Saturday, September 19, 2009

Parachute

I wanted to share a story from a book called, Hell’s Best Kept Secret, by Ray Comfort. Read and consider:

        A man was sitting on an airplane. Unknown to the passengers, a terrorist hijacks the plane and it is about to crash. Halfway into the trip while high up in the sky, the flight attendant walks over to the man with a parachute in her hand. She asks him to put it on immediately. “Why should I put the parachute on?” asks the man.

        “Because it will help make your trip more enjoyable,” the flight attendant replies. “Plus, others are putting it on and you don’t want to be one of the only people that doesn’t have one on. Also, you never know what might happen during the flight, and if the plane goes down, it will come in handy.”
        
        So there the man sits trying to find a comfortable position in his seat, all the while wearing this parachute strapped tightly to his back. He sees other passengers who are not wearing their parachutes. They seem to be enjoying the flight, easily finding comfortable positions in their seats, even taking naps, while the man feels foolish with his on. In fact, some people sitting around him begin to point and giggle, and the woman sitting directly to his right frowns and firmly pushes his parachute off her side of the seat. Other passengers seem to only trust the parachutes they can construct and the gentleman across the aisle is frantically trying to tape together little drink napkins to create his own.

        The man begins to think to himself, “The flight attendant lied to me. Not only am I not enjoying this, but there are plenty of people who are not wearing parachutes and they seem to be having a great time. I am sitting here looking like a fool. What are the chances of the flight going down anyway..?”

Picture another scenario:

        The same man is on the same plane. The same flight attendant walks over to his seat and offers him a parachute. This time, however, when he asks the attendant why he should put it on, her answer is very different. “Our flight has just been hijacked by a terrorist. We are about to crash!!!” At that moment the parachute becomes a welcomed piece of equipment. Suddenly, not only does the man not care that the parachute is uncomfortable, he cares even less about how foolish he looks wearing it. He wonders why other passengers are continuing to refuse parachutes, and he frantically tries to convince them to strap theirs on. The comfort of the passenger takes a back seat to the life and death situation on the plane.

Here’s the explanation of the parable...

Satan is the terrorist. The flight attendant is one who offers the Gospel to a lost person. The passenger is you, the reader. The parachute is...Jesus Christ.

What does this story challenge you to do? What is God saying to you? To me? Are we all about our comfort or all about Jesus?

Stop...and consider...

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Weight Loss Update

Well...another update. I’m down to 308.4 lbs today. :) It’s still coming off!

I’m in a competition at our health club for overall weight loss and body composition. I’m meeting with a trainer two days a week and I’m getting my butt kicked! In a good way...;)

Thanks for the continued prayers!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Weight Loss Update...

Well, I had to post again!

I’m now down to 318.8 lbs. today!!! That’s 30 lbs. on Bodybugg and 38 lbs. from my heaviest weight!

I’m getting to the point that I need some new clothes...however, I can still wear the one’s I’ve got for now and I will be getting smaller. So...I’m going to wait for maybe 10-15 more lbs.

:)

Friday, February 27, 2009

New Yates' Family Website

I really hope to create a website for our family over the coming weeks. I'm a rabid Mac user now, so I'm going to be using iWeb. :) First time doing that, but it should be an experience. I'll be posting pictures to our Flickr page in the near future, but you can keep up with a lot of what we're doing at www.412youth.com. Since youth ministry is my life...that will fill you in. Pictures available as well!!!

Weight Loss Update

I just HAD to post this!!!

I’ve been using the Bodybugg system (the armbands that you see on The Biggest Loser). This is a system that monitors your actual calorie burn each day. My goal is to eat 1000 calories less than I consume each day which will equal a minimum of a two pound weight loss for that week.

I began this process the second week of January and I weighed 348 lbs after Christmas. At my heaviest, I weighed 356 during the summer of 2008.

I weighed this morning and I am at....326.0 lbs! That’s a loss of 22 lbs since I began this program and 30 lbs from my heaviest! Needless to say, I’m very excited.

My next goal is to get under 300 lbs to 299. I’m running six days a week and weight lifting three days a week. I also officiate basketball, so that gets me even more active!

My first goal was to be able to play Wii Fit with my girls, but I had to be under 330...first goal met!

I would just like to ask that you continue to pray for my weight loss. I’m on a roll, but life can throw curve balls at us and I’m an emotional eater. I just want to keep this life change. :)

Thanks so much and THANK GOD for HIS strength as I continue this journey in my life!!!!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Thank You, President Bush

I find myself at a loss for words today. We have a new president. This is a time to see what will happen. I must admit, I am a republican and I did not vote for President Obama. However, he is my president and I will support him as God’s Word will allow me to. I will pray that God will direct him in his leadership of this country.

I just want to write a thank you to President Bush. He has been much aligned and slandered...however I believe that history will prove that he was one of the best presidents that America has ever seen. I cannot say that I agreed with everything he did while he was president, but I find myself sad that he is no longer our Commander-in-Chief. I believe that he always did what he thought was right for America, no matter what the personal or political cost of those decisions. That’s the test of a true leader.

Thank you, President George W. Bush for believing in America and for serving her well. Enjoy your rest. I’m sure you need it. :) God bless you and your family!!!

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Matthew 5:17-20

A Prayer to God

Heavenly Father,

I am so amazed by the love that you have shown me. As we begin each year, it’s an easy time to think back on the year that has been and the year that will be. Each year, I feel like I need to do more for You, to be more for You, to just be more like You. While all of those things are worthwhile desires and pursuits, what I really need to do is just seek YOU. As I seek you with ALL that I have (my heart, soul, mind and strength) all of the above pursuits will be accomplished by YOU in me. It’s not about me accomplishing anything...it’s about YOU accomplishing everything in me and through me.

I try to take responsibility for so many things in my life that, really, aren’t my responsibility. Not that I do not strive to become less and You become more in my life like John the Baptist declared. It’s just that I need YOU in my life. I don’t need to seek anything/anyone else. As I seek you, I will change. That’s the renewing of the mind...seeking You with all I have.

Thank you so very much for Your salvation. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for paying the debt that I could never pay. I don’t deserve your love, yet you give it freely and abundantly. You are my Adonai (Master), El Shaddai (the one who provides) and Jehovah-Maccaddeschem (the LORD my sanctifier)!!! You are Immanuel (God with us).

I love you, Jesus. Take all I have. Help me to live with all I am for all that YOU are.