Carl and the Cross

God knows me inside and out. He knows that every once in awhile I need to see that He actually exists. He usually does it through a homeless person.

I met Carl two years ago. He has a crippled arm and hand. Not long after I met Carl he walked up to me on a Sunday morning and said, "Mike, God asked me to tell you that He loves you." He then took off a cross that was hanging around his neck and gave it to me. Later that day, I hung the cross on the rear view mirror of my truck. Just a few weeks later Carl vanished. He was gone. Whenever I got in my truck I would see the cross and remember Carl the homeless guy.

Last Friday night we opened the homeless cold weather shelter at First United Methodist Church in Port Orange, FL. Guess who got off the bus and walked into the shelter? It was Carl. He walked in and gave me a big hug. He told me over and over again how great it was to see me. Carl sat down and ate dinner with the rest of our homeless guests.

While our homeless guests are eating dinner I typically walk around the tables and ask if anyone needs anything. A homeless man I had never seen before stopped me and asked a question. "Sir, do you have a cross? I'd really like to wear a cross." I said, "Let me check on that." All I could think about was the cross hanging from the rear view mirror of my truck. I walked over to Carl and said, "A man just asked me for a cross. The only cross I have is the one you gave me almost two years ago. It's in my truck. Would it be okay with you if I gave it to him?" Carl looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "I can't believe you still have that cross. Yes, it would be okay if you gave it to someone else."

I went out to the truck, grabbed the cross and walked back into the shelter. Before I gave away the cross I handed it to Carl. With tears in his eyes, he held it and bowed his head. Before I gave it away I asked Carl to hold the cross while I took his picture (see photo above). Carl gave the cross to me and I handed it to the man who asked for it.

Why did a man who gave me a cross almost two years earlier show up at a shelter the same night when someone else asked for a cross? It gave me an opportunity to share something amazing about God with Carl the homeless guy as I was leaving the shelter.

I held Carl's crippled hand and looked into his eyes. I said, "Carl did you see what God did tonight? In living color, He showed you and I that He is real. God also showed us that no matter who we are, where we live or where we don't live, He can use us to pass his love along to others." Carl didn't say anything thing. He just hugged me and then he hugged me some more. Then he hugged me again.

I'll never forget Carl and the cross.

Walk A Mile In My Shoes

The post below came from the blog of Kevin Martineau



A man in great despair shared this poem with me. It is called "Men With Broken Hearts". It brought tears to my eyes as he read it.

You'll meet many just like me upon life's busy street

With shoulders stooped and heads bowed low and eyes that stare in defeat

Or souls that live within the past where sorrow plays all parts

Where a living death is all that's left for men with broken hearts

You have no right to be the judge to criticize and condemn

Just think but for the grace of God it would be you instead of him

One careless step a thoughtless deed and then the misery starts

And to those who weep death comes cheap these men with broken hearts

Oh so humble you should be when they come passing by

For it's written that the greatest men never get too big to cry

Some lose faith in love and life when sorrow shoots her darts

And with hope all gone they walk alone these men with broken hearts

You've never walked in that man's shoes or saw things through his eyes

Or stood and watched with helpless hands while the heart inside you dies

Some were paupers some were kings and some were masters of the arts

But in their shame they're all the same these men with broken hearts

Life sometimes can be so cruel that a heart will pray for death

God why must these living dead know pain with every breath

So help your brother along the road no matter where he starts

For the God that made you made them too these men with broken hearts

I can't find out any information on the author of that poem but Joe South wrote a song based on it called "Walk a Mile in My Shoes." See Elvis perform it live below. Let the words sink in as you listen to it.



Thank you Kevin.

Even If I Die of Cancer, To God Be The Glory

Take just a few minutes and watch this powerful video. It tells the story of a man who is giving glory to God even if he loses his battle with cancer.

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Production on Vimeo.

Thanks to Pastor Perry Noble and his blog for this video.

What Are Your Priorities?

"Every Picture Tells A Story"



What Are Your Priorities? ---Note To Self

Thanks to the blog "Jesus Needs New PR"

How Am I Doing?

Someone asked me how I was doing today. I said "fine". It's easier and quicker to say "fine" instead of the list below.

Today I don't have very much Jesus left inside of me.

Church folks can make me crazy. I am very sure that I drive many of them crazy too.

I don't understand why I get so angry.

I can be extremely negative, cynical, judgmental and critical of others.

My battle with food is harder than my battle with alcohol.

When you are trying to stay sober (I've been sober over 4 months now) it's not easy being around people who are drinking.

I can remember horrible things I thought, did or said from years and years ago but I can't remember what my wife asked me to get at the store ten minutes ago.

I spend more time examining others instead of examining myself.

At the end of the day there are many times I would rather lay on the couch and "tune out" instead of participating and engaging with my family.

I spend too much time doing things that aren't really important.

I wish I could actually go back and apologize to all of the people I have hurt.

It's not easy being the husband, father and friend that I need to be.

It's easier to do things that are bad for me. It's hard for me to do things that are good for me.

I am still holding on to grudges from things that happened to me a long time ago.

There are times that I am nicer to complete strangers than my close friends and family.

It's hard to go to church when you've just had a fight with your wife in the church parking lot.

I don't know everything.

I've done more damage to myself than anyone else.

I might be too open and honest with others about my faults.

I am thankful that God forgives and loves me.

Who Do You Need To Call?

Who do you need to call? I pray that you'll watch the video below and feel compelled to pick up the phone and call someone who needs to hear from you today. I'm calling my mom, my brother and my friend in Washington state. Who do you need to call?



This morning I listened to an interview with singer Matt Kennon. He has been blown away by the impact that this song has made in many lives. He has received letters that have told him that this song has saved lives.

Who do you need to call? Your call might save a life.

Which God Do You Represent?

On my way to and from work I usually see a homeless man riding his bike. He lives in the woods. This week I took a moment to leave the office to run an errand. I passed the homeless man but this time he was walking instead of riding his bike. It looked like he was limping. As I passed him I made a decision that if I saw him walking on my way back to the office I would pick him up. Sure enough he was walking back to his home in the woods carrying a bag of groceries. I stopped and picked him up. His name was John. A few days earlier, a car hit him while he was riding his bike. That explained the fact he was limping and no longer had a bike. As I dropped him off at his home in the woods he asked me a question, "Which God do you represent?" His question threw me off for a moment and then I answered his question. As he left my truck John said to me, "I wonder if that God would love me too?" I looked him in the eye and said, "John, if he can love a knucklehead like me He loves you too!"

I saw John today walking down the road. I didn't stop to pick him up. I was on my cell phone. I had to get back to the office. I was in a hurry. I wondered after I passed John if he saw me and my truck passing him by? I wondered if I was doing a good job representing God as I passed by John?

The next time I see John I will stop and ask if he needs a ride. Thank you God for forgiving me and thanks for loving John the homeless man who lives in the woods.