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Sorry for the mess up. I somehow scheduled last week’s 4forFRIDAY to deliver today…again. I’m sorry for the confusion, but here is the new 4forFRIDAY for April 12, 2019.

I love to share good reads, learnings, listens and reviews with friends and followers. So, thanks for subscribing to me 4forFRIDAY BLOG.

AChuck’s 4forFRIDAY 04-12-2019

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A Really Good Read: Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt

I loved this book and you will as well. Free to Focus has had a huge impact on my life and leadership and I promise you that Michael Hyatt is a super bright dude. If you need to get more done in less time, this system is for you!

A Short but Powerful Read from Jim Denison

Every Follower of Jesus needs to see the film and read this article. I find Jim Denison to be be a fair and biblically solid author, I am a subscriber of his daily article found at denisonforum,org

My Favorite Coffee Cup: EMBER Ceramic Temperature Control Mug

I bought this for Jenny at Christmas and she automatically said that I could have it. Best Christmas gift! My coffee is set at 136 degrees and stays that way until the last drop. It’s fully charged for about 3 cups over about 30 minutes and charges pretty fast, It’s worth taking the cup and charging plate on vacation!

A Simple Plug for My New Tool, POWER ROUTINES.

I have experienced the power of the Living God as I have intentionally insertyed Gratitude, Scripture, Journaling and Prayer into my morning routine. Having no other resource that incorporated these disciplines, I created it myself. Your copy is waiting on you at Sugar Hill Church this Sunday. $10/ea and $2 for $15.

A Great Night Out: The Sugar Hill Bowl Concert Series

There isn’t a better venue than the Sugar Hill Bowl. This year, their concert series includes a little country with Trace Adkins and Clint Black, A little Old School Rock and Roll with Joan Jett, and some 70’s classics from Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Bonus! A Really Good Podcast- Beyond the To-Do List

I love this practical and engaging podcast. My favorite to date is with Laura Vanderkam On Time, Priorities and Possibilities.

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A Quote from Mother Teresa:

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” 

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The Weekday Podcast and the Weekday Meditation

The Podcast is a 5 minute/day, 5 days/week Bible devotion that is a great word of encouragement.

The Meditation is about 7 minutes/day, 5/days/week and is designed to give you a combined and guided prayer and meditation experience.

Both of these resources are available on the Sugar Hill Church APP orWeekdayPodcast.com & WeekdayMeditation.com

Go in Peace, AChuck

Of Special Counsel & Prosecutors by ACHUCKAllen

Is there really anything special about a special prosecutor anymore? I mean seriously, when we start hiring special prosecutors to investigate special prosecutors we might have a problem.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for accountability and for transparency, but this has got to stop somewhere. Let’s just play what if for a minute and play like President Trump is defeated in the 2020 elections. With a brand-new Democrat in the White House we will then have Republicans screaming for special prosecutors.

This isn’t about the left or right side of the aisle. This is about a society that has completely parked their brains and allowed corrupted leaders do the thinking for them. Somehow and someway, we have settled for the less than the best of our great land to remain in elected roles while we skewer any of the brightest and most honest, forthright leaders. We almost beg them to stay in the private sector.

I can only imagine what would happen if a radically honest person ran for the highest office in the land. Where there is no dirt, dirt would be fabricated. Where there is no trash, a dumpster would be ordered and delivered to their front door.

It’s so easy to point fingers at what we have – on either side – and add to the mud slinging. But we are better than sleaze-balled news shows that scream with a blatant shtick and biased opinion. We are better than hiring special prosecutors, filthy-mouthed leaders with nothing to gain but re-election. Aren’t we?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m neither a donkey or an elephant. I’m a guy with a dog in the fight and weary of seeing people dashed on the rocks of trivial trash and public relations.

Okay, so what do we do? We all man-up and decide to get into the public arena of public service. Where we have skeletons, face them, own them and be honest about them. Then intentionally seek out best way, not the left’s way or the right’s way…the very best way. And if you lose, do it with grace and decency. You’ll get another shot at it. In the meantime, stop whining about everything that moves in DC, Atlanta or even Sugar Hill. Stop it!

Here’s a good rule of thumb: NEVER TRUST A WHINER!

–AChuck

I read this article on crossway.org by William Smith and had to share it with you. Dad, this is for you! Enjoy…

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Forming a Sense of Self

Fathers, what you say to your daughter is crucial to her development because you fill two roles in her life simultaneously. As an image of God, your words convey, “Here’s what God thinks of you as a person.” And as a descendant of Adam, your words tell her, “Here’s what you should expect to hear from other men.” In other words, when a father talks to his daughter, he helps her form her sense of self while also helping her navigate her society.

Speak into her life well, and you give her a strong start. Speak poorly, and you make her road that much more difficult. By paying attention to the following five areas, you’ll give her the solid head start she needs to grow into all that God has for her.

Compliments

Ok, let’s start with the controversial one: tell your daughter that she’s pretty. Or cute. Or fun. Tell her that you like her curly hair. That you love her laugh. That she has the darkest eyes or the best smile or great freckles or beautiful dimples. Tell her that she looks really nice when she wears her favorite sweater.

I know: her worth and value do not depend on her looks or her physical attributes, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore hers as if they didn’t exist.

Have you noticed in the Song of Solomon that both speakers, male and female, freely describe how each other’s appearance enraptures them? Now think for a moment: if that’s the first time anyone’s ever said anything positive about their appearance, how will they be able to respond well? God made us to find each other attractive and affirms that it’s good to say so out loud.

The opposite error of building someone’s identity on how she appears is to pretend that her physicality is an irrelevant part of how God designed her. If you want to avoid either ungodly pole for your daughter, then you need to say what is objectively true about her.

And if you don’t, it doesn’t mean she’ll never be complimented. At best, it means she won’t know what to do when someone—a young man—comes along who tries to tell her how amazing he thinks she is. At worst, his words will taste like the sip of cold water that her soul has been thirsting for as she greedily drinks them down, looking for more.

Pretend her looks don’t matter and you’ll either frustrate future young men who are trying to enter her world with good intentions or you’ll set her up for those with bad.

Identity

Her identity, however, does not rest on her looks. Or on what she can do, or on how well she does it, or on the grades she gets, or who she knows, or who likes her. All of those things are important, but none of them are big enough for her to build her life on because none of them are permanent. None of them can tell her who she is. And yet, because she’s your child with your DNA, she’s probably tempted to build on one or more of them.

Here’s how you can help. Call her back to what is true of her that cannot be taken from her. Call her back to recognize that she is someone else’s idea. Someone who is outside this transient creation, yet intimately involved with it, which means, involved with her.

Remind her that what really counts in life is that there is a God who thought his world was incomplete without her. Help her recognize the vast amounts of energy and creativity he put into giving her all the aspects of herself that she enjoys. Help her see that this one who made her also wants her. And because he wants her, he’s given himself to rescue her from herself— from trying to find value in life apart from relating all of it to him—so that she could embrace him in return.

If she lives long enough, she’ll lose every gift she has as she gives each one back to him, but what she won’t lose is what she had no part in: her existence and his rescue because of his love. That foundation alone is solid enough to support her identity.

Fathers, you have a tremendous opportunity: to help your daughter see herself in relation to God and to his images and to find her place with both.

Value

In the same way that you tell her that God loves her, you have to let her know that you do, too. And just as his love does not depend on what she does or on how terrific she is, yours cannot either. Sadly, some of the best times to communicate that kind of transcendent love is when she’s less than her best.

In those moments it’s so easy to sound as if you don’t love her because she’s made your world difficult or embarrassed you. Those are the times when you have to be really careful. Don’t make the mistake of telling her, “I love you because you’re loveable. . . and when you’re not loveable, I don’t love you as much, at least, not until you’re loveable again.”

Since God never couches his love like that, you want to communicate that your love does not come with conditions either. Sure, there will be times when there will be consequences for something she’s done, but those consequences are because you already do love her. They are not means by which she can regain your love.

And so, you find ways to say, “I love you—period. I don’t love you because you make my life easy. I love you because you’re here. I love you because you’re made in God’s image. I love you because he gave us to each other. You can’t lose my love because it was never yours to earn in the first place.”

Expect her to test you, just like we test God. It’s not right, but we do it anyway and she will too, both with you and with him. Pass her tests and you’ll help her understand his love better while she feels more secure in your own.

Power

And your daughter needs to feel secure because there are things for her to do on this earth. She was put here to make a difference. How she makes that difference depends on what God has built into her.

Some women change the world by meeting people’s physical needs, others by meeting emotional needs, while other women bring people together, point out problems and create solutions, rally others to act, or produce things that society needs.

All of the above are different ways of serving. All are different ways of leading. All are valuable. All are powerful.

When you see your daughter making a difference, even in small ways, take words and point out what you see. It’s part of how God wired her. Help her realize the effect she has. Brainstorm with her how it can be used for good. Dream about what that difference might mean to others. Value it and give her words to value it. It’s part of why she’s here.

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Good Stuff, Right?

–AChuck

Ten Reasons Easter Matters Today by AChuckAllen

I’m a local church pastor. As a result, I am already enclined to spiritual matters. But this season leading up to Easter is a special and a holy journey. I didn’t grow up with Lent or Ash Wednesday. I didn’t grow up with Good Friday services.

Over the course of the past 3-5 years, this period of time has been a reminder to me that the power of the Resurrected Christ isn’t about one weekend, though powerful as that weekend may be. It is about the fact that should the Lord delay His return beyond tomorrow morning, there is simply nothing that can happen to me that cannot be overcome by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ.

I’ve faced death, sorrow, fear, brokenness, financial ruin and just about anything else. I’ve had my name drug through the mud, my moral integrity challenged and my faith rocked. I’m sure that there are plenty of horrible things that I could have faced, but honestly, the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus has always, is presently and will forever be enough to endure and overcome whatever this old world has in store for me. Here are my ten favorite reasons that Easter matter to me, right now!

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1. I know where I’m going. Death is a non issue.
2. I know that My Redeemer lives and has created a home for my eternity.
3. I know that I have no need to fear anything or anyone.
4. I know that the power of the empty grave is as powerful in May as it is in April.
5. I know that His desire for my life is to succeed wildly.
6. I know that His way isn’t the easy way, but His way is always the best for me.
7. I know that there has never been and never will be a time that He walks away from me.
8. I know that He is for me. That He is always for me. And that He is my biggest fan.
9. I know that the Creator of the Universe is praying for me.
10. . I know that there is still an empty tomb next to the place they call Calvary.

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There are plenty more, but that’s a good start. This past Sunday I had the fun of preaching a sermon on one word – HOSANNA – It means Help and Thanks. It’s help me, God. And it’s thank you, God. The context is that one position isn’t better than the other. Either way, we are acknowledging the fact that we need His help and He is worthy of all of our praise.

Man, I love this time of year! Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!

Go in Peace,
AChuck