Guess whos back...back again..

Hello everyone

I took a couple days off to go to a mens retreat in Headwaters Virginia. The resort is a cool place...I climbed a rock wall, played some pin pong (where my brother rewrote the definition for landslide), I also played some horseshoes (where I paid him back for the ping pong). The area was beautiful and there was plenty to do. We spent a lot of time in fellowship and thinking about forgiveness...4 different speakers delivered 4 different messages that all pointed in the same direction.....it was cool. If you get the chance to go check them out ...take it...I guarantee you will at least find a place to relax and be at peace if nothing else.

While I was there I got to talk to my brother and learn a little more about his Branches of the cross vision...I'm really excited for him and can't wait to see it start coming together, if it gets to be a tenth as big as its potential it will still have accomplished a tremendous amount.

One of the best things about this weekend was the "golden nuggets" of information I found....there were 3 that stuck out the most and I feel the need to share with you....

1 Transparency is the key to being able to forgive and be forgiven....people find it easier to share their shortcomings and ask you to forgive them when they know they wont be judged....and they only know that when you share your faults with them....thanks for that one Jack

2 When we accept Christ we become a new creation and Christ lives in us....and since Christ lives in us any sin against us is a sin against him...therefore we should be able to forgive that person because they didn't offend us .......they offended GOD and it is now up to them to ask for forgiveness from him....Thanks Mike

3 I learned a truth about our testimonies that I previously didn't know....I knew our testimonies where great for letting people know what the lord can do ...but one other thing about your testimony that is almost just as if not more important....its undeniable truth....its your story nobody can twist what happened to you like they can twist the bible...nobody can misinterpret what you said because you are the one saying it...and no matter how many times you get stumped talking about the bible you will never get stumped about your story.....when you think about your story from this point of view it opens up so many new ways to think .....thank you for this one Ronnie it is life changing

Hope some of these help someone....
Grace and Peace be upon you all.