Compliments and Men's Bible Study!

My day, March 17, 2011, started at Panera Bread this morning at 7 am...Men's Bible Study Group with Rocky Smith and Bret Warren. I have come to love this hour and a half we spend together and share the word of GOD! Our conversations are private and the peace I feel when I leave there some mornings is priceless. The studies are helping me grow in my christian life and it gives me a chance to vent to my christians brothers and share my disappoints, successes, and strongholds! We always end our meeting with a prayer and I feel so close to these guys! I love you my brothers!

Our discussion this morning was on FAITH! Funny thing is when you think you have faith...and we all think we do...HOW STRONG IS YOUR FAITH? If Jesus asked you to leave everything you have right now..family, job, friends, home, pets, money, land, clothes, food, etc....and come with him...what would you do? Is your faith strong enough where you would go right then or would you need to think about it and pray about it and say goodbye to others? OR would you say hang on Jesus can't I just go for awhile and then come back to my home and family and friends and job and and and and????Just when you think you have faith..I had to ask you this question..it is something to think about! The disciples didn't have a chance to think about it...they just went...HOW STRONG WAS THEIR FAITH? They left businesses and family and trusted in Jesus and look how they were blessed! Everytime you and me think our faith is strong consider this and then ask yourself NOW HOW STRONG IS MY FAITH! Jeremiah 29: 11-12..."For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you."

Two other things real quick...One of the questions asked in our lesson was do you think you are living out God's purpose for you in your everyday life and if not why not? The other was if you died today and for some reason a news show found your life newsworthy and decided to do a report on you. If the reporter was especially smooth and endearing, so your surviving family, friends, and co-workers gave her access to your financial documents, your home, and your office and granted her interviews where each answered honestly and candid about you......WHAT WOULD SHE FIND OUT ABOUT YOU AND WOULD YOU BE PROUD OF EVERYTHING SHE WOULD FIND? Hmmmmmm...well this certainly made us think also! I will say 1 1/2 years ago I would not answer question two but now I can...I think I would be very proud for the honest and candid interviews and I have nothing to hide in my life now! The first question...well thats where honesty really comes into play...I am not living out God's purpose in my life at this point...well not what I think God is speaking/telling me to be....and honestly its because I have became a slave to money and a lifestyle...what a shame...I will pray about this my friends! I truly hope to change this...I want to live out God's purpose in my life!

It was an outstanding study and as always it made our bond tighter as a group!!!!

Wanted to share a couple other things tonight. In the last two days I consider myself to have been paid two serious compliments and I think they are noteworthy.

Yesterday I ran with Angie Wilson over in Knoxville..we decided to meet near the Island Home area of Knoxville (the back half of the Knoxville Marathon course) and do a 7 mile run...well it started out for 6 but we felt good so we did 7...LOL! Anyway around mile 5 we had made our way back to the downtown area of Knoxville and were running down Gay Street where banks, lawyers offices, and business are right on the street. As I crossed a street I saw a person walking towards me and I recognized this person and said hello to them as I ran by...the person did not recognize me...then I realized...this person hadn't seen me in about 5 years...well I would have been about 65 lbs heavier then...so then I said "Hello Mary...I'm Mike Edenfield"...as I kept running...then she threw up her hand...it is a compliment to realize I have changed my look and body so much since I began to eat right, do P90X, and run that someone that knew me well didn't even recognize me! WOW

Then today I was working out at National Fitness Center in Oak Ridge and had finished my workout and was completely spent...I did a ton of weight lifting and CORE work and had just finished my 1035 crunches when a lady came up to me as I sat on a bench outside the sauna and looked concerned. I was sweating badly and you could tell I had giving my workout MY BEST! The lady says to me "Would you like me to call someone from the front desk for you or get you some help?"....I just smiled and said no thank you...I give my workouts everything I have and I have just finished....she looks at me and says "Boy you sure do"...what a compliment!

Well, life is awesome at the Edenfield's house and GOD is blessing us everyday! We thank you for your friendship and prayers! I pray that if we can help you in any way you will let us know...I know people say this all the time but I mean it! If I can do anything for you and your family PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

Thanks for reading this and following my blog...GOD BLESS YOU!

Peace
Mike Edenfield
1 Timothy 1 15-17