Blessed to announce...

Hello All,
First, I'd like to thank those of you who come by this site and visit the dysfunction that is the life of Jon Porter.  I hope you have, on occasion, found something that lifts you up, makes you think, and points you to see how God is in all of this thing we call life.

Along the way, I have tried to stay as authentic and transparent as possible.  This is simply a journal of my journey.  I'm glad you come along at times.

Having never set out to write, this next part still blows me away...

I want to thank Michael Fear and www.getbettertoday.com for posting some of my writing.  It is a great website and Michael is a great guy with a great ministry.  Check them out at @GetBetter Tday

Im also honored to announce that I have been asked to be a contributing writer for Job 31 Ministries.  Their website is www.J31.org

J21.org is a ministry with the purpose of encouraging men to "live in Godly integrity, based upon the Biblical blueprint of Job, chapter 31."

Take a moment and check out their site.  I'm excited and humbled to be asked to contribute on a regular basis.  Would ask for your prayers to make much of God with this opportunity.

More announcements to come...
Peace

The Roar Wants No Part Of You

In honor of the Greensburg Pirates Basketball Team.  A repost from this time last year

Benaiah son of Jehoiada, 

a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, 

performed great exploits.  

He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors.  He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 

- 1 Chron. 11:22

Benaiah has to be one of my favorite Biblical characters, even though he doesn't get much publicity.

Here's why...

If I could fake hippiness for a moment

Benaiah did work.

Day in, day out...

He was grinding.

Sharpening.

Sweating.

...and listening.

One day Benny hears a roar in the 'hood.  The kinda roar that comes from the kinda things that have a tendency to ruin one's day.

The kinda roar that kills dreams...

Paralyzes with fear...

Makes you a loser long before the game begins...

The kinda roar that makes you walk away from the fight...

and then echoes in your soul for the rest of your life.

The kinda roar that announces "this is your moment"

Benaiah seized that moment

Jumped into the pit.  Chased the lion.  Did work.

Benaiah ran towards the roar

Every day we will hear the echoes of the roars around us

Every day we will have a moment - to run towards, or run from

Know the funny thing?  The 'roar' wants none of you

It's banking on you getting scared, giving up, backing down

It's trying to get you to think you've messed up too badly

That you just aren't good enough...

Strong enough...

Talented enough...

School's too small, game's too weak, dream's too big...

That's just the roar and that roar wants none of you

Run towards the roar

Benaiah's name means 'God has built'

How cool is that...?

Benny did all the grinding and prepping - but God has built

Makes me think that even the roars we hear - God has built

Because He knows we're ready

Because He knows we've prepped

Because He knows we might be a little scared...

...but He knows He has built this moment

Hear that roar?

That's the sound of your moment

Go do work

Write your story

Run Towards The Roar

Highlight Reel

This is a revisit to a post from this same time last year.  The journey the Pirate basketball team has been on this season is just as exciting as it was last year, but for me, the real joy comes from all the moments that show the character of these young men Greensburg is so proud of.  This is about one of those young men and one of those moments...

My high school alma mater's boys basketball team is on quite a journey.  

As one of 4 teams in their class remaining, they play next week for a spot in the Indiana state championship game.

I won't even try to explain that to you non-Hoosiers out there.

Trust me...

It's a big deal.

They are an incredibly talented group of young men who have worked hard, as individuals, and as a team.  

They never quit.

They have been a joy to watch this season.

But for all the jaw-dropping, ankle-breaking, make you hum the SportsCenter theme song in your head moments I've witnessed, my favorite one actually happens long before the opening tip.

In the midst of hip-hop music, raucous cheer blocks, and bitter rivalries, one young man drops to one knee and bows his head.

I'm sure he visualizes the game ahead, playing out mentally his role.

I'm sure he talks to himself...

You've worked hard...

You belong here... 

And I'm sure he prays to the God he has committed to give glory to.

Whether the shots fall for him...or don't

Whether the calls go his way...or not

Whether the final buzzer brings victory...or defeat

He prays and thanks God for this moment

For this opportunity

For the chance to follow his dream...the one this God has given him

I get chills every time I see this moment

In all things give Him glory

In all things give Him praise

And in all things...pray that God gives you the opportunity to make much of Him

I've been in some battles of late

And I have been lax in my prayers

I needed a high school ball player to remind me what matters most, what must come before anything...

To be in God's presence - before the battle rages

Thanks No. 32 for reminding me...

Write your story...

What I've seen so far has already made my highlight reel

Dear Joseph

Dear Joseph,

You don't know me.  We've never met.  We became aquatinted through my cousin.
You don't know her either.

You were trolling Facebook for a fight when you noticed her post.
My cousin was very eloquently, humbly, and respectfully trying to start a conversation.
A conversation.  That is all.

Do I have your attention now, Joseph?

Here's the deal...
The topic of my cousin's post is not the issue.
Your hatred is.

See...
I've seen my cousin be Jesus' hands and feet.
Give shelter to the homeless.
Food to the hungry.
Comfort to the cold and lonely.

I've benefitted first hand from my cousin's love and compassion.

Do I agree with all of her politics?
Or theology?

No.

Do I love, value, and treasure her?

Well, that's why we're here.

You said some vile things in your your response.
Things I wouldn't let my children read.
You insinuated violence against a member of my family
You questioned her call and her heart.
You challenged her knowledge of Scripture (please reference Ephesians 4:29.  Thanks.)

You spewed hate.
You shouted, 'Raca'.
You dragged my family and my Savior into your ugly.

And I've had enough.

I am done with Christian 'love'.

The kind of love that...
has attacked and hurt my family
that protests at the funerals of 12 year olds and fallen soldiers
that says "God hates..."

How did we get to the point where we'd have Christians condemning one group of people to hell while the guy at the men's ministry breakfast with 6 pancakes, covered in maple syrup and sausage gravy, topped with 2 fried eggs and 4 strips of bacon, all chased down with a 72oz mug of soda, is given a free pass on gluttony?

Everybody's a Biblical purist - until you bring up gluttony.
(I so wish I had thought of that line...)

Now...
I've read Leviticus and Romans 1.
I admit, as a victim of adult onset shellfish allergies, I take comfort in knowing that my affliction prevents my condemnation.
(I do miss scallops, though)

I also take the Bible as God's Word.  All of it.

I know some will say that I'm making light of sin.
Quite the contrary.
I'm just saying we all sin.  And we all seem to grade sin on a sliding scale.
And how in our attempts to point out the sins of others we expose the ugliness of our sin.
So I'm not addressing the issue that got you all riled up.
I'm not smart or angry enough.

I'm talking about how you hate in the name of love.

That same 'love' that has made 'conservative' and 'evangelical' (of which I'd consider myself to be) associated with hate.
The same 'love' that makes some in my own family unsure if I still love them because of the way I vote or the church I attend.
Breaks my heart.

I read Matthew 9 today.  Still blows me away.
I am the despised tax collector.
The beggar.
The thief.
The lowly whore.
The least deserving of an invite to the party.
I am a sinner.

And yet...
Jesus loves me.

And when that sinks in, I turn to Him, I want to be like Him, walk with Him, to love Him.
And the amazing thing is, when that happens, my first response is to love others like He loves me.

I'm done loving like 'Christians' or the 'church' does.

But loving like Jesus...
That's a whole other story.

So Joseph, where does that leave us?
Here.

I need to ask your forgiveness.
I have hated you in my heart.
I have judged and condemned you.
I became the very thing I was critical of you about.

Will you forgive me?
I want to love you like Jesus loves me.
Even if you don't deserve it.
I don't either.

I can't guarantee that you, or others, won't hurt my family and friends ever again.

But I can promise you this...
I will no longer stand idle.
I will respond with love...like a lamb or a lion.

Hate roars because love chooses to whisper.
Time for love to roar.

To some, this only confirms that I'm "one of those kinda Christians."
Here's the thing...
I've always been "one of those kind of Christians", I've just been so busy chasing after your approval I've forgotten who I am because of how Jesus loves me.

I would much rather be hated for who I am then loved for who I'm not.

Joseph, I want you to know the fullness of the love of Christ.  
The love that saved me from my past and saves me from myself.

The kind of love that heals you of the hate that consumes you and replaces it with grace and mercy and hope.

Knowing my cousin...
She's prayed the same thing for you as well.

Be well, Joseph.
Be loved.

Corn Chips and FishStick

FishStick.

That is the latest nickname for our youngest daughter, FishStick.  The name was born from her latest athletic endeavor, competitive swimming.  When asked what draws FishStick to swimming, she answers with refreshing honesty..."you don't sweat".

She's not the strongest.  Or the fastest.  Or the most successful.
But I love to watch FishStick swim.
I love the excitement when she shaves time off her personal best.
I love the determination when she doesn't.
I love to watch FishStick.

Today at lunch, FishStick and I sat down to lunch.  Homemade chili on a snow day, nothing better.
Then my wife raises the bar of awesomeness by throwing a bag of corn chips in front of me.

CORN CHIPS!!!!!!

Corn chips are the kryptonite to my Superman.

So here's the drill:
Chili.  Cheese.  Corn Chips on top.

And then it happened.  
FishStick asked for some corn chips.  
My corn chips.
So I handed the bag over.

I watched as FishStick took a handful of corn goodness and put it on top of her chili.

Just like Dad.

At that moment, I realized something that I too often forget.
As much as I love to watch FishStick, she watches me.

Which left me with this...

• FishStick is watching how I pray and worship.  She has a front row seat to where I place my trust.  What is seeing?  Is she seeing the kind of faith that will leave a positive mark on her life? Is she seeing a faith worth following?
• FishStick is watching how I treat her mom.  She is consciously and unconsciously forming how  relationships work.  Would I let the love of FishStick's life talk to her like I talk to her Mom sometimes? (let me answer that for you...no)
• FishStick is watching how I fall and get up.  Win and lose.  Laugh or cry.  She is taking fervent notes on how I do life.

It's a scary, daunting, humbling, exhilarating, comical, numbing, laugh till milk comes out of your nose, pace the floor in the middle of the night out of worry and fear, love so much like you feel your heart will explode, kinda thing to be a dad.

And I wouldn't change it for anything.

Here's to giving something worthwhile for FishStick to watch.

Peace.