End of the World and Love Stories

End of the world and love stories make up some of the most compelling stories in existence. Both have been told since the dawn of humanity. The variations of both make up a sizable portion of popular books, television, and movies, yet there is always room for more. People love these types of stories. It’s not hard to see why.

End of the world stories have been handed down from generation-to-generation pretty much since humans have walked the Earth. End of the world stories span across multiple cultures and beliefs. At some point or another, I would say everyone has heard at least one end of the world prediction or story. Personally, I can recall three times when people said the world would end, yet we are still here. In terms of mythical or scriptural apocalypse, every generation since those words were written has believed that they were living in the end times. This generation is no different. I know many people who believe we are living in the end of days. They believe the signs all point to the end, but every generation has believed this to be true.

Whether we are or not, I do not know. No one knows for sure if, when, or how the world will end. One thing you will also notice in the stories that have been passed down is that the end comes about in various ways; for instance, fire and brimstone, hand of God, ice age, and world-ending asteroid collision to name a few. In writing Beyond Anything In All Creation, I wanted to present a possible end of the world that contained familiar imagery but also give it my own spin. I set a lot of it in Hawaii because I have never read or seen anything in movies or television that depicted such events taking place in Hawaii. Moreover, I believe another compelling aspect of these stories is triumph of the human spirit. People want to believe that humanity will somehow continue to exist. Heroes will rise up, and we shall overcome.

I think love stories are just as compelling. They too have been handed down from generation-to-generation. Love is the one language that knows no limits and has no boundaries. Love stories reach beyond language, culture, and pretty much every barrier. Some would argue that there is no power greater than the power of love. Personally, I am inclined to agree; love is quite powerful. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be obstacles along the way. I believe true love has to be tested. Love has to overcome challenges and obstacles in order to be true.

Throughout the Beyond Heights and Depths Trilogy, Ash and Emmett have had to overcome all sorts of challenges. They are soul-mates, but that is only the beginning of their love story. I believe even soul-mates have their love tested. True soul-mates remain together because their love is battle-tested and proven to overcome. That is what makes their bond so strong. To say they are in love just because they say so and have never really faced anything of substance would be boring and naive. The greatest love stories are those that have faced nearly insurmountable challenges and have somehow remained together, not the ones that met, fell in love, and that’s the end of the story.

Initially, I didn’t set out to write an end of the world story. I started with a love story. Eventually, the soul-mates had to face challenges. Then, it became a challenge so big that the fate of the world hung in the balance. Is there a greater challenge than that? Thus, I was given the chance to add my own love story and end of the world story to the many stories being told over and over again and passed down from generation-to-generation, and that’s a pretty amazing thing.

Have a great week, everyone! 

An Easter Message

Happy Easter, my friends! I just wanted to take a moment to talk about something that has been on my mind. On this day, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. He is indeed risen, and that is a very good reason to celebrate. He died and rose again, so that we could be free from sin and receive everlasting life.

One of the things you will not find in any of the gospels is: except. The gospel says that he died so that those who believe would be saved. Nowhere does it say who could not believe. When the church came together after his resurrection there was only one church. Men, women, and children of various races and backgrounds came together to learn and preach the gospel. In simple terms, there was unity.

My prayer on this day is that there would be unity in the Body of Christ once again. As it stands, there is too much divisiveness. There is too much judgement. There is too much of us putting our own junk into the church and leaving too much of Jesus out. I believe unity is absolutely possible. I believe unity is possible between every denomination and every believer. In order to do so, we must be willing to love one another the way Jesus said. We must "love our neighbors as ourselves," and do so without any "excepts" or "buts."

There cannot be an "us" or "them" mentality. There is no us or them; there is only us. We cannot say I will love everyone, and then throw in an except. There cannot be any exceptions. We are called to love the unloved. We are called to love the outcasts. We are called to love the lost. We are called to bring hope to the hopeless. We are not called to love those in our own inner circles and no one outside of it. That kind of close-minded thinking is destroying the Body of Christ.

Look, no one said it was going to be easy. We all live life through the filter of our own eyes and experiences, but in order for unity to truly exist, we have to move beyond that. I, myself, am still working on this. I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but I'm still working toward being the person God wants me to be. I'm a Pentecostal pastor, with a background as a Methodist, who works in a Catholic school. Believe me when I say, I believe unity is possible. Is unity within reach? Well, not quite yet, but I do believe it's possible.

That is all for me, my friends. I hope you all are having an amazing Easter. Remember, God loves you all, no matter who you are or what your background is, and nothing can change that. If you are feeling down on this day, I pray that God would raise your spirits. You are a loved and blessed individual. I know what it is like to feel unloved, but know that God loves you through it all. No matter what. Blessings to you all, today and always!

With the highest of highs often comes the lowest of lows

The last few weeks have been about the highs and lows of life for me. I had a successful week of sales during Read an E-book Week. My youngest got over the stomach flu. My oldest was getting ready for spring break. I'm not one to wait for the other shoe to drop - I believe that to be a bad habit that should be avoided, but I am willing to concede that with the highs of life often comes the lows.

It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride the last few days. I had the joy of participating in a fundraiser for my friend's mother, who is raising funds for a kidney transplant. She is an amazing woman, and I am glad that the funds are coming in for her. When I was growing up, she was like a mom to all of us troubled kids. I spent so much time at their house that people thought I lived there. I consider the whole family to be my own family, so it really was a joyous occasion to be a part of.

I also got to hang out with another dear friend for her son's birthday. She's actually my sister's friend, but she has been through so much crazy stuff with us that she is pretty much family. It was a pure joy to celebrate with her and her family. It also gave my kids a chance to play with other kids, which is always fun for them. For the most part, things have been nothing but up for us.

And then came the flip side of the coin. My wife's nana fell ill. As of this writing she is still with us, but she is being made comfortable for the next part of life's journey. It all happened so fast, it is still difficult to process. She is another amazing woman, so her loss is a tremendous blow to my wife and her family, and to me as well. I have nothing but fond memories of her. It is important to celebrate her life, but taking the time to mourn is also of great importance.

Life is crazy sometimes. You just never know what you are going to get. We take the highs with the lows, and that's okay to me. I think it is important for us to enjoy every good moment. Never take life for granted. None of us know how things will turn out. None of know when we will see the end. Really enjoy life. Savor every moment. Take the time to tell those important to you that you love them while you can. Anyway, these are my thoughts this week. Above all, I want you all to live, I mean really live! Have a wonderful week everyone!

A short message for Easter

I wasn't planning on posting a message today, but this has been on my mind.

Jesus' disciples are very interesting to me for a few reasons. First, they were Jesus' closest companions. Second, they were around Him all the time, so you would think they knew more about His teachings than anyone. Finally, scripture tells us they still messed up all the time. They were very human, just like you or me. They made mistakes, got scared, and felt hopeless even after everything He had already told them.

On the day we call Good Friday, the day was anything but good for the disciples. Their entire world was shattered. From their point of view--on that day--their lives were completely in shambles. Their teacher, leader, and mentor died. The King had passed, and yes, he would rise on Sunday, but that event had not happened yet. For the disciples, the authorities were coming after them, people despised them, and the one person they needed the most was not with them. For those days between Jesus' passing and resurrection, the disciples were just a bunch of scared, hopeless, and completely defeated individuals. They were trapped in the most desperate situation imaginable, with no foreseeable way out.

Then, their Lord rose again. Life was beautiful and hopeful once again. They would go out and preach the gospel to the world. Their lives, arguably, had more meaning than they could have ever believed was possible in their previous lives. This is why we celebrate Easter. Death, sin, and the devil himself have been defeated. Our lives are made new, glorious, and complete through Jesus Christ. This is also the reason the day of our Lord and Savior's death is called Good.

Now to the message: Jesus has risen, yet I think a lot of us forget that He is risen. Many of us--myself included--get so caught up in our own junk, we live our lives more like the disciples did during those dark days when their Savior was sitting in a grave. We live in fear, despair, and hopelessness, unable to see any foreseeable way out of our dire situations. Our minds go to a dark place for so long that we forget everything else. Everything we have learned, everything we have been told, everything we know to be the truth is forgotten. In those moments, hope is not gone, but hope is so far off of our radar that we can't see it an inch in front of our faces.

Darkness is no more. Fear is no more. Death and sin have been defeated. My prayer is that we all find our way out of the darkness and set our sights on the hope set before us. We know Jesus is risen. The disciples had to wait. We know Jesus saves, so there is always reason to have hope. In our weakness, He makes us strong. Do not lose sight of the things that are truly important in life. There will always be struggles, but you can overcome.

Believe me, I know. I spent a giant chunk of my life living in darkness, hating the world, and hating my life. Today, I am in a completely different place. Life is amazing; I believe all of our lives are. I pray you never get so lost in hopelessness that you don't get a chance to see the miracles just ahead. I pray you know your life has been made new. Today is another opportunity to start fresh. Above all, I pray you have complete peace, love, and joy in your life from this day forward. Be blessed, my friends, now and always, in Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My mix-tape memories

The cassette tape turned 50 this past week. I don't listen to tapes anymore, but I still have quite a few of them. I keep them because they all have a story, especially the mix-tapes. Those mix-tapes bring up so many memories, I don't even have to play them to remember. So, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the cassette tape, here are a few of the tracks that could easily be on the mix-tape of my life.

One of the first cassette tapes I ever bought with my own money was a mix of movie tracks. I know what you're thinking, and yes, I had very bad taste. In my defense, the tape was cheap and had a song on it I really liked: "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr. C'mon, I was a kid; everybody liked this song! Man, I played that thing until the spool ran wild and I had to get a pencil to twist the tape back into the cassette.

  

One of my most favorite tapes of all time was my Bob Marley "Legend" album. I'm from Hawaii; it's hard to find anyone here who does not like reggae music. At the time, my favorite song on that album was "Could You Be Loved."



My very first girlfriend was a New Kids On The Block fan. Needless to say, I heard a lot of their songs. The one that stands out the most is "Right Stuff."

   

One of my all time favorite tracks that was on the first mix-tape I made myself was "It takes two," by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock. I loved going to dances and hearing this song. This one always got the party started.

   

Alright, one last one, before I go crazy with this post. As a young adult, I got into a horrific car accident. I fell asleep behind the wheel and hit a dump truck. Surviving the accident was miraculous. It shaped my life in ways that are still evident today. However, for the purpose of this post, here is the song I was listening to on a mix-tape: "Anytime," by Brian McKnight.



Okay, that's it for now. These are a few of the songs that I have on cassette tape. They mean a lot to me, so I will probably keep them forever, even though I don't even own a cassette tape player anymore. Please feel free to comment on songs that stir your memory. What songs would go on the mix-tape of your life? Which cassette tapes mean the most to you? Do your tapes tell a story? I'd love to hear about it!
 

When my work and works of fiction intersect

A few months back I tweeted about my work in ministry intersecting with my work of fiction. It seems to be happening more as time goes on. I think it's good that people have questions after they read my book. That is part of the reason I decided to publish at all. It's fun to talk with people who want to separate fact from fiction.

I work in ministry, but I write works of fiction about angels, demons, and various other supernatural subjects. There's bound to be some questions. I have some of the most interesting conversations with people who read the book, and then come out with questions guns blazing. The reality is part of the reason I write fiction is to talk about things I am unable to explain. I mean, that is the beauty of writing, right? I get the chance to bring a story to life, explain the unexplained, and create a world different from our own.

I am often asked, "Do you believe in angels and demons?" The simple answer is yes I do. Do I believe that they fight each other? Of course, I do. However, do I believe they act, talk, and function in the way I describe in my books? Do they do battle with golden weapons, traveling at speeds faster than the human eye can see, leaving nothing but fire, dust, and ash behind? Well, this is the part where fiction comes in. This is why I love writing. I get the chance to take something I believe in and create a story around it.

I have seen a lot of crazy things over the years. I've seen the miraculous occur more than once. I have also witnessed things that I thought could only exist in works of horror. Some of them I wish I could simply explain away and never think about again. Writing provides an outlet for me to work through all these crazy things. I suppose I could write non-fiction, but where is the fun in that?

At the end of the day, my books are meant to entertain. The idea that they are creating dialogue with people I wouldn't normally interact with is an added bonus. I'm enjoying these conversations, so please keep the questions coming. I'm so glad people are enjoying the first book so much that they want to know more. For all of you wondering, the sequel to Beyond Heights and Depths will be released later this year.

From Darkness to Light: Cybil's Message

This week I am incredibly blessed to share the testimony of my friend Cybil with you. She presented this talk just over a week ago at her church. To say she has been through a lot is not nearly enough. I don't want to give away too much. She will talk about what she has overcome in this short video. I admire her strength and willingness to share what she has been through with others. The reality is there are many people who can relate to her story, so I hope this video will reach someone out there who needs to hear it. Her message is one of hope, love, and grace. She has overcome the stuff of nightmares, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to share her story with others.

Live for today...tomorrow is not guaranteed

I'm no stranger to loss. A staggering statistic about my life is the number of people I've lost over the years. A huge number of the people I grew up with have passed on. Every loss of life is tragic, young or old, sick or accident. More than a few of my friends have taken their own lives over the years. When I say a lot of loss, I mean a lot.

The one thing they all have in common is that they all had different plans for their lives, but for whatever reason they never got there. When I look back, I can still remember what some of their big plans were. Some were going to travel and see the world. Others were going to meet the guy or girl of their dream. They wanted to go to college. They wanted to have families and live a quiet life. One of them just wanted to live a life free of depression.

They all wanted to do amazing things and live beautiful lives, but in the end, that never happened for any of them. Thinking about their dreams breaks my heart to pieces. Moreover, the world will never see any of the life-altering, world-changing ideas that never came to be. They were all struck down to soon. No matter how old they were, it was still too soon.

The only thing more heartbreaking is that many of them had the chance to achieve their dreams, plans, and goals at some point in their lives, but they always found a reason to put things off until tomorrow. They were going to make that big change in their life tomorrow. They were going to travel some time in the future. They were going to switch jobs, talk to that important person, or chase that dream some time later. Except, tomorrow never came, and they never got a chance to do any of it.

I know we've all heard the saying, "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today." There's a lot of truth in this old adage. Take the time to tell the people in your life you love them. Plan to take that trip you always wanted a little sooner rather than later. Above all else, make every moment count. I don't think enough of us live in the moment because we are too caught up worrying about the future or feeling trapped in the past. Enjoy this moment; you don't get a do over. Once this moment has passed, it's gone.

Live the best life you can now. Make sure the moments that count are more than those you regret. Regret will destroy, but I'll leave that subject for another post. Don't live recklessly, but also don't let fear run your life. Live life for today because tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Love each other...sounds simple, right?

Matthew 22: 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Luke 6: 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

John 15: 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

These commands seem so simple at first glance. It's easy to love your neighbor as yourself when you like your neighbor, but do we still keep this command when it is someone we do not particularly care for? It seems like more and more people believe it is okay to say whatever they want about other people. You see it all over social media, along with the repercussions, some with incredibly tragic consequences. When you talk about another person, both good and bad, you need to remind yourself that you are talking about another one of God's creations. None of us are perfect, but God still loves each and every one of us.

I have often said if you learn nothing else from me remember that God loves you, not in our limited, romanticized, human view of love; rather, God loves you more than you can ever know or completely understand. He loves us absolutely and unconditionally. Because God loves you, you are to love others as well: the people you like, don't like, and everyone in between. This has especially been weighing on me as I meet and hear stories about children, youth, and even adults who believe they are unloved and unlovable. Moreover, the extent of the things people (Christians included) are open to saying and doing to each other to intentionally cause harm to another person is troubling to say the least. Bullying and mistreating others is viewed as entertaining instead of a serious problem. This cannot continue. If you truly understand that God loves you, and His joy resides within us, then you must love others in the same way. When you "love your neighbor as yourself" and "Love each other as I (Christ) have loved you," then you honor Jesus and His name is glorified.

Live right. Treat others with respect. Walk in the Joy of Jesus Christ. Above all else, know to your very core that God loves you, and nothing can ever change that. Be blessed, my friends!

The beauty in the break-up mix: feeling worse to feel better

Over the years, I've talked to a lot of people of various ages about break-ups. From teenagers to middle-aged adults and a few even a little older, this is one experience everyone can agree just plain sucks. Everyone handles break-ups in their own ways, but there is one item I find that nearly everyone shares in common, regardless of age, gender, socioeconomic status, or any other factor: the break-up mix. In my day, it was a mix-tape--then later a CD--of songs and ballads that were as dark and depressing as I felt at the time. Now, I love music, so my mix was a bit eclectic by most people's standards, but I definitely had some go to's that stuck with me over the years, including Air Supply's "All Out of Love,"  "Can You Stand the Rain" by New Edition, and "All Apologies" by Nirvana, amongst many others. No one's mix is the same, but you get the idea. These were the songs I often played while I was alone, not ready to see people yet, in the dark, feeling horrible about losing the absolute love of my life...again. "She was the one, I'll never love anyone again," I would say, but let's just say I have more than a few mix-tapes and CD's to my credit.

I think this is the beauty of the break-up mix. We often listen to them when the break-up just occurred, at a time when we are the most vulnerable, and we are not ready to face the world yet. The mix often made me feel so much worse than I originally felt, but sometimes you just need to feel worse before you can feel better. I know, this sounds completely counterproductive, but for some reason it helps tremendously. I always felt like I needed to spend some time--or in some cases a lot of time--wallowing in my loneliness and sadness for my loss, and there is some truth to that approach. You need to take the time to mourn your loss and work through the emotions that come with it. The time alone also gave me the opportunity to reflect on what happened, look back on some of the good memories, and most importantly, gave me the chance to lick my wounds and heal ever-so-slightly before I went back out into the world. The time alone listening to the most depressing mix I could come up with gave me the time to feel bad, but also gave me the time I greatly needed to pull myself back together again and eventually move on.

I want you to know it's okay to feel bad. It's okay to feel horrible about your loss. It's even okay to keep yourself in that state of awfulness, while you work through it. But, remember that the goal is to ultimately work through it. The goal is to use the time to heal. You see, the other beautiful part of the break-up mix is being able to look back at it, share it with friends, and be able to laugh, and kid, and look fondly at the whole experience. It becomes a "remember that time," "your mix was so bad," "whatever happened to so and so" kind of memory. The whole experience is an unavoidable part of life; but, and this is big but, you will make it through, and you will grow from the experience and learn to love again.

The darkness always gives way for the light, and the light can always find its way back into your life. Though things seem bleak and dark now, a new day will come, bringing peace, and comfort, and joy with it. I swear this is true because I have lived through it more than I care to admit. Don't feel bad about feeling bad right now, but don't close the door to your life, shutting everyone and everything out. Close this chapter of the story, and begin writing the next chapter of your life. The author of it all is not done with you yet.


For those of you who have no idea what songs I'm talking about and those who want a little nostalgia:


Air Supply - All Out of Love




New Edition - Can You Stand the Rain




Nirvana - All Apologies