’s take time here to be thankful for the thing that not only gives us something to be irrationally passionate about every week in the fall, but also gives us a reason to use our HDTVs—and acts as a social lubricant for our conversations with other guys. Seriously, is there an easier way to start a conversation with one of your friends, your dad or your son than by asking, “So what do you think of the game?”

1. The Grace of God
As always, there is nothing in heaven and on earth more powerful or precious than the amazing grace of God. Through His grace, God forgives us for the little things and the big things. Through His grace we learn about the true nature of love. Through His grace, we will get to spend eternity in paradise, even though we have absolutely no right to such a gift. There is nothing anywhere to be more thankful for than the grace of God through Jesus Christ.

Praying for Our Veterans Past and Present

During the last few years I’ve developed a little tradition for myself around Veterans Day. I found that in college there were several years when I completely forgot about this day to honor the men and women who have fought—or are fighting—for us in the military. That’s not a good thing. I have a lot of respect and admiration for the people who serve this country and willingly put themselves in harm’s way for others. If anyone deserves a day of the year to be honored, it’s them.

For the last couple years, I’ve watched either an episode of Band of Brothers or the movie Saving Private Ryan sometime around Veterans Day. I know it sounds trite and shallow, but if you’ve ever seen either that TV series or that movie, you know they leave a powerful impression. Both reveal not only the horror of what veterans have had to endure, but also the bravery, character and tenacity the job requires.

More than anything else, these movies give you a much better appreciation for the sacrifices our veterans have made. It’s kind of like watching The Passion of the Christ around Good Friday, although obviously on a much, much smaller scale.

Of course, simply appreciating what our soldiers have done for us is good. Praying for them is better. I can’t think of many groups of people more deserving or in need of prayer than our current and former military members. I’ve been looking around at various ministries that serve the military, and I’ve come up with a list of common prayer requests in case you would like to join me in my prayers:

• Pray for their protection. They are putting themselves in harm’s way so that others may be safe.


• Pray for their salvation. Nothing can lead people to thinking about eternity more than war, and ultimately nothing is more important than finding Jesus.


• Pray for those who are home. We know that adjusting back to a regular life after deployment can be one of the hardest things for a soldier to do. This goes for soldiers both recently returned and previously returned, from a prior conflict.


• Pray for their families. The long absences and difficult returns of husbands and wives can be extremely hard for those they leave at home. Pray that those families to remain strong and find some peace.


• Pray for our chaplains. This can be one of the hardest jobs in the military and is possibly the most important. Pray that our military chaplains will have peace, wisdom, fortitude and the Holy Spirit at their side. That goes for chaplains serving both current soldiers and older veterans.


• Pray for the people of Fort Hood. The tragedy that recently occurred there is still gripping the country, and prayer is needed above all else for the co-workers and families of the victims of Fort Hood.

If you’d like to find our more about supporting and praying for our troops, here are several resources you can check out:

The Presidential Prayer Team has an “Adopt Our Troops in Prayer” program, in which you can sign up to pray for those currently serving and their specific needs. Force Ministries is a Christian organization dedicated to serving our troops. You can check out their Web site to learn more about ways to help. Finally, the USO is always a good resource for meeting needs.

If you have any prayer requests or know of other ministries or ways to help honor and serve our troops, please let us know in the Comments section.

Why I See Heaven in the Changing Leaves

Fall has always been my favorite season. It brings cooling weather, college football, the start of school, upcoming holidays. And for my wife and me, our birthdays are in the fall. But the last two years I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing something about fall that I've never been able to enjoy before: the changing leaves.

I live in Georgia. Last year I lived in Ohio; and every year before that, I lived in Florida. In Florida, leaves don’t change colors. They go from green to … well, green. The only time I had ever seen bright-orange or deep-red leaves on trees was in calendar pictures or on vacations. So for the last two years I’ve been enjoying these vibrant colors as if I were a kid.

Last week we hiked up a mountain known for its beautiful fall leaves, and one of my friends said something that I have been thinking ever since I moved north: “I’m so glad God made the leaves turn colors instead of just dying.”

It’s a great thought. Why is it necessary for the leaves to turn brilliant colors? There’s no scientific need for it; although, scientifically, there is of course a reason for it. All that’s happening is that as photosynthesis shuts down the trees lose their chlorophyll, which is what makes leaves green. As the chlorophyll leaves, other chemicals in the leaves show through before they fall. In some trees, such as maples, these chemicals make the leaves turn bright shades of red or other colors.

Why is it necessary, from a scientific perspective, for chemicals such as glucose to make leaves look brilliant to my eyes? I’m going with the Sunday school answer here: "Because God made it that way."

Nature, to me, is the ultimate reflection of what we can expect in heaven. In Romans, Paul talks about how creation will be restored to its original glory: “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom. 8:20-21, NIV).

Imagine looking down from the top of a mountain and seeing a valley filled with vivid leaves of yellow, orange and red. Quite a sight. Now imagine what that view will be like when creation is restored. That is what heaven will be like.

We should never let the cares of this world distract from the future joy, peace and fulfillment of heaven. Because of the love of Jesus, we will get to experience the world as it should be for all of eternity.

It’s something to think about the next time you see a gorgeous fall tree.