The family has a big day tomorrow. Karen is having her tonsils removed, and we are all trying to prepare for the recovery. Her mom and dad have come down to help, so things should go smoothly.

This week, I plan on completing my prospectus so that I can submit it to REDOC. This is the last step before I can actually write the dissertation. Hopefully, it will all work out smoothly.

Today I read a quote by John Agresto about starting a democracy in Iraq. It speaks to the state of religion in the United States:

"We desperately kept looking for the supposed 'moderates' among the clergy in Iraq. Moderate as compared to what? Just because we believe that God wants everyone to enjoy equal rights, or that killing Jews or stoning apostates is wrong, doesn't mean that our beliefs are shared by other faiths. We have so tamed and, in a sense, marginalized religion in the West that we consistently underestimate its ferocity and strength."

What Agresto describes in the East is a worldview of extremes. For the muslims, you are either with them or not. If you are not with them, then you are either enslaved, subjugated, or killed.

More importantly is the apt reflection that religion has been marginalized in the West. There was once a time when the Christian worldview, held by authentic Christians, was held with a high level of commitment. Of course, Christians were never commanded to enslave, subjugate, or kill non-believers. Rather, we are commanded to love them and pray for them.

I believe it is time for religion to pass away, and for Christians to become more passionate about their relationship with Jesus Christ. The castration of the church must stop. We must be more vocal about Christ's love for the people of this world. We must be more active in loving the world.

Joy and Exaltation!! I have finally settled on a name for the church plant. It is LifeTree Church. I think this name is significant because of what it conveys. First, our mission is to transform lives and equip families for living a biblical lifestyle. In essence, we journey through life together (we also offer God's gift eternal life through the Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). Second, tree has many meanings. One picture that comes to mind is the Family Tree. This denotes the family nature of the church. At LifeTree Church, each family is a branch. Each branch is to grow, flower, and produce seeds, which will in turn develop new trees.

Furthermore, one of my favorite Psalms is psalm 1. In which verse 3 says:

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.

Anyways, it is short and conveys a lot of what the church is. So I like it.

Busy day today. I worked through alot of issues for the church plant. Of course, new issues arose that I am going to have to think through. First of all, I need to find a sponsor church and along with that, I need to decide what association with which to align.

Also, I am looking at some possible bivocational options. One that I am pretty excited about is possibly working in a funeral home. It may sound morbid, but working in a funeral home in the community is an excellent way to meet people in the community. I could also preach funerals for those families who don't have a pastor. How exciting is that?

Tonight, I am doing a little bit of work and watching the BCS Bowl. I really don't care which team wins. I figured if they are the best, it should be a good game. So far, Florida is running all over Ohio State.

Today has been a busy one. I spoke with my dissertation chairman yesterday and told him I would send him a first draft of my prospectus by next Friday. How's that for setting a deadline?

So this week I will be furiously writing and proofing. This is not excuse for not posting this week. But cut me some slack if I don't. Okay?

I found this quote in an article by Ross McKenzie. I think it is pertinent to my situation. Today I have been feeling rather low about my work, my dissertation, and life in general. This quote is really encouraging.

Calvin Coolidge: “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not: Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education cannot: The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan press on has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race. "

Another quote in the column which inspires me is:

Frank Herbert: “Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.”

God wisely provided these quotes to lift me up today. I hope those of you who happen upon this blog are equally inspired.

Update for the new year. I am resolved to pay more attention to my blog. I plan on posting more often than once or twice a year (if that). My hope is to publish as often as daily, but I will probably shoot for at least once a week.

Other things going on in my life: I have a dissertation to finish. Drop me a line of encouragement. Odds are if I'm reading this, I am procrastinating!! Also, I am working on a new church plant in Paulding County, Georgia. I will describe this church more in the near future.