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Showing posts from July, 2011

“The most recent data available shows that just 24 percent of all men and women ages fifteen to forty-four who have never been married are still virgins.”

A thought by George Barna (2011-05-15) in his book Futurecast: What Today's Trends Mean for Tomorrow's World (Kindle Locations 467-468). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. I never realized how our family wasn’t with it.  Every one of us – husband, wife, son, daughter, son in law, daughter in law – was a virgin when we were married.  Somewhere we missed the memo that said we were supposed to go along with the norm. Now that meant that each one of us didn’t need to worry about whether their partner had a STD or a child somewhere.  But it did mean that each one was an individualist who didn’t let someone else pressure them into doing something they didn’t want to do before they were married.  Now for me personally it meant I chose that path.  But let’s say I didn’t and I was one of the 76 percent who isn’t a virgin.  Now if that is true I do know one thing and that is GOD loves me just as much as if I was a 24 percent person.  HIS love for me isn’t based on me be

“Our preferences for stability and security blind us to the opportunities for adventure when they present themselves.”

A thought by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch (2011-04-15) in their book, The Faith of Leap (Shapevine) (p. 31). Baker Books. Kindle Edition. Tony Campolo in his sermon,  Revolutionary Love ,   tells of a study that was taken of people over 95 and they asked them the question, “If you had to do it all over again,  what would you do differently?” The 3 most distinct answers were: reflect more, risk more, and do more things that would live on after their death.   Save more for retirement didn’t make the top 3. We spend most of our time worrying about things that really won’t matter when we come down to the end of our lives.  But the problem is those worries keep us from seeing those things that really make a difference in our lives. I am a retired church planter.  What that means is I started churches that had no people.  I have lived a life of no security but an awesome life of adventure and challenge. I remember when we were moving as a family to Las Vegas, Nevada to plant a church

"The best form of worship is becoming the best version of who God has created you to be."

A thought by Mark Batterson (2011-01-18) in his book Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny (p. 146). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition.  We have had for a number of years in the church world, worship wars.  What that means is there have been major disagreements over the kind of music we use in our church gatherings.  I know, it doesn’t make sense to me either.   Worship is the way I share my love for GOD.  It’s toward HIM, for HIM not toward me, for me.   Yes music is one way we worship but of course it’s not the only way.  I love my wife Margaret but I don’t just sing love songs to her to express my love.  The same is true with GOD.  A little over 64 years ago GOD created me and released me into the world.  He gave me a potential that HE created me to be.  Now because of sin I am an imperfect marred human being.  But I have within me the ability to have a relationship with CHRIST which in turn will empower me to become what HE created me to be.  So the best way I can show HIM I

“Whether we age with grace and poise or become bitter, resentful people is largely determined by our response to disappointment and the habits of response that often result.”

A thought by Jeff Manion (2010-07-14) in his book The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions (p. 41). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. What an awesome thought.  We have a choice - grace and poise or bitter and resentful.   I lived with a man who aged with grace and poise.  There was a lot of disappointment in his life but he didn’t let it change his response to life.  He was my hero.  He was my dad, B. Ivan Williams.  I always said that when I grew up I wanted to be like my dad. Life is tough. That is so true. There is a phrase that people love to use when they are going through difficult, disappointing times.  When our kids were growing up we tried to never use it.  We even outlawed it in our family.  It was hard sometimes. But for many it is an attitude toward their life.  When you are going through tough times do you ever say, “Life isn’t fair?”  0f course life isn’t fair.  If life was fair the most perfect man who ever lived would never have been put on a cross to die.  B

“Our chaotic world sometimes moves us to yearn for life as it used to be.”

A thought by George Barna (2011-05-15) in his book, Futurecast: What Today's Trends Mean for Tomorrow's World (Kindle Locations 485-486). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. Do you feel that way?  I can’t say I do.  I like living in this time in history.  I am 64 years of age so I have seen other times that were chaotic.  For instance I lived in the 60’s.  In no way do I want to go back to those days of major unrest.  I lived in Michigan during the Detroit riots and I lived in Ohio when those students were killed at Kent State.  My draft lottery number was 249 so I didn’t have to go to Vietnam but I remember those horrible days. Margaret and I went and saw Woody Allen’s movie, Midnight in Paris , a couple of weeks back.  In it Owen Wilson’s character was an author who lived with the despair of not living in the 20’s in Paris.  He knew life would have been so much more fulfilling if he could have lived in Paris in the 20’s.   Woody Allen did an entertaining job

"If you’re still breathing, it means that God isn’t finished with you yet.”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2011-01-18) in his book,   Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny   (p. 140). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition. This quote by Mark Batterson from his book,   Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny    got me thinking about doing some more writing.  I even bought another computer just for that task. I have been spending time in writing a blog called  bill’s front porch  that is helpful in the practics of the Bible but I have some other areas that interest me.  I do a lot of reading and in my reading I like to underline or in my Kindle I like to highlight phrases that catch my attention.  So the thought came to me to take those phrases and  Just  Continue That Thought  but from my perspective.  So that is what this new blog is all about.  As you see there is the quote and then all the info about the author and the name of the book.  It also is possible to click on the title and go to  Amazon.com  and buy the book. Now back to this quote.  I am a 64 y